Occupational Competencies Research Articles

Ranking the competency criteria for school principals based on the fuzzy method in the Education Department of Isfahan Province

Attention to school principals' managerial competencies and their development is an inescapable necessity, and failure to address these competencies in selecting principals leads to the loss of enormous financial and human resources as well as the dissatisfaction of the teachers and parents. The present study was conducted to explain and rank the competency criteria for school principals based on multiple fuzzy decision-making. This study has a combination exploratory design and is an applied study in terms of objectives and nature. A sample of 25 faculty members was selected for the interviews using network sampling and a random sample of 150 school principals was used for completing the managerial competencies questionnaire. To carry out the confirmatory analysis of variance, a random sample of 368 school principals was selected. The hierarchical structure of the competency criteria, including the main, individual, occupational and organisational criteria, 12 secondary criteria and 74 sub-criteria was then determined. Based on the final weight of the main criteria, occupational, individual and organisational competencies were ranked first to third.

Dual Vocational Students’ Competency: A Second Order Confirmatory Factor Analysis of Occupational Competency in Enterprise

Abstract Due to rapid change in technology, enterprises are facing a shortage of competent human resources that are suitable for their needs. The Dual Vocational Training Program, which emphasizes authentic training for enterprises, is able to develop human resources from vocational education so that their competencies are up to date competencies, to keep up with technological changes. The purpose of this study was to conduct a second order confirmatory factor analysis of occupational competencies in enterprises. The samples of this study were 804 students of the Vocational Education Certificate Program, in the field of Mechanical Technology. They were selected by using Multi-Stage Random Sampling. The instrument used was a 5 level rating scale questionnaire. The results of the study indicated that the Model of Occupational Competency in Enterprise of Dual Vocational Training Students is valid. The structural equation statistical values were: Chi-square = 896.0707, df = 514, p = .000, χ2/df = 1.47 (less than 2.0), GFI = .945, AGFI = .920, and RMSEA = .030.

Okul Psikolojik Danışmanlarının Çocuk İstismarıyla Çalışma Yeterliliklerine İlişkin Nitel Bir Araştırma

The purpose of this study was to determine how school counselors explain the meaning of their competencies about child abuse. 30 school counselors with different school settings were interviewed. While 17 school counselors have reported at least one child abuse case, 13 school counselors did not experience child abuse case in their professional life. Knowledge, trainings and opinions about child abuse were asked to all participants and how child abuse process had been experienced was also asked to the counselors who had experiences with working child abuse. The responses were evaluated by categorical and emotional analysis. The findings were shown in tables under themes and sub themes. When the results of the study were generally evaluated, school counselors had limited theoretical knowledge and occupational competencies, preventive guidance studies were not at the expected level, school counselors had serious lack of knowledge about how to manage abuse process and how to counsel with abused clients.

Coaching placements and incidental learning - how reflection and experiential learning can help bridge the industry skills gap

In the fields of sports coaching and higher education, there are significant implications related to the delivery and effectiveness of work-based learning (WBL), learning styles and occupational competency. Alongside this, similar claims are made throughout the academic and policy literature in both fields about the effectiveness and necessity of improving issues of skill development and employability (see SkillsActive, 2010a; SkillsActive, 2010b; Taylor and Garratt, 2010; Pegg et al., 2012). This paper therefore examines, in the context of the sports coaching industry’s relevant skills gaps, the learning experiences of a level five cohort who undertook supported coaching placements as part of a placement module. Using two focus groups (N=15 and N=13 respectively) the findings demonstrate that it is not only preferential, from the students’ perspective, to engage in WBL but that the coaching placements also helped the students meet many of the wider professional sector’s identified skills gaps. The findings also indicated that it is the student-coaches’ learning through incidental learning (unintentional, yet through the planned placements) that most significantly determined their professional competency.

Prevention of exertional lower body musculoskeletal injury in tactical populations: protocol for a systematic review and planned meta-analysis of prospective studies from 1955 to 2018

BackgroundExertional lower body musculoskeletal injuries (ELBI) cost billions of dollars and compromise the readiness and job performance of military service and public safety workers (i.e., tactical populations). The prevalence and burden of such injuries underscores the importance of prevention efforts during activities necessary to sustain core occupational competencies. Attempts to synthesize prevention techniques specific to tactical populations have provided limited insight on the comparative efficacy of interventions that do not modify physical training practices. There is also a need to assess the influence of sex, exposure, injury classification scheme, and study design. Thus, the primary purpose of the systematic review and planned meta-analysis detailed in this protocol is to evaluate the comparative efficacy of ELBI prevention strategies in tactical populations.MethodsA systematic search strategy will be implemented in MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, and CINAHL. A multi-tiered process will be used to capture randomized controlled trials and prospective cohort studies that directly assess the prevention of ELBI in tactical population(s). Extracted data will be used to compare prevention strategies and assess the influence of heterogeneity related to occupation, sex, exposure, injury characteristics, and study quality. In addition, individual risk of bias, meta-bias, and the quality of the body of evidence will be rigorously tested.DiscussionThis systematic review and planned meta-analysis will comprehensively evaluate ELBI mitigation strategies in tactical populations, elucidate factors that influence responses to treatment, and assess the overall quality of the body of research. Results of this work will guide the prioritization of ELBI prevention strategies and direct future research efforts, with direct relevance to tactical, health and rehabilitation science, and human performance optimization stakeholders.Systematic review registrationThe systematic review protocol was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) on 3 Jan 2018 (registration number CRD42018081799).

Goal setting dynamics that facilitate or impede a client-centered approach

Background: Client-centred goal setting is central to the process of enabling occupation. Yet, there are multiple barriers to incorporating client-centred goal setting in practice. We sought to determine what might facilitate or impede the formation of client-centred goals in a context highly supportive of client-centred goal settingMethods: We used conversational analysis to examine goal-setting conversations that took place during a pilot trial of Occupational Performance Coaching for stroke survivors. Twelve goal-setting sessions were purposively selected, transcribed, and analyzed according to conventions for conversation analysis.Results: Two main types of interactions were observed: introductory actions and goal selection actions. Introductory actions set the context for goal setting and involved sharing information and seeking clarification related to goal requirements and clients’ occupational performance competencies. Goal selection actions were a series of interactions whereby the goals were explored, endorsed or dropped.Conclusion: Client-centred occupational performance goals may be facilitated through placing goal-setting in the context of life changes and lifelong development of goals, and through listening to clients’ stories. Therapists may improve consistency in adoption of client-suggested goals through clarifying meaning attached to goals and being attuned to power dynamics and underlying values and beliefs around risk and goal attainability.

Study on adult career planning on adult education program and assessment of adaptive design model

This study explores adults‘ on-the-job current career planning and the selection trends of future development as the criteria for a training program design for adult education and the basis of the design model of adaptive assessment. This study regards the contents of the TTQS training process, the items, indicators, and standards of the Workforce Development Agency, and the occupational categories of the “Occupational Competency Standards”, as disclosed by the “Integrated Competency and Application Platform”, as the framework for the reference model; and probes into the impact of globalization, adult career planning, adult occupational training program design, and adaptive assessment, and adopts a questionnaire survey to understand the design model of the adaptive adult education program, in order to effectively implement adaptive assessment. The purposes are to assist adults to accomplish adaptive career planning, achieve their goals of vocational cultivation, and solve the problems of adult unemployment, in order to lead to successful adult employment and transfer to globalization workplaces to create positive career development.

전문대 재학생이 지각한 직업기초능력과 진로결정수준, 구직효능감, 진로준비행동의 구조적 관계

본 연구는 전문대 재학생이 지각한 직업기초능력, 진로결정수준, 구직효능감, 진로준비행동의 관계를 규명하고자 하였다. 연구를 위해 서울․경기․충청․경상지역 8개 전문대학의 368명을 대상으로 본인이 스스로 지각한 직업기초능력, 진로결정수준, 구직효능감, 진로준비행동을 측정하였다. 이를 바탕으로 측정변인들의 관계를 살펴본 뒤 구조 모형을 설정하여 적합도 및 매개효과의 유의성을 검증하였다. 연구결과는 첫째, 직업기초능력과 구직효능감은 진로준비행동에 직접적인 정의 영향을 미쳤으나 진로결정수준은 진로준비행동에 직접적인 부의 영향을 미쳤다. 둘째, 직업기초능력은 구직효능감을 통하여 진로준비행동에 간접적인 정의 영향을 미쳤다. 셋째, 진로결정수준은 진로준비행동에 부적 영향을 미치지만 구직효능감을 매개하면 부적 영향이 줄어들었다. 본 연구를 바탕으로 전문대 재학생의 진로지도 시사점을 살펴보면 첫째, 교육적 접근으로는 직업기초능력의 지각 수준을 높이는데 영향을 주는 직업교육의 강화가 필요하고, 둘째, 상담적 접근으로는 구직의 목표를 확고히 하고, 구직하고자 하는 동기를 강화시키는 등 구직효능감을 향상시키는 것이 필요하다. 특히 진로결정수준이 높더라도 구체적인 진로 준비 활동을 하지 않는 전문대 재학생들에게는 구직효능감 향상 상담프로그램에 참여할 수 있도록 지도하여 진로준비행동을 강화시켜야 할 것이다.

Corelational Analysis between the Occupational Competency Assessment and Early Return to Work in Upper Extremity Injuries

Corelational Analysis between the Occupational Competency Assessment and Early Return to Work in Upper Extremity Injuries

Economic competencies and situation-specific commercial competencies: Reflections on conceptualization and measurement

From a societal perspective, vocational education and training must enable young adults to meet the challenges of the labour market in a globalized world, reduce the mismatch of supply and demand of qualifications (e.g. youth unemployment leading to disadvantages for individuals, society and national economies) and improve social cohesion. From an individual perspective, vocational education and training should develop young adults’ vocational competencies, support their individual personality development and their integration into the labour market and society, help secure their livelihood and enable them to lead self-determined lives as citizens. Therefore, the assessment of competencies obtained in vocational education and training programmes has emerged as a critical issue to develop workforces and the capacity for life-long learning and to foster civic participation as a responsible citizen. This article provides some insights into the modelling and measurement of competencies in vocational education and training, where occupational and cross-occupational competencies are necessary to cope with the requirements of workplaces, as a responsible citizen and in private life. In this article, cross-occupational economic competencies and occupation-specific commercial competencies in the area of business and administration are discussed. Both constructs are based on economic theories, concepts and central terms; nevertheless, the situation-specific context and requirements may vary substantially. Thus, different approaches to define and measure both constructs seem to be necessary.

Military apprenticeships in the US: an implementation evaluation

Purpose – Apprenticeships in the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, which operate under the United Services Military Apprenticeship Program (USMAP), now account for about 20 percent of all registered apprentices in the USA. The purpose of this paper is to draw on interviews and focus groups to examine the strengths and limitations of USMAP, develops implications of the study for policy, and presents ideas for demonstration projects to learn how best to improve USMAP. Design/methodology/approach – The primary method involved background research on USMAP and USMAP occupations, interviews with key staff members involved with USMAP operations, and 11 focus groups at two Navy and two Marine Corps bases with USMAP apprentices, USMAP completers, and USMAP supervisors. Findings – The study contributes by answering key questions about USMAP. Positives include the potential to upgrade skills, document occupational competencies, and smooth the transition to civilian employment. The study shows that service members have a weak understanding of the rationale for participating and for completing their apprenticeships. Logistical problems often result in incomplete documentation. Counselors lack knowledge about how to make USMAP completers attractive to employers. Finally, USMAP does little to engage employers in insuring the occupational standards are adequate for civilian jobs and in hiring those completing apprenticeships. The study draws policy implications and presents an agenda for research. Practical implications – The military should provide additional financial support to help the program connect participants with civilian jobs, including a website where employers could search for candidates and communicate with veterans. Originality/value – This study is the first to examine the operations and implementation of the USMAP.

The Development of a Training Model for Occupational Competency of Production Supervisor

The Development of a Training Model for Occupational Competency of Production Supervisor

Training a Tutor at College for an Underfilled and Nomad School of the North and East of Russia: Contents and Specifics

Background/Objectives: Article describes the best practices in the development of an educational program for the teacher’s vocational training for nomadic and small schools of the northeast of Russia. Methods/Statistical Analysis: An ethnic and teaching education concept has been developed at the laboratory, demand and possibility of special training of teachers for underfilled and nomad schools of the North have been studied. For this research such techniques were used as studying laws and regulations, observing the educational process at underfilled and nomad schools and questioning students and teachers of today’s nomad schools. Findings: More than 70% of general education schools in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) are rural, same as all over Russian Federation, some of them are nomad. The article reveals the contents and structure of new experience of the tutor training program at the North-Eastern Federal University. The multi-profiled teachers training of future elementary school teachers and tutor teachers of rural underfilled and nomad schools is focused on development of an active life style in the extreme camping conditions, knowledge of language, culture and traditional activity of the native small-numbered peoples of the North, readiness for teaching several disciplines, knowledge of cutting-edge information and educational technologies. A logic succession of modules, which aim at gradual development of common cultural, common occupational and special competencies of soon-to-be tutor teachers, was observed. A survey of students enrolled at this educational program justifies that soon-to-be tutors are more highly motivated and aware of employment at Northern distant schools than soon-to-be elementary school teachers lacking the extra profile. Applications/Improvements: Implementation of this educational program will allow for achieving positive outcomes such as maximum preservation of underfilled and nomad schools as the most important village-forming, social and cultural factor, providing life quality development in the national regions of Russia.

Research of 360-degree evaluation system in occupational competency of clinical postgraduate students

Objective To evaluate the occupational competency of clinical post-graduate students by the 360-degree feedback system. Methods The occupational competencies of the 102 clinical post-graduate students were evaluated by department directors, teachers, the superior band taught physicians, peers, post-graduate themselves using a self-designed questionnaire. The evaluation content of professional competence included 12 core elements, such as medical knowledge, clinical skills, and professional ethics and so on. EpiData 3.02 was used to establish the database, SPSS 19.0 software was used to carry on the statistical analysis, and the statistical analysis method was mainly for the descriptive statistics analysis, the single factor analysis of variance. Results 5 kinds of evaluation subjects were statistically significant (P<0.05) in medical knowledge, clinical skills, clinical thinking ability, lifelong learning ability, professional ethics, team cooperation ability, self cognition and management ability and total score. Students themselves and their peers scored high in various aspects, teaching superior doctors rated middle and the director and mentor gave low grade in all aspects and the scores rated by the department directors and teachers were lower than students themselves (P=0.003,P=0.047). Conclusion The 360-degree evaluation system can comprehensively and objectively evaluate the clinical post-graduate students' occupational competency and offer beneficial assistant to clinic and practice. Key words: Occupational competency; 360-degree evaluation system; Postgraduates; Clinical medicine

A study on the need for the consolidation of education that principals of technical highschool perceive regarding the occupational core competencies

A study on the need for the consolidation of education that principals of technical highschool perceive regarding the occupational core competencies

수해운계 고등학교 학생들의 직업기초능력 수준 분석

수해운계 고등학교 학생들의 직업기초능력 수준 분석

Current status and future prospects of acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine in Canada.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and acupuncture has been gradually accepted by the mainstream society since the 1970s and has been rapidly expanding, accompanying the tide of Chinese immigration since the 1980s. Acupuncture legislation has been approved by the governments of 5 provinces in Canada between 1988 and 2014. After the acceptance of self-regulation, 5 corresponding colleges were established, one after another. The code of ethics and professional practice standard were developed by the Colleges. British Columbia (BC) became the first Canadian province to offer acupuncture treatments as a supplementary benefit for its Medical Services Plan premium assistance recipients beginning in 2008. The 5 colleges united to form the Canadian Alliance of Regulatory Bodies of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists (CARBTCMPA) in the same year. The Entry-level Occupational Competencies for the Practice of TCM in Canada were developed by CARB-TCMPA in 2010. The Pan-Canadian registration examinations for acupuncturists, herbalists and TCM practitioners have been administered and scheduled since 2013. The Entry-level Occupational Competencies for Doctors of TCM were developed by College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of British Columbia (CTCMA-BC) in 2014. It sketches the blueprint for future development of the TCM profession in Canada.

Gains from Contract Farming: A Study on Sugarcane Cultivation

Contract farming has the advantages of overall development of the growers. A study conducted with 180 sugarcane growers under contract farming in sugarcane cultivation revealed that there was not much developments of the growers particularly on developing irrigation facilities, use of implements, pest and disease management, herbicide application, efficient use of inputs, timely harvesting, remunerative price and timely payment. Considerable deficiencies were observed on technological (49.67%), economical (46.33%), farm activities (45.00%), material possession (42.67%), marketing (42.00%), infrastructure (32.67%) and social activities (39.67%). Better developments were observed on increase in productivity, coordination, cohesiveness and solidarity among people, better use of resource, increase in decision-making capabilities and occupational competency as well as quality production.

A Study on the Effect of Basic Occupational Competency on Computerized Accounting Operation Capability and the Mediating Effect of Learning Attitude

A Study on the Effect of Basic Occupational Competency on Computerized Accounting Operation Capability and the Mediating Effect of Learning Attitude

Performance of speech-language pathology students in problem-based learning tutorials and in clinical practice

The purpose of the study was to identify if performance of speech-language pathology students in problem-based learning (PBL) tutorials could predict subsequent clinical performance evaluated through (a) a non-standardized, custom clinical evaluation form (HKU form) and (b) a standardized competency assessment for speech pathology developed in Australia (COMPASS®). Students’ scores from PBL tutorial performance were correlated with scores in clinical placement on both the HKU form and the COMPASS. Significant correlations were found between students’ PBL tutorial performance (reflective journals and participation in the tutorial process) and their clinical performance (treatment and interpersonal skills) on the HKU clinical evaluation form. Significant correlations were also found between (a) PBL tutorial performance (participation in the tutorial process) and their clinical performance (all generic and occupational competencies, and the overall score) on the COMPASS, (b) PBL tutorial performance (reading forms) and two occupational competencies on the COMPASS, (c) PBL tutorial performance (reflective journals) and four occupational competencies and the overall score on the COMPASS. The results highlighted the need for validating the assessment for the learning process in PBL tutorials with empirical evidence and the advantage of assessing clinical performance through COMPASS in Hong Kong. Tutors, clinical supervisors and students should be given clear behavioral descriptors for expected performance in PBL tutorials and clinical practice at different year levels.