Learning Life Skills Research Articles

Integrating Life Skills in Secondary Education: Teachers’ Perspectives and Challenges

The current study aims to find out the perspectives of secondary school teachers on the incorporation of life skills into their teaching. Selecting purposively, the present study participants include ten teachers from public secondary schools in a district of Punjab, Pakistan. The study used a phenomenological research design to get teachers’ perceptions and experiences on the integration of life skills. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. Data was analysed through qualitative content analysis with the help of NVivo 14 software. The results of the study showed that teachers, in general, value life skills in education. From the participants’ perspective, critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication were the most focused skills. However, several constraints, including limited time, increased class size, and limited textbook support, limit the efficiency of implementation. Teachers were of the view that students responded positively to life skills-focused teaching and activities but the means of assessing the progress in teaching these skills were lacking. It also revealed insufficient knowledge identification in learning life skills integration and better resources and curricula adaptability requirements. These results suggest prospective future work at curricular, methodological, and teachers’ professional development for better integration of life skills into secondary education. Pakistan’s educational policymakers and curriculum developers will find the study useful in improving the integration of life skills in secondary education.

Life Skills Integration in English Textbook Grade 5: A Qualitative Content Analysis

This qualitative study focuses on integrating core life skills in Grade 5 English textbook that was purposively sampled. Applying qualitative content analysis supported by NVivo 14, the study explores how these essential skills are integrated into the textbook. The results show that communication, creativity, and critical thinking are given considerable attention. Such activities include creative writing assignments, reading and comprehension exercises, and dialogues. However, the study reveals some areas not covered extensively in teaching, such as negotiation, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. All 12 skills are introduced, but their integration level is inconsistent. The textbook offers a basis for life skills learning, but there is an opportunity for improvement as it concerns real-life situations. This study adds to the knowledge about integrating life skills in the primary education curriculum and the possible enhancements to the textbook in line with the UNICEF MENA framework.

Enhancing Life Skill Progression and Psychological Well-being of Undergraduate Students through AI-driven Recommendation System

Professionals may keep up with changed work settings and difficulties by continuing their education throughout their lives. Given the variety of courses offered, it is critical for professionals to have mechanisms that can connect them to appropriate programs. Although there is little information available regarding how teenagers utilize these courses, smartphone delivered life competency courses are a new and potential approach to support psychological wellness and discourage addiction to substances among young people. This paper explores the integration of AI-driven recommendation systems (AI-RSs) to enhance the mental health and professional skills of undergraduate students. Leveraging machine learning (ML) techniques and ontological frameworks, the proposed system aims to provide personalized recommendations for lifelong learning courses. By understanding individual preferences and learning objectives, the system facilitates the discovery of relevant courses tailored to the unique needs of students. This approach not only supports the continuous development of professional skills but also contributes to promoting mental well-being by fostering a sense of purpose and accomplishment through lifeskills learning. Through this abstract, we delve into the potential of AI-driven technologies to revolutionize education and support the holistic growth of undergraduate students.

Digital interventions using mobile technologies for life skills development of learners with autism spectrum disorder: a scoping review

Providing essential information for digital health human-computer interaction designers, this scoping review identified the most utilized features of digital evidence-based interventions in prototyped mobile technologies for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), to lay the groundwork for designing user-focused mobile assistive technologies for learners with ASD. The review systematically categorized the features and capabilities of mobile applications that teach, support, and maintain life skills. Synthesizing and analysing 42 studies using thematic analysis, it was found that mobile applications hold the potential to support the uniqueness and varying needs of learners with ASD. This is achieved through personalization in the user interface and user experience, coupled with customizations on learning content. The scoping review also found that mobile applications can assist learners with ASD by breaking down tasks into smaller steps, incorporating pictures, illustrations, videos, sounds, pre-recorded instructions, and just-in-time prompting. In a broader context, mobile technologies can not only enhance life skills learning but also contribute to routine-building for individuals with ASD. This is possible if interventions taught in school are continued at home and integrated with daily home activities, aiming to enhance learning, daily practice, and maintenance of life skills. Future work focuses on making evidence-based interventions readily available and accessible to learners, parents, caregivers, and educators to support the overall well-being of learners with ASD.

Life Skills - The 21st Century Skills

“Skills have become the global currency of the 21st century, but this currency can depreciate if it isn’t used” said Andreas Schleicher, Deputy Director for Education at the OECD Forum (25 May 2012). Our educational system gives more importance to learning of 3 R’s- reading, writing and arithmetic. It is concentrated more on the cognitive dimension rather than on reflective and psychological dimensions. It is achievement oriented than child oriented. But today changes and challenges of fast-growing society demands more contextual approach in education to meet actual use in real life situations. In 21st century India there is raising problem of unemployment, inequality, violence and environmental destruction, etc., demands a new set of skills, and creative problem-solving potential. Life skills are group of psychological competencies and interpersonal skills that help people make informed decisions, communicate effectively and develop coping and self-management skills to lead a healthy and productive life. Life skill learning should be made integral part of the curriculum to promote the well-being of the youth

AN INVESTIGATION ON CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES FACED BY TEACHERS AT PRIMARY SCHOOL LEVEL IN PUNJAB

Schools play an important role in community development, particularly for children. The teachers engage in daily routine activities to support this goal. As a result, primary school pupils improve their mental and physical talents while learning life skills and academic competence. The purpose of this research was to assess the difficulties that primary school teachers face while managing classroom. 200 primary teachers were randomly selected from Lahore, Multan, and Mianwali districts. Data were gathered through a self-developed questionnaire and analyzed by using t-test and ANOVA in inferential statistics. The results of study illustrated that primary-level teachers encountered enormous classroom management challenges. Both gender and teacher’s district showed a significant difference in classroom management. The results indicated the requirement of effective classroom management strategies, supportive infrastructure, and potential training for teachers. To have effective classroom management there is a need to work together including teachers, parents, and educational authorities to create good learning environment & manage challenges faced by primary school teachers.

Knowledge and Attitudes About HIV/AIDS Among Adolescent Students in 15-19 Years Age Group Based on the Adolescent Education Programme: A Cross-Sectional Study Conducted in Kamrup (Metro), Assam.

There has been a rising trend in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases globally as well as regionally. To combat the rising cases, it is very crucial to understand the perception of knowledge and attitude among the adolescent age group, as they constitute a majority of the population in India. The adolescent age group is quite vulnerable; hence, special attention has to be given to this particular age group to prevent them from acquiring high-risk behaviours. The Government of India initiated the Adolescent Education Programme to help adolescents cultivate a positive attitude and learn life skills to live a better and dignified life. Educational institutions have a significant role in imparting effective sex education to adolescents. This programme focuses on making the students aware of the dangers, stigma, and discrimination associated with HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) as well as modes of transmission of HIV/AIDS, helping them to acquire the necessary life skills to enable them to avoid risky situations and to develop healthy and responsible behaviour. The study aims to assess the knowledge and attitude about HIV/AIDS among adolescent students aged 15-19 years and help them achieve a healthy attitude and responsible behaviour towards HIV/AIDS. A cross-sectional study was conducted in the educational institutions of Kamrup (Metro), Assam, catering to the adolescent age group of 15-19 years for two months, beginning on March 15, 2024, and ending on May 15, 2024. Simple random sampling was done to select seven schools, and students were selected via systematic random sampling. The knowledge and attitude about HIV were assessed using a self-designed questionnaire that was pilot-tested; Cronbach's alpha was used to check the internal consistency of the questionnaire; and content validation was done by a group of four experts on the subject matter. The survey questionnaire was administered to the participants in their classrooms after obtaining prior permission from the school authorities. Fisher's exact test and Chi-square tests were done to test the associations, taking a p-value <0.05 as statistically significant. A binary logistic regression model was put up to show the influence of certain socio-demographic variables on knowledge and attitude about HIV/AIDS, taking a p-value <0.05 as statistically significant. A two-factor analysis of variance with measurement repetition was also performed. The majority, 165 (52.5%) of the participants, had good knowledge and attitudes regarding HIV/AIDS. The socio-demographic variables such as age, institution, grade, and religion were significantly associated with knowledge and attitude about HIV/AIDS (p-value <0.05). Regarding sources of knowledge about HIV/AIDS, the majority, 178 (56.7%) of the participants, mentioned it being taught in school or college as a part of the curriculum. It is critical to address the current lack of information and unfavourable attitudes regarding HIV/AIDS among adolescents through school-based health programmes. This should be accomplished through proactive campaigns by educators, community leaders, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and other groups in partnership with the government.

Learning life skills

Meg Barclay, education consultant and early years reviewer for the School Library Association, reviews books which help children learn some of the key skills they will need later in life

The Contribution of the Ummat Islam Association (PUI) to the Dynamics of Educational Institutions in Indonesia (1962-2000)

This research examines the changes and continuity of the Islamic Community Association in education from 1969 to 2000. This study employs a qualitative descriptive library research method using a historical approach. The research findings indicate that since 1911, the Ulama Association has pioneered modern educational patterns by integrating religious education, general education, and life skills learning (entrepreneurship). This educational institution encompasses 282 Non-Formal Islamic Schools (Madrasah Diniyah), 308 Kindergartens and Islamic Education Centers (TK, RA, TPA), 165 Elementary Schools (Madrasah Ibtidaiyah), 93 Junior High Schools (Madrasah Tsanawiyah), 47 Senior High Schools (Madrasah Aliyah), 7 Universities, 83 Islamic Boarding Schools (Pondok Pesantren), and 1200 Study Groups (Majlis Ta’lim) spread across Java, particularly in West Java, and partly in South Sumatra.

The Impact of Social Emotional Learning in TESOL: A Narrative Literature Review

Social emotional learning (SEL) is mainly about appreciating social and emotional factors and learning life skills. SEL can be divided into five categories, including how to deal with oneself, others, and relationships, and work in an effective manner. SEL helps people recognize emotions and learn how to manage them. Taking non-native English language classrooms as examples, this paper discusses how English learners performance changed when they engaged in diverse SEL experiences. Based on literature reading and analysis, this research indicates that the usage of SEL can actively affect teaching efficiency and improve learners academic achievement. SEL can entirely improve English learners interest and motivation in learning and support learners relaxed emotions. It also promotes communication among students, which allows more students to participate in teaching activities and results in better teaching efficiency. Efficient teaching and classes make students accept more professional knowledge and get better results than traditional teaching methods on exams.

The Real Me: Insight into Youths with Physical Disabilities’ TranXition to Adulthood through Digital Images

Aims Youths with physical disabilities experience various obstacles in their transition to adulthood which can contribute to poorer health and socioeconomic outcomes in later life, compared to their non-disabled peers. Transitional care offers these youths the necessary support to overcome such obstacles. The objective of this study was to explore participants’ experiential learning in the development of life skills within the transitional care program TranXition, and their perceived contribution of the program to their goal attainment. Methods Data were collected using photo-elicitation. Five participants were recruited from the TranXition program to audio-visually record (photographs or videos) their meaningful experiences in the program and to reflect on them during interviews. Results Participants felt the TranXition program helped them build their self-awareness and self-efficacy, and to feel more confident and skilled, whether at home, in school or in the community. Moreover, they appreciated the program’s group cohesion which facilitated learning life skills from others in order to achieve their goals. Finally, results suggest that group interventions, while important, may need to be complemented by individual consultations. Conclusions Rehabilitation programs in real-world settings, such as the TranXition program, may be a promising adjunct to traditional transitional care for youths with physical disabilities.

Recruiting the next generation of rural healthcare practitioners: the impact of an online mentoring program on career and educational goals in rural youth.

There is increasing recognition that encouraging and supporting rural youth to pursue healthcare careers could be a promising strategy for addressing shortages of rural healthcare practitioners. Although rural students in health science programs often return to their home communities to practice, they continue to be underrepresented in these programs. Geographic isolation and small community sizes create barriers to entry for rural students, including a lack of educational and outreach services and a smaller pool of role models with experience in pursuing health science careers. Online mentoring has the potential to overcome these barriers by connecting rural youth with experienced role models from outside their communities; therefore, we tested whether this type of intervention could be used to increase interest in and guide rural youth towards rural healthcare careers. From 2016 to 2020, our intervention, Rural eMentoring BC, matched 364 youth in rural British Columbia to near-peer mentors enrolled in health science programs. Through an online platform, dyads discussed career and educational options and pathways through a semistructured curriculum consisting of eight units. To determine the likelihood of mentees pursuing a career in rural health care after participating in the program, we deployed pre- and post-unit surveys that evaluated their interest in the following areas: healthcare careers, post-secondary education, working rurally, and finding allies. After completing the program, 209 mentees were invited to complete a program evaluation, which consisted of short-answer questions intended to capture their overall impressions of the program. After completing the career exploration unit, 63 students (out of the 103 who completed the unit) indicated that they were interested in healthcare careers, compared to 37 before. However, students' attitudes towards post-secondary education and finding allies did not change after completing those units, nor did their opinion of working rurally (although there was no unit dedicated to this topic). Encouragingly though, most already held positive opinions of these areas before entering the program. Of the 41 students who took our program evaluation, most viewed the program and their mentors favorably; discussion topics they found most useful included career exploration, learning life skills, and learning how to prepare for, and what to expect from, post-secondary education. This study suggests that online mentoring can direct rural youths' career interests toward, and provide a refreshing approach to imparting information about, healthcare professions. Although its longitudinal impacts need to be studied, the changes in attitudes and gains in knowledge observed while participating in this program put these students on the right track for eventually transitioning to health science programs. Arming rural youth with the knowledge and motivation to pursue healthcare careers through near-peer mentorship could be a unique strategy for increasing rural student representation in health science programs, and ultimately the number of rural healthcare professionals.

The effectiveness of life skills training on the psychological well-being of people with drug abuse

Introduction: Drug abuse is one of the most important health, social and economic problems in many countries, and the world has faced shocking statistics of its prevalence in society in the last three decades. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of life skills training on the psychological well-being of drug abusers. Method: The current research was semi-experimental with a pre-test-post-test design with a control group. The statistical population includes all drug abusers in addiction treatment centers in Kermanshah during the years 2017 to 2019. From these people, 60 people were selected as available sampling and randomly placed in two experimental and control groups (30 people in each group). The research tools included Rif Psychological Well-being Questionnaire (1989) and 8-session life skills training intervention by Khalilan and Aflakifar (2016). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 28 software and multivariate covariance analysis. Results: The findings showed that life skills training had a significant effect on the dimensions of psychological well-being in the post-test and follow-up stages (P&lt;0.05). Based on the results for the six dimensions of mental well-being, i.e. independence, mastery of the environment, personal growth, positive relationship with others, purposefulness in life and self-acceptance, respectively 0.24, 0.30, 0.31, 0.49, 0.67 and 0.39 in the average difference of the groups was due to the effect of the intervention. Conclusion: Life skills training increases self-control and decreases positive attitude towards drug use in people. By learning life skills training, environmental mastery, independence and other psychological well-being structures can be promoted in people.

Pelatihan Pembelajaran Berbasis 21st Century Skills di Sekolah Indonesia Johor Bahru Malaysia

The 21st-century skills are skills that students must master to survive and compete in this 4.0 industrial revolution era. Teachers need to have good professional competence in order to facilitate students to develop 21st-century skills. This also applies to elementary school teachers. Therefore, the teacher needs training that can provide knowledge and skills for teachers to present such learning. The training program participant is an elementary school teacher at the Indonesian School of Johor Bahru Malaysia. The problem identified is that not all SIJB's primary school teachers have diverse educational backgrounds, and the learning presented is not based on 21st-century skills. The participants of this training are 19 teachers. The program is web-based training using the ADDIE model. This training is conducted in three stages, namely the pre-implementation, implementation, and post-implementation stages. At the implementation stage, there are eight meetings containing materials on 21st Century Skills-based learning in Indonesian Language, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies and Civics, English, Arts, ICT, innovative learning models and learning life skills. Participants were given a pretest and posttest understanding of 21st Century learning. The pretest results showed an average value of 60.8, which means that participants' understanding of 21st Century learning is still quite good and the posttest average score of 84.5, which means that understanding participants is good. The result shows that the participants' understanding increased after attending the training. Based on the questionnaire results, the participant's response was quite good, and hoped that the training activities could be carried out on an ongoing basis.&#x0D; Keywords: 21st Century Skills Training Program, Professional Competency of Elementary Teacher

Development of the Life Skills Learning Model for Elementary School students as Strengthening the Pancasila Student Profile

This study aims to determine the development of life skills of elementary school students in social science subjects through the development of life skills education. Learning Social Sciences Education certainly gets the spotlight related to the role of the teachers and the conditions of the students. The teacher still holds power in learning, while students can only follow all directions given by the teacher. As a result, students only memorize and do the teacher's orders. Conditions like this must be changed because it is in accordance with the changing times in the kurikulum merdeka. Learning Social Sciences in schools at various levels of educational development needs to be based on aspects of the curriculum, philosophy and learning theory, as well as various aspects in accordance with the nature of social studies education.. This study uses a research and development (R &amp; D) approach that begins with a preliminary study, followed by limited trials and wider trials, and ends with model validation tests. Limited trials and wider trials which were carried out repeatedly at an elementary school in Tegal City and accompanied by revisions at each trial; and model validation tests were carried out at three elementary schools as the experimental group and three elementary schools as the control group without the presence of the researcher. The focus of development is social studies learning carried out by teachers of class V SD in Tegal City. Data were collected by interview, observation, questionnaire, and learning achievement tests. The model design test is carried out through limited trials and wider trials. Validation of the model design developed using a quasi-experimental design. Data analysis was carried out descriptively, and t-test statistical analysis. The results of the study show that the life skill learning model in social studies learning has improved learning outcomes and students' life skills so that the profile of Pancasila is strengthened.

In-service teachers’ training needs in Implementing Life Skills Education in Rural secondary schools in Lesotho

he teachers’ preparation in teaching and learning Life Skills Education is crucial in the education system in Lesotho. This study explores the teachers’ training needs in implementing Life Skills Education at rural secondary schools in Lesotho. The study adopted qualitative interpretivism and phenomenological research design. Eight LSE teachers and principals were chosen randomly from four schools. Telephonic semi-structured interviews were used for data collection. The thematic results revealed that teachers were not trained to teach LSE and needed in-service courses. The findings yielded that the teaching and learning of LSE must be enhanced in secondary schools. Thus, it recommended that the Ministry of Education facilitate and broaden in-service training of LSE teachers and provide a framework for guiding the contents of LSE. The curriculum developers would find the research helpful as they reflect on the extent to which the objectives were achieved for the subject.

Assessing Students’ Life Skills and their Sources of Learning

University education is being criticized due to the least focus on the development of life skills and their contributing sources among the students. To investigate the issue, a self-developed questionnaire was used to obtain data from 400 undergraduates from eight universities and colleges. Results using descriptive statistics revealed that the skills of knowing and living with oneself were reported to exist among the majority of the undergraduates, while some students reported to lack of self-awareness, controlling emotions, and coping with stress. The results of life skills of ‘knowing and living with others’ showed students were highly skillful in these skills. But, some students were not properly skillful in effective communication, interpersonal relationships, and empathy. The result of life skills of effective decision-making shows that majority students were good in these skills, while some students have problems in decision-making and creative thinking. The analysis of sources of life skills showed that majority students have ranked family, peers and teachers respectively as major sources of learning life skills. The study implies that there should be reasonable focus on development of life skills among the undergraduates.

Integrating Life Skills Learning and Teaching Support Materials into Teachers’ Teaching Strategies

This paper investigated the integration of Learning and Teaching Support Materials (LTSM) into teachers’ teaching strategies to mediate teaching and learning in Life Skills Grade 3 Foundation Phase classrooms. The aim was to understand teachers’ teaching strategies integrating LTSMs to mediate teaching and learning. The South African National Policy Guidelines for LTSMs require teachers to be mediators of teaching to improve the quality of results. This paper was informed by Engestrom’s Cultural Historical Activity Theory, whose strength lies in its ability to enable researchers to understand learning as the complex result of tool-mediated interactions. The study used a qualitative methodology with an interpretive perspective. In order to gather and analyse data, semi-structured interviews, structured observation, and documents were used. Three Life Skills teachers were chosen using a purposeful sample process, and they were interviewed and observed in action. Themes that were formed from the subsidiary questions and coded for convenience referencing served as the guide for the data analysis under the guidance of content analysis. Findings revealed that teachers demonstrate a lack of learning and teaching support materials and a lack of professional development to integrate strategies during lesson presentations. The researchers concluded that there is an imperative need for Life Skills teachers to integrate LTSMs in their teaching strategies to guarantee access and support to the delivery of quality education. The authors recommend that the Department of Education should develop and equip Life Skills teachers to integrate LTSMs into their teaching strategies. Keywords: Learning and teaching support materials, Life Skills, Mediate, Teaching.

Innovating For The Future: A Critical Analysis of Curriculum Development Models KBK, KBM, KTSP, K13, and Merdeka Curriculum

&lt;p&gt;This article aims to concept of the curriculum is its form, independence in thinking has been determined by educators with the meaning that the main spearhead is educators in helping success in education. This study aims to describe the concept of the KBK, KBM, KTSP, K13, and Merdeka curriculum innovation models. This type of research is a literature review, using journal articles that have been collected from the period 2018-2022. Based on the journal articles that have been used, the following results are obtained: (a) Focusing on the community, with learning resources using textbooks or the community itself. Being disciplined in class is a shared obligation not based on coercion. The main point of the teaching method is to solve problems in order to meet the various needs of all parties. Major schemes for learning include field trips, as well as resource persons from the community survey. (b) the innovative parts of KTSP include the application of life skills learning, as well as self-development in terms of characteristics and other needs. (c) Study preparation is an important part of learning administration including syllabus and lesson plans. After completing the preparation of lesson plans, move on to the implementation of learning that focuses on 3 points, namely: a scientific approach where the learning process is carried out in the classroom, assessment based on plans and case-based studies. The assessment used in the 2013 curriculum is authentic assessment, various types of test models such as observation, portfolio; (d) The main policy is the implementation of national assessments, competencies and character surveys, in which the assessment emphasizes student literacy and numeracy. Second, assessment facilities based on the internet of things, augmented reality and the use of artificial intelligence in assessment.&lt;/p&gt;

Self-regulated Learning from a Cultural Psychology Perspective: Shifting from Strategy to Process with the Trajectory Equifinality Approach

AbstractSelf-regulated learning (SRL) is the act of self-regulation during learning. Achieving mastery in SRL can benefit students by helping them complete their work, obtain higher grades in school, and learn life skills to gain meaningful experiences to establish their identities. Most researchers have considered SRL a process of steps and conformed it to a type of experiment using quantitative methods in the interests of reproductivity. However, they failed to acknowledge crucial factors of the process (i.e., coaction with the environment and time) and lacked methodologies that analyze and depict the developmental process. This study aimed to argue that SRL is an act of self-influence in the sociocultural context and that the process differs for each individual. This study overviewed SRL and contrastingly reviewed Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory with signs, Bruner’s meaning-making, and Valsiner’s internalization/externalization model. It provided insights into the SRL process from a qualitative perspective and conceptualized SRL from a semiotic developmental perspective, with an adaptation of sociocultural dynamics. Finally, it demonstrated how the Trajectory Equifinality Approach (TEA), an alternative methodology, can visualize the developmental process of SRL.