Skill Areas Research Articles

Employability Skills

Technology has been responsible for the digitisation and automation of routine jobs. With the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) this trend is likely to continue into more technical or sophisticated work. This gives rise to the question; how can graduates and employees ensure they have a job in the future? A precondition for understanding lifelong learning is to clarify what kind of learning may take place throughout an employee’s career. This paper explores the concepts of employability skills, soft skills, and 21st century skills in an effort to identify where particularly human skills will still be essential. After reviewing research in the area of employability skills, mainly from a labour market perspective, the paper goes on to contextualise the training and development of employability skills in higher education. Following that, reasons for developing and introducing employability skills modules in higher education are discussed and based on the literature, recommendations are made for higher education institutions, tutors, students, and employees.

Mapping of Iranian midwifery curriculum according to the International Confederation of midwives competencies

BackgroundEvaluating the curriculum based on its success rate in preparing skilled midwives proficient in performing professional skills is a fundamental component of the midwifery education system. This study aimed to evaluate the content, strengths, and weaknesses of the midwifery curriculum in Iran based on the most recent ICM midwifery education standards in all competence areas, as well as to obtain expert feedback on the necessary courses or lessons for the curriculum using the Delphi method.MethodsThis research was conducted in two phases: comparative analysis and the Delphi method. In the comparative analysis, the curriculum mapping tool was used to compare Iran’s midwifery curriculum for bachelor’s degrees to the international standards for midwifery education proposed by ICM in 2019 by a four-point Likert scale (adequate- relatively adequate- relatively inadequate- inadequate). Two individuals evaluated the curriculum independently for the presence of theoretical and clinical courses for attaining each relevant competency. In case of disagreement, the opinion of a third person was used. After identifying the academic deficiencies and weaknesses of the curriculum, the Delphi technique was used with the cooperation of the midwifery board members and directors of midwifery groups from across the country to collect feedback about new courses or lessons that need to be incorporated into the curriculum.ResultsAfter a comparative analysis, 24 out of 315 essential competencies for ICM in the midwifery curriculum were found to be inadequate or relatively inadequate based on the three experts’ opinions after reviewing the programmatic courses and lessons in the curriculum. In 79.5% of the knowledge area and 71.6% of the skill area, the curriculum for midwifery in Iran corresponded to ICM essential competencies. After surveying expert members during multiple Delphi rounds, the members agreed to add some lessons to the midwifery curriculum, design a new course, and hold related workshops to cover the competencies identified as inadequate or relatively inadequate in the comparative analysis.ConclusionThe Iranian midwifery curriculum for acquiring 24 items of ICM essential competencies was deemed inadequate or relatively inadequate. Therefore, it seems in addition to revising Iran’s midwifery curriculum following ICM competencies, providing midwifery policymakers with infrastructure and additional support to develop and implement effective midwifery training programs is necessary to ensure that midwives are trained and equipped with the necessary competencies for practice.

Effect of Scheming Play Training Package on the Development of Selective Adaptive Skills among Children with Intellectual Disabilities

Scheming play is a method that has potential to facilitate development of skills in the domains of functional academics and daily life skills for children with intellectual disabilities. The present study investigates the effect of this method for development of skills in children with mild and moderate intellectual disabilities using a two group experimental design (control (n=4) and experimental group (n=4)) and the non-parametric test, Mann-Whitney ‘u’ test, for statistical analysis. Four areas of functional mathematics skills and three areas of daily life skills were selected. The age range of the children selected for this study was 10 – 14 years. The study found that scheming play based training brought about a statistically significant improvement in the chosen functional mathematical skills and one area of daily life skills. One possible reason for the lack of observable improvement in fine motor and receptive domains in the present study could be due to the higher variability of change scores for these two areas among students with mild and moderate intellectual disabilities, which may be attributed to their prior experience with these activities. The high variability could have confounded the identification of an observable pattern of effect due to the small sample size. Therefore this effect needs to be studied further, using larger sample sizes.

Yabancı Dil Olarak Türkçenin Soydaşlara Öğretiminde Konuşma Becerisinin Gelişimini Etkileyen Faktörlerin Tespiti

There are certain stages and skill areas in teaching a foreign language. While an individual learns a language, primarily reading and listening skills develop. A learner who gains competence in these areas begins to improve his writing and speaking skills. First of all, the mind receives information related to the new language and begins to progress in writing and speaking skills by moving to the production stage. While reading, listening and writing skills, which are among these skill areas, continue their course, the desired efficiency cannot be achieved in speaking skills. Speaking skill, which we can call the most important of these skills, has actually been an indicator of how much a language is known. It will be a little difficult for someone who is good at listening and writing skills but not at the desired level in speaking skills to communicate in that language. Studies on speaking skills are limited, as it is such an important tool that people need most throughout their lives. The written products are generally aimed at the development of this skill, and a limited number of works talk about the factors affecting the speaking skill. Factors affecting speaking skills in teaching Turkish to foreigners are extremely important for the development of this skill. The aim of this study is to determine the factors affecting speaking skills in teaching Turkish as a foreign language. Since quantitative and qualitative research methods will be used together in the study, mixed method was chosen. The quantitative part of the research will consist of a survey to be administered to students and content analysis, while the qualitative part will consist of data collection tools such as one-on-one interview form, focus interview and document analysis. Key Words: Teaching Turkish as a Foreign Language, Four Basic Skills, Speaking Skills, Factors Affecting Speaking Skills

A Summary of Relevant Demographic Characteristics of Multiple-Baseline Designs Targeting Academic Skills

Educators are required to use evidence-based practices to support student development of academic skills. Results from single-case experimental designs are well suited for this purpose and may be more flexible for applied use than group-based designs. However, educators also require information about which interventions work for whom and under what conditions. Although previous reviews of single-case experimental designs exist, most focused on design characteristics related to internal validity. The purpose of this U.S. study was to determine the participant characteristics within multiple-baseline and multiple-probe across participant designs targeting academic skills. Representation of various demographic subgroups differ between studies targeting different academic skill areas (mathematics, reading, and writing). However, reporting was often inconsistent, with a substantial proportion of records omitting information about participants’ race/ethnicity, economic status, and English learner status. This finding was divergent from best practice recommendations. Implications for future research are discussed within the context of the study’s limitations.

Exploring Transversal Green Skills Required Of Technology Graduates For Environmental Sustainability

The main aim of this study is to explore transversal green skills required of technology graduates for environmental sustainability. Thematic analysis was used for this study. Cluster sampling technique was used to sample four states out of seven states mentioned in the area of the study and all the 18 technical colleges and 6 building construction firms in the four sampled states in north western Nigeria were used. Purposive sampling was used to select 27 experts based on their working experience and educational qualification in building construction to participate in the qualitative segment of this study. For the qualitative section, interview guide/protocol was developed based on the specific objectives of the research. It was made up of 3 open-ended questions designed to obtained sufficient information on the area of transversal green skills considered appropriate for the study. To ensure reliability of qualitative result of this research, two procedures were followed; member checking and peer debriefing. For the validity of the findings of this study, the researchers used member checking to determine the accuracy of the findings. The results of the data obtained from the interview was analyzed and interpreted using transcription, coding, thematic, content analysis and categorization. The findings for this study include Reflective Thinking Skills, Presentation Skills, Resourcefulness Skills and Application Skills. The study recommends that Federal and state Governments should via NBTE adopt and ensure proper implementation of this findings for technology graduates at technical colleges in Nigeria with the aim of achieving environmental sustainability.

Core Skills and Competencies for Inclusion in the Curriculum for Effective Performance of Extension Professionals

Changing situations and developments in agriculture in the 21st century demands extension workers to be equipped with a diverse set of competencies. Extension workers’ ability to adapt, communicate effectively and combine technical expertise with participatory approaches can significantly influence their job performance and ultimately, contribute to the growth and sustainability of the agriculture industry. Hence, an attempt has been made to know the level of need of core skills and competencies required for extension professionals to perform their job effectively. A scale was developed to measure the level of need of the skills and competencies thatan agricultural extension professional requires to perform their tasks. Twelve broad areas of skills and competencies required for agricultural extension professionals were identified and grouped. Professionals presently working in Karnataka State Department of Agriculture, Karnataka State Department of Horticulture and Coffee Board are considered as respondents. The results revealed that soft skills were ranked first, followed by entrepreneurship development skills and communication skills. Planning and designing need based programs, building teamwork skills, agricultural value chain extension, use of modern communication methods and AV aids, use of computer applications, monitoring and evaluation of extension programs, designing training programs, problem solving skills, knowledge on subject matter concepts, motivating farmers, innovativeness and stress management are the individual skills ranked first respectively on the listed twelve broad areas of skills and competencies. Based on the findings of the study, it is recommended that equipping extension workers with the necessary skills during their undergraduate and postgraduate education is crucial to ensure they are well-prepared to meet the evolving demands of the agriculture industry. By reorienting and enhancing the curriculum, agricultural universities and institutions can play a significant role in developing competent extension professionals.

Development and evaluation of a point-of-care ocular ultrasound curriculum for medical students - a proof-of-concept study

BackgroundPoint-of-care Ocular Ultrasound (POCOUS) has gained importance in emergency medicine and intensive care in recent years. This work aimed to establish and evaluate a dedicated ultrasound education program for learning POCOUS-specific skills during medical studies at a university hospital.MethodsThe blended learning-based program (6 teaching units) based on recent scientific publications and recommendations was developed for students in the clinical part of their medical studies. Experts and trainers consisted of physicians from the Ear-Nose-Throat, radiology, ophthalmology and neurology specialties as well as university educational specialists. Lecture notes containing digital video links for preparation was produced as teaching material. In total, 33 students participated in the study. The education program, including the teaching materials, motivation and subjective gain in competency, was evaluated with the aid of a questionnaire (7-point Likert response format). Objective learning success was assessed on the basis of pre- and post-tests. These covered the skill areas: “anatomical basics”, “ultrasound basics”, “understanding of cross-sectional images”, “normal findings” and “pathology recognition”.ResultsIn the objective assessment of image interpretation, the participants improved significantly (p < 0.001) from pre- to post-test with a large effect size (Cohen’s d = 1.78, effect size r = 0.66). The evaluations revealed a high level of satisfaction with the course concept, teaching materials and the tutors. In addition, a high level of motivation was recorded in relation to continuing to study “ultrasound diagnostics” and “ophthalmologic diseases”. A significant (p < 0.01) positive gain was also achieved in terms of the subjective assessment of competency. This covers areas such as expertise, sonographic anatomy and performing a POCOUS examination as well as recognizing retinal detachment, globe perforation and increased optic nerve sheath diameter.ConclusionThe results of this feasibility study show that medical students accept and support a POCOUS-specific education program and are able to develop a higher objective and subjective level of competency. Future transfer to other sites and larger groups of participants seems feasible.

Making Every Minute Count: Identifying Instructional Opportunities for IEP Goals During Community-Based Work Experiences

Transition-age students with extensive support needs often participate in community-based work experiences (CBWEs) in preparation for competitive, integrated employment. CBWEs help students gain exposure to different careers, acquire employment skills, and generalize skills learned at school to community settings. Despite their benefits, CBWEs have been known to create scheduling conflicts and decrease school-based instructional time for special educators who must address student goals in academic and functional skill areas. Identifying authentic opportunities to address Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals during students’ CBWEs is one solution that can assist special educators who are faced with such challenges. An existing tool, commonly known as an IEP Matrix, may be particularly useful in helping teachers navigate this process. In this article, we describe how to develop an IEP matrix and assess the feasibility of instruction on IEP goals within CBWEs. We also provide recommendations to consider when identifying and evaluating instructional opportunities.

A Comparison of Special Education Students’ Triennial Norm-Referenced Academic Achievement Before and During COVID-19

Despite growing evidence for learning loss due to COVID-19, there is little research examining this phenomenon using norm-referenced tests (NRTs) or with special educations students. Using a repeated-measures design with 96 fourth- through 12th-grade students previously identified as eligible for special education services, the present study attempted to measure learning loss using W Difference scores gathered from triennial evaluations using the Woodcock–Johnson IV Tests of Achievement. Findings revealed that participants fell further behind proficiency expectations in the areas of decoding, spelling, and math calculation skills. Academic proficiency was found to differ markedly from normative expectations for typical same-age peers across tests, both prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic. While academic proficiency was more like that of a clinical sample of students with learning disabilities, moderate to large differences in the sample means of most tests suggest that COVID-19 has had a negative impact on academic achievement.

Patterns and impact of technology use in autistic children

BackgroundAutistic children and youth spend a significant amount of their time interacting with technology, however, the characterization of use remains sparse. The objectives of this study were to 1) characterise the patterns and purpose of technology use among autistic children compared to non-autistic children, 2) explore the impact of how technology use affects child and family well-being, and 3) examine parents’ attitudes towards childrens’ technology use. MethodsA 44-question anonymous parent-report survey developed in consultation with families of autistic children and clinicians was available online for 22 months, from April 2018 through February 2020. Parents and caregivers of children 19-years-old and younger were eligible to complete the survey. Results611 survey responses were collected (autism group = 407; community group = 204). The autism group exhibited greater technology use across all time points of interest, with tablets being the most frequently used device type. The autism group was also more likely to use technology for therapeutic and recreational activities. The autism group experienced more positive impacts on quality of life and benefited more in areas of social, motor, language, and emotion regulation skills from technology use than the community group. Parents of older children, males, and those in the autism group were more likely to report displaced socialising with technology use. Positive attitudes were more likely to be reported by parents of autistic children and younger children, whereas negative feelings were more likely to be reported by parents of older and male children. LimitationsThe study findings must be interpreted within the context of several limitations, including the size and representativeness of the sample, potential for bias from parent-report, and limitations in the survey design (closed-ended questions). ConclusionsAutistic children exhibited more technology use than non-autistic children. Parental perceptions of impact were highly mixed, and included potential benefits for recreation and supports. Implications for technology developers and clinical practitioners are discussed.

28 Training future leaders in geriatrics—an executive leadership academy

Abstract Background Medical training has continued to move towards a competency-based framework of education. Leadership, management, and non-clinical skills are core competencies included in the Geriatrics HST training programme however formal training opportunities in this area are often limited. We designed a novel geriatric medicine registrar executive leadership academy with the following aims: (1) Enhance registrar leadership and management skills; (2) Explore non-clinical career interests e.g. research, education and (3) Develop non-clinical skills essential for consultant posts e.g. conflict resolution, service development. Methods We organised a consultant led executive leadership academy held once per month November–May. Consultant of the month provided a brief overview of their career and taught on a leadership and management topic. We created an educational needs assessment survey prior to commencement to rank leadership/management topics and assess the baseline level of knowledge and exposure thus far to training/experience in leadership and management. Pre and post-test surveys were conducted to assess for improvements in self-efficacy and knowledge in areas of leadership and management skills following this educational intervention. Results 12 registrars took part in the program with a range of registrar experience from one to six years. 10/12 completed a pre-program survey with three of these stating they felt ‘very confident’ in their leadership/management skills. Ranking of a list of topics allowed the program to be tailored to the registrars preferences. At the end of the program there was an increase in the registrars’ ability to identify personal areas in need of improvement. Conclusion The program was very successful with increased knowledge in non-clinical areas of medicine, increased confidence among trainees in applying for consultant posts and an enhanced relationship with consultants within the department.

Australian dietitians' confidence in their knowledge and skills working with older adults in aged care: A national survey.

This study aimed to describe dietitians' confidence in their knowledge and skills working with older adults in residential aged care facilities or home care services. A novel, quantitative online survey was distributed to aged care dietitians. Activities, knowledge, and skills areas outlined by the Dietitians Australia 'Older Persons and Aged Care Dietitian Role Statement' were included in the 23-item survey. Likert scales captured participant responses. Median responses (n, %) are presented. Associations between participants' confidence in their knowledge and skills and years of experience working in aged care were explored using Pearson's chi-squared tests. Dietitians completed the survey (N = 125; age: 40 ± 13 years [mean ± SD]; 97.6% female). Dietitians reported they "always" worked collaboratively (n = 65%, 52%) and 'often' prescribed supplements (n = 52%, 41.6%) and utilised a food-first approach (n = 36%, 28.8%). Dietitians 'sometimes' conducted malnutrition screening (n = 28%, 22.4%), audits (n = 36%, 28.8%), nutrition education (n = 53%, 42.4%) and quality improvement activities (n = 28%, 22.4%). Dietitians 'rarely' utilised food service/standards (n = 38%, 30.4%) and nutrition/hydration procedures (n = 35%, 28.0%). Dietitians with ≥6 years of experience were more confident than dietitians with 0-5 years in providing support programs (p = 0.003), utilising healthcare policies (p = 0.013), interpreting quality assessment (p = 0.014) and communication skills (p = 0.047). Dietitians felt 'completely' or 'fairly' confident in all knowledge and skill areas, except for government and community support programs (n = 38%, 30.4%) rated 'somewhat' confident. Aged care dietitians are confident in most aspects of their role but have opportunities to be better supported. Developing the confidence of higher-level systems and communication in early career dietitians is warranted.

Evaluation of written expression of A1 level Kyrgyz students learning Turkey's Turkish during the pandemic period

The fundamental skills in language teaching are reading, listening, speaking and writing. It is important to establish links with other language skill areas in the development of writing skills. In this study, it was aimed to analyze the writing skills of Kyrgyz students studying distance learning at A1 level during the pandemic. 28 Kyrgyz students participated in the study. In this context, it was desired to determine the most common mistakes in written expression in order to evaluate the students' habits of using Turkey's Turkish language structures at A1 level. The data in the study were generated by having the students write a self-introductory article. In this framework, descriptive analysis was used in this study designed with qualitative research model. The data were collected through the writings uploaded on the web interface of Kyrgyzstan-Turkey Manas University. The instructor took the data from the E-Course Distance Education Portal tool and analyzed them in order. Based on the writing assignments in the study, errors originating from the students were evaluated and interpreted. These errors were categorized as phonetics, morphology and spelling. As a result of the research, it was determined that students made negative transfers with the influence of their mother tongue. However, it was supported that the instructor should keep the motivation of the student high with the role of a guide in the language teaching process and the materials that attract the student's interest in the distance education process should be more involved in the learning-teaching environment. In this context, it is assumed that the results of the study will contribute to teaching Turkey's Turkish to Kyrgyz.

Facilitated Asynchronous Online Learning to Build Public Health Strategic Skills.

The COVID-19 pandemic spurred significant government investments for hiring public health workers. There are clear opportunities to help build capacities among both current and incoming public health workers, closing well-elucidated skill gaps. To report on the development process, methods used, and outcomes seen from a point-in-time public health workforce capacity-building initiative, Public Health Essentials (PHE) . Capacity-building outcomes evaluation using pre/postintervention measures. The United States. A total of 512 learners working in roles (government or adjacent to) that support public health. PHE, a cohort-based facilitated asynchronous online course comprising 5 units, 18 modules, 54 learning outcomes, and 266 teaching and applied assessment elements designed to build public health strategic skills. Two outputs and 3 outcomes were used to assess and improve progress in achieving our goal of building generalizable and transferrable public health ability and confidence among diverse public health workers: Use of PHE , PHE completion rate , Learner competence , Change in self-assessed ability , and Benefits of PHE. From September 2021 to December 2022, 4 agencies used PHE for fellowship training or employee capacity building. Some 79% (n = 512) of learners completed the training, demonstrating competence in all 54 areas assessed by expert course facilitators. Of those, 79% (n = 321) completed both optional pre- and post-PHE surveys, reporting statistically significant gains in all strategic skill domains assessed (n = 9), regardless of demographics and public health experience. Learners gained new skills and knowledge (92%), developed a better understanding of public health (86%), and broadened their public health skill base (84%). A majority can apply the knowledge and skills gained directly to their work (94%), which benefits their team (92%), and have increased their confidence as public health practitioners (49%). PHE can significantly improve learners' ability across 9 strategic skill areas in as few as 15 weeks, regardless of their demographics, training, or experience.

What kind of GEES specialists does the labour market really need? Content analysis of job adverts in selected countries

ABSTRACT The literature review has clearly indicated that the scale and characteristics of demand for Geography Earth and Environmental Sciences experts across different countries is unknown. Therefore, there is an urgent need to investigate this issue. This paper presents the results of research on the real demand for GEES specialists. In the paper, real demand is expressed by job vacancies (N = 17 378) published in six European countries over a period of 18 months. To analyse such an extensive body of text data, we used data mining techniques such as: SVD, inter-factor correlation analysis, word frequency analysis and word significance indicators, which allowed us to recognise similarities and differences in the size and structure of demand for these specialists in specific groups of countries. Employers from the UK and Ireland offered the most comprehensive range of positions whereas the expectations of Polish employers were the least diverse. Word frequency analyses for each occupation group demonstrated which components of GEES experts’ knowledge and skills are considered universal on the labour market and which are subject to substantial regional variations. Moreover, word significance analyses allowed us to identify the occupations where a wider range of general skill areas was required and the positions for which primarily geographic skills were in demand.

Peran Pengembangan Soft Skill Karyawan Dalam Meningkatkan Kualitas Pelayanan Pada Food And Beverage Department Raz Hotel And Convention Medan

&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; The major goal of service businesses is to deliver the best services possible to customers, with an emphasis on service and customer happiness. integrating all the operations that will impact customers and make money through services that put the demands of the client first. Service quality is a significant factor in accomplishing that objective. enhancing the performance of workers' or service providers' ideal roles within the business. It is crucial to think about the business or the strategy for enhancing employees' skills or personal growth. This study aims to determine the extent to which a person's soft talents and hard abilities may help them give better services, particularly for service providers. Efforts to build the soft skill of a service provider are equally vital to learning the items that fall under the area of soft skills. The company's responsibility is to uphold high service quality and apply the soft skill needs. This research employs a quantitative research methodology, where the source of the data is a numerical value. The goal of this study is to increase service quality by focusing on soft skill development. Based on the coefficient of determination, the outcome indicated that the soft skill had an impact of 88.2% on the Food and Beverage Department's ability to provide quality service. This indicates that soft skills have a significant impact on enhancing service quality.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;

The Relationship between Students’ Motivation for Studying Business English and Their Knowledge of Business English and Its Terminology

The study investigates the relationship between English Philology students’ motivation for studying Business English and their actual knowledge of business terminology, some underlying economic concepts and basic rules of business correspondence. It is hypothesized that students who have higher motivation also possess more extensive knowledge of Business English, yet motivation alone is not enough but must be accompanied by a real effort put in studying the language. The study consisted of a test focusing on business terminology, the correction of errors in a business letter, and a test of selected economic concepts, followed by a questionnaire. As the results show, both the students’ motivation and knowledge of Business English are varied. In particular, their knowledge varies between years of studies and areas of terminology or skills. In fact, some of the terms proved difficult even for relatively advanced students. Thus, even though motivation does play a role, its role does not seem to be decisive, as Business English is a complex field whose mastery requires extensive study and a lot of sustained effort. However, their awareness of their language needs is quite high, so they are likely to remain motivated and to attain a high level of competence in Business English.

IMPLEMENTASI PROGRAM MERDEKA BELAJAR BAGI KEPALA SEKOLAH SD SMP DAN PENGAWAS

The 2013 curriculum change to the elementary and junior high school levels' most crucial independent learning curriculum calls for a thematic integrative learning approach where students are invited to see, pay attention, and observe their surroundings and are no longer focused on rote learning. This training's objectives are to develop student competency in the areas of knowledge and skills as well as the understanding of teachers, principals, and supervisors on the implementation of the independent learning curriculum. Thirty school administrators and supervisors participated in this seminar. The program's outcomes demonstrated that the participants, who were principals and supervisors of schools in the city of Palembang, were able to comprehend the training materials properly both before and after the training. It is hoped that this training would be provided to all teachers so that they can comprehend how to execute the autonomous learning curriculum and enhance their capacity to do so in accordance with their unique circumstances.

Assessing Oral Communication Skills of Students in Business Administration Department

This research article presents an assessment of the oral communication skills of students in the Business Administration Department. A questionnaire was used to measure 95 students' self-perceived ability in oral communication for various activities. The study aimed to identify areas of strengths and weaknesses in students' oral communication skills and highlight potential areas for improvement. The findings revealed that students rated themselves low in the category of "Providing training through discussions, workshops," suggesting a need for focused attention in this particular skill area. These results have implications for curriculum development and instructional strategies, emphasizing the importance of incorporating targeted training methods to enhance students' oral communication skills in the Business Administration program