Professional Skills Training Research Articles

PROVISION OF QUALITY EDUCATION IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS: AN INVESTIGATION OF FACTORS

The purpose of this study was to investigate factors hindering the provision of quality education in government secondary schools. The study employed a mixed-method (QUAN+qual) with a descriptive survey design. Probability-simple random and non-probability-available and purposive sampling techniques were used. A study comprised a total of 1913 population, and 483 samples i.e. 6 headteachers, 114 teachers, 324 students, 21 parents, and 18 community representatives using Yemane formula. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through questionnaires, interviews, observation, and document analysis for triangulation. Descriptive (i.e. percentage, mean & Standard deviation) and inferential statistics (i.e. independent sample t-test) were used as a method of analysis. A test of significance employed as finding showed that except for school environment facility and resource-related factors, other factors had an insignificant effect on the provision of quality education. The findings from the descriptive analysis showed that there was a lack of professionally qualified teachers, lack of instructional resources, low participation of parents and community, low motivation of teachers, low-level implementation of active learning methods, lack of transparency among staff and shortage of administrative staffs. Therefore, the study recommended that the government should facilitate professional skill training for teachers, provides adequate instructional resources, and should employ qualified teachers to help the head teachers to adapt lucidity in secondary schools. The local government should also seek out the ways for unemployed citizens and revise ethical courses in an offer to improve the characteristics of students.

A PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE FOR TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION TRAINING TEACHERS AT TECHNICAL COLLEGES IN NIGER STATE, NIGERIA

A significant amount of concern has been expressed about all the way in which technical vocational Education training (TVET) is taught in Nigeria and particularly in technical collegesin Niger State. This concern stems partly from the fact that the nation cannot grow its human and material resources effectively without sufficient and well-trained manpower at all educationallevels. The study therefore investigates the professional skills training needs of technical vocational teachers in technical colleges in Niger State. The sample method used for the survey.The study population comprised of all technical college teachers in Niger state; the sample included all the sixty (60) technical teachers that made up the population. For data collection,professional training competencies Needs of Technical Vocational Teachers Questionnaire were used. The test-retest method was also used to determine the coefficient of reliability of which0.72 was obtained. The data collected were analyzes using the statistical method Mean and Standard deviation. The findings from this study showed that the teachers of technical colleges inNiger state of Nigeria are not exposed to workshops, seminars, conferences and other means of acquiring basic technical knowledge, skills and attitudes and that innumerable teachers oftechnical colleges are not competent. It was therefore recommended that all technical teacher training institutions function in performance as a matter of necessity and produce anappropriate curriculum which will take on the necessary skills for our new technical teachers in training and those already in the field through in-service training.

PEDAGOGICAL TECHNOLOGIES AND INTERACTIVE METHODS AS A FACTOR OF INCREASING SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE OF STUDENTS

This paper reveals pedagogical technologies and interactive methods as a factor of increasing special knowledge of students. The use of pedagogical technologies in the process of instilling knowledge, skills and abilities in the preparation for professional activities of practicing coaches-teachers, “Theory and methodology of athletics” for students specializing in athletics is vital. Technologies for using such innovative teaching methods as cluster, Venn diagram, concept map, questionnaire from the teacher, categorical review, scheme-factor, logical chain have been developed. The organization and use of interactive methods affect the training and improvement of professional skills of specialists in physical culture and sports, as well as activate students for independent education.

Shifting the Care of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus from Hospital to Primary Health Care Institutions through an Educational Intervention for Health Care Professionals: An Example from Rural China.

This study assessed the impact of an educational intervention on the knowledge, attitudes, and practice regarding Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) of Primary Health Care (PHC) professionals, as well as on the types of T2DM care services which they were able to provide. The intervention was carried out in collaboration with county hospitals. The study was conducted from 2015 to 2016 among 241 health care professionals in 18 township health centers and 55 village clinics in three counties in Jiangsu Province, randomly divided into an intervention group and a control group. Participants in the intervention group received professional skills training sessions and team communication and were involved in regular meetings. The control group followed the routine work plan. At one-year follow up, the diabetes knowledge score, practice score, and attitudes score were significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group. A significantly higher proportion of health care professionals in the intervention group was able to provide services compared with the control group, for all types of services, except T2DM emergency treatment. The intervention among health care professionals in PHC had a positive impact on their professional diabetes skills, knowledge, attitudes, practices, and types of services they were able to provide, at one-year follow-up.

Helping Scholars Overcome Socioeconomic Barriers to Medical and Biomedical Careers: Creating a Pipeline Initiative

Problem: To achieve their potential in medical and biomedical careers, students (scholars) from under-resourced backgrounds must build sophisticated skills and develop confidence and professionalism. To flourish in an advanced educational system that may be unfamiliar, these scholars also need networks of mentors and role models. These challenges can affect scholars at multiple stages of their education. Intervention: To meet these challenges, we created a broad and innovative biomedical research-focused pipeline program: the Johns Hopkins Initiative for Careers in Science in Medicine (CSM Initiative). This initiative targets three levels: high school, undergraduate, and post-baccalaureate/pre-doctoral (graduate and medical). We provide training in essential academic, research, professional, and social skills to meet the unique challenges of our scholars from under-resourced backgrounds. Scholars also build relationships with mentors who provide career guidance and support. We present an overview of the training and assessment at each level of this initiative. Context: The initiative took place at an institution located in the greater Baltimore area and that is endowed with exceptional doctoral and postdoctoral trainees, staff, and faculty including clinicians, physician-scientists, and scientists who served as key role models and mentors. Our pipeline program draws from local high school students and a local and national pool of undergraduates and post-baccalaureates preparing for medical or graduate school. Impact: Our goals for the high school scholars are significant improvement in academic skills, increased confidence, and matriculation into higher education systems. Currently, at least 83% of high school scholars have matriculated into four-year college programs and 73% have chosen science, technology, engineering, math, and medicine (STEMM)-related majors. Among undergraduate participants, 42% have matriculated thus far into medical or biomedical graduate programs and this number is expected to rise as more scholars graduate from college and either enter graduate training or pursue STEMM careers. Another 25% have returned to our post-baccalaureate program. Among post-baccalaureate scholars, 71% have now matriculated into doctoral-level graduate biomedical programs (medical or graduate school) and the remaining 29% are pursuing careers in STEMM-related fields such as biomedical research with some still aiming at graduate-level education. Our long-term goal is to see a large majority of our scholars become successful professionals in medicine, biomedical research, allied healthcare, or other STEMM fields. Analysis of the early phases of the CSM initiative demonstrates such outcomes are attainable. Lessons Learned: This program provides experiences in which scholars develop and practice core competencies essential for developing their self-identity as scientists and professionals. The most important lesson learned is that mentorship teams must be highly dynamic, flexible, thoughtful, and personal in responding to the wide range of challenges and obstacles that scholars from under-resourced backgrounds must overcome to achieve career success.

Enseñar a litigar en Derecho: una experiencia práctica en la Universidad de Pinar del Río

El presente artículo muestra las características y los resultados de un juego de roles llevado a cabo en el área del pregrado universitario en Cuba. El objetivo que se persigue es implementar los juegos de roles como una estrategia ideal para la formación de las competencias profesionales en los estudiantes de Derecho de la Universidad de Pinar del Río. Para lograr dicho objetivo, los estudiantes participaron en la representación del Juicio del Moncada. El diseño metodológico, de corte cualitativo, emplea el método fenomenológico como parte de un estudio de etnografía escolar, que se complementa con la metodología investigación acción-participativa. La recolección de datos se ha realizado a través del análisis de documentos, la observación participante, las encuestas y las entrevistas grupales, con la participación de 22 estudiantes, 6 jueces y 8profesores de la carrera de Derecho. El aporte teórico radica en la propuesta de un sistema de habilidades litigantes y el aporte práctico consiste en la implementación de los juegos de roles jurídicos, destacándose la representación del Juicio del Moncada como experiencia inicial. Los resultados indican que la propuesta de simulación de juicios orales como método problémico ha tributado significativamente al desarrollo de habilidades litigantes en la educación superior cubana.

Impact of Mind-Body Medicine Professional Skills Training on Healthcare Professional Burnout.

BackgroundHealthcare professional burnout has reached epidemic proportions, with downstream effects on personal and patient health and on our institutions. Solutions lie in the domains of work culture, operational efforts, and personal strategies.ObjectivesTo evaluate the impact of a 5-day mind–body medicine professional training program on burnout and quality of life.MethodsWe conducted pre- and postevaluation of a mind–body medicine skills training for healthcare professionals on 6 wellness domains using 2 validated instruments: the Maslach Burnout Inventory and the Professional Quality of Life Survey.ResultsThere was a statistically significant improvement in changes in emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, personal accomplishment, compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress which was sustained at 12 months. Largest relative improvements occurred in emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, 22% and 21%, respectively.ConclusionIn addition to providing an important patient care skill set, mind–body medicine training may be an effective way to mitigate burnout and improve healthcare professional well-being.

РОЛЬ ЛИЧНОСТИ ПЕДАГОГА В ПРОЦЕССЕ ОБУЧЕНИЯ И ВОСПИТАНИЯ МОЛОДЕЖИ В ОБРАЗОВАТЕЛЬНЫХ УЧРЕЖДЕНИЯХ

The article is written for everyone who cares about the fate of Russia and what will happen to our youth in the future, as well as for educators, teachers, and teachers of educational institutions. Aspects of the importance of the teacher's authority for the successful education of students, the effectiveness of the educational process, increasing the prestige of the teacher's profession, the formation of students ' personality, and not only training in professional knowledge and skills are considered.

Theoretical and methodological design of a Didactic Model to enhance the teaching and learning processes of Mathematics at Instituto Tecnológico Superior de Poza Rica

Higher Education Technological Centers through their Educational Model for the 21st century: Training and development of professional skills promote teachers to develop research projects in a way that allows them to improve the teaching process and thus contribute to the integral training of future professionals with knowledge, skills, abilities, attitudes and values that allow him to continue learning throughout his life. To achieve such purposes, a group of professors elaborated a research project in the area of Mathematics, assuming essentially the conceptual framework provided by Vygotsky's Cultural Historical Approach and the work of other authors with similar reference. The objective of this paper is to develop the conceptual and methodological bases of a Didactic Model that allows to direct in a scientific way the teaching and learning processes of Mathematics, according to the conditions of subjects such as Differential Calculus and Integral Calculus, as well as the environment which is presented in the institutions of the National Technological System, specifically in the Instituto Tecnológico Superior de Poza Rica, Veracruz state, Mexico.

Effectiveness of professional knowledge and skill training of hospital accompanists

Objective To evaluate the impact of the professional knowledge and skills of hospital attendants on the quality of hospital care and its training effect. Methods 200 accompanists from a Class Ⅲ Grade A hospital in Xi'an from January 2017 to December 2018 were selected as the subjects by convenient sampling. 100 accompanists from January to December 2018 were used as observation groups to develop their professional knowledge and skills training; 100 accompanists who did not carry out professional knowledge and skills training during from January to December 2017 were the control group. The professional knowledge and skills, quality of care were compared between the two groups before and after training. Results The scores of basic care, daily life care, psychological care, functional rehabilitation, cleansing care, and communication in the observation group were higher than those in the control group, and the differences between the two groups were statistically significant (P<0.05) . After training, the patients' health education awareness rate, complication rate, safety incident rate, and satisfaction were better than before training, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05) . Conclusions Due to the limitation of professional knowledge and skill level, the comprehensive quality of hospital accompanists needs to be improved. Strengthening the training of accompanists can not only improve the comprehensive quality of the accompanists themselves, but also improve the quality of hospital care, which is beneficial to the health and rapidity of the medical care industry. Key words: Accompanists; Professional knowledge and skills; Quality of hospital care; Training effect

Embedding academic and professional skills training with experimental-design chalk talks.

Experimental design and chalkboard presentation skills training can be integrated into a core scientific-content graduate course to promote active learning and student engagement.

Training and Development of Professional Skills: An Analysis of activity in Professional Skills

Training and Development of Professional Skills: An Analysis of activity in Professional Skills

Impact of Parent Engagement in Childhood Obesity Prevention Interventions on Anthropometric Indices among Preschool Children: A Systematic Review.

Background: Home environment, modeling of weight-related behaviors, and general parenting style are very important predictors of obesity in children. The effect of parent engagement in prevention of obesity in children is not clear. The main objective of this systematic review was to address the effects of parent engagement in obesity prevention interventions on anthropometric changes among preschool children. Methods: PubMed/Medline, Cochrane Library, ISI Web of Knowledge, Scopus, Science Direct, and Google Scholar were searched. Eligible studies were randomized controlled trials in last 10 years (from 2008 until February 14, 2018), which had a parent engagement in obesity prevention interventions (as an intervention) and children's anthropometric indices (as an outcome). Results: Twenty-six studies were included. Half of studies targeted both parents and children, and the rest targeted only parents. Types of interventions ranged from a simple motivational interviewing to professional skill training approaches. Studies that targeted overweight or obese children in their intervention containing training sessions followed by maintenance for parents and those that focused on individual support for overweight children and their parents, resulted in higher improvement in BMI and other outcomes. Conclusions: Anthropometric indices and BMI are not appropriate for reflecting the effectiveness of parent engagement in obesity prevention interventions. Having an individual component in the intervention and focusing more on parents vs. children in the intervention may result in improvement in anthropometric outcomes. Focusing on weight-related behaviors as the main outcome in both, children and parents, rather than anthropometric indices, is highly recommended for future reviews.

Professional communication skills training for students of faculty of Physical Education and Sports

The article is devoted to the problem of the academic communication skills development and describes the importance of studying a foreign language for students of non-linguistic universities. Today, academic communication, and in particular professional communication skills, as part of it, is becoming the subject of study of theorists and practitioners. Proficiency in a foreign language is a professionally significant property of any person who is preparing to work in a global society. Academic interaction at the international level is already considered as a mandatory component of the life of a modern student.Thus, communication in English in the student international environment and the participation in academic exchange programs are the main types of studying and are considered in the content of the “professional portrait” of a specialist in physical education and sports as system forming. The authors experimentally show the characteristics which can be developed on the basis of a significant program for teaching a foreign language at the faculty of physical education. The definition of the concept of “professional portrait” of a specialist in physical education and sports is given, in which professional communication skills in a foreign language plays a special role.

Training programs in communication skills to improve self-efficacy for health personnel: Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background:Patient-centered care should be the focus of health services, where improvements in the communication skills of health professionals promote excellent health and quality care. Thus, this study is a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of training programs in communication skills to promote self-efficacy in the communication of health personnel.Methods:This systematic review protocol is conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyzes (PRISMA) statement guidelines and the Cochrane Handbook of Systematic Reviews of Interventions. The review should include studies carried out with health professionals who have undergone training in communication skills aimed at promoting their self-efficacy. Clinical trials (randomized, non-randomized), community trials, and quasi-experimental studies should be included. Therefore, the comprehensive search strategy will be conducted in the following databases: PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, EMBASE, Science Direct, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL). Two independent reviewers will conduct all study selection procedures, data extraction, and methodological evaluation, and disagreements will be referred to a third reviewer. RevMan 5.3 software will be used to gather data and perform the meta-analysis if possible.Results:This systematic review will provide evidence on more effective programs for communication skills training and will consider information such as duration, educational strategies, assessment measures, and outcomes that promote health worker self-efficacy.Discussion:This systematic review should provide evidence for effective communication skills training for health professionals in order to guide new strategies for quality care.Dissemination and ethics:The findings of this scoping review will be disseminated in print, at conferences, or via peer-reviewed journals. Ethical approval is not necessary as this paper does not involve patient data.Systematic review registration:PROSPERO CRD42019129384.

Effect of a two-stage intervention package on the cesarean section rate in Guangzhou, China: A before-and-after study.

BackgroundThe cesarean section (CS) rate has risen globally during the last two decades. Effective and feasible strategies are needed to reduce it. The aim of this study was to assess the CS rate change after a two-stage intervention package that was designed to reduce the overall CS rate in Guangzhou, China.Methods and findingsThis intervention package was implemented by the Health Commission of Guangzhou Municipality in 2 stages (October 2010–September 2014 and October 2014–December 2016) and included programs for population health education, skills training for healthcare professionals, equipment and technical support for local healthcare facilities, and capacity building for the maternal near-miss care system. A retrospective repeated cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate influences of the intervention on CS rates. A pre-intervention period from January 2008 to September 2010 served as the baseline. The primary outcome was the CS rate, and the secondary outcomes included maternal mortality ratio (MMR) and perinatal mortality rate (PMR), all obtained from the Guangzhou Perinatal Health Care and Delivery Surveillance System (GPHCDSS). The Cochran-Armitage test was used to examine the trends of the overall CS rate, MMR, and PMR across different stages. Segmented linear regression analysis was used to assess the change of the CS rate over the intervention period.A total of 1,921,932 records of births and 108 monthly CS rates from 2008 to 2016 were analyzed. The monthly CS rate declined across the intervention stages (Z = 75.067, p < 0.001), with an average rate of 42.4% at baseline, 39.8% at Stage 1, and 35.0% at Stage 2. The CS rate declined substantially among nulliparous women who delivered term singletons, with an accelerating decreasing trend observed across Stage 1 and Stage 2 (the difference in slopes: −0.09 [95% CI −0.16 to −0.02] between Stage 1 and baseline, p = 0.014; −0.11 [95% CI −0.20 to −0.02] between Stage 1 and Stage 2, p = 0.017). The CS rate in the remaining population increased during baseline and Stage 1 and subsequently decreased during Stage 2. The sensitivity analysis suggested no immediate impact of the universal two-child policy on the trend of the CS rate. The MMR (Z = −4.368, p < 0.001) and PMR (Z = −13.142, p < 0.001) declined by stage over the intervention period.One of the main limitations of the study is the lack of a parallel control group. Moreover, the influence of temporal changes in the study population on the CS rate was unknown. Given the observational nature of the present study, causality cannot be confirmed.ConclusionsApparent decline in the overall CS rate was observed in Guangzhou, China, after the implementation of a two-stage intervention package. The decline was most evident among nulliparous women who delivered term singletons. Despite some limitations for causal inference, Guangzhou’s experience in controlling the CS rate by implementing composite interventions with public health education and perinatal healthcare service improvement could have implications for other similar areas with high rates of CS.

Evaluation of therapeutic relationship skills training for mental health professionals: the Therapeutic Relationship Enabling Programme (TREP).

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. Background: A 3-day workshop in Taiwan, developed in accordance with Carl Rogers' person-centred theory, used an experiential-learning pedagogy and a helping learning technology mPath. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a short-term course for mental health professional students assessing to the acquisition of therapeutic relationship competencies. Objective:To evaluate the training effects and investigate any changes in the level of therapeutic relationship competence of the participants before, at the end and two weeks after the intervention. Methods:A sample of 59 mental health professional students from 7 medical schools studying in nursing, occupational therapy, medicine, clinical psychology and other specialities with the completion of psychiatry-relevant courses. 26 of 59 mental health professional students volunteered to form the experimental group, and the controls were recruited using the snowball sampling technique. All of them completed the Barrett-Lennard Relationship Inventory OS-40 three times. Mean values and statistical significance tests were computed to compare the results. Results:Within 3 days, the mental health professional students in the experimental group (N=26) completed the Therapeutic Relationship Enabling Programme (TREP) and showed a statistically significant level of change (Mean Difference= +9.5, p= 0.002), which was in contrast to the outcome of the control group (N=33, Mean Difference= +0.18, p= 0.683), in the therapeutic relationship competences. The effecting growth curve of therapeutic relationship competence in the experimental group continually inclined two weeks after the intervention (Mean Difference= +19.423, p= 0.000) while the control group reflected a decline in therapeutic relationship competence (Mean Difference= -0.515, p= 0.812). Conclusions: A person-centred-theory-based training workshop with the use of a specially designed technology enhanced Taiwanese mental health professional students' learning on therapeutic relationship competences. A further investigation into learning person-centred therapeutic relationship qualities in the workshop as an innovative pedagogy and learning approach for medical education would be recommended.

Experiential learning at Lean-Thinking-Learning Space

This research paper presents a proposal for a learning model that extends the availability of resources for training and development of professional skills in the field of Lean Manufacturing. This research arises due to the lack and current limitations of effective teaching models for the development of professional competencies. The importance of this educational innovation proposal lies in being a unique reference frame of its type. This offers cutting-edge methods for optimization and process improvement tools, while developing general and disciplinary competencies in the area of industrial engineering. The notion of learning is presented in a context of real-world experiences to develop relevant competencies in real businesses settings for manufacturing and services. This work presents a literature review on competency-based education, experiential learning and challenge-based learning. Therefore, a background explanation of the proposed learning model and a learning space called Lean-Thinking-Learning Space are elaborated. Additionally, an experiment carried out to measure the development of competencies is showed in terms of comparing the teaching results of a course in two different learning spaces; namely, a traditional classroom and the proposed experiential learning space. The results of this investigation reflect an increase of 29% in the level of attainment of competencies observed in the experiential learning space proposed in this research work.

Is ignorance bliss, or is knowledge power? When cancer healthcare professionals become cancer patients

Cancer healthcare professionals who are diagnosed with cancer enter the patient journey with considerable illness-specific and healthcare expertise, which may influence the nature of their experience. Insights gained from having personal cancer experience may also lead to changes in professionals' subsequent clinical practice. This study explored cancer professional-patients' experiences of their own cancer diagnosis, changes in practice, and recommendations for cancer care improvements. Participants were current or former cancer healthcare professionals who had ever received a cancer diagnosis. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 26 participants. Thematic analysis with an inductive approach was used for data analysis. Cancer professional-patients faced unique needs, benefits and disadvantages due to their professional background, which both aided and marred their personal cancer experience. Individuals reported subjective practical and emotional-related improvements in their clinical practice, although adverse emotional consequences upon returning to work were also prevalent. Care recommendations highlighted the importance of communication skills training for professionals, integrating psychological support, and providing patient-centred care. In order to provide optimal care for cancer professional-patients, providers must acknowledge their distinct challenges. Findings may help to foster improvements in cancer care practices through developing guidelines for treating cancer professional-patients, and as part of narrative-based medicine.

Human-Oriented Approach in Forming of Key Competences of Civil Servants in the Conditions of Digital Transformation of the Economy

The article is devoted to the issues of applying a human-focused approach in determining the competencies of civil servants and the directions of their qualifications development. The aim of the study is to develop a model of key competencies of state civil servants taking into account the requirements of official regulations, qualification requirements for professional knowledge and skills of civil servants, as reflected in regulatory and legal documents, as well as trends in a competence-based focus approach to development of potential of employees. There have been given the results of an expert survey conducted in 2018 among organizations of the public civil service of three constituent entities of the Russian Federation. The analysis showed that despite the transition of the civil service to the digital technologies and services, there had been paid not much attention to change the behavioral attitudes of personnel and their readiness for innovations. So, skills in using methods of project management, development of creative capabilities, empathy, and mentoring are not highly appreciated. As a rule, during choosing areas of advanced training, they prefer professional skills training programs, ignoring other formats aimed at development of the important soft skills in the digital economy. The use of a competence-based approach to the formation of a competencies model, methods of the analysis and in the synthesis of quantitative and qualitative parameters of the existing career management system of public civil servants allowed to substantiate the basic principles of introducing a human-oriented approach to the personnel work of state bodies. The authors proposed a model of key competencies for various groups of civil service positions. The main conclusions are formulated on the need to use analytical tools to monitor the current level of public civil service competencies development, as well as to develop recommendations about modeling in further professional and career growth. There has been proposed a classification of the “soft” skills and development instruments needed for the improvement of the professional activity of civil servants in a digitalization of the economy. The importance of the human-oriented approach in the competency model is caused by need of the work transformation of the public civil service under the conditions of the digital economy.