Professional Skills Research Articles

Data Analytics in Insurance Product Management

Data analytics as a part of insurance product management is revolutionizing the industry because with huge and constantly increasing piles of customer and claims data at their fingertips, insurers can make better decisions and improve many aspects of their operations. This paper discusses how the adaptation of risk models and artificial intelligence models helps insurers to improve evaluation criteria and policy premiums, as well as predict the occurrence of claims with a high degree of certainty. Challenging customer segments can be detected using big data analytics, which helps insurers better serve their clients and gain their trust. In addition, there is also the function of using data analytics to detect frauds hence predictive models detect potential frauds since they identify cer tain patterns. However, the application of data analytics in insurance product management has some difficulties in terms of data quality, data privacy, and human resources to analyze sophisticated data. These challenges demand strong investments in infrastructure for storage, terrible, and processing as well as the recruitment and training of skilled data professionals, together with a solid data governance mentality. This abstract establishes that, in addition to improving the internal processes within insurance organizations, data analytics also increases market competitiveness, innovation, and customer focus in insurance products.

Comprehensive Review of Nurses’ Role in Chronic Disease Management: Collaborative Care Approaches

Diabetes, hypertension, and heart diseases, as well as others, are common diseases that affect a large number of people around the globe today. Such diseases call for rational and integrated approaches across specialists to achieve the best patient results. Chronic illness care involves education of the patients, effective coordination of care, and management of symptoms, which are major areas that involve the input of the nurses. This review focuses on nursing interventions in chronic disease and the importance of the collaborative care model in nursing. Therefore, observing how the incorporated nursing skills in an interdisciplinary process influence the quality of patients’ lives with chronic diseases, the review examines the communication processes, evidence-based practice, and patient-centered approach. Highlights focus on the benefits of the involvement of nurses, including effective disease management, increased patient satisfaction, and improved health. The review also discusses the hurdles of nursing as a profession, such as having to contend for resources and emphasizing the continuous development of professional skills, before it presents specific recommendations for enhancing nursing stakeholders’ contributions to managing chronic diseases.

Development of Professional Skills in Future Music Teachers

Examines the professional skills of future music teachers in higher education. The use of modern methods in the training of music teachers develops professional skills among students, expands musical and pedagogical competencies, and inspires creative expression. It is concluded that it is necessary to develop and enrich pedagogical conditions using innovative methods to develop professional skills among future music teachers. Concepts have been clarified, including components of professional skills in the professional activities of music teachers, which require the teacher to be able to explain complex musical concepts and techniques, adapting them to the level of the student.

The use of visual and cognitive approach to the foreign language teaching at a technical university

Importance. The development and implementation of a visual cognitive approach in teaching methods of extracting, processing, memorizing, storing, and transmitting a large amount of information as well as its transformation and rethinking in new realities for the development of conceptual thinking and the formation of cognitive self-regulation skills seem to be relevant. The aim of the paper is to develop the applicative model of the cognitive visualization elements while teaching a foreign language in a technical university.Materials and Methods. The theoretical and methodological basis of the study are the works of V.Z. Dem’yankov, A.A. Verbitsky, T.A. Syrina, A.N. Pogrebnova, L.E. Mnguni and others. The following methods have been used while conducting the study: content analysis of scientific and methodological literature, theoretical synthesis, experimental work, and pedagogical experience generalization.Results and Discussion. The application of a visual cognitive approach with visual support in the form of video material on the topic of the lesson is considered and a set of exercises within the framework of this approach for the development of professional communication skills is presented. The stages of working with a video clip and processing information in cognitive structures are presented. All tasks contain visual aids that allow processing, structuring and interpreting the information presented in the video fragment. The lesson ends with a creative task that stimulates the development of cognitive abilities.Conclusion. The visual cognitive approach to teaching a foreign language can be an effective tool to stimulate the learning process and increase students’ motivation. Cognitive strategies are aimed at developing mental processes such as attention, memory, thinking and problem solving

ATENÇÃO PRIMÁRIA À SAÚDE: IMPLICAÇÕES PARA A PROMOÇÃO DA EQUIDADE NO SUS

This research aimed to analyze the importance of Primary Health Care (PHC) in the promotion of equity in the Unified Health System (SUS), highlighting its contributions to the reduction of health inequalities and its role in universal access to care. To this end, a bibliographic research was carried out by surveying articles in the SciELO, PubMed and Google Scholar databases. The results indicated that PHC, through the Family Health Strategy (FHS), has been fundamental in promoting comprehensive and continuous care, especially in vulnerable areas, and is effective in disease prevention and health promotion. However, challenges such as underfunding, a shortage of skilled professionals, and a lack of infrastructure jeopardize its full implementation, especially in poorer regions. The research concludes that, although PHC has enormous potential to reduce health inequalities and improve access to services, greater investment and improved management is needed to ensure its effectiveness and universality, in addition to the importance of the qualification of professionals and the active participation of the community in health management.

Career Progression and Classroom Facility Adeptness of Teachers in Public Elementary Schools

This study aimed to explore the career progression and classroom facility adeptness of teachers in public elementary schools in the Sta. Maria District, Division of Davao Occidental. In this context, career progression refers to the development of teachers’ professional skills, while classroom facility adeptness pertains to how teachers utilize available resources to enhance student learning. A non-experimental quantitative research design was employed, using correlational methods to examine the relationship between career progression and classroom facility adeptness. Additionally, regression analysis was used to determine the significant influence of the domains of career progression on teachers’ classroom adeptness. The study involved 135 public elementary school teachers, selected using universal sampling. Data were analyzed using mean scores, Pearson’s r, and regression analysis. The results revealed that career progression was often reflected in teachers' commitment to excellence, honesty and integrity, respect for others, compassion, and social responsibility. Classroom facility adeptness, on the other hand, was sometimes manifested in terms of collaboration, decision-making, resource utilization, and communication. A significant relationship was found between career progression and classroom facility adeptness, with a Pearson r-value of 0.988 and a p-value of 0.00, indicating a strong correlation between the two variables. Additionally, the regression analysis revealed that classroom facility adeptness significantly influenced the domains of career progression. The regression results indicated the following relationships between career progression and classroom facility adeptness: commitment to excellence (B = -0.075, t = -0.503, p = 0.000), honesty and integrity (B = 0.014, t = 0.125, p = 0.000), respect for others (B = -0.218, t = -1.807, p = 0.000), compassion (B = -0.074, t = -0.502, p = 0.000), and social responsibility (B = 0.015, t = 0.126, p = 0.000).Based on the findings, it is recommended that public school teachers engage in professional development programs, such as conferences and training sessions offered by the Department of Education (DepEd), to improve their skills and enhance their capacity to better support student learning and academic success.

A collaborative approach to advancing research and training in Public Health Data Science-challenges, opportunities, and lessons learnt.

The unprecedented availability of increasingly complex, voluminous, and multi-dimensional data as well as the emergence of data science as an evolving field provide ideal opportunities to address the multi-faceted public health challenges faced by low and middle income countries (LMIC), especially those in sub-Saharan Africa. However, there is a severe lack of well-trained data scientists and home-grown educational programs to enable context-specific training. The lack of human capacity and resources for public health data analysis as well as the dire need to use modern technology for better understanding and possible intervention cannot be dealt with currently available educational programs and computing infrastructure, demanding a great deal of collaboration and investments within Africa and with the Global North This paper describes processes undertaken to establish sustainable research training programs and to train a new generation of data scientists with knowledge, mentoring, professional skills, and research immersion. The goal is to position them for rigorous, biomedically grounded and ethically conscious Public Health Data Science practice with a focus on Ethiopia and Kenya. The programs are realized through partnership among Columbia University (CU, USA), Addis Ababa University (AAU, Ethiopia), and the University of Nairobi (UoN, Kenya). In this paper, we describe the collaborative project named "Advancing Public Health Research in Eastern Africa through Data Science Training (APHREA-DST)" delving on its conceptualization, implementation framework and activities undertaken. We adopted both qualitative and quantitative approaches to understand the needs of the stakeholders for such educational and training programs. Through harmonized online surveys and stakeholder engagements via focus group discussions in Ethiopia and Kenya, a curriculum was developed for a masters degree program in Public Health Data Science (PHDS). Moreover, the engagement with local projects in both countries as well as active collaboration with other data science related projects in Africa under DSI-Africa consortium benefited the project to start the M. Sc. program successfully. So far, the launching of the graduate program in both countries and the two-cycle experience sharing program done at Columbia University as well as the numerous MoUs signed between partners for data sharing and internships are the major successes of the project. In this paper, we discuss in detail the challenges faced as well as the existing opportunities and lessons learnt this far in implementing this tripartite collaborative teaching and research project.

Transcultural Adaptation of the Interpersonal Communication Competence Scale (ICCS) in Spanish Health Sciences Undergraduate Students.

Background: The communication skills of healthcare professionals directly impact patient interventions. Consequently, an improvement in healthcare quality indicators is observed. Objective: to adapt and validate the Interpersonal Communication Competence Scale (ICCS) in a Spanish university sample of health science students. Methods: A cross-sectional design was employed with a sample of 803 undergraduate students, utilizing the ICCS. Results: The structure and internal consistency of both the 30-item test and a short form version were analyzed. Additionally, factorial invariance, differential validity by gender, and the convergent and discriminant validity of the instrument were assessed. Benchmarks were also calculated. The complete scale, after removing five items, exhibited a total internal consistency of 0.721 and demonstrated a good fit to a hierarchical model with nine first-order factors and one second-order factor (GFI = 0.921, SRMR = 0.071). The 10-item short scale exhibited an internal consistency of 0.689 and fit a single-factor model (GFI = 0.977, SRMR = 0.059). Additionally, factorial invariance was established based on gender. Concerning convergent validity, the ICCS scales correlated with similar measures from the Social Skills Questionnaire and the Health Professional's Communication Skills Scale. Regarding differential validity, significant differences were found only in self-disclosure, empathy, and immediacy, with higher scores in all three cases for women. Conclusions: The Spanish version of the ICCS demonstrates good psychometric properties and is a valid tool for assessing interpersonal communication competencies, both generally and specifically within health sciences. Additionally, the establishment of benchmarks in the ICCS will enable future evaluators to identify the position of their assessors relative to a university sample.

Effectiveness of Authentic Performance Methods for the Development of Musical Interpretation in Music Students

Authentic music contributes to the revival of cultural traditions, which requires the selection of the most favourable approaches to its reproduction. The aim of the work is to determine the effectiveness of authentic performance methods for the development of musical interpretation in music students. The research employed the following methods: observation, efficiency ratio, sampling ratio, and correlation index. The authors developed teaching methods that involved working with an authentic musical repertoire, developing the performance technique of music students. It was also planned to build the skills of performing authentic melodies with the use of various musical instruments. Digital applications Music Theory Companion, goodEar Pro were also used for training. The original performance of European authentic melodies was achieved at the highest level (7.5), which is related to the observance of the sequence of sounds. Achieving a higher level of performance of authentic Ukrainian melodies is associated with the creation of own variations (8.0), which contributed to emotional performance. It was established that the musical process had an impact on the of students’ musical thinking, independence skills, musical and rhythmic skills, understanding of cultural values, and development of intonation. Personal (0.93) and professional (0.90) skills were also developed during the educational process. The practical significance of the research is the identified most favourable approaches to the authentic reproduction of melodies. Research prospects may involve studying the quality of authentic melodies as a result of using different musical instruments.

Pharmacy students' work-based learning experiences during in-plant training: a qualitative case study in Nepal

Background: Work-based learning (WBL) is experiential learning that supplements traditional classroom instruction with learning in a real-world setting. In-plant training is a key component of WBL in technical and vocational education. This study explores the experiences of final-year pharmacy students during their in-plant training and assesses its role in developing essential skills and enhancing career opportunities. Methods: Qualitative case study methods were employed to examine the experiences of 15 final-year pharmacy students. We used semi-structured interviews for data collection purposes. Results: Four positive central themes emerged from the analysis: WBL offered exposure to real-world work environments, skill enhancement, improvement in interpersonal abilities, and the benefits of collaborative learning. Conclusion: The study was conducted only at a single institution in Lalitpur, Nepal. In-plant training assisted students in consolidating professional skills and knowledge, strengthening self-reflection and actualization, developing confidence and competence in practice, and improving employability skills.

The Third Sector’s contribution to the implementation of adult education policies

The European Union’s policies on lifelong learning, initiated in the 1990s, have significantly influenced the development of Italy’s legislative framework in this area. This paper presents the key findings from a series of collaborative research projects conducted between Roma Tre University and the National Forum of the Third Sector. Undertaken between 2016 and 2023, these participatory studies focused on experiential learning among individuals employed within these organisations, as well as methodologies for competence recognition. The research on experiential learning has elucidated that all human activities can serve as learning opportunities, provided individuals engage in reflective practices to derive meaning from them. Within the contexts of lifelong and lifewide learning, the validation of non-formal and informal learning offers significant benefits for adults, fostering personal, social, civic, and occupational development, while reducing barriers to re-entry into formal education systems. For initiatives within non-profit organisations aimed at facilitating validation processes, a deeper understanding of the competences cultivated through such experiences is essential. The presence of recognised standards is deemed a crucial formal prerequisite for validation. The frameworks emerging from the presented studies demonstrate that activities within the Third Sector primarily promote the development of transferable competences, crucial for both enhancing technical–professional skills and fostering conscientious and proficient conduct in social and civic engagement. In this context, engagement in the Third Sector emerges as a catalyst for nurturing citizenship competences vital for navigating national and international transitions, promoting social cohesion, and advancing democracy. Through the findings of these studies, the Italian Third Sector has played a significant role in shaping public policies concerning lifelong learning and the validation of experientially acquired competences, notably regarding the incorporation of transferable competences into the National Repertoire. Additionally, some lines of action for influencing the implementation of validation policies at the European level will be discussed.

The Role of Pedagogical Mentoring in Building Professional Competencies of Future Music Teachers

The aim of the article is to identify the conditions for the effective use of pedagogical mentoring for building professional competencies of future music teachers. The research employed such methods as questionnaires, testing, and a formative experiment. The research confirmed the hypothesis about the effectiveness of pedagogical mentoring in the training of future music teachers. In general, medium and sufficient indicators of professional competencies prevail in the studied samples. Pedagogical mentoring is effective in stimulating motivation for self-development in the musical field and increasing general interest in musical art. The accumulated professional knowledge of future specialists has not changed significantly during the mentoring process. Learning about the history of music is especially problematic. Effective factors of the mentor’s influence are the level of professional experience in the musical field, social and professional authority, personal charisma of the mentor. Traditional higher education is more focused on the assimilation of theoretical knowledge, compared to the development of professional motivation and professional skills of future music teachers. Students are more focused on the musical field than the pedagogical one. The significance of the obtained results implies their use for optimizing the training process of future music teachers. Research prospects are studying the specifics of the impact of pedagogical mentoring depending on the year of study of future music teachers.

A Study on the Teaching Reform of GIS Courses in Higher Vocational Engineering Surveying Based on Work Process Orientation

To cultivate students' professional skills, enhance their practical ability, exploratory skills, and spirit of cooperation, this paper, through extensive research, adopts a work process-oriented curriculum design method to analyze the GIS course for the higher vocational engineering surveying major. The course content is reconstructed to align with the job requirements of data processing engineers, and typical work tasks are determined based on the actual work process.

Measuring the empathy levels among pharmacy students: a journey toward enhancing effective communication and understanding in the pharmacist-patient relationship

BackgroundEmpathy is an essential skill for healthcare professionals, including pharmacists, because it improves person-centered care and treatment outcomes. Measuring the level of empathy among pharmacy students gives an understanding and insight into their readiness for incorporating a person-centered practice in their future work. This study aimed to assess empathy levels among Jordanian pharmacy students and explore the factors influencing these levels.MethodsA cross-sectional study using a web-based survey was conducted among currently enrolled pharmacy students from various academic years at both public and private Jordanian universities. The survey consisted of three sections; demographics, the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) to identify pharmacy students’ empathy level, and items specifically related to the pharmacist-patient relationship. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS software. Multiple linear regression was used to reveal the factors affecting students’ empathy.ResultsA total of 396 pharmacy students participated in the current study, with a mean age of 21.65 years (SD = 2.865), and about three-quarters were female (73.5%). The mean IRI score for the students was 70.89 (SD = 12.82), with subscale means as follows: perspective-taking (18.52), fantasy (17.05), empathic concern (20.16), and personal distress (15.16). Students’ age, gender, awareness of the term empathy, and studying empathy at universities were among the factors that significantly affected the students’ empathy scores.ConclusionThe present study reveals moderate empathy levels among Jordanian pharmacy students and sheds light on an understudied aspect within the pharmacy practice in Jordan. Significant demographic and educational factors affected the pharmacy students’ empathy levels. Incorporating empathy education in pharmacy curricula can better prepare pharmacy students for person-centered care.

Nursing as a Public Trust Profession

Introduction. Nursing is widely recognized as a public trust profession due to its emphasis on professionalism, ethical standards, and patient-centered care. The profession demands adherence to legal regulations and ethical norms, fostering trust through its critical role in healthcare delivery. This study aims to explore patients' perceptions of nursing as a public trust profession, focusing on key factors such as professionalism, ethical compliance, and personal attributes of nurses. Objective. The primary goal of this study was to assess patients' opinions regarding nursing as a public trust profession and identify the specific attributes and competencies that underpin this perception. Methods. The study employed a diagnostic survey method using a structured questionnaire. A total of 100 patients from a healthcare facility in the Mazovian Voivodeship participated. Statistical analyses, including descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, t-tests, ANOVA, correlation analyses, and factor analysis, were conducted using IBM SPSS 29. Results. The findings revealed that 95% of respondents identified professionalism and high engagement in care as crucial factors for trust. Empathy and compassion were also rated highly (95%), along with confidentiality (90%). The chi-square test showed significant differences in the perception of professionalism (Chi2 = 140.80, P < 0.001), and ANOVA demonstrated the impact of nurses' attitudes on trust (F = 116.93, P < 0.001). Factor analysis indicated that professionalism and engagement were the primary components influencing trust perceptions, explaining 100% of variance. Conclusions. Professionalism, ethical conduct, and interpersonal skills are pivotal in establishing nursing as a public trust profession. These attributes are essential for patient trust and align with global standards in nursing practice. The study underscores the need to maintain high ethical and professional standards to sustain public trust in the profession.

Outline of a child rights-based approach in early childhood education & care services

According to the new directions in Child and Family Welfare services (Premoli, 2012), ECEC services in Europe are also increasingly characterized by new emerging orientations, perspectives, and approaches, which recur in different national contexts, driven by the influence of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and of the policies to support integration promoted first by the European Community and then by the European Union. In particular, reference is made to: the affirmation of an educational and pedagogical attention to the child as a whole (the whole child); the emergence of anti-deterministic paradigms such as resilience, the increase of strengths, and the pursuit of beauty; listening to the children’s point of view and promoting their participation; the intercultural approach; the growing attention to evaluation in order to improve quality and effectiveness; finding solutions to the contrast between the rights of the child and the rights of adults (parents or educators); the involvement of families; the openness towards local communities and territories; the consultation with the other services (wrap-around services) and the composition of professional and disciplinary views; the development of strategies that favour continuity between the various school levels. In Herczog’s perspective (2012a), the adoption of an approach based on child rights is a strategy which, among other things, allows for an immediate return on investments in the field of ECEC. It therefore seems necessary to define the Child Rights-Based Approach as an essential professional skill for professionals working in ECEC services.

Citizenship Hierarchies: Talent Programs, Commodification Debates and Citizenship at the Nexus of Market and Desirability Logics

In recent years, an increasing number of nations have developed and institutionalized immigration programs aimed at attracting high-net-worth individuals, promising expedited residency and, in many cases, a streamlined path to citizenship. These initiatives target individuals expected to contribute economically, whether through immediate financial investments, capital transfers, or desirable professional skills deemed essential for national economic competitiveness. This article critically examines the rise of talent programs against the backdrop of scholarship studying investment-based citizenship schemes. While there is a developed literature studying investment-based citizenship programs and criticizing the imposition of neoliberal rationalities on state-induced meanings and practices of citizenship, there is less attention paid to the implications of these so-called merit-based citizenship programs. We argue that both sets of schemes follow a neoliberal market logic, prioritizing immigrants based on their perceived economic value. We explore how these programs disembed potential immigrants from their social contexts and perpetuate market-based inequalities. Thus, we propose that despite the distinctions often made between talent programs and investment schemes, both contribute to the reinforcement of a global citizenship hierarchy. Drawing on examples from Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries' skilled migration initiatives, we demonstrate how these programs shape discourses of selectivity and “deservingness” for future citizenship. Through a comprehensive analysis of legal frameworks and policy databases, the study highlights the complex interplay between migration policies, commodification of citizenship, and global hierarchies. Ultimately, it calls for a deeper understanding of the continuities and transformations in citizenship logics enabled by the infusion of market dynamics into migration policies.

Utility of large language models for creating clinical assessment items

Purpose To compare student performance, examiner perceptions and cost of GPT-assisted (generative pretrained transformer-assisted) clinical and professional skills assessment (CPSAs) items against items created using standard methods. Methods We conducted a prospective, controlled, double-blinded comparison of CPSA items developed using GPT-assistance with those created through standard methods. Two sets of six practical cases were developed for a formative assessment sat by final year medical students. One clinical case in each set was created with GPT-assistance. Students were assigned to one of the two sets. Results The results of 239 participants were analysed in the study. There was no statistically significant difference in item difficulty, or discriminative ability between GPT-assisted and standard items. One hundred percent (n = 15) of respondents to an examiner feedback questionnaire felt GPT-assisted cases were appropriately difficult and realistic. GPT-assistance resulted in significant labour cost savings, with a mean reduction of 57% (880 GBP) in labour cost per case when compared to standard case drafting methods. Conclusions GPT-assistance can create CPSA items of comparable quality with significantly less cost when compared to standard methods. Future studies could evaluate GPT’s ability to create CPSA material in other areas of clinical practice, aiming to validate the generalisability of these findings.

On the Classical Traditions of Azerbaijani Piano Art

The purpose of the research is to characterise the peculiarities of classical traditions in the history of Azerbaijani piano culture and generalise these traditions. The priority of the study is to consider the classical traditions of Azerbaijani piano culture as aesthetic principles of its functioning. The research methodology is based on a categorical understanding of such a concept as classical. The significant phenomena of the piano art of Azerbaijan are considered from a contextual aspect. The study is based on the principle of historicism, which is characterised by diachrony; the history of Azerbaijani piano art is covered in stages. The scientific novelty of the research is the first to generalise the classical traditions of Azerbaijani piano culture based on historical material. The first attempt to classify the classical traditions of Azerbaijani piano culture is essential. Conclusions. At the end of the 20th and the beginning of the 21st century, studying Azerbaijani piano culture required a reevaluation, new approaches, and generalisations. Creative consciousness, embodied in the classical traditions of Azerbaijani piano art, acquires diversity and multidimensionality in contemporary phenomena. This is why the present research relies on the importance of interpreting classical traditions. The classics of Azerbaijani piano culture serve as a model for future generations of Azerbaijani pianists. The classical performance paradigm was based on important factors such as the high professional skills of pianists and a deep understanding of musical works, their artistic reading, interpretation, and interpretation. The outstanding pianists of the second half of the 20th century are united by a common ideological, performing and musicological approach, which can be called a ‘solid foundation’ of Azerbaijani piano art. Classical traditions represent both applied and professional techniques, as well as music’s philosophical and aesthetic concepts. The classical traditions of the Azerbaijani piano culture, laid down by prominent figures, developed as a natural combination of the performance and pedagogical levels. The integrity and completeness of the classical style define the distinctive features of pianism.

Resources for Prescribed Fires on Private Lands in Florida

Fire is an integral part of the Florida landscape. But what resources exist to support our private landowners who want to incorporate prescribed fires into their management plans? Without a team of skilled professionals on the payroll, safety and fire knowledge are of utmost importance to anyone wanting to ignite prescribed fires on their land. This publication aims to connect Florida landowners with the resources they need for prescribed burning, from planning to ignition to mop up and declaring a fire out. Resources are presented for local, boots-on-the-ground help, as well as training and regional information. Although this is not a comprehensive list, it will guide private landowners who wish to manage their properties with prescribed fire.