Competence Skills Research Articles

Mapping the maze: A network analysis of social-emotional skills among children and adolescents with social-emotional difficulties.

Developing social-emotional skills is crucial for all children and adolescents, particularly those experiencing social and emotional difficulties. This study used network analysis to identify the central skills and network association of different social-emotional skills and investigated how these networks differ between childhood and adolescence. Data were obtained from the 2019 Survey on Social and Emotional Skills by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. Our study focused on the bottom quartile of participants aged 10 and 15 years, including 7737 and 7439 individuals from each age group. Optimism and cooperation consistently emerged as the central skills of social-emotional competence across both age groups. When comparing network structures, there was a significant difference between children and adolescents. The connectivity of social-emotional networks was stronger among adolescents, indicating closer skill associations. Understanding these developmental differences is important for educators and practitioners to more effectively support the social-emotional development of children and adolescents experiencing social-emotional difficulties.

Evaluating the Impact of an Educational Intervention Using Project-Based Learning on Postpandemic Recovery in Rural Colombia

This study evaluates the impact of a Project-Based Learning (PBL) intervention on postpandemic educational recovery in rural Colombia, focusing on student competencies in mathematics, language, science, and 21st-century skills. Conducted in rural schools, the intervention aimed to address significant learning gaps exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic by providing teacher training and direct student support. A pretest–posttest single-group design was used to assess the effectiveness of the intervention, with standardized tests measuring academic competencies and an analytical rubric evaluating 21st-century skills. The results indicate significant improvements in math, language, and science test scores, with notable gains in problem-solving, collaborative work, communication, and critical thinking. However, a decline in creativity scores highlights the need for a stronger emphasis on fostering creativity within the PBL framework. Gender differences were observed, with female students generally outperforming males, suggesting the need for tailored instructional approaches. This study’s limitations, including the absence of a control group, nonrandom sampling, and the use of subjective assessment methods, are acknowledged, with recommendations for future research to address these issues. Despite these limitations, the findings underscore the potential of PBL to enhance student learning outcomes in rural settings, offering valuable insights for educators and policymakers aiming to support educational recovery and development in similar contexts. Further research is recommended to explore the long-term effects of PBL and to refine the intervention for broader implementation.

It’s not just kids that don’t speak English: leaning toward teacher preparation for multilingual learners

PurposeThe purpose of this current research study is to provide a comprehensive description of an ongoing effort to provide quality experiential professional development through field experiences for educators at the pre-service level, referred to hereafter as teacher candidates (TCs). This practitioner inquiry aimed to determine what the teacher candidates’ reflections revealed about their learning experiences completing the 10-h checklist.Design/methodology/approachAbout30 individual reports from four consecutive terms were collected. I employed qualitative coding, first using open codes, then grouping similar sentiments into axial codes and through an iterative process categorizing them into themes, grouping and re-generating terms as needed and keeping records in a codebook (Creswell, 2014). The research questions guiding the inquiry included, (1) What do teacher candidates’ reflections reveal about their experience completing the field experience for English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) endorsement? And (2) What conclusions do TCs demonstrate about their role as future teachers of multilingual learners (MLLs)?FindingsFindings are summarized under three main recurring themes: emotionality of field experience, perceived misunderstandings and emerging responsiveness to MLLs. Candidates conveyed strong emotional responses to the instructional context. Some were forward in acknowledging stereotypes and trepidation to participate in the experience. Others reflected on their understanding of the experience, their interpretations of teacher relationships and noted attitude shifts toward MLLs. Findings reported emergent responsiveness to MLLs imply that candidates in this beginning experience progressed at various rates, suggesting that assessing competence of skills at the onset may be beneficial for further understanding best approaches to teacher education.Originality/valueThere is certainly a gap in current knowledge when it comes to understanding the rates at which teacher candidates develop abilities, skills and orientations toward working with MLLs. These preliminary findings support established notions such as the importance of exposing students to authentic environments that foster appreciation for the complexities of the process of second language acquisition and acculturation. Findings reported around emergent responsiveness to MLLs imply that candidates in this beginning experience progressed at various rates, suggesting that assessing competence of skills at the onset may be beneficial for further understanding best approaches to teacher education.

An Exploratory Study on the Role of Generative AI in Designing Educational Board Games

The educational landscape is transforming due to new skill demands, fragmented attention spans, evolving communication patterns, and increased information access. Game-based learning (GBL) has emerged as a potential solution, fostering subject competency and broader skills. However, integrating games into education faces challenges for educators and schools. This study examines Generative AI's (GenAI) role in facilitating board game use in education, based on a case study in an Italian high school implementing a GenAI-enhanced board game for foreign language teaching. Two state-of-the-art GenAI technologies assisted in the whole GBL design process. Findings indicate GenAI can streamline board game integration through flexible rule adaptation, customized artifact production, and rapid content creation, reducing educator workload, as well as extend their capabilities with novel, creative solutions. Benefits are more pronounced when GenAI use is based on an overarching educational strategy. Study's findings have implications for educators and researchers seeking to effectively integrate GBL and GenAI in educational settings.

Heart and lung point-of-care ultrasonography tutoring in internal medicine: a randomized controlled trial.

In recent years, point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) has been integrated into internal medicine practice with most curricula composed of a single course. Despite competency acquisition during the course, a significant decline in proficiency occurs in the subsequent weeks due to a lack of regular practice and training. This study aims to evaluate the impact of a structured POCUS tutoring, on POCUS use and skills retention at 6months. In this randomized controlled trial, internal medicine residents were enrolled after completing a practical course focused on heart and lung ultrasonography. Residents assigned to the intervention group were paired with a tutor, and time slots were scheduled for bedside direct supervision over the following 6months. The primary outcome was the proportion of residents who successfully completed at least 25 POCUS examinations six months after inclusion. Secondary outcomes included self- and blinded-expert-assessed POCUS competency skills. Between January and May 2022, 23 residents were included in the study. The intervention significantly increased the proportion of participants reaching the primary outcome (70% versus 0%; p < 0.001) with a median of 27 (interquartile range, IQR, 6 to 44) supervised examinations performed versus 0 (IQR 0 to 0) in intervention and control arm respectively; p < 0.001. After 6months, proficiency was higher for most heart imaging but not for lung imaging, as assessed through self-assessment by participants or independently by blinded experts. Structured POCUS supervision significantly enhances the number of POCUS examinations and proficiency at 6-months, particularly in applications requiring greater visuospatial skills.

Enhancing Foreign-Language Creativity: A Didactic Approach through Audio Description

This paper appraises the potential benefits of didactic audiovisual translation, aiming to enhance learners’ acquisition and proficiency of English as an L2 through audio description techniques. These action-oriented tasks involve two phases: a systematic analysis of the source audiovisual text, and a cross-modal rendering of meaning into a suitable target text, in which learners are required not only to be faithful to the visual information, but also be fluent in the target language to produce an accurate and effective audio description. In this regard, a qualitative study has been conducted to assess the learning outcomes of participants in a course on didactic audio description, particularly in terms of speaking skills and creativity. For this purpose, a corpus has been compiled from the transcripts of their audio descriptions in English. This corpus allows for the exploration of how learners describe orally visual aspects related to actions, physical appearance, and emotions, as well as their competence in expressiveness, utterance, and other communicative skills. The learning outcomes related to speaking skills and creativity are promising, and advocate for a more comprehensive and integrated pedagogical approach to Audiovisual Translation teaching in the Translation and Interpreting and the Foreign Language Education curricula.

The World Smarts STEM Challenge: A promising approach to fostering STEM and global competence skills for adolescents in the US and Ghana.

Given the increasingly global nature of work, the global workforce needs STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) workers who have both STEM content knowledge and intercultural competence. This study reports on findings from a 10-week bi-national virtual STEM challenge, the World Smarts STEM Challenge, that brought adolescents in the United States and Ghana together to complete a STEM learning program. There were 114 participants from Ghana (female = 56%) and 95 from the US (female = 48%); Mage = 16.21 years, SD = 1.65. In Ghana 100% of participants identified as ethnically Ghanaian and in the US participants identified as Black/African-American (50%), Latino/a/x or Hispanic (23.9%), Asian/Asian-American (7.6%), White/European-American (7.6%), bi-racial or multi-racial (7.6%), and "other" (3.3%). After the Challenge, participants increased in awareness of global issues, and engagement with others, but also showed a small but significant decrease in respect for people from other cultural backgrounds. Girls demonstrated an increase in global-mindedness in both countries and Ghanaian participants reported an increase in self-efficacy for global issues and demonstrated significant growth in both STEM ability self-concept and STEM activism orientation. Findings suggest the value of virtual STEM Challenges for building both STEM and global competence skills.

Principal Competency, Teacher Readiness, and Teacher Commitment in STEM Education Implementation: A Qualitative Study

The growing emphasis on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education in schools demands strong leadership and teacher commitment for effective implementation. However, challenges related to principal competency, teacher readiness, and their commitment have been identified as major obstacles to achieving desired outcomes through STEM initiatives. This qualitative study explores the competencies of school principals, teacher readiness, and the commitment required for successful STEM education. It aims to identify the principal competencies that influence teacher readiness and commitment, as well as the elements of teacher readiness that affect their commitment, and the specific aspects of teacher commitment crucial for STEM implementation. The study employs semi-structured interviews with teachers from selected schools, analyzed using thematic analysis to identify themes related to leadership competency, teacher preparedness, and commitment. Findings reveal that principals with competencies in STEM knowledge, management skills, and professional attributes are more likely to boost teacher readiness and commitment. Teacher readiness, particularly in terms of knowledge, skills, and attitude, plays a vital role in strengthening their commitment. Teacher commitment is driven by affective, continuance, and normative commitment, which are critical for STEM success. In conclusion, the study highlights the need to develop leadership competencies and teacher readiness as key strategies to enhance teacher commitment in STEM education. These findings have significant implications for education policy and professional development, calling for targeted interventions to support school leaders and teachers in effectively implementing STEM education.

교육에서 글로컬 개념에 대한 고찰

The term glocal, a blend of "global" and "local," is increasingly prevalent in educational settings and policies. However, its meaning and pedagogical implications remain underexplored. This study aims to analyze the concept and applications of glocal in education to establish a foundational framework for glocal education. To achieve this, the study first examines the concept of glocalization and then analyzes its usage in education through media reports and prior research. Prior studies predominantly focused on two areas: using glocal as a keyword and exploring "glocal competencies." Media analysis revealed that glocal is often associated with universities outside the metropolitan area and government-initiated policies, such as the “Glocal University 30” initiative. This research defines glocal education as "education that fosters glocal competencies—such as global citizenship, understanding and engagement with local communities, and contributing to humanity and the broader community—based on regional and local contexts." Glocal competencies include global citizenship, understanding and engagement with local communities, community-mindedness, multicultural competence, and global skills. In education, glocal is actively practiced in higher education but is also applicable to school education, community-based education, and lifelong learning. It can be approached from the perspective of global citizenship education rooted in regions and places. Glocal applies to all regions and should not remain merely as a keyword for "Education in non-capital regions" or policy project titles.

Enhancing students’ writing competence and 21st-century skills simultaneously via infographics

The accelerating pace of technological trends has numerous reflections in education. Accordingly, various tools have been utilized to reap their benefits in English classes. Among others, infographics, which combine text with visually stimulating images, stand out thanks to their advantages, such as being concise and academically rewarding. Although their effects have been studied worldwide, a gap in the literature has been observed in measuring infographics’ effects on developing students’ writing and certain 21st-century skills simultaneously in Iraq. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to gauge the role of infographics in improving university students’ writing competence and 21st-century skills. Having chosen 30 freshman students through convenience sampling from a private university in Erbil, Iraq, in the spring semester of the 2023-2024 academic year, they underwent the treatment spanning 10 weeks about writing essays. Data collection encompassed writing exams, questionnaires, and interviews in this mixed methods research design study. Data were analyzed using either SPSS 29 or NVivo. Control group students received writing instruction based on the common curriculum, whereas experimental group students’ lessons were expanded with infographics. The findings unleashed that infographic-enriched writing education yielded better results in terms of writing exams with a .002 p-value. Complementary findings also showed that certain 21st-century skills, such as critical thinking and taking initiative, were promoted. On the other hand, the achievement of the control group students was far from noticeable. The findings of this study may have various implications for interested parties who plan to integrate infographics into English classes harmoniously.

Client Project Managers’ Knowledge and Skill Competencies for Managing Public Construction Projects

Public construction projects face unique challenges that differ from those encountered in private projects, requiring client project managers to possess specific competencies to ensure successful project delivery. However, many client project managers lack the necessary competencies for effective construction project management. This study aims to identify the essential knowledge and skill competencies required for client-side project managers to effectively manage public construction projects in Saudi Arabia. Data were collected through 74 questionnaires completed by client project managers and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods. The results reveal that the most critical competencies include leadership, problem-solving, scope management, decision-making, and teamwork. Additionally, the findings indicate that soft skills are more crucial than hard skills for project managers. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) further grouped these competencies into seven underlying groupings. This study provides valuable insights into the key competencies needed for hiring and assigning client-side project managers in public-sector projects, and the results can guide companies and educational institutions in designing specialized training programs for these managers.

Book Review: Critical perspectives on equity and social mobility in study abroad: Interrogating issues of unequal access and outcomes

International student mobility has often been conceived as an avenue for upward social mobility and, if paired with appropriate training, developing intercultural competence and other skills to professionally succeed in the global village. However, multiple contextual factors may stratify access to student mobility or hinder its potential. Critical perspectives on equity and social mobility in study abroad: Interrogating issues of unequal access and outcomes interrogates aspects related to cultural and socioeconomic dynamics that affect students’ access, outcomes and experiences.

Research on the Development of Employability of Environmental Design Students in the Context of Knowledge Production Mode Transformation

Driven by the rapid changes in the knowledge economy and societal demands, higher education is undergoing a significant transformation from the traditional knowledge production mode (Mode 1) to a new mode of knowledge production (Mode 2) characterized by practice orientation and interdisciplinary collaboration. This transformation imposes higher requirements on the educational model of environmental design programs, particularly in cultivating students' employability. Against this backdrop, this study explores the connotation and core dimensions of employability for environmental design students, including professional competence, innovation capability, interdisciplinary collaboration, and practical application skills. Based on an analysis of the current status and challenges, this paper proposes targeted strategies such as optimizing the curriculum system, building diversified practical teaching models, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation, and strengthening the linkage between career guidance and industry connections. The study argues that by actively responding to the transformation of knowledge production modes, environmental design programs can significantly enhance students' employability, thereby bridging societal demands and individual career development. This research provides both theoretical and practical references for educational reform in environmental design programs and serves as a model for other practice-oriented disciplines.

Digital tooling with soft power to drive the smart silver economy under the aged society of Thailand

“Thailand 4.0” is the current national strategic plan driven by digital technology and innovation; “Silver Economy” is one among the urgent flagship to serve the urgent needs of aged society with its approximately 20-30 percent of Thai population. Besides, around 60 percent of the elderly proven being under the poverty line. Most of the urgent demands is economics opportunities, digital skills, and health care, respectively. Objectives are 1) the current situation of elderly towards “Silver Economy” embedded with “Soft Power”; 2) the digital literacy &amp; competency skills of elderly towards “Silver Economy” embedded with “Soft Power”; and 3) the recommendation to support the elderly towards “Silver Economy” embedded with “Soft Power”. Mix research methods were used 1) Quantitative research by e-survey among the 100 elderlies across the country who involved with Silver Economy and Soft Power. Qualitative research by in-depth-interview and Focus Group Discussion among 15 key informants from the elderly and all stakeholders. Results found 1) most of the elderly have a very good attitude, high demands to run their Silver Economy activities especially with their own Soft Power; 2) most of the elderly gain fundamental digital literacy &amp; competency. More digital top skills are needed to run their Silver Economy activities i.e., creative digital marketing skills, AI in digital PR, digital storytelling, and local tourism, etc. and 3) Recommendations for more tangible collaborations among all the relevant stakeholders from policy to the practical agencies. Friendly and effective portal for all kinds of collabolations among the stakeholders and the elderly themselves.

Self-Perceived Competence in Clinical Skills Among Fresh Graduates of Karachi Pakistan - A Comparative Study

Self-Perceived Competence in Clinical Skills Among Fresh Graduates of Karachi Pakistan - A Comparative Study

DIDACTIC MATERIALS PERCEPTION ACTIVATING METHODS IN DISTANCE EDUCATION

The article is devoted to the creation of didactic materials on various educational subjects at various levels of distance education. The relevance of the work is determined both by the object of research, which has not yet been subject to comprehensive scientific coverage, and by the need to establish the parameters of didactic materials used in distance learning. It was determined that the systematic usage of the innovative approaches improves language competence and formats necessary skills. The materials of the article consider examples the possibilities for determining the educational goals of university students for the purpose of developing the discipline Innovative restaurant technologies, Commodity science and procurement management for the development of complex projects. Developments are carried out using modern highly effective science-based technologies of food production, for example, from types of classification-identification analysis, general concepts and requirements to types of methodology for determining quality indicators of the quality level and their evaluation through the selection of calculation algorithms at various stages of production and use of the obtained goods.

Improving clinical reasoning competency and communication skills using virtual simulation-based learning focused on a pathophysiological approach in Korea: a quasi-experimental study

Improving clinical reasoning competency and communication skills using virtual simulation-based learning focused on a pathophysiological approach in Korea: a quasi-experimental study

Knowledge of Dental Students about the Association between Periodontal Bacteria and Obesity and Their Attitude toward Obese Patients

Abstract Objective Periodontal disease (PD) and obesity are associated and highly prevalent in both developed and developing countries. This study aims to assess dental students' and interns' knowledge about the association and mechanism linking both conditions, as well as predict attitudes toward providing advice and treatment to obese patients. Materials and Methods One hundred and ten participants, mean age 22.65 years, completed self-administered questionnaires. The survey consisted of 25 items, divided into 5 sections. Participants'responses were evaluated using a 5-point Likert scale. Statistical Analysis The data were analyzed using SPSS version 26 for descriptive, correlation and regression analysis of the variables. Results Over 62% of the participants agreed that they gained knowledge about the association between PD and obesity. Furthermore, they understood that the bidirectional link is initiated and driven by gram-negative bacteria and inflammation (75%). Over 50% of the participants showed a positive attitude toward obese patients. In contrast, many of the participants (57%) exhibited signs of stereotyping toward obese individuals, and 69% of the respondents were deficient in peer-assisted learning. Conclusion Incorporating obesity education, peer-assisted learning, and stigma-free competency skills into the dental curriculum is crucial for enhancing attitudes towards obese patients.

Telework Beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic: Exploring Residential Density and Travel Behavior

The COVID-19 pandemic was a teleworking catalyst, but less is known about the implications for the built environment, travel behavior, and social equity following the pandemic. Using three rounds of survey data ( n = 474) in Flanders, Belgium—at the onset of the pandemic (April–May 2020), 1 year into the pandemic (April–May 2021), and after a return to normal (October–November 2022)—this research investigates teleworking profiles using residential population densities, necessary trip behavior and satisfaction, and sociodemographic characteristics. Four profiles are evaluated: not teleworking; teleworking during the pandemic and continuing afterward; teleworking during the pandemic but returning to work physically; and teleworking before, during, and after. Results indicate a negative relationship between teleworking and residential population density, so teleworking options might contribute to equitable access to employment. Alternatively, beginning to telework might prompt a residential movement to less dense areas with more space. Non-teleworkers were generally more mobile (frequency, distance, and duration) in regard to necessary trips than teleworkers. Women were more likely to return to work physically, indicating challenges in work–life balance that might benefit from the structure and separation that comes with commuting. Finally, experienced teleworkers were older and full-time employed, indicating that skill and job competence might relate to flexible contracts that include teleworking alongside employer trust. Increases in and the normalization of teleworking following the COVID-19 pandemic are related to work–life balance, equity, the urban form, and travel patterns, and understanding these relationships can aid in predicting teleworking trends and informing supportive policy.

Teachers’ Classroom Management Strategies And Education Of Pupils With Mild Intellectual Disability In Calabar Municipality Of Cross River State, Nigeria

This study adopted correlational survey design to established the relationship between teachers’ classroom management strategies and education of pupils with mild intellectual disability in Calabar Municipality of Cross River State, Nigeria . It was guided by three research questions and three null hypotheses. A sample of 80 primary four pupils in public primary schools in the study area were selected using simple random sampling technique and teacher nomination check list, school record. .One instrument titled “Teachers’ classroom management strategies and education of pupils with mild intellectual disability was developed by the researcher with the help of experts and used for data collection. The reliability of the questionnaire was established using Cronbach Alpha which ranges from. 80 to .87. The hypotheses were tested using Pearson Product Moment correlation Coefficient at .05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed that teachers’ classroom communication skills, application of instructional materials, structured learning environment significantly relate with education of pupils with mild intellectual disability in Calabar Municipality of Cross River State, Nigeria. It was concluded that the education of pupils with mild intellectual disability depend on effective teachers’ classroom communication skills, application of instructional materials, structured learning environment . Based on the findings and conclusion of this study, it was recommended amongst others that teachers should improve their competence in classroom communication skills, application of instructional materials through attending conferences, seminars and workshops of stakeholders specifically for the education of pupils with mild intellectual disabilities.