Professional Training Courses Research Articles

Feasibility and impact of a short training course on frailty destined for primary health care professionals

There is an unmet need for training primary health care professionals on frailty, especially in countries where geriatrics is still emerging. We aimed to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of a training course for primary health care professionals on the detection, assessment, and management of frailty. A single-day training course, developed and facilitated by three physicians trained in geriatrics abroad, was organized by the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Primary Hearth Care Research Network. Primary health care professionals' attitudes, knowledge, and everyday practices regarding frailty were assessed by self-administered anonymous questionnaires (using Likert-type scales) at three time-points (before, upon completion of the training course, and 3months afterward). Out of 31 participants (17 physicians, 12 nurses, 2 health visitors; 87.1% women; mean age 46.4years), 31(100%) filled in the first, 30(97%) the second, and 25(81%) the third questionnaire. Improvements were reported in familiarization with the frailty syndrome (p = 0.041) and in self-perception of knowledge and skills to detect (p < 0.001) and manage (p < 0.001) frailty, that were also sustained 3months afterward (p = 0.001 and p = 0.003 respectively). Improvement was also observed in the attitude that frailty is an inevitable consequence of aging (p = 0.007) and in the frequency of application of screening (but not management) strategies, 3months following the workshop compared to baseline (p = 0.014). Participants reported less disagreement with the statement that systematic screening for frailty was unfeasible in their daily practice at 3months compared to baseline (p = 0.006), mainly due to time restrictions. A short skill-oriented training course can significantly and sustainably improve primary health care professionals' attitudes and practices regarding frailty.

Professionally-oriented tasks in the formation of competencies in the field of students’ research activities

Due to the introduction and implementation of the requirements of the third-generation Federal State Educational Standards, the importance of students' involvement in research activities during their studies has increased. Currently, special importance in the higher education system is given to the issues related to the organization of such work with students. Having mastered the principal educational program, graduates should be ready to carry out professional activities in the field of applied research, as well as to solve various research tasks. To do this, the graduates must have a certain set of competencies, formed in various ways and methods in the course of professional training. One of the best ways to form competencies both in the field of future profession and research activities is professionally-oriented tasks. As a rule, such tasks are offered to students starting from the first year. Gradually, the level of complexity of the tasks increases, and to solve such tasks, senior-year students need knowledge across multiple disciplines. The article presents a list of academic disciplines, whose study using various forms can train and develop various competencies, including research ones. Universities regularly involve students in research work. However, at present, an appropriate pedagogically sound system of continuous involvement of students in this work is required.

Российские студенты в вузах стран Балтии

In recent years, higher educational institutions of the Baltic countries have become more and more popular among Russian youth wishing to get higher education (or take a certain course of professional training) abroad. The article, covering the period before the onset of the coronavirus epidemic, highlights the education of Russian students in universities in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. It is noted that a significant part of the students from the Russian Federation come from the Russian regions bordering on the Baltic states. The appendix presents the opinions of Russian students about the learning process and the quality of education received in Latvian, Lithuanian and Estonian universities.

Vivências formativas mediadas pela modalidade educação a distância e suas implicações no trabalho universitário

A Secretaria de Educação a Distância da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG) viabilizou dois cursos de capacitação profissional com suporte pedagógico e tecnológico através da modalidade Educação a Distância (Ead), com o intuito de qualificar o trabalho dos Técnicos Administrativos em Educação (TAE) que atuam nos espaços administrativos da Instituição. Dentro deste contexto, esta pesquisa de cunho qualitativo teve por objetivo entender como os TAE relacionam os cursos na modalidade EaD com a sua prática cotidiana. Os dados foram produzidos por meio de questionário e analisados pelo método do Discurso do Sujeito Coletivo; a partir das análises foi gerado o discurso “relação entre a formação vivenciada e as atividades laborais cotidianas”, que embasou algumas reflexões, demonstrando a contribuição desta formação desenvolvida a partir da estrutura em EaD da Universidade. A fala expressa pelo discurso denota vantagens atribuídas pelos sujeitos à formação por meio da EaD. Os resultados reforçam que esta modalidade, como estratégia, é eficaz no cumprimento do objetivo institucional de proporcionar formação qualificada ao corpo técnico, abrindo caminhos para impulsionar o desenvolvimento e aprimorar habilidades necessárias ao desempenho das atividades dos TAE. Além disso, a estratégia formativa fortalece a EaD no âmbito da FURG.

Analysis of Dental Teleconsulting in the Pediatric Dentistry Field of Telehealth Minas Gerais: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objective: To analyze the profile of the dental teleconsulting in the Pediatric Dentistry field of Telehealth Brazil Networks Program, in Minas Gerais centers, Brazil. Material and Methods: Asynchronous dental teleconsulting was evaluated in the Pediatric Dentistry specialty, extracted from secondary databases of the telehealth centers: the Clinical Hospital of the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais and UFMG Medical School, from July 2015 to July 2017. The variables collected were: type of issues and area and sub-area of Pediatric Dentistry. The results were descriptively analyzed using the SPSS v.22,0 program by frequencies. Results: Most of the issues in the Pediatric Dentistry specialty were about clinical conduct (81.4%). There was a predominance of issues regarding prevention (16.6%), surgery (15.3%), tooth eruption (15.1%), endodontics (12.1%), harmful oral habits (9.7%), patient cooperation (8.7%), primary teeth trauma (7.2%) and dentistry (6.7%). Regarding sub-areas, most issues were related to child oral hygiene (68.5%), tooth extraction (92%), tooth eruption chronology (65.6%), pulp diagnosis (49.0%), bruxism (64%), patient management (74.3%), post-trauma treatment (79.3%), and restoration (88.9%). Conclusion: Pediatric Dentistry teleconsulting suggested a difficulty of the professionals in the pediatric patient approach. Continuing education programs and training courses for professionals working in primary health care are crucial for the comprehensive care of pediatric patients.

Вплив моделі "MUSIC" на формування іншомовної комунікативної компетентності в майбутніх викладачів іноземних мов у процесі фахової підготовки

The methodological influence of B. Jones’ model “MUSIC” on the process of professional competence development in prospective foreign language teachers in the process of professional training is studied in the article. The definitions of “educational environment” and “educational space” are considered; it is concluded that the process of professional training of prospective teachers of foreign languages should be aimed at the development of their professional competence. In the course of the research it is established that the five-level model “MUSIC” of B. Jones, which is presented from the author's point of view, can help to optimize the impact of the environment on the process of professional competence development in the course of professional training of prospective foreign language teachers. At the first level, it is suggested to provide extended powers to prospective teachers of foreign languages in order to exercise their self-control over the process of developing thier professional competence during professional training. At the second level, it is necessary to make sure that prospective foreign language teachers recognize the importance of the material offered to them for mastering for their future professional development. At the third level, prospective foreign language teachers must be clearly aware that the success of their learning also depends on the right strategies. The fourth level is closely related to the sincere interest of prospective professionals in acquiring professional qualities. At the fifth level, it is essential to take care of students, to take into account the environmental factors that may affect the level of their professional development. It is concluded that in the focus of professional competence development of prospective foreign language teachers it is vital to create such an environment that would promote friendly relations between prospective professionals and the faculty staff, as it will have a positive effect on the quality of training of prospective foreign language teachers.

Contextual Approach to Professional Training of a Future Teacher/Musician

The paper presents the author’s view of the current issue of finding ways to implement new strategies for the development of higher artistic education related to integration into the European space through introduction of a contextual approach to the professional training of a future teacher/musician. The paper is aimed at highlighting the specifics of using the contextual approach in the course of professional training of future teachers/musicians. The main principle of contextual learning is the fact that knowledge becomes the student’s personal acquisition when it is learned within an authentic context. In contextual learning, a conventional curriculum is a broader context that integrates the study content of different subjects in preparing students for professional activities. By revealing the meaning of the contextual approach, the authors emphasize that the basic unit of contextual learning content is not a “piece of information” or a problem solved by a model, but a problematic situation requiring the productive thinking of a student. The authors highlight the significance of the experience development process among students of higher artistic educational establishments through establishing the relationship between internal and external contexts. The past experience contributes to students deeper understanding that they will be able to implement the acquired knowledge and developed competencies in their further activities, regardless of the timespan passed. It is also important to design pedagogical situations and tasks, the process of solving which involves a transformation of the social content of professional activity through the reflection of real events. The implementation of a contextual approach to the professional training of future teachers/musicians promotes the development of professional abilities of future specialists, helps them to determine the level of their training, formation of professional competencies and competitiveness more objectively and accurately. The application of this approach determines not only the vector of personality development, but also creates conditions for the development of a strategy for its improvement and the implementation of individual abilities.

Creative Self-Fulfillment of a Future Instrumentalist-Musician by the Means of Jazz Art

A modern educational system defines an individual’s personality as the highest value. In this regard, the development of creative potential, personal qualities and spirituality of each personality can be defined as one of the main objectives in training highly qualified specialists in the field of music. Professional training of a future music specialist takes different approaches to activity in development of students’ creative skills. In the system of music education, the ideas of creative self-fulfillment of a future specialist have been embodied in many areas. Self-fulfillment depends on value orientations of a person in a particular field of activity. Consequently, the skills of independent creative work are important for a musician as they become essential for self-improvement combined with self-education. An important role is also played by available creative qualities together with intellectual abilities and creative activity of a person. Development of improvisation skills is one of the factors of a student’s creative self-fulfillment in the course of professional training, in particular, in an instrumental class. Since we emphasize the importance of a creative component with improvisation being an integral part of a creative process and one of the most important means of jazz art, we believe that it would be helpful to study notable examples of jazz music in the training process of future specialists. Within the framework of our study, an important contribution is made through determining pedagogical conditions of creative self-fulfillment of future music teachers in the process of performing, substantiated by Ukrainian scholars: ensuring creative interaction of teachers with students when doing artistic and pedagogical interpretation of musical works with due account of praxeological factors; mastering integrative methods of stimulating creative thinking when applying various improvisational tasks that actualize the professional experience of a future music teacher. Involvement of a future instrumentalist-musician in jazz improvisation will ensure the implementation of creative opportunities of students, promote artistic thinking development, expand the artistic horizon and improve their instrumental and performing skills.

Аналитико-рефлексивная компетентность будущего врача: сущность, структура, условия формирования

Due to the release of new educational standards regulating the activities of educational structures of the Russian Federation the requirements for the results of professional training of a competent specialist with a developed set of competencies have increased. According to the requirements of the Federal State Educational Standards of Higher Education in 31.05.01 “Medical Care” and 31.05.02 “Pediatrics”, the future doctor must have a whole range of skills and abilities that determines his professionalism. These include the qualitative analysis of information, the identification of cause-and-effect relationships, the structuring of source data, and the reflection of one's own activities, which ultimately lead to the formation of analytical and reflexive activities. The formation of analytical and reflexive competence of a future doctor in the course of professional training is defined as a continuous and holistic psychological and pedagogical process aimed at strengthening motivation, ability and readiness to effectively carry out analytical and reflexive activities within the framework of professional activity. This has determined the need for the development of new didactic tools that contribute to its improvement in the process of professional training: models, pedagogical conditions, technology of formation, criteria apparatus and diagnostic tools.

WAYS OF FORMING PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS-TO-BE PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE IN MODERN PR CHINA

Modern reality and the demands of society put forward new requirements not only for the content of the future primary school teachers professional training (timely updates, variety of information, etc.), but also for the forms of the educational process organization. The variety and number of forms and methods that were used in the educational process during the training process of a future primary school teacher will definitely have a positive effect on the tools that the teacher himself/ herself will use in the practice activity. This article makes an attempt to present the forms of the primary school teachers-to-be educational processorganisation during the professional training course in educational institutions in PR China. Forms that are actively used and have a long historical and pedagogical tradition (mainly collective ones) as well as the ones that have not yet become widespread and are only being tested by the Chinese pedagogical practice are analyzed. The study is made as a part of «A Comparative Study on Professional Development of Primary School Teachers in China and South Korea» research program (registration number ZKNUC2017038)

Framework, Tools and Good Practices for Cybersecurity Curricula

Cybersecurity education and training are essential prerequisites of achieving a secure and privacy-friendly digital environment. Both professionals and the general public widely acknowledge the need for high-quality university education programs and professional training courses. However, guides, recommendations, practical tools, and good examples that could help institutions design appropriate cybersecurity programs are still missing. In particular, a comprehensive method to identify skills needed by cybersecurity work roles offered on the job market is missing. This paper aims to provide practical tools and strategies to help higher education providers design good cybersecurity curricula. First, we analyze the content of 89 existing study programs worldwide, collect recommendations of renowned institutions within and outside the EU, and provide a comprehensive survey accompanied by a dynamic web application called Education Map. Based on the knowledge about the current state in cybersecurity education, we design the SPARTA Cybersecurity Skills Framework that provides the currently missing link between work roles and required expertise and shows how to develop a curriculum that reflects job market requirements. Finally, we provide a practical tool that implements the framework and helps education and training providers design new study programs and analyze existing ones by considering the requirements of cybersecurity work roles.

Romanian Auditors’ Perception Concerning the IT Impact in the Big Data Era

Like any business process, auditing is a process that can be perfected, technology complementing a set of advanced data processing skills and techniques. The objective of this paper is to research the way how Romanian auditors work and perceive the impact of IT on audit missions. The results of the conducted survey, based on 102 responses, highlight a series of working tools (Data Analytics, Microsoft Excel, Data Automation) which, through the analysis of the Big Data phenomenon, facilitate the audit process. Regarding the software category, Ciel Audit and Revision, Gaudit, CaseWare are among the most frequently used, auditors considering ready to work with emerging technologies. Continuous professional training is ensured by participation in professional training courses, along with severe documentation about new technologies. In Romania, the current level of performing audits based on new technologies is average, for the future a higher level and a higher forecasting and analysis capacity are expected. The auditing profession will be perfected more and more, the current tasks will be gradually replaced by the new technologies, auditors becoming more appreciated by the external environment. Professional skepticism remains the basic quality of the auditor, along with the understanding of the competitive environment. Uncertainty characterizes the amendment of the International Standards on Auditing (ISA). This paper contributes to the literature by bringing to the fore the current technological context for the audit profession, namely the impact perceived by auditors during the fourth industrial revolution.

Construction Scheme of Curriculum Ideology and Politics Teaching System for Engineering Courses: Taking Electrical Machinery Course as an Example

Helping students shape correct world outlook, outlook on life and values is a necessary part of talent cultivation in colleges and universities. This needs to integrate value building into knowledge imparting and ability training in curriculum teaching. Therefore, it is a new task and requirement to build a scientific and reasonable curriculum ideology and politics teaching system. Taking the engineering professional course “electrical machinery” as an example, This paper implements the concept of "casting soul-strengthening foundation-cultivating ability", and adhere to the ideological and political construction direction of the cross integration of intellectual education and moral education. The key work will be put on the revision of professional training plan and course syllabus, the compilation and production of moral education plan and courseware, the improvement of teaching team, and the implementation of teaching. The electrical machinery course will be built into a model course with breadth, depth and temperature.

Current Situation and Challenges in Undergraduate Professional Talent Cultivation Curricula in Human Resources Management

Higher education is the bridge between the cultivation of modern talents and the development of enterprises. Whether the subject education can keep up with the times and follow the progress of the times, respond to the industry's current situation, and cultivate talents that meet the needs of the industry is a major issue. Therefore, this research is aimed at five universities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area of China that provide complete human resource management undergraduate professional personnel training courses, Zhaoqing University (ZU), Guangdong University of Finance (GUF), Guangzhou University (GU), Jinan University (JU) and Shenzhen University (SU) are used to compare and analyze the issues of curriculum planning, type modules, credit structure, and study among the various schools, and analyze the problems that appear in the process of studying this professional knowledge, to put forward relevant reflections and suggestions. The study found that: (1) ZU and GU have the highest requirements for the graduation total credit planning; (2) The order of emphasis on course types varies from school to school. ZU places too much emphasis on general education and practical courses while neglecting professional courses; (3) Planning, and compared with the four schools, the curriculum lacks an international perspective. The research results are useful for reference in curriculum planning in the field of human resource management in colleges and universities, and can also provide a reference for colleges and universities to establish relevant departments or categories of education and training.

Communicative component of professional competence &#x0D; of a musician-performer

At the present stage, musical and performing activity requires rethinking key concepts and identifying its new content. The article contains an analysis of modern professional training of a musician-performer at a university. Special attention is paid to the significance of interpretation in modern musical and performing activities. Long-term practice of concert performance creates a significant number of performing interpretations. A musician-performer must not only get acquainted and try to interpret the composer's text, but also try to understand this value content. The article offers an understanding of interpretation as a reinterpretation of the content of a work based on the artist's personal creative beliefs, which implies a different experience. This topic is also supplemented by the consideration of the act of joint activity of the participants in the performance, during which a common view of the ideas and images of a musical work is developed, as a result of which the audience's consciousness is transformed. This requires communicative competence. Thus, a musician-performer combines both communicative and interpretative abilities. The article considers the structure of professional competence of a musician-performer, taking into account the specifics of professional activity and based on the competence approach. The existing approaches to defining the essence of the concept of competence are analyzed. The structure of professional competence integrates musical and performing, interpretive, communicative, pedagogical, organizational and managerial competencies. Communicative competence is considered as a professionally significant personal property of a future musician-performer in the course of professional training at a university.

Social Network Analysis (SNA) applied to current issues. Guidelines for its implementation in research and management projects

Social Network Analysis (SNA) has become the most demanded relational approach in the field of basic science and applied science in the last 20 years. Researchers and professionals from traditional social, natural, and exact disciplines agree on the interest in what some identify as the paradigm across the field of traditional sciences problems. While SNA deepens and grows in its developments, analysis, and tools, the demand for courses of graduate and postgraduate academic training increases; as well as the instances of professional updating in both public and private development and management sectors. Based on the supposition that both sectors are related with research work trajectories rooted in institutional and current issues, in this work we aim to present the basic guidelines of our strategies for putting together courses about SNA. Considering three levels based on epistemological, methodological, and transference criteria for the resolution of problems, we propose five lines to be taken into consideration in order to know, develop and apply relational research. The procedures for the design of tools that will allow the collection and construction of databases or the identification of appropriate information for a study of SNA. The analytical path must be explained both in its complexity of combined methods and in the strategies for the identification of patterns as well as the construction of models. Finally, the problems and study frameworks, the research procedures, and the transference instances can be controlled and assessed by testing results and model approximation. Academic and professional training courses provide tools for the appreciation of SNA conceptual fields together with the approximation and delimitation of feasible empiric problems to be studied by SNA.

Вплив освітнього середовища на формування лінгвометодичної компетентності у процесі фахової підготовки майбутніх викладачів іноземних мов

Вплив освітнього середовища на формування лінгвометодичної компетентності у процесі фахової підготовки майбутніх викладачів іноземних мов

Students Satisfaction with Online Learning Experiences during the COVID-19 Pandemic

This research aims to evaluate the level of postsecondary student satisfaction with online learning platforms and learning experiences during the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). This paper is based on the premise of transformative learning theories [1], which describe the learners’ authority and investment over their learning. Quantitative research was carried out using a survey that was sent out to 283 students enrolled at one higher education institution in KSA. These data were analyzed using SPSS. Average Mean Score (AMS) was used for data analysis, where the results are validated using the Standard Deviation (SD), Skewness and Kurtosis test, and Cronbach Alpha test. The research findings revealed that the students are satisfied with the university staff and faculty members who agreed on specific online platforms to use, grading system, assessment options, training workshops, online technical support, and more. The research findings also showed that participants were highly satisfied with Google Hangouts the most for lecture delivery, followed by Google Classroom and LMS (Moodle) for course management and assessments. With only respect to the students’ online learning experiences, the COVID-19 situation within this study context was handled adequately. This study calls for further research into the integration of professional development workshops and practical training courses for online learning and teaching to endorse innovative teaching techniques and alternative assessment plans for instructors, learners, administrators, and policymakers.

Relationship between achievement goals and attention of university instructors in higher education professional training courses

PurposeProfessional training courses play an important role for higher education instructors and their teaching quality. However, participants strongly differ in how much they learn in these courses. The present study seeks to explain these differences by focusing on attention as a central aspect of their behavioral engagement that can stem from participants' achievement motivations.Design/methodology/approachThe authors investigated the attention of participants in full-day higher education professional training courses and how differences therein are associated with their achievement goals. Prior to course participation, 117 university instructors (49.6% male, 79.5% with PhD, average age 31.4 years) reported their achievement goals. Using an adapted observational instrument (Hommel, 2012a), two raters subsequently observed and coded the participants' attention during the course (ICC2 = 0.83).FindingsThe results documented very high attention levels, although with substantial interindividual differences. Multilevel analyses indicated that learning goals positively and work avoidance goals negatively predicted observed attention.Originality/valueThe findings provide insight into the value of an observational approach to measuring a fundamental aspect of learning engagement, and contribute to the understanding of interindividual differences in an important higher education learning environment. The study illuminates the relevance of personal predictors for university instructors' successful learning. Specifically, the findings point to the significance of goals as a relevant, but surprisingly hitherto uninvestigated, premise of learning engagement.

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE - INDICATIVE COMPONENT PROFESSIONAL TRAINING OF THE FUTURE TEACHER

The relevance of the problem under study is due to the formation of knowledge, skills, and abilities of future teachers in the process of their professional training; the essence of pedagogical practice as an integral process is considered. The article is aimed at theoretical and practical justification, actualization of the importance of professional practice in the course of professional training and training of teachers, which should be considered as one of the priority goals and important prerequisites for the socio-economic and spiritual progress of a multicultural society. It is pedagogical practice that is an important means of preparing a future teacher for innovative activities and in the professional formation and development of a future specialist. The leading approach to the study of this problem is a systematic approach that allows you to identify, justify and group the scientific, theoretical and practical prerequisites for students ' readiness for professional activity in the multicultural educational space of the school. The study showed that pedagogical practice provides students with training not only for practical work with students, but also for an innovative style of their professional activity. The materials of the article can be useful for specialists in the field of improving the quality of professional education.