Learning Skills Research Articles

Evaluation of a Workplace Diabetes Prevention Program Delivered via Distance Learning: A Qualitative Study.

Little is known about how distance learning impacts delivery of the National Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) despite a rapid shift to this platform during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health emergency. We explored how a workplace DPP, delivered via distance learning, impacted knowledge, motivation, and behavioral skills of participants throughout the program. We conducted repeated qualitative interviews with distance learning participants at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months from September 2020 to July 2022. Three study team members coded interview data using individual responses as the unit of analysis. We used a thematic approach, using the information-motivation-behavioral skills framework, to analyze responses and generate understanding of the program's impact. The 27 individuals who participated in the interviews (89% women, mean age 56 years) reported the distance learning platform was effective in changing their behavior. The program's focus on food logging and setting limits on specific types of caloric intake was perceived as essential. Education on ideal levels of fat and sugar consumption, lessons on how to read food labels, and dissemination of recipes with healthy food substitutions allowed participants to initiate and sustain healthy decision-making. Strategies to increase physical activity, including breaking up exercise throughout the day, made reaching their goals more feasible. Participants reported food logging and weight reporting, as well as group support during sessions, either sustained or increased their motivation to adhere to the program over time. A workplace DPP delivered via distance learning successfully prompted improvements in the knowledge, motivation, and behavioral skills necessary to increase healthy eating and physical activity among participants.

Enhancing Inclusive Learning and Communication Skills with the Aid of Educational Videos

Enhancing Inclusive Learning and Communication Skills with the Aid of Educational Videos

Training needs for developing blended learning skills and strategies among Arabic language teachers in public schools

The study aimed to know the training needs for developing blended learning skills and strategies among Arabic language teachers in government schools. The researcher used the descriptive analytical approach. The study sample reached (265) male and female teachers of the Arabic language subject in government schools. To achieve the objectives of the study, the researcher prepared a questionnaire as a tool. The study consisted of (21) paragraphs. The study found that the training needs for developing blended learning skills and strategies among Arabic language teachers in government schools in Ma’an Governorate came in at a high level with an overall arithmetic average of (3.7775), as the results show that the paragraph: I provide students with some practical work through blended learning came in first place, where The arithmetic mean was (4.0852). The results also showed that there were no statistically significant differences between the responses of Arabic language teachers regarding the training needs for developing blended learning skills and strategies due to the gender variable, while there were statistically significant differences due to variables of academic qualification and years of experience. Based on these results, the study recommended the need for teachers to develop the skills of designing and implementing.

Studying the Effectiveness of the Flipped Classroom Teaching Method for Promoting Education Students' Academic Performance and Learning Outcomes in Saudi Universities (A Comparative Study)

This study examines whether the flipped classroom teaching method effectively improves the academic performance and learning skills of education students in Saudi universities, unlike traditional lecture-based pedagogies. Guided by constructivist learning theory, the research employs an autoethnographic methodology based on the experiences of the author as a student and educator in Saudi Arabia and Australia. This study examines how flipped classrooms integrate technology, student autonomy, responsibility for learning, engagement, and satisfaction. therefore, the flipped classroom is an educational approach that delivers theoretical content to students via videos or online learning materials to be studied at home. In classroom sessions, it focuses on practical activities, discussions, and problem solving, which enhances understanding and practical application of concepts, and increases student engagement. Results from this study indicated positive effects on the student's academic achievements and involving them in more interactive learning. This study suggests that adopting the flipped classroom method could result in relatively better academic preparation for modern educational challenges in Saudi higher education. A future empirical research that examines the effectiveness of the flipped classroom method on education students in Saudi universities is recommended. In order to make generalizations based on the findings, non-probabilistic sampling must be applied.

Scotland's internal medicine simulation strategy: A 5-year journey

In 2019, the internal medicine (IM) stage 1 curriculum was implemented in the UK. This introduced a revised 3-year training programme for physicians in training. The new IM stage 1 curriculum emphasised simulation-based education, triggering the integration of simulation training on a national scale in Scotland. Bespoke training courses were developed for IM trainees in Scotland, spanning all 3 years of their training programme. Each course was meticulously designed with input from key stakeholders and trainees, aligning learning objectives with curriculum outcomes. The Scottish IM simulation strategy encompasses a 3-day bootcamp in IM year 1, a 1-day skills day in IM year 2, and a 2-day ‘registrar ready’ course in IM year 3. These courses, delivered at central locations, focus on immersive simulation, communication workshops, and simulation-based mastery learning of procedural skills. Evaluation of the programme includes pre- and post-course questionnaires, data tracking over the training programme, interviews with trainees and faculty, and annual review days to gather feedback and make necessary adaptations. The impact of the programme for trainees includes transfer to clinical practice of communication skills, improved non-technical skills, and increased confidence in procedural skills. Alignment with the IM stage 1 curriculum supports trainees’ annual reviews of competence progression. The IM simulation training also offers valuable social benefits and remains crucial, especially with increased pressure in the NHS. It is our belief that ongoing delivery of this training is invaluable to the IM stage 1 programme in Scotland.

Enhancing motor skill learning through multiple sessions of online high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation in healthy adults: insights from EEG power spectrum.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) on finger motor skill acquisition. Thirty-one healthy adult males were randomly assigned to one of three groups: online HD-tDCS (administered during motor skill learning), offline HD-tDCS (delivered before motor skill learning), and a sham group. Participants engaged in a visual isometric pinch task for three consecutive days. Overall motor skill learning and speed-accuracy tradeoff function were used to evaluate the efficacy of tDCS. Electroencephalography was recorded and power spectral density was calculated. Both online and offline HD-tDCS total motor skill acquisition was significantly higher than the sham group (P < 0.001 and P < 0.05, respectively). Motor skill acquisition in the online group was higher than offline (P = 0.132, Cohen's d =1.46). Speed-accuracy tradeoff function in the online group was higher than both offline and sham groups in the post-test. The online group exhibited significantly lower electroencephalography activity in the frontal, fronto-central, and centro-parietal alpha band regions compared to the sham (P < 0.05). The findings suggest that HD-tDCS application can boost finger motor skill acquisition, with online HD-tDCS displaying superior facilitation. Furthermore, online HD-tDCS reduces the power of alpha rhythms during motor skill execution, enhancing information processing and skill learning efficiency.

Meningkatkan Kemampuan Berpikir Kritis dan Kemandirian dengan Menggunakan Model PBL pada Materi Memperjuangkan Nilai-Nilai Kehidupan untuk Kelas XII IPA SMA Pax Patriae Tahun Ajaran 2024/2025

This Classroom Action Research (CAR) aims to improve the critical thinking skills and independence of 12th-grade students in Catholic Religious Education through the application of the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) model on the topic of advocating life values in society. Critical thinking skills and independence are essential for students to face the challenges of modern life and build a deeper understanding of the values from Scripture and the Catholic Church's teachings. The study was conducted in two cycles, where each cycle consisted of planning, implementation, observation, and reflection. The research was conducted on 23 12th grade students. Observation sheets, critical thinking, and independence tests were among the instruments used. The study's findings indicate that the PBL model significantly improves students' critical thinking and independence. Cycle I saw a moderate improvement, but Cycle II saw a significant increase in students' critical thinking and independence following adjustments. Students were able to connect the values of Scripture and Church teachings with real-life contexts and became more independent in completing assigned tasks. Thus, the Problem-Based Learning model is highly effective in enhancing students' critical thinking and independence in the topic of life values in society within Catholic Religious Education. The implementation of PBL can continue to be developed to improve the quality of learning and students' life skills.

“A lifelong journey:” a phenomenological exploration of faculty perceptions about coach training at an academic medical center

BackgroundCoaching in academic medicine may help learners develop lifelong learning skills. Studies typically evaluate the impact on coachees and program outcomes. Limited information is available about educating faculty to integrate the role of coaching. We explored a faculty coach training program at an academic medical center in the southern region of the United States.MethodsTwenty faculty members in the college of medicine completed the 34-h training program meeting alternate weeks from May to November 2021. We collected data from reflections during training, a post-training survey, and three post-training focus group discussions making this a qualitatively driven mixed methods research. We used a transcendental phenomenological approach for the qualitative analysis entailing deriving essential meaning of the participants’ training experiences and perceptions about coaching.ResultsWe identified 3 themes (1) perceptions, skills, and understanding of coaching, (2) perceived additional benefits from coach training, and (3) effective instructional practices to teach coaching. Under the first theme, participants expressed improved understanding about the process of coaching in academic medicine, noted the importance of listening to the whole person without judgment, questioning with curiosity, vulnerability, self-awareness, and reflection for building trust. Perceived additional benefits included personal development and illuminating discoveries. Sub-themes for effective instructional practices were learning community encompassing mindfulness, psychological safety, social cohesion, experiential and interactive learning, and suggestions. Faculty experienced internal transformation while learning coaching and felt they had the capacity to influence personal and professional development of learners and colleagues. The concepts reflection, awareness, growth, and relationship were threaded throughout the three themes.ConclusionsThe training evoked self-awareness and opportunities for personal growth. The newly trained coaches expressed the beginning of an internal transformation to embody being a coach and demonstrated willingness to influence personal and professional development of learners and colleagues. Effective instructional practices to teach coaching included mindfulness practice, psychological safety, social cohesion, and experiential and interactive learning. Based on these findings, it may be summarized that in the process of training to be a coach, the faculty not only recognized the benefits of coaching for learners but also realized individual personal benefits.

The Effect of Contextual Interference on the Acquisition and Learning of Motor Skill with an Emphasis on Cognitive Flexibility

Background: The effect of contextual interference (CI) on motor skill learning may be influenced by various factors, such as cognitive abilities. Objectives: The purpose of the current research was to investigate the effect of CI on the acquisition and learning of soccer skills, with an emphasis on the role of cognitive flexibility (CF). Methods: Eighty students, aged 9 - 12 years, were randomly selected and administered the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. From this group, 60 students who scored the highest and lowest points were selected as the final subjects. After completing the pre-test on Moore-Christine's pass, shoot, and dribble skills, the subjects were divided into four groups of 15 participants each (high CF with Random Practice (RP) and Blocked Practice (BP), low CF with RP and BP). The subjects then engaged in practice sessions according to their assigned protocols for three sessions, with each session consisting of three blocks of 12 trials across all three skills—passing, shooting, and dribbling. Following the practice, acquisition, immediate retention, delayed retention, and transfer tests were conducted. Results: The results showed that practice in all four groups had significant beneficial effects on the acquisition and learning of skills. Additionally, the high CF with RP group demonstrated better performance in all skills compared to the other groups. Conclusions: Therefore, it can be concluded that RP may be more beneficial for individuals with higher CF. Teachers and educators should consider this when teaching sports skills.

Effectiveness of video making to enhance infection control skills by undergraduate MBBS students

Background: Competency-based medical education (CBME) Microbiology second MBBS curriculum, infection control practices are core competencies for certification of the second MBBS student. E-learning through video making can help students to achieve these infection control skills upto certifiable level. Educational videos which are of short duration, created in a step wise manner have shown to improve skill acquisition and augment observational learning. The aim and objectives were to study the effectiveness of video making as a teaching learning tool, to enhance infection control skills in undergraduate second MBBS students through video making and to evaluate the students’ infection control skills by giving them a prior checklist. Methods: Second MBBS students after taking informed consent were enrolled for the study. Ten infection control and prevention topics were included in the study for video making. All the 100 second MBBS students in 5 groups of 20 students had made all the 10 videos of duration 2 minutes. A self-administered, validated pre-test and post-test, multiple choice question (MCQ) test and objective structured practical examination (OSPE) checklist were used. Results: Mean post-test marks improved by a mean of 5.91 with significant p value (&lt;0.001, using statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) software version 29). Mean MCQ and OSPE scores also improved. In almost all the questions on feedback of student’s perception and assessment feedback, percentage of students who agreed and strongly agreed were far more than those who disagreed. Conclusions: Second phase MBBS students learning and performance of infection control skills greatly improved when they created their own videos.

"I've Got a Lot of Other Things I Do": The Nuances of Digital Engagement among Older People.

As Western society becomes increasingly digitally dependent and many older adults actively engage in the online world, understanding the experiences of those who largely do not use digital technology in their daily lives is crucial. Individual interviews were conducted (pre-pandemic) with 23 older adults who, based on self-identification, did not regularly use digital technology, exploring how their experiences as limited digital technology users may have impacted their daily lives. An iterative collaborative qualitative analysis demonstrated three main themes: internet concerns, frustrations with digital technology, and conflicting motivators to use digital technology. Findings suggest that addressing digital concerns and providing effective digital skill learning opportunities may encourage some older adults to become more digitally engaged. However, as people, including older adults, can be uninterested in using these technologies, organizations and institutions should work to offer ways to support people of all ages who are not engaged online.

A teamwork framework for preventing breaches of academic integrity and improving students’ collaborative skills in the AI era

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools have become a major challenge in the education sector in terms of the way that students use and manage them. This study examines the development, implementation, and evaluation of a teamwork framework by using academic integrity standards and formative feedback to minimise the use of generative AI tools in the Business Project Management (BPM) unit and promote students' learning skills through teamwork and self/peer evaluation. This teamwork assessment was designed to transform students into independent learners by improving their cultural awareness, self-confidence, teamwork, communication, leadership, as well as personal and interpersonal skills. The study's objectives are to determine whether a teamwork framework can help to maintain academic integrity and transform BPM students into independent learners and leaders in the era of generative AI, and to determine whether lecturers' formative feedback enhances students' skills in teamwork assessment. This research comprises an empirical study of 408 local and international BPM students from different cultural backgrounds. A mixed-methods approach was used to collect data and achieve a broader perspective of the research topic. BPM students reported their satisfaction with this type of assessment since it helped them acquire skills such as intercultural effectiveness and teamwork. Following the implementation of the teamwork framework, the number of instances of academic misconduct and requests for extensions have decreased dramatically, while the assessment's average marks increased by 10 %. A set of recommendations is offered that will ensure the successful implementation of the proposed framework for teamwork assessment and self/peer evaluation. This study was limited to the Business Project Management unit, but in 2024, the same study will be conducted involving other postgraduate units at Curtin University with a future rollout in other universities to compare how students perceive teamwork assessment.

THE NATURE, CHARACTERISTICS AND IMPORTANCE OF REFLECTIVE PRACTICE IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING AND TEACHING

The following article discusses the characteristics and nature of reflective skills in foreign language teaching and learning. The formation and development of reflective abilities focuses on planning, analyzing the educational process, working on mistakes, and working on difficulties and problems that may arise in the future process of education.

Developing Positive Design with Innovative Thinking Framework: A design Pedagogical Approach to Enhance Subjective Well-being

Design thinking is the foundation of professional design education, and the shift from zero to professional design skill involves the completion of the transition from single-mindedness to independent and innovative thinking. In this exploratory study on design teaching, we build a novel teaching model by drawing on the connection between students' self-transcendent knowledge and formal knowledge in design thinking. Based on the Design for Happiness framework (DfH), this study uses Positive Emotional Granularity cards (PEG) to stimulate students to identify and categorize various positive emotions. We matched 15 furniture-related positive emotion keywords, summarized the corresponding design strategies, and subsequently generated Design for Happy Furniture cards (DfHF). We looked at new structural reorganizations of design teaching resources and effective teaching models and examples that might be used in course delivery. This study used the USE scale for quantitative analysis and triangulation for qualitative data analysis. The results indicate that this method is crucial for making it easier to convert design ideas into practice and for enhancing the efficiency of instructional techniques in a specific design procedure. The bottom-up approach is beneficial for creating sets of cards and design strategies, as well as for utilizing the cards in innovative ways to enhance students' creativity, engagement, and self-efficacy. DfHF cards are a valuable tool for promoting motivation and facilitating the constructive learning of creative skills. They not only improve students' creative thinking abilities but also expedite the design decision-making process and prioritize emotional integration and user well-being.

The Effectiveness of Using Computer-Assisted Translation Tools for Developing Translation Skills for EFL Learners

The Effectiveness of Using Computer-Assisted Translation Tools for Developing Translation Skills for EFL Learners

The Relationship of Achievement Goal Orientations and 21st Century Skills Acquisition with the Entrepreneurship of Pre-Service Teachers.

Teachers' goal orientations and their adaptation to the 21st century determine many questions in teacher training and professional development. One of these aspects is entrepreneurship, such that the achievement goal orientations and 21st century skills of pre-service teachers have a positive role in entrepreneurship. The present study aimed to investigate the predictive role of the achievement goal orientations and 21st century skills of pre-service teachers in relation to entrepreneurship. To this end, a correlational design was conducted to analyze relationships between variables. The sample in the current study consisted of 282 pre-service teachers studying at a Faculty of Education in Anatolia Province, Turkey. The instruments were the Achievement Goal Orientations Scale, 21st Century Learning Skills Acquisition Scale, and The Scale of Entrepreneurship of College Students. The data obtained from these scales were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results showed that the structural model of the relationships between achievement goal orientations, 21st century skills, and entrepreneurship had an adequate goodness of fit, so that most of the achievement goal orientations and 21st century skills of pre-service teachers predicted either directly or indirectly their entrepreneurship skills. The conclusion was that entrepreneurial education activities related to teacher entrepreneurship can be planned by considering 21st century skills and achievement goal orientations in teacher education.

Impacts of backgrounds on students’ self-regulated learning in a flipped classroom setting

ABSTRACT This study investigated the impact of students’ background variables (gender, grade level, and major) on their self-regulated learning in a flipped classroom setting. This study implemented the flipped classroom method in a general education course, “Data Science with Excel.” The “self-regulated learning skill scale” questionnaire was used to examine the impact of students’ self-regulated learning skills (goal setting, learning environment setting, learning strategy, time management, and help-seeking) in a flipped classroom for 66 valid participants. The results indicated that, in terms of the gender factor, females reported more help-seeking behaviors than males. It was also found that major had a significant influence on self-regulated learning. Students from the College of Humanities and Applied Science were more likely to manage their time and set goals to learn the course content in comparison with students from other colleges. However, the results did not show a significant difference between grade levels.

The effect of web based and traditional self breast examination education on nursing students’ knowledge, skills and self-directed learning skills: A randomised controlled study

AimThe aim of this study is to examine the effect of web based self-breast examination education on nursing students’ knowledge, skills, and self-directed learning skills in self-breast examination. BackgroundBreast cancer is the most prevalent type of cancer among women, mortality rates are still high today. It is critical to improve the knowledge and skills and raise the self-awareness and health consciousness of individuals and society about self-breast examination, which is important in the early diagnosis of breast cancer, in order to lower mortality rates. Accordingly, one of the basic nursing skills aimed to be acquired by nursing students future nursing professionals is a self-breast examination. DesignThis study was conducted with a randomised, controlled, and experimental trial. MethodsA total of 90 students were included in the study: the intervention group (n=43) and the control group (n=47). Intervention group students participated in web-based SBE Education.Control group students participated in SBE Education based on a traditional learning model.A Student Information Form, the Self-Breast Examination Knowledge Test, the Self-Breast Examination Skill Rubric, and the Self-Directed Learning Skills Scale were used in the study. Descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U test, and Wilcoxon test were run to analyse the data. ResultsIt was observed that the control group had a higher score in self-breast examination knowledge than the intervention group during the intervention period and the follow-up period after 15 days. No difference was noticed between the groups after the intervention for self-breast examination skill score, but the intervention group had a higher score than the control group for self-breast examination skill during the follow-up period after 15 days. No significant difference was noted between the groups for self-directed learning scores. This result validated hypothesis H4. This result refuted hypothesis H1, H2, H3, H5. ConclusionsWeb based education on self-breast examination improves students’ breast self-examination skills and self-directed learning skills, but not their knowledge level of self-breast examination.

Organizational learning culture, professional competence and life-long learning skills: Basis for professional development opportunities framework

Organizational learning culture, professional competence and life-long learning skills: Basis for professional development opportunities framework

ON OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES IN EDUCATION AND ITS IMPORTANCE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIO-CULTURAL COMPETENCIES

This article analyzes the integration of digital technologies into the education system and their significance in forming the socio-cultural competencies of management personnel. The article discusses the radical changes in the educational environment due to the digitization process, the possibilities of online and distance education, as well as new approaches aimed at developing students’ independent learning skills. Additionally, the article explores the enhancement of cultural awareness through digital education, the development of socio-cultural communication, and the acquisition of essential knowledge and skills for students in the modern digital world. The importance of digital education for future leaders and its role in shaping socio-cultural competencies is also highlighted.