Previous Qualifications Research Articles

DISCOVER THE ATTRIBUTES AFFECTING GRADE OF UNIVERSITY STUDENT THROUGH FEATURE SELECTION METHODS

There are many techniques to choose subset features. This stage is the preprocessing of the data mining task. The process of choosing a subset of features from the original collection of attributes is known as feature selection. Obtaining relevant information to predict characteristics affecting the estimation of the CGPA of graduates of private universities is a hard task. The experiments were conducted on four datasets. Two methods are used in order to choose the features. They are CfsSubsetEval and Correlation Ranking. Correlation Ranking uses 0.1 as the threshold for feature selection. The results indicate that there is a relationship between a student's grade in the previous qualification and his grade when he graduates from the university.

Specialties preference by gender among medical students at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, South Africa.

To determine the speciality preferences and the gender differences in the choice of speciality among medical students at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, South Africa. This cross-sectional study was conducted among fourth- to sixth-year medical students. A structured self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. Data analysis was performed using STATA version 16 (StataCorp, College Station, TX, United States). A total of 174 students participated (response rate of 74%). Their median age was 23 years with interquartile range of 2 years. More than half (57%) were females. About 83% had no previous qualifications. Most (89%) have shown interest in pursuing specialist training. Surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology and internal medicine were the most selected specialities, while family medicine, ophthalmology, forensic medicine, public health medicine, ear, nose and throat, and accident and emergency medicine were the least preferred. Males were more likely interested in surgery and internal medicine, while females preferred obstetrics and gynaecology. The majority of the medical students intends to pursue their postgraduate medical training. Even though the results were not statistically significant, there are gender differences in speciality preferences. There is a need to develop and implement career guidance and recruitment plans to deal with specialities with poor recruitment and gender imbalance.Contribution:To deal with specialties with poor and gender imbalance, career guidance and recruitment plans must be developed and implemented.

Persistence of Conceptual Errors in First-Year University Physics Course and Its Possible Relationship with Learning Styles

In this work, we study the persistence of some fundamental previous ideas in physics in a group of freshmen at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (Spain). For this purpose, we analyze the answers to a questionnaire consisted of 24 multiple-choice items, most of them borrowed from the Force Concept Inventory (FCI). Our study is performed in two different ways by using, on the one hand, classical test theory and, on the other hand, the Pearson product–moment correlation. The survivance of some of the previous ideas at the end of the course is assessed by comparing and critically analyzing the answers of the students to the same test at the beginning and the end of the term. A possible connection with Honey–Alonso learning styles (LS) is also discussed. The results yielded by our study demonstrate the persistence of some of the initial and previous ideas, no matter the students’ previous qualifications or their current LS.

Realization of the Right to Education outside Territories with a Disputed Regime by People Who Received the Education Therein

Difficulties arising from the realization of the right to access to education outside a territory with a disputed regime by individuals who obtained previous qualifications in such territory have existed for a long time. The issue was exacerbated after the Ukrainian political crisis of 2014 that led to the emergence of two self-proclaimed entities — the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Luhansk People’s Republic — and posed the question on the further destiny of young people who finished secondary schools in these territories. Although eventually many of them were admitted to Russian universities, it did not resolve the issue fundamentally. Therefore, the authors have set themselves a goal to answer the following question: is it in compliance with international law if a state body, a state agency, or a state educational institution refuses to recognize the qualification on the sole ground that it was obtained in a territory with a disputed regime? While the answer should be negative, it seems that most states do not share this opinion. The possible solution to this and other issues concerning the implementation of the rights of people living in such territories is to conclude the treaty that will guarantee the implementation of all basic human rights that people have under international law including the right to access to education. However, before its conclusion, it is expedient to set a Martens clauselike norm in an international instrument that may contribute to full and consistent implementation of their rights since they do require such protection today.

Examining the Impact of Conscript Service on the Labour Market Integration of Migrants

This research considers the role that participating in conscript service has for individuals with a migrant background in overcoming barriers to labour market integration. According to previous studies, these barriers include discrimination, previous qualifications not being recognised and a lack of language skills, networks and information. The study is based on 24 interviews conducted with individuals with a migrant background who have performed conscript service in Finland. The research takes place in the context of conscription and mandatory conscript service among male citizens. The findings indicate that conscript service may have some direct and indirect beneficial outcomes for labour market integration. Direct labour market outcomes are particularly related to qualifications acquired during service, which can be directly applied in the civilian labour market. Indirect outcomes are associated with acculturation, such as learning the language and becoming familiar with the host society’s culture and norms. Performing conscript service also facilitates the establishment of social networks, especially with native-born youngsters. Furthermore, conscript service is perceived to have the potential to elevate conscripts’ status in the eyes of potential Finnish employers. As a result, completing conscript service enhances location-specific human capital, and therefore, it can potentially improve labour market integration outcomes.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PREVIOUS QUALIFICATION CHARACTERISTICS AND UNIVERSITY GRADUATES USING ASSOCIATION RULES

This study investigates the correlation factors between previous qualification and graduates of private universities using association rules mining. The experiments were conducted on a real dataset comprising graduates from three private universities. FP-Growth was utilized to create association rules in the experiments. The performance assessment criteria were a minimum support of 0.10 and a minimum confidence of 0.95. The findings suggest a strong relationship between high-achieving pharmacy graduates and whose previous education was a diploma in pharmacy.

Predicting instabilities: an embodied perspective on unstable experiences with art and design.

Predictive Processing (PP) provides a theoretical framework that describes perception as a process attempting to increase the predictability of stimulations by updating predictions or exploring new sensations. Moreover, perception and action are assumed to be closely linked within this process. While organisms seem to strive for predictability, we sometimes expose ourselves to objects and situations that challenge sense-making-such conditions often break perceptual habits or offer multiple possible meanings. This paper updates a previous qualification of these experiences of 'Semantic Instability' (SeIns) by following an embodied and situated understanding of perception and cognition. We suggest that art perception essentially differs from problem-solving as in engaging with art, we typically integrate contradictory elements dynamically and without the ultimate goal of resolving the contradictions-on the contrary, SeIns itself can generate aesthetic hedonics and interest. We discuss how current embodied accounts of PP might help understand what motivates such unstable yet insightful and pleasurable nonlinear sense-making processes. This article is part of the theme issue 'Art, aesthetics and predictive processing: theoretical and empirical perspectives'.

Student Perceptions of Interprofessional Education: Associations with the Major Subject, Previous Education and Work Experience

Based on previous studies, it was hypothesized that the personal background of students, including previous qualifications and work experience, may be one factor affecting their perceptions of interprofessional education. In a cross-sectional study, the associations between students’ (N = 149) gender, major subject, previous degrees, and interprofessional work experience, perceptions of interprofessional education, and appraisal of members of their own profession in interprofessional cooperation were examined. According to the most noteworthy results, having more interprofessional work experience and a previous degree from a university of applied sciences was associated with perceiving interprofessional studies to be more useful. Moreover, having less interprofessional work experience was associated with perceiving members of one’s own profession more positively regarding interprofessional cooperation. It is suggested that also these background variables are considered when designing and implementing interprofessional education.

Internationally recruited nurses and their initial integration into the healthcare workforce: A mixed methods study

BackgroundNursing deficits are growing, and healthcare providers in developed countries must address the challenges of ethically building a sustainable workforce without a continued excessive reliance on overseas recruitment. To secure this, a focus on long-term retention of international recruits is paramount. ObjectiveTo explore the migration motivations and experiences of initial integration for internationally recruited nurses within the healthcare system (England). DesignA mixed methods survey. Setting(s) and participants655 internationally recruited nurses who had recently commenced work in England completed the survey. Methodsqualitative and quantitative data was gathered to explore internationally recruited nurses’ demographics and professional backgrounds, migration motivations, application processes, arrival and settlement and initial experiences of integration into the workforce alongside their support and future aspirations. ResultsThe quantitative results revealed a population of international nurses that were highly educated and vastly experienced, with career development and desires to improve quality of life being the primary motivations for migration. Participants indicated a perception of being well supported during initial application and arrival stage, however, did experience some degree of challenge during workplace integration involving fluctuating levels of support and appointments into positions that did not match their years of experience and previous qualifications. This data was reinforced further detailed by the qualitative feedback that illuminated the difficulties nurses can face during initial arrival and integration and the apparent impact on mental well-being. ConclusionThis paper, contextualised with an international literature base verifying the experiences of internationally recruited nurses, argues that it is the consistent responsibility of employers in developed countries to protect the experiences of international recruits. This can be done by investing in solutions as a key retention strategy.

Association of pain neurophysiology knowledge and application amongst UK chiropractic students: A cross-sectional study.

To investigate if chiropractic placement students in the United Kingdom are aware of current pain evidence and how they relate this to the management of chronic pain patients. Moreover, to gain an understanding of how this can lead to improved pain education planning and engagement in the future. The revised Neurophysiology of Pain Questionnaire and the researchers' own questionnaire were administered online to chiropractic placement students. The aggregated total number of correct responses and the individual mean scores were calculated. Statistical analysis included tests of normality and difference using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis, and Χ2 tests. There was an overall response rate of 21.6% (n = 50). The mean score achieved on the revised neurophysiology of pain questionnaire was 37.8%. A significant difference between individual mean scores on the revised Neurophysiology of Pain Questionnaire was observed between male and female participants. No differences in mean score were observed between age, number of chronic pain patients seen, and previous qualifications. For the study-specific questionnaire, statistically significant differences were found in mean score for previous qualifications, number of patients seen, and sex. Chiropractic placement students in the United Kingdom appear to have a lower level of pain knowledge than other health care professionals and education institutions may wish to consider how to best address this within their curricula.

Exploring the potential of micro-credentials: A systematic literature review

Micro-credentials have recently become a huge research interest, as they play an important role in the social, economic, and higher education sectors. Mindful of growing critique in some circles and recent publications, this paper offers an informed analysis of the potential of micro-credentials to foster post-COVID-19 pandemic recovery across a spectrum of dimensions, including supporting innovation in higher education institutions (HEIs). It reports a systematic literature review analysis of scientific articles published between 2015 and January 2022 on micro-credential research in the field of higher education. Results of a bibliometric and qualitative content analysis from 32 scientific articles provided insights into the potential of micro-credentials to foster post-pandemic recovery through social, economic, and higher education innovations. The findings suggest that the potential can be unfolded through multiple dimensions, like offering more possibilities for individuals to up-skill, re-skill and enter the labor market (economic context), enhancing lifelong learning by developing flexible personal learning pathways (social context), extending services in assessment and recognition of non-formal and informal learning, and introducing stackable credits and previous qualifications (higher education context). Even though the paper analyses scientific articles from the pre-pandemic and pandemic period, this study aim to systematize the results of other researchers and to offer sound insights into how further development in micro-credentials could contribute to the post-pandemic recovery.

Unit standards to occupational qualifications: South African vocational policy reform stuck in reverse

ABSTRACT This paper argues that the recent policy reform of occupational qualifications in South Africa is not substantially different from previous qualifications composed of unit standards and learning outcomes. The transition to democracy in the 1990s saw the introduction of a National Qualifications Framework (NQF) for post-school education. The framework adopted a model similar to competency-based training (CBT), where qualifications used unit standards and learning outcomes as a design template. Many problems ensued; amongst other concerns, researchers demonstrated that unit standards fragment learning by focusing on task performance at the expense of knowledge. Substantial changes were made in 2009, including the introduction of the Occupational Qualifications Sub-Framework of the revised NQF. Occupational qualifications are designed using a template to standardise the format of occupational standards and knowledge, practical skills, and work experience modules for the curriculum framework. For policymakers, occupational standards represent broad notions of competence based on occupational practice. The development of an occupational qualification is guided by a template for the process of deriving the curriculum framework from occupational standards. However, my research suggests that occupational qualifications based on occupational standards are further elaborated work tasks that are then used to develop curriculum framework contents, which further entrenches CBT approaches and their associated problems.

The role of spiritual lessons and creative arts for adaptation of international doctoral students: a lifelong education perspective

ABSTRACT This article reports a study on the impact of spiritual training lessons as compared to creative arts lessons with a cohort of Indian and Sri Lankan doctoral students immigrated to the US. The aim was to examine programme effectiveness in mitigating their acculturative stress, promoting self-efficacy, and wellbeing. Spiritual training lessons were more effective (p ≤ .01, Hedges’ g = −3.59–3.22); however, creative arts lessons also mitigated acculturative stress of participants (p = .006, Hedges’ g = −0.43). Post-test acculturative stress scores were lower and self-efficacy and wellbeing scores were higher for male students, with technical degrees, Hindu and Sikh students, ever-single, living alone, studying technical subjects, and whose doctoral research was practicum/practice-based. Spiritual training lessons attended and homework lessons mediated the association between significant socio-demographic and academic predictors and changes in outcomes. Creative arts homework lessons also mediated the association between gender, previous qualifications and acculturative stress scores. Spiritual training lessons can be incorporated into induction and continued support programmes for international doctoral students at US universities. Some modifications may be needed for female students, with postgraduate degrees in humanities/social sciences, Christian and Muslim students, currently married, cohabiting with spouse/children/dependents, studying humanities/social science subjects, and doing applied research.

Barriers to employment for refugees seeking work in the Australian construction industry: an exploratory study

PurposeIn Australia, as in many other countries, refugees are over-represented in the ranks of the unemployed, under-employed and precariously employed and often become frustrated in their attempts to secure work. Despite the construction industry being a major potential source of employment for refugees, there has been a surprising lack of research into their experiences of securing work in the industry. Addressing this gap and also the general lack of voice for refugees in construction research, the aim of this paper is to explore the barriers refugees face in securing employment in the construction industry.Design/methodology/approachThis paper reports a survey of refugees who have worked or attempted to seek work in the Australian construction industry.FindingsResults show that the main barriers to securing employment in construction are: lack of local work experience; employer discrimination; employer failure to recognise previous qualifications, skills and experience and employers not understanding the challenges they face. Government employment agencies and systems are also perceived to be of limited value and overly complex, in contrast to the activities of not-for-profit support agencies.Research limitations/implicationsWhile the research is limited to Australia, the findings contribute an important and missing refugee dimension to the emerging body of research on construction social procurement. They also contribute unique sector-specific insights into the broader debate about refugee resettlement and employment. Further research is needed in other national contexts.Practical implicationsRecommendations are made to address the barriers to employment identified including: initiatives to provide refugees with work experience in the industry; education to break-down negative stereotypes of refugees among employers; greater support for not-for-profits supporting refugees and reform of government and employment agency systems and procedures.Social implicationsBy enhancing understanding of the barriers to employment for refugees in construction and proposing solutions to reduce those barriers, this research contributes new insights into a growing global challenge of how we better integrate growing numbers of refugees into harmonious and prosperous societies.Originality/valueThe findings are important in facilitating the smoother integration of refugees into society. Beyond the moral imperative, there are significant social, cultural and economic benefits which successful refugee integration brings to host countries and industries like construction which in many countries are now being required to employ refugees in their workforce as a condition of public sector contracts.

Learning Environments of Technologysupported Teacher Education Classrooms in Relation to Gender, Previous Qualifications and Teaching Subjects

The students of 21st century have very high learning expectations. Concept of teaching and learning has changed tremendously due to globalization and explosion of knowledge. New tools of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) may contribute considerably towards all phases of educational process including the area of teacher education. The need for teacher training is widely acknowledged in the light of this development. The aim of this study was to assess students' perceptions of the learning environments of technology supported teacher education classrooms in relation to three variables, i.e., previous qualification, gender and teaching subjects. A sample of 317 students from six classes was taken. The tool used for the study was the modified form of Technology–Rich Outcomes-Focused Learning Environment Inventory (TROFLEI). In these classrooms, different information and communication technology tools like laptops, computers, and multimedia projectors, interactive boards etc. are regularly used to communicate, disseminate, store, and manage curriculum information for the benefit of the students. Results of the study strongly support the reliability and validity of the questionnaire in these classroom settings. The results show that the students perceive their technology-supported learning environment in a positive manner. Results on investigation of previous qualification, gender differences and teaching subjects suggest that there exist some differences in technology-supported learning environments as measured by the TROFLEI.

Мобильная занятость мобильного субъекта

Статья посвящена анализу трудовых траекторий мигрантов из Средней Азии, прибывших в российские мегаполисы с целью заработка. В исследовании седентаристская оптика сменяется мобильной, и трудовая активность гастарбайтеров интерпретируется через понятие мобильности. С этой целью введен концепт «мобильного субъекта», среди специфических черт которого подвижность, нестабильность, множественность жизненных проектов, жизнь в «сиюминутном» времени, автономизация и в то же время формирование широкой сети социальных контактов, отказ от интеграции. Исследование выполнено в рамках качественной методологии, основные методы – интервьюирование и наблюдение. В фокусе исследования около 30 кейсов. В тексте в качестве иллюстраций рассматриваются три кейса – жизненные истории мигрантов из Таджикистана и Кыргызстана. Исследование было лонгитюдным, в течение пяти лет каждые полгода мы встречались с информантами, что позволило проанализировать сложные биографические траектории людей, в частности, изменение их трудовых стратегий. В связи со структурными изменениями на новом месте жительства мигранты, как правило, занимают ниши низкоквалифицированного труда. Меняя национальные контексты, мобильный субъект зачастую начинает трудовую карьеру «с нуля», не подтверждая прежнюю квалификацию. Анализ биографий информантов демонстрирует нелинейность и изменчивость их трудовых траекторий. Согласно исследованию, гастарбайтеры работают в нескольких местах одновременно; реализуют себя в рамках разных профессиональных сфер; сочетают разные формы занятости; не привязаны к одному месту работы. Трудовые траектории мигрантов не представляют собой линейную карьеру как целенаправленное движение в рамках одной профессии или одной организации. Карьера мобильного субъекта экстенсивна – мигрант накапливает самые разнообразные опыты, меняя места работы и профессиональные сферы, сочетая разные формы занятости, что позволяет мигрантам быть мобильными, реактивно приспосабливаться к меняющемуся рынку труда и изменяющимся структурным условиям. Смена исследовательской оптики открывает новую перспективу в понимании мигрантского труда и позволяет увидеть в нем не только проблемы (прекарность, нестабильность, (само-)эксплуатацию и пр.), но и агентность в выборе трудовых стратегий.

International Medical Graduates - Asset or Liability?

One of the gains of globalisation is its osmotic effect of equalisation motivating all the countries to reach their potential. Human resource especially, medical manpower, determines the health of the nation. Developing countries are becoming increasingly aware, of using their scarce resources to train a doctor, only to lose it to the Western world. The article highlights the exploitation, and possible wastage of highly qualified medical workforce who, are accommodated to suit the needs of the host country irrespective of their previous qualifications and experience. The article also makes suggestions to recover and retain the talents of the country.

Empirical Evaluation of Art and Design Students’ Online Assessments: A Case of Construct Validity Analysis at STEP

Educational institutions are bound to take online assessments due to pandemics, which drives the need to identify the perceived satisfaction of both teachers and students about the effectiveness of this process. The current study aims to explore perceptions of Art & Design students and teachers since the issue becomes even more complex due to the practical nature of these subjects and assessments. A total of 157 students participated in this research study, whereas the data is collected through convenient sampling. The data from teachers was collected through a focus group discussion. The purposive sampling process was used for this purpose. A self-developed survey instrument was used to collect data with an alpha value of .73. The results of the survey indicate the satisfaction of students with the process and effectiveness of online assessment. Demographic analysis includes current qualifications (mean=2.69), previous qualifications (mean=.41), current working status of students (mean=.96), and students enjoying any scholarships (mean=.39) etc. The data collected through focus group discussion was studied through thematic analysis techniques. The results of the study promised to help in designing and implementing strategies when conducting online assessments particularly for Art & Design qualifications.

Evaluating impact toughness as a qualification testing requirement for welds

Steel structures with fracture-critical components and connections rightly require quality control to help prevent catastrophic failure. Specifically, fracture-critical welded connections require evidence of brittle fracture capacity, which can take the form of qualification testing or pre-qualification (which is based on previous qualification testing under design circumstances). In cases where the use of pre-qualified weld details are not applicable, qualification testing requirements can significantly influence project cost and schedule, especially on large complex projects. This paper focuses specifically on the fracture toughness (as quantified by impact toughness testing) aspect of qualification testing, which, for welded connections, often includes assessment of the weld metal, multiple locations in heat-affected zone (HAZ), and the base metal. The research presented herein incorporates a database of more than 400 weld qualification records, spanning over 30 years. The data includes significant variance across many welding parameters including, among others: i) base material, ii) welding process, iii) welding position, and iv) connection joint type (e.g., bevel, v-groove). The data indicates that the weld metal controls the impact toughness of the connection for the majority of base metals included in the study, regardless of welding parameter. While such conclusions are clearly limited to the parameters included in the database, the findings pose the potential for streamlining of fracture toughness qualification in welded connections. Specifically, the ability to characterize the fracture toughness of a welded joint solely based on assessment of the weld metal could reduce the schedule and cost impacts of qualification testing.

Integration in the Shadow of Austerity—Refugees in Newcastle upon Tyne

Newcastle upon Tyne, a post-industrial city in the North East of England, has long been committed to hosting refugees. Although the city has suffered drastic cuts in government funding and faces high levels of deprivation, Newcastle declared itself a city of sanctuary and participates in several dispersal schemes for asylum seekers and refugees. This paper shows how political support as well as the self-motivating ambition to be a city of sanctuary are driving forces behind the city’s commitment to hosting refugees. This study then proceeds to explore the integration experiences of refugees in Newcastle, with a focus on housing, employment and the relations between refugees and local residents. While an overall positive picture emerges across these areas, language barriers, the refusal to accept refugees’ previous qualifications and experiences of racism remain major obstacles to integration. Moreover, the gulf in funding and support between resettled refugees and former asylum seekers greatly aggravates the latter’s access to housing and employment and contributes to a lower feeling of safety among this group.