Interdisciplinary Competencies Research Articles

Synergistic competencies of business graduates for the digital age: directions for higher education

PurposeFor business and management higher education (HE) to transition graduates to digital workplaces and careers, it’s crucial they develop competencies (digital and traditional, soft and technical, new and old) that are relevant and applicable.Design/methodology/approachInsights are obtained from 60 comprehensive interviews with HE business students, educators and industry practitioners.FindingsSix synergistic competencies are described that leverage synergies of (often) divergent competencies in the digital age of business, integrating them with a recently emerged multi-disciplinary competency framework. Each synergy states its target application, purpose and is aligned with specific HE practices.Originality/valueScholarship of competencies is re-oriented away from clusters and towards synergies, with a new inter-disciplinary competency framework validated to business in the digital age, with directions provided for HE.

A case of granulomatos is with polyangiitis (Wegener’s) after a patient’s suffering from a new coronavirus infection COVID-19

A case of granulomatos is with polyangiitis (Wegener’s) after a patient’s suffering from a new coronavirus infection COVID-19

Research tendency of China ESP teaching from 2007 to 2021 based on visualization analysis using CiteSpace

With the increasing demand for the enhancement of interdisciplinary competence in English teaching reform, English for specific purposes (ESP) teaching has become a hot topic in the field of English education. In order to better understand the phenomena and problems of ESP teaching in China, this study investigated the research tendency in China ESP teaching between 2007–2021 based on 206 articles from the Web of Science (WOS) by employing the CiteSpace Atlas. The study revealed that the literature in China ESP teaching formed an inverted "V" shape over the past 15 years. It can also be seen that most of the institutions with cooperative relations are in the same region, and cross-regional cooperation is less. In addition, the latest research focuses on cutting-edge topics as keywords such as "ESP teaching," "ESP," and "ESP theory" emerged. The findings suggest that it needs to develop effective methods for ESP teaching in China and expand research areas for the future.

Enhancing Smart Grid Resilience: An Educational Approach to Smart Grid Cybersecurity Skill Gap Mitigation

Cybersecurity competencies are critical in the smart grid ecosystem, considering its growing complexity and expanding utilization. The smart grid environment integrates different sensors, control systems, and communication networks, thus augmenting the potential attack vectors for cyber criminals. Therefore, interdisciplinary competencies are required from smart grid cybersecurity specialists. In the meantime, there is a lack of competence models that define the required skills, considering smart grid job profiles and the technological landscape. This paper aims to investigate the skill gaps and trends in smart grid cybersecurity and propose an educational approach to mitigate these gaps. The educational approach aims to provide guidance for competence-driven cybersecurity education programs for the design, execution, and evaluation of smart grids.

Context, language, and technology in data literacy

Integrating data literacy into K-12 education in an increasingly data-driven society is imperative. Data literacy is conceptualized as an interdisciplinary competence that extends beyond traditional statistical understanding, encompassing skills in accessing, analyzing, interpreting, and effectively communicating insights derived from data. The paper argues for a paradigm shift in educational approaches, advocating for incorporating contextual, inquiry-based methodologies over the traditional formalisms-first approach. This shift is essential for enhancing students' ability to apply data literacy skills in real-world contexts. The limitations of a formalisms-first pedagogical approach are discussed, highlighting its potential to restrict students' practical application of theoretical knowledge. In contrast, the article advocates for inquiry-driven educational strategies like project-based and problem-based learning to foster deeper engagement and understanding of data literacy. These strategies may be more effective in connecting theoretical concepts with students' lived experiences and real-world applications. Additionally, the paper argues that data literacy should be framed as language. Designers of data literacy learning progressions should draw on examples from mathematics and science domains and research to build students' understanding of the transformation processes from data to evidence and subsequently to models and explanations. Further, the article explores the integration of technology in data literacy education. It underscores the role of digital tools and platforms in facilitating interactive, hands-on experiences with complex data sets, enriching the learning process, and preparing students for the challenges of the digital era. In conclusion, the article calls for a comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach to data literacy education underpinned by technology-enhanced learning environments. This approach is essential for developing both the technical skills for data manipulation and a critical mindset for data evaluation and interpretation, thereby cultivating a responsible, data-literate citizenry capable of informed decision-making in a data-rich world.

Management Education in The Context of Current Management Trends and Labour Market Changes

The current dynamic environment, accompanied by technological innovations and changes in the nature of work, creates the need for a transformation in the way companies are managed. The constant need to shape and adapt managerial competencies consequently translates into the need for comprehensive and innovative management education programs. This paper focuses on the analysis of current approaches to higher management education in relation to changes in the labour market in Slovak universities. It analyses how colleges and universities are adapting the educational model to promote interdisciplinary learning and provide opportunities for students to develop a wide range of competencies. Another important trend is the emphasis on digital learning, which offers managers access to learning regardless of geographic and time constraints. Universities need to adapt and respond to current trends and student needs in this regard. This study also examines the methods and tools used in higher education for managers and analyses the challenges and opportunities that universities face in implementing management programs. A questionnaire survey was used to collect the data, the sample consisted of 614 students of management programmes of Slovak higher education schools and universities. The results show that students evaluate their readiness for managerial positions positively, in education they prefer forms and methods that allow them to connect knowledge and form interdisciplinary competences using elements of digitalization.

Globale Kompetenzen und Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung. Eine bibliometrische Analyse zur Verortung der globalen Kompetenzen der OECD im wissenschaftlichen Diskurs

AbstractThe Programme for International Study Assessment (PISA) regularly assesses a set of interdisciplinary competences in addition to the traditional core domains. With the 2018 assessment of ‘global competences’, the OECD (2019) aims to support evidence-based decisions on the improvement of the curricula and teaching in order to prepare young people to become active and global citizens who contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In assessing this domain, the OECD is entering a field of research characterised by dynamic debates and heterogeneous research strands. The aim of this paper is to visualise the theoretical foundations on which the analytical PISA 2018 Global Competence Framework (OECD 2019) is based, allowing a transparent discussion of the different theoretical reference points. The bibliometric analyses reveal that discourses related to Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) are hardly taken into account in the analytical framework. The paper subsequently formulates impetus from the ESD research field with the aim of linking discourses in the future.

Assessment of the Perceived Mastery of Interdisciplinary Competences of Students in Education Degree Programmes

The importance of fostering interdisciplinary competences in students acquires a relevant value in the skills that must be developed throughout university studies. These enable them to tackle complex problems and apply knowledge in different contexts, promoting the construction of knowledge through the integration of different disciplines and collaboration between areas of knowledge. The study aims to analyse how university education students perceive their interdisciplinary competences, identifying areas where they feel more confident and those in which they need to improve, with consideration of gender differences and a possible measurement model. The study involves 1066 students from university education courses in Ecuador. The main results highlight the importance of strengthening training in interdisciplinary skills for future teachers, especially in reflective behaviour and the integration of knowledge from different disciplines to address complex problems. It also points to the need to promote interdisciplinary work in higher education and recognises that gender may influence students’ interdisciplinary perceptions and skills. Confirmatory factor analysis supports the validity of the model for measuring these competences.

Reinforcement Learning Methods and Algorithms for Modeling Individual Trajectories of Professional Development

Corporate human capital is one of the most important drivers of sustainable economic growth that is becoming increasingly important under changing nature of work. Due to the expansion of various areas of human activity, an employee portrait is getting multifaceted. Therefore, the problem of human capital management based on the individual trajectories of professional development, aimed at increasing the labor efficiency and contributing to the growth of he corporate operational efficiency, is relevant, timely, socially and economically significant. The paper proposes an approach for the dynamic regimes for human capital development (DRHC), to design individual trajectories for the employees professional development, based on reinforcement learning methods. The DRHC develops an optimal management regime as a set of programs aimed at developing an employee in the professional field, taking into account their individual characteristics (health quality, major and interdisciplinary competencies, motivation and social capital). The DRHC architecture consists of an environment — an employee model as a Markov decision making process and an agent — decision making center of a company. The DRHC uses Double Deep Q-Network algorithms to maximize the agents utility function. The implementation of the proposed by DRHC policies would enhance the corporate HC quality, improve its resource efficiency and ensure the performance growth

Interdisciplinary Competencies for Implementing NDBIs With Young Children With Autism and Other Social Communication Challenges

Over the past decade, a newer class of interventions has emerged specifically designed for young children with or at high likelihood of autism, which are called Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBIs). NDBIs are particularly well-suited as a discipline agnostic, primary intervention for young children with autism and other social communication challenges; however, community providers from multiple disciplinary backgrounds who serve these children typically do not develop competencies in areas crucial for effectively implementing NDBI. The goal of this commentary is to: (a) describe the interdisciplinary competencies needed to deliver NDBIs effectively and (b) provide recommendations for moving the field of early intervention for autism and social communication delays forward. Resources for building these competencies for providers at the pre- and in-service level are also provided.

Science communication as interdisciplinary training

Science communication education has come a long way thanks in part to broad recognition of the importance of communication skills and the capacity for science communication courses to address that need. Similarly, the current rise in demand for interdisciplinary competencies offers new opportunities for the advancement of science communication education, and for greater contribution to preparing graduates for a rapidly changing world.

Sustainability, Evaluation, and Credentials

While there is clear demand for sustainability-ready evaluation in which environmental impacts are integrated, a major gap exists between this desire and reality. Stock takings show that environmental sustainability is rarely addressed by evaluations. For this to happen, a significant adaptation in how evaluation is organized and conducted is needed, and evaluators, commissioners and evaluation users must take an interest in sustainability. Competencies of individual evaluators and firms must be enhanced, but this is not sufficient. Sustainability-ready evaluation requires interdisciplinary competencies and collaboration.

Developing public health competency statements and frameworks: a scoping review and thematic analysis of approaches

Competencies ensure public health students and professionals have the necessary knowledge, skills, values, and behaviours to do their jobs effectively. Public health is a dynamic and complex field requiring robust competency statements and frameworks that are regularly renewed. Many countries have public health competencies, but there has been no evidence synthesis on how these are developed. Our research aim was to synthesize the extent and nature of the literature on approaches and best practices for competencies statement and framework development in the context of public health, including identifying the relevant literature on approaches for developing competency statements and frameworks for public health students and professionals using a scoping review; and, synthesizing and describing approaches and best practices for developing public health competency statements and frameworks using a thematic analysis of the literature identified by the scoping review. We conducted a scoping review and thematic analysis of the academic and grey literature to synthesize and describe approaches and best practices for developing public health competency statements and frameworks. A systematic search of six databases uncovered 13 articles for inclusion. To scope the literature, articles were assessed for characteristics including study aim, design, methods, key results, gaps, and future research recommendations. Most included articles were peer-reviewed journal articles, used qualitative or mixed method design, and were focused on general, rather than specialist, public health practitioners. Thematic analysis resulted in the generation of six analytical themes that describe the multi-method approaches utilized in developing competency statements and frameworks including literature reviews, expert consultation, and consensus-building. There was variability in the transparency of competency framework development, with challenges balancing foundational and discipline-specific competencies. Governance, and intersectoral and interdisciplinary competency, are needed to address complex public health issues. Understanding approaches and best practices for competency statement and framework development will support future evidence-informed iterations of public health competencies.

European training program for competence enhancement in management of health regions

Abstract Background Health regions aim to increase equal opportunities in health care through the networking of regional actors. In the Erasmus+ founded project Com.HeNet, a European training for the management of health regions was developed. The contents were defined through interviews with European health experts (n = 33). The Com.HeNet training was developed in international interdisciplinary teams with a great transfer potential to other sectors. Objectives The objective of the Com.HeNet training is to impart European competences in the development, management, and evaluation of health regions. The training is designed for 5 ECTS (EQF level 6) and consists of 6 teaching modules (Blended Learning). The question arises: Do EU blended learning modules for the management of health regions offer the potential for competence enhancement for successful management in the health sector? Results Through an Erasmus+ grant, a total of 23 students and health care practitioners from seven EU countries were able to evaluate the Com.HeNet Training. In a qualitative survey, the training was evaluated for quality, quantity, and professional relevance. 19 (n = 23) respondents stated a high to very high increase in their knowledge regarding the online course on theoretical introduction. 21 (n = 22) respondents perceive, inter alia, the teaching of ‘Health and society - theoretical background’ as helpful to very helpful for their professional future. Conclusions The blended learning format of the Com.HeNet training has the potential to useful enhance competences in European health management. The modules have been successfully piloted and will now be transferred into practice. Key messages • A European establishment of health regions and the associated training requires cooperation between the national level and the European Union. • Interdisciplinary competencies can be taught in European blended learning trainings.

EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN GEOGRAPHY TEACHING ON THE BASIS OF COMPETENCE-BASED APPROACH

The article analyzes the possibilities of implementing a competency-based approach to education for sustainable development in the process of teaching geography. The authors summarize UNESCOʼs approach to the formulation of the objectives of education for sustainable development, which are the formation of key interdisciplinary competencies and special competencies. Among the key competencies are the following: systemic thinking; prognostic; regulatory; strategic and innovative; teamwork; critical thinking; self-awareness; and integrated problem solving. Special competencies take into account the specifics and context of each of the 17 global sustainable development goals and are divided into educational, cognitive, socio-emotional and behavioral components. A contextual analysis of geography programs in general secondary education has shown that school geography has the best conditions for incorporating sustainable development ideas into the educational process. The cross-cutting content area “Environmental Safety and Sustainable Development” in the primary school geography course focuses geography teachers mainly on the formation of knowledge about sustainable development, to a lesser extent on the formation of behavior adequate to the principles of sustainable development (behavioral and activity component), and in general, insufficient attention is paid to the emotional and value component. Sustainable development issues are most fully covered in the content of the 9th and 11th grade geography curricula, which complete the geographic education of students in primary and high school. The survey of geography teachers of the Poltava amalgamated territorial community showed a high level of understanding of the essence of education for sustainable development and its differences from environmental education, insufficient coverage in the content of school geography textbooks, the need to encourage geography teachers to receive professional training in the context of sustainable development and to increase their motivation to implement a school-wide approach to the implementation of education for sustainable development.
 Keywords: education; sustainable development; competence approach; teaching geography; environmental education; competence; components of education; special competences for sustainable development.

Dynamic Regimes for Corporate Human Capital Development Used Reinforcement Learning Methods

Corporate human capital is a critical driver of sustainable economic growth, which is becoming increasingly important in the changing nature of work. Due to the expansion of various areas of human activity, the employee’s profile becomes multifaceted. Therefore, the problem of human capital management based on the individual trajectories of professional development, aimed at increasing the labor efficiency and contributing to the growth of the corporate operational efficiency, is relevant, timely, socially, and economically significant. The paper proposes a methodology for the dynamic regimes for human capital development (DRHC) to design individual trajectories for the employee’s professional development, based on reinforcement learning methods. The DRHC develops an optimal management regime as a set of programs aimed at developing an employee in the professional field, taking into account their individual characteristics (health quality, major and interdisciplinary competencies, motivation, and social capital). The DRHC architecture consists of an environment—an employee model—as a Markov decision-making process and an agent—decision-making center of a company. The DRHC uses DDQN, SARSA, and PRO algorithms to maximize the agent’s utility function. The implementation of the proposed DRHC policy would improve the quality of corporate human capital, increase labor resource efficiency, and ensure the productivity growth of companies.

Health behaviors of nurses in terms of nutrition and physical activity

Introduction An important direct factor determining human health are health behaviors that are part of the lifestyle. Health behaviors are conscious actions taken to strengthen and increase the potential of one's own health. Nurses, due to their education and interdisciplinary competences, should be characterized by a high level of health awareness and motivation. Aim of the study The aim of the study was to analyze selected health behaviors among the nursing staff employed at the Railway Hospital in Wilkowice in terms of assessing the possibility of increasing preventive measures. Material and methods: The research was carried out using the diagnostic survey method and a standardized scale - Juczyński's Health Behavior Inventory on a group of 100 nurses. Results: The group of surveyed nurses was characterized by the highest health behaviors in terms of positive mental attitude and proper eating habits, lower in terms of preventive behaviors and health practices. There were also many anti-health behaviors, such as: non-compliance with the principles of healthy eating, insufficient physical activity. Conclusions: Measures should be taken to prevent and promote health among nurses.

A COMPETENCE PORTFOLIO FOR FUTURE LEADERS IN ADVANCED SYSTEMS ENGINEERING

AbstractDue to the increasing importance of advanced systems, whose development calls for interdisciplinary and integrative approaches, and fundamental changes in the work environment, leaders are required to have a wide range of competences. Therefore, the aim of this work is to identify competences of future leaders, that are specifically relevant in Advanced Systems Engineering (ASE). Thus, professional, social, methodological, and self competences developed by a literature review are validated through expert interviews and prioritized by a survey. The insights are then presented in a competence portfolio including 30 areas of competences. The portfolio consists of areas of competence that are either relevant in the context of ASE (e.g. intercultural and interdisciplinary competence), New Work (e.g. competence to empower employees) or are relevant to leaders in general. It was possible to add further aspects that are necessary in ASE to the aspects from the literature review. The experts interviewed emphasized various aspects of interdisciplinary work and made clear that in future, leaders should place their employees at the heart of their activities and empower them according to their strengths and weaknesses.

Biomedical Engineering Students’ Perceived Learning Through Co-Curriculars

Background: Co-curricular student outcomes research has focused on connecting outcomes to activities based on the co-curricular type. Less work has explored what aspects of those co-curricular activities could lead to student outcomes. Purpose: Our research aimed to identify common elements of co-curricular activities that connected to students’ development of professional, career, or personal outcomes and can inform how we study and design co-curricular activities in engineering. Design: We recruited participants from one biomedical engineering (BME) program. We used a one-year series of four semi-structured interviews with fourteen upper-level BME students to explore students’ perceptions of their co-curricular learning. Using a qualitative, causal analysis approach, we identified elements of students’ co-curricular experiences in research or a multi-disciplinary design team, as well as other co-curricular experiences (e.g., internships, professional societies), that linked to professional, career, or personal learning outcomes that have been previously identified as important in engineering education. Findings: We identified patterns of connections between unique “experience elements” and a variety of “outcome categories” through participant activities we called “participant actions.” The most prevalent connections—those experience elements and participant actions that connected to multiple outcome categories—included the experience elements Independent Project Work, Project Work That Engages Multiple Disciplines, STEM Education Opportunities, and Mentorship from a Skilled Other as well as a participant action Reflecting on Experience. We found connections to the outcome categories of Leadership, Design, Business, Interdisciplinary Competence, Disciplinary Competence, Communication, and Career Direction Outcomes. Conclusions: Based on our findings, educators and mentors should consider the value of supporting students’ decision-making autonomy and multidisciplinary interactions in projects to support learning. They could also incorporate opportunities for students to teach each other technical content, receive structured mentorship, and reflect on their experiences as they are happening. Further, this work demonstrates a need to explore co-curricular learning processes in new ways that can lead to better understandings of students’ learning processes.

Pre-Service Primary School Teachers Interdisciplinary Competence and their Interest, Self-Concept, and Sense of Belonging Regarding Natural and Social Sciences: Findings from a Longitudinal Study in Germany

In German primary schools, natural sciences and social studies are learned and taught in an integrative manner within a subject called Sachunterricht. To teach Sachunterricht in a high-quality manner, it is reasonable to assume that primary school teachers themselves require—among other things, such as knowledge about pedagogy, teaching Sachunterricht, and the various content areas of Sachunterricht—a distinct interest, academic self-concept, and sense of belonging regarding natural and social sciences. Furthermore, they should possess a solid interdisciplinary competence that enables them to teach natural and social sciences in an integrative way. In the present study, we conducted a longitudinal survey of pre-service primary school teachers from a German university over a period of 2 years to investigate the changes in their (self-evaluated) interdisciplinary competence; the changes in their interest, academic self-concept, and sense of belonging regarding natural and social sciences; and the correlations between these constructs. Our data analysis revealed a decrease over time in participants’ sense of belonging to natural and social sciences, as well as their (self-evaluated) interdisciplinary competence, while their academic self-concept in natural and social sciences remained stable. Participants’ interest in social sciences decreased, while their interest in natural sciences increased. Moreover, we found varying degrees of correlation between these constructs. In summary, the results of the present study provide important insights into the professional development of pre-service primary school teachers within university-based teacher education for teaching natural and social sciences in primary school. The implications of these findings are discussed in detail at the end of this paper.