Key Skills Research Articles

Enhancing CAT education: the significance of teaching the right skills in the right time

This article explores the dynamic landscape of Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) tools, aiming to identify the key skills employed by language professionals and the essential competencies students should acquire. Employing a survey methodology, responses from a diverse pool of translators shed light on CAT tool preferences, termbase utilization, and automation practices. RWS Trados and memoQ emerge as frontrunners, underlining the versatility required in contemporary translation workflows. While over 80% adopt quality assurance features and ensure precise tag transfers, challenges persist in reusing termbases across projects.ile conversion skills, particularly.tmx conversions, prove significant for translation memory management. Automation practices such as term extraction and pretranslation reveal varied adoption, signaling opportunities for tailored education. Despite limited current usage, machine translation plug-ins and AI present strategic advantages for translators in training, with the emergence of technologies like ChatGPT anticipated to drive a surge in usage Encouragingly, the article concludes that the emergence of AI does not diminish CAT tool usage, positioning them as integral to the evolving language services landscape.

Lexical and Sublexical Skills in Children's Literacy

Letter knowledge and word identification are key skills for reading and spelling. Letter knowledge facilitates the application of sublexical letter-sound mappings to decode words. With reading experience, word identification becomes a key lexical skill to support decoding. In transparent orthographies, however, letter knowledge might be an enduring predictor of decoding and spelling, even in children with some reading experience. This study investigated the association of children's sublexical (letter knowledge) and lexical skills (word identification and vocabulary) with word decoding and spelling accuracy in Spanish, which is a transparent orthography. The sample consisted of 117 Spanish-speaking children, aged 8 to 10. Results revealed that (1) letter knowledge and word identification were independently associated with children's word spelling; (2) word identification was uniquely associated with word decoding; and (3) children's vocabulary level was associated with word identification. The implications of these findings were examined within the framework of reading models and the characteristics of a transparent orthography.

Improving placement learning at scale: a case study evaluation

PurposeIn this study, the authors explore students' and industry’s perceptions about the challenges and opportunities of participating in a large-scale, non-compulsory, individual, in-person and unpaid business placement programme at an Australian university. The placement programme aims to support students' workplace transition by emphasising the development of key employability skills through reflective learning and linking theory to practice.Design/methodology/approachUtilising a case study methodology and integrating survey questionnaires, the authors collected both quantitative and qualitative data with large sample sizes.FindingsThe results highlight curriculum areas for improvement, emphasising tailored feedback to manage placement expectations and addressing employability skill strengths and weaknesses.Practical implicationsRecommendations include co-partnering with students to develop short, tailored and hot tip videos along with online learning modules, including the presentation of evidence-based statistics to inform students about post-programme employment prospects.Originality/valueThe study contributes to benchmarking good practices in non-compulsory, individual, in-person and unpaid placement pedagogy within the business education context.

Navigating Life Challenges Through Play.

In today's ever-changing world, adaptability is a key skill that is required to successfully navigate life's challenges. Through play individuals can build their innovation and adaptability skills. Additionally, through play we are able to collaborate with others and this builds connection amongst groups. And lastly, through practices such as gratitude we can increase our resilience skills when faced with life stressors.

Teaching English as a Foreign Language in Higher Education using flipped learning/flipped classrooms: a literature review

ABSTRACT Purpose: We systematically reviewed the empirical literature that reports research in the specific context of teaching EFL to identify what is known about the efficacy of using flipped learning to teach EFL, the robustness of this evidence, and to explicate the strengths and weaknesses of the pedagogy in teaching EFL. Design/methodology/approach: Adapting the systematic literature review method and combining it with content analysis of qualitative findings we narrowed our search to 40 articles that were primary studies. Findings and originality: The majority of authors examined student perceptions of their learning; one third investigated the use of flipped learning on the acquisition and development of EFL knowledge, skills and abilities. That students like learning in a flipped learning environment is the strongest finding emerging; many linking it to the facilitation of self regulated learning behaviors. However, research evidence for flipped learning’s contribution to important educational outcomes is not robust and this remains a problem for understanding where or how to target the impact or value of this pedagogy. Nonetheless, other encouraging findings include that using flipped learning to teach EFL was linked to its capacity to improve idiomatic knowledge, oral and writing performance, motivation, and higher order thinking skills. Future research should focus on improving research design and reporting for flipped learning interventions, and focus on investigating key EFL learning skills particularly reading which is comparatively understudied despite its importance to language acquisition. Value: The results clarify for educators that flipped learning’s capacity to influence the acquisition of key learning skills remains largely unproven.

Emotional Knowledge in a Sample of University Students

Background: One of the current challenges in higher education is the development of students’ emotional competencies, and consequently, how these competencies can be trained. Moreover, this must be addressed within the UN framework of inclusive, equitable, quality education (United Nations Agenda 2030; SDG 4). Methods: The present study the following objectives: (1) to study the degree of interest and the level of general knowledge that students studying for Education degrees perceive themselves to have; (2) to examine the perception of the participants of variables of emotional knowledge, according to their degree program and year of study; (3) to analyze the relationship between these emotional knowledge variables and perceived emotional intelligence (EI), using Spearman’s Rho test; and (4) to study the predictive capacity of the study variables on future teachers’ emotional knowledge variables through a linear regression analysis. The study sample contained a total of 434 university students from three degree programs at two universities in Spain. Two instruments were used: an ad hoc questionnaire, which assessed perceived emotional knowledge according to three variables (general knowledge of EI, where the level of training in EI is considered; intrapersonal knowledge of EI; and theoretical/practical knowledge related to teaching), and the Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS-24), which assesses metaknowledge of emotional states (attention, clarity, and repair). Results: The results of this study show that there are differences in students’ self-perceived knowledge of EI depending on their course and degree, and indicate that students present high interest, while their perceived level of knowledge is low. In addition, emotional clarity is the EI variable that was identified as being important in the emotional knowledge of future teachers, and therefore, a key skill to stimulate in a theoretical/practical way during their initial training. Conclusion: This study shows evidence of the importance of social–emotional competencies in initial teacher training.

Journey of medical device development from the bench to the bedside—four real-life examples of commercial biomaterials development

Translating biomaterials research into clinical products is a multidisciplinary yet rewarding journey. It should primarily aim to improve patient treatment and clinical outcomes by addressing unmet clinical needs. Four examples of commercial development of biomaterial implants illustrate the diversity of paths, starting from academic research work (AlchiMedics, TISSIUM, Cousin Surgery) or corporate initiatives to develop new products (Medtronic-Sofradim Production). They have been selected from the Translational Research session of the 2022 Conference of the European Society for Biomaterials (ESB) in Bordeaux (France). Commitment, agility, and perseverance were among the key common skills to successfully meet challenges, especially the most unexpected ones. All dimensions of translation projects must be integrated from the start, including the regulatory strategy.

Unveiling the key skills and characteristics for the selection of academic leaders in higher education institutions

ABSTRACT This study aimed to explore the essential attributes considered for the selection of academic leaders in higher education institutions in universities from Arabic countries. Through the administration of an open-ended online survey of experienced academic leaders, comprehensive data was collected. The findings of this study revealed that individual qualities and scientific background are the most highly regarded attributes for the selection of academic leaders in higher education institutions for universities in Arabic countries. These individual qualities include personal attributes such as a good reputation, moral obligation, and loyalty and skills and abilities such as excellent communication, specialized qualifications, efficient planning, and proficient time management. Drawing upon the research outcomes, the study concluded that the most significant attributes for selecting academics for leadership roles encompass personal attributes, skills and abilities, scientific background and knowledge, and extensive leadership experience. The implications of these findings contribute to the enhancement of leadership selection processes in higher education institutions.

Investigating the roles of Short - Term Memory in The Process of Learning Interpretation for English Linguistics Students at HUIT

This study examines the intricate relationship between Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade's (HUIT) English linguistics final-year students' short-term memory and interpretive skills. Interpretation, a key skill in linguistics, is essential to language understanding and translation; hence, linguistic education must include it. This study analyses how HUIT English linguistics students employ short-term memories to influence their interpretation learning and the relevance of such influences. Quantitative methods examined this complex relationship between short-term memory and interpretive learning. Memory, language proficiency, and simulated interpretation exams were given to many HUIT English linguistics seniors. Correlation studies and regression models were used to determine how short-term memory affects interpretation performance. Current research emphasises short-term memory for comprehension. Students understood more with better short-term memory. This group processed language faster, recalled better, and grasped verbal intricacies. The study also found classroom methods adopted by students with good recall. These findings can help us focus and improve our interpretation skills in sessions. Understanding how important short-term memory is helps teachers help pupils remember and evaluate what they hear. This study enhances interpretation education, which may help meet the global language professional need.

Some students are more equal: Performance in Author Recognition Test and Title Recognition Test modulated by print exposure and academic background.

Reading is a key skill for university students. The Author Recognition Test (ART) and the Title Recognition Test (TRT) have both been used for decades to measure print exposure which correlates with reading and other linguistic skills. Given the available evidence for interindividual differences in reading skills, this study addresses three open issues. First, to what extent do ART and TRT scores correlate with individual differences regarding students' study programs? Second, how do these results correlate with the self-reported time spent reading different types of text genres (e.g., fiction, nonfiction) per week? And third, this study compares ART and TRT to one another. We tested students from six study programs in the humanities and (medical) sciences which vary in the amount and kind of reading material required for study success. We found that students perform significantly differently in the ART and the TRT depending on their field of study. Students in a study program focusing on fiction and literature perform best overall. We also replicated the well-known effect of age on ART and TRT scores: older students have better scores. We did not find reliable effects of reading time on test performance, whereas individual creative writing habits did positively predict ART/TRT test results. These results raise a number of important questions regarding the ART/TRT in general and regarding interindividual differences in personal reading and writing habits and the change in reading habits in times of media convergence.

Students and Academics Perception of Flexible Learning Tools and their Effectiveness in Developing Employability Skills within UK Business Schools

With the growth and acceptance of flexible learning after the COVID-19 pandemic, it is crucial to identify the pedagogical tools which are effective in developing employability skills among the undergraduate business students. The paper is the second in the series to investigate the effective pedagogical tools to develop the employability skills. This study seeks to provide an insight into the most effective flexible pedagogical tool especially in the context of UK Business Schools. Indeed, the use of resourceful pedagogical tools are vital in developing the key 21st century employability skills among the business students. In order to ensure that organizations have the right skills to support and sustain their hard-earned success, and people have a relevant set of skills they need to be both employable and individually fulfilled. For this study, a single case study was selected; where a business school in central London was selected which provided both face to face and flexible learning to students in the UK. The study critically reviewed students’ and academics perspectives on the issue of pedagogical tools. Both data strands agreed that case studies, class debates, lectures, group projects, role play, and internships are effective flexible learning tools for the development of 21st century skills or in gaining employability for life values.

Evaluation of an ambulatory care elective to improve practice readiness perceptions utilizing entry-level competencies

Background and purposeThe objectives of this study are to (1) describe the impact of an ambulatory care elective on students' future interests in ambulatory care careers and (2) evaluate students' perception of practice readiness using entry-level competencies. Educational activity and settingThis study employed a mixed methods approach to provide a comprehensive evaluation of a newly designed ambulatory care elective. A pre-post survey was developed to evaluate students' career plans and perceptions of practice readiness in an ambulatory care setting. The primary outcome analyzed the change in students' career plans and pre-post changes in self-perceptions using the institutional advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) ambulatory care rotation assessment and key skills from the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists entry-level readiness objectives. A qualitative analysis was also conducted to analyze open-ended response questions within the post-survey as well as the overall course reflections from the students. FindingsThere was no significant difference in career plans; however, students' perception of practice readiness for the ambulatory care setting significantly improved following the elective course. SummaryThis elective course improved students' perception of practice readiness for the ambulatory care setting. Future research is required to assess the impact of student performance in APPE and post-graduate pursuits.

Evaluation of the impact of a comprehensive psychiatric rehabilitation program on the improvement of cognitive functions in patients of the Mental Health Support Centre in Tarnowskie Gory using the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test

Aim: The purpose of our study was check to how a 3-month program of physical, cognitive and social rehabilitation affected the cognitive functions of patients of the Mental Health Support Centre in Tarnowskie Gory by using the Wisconsin Card Sorting test Materials and Methods: The Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) was conducted twice among patients of the Mental Health Support Center in Tarnowskie Gory, who were undergoing a 3 month rehabilitation program that included physical, cognitive, and social rehabilitation. The test was conducted at the beginning and after the participation in the rehabilitation program. Results: The rehabilitation program led to a significant decrease in patients’ perseverative responses compared to the initial study. Other indicators were also assessed in the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). There were no statistically significant differences between the results of the first and second studies. Conclusions: After completing the rehabilitation program, patients showed a significant decrease in perseverative responses, indicating improved speed in responding to changing task conditions. Cognitive flexibility, including the ability to respond to changing environmental conditions, is a key skill that enables adequate and adaptive actions.

Teacher Training in Coaching Approach – Benefits and Challenges

The implementation of the coaching approach in education offers numerous benefits for all participants in school life. Besides enhancing pedagogical effectiveness, its aim is to promote the development of awareness, reflection, and self-regulation skills for teachers, students, and parents alike. This article summarizes research on the benefits and challenges faced by teachers who have participated in training programs for applying the coaching approach in their work. The study was conducted among 243 teachers who underwent professional pedagogical specializations and short courses in which the discipline "Coaching Approach in School Environment" was studied. The focus of the curriculum is on the key skills that a teacher-coach should possess: skills in active listening, questioning, and providing effective feedback. The main elements in the process of training teachers in the application of the approach include theoretical foundational knowledge, practical individual and group tasks, demonstrations, and reflective exercises. After completing the training, participants undertake an assignment oriented towards their practice, provoking self-reflection. Based on their responses, the most frequently mentioned benefits and challenges of implementing the coaching approach in the school environment are identified. Conclusions and guidelines for expanding and deepening the preparation of educators to integrate coaching into their work are outlined.

Retrieval method as a learning intervention for long term retention and creative thinking skills

Abstract— Few key skills among many that are needed in the 21st century are critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, meta cognitive skills, technology literacy and decision making under uncertainty. With the emergence of ChatGPT and other Generative AI tools, there is a dire need for a distinctive way of learning and application of learning to ensure learning effectiveness. Mere content is no longer the most important factor to learn these skills but. what is needed is the ability to retrieve material learnt, in the context of application. For the learner to be able to apply the critical thinking levels and higher learning levels of Blooms taxonomy, the basic first level of remembering forms the basic foundation, particularly when the students are from first generation educated families or with disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds. However, when students cram for the exams, they generally get an ‘illusion of learning’, where they think they know, but in reality often they may not be able to recall what they crammed when they need it later. This is a case of inefficient investment of time and effort in learning for the student. For the teacher, it slows down the teaching process and opportunity to engage in higher order thinking level applications. Addressing the frustrations of both teacher and students, the authors applied the concept of Retrieval method for MBA I year for Marketing Management course during a semester and a survey was conducted at the end of the semester to understand the perception of students on effectiveness of Retrieval techniques. The results supported that retrieval techniques were effective in supporting the student learning. Keywords— Blooms Taxonomy; Learning intervention; Retention technique; Retrieval Technique.

Impact of a Mental Toughness Intervention on Goal-Setting in University Students: A Randomized Controlled Study

This study aimed to investigate the impact of a mental toughness training program on the goal-setting abilities. It hypothesized that participants undergoing the mental toughness training would show significant improvements in goal-setting scores compared to a control group receiving no such intervention. The study employed a quasi-experimental design with pre-test, post-test, and follow-up measurements. A total of 40 students were randomly assigned to either an experimental group, which received a comprehensive mental toughness training program, or a control group, which did not receive any intervention. Goal-setting abilities were assessed at three time points using a standardized goal-setting questionnaire. The results indicated significant improvements in goal-setting scores for the experimental group as compared to the control group. Specifically, the experimental group's mean goal-setting scores increased significantly from pre-test to post-test and were maintained at follow-up, demonstrating the training's effectiveness. Analysis of variance with repeated measurements revealed significant effects for time, group, and the interaction between time and group, further validating the positive impact of the mental toughness training. The findings suggest that mental toughness training is effective in enhancing the goal-setting abilities of students. The improvements observed in the experimental group highlight the potential of targeted psychological interventions in fostering key mental skills necessary for academic success.

Nationally endorsed learning objectives to improve course design in introductory biology.

Introductory biology for majors is one of the most consequential courses in STEM, with annual enrollments of several hundred thousand students in the United States alone. To support increased student success and meet current and projected needs for qualified STEM professionals, it will be crucial to redesign majors biology by using explicit learning objectives (LOs) that can be aligned with assessments and active learning exercises. When a course is designed in this way, students have opportunities for the practice and support they need to learn, and instructors can collect the evidence they need to evaluate whether students have mastered key concepts and skills. Following an iterative process of review, revision, and evaluation, which included input from over 800 biology instructors around the country, we produced a nationally endorsed set of lesson-level LOs for a year-long introductory biology for major's course. These LOs are granular enough to support individual class sessions and provide instructors with a framework for course design that is directly connected to the broad themes in Vision and Change and the general statements in the BioCore and BioSkills Guides. Instructors can implement backward course design by aligning these community endorsed LOs with daily and weekly learning activities and with formative and summative assessments.

Modelling Key Drivers of Employee Behaviour for Personal and Professional Excellence.

Though, having right set of behavioural skills is always been a priority of all organizations, nevertheless, today's organizations are investing too much on behavioural skill training to safeguard their brand value, bring-up the work culture, maintaining reputation, etc. Behavioural skills plays a vital role in personal development and well-being at student level also. This paper identifies and analyzes the fourteen behavioural skills which are vital in the personal and professional excellence development of a student. Exhaustive literature review is done and expert opinions are taken to determine the behavioural skills. Interpretive Structural Modelling is performed to analyze and prioritize these skills into strategic, operational and performance outcomes. Behavioral skills are not only depicted in ones' actions but also determines thought process and attitude of a person. Result of this research shows that time management, emotional intelligence, self-development, resilience, multitasking, and open mindedness of an individual are the key behavioural skills that trigger most behaviours and eventually influences the effectiveness of management of personal and professional life. Every job requires specific skills to perform. There are certain skills that must be possessed by every student irrespective of the discipline. It include behavioural skills like human values, resilience, multitasking, communication, etc. Research on behavioral skills and its importance are available in literature. However, the literature is lacking in explaining the interplay of these skills in driving personal and professional journey of an individual. Such skills may not be mentioned in the recruitment advertisements but are vital to perform well.

DevOps for Telehealth Services: Accelerating Deployment and Scalability

The use of telehealth services is increasing rapidly to increase access and delivery of remote medical care. However, there are significant technical barriers to rapid and reliable deployment of these services and their ability to handle high patient volumes. This study looks at how DevOps approaches can benefit telehealth providers and let it to overcome this obstacle. To maximize software development and infrastructure management, DevOps focuses on collaboration between development and IT operations teams. Telehealth platforms can be deployed rapidly while leveraging key DevOps skills such as automation, infrastructure-to-code, monitoring, and continuous integration Studies show that these techniques also improve scalability to meet demand changes. This makes it possible for telehealth providers to deliver digitally enabled care to a larger patient base.

Japanese nurses' confidence in their understanding of telenursing via e-learning: A mixed-methods study.

Telenursing e-learning courses have been shown to enhance nurses' skills and knowledge; however, the subjective learning experience is unclear. In this study, we identified meta-inferences to quantitatively and qualitatively understand this experience, as well as the types of knowledge gained through an e-learning course and how they are linked to each other, in order to enhance nurses' confidence in their understanding of telenursing. We employed a single-arm intervention with a mixed-methods convergent parallel design. We converged participants' self-reported pre- and post-course confidence scores with their reflections on the learning experience, which were reported qualitatively as improved or unimproved. A total of 143 Japanese nurses with a mean of 20 years of nursing experience participated in this study. Among the participants, 72.7% demonstrated improved confidence in their understanding of telenursing after completing the e-learning course. The baseline confidence score was originally higher in the group that reported unimproved confidence (p < .001). Although there was no statistical difference in the usability and practicality scores between the two groups, the qualitative learning experience in these aspects differed in terms of the depth of knowledge of telenursing obtained. Nurses' quantitative confidence in their understanding of telenursing after course completion was incongruent with their qualitative perspectives of the learning experience. Nursing educators, healthcare policymakers, and other stakeholders should consider that learners' overconfidence in their understanding of telenursing and comprehension of e-learning materials may result in their failure to develop key telenursing competencies, skills, and knowledge.