Education Skills Research Articles

Faculty development for supervisors of medical student rural attachments in Zimbabwe.

Reflective writing and keeping portfolios during rural hospital attachments has been shown to give medical students more confidence, better communication skills and clinical competence, thereby making them stronger adult learners. The role of supervisors as facilitators of learning during Community-based Education rural site visits is critical. The University of Zimbabwe Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences established faculty development workshops to train supervisors to be better able to support students in becoming active learners and critical thinkers, giving them constructive feedback, and encouraging them to look for positive outcomes during their rural attachments. These educational skills were new to most supervisors, requiring a culture change from the usual didactic approaches. Educators had to learn about adult learning theories, the constructivist approach to knowledge creation, role-modelling and methods of assessment that were empowering for students. They were encouraged to form communities of practice through the faculty development process of training and assessment and to consider how to develop research and scholarship in documenting their experiences as facilitators and learning partners with their students and colleagues. These activities enhanced their professional identity formation as scholars, educators and facilitators. Their exposure to the functioning of rural hospitals, partly through narratives of the students' reflective writing, enabled them to develop a greater appreciation of the potential of primary care and the district health services as the foundation of the Zimbabwe health system. Future benefits could include application of this training to other health professional programmes, as part of interprofessional education.

Agro-Pastoral Youth Participation in Livelihood Activities, Development Programs and Interventions in East and West Hararghe Zones of Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia

This study was conducted to identify the status and determinants of male and female youth participation in selected livelihood activities, development programs and interventions in agro-pastoral areas of Oromia regional state, Ethiopia. A cross-sectional research design and mixed methods research approach were employed. A multi-stage random sampling strategy was followed to select four agro-pastoral Woredas (A ‘Woreda’ is an administrative unit equivalent to a District), 12 Kebeles (A ‘Kebele’ is the smallest administrative unit in Ethiopia. A Woreda/District consists of several Kebeles) and 398 youth aged 15–29 years for a face-to-face interview. Data were analysed through descriptive and inferential statistics and an econometric model (Logistic regression) estimation. We found that whereas male youth had better access to land, participation in extension/advisory services and Farmers’ Training Centers (FTCs), agricultural training, and NGOs, female youth had better participation in non-/off-farm livelihood activities and Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP). Our findings indicated that lack of access to financial resources, limited access to land, poor extension and rural advisory services, limited skills development programs and mentorship were key factors affecting youth participation. Other factors include: targeting criteria, discrimination (e.g. on the basis of gender, social structure), cumbersome organizational procedures and requirements, limited availability and capacity of supporting organizations, poor infrastructural developments, mismatch between needs and services provided, conflict, and climate-induced shocks and uncertainties. To overcome these challenges, local and regional governments and their development partners operating in the area should implement a multi-stakeholder, participatory, co-design and development of programs, projects and interventions to enhance collaboration, youth engagement and benefit. Investments in capacity-building and alternative income-generating activities, entrepreneurship education and business skills training are also important.

Improving critical thinking skills in civic education based on project citizen building awareness of environmental issues

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Advancing Indigenous primary health care research and education capacity: a qualitative study in Alberta, Canada

Background/Purpose The study explores the perspectives of family physicians in Alberta regarding Indigenous health research education within the framework of primary health care (PHC). Recognizing the key role of PHC in healthcare system, the research identified the preferences and needs of family physicians for relevant and accessible research skills education. To design effective research education, it is critical to understand the skills, content, and delivery methods desired by family physicians engaged in Indigenous health research. The Indigenous Primary Health Care and Policy Research (IPHCPR) Network is examined as a potential transformative platform aligned with Truth and Reconciliation Commission principles and Calls to Action. Methods Through purposive sampling, 12 family physicians practicing in Alberta were recruited to participate in semi-structured qualitative interviews . The study utilized a thematic content approach for data analysis. Results Four key themes emerged from the analysis: 1) Indigenous role modeling; 2) cohort-based learning; 3) relational learning; and 4) the epistemic importance of Indigenous perspectives on learning. Participants emphasized the need for mentorship, collaborative learning settings, and meaningful connections within a research network. Discussion The IPHCPR Network stands out as a pivotal platform for transformative change in healthcare research education, offering opportunities for family physicians, researchers, trainees, and communities to collaboratively improve Indigenous health outcomes. Through its inclusive practices, the network aligns with TRC principles to advance Indigenous health equity and addressing critical gaps in Indigenous primary health research and practice.

The influence of Kahoot-based TBLT in improving the critical reading skills in higher education

This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of Task-based language Teaching (TBLT) approach through Kahoot in improving EFL students’ critical reading skills. The study used a quasi-experimental method with a pre-experiment design involving a pre and post-test for one group. The research was conducted with 70 students (15 males and 65 females) from the Department of English Education at a Private University in Indonesia. The Kahoot-based TBLT approach was used to assess students' critical reading skills. The data were analyzed utilizing paired t-tests and N-gain to determine the effectiveness. The result showed a significant improvement in critical reading skills from the pre-test to the post-test after using the Kahoot-based TBLT model. the findings indicate that the Kahoot-based TBLT model is a successful approach in improving students' critical reading skills. Therefore, it can be concluded that Kahoot-based TBLT is effective in improving EFL students’ critical skill. Future research recommends the usage of Kahoot-based TBLT by educators to increase academic success in English language learning for higher education students.

Non-inclusive teaching of students with special educational needs in a socioeconomically disadvantaged neighbourhood

ABSTRACT Despite inclusive educational policies, inclusive teaching of diverse students with special educational needs (SEN) presents a professional challenge for many teachers and schools. To better understand how and why educators sometimes teach students with SEN non-inclusively, this study mapped non-inclusive teaching along with justifications for these practices in a primary school in a socioeconomically disadvantaged neighbourhood. Within this qualitative study, a one-month ethnographic observation of teacher-student and student-student interactions in a single second-grade classroom (with 22 students) was conducted. Additionally, eight teachers from the school and the principal were interviewed on teaching students with SEN. A stepwise-deductive inductive analysis of observations and a thematic analysis of interviews documented how some teachers excluded students with SEN from learning activities and groups by inappropriate space arrangements, reduced teacher-student interactions, and negative expectations. Paradoxically, teachers justified these non-inclusive teaching practices by efforts to address the special educational needs. The findings also documented that the socioeconomically disadvantaged context increased demands on teachers in the school, which possibly contributed to the limited inclusive teaching. The findings underscore the need to increase structural support for socioeconomically disadvantaged schools and show the necessity to systematically foster inclusive attitudes and teaching skills in teacher education.

Development and validation of China’s Environmental Citizenship Questionnaire: evidence from junior high school students

The cultivation of environmental citizens has become an important measure to cope with the environmental crisis, and the research on the knowledge, conceptions, skills, attitudes, values, and actions of environmental citizens using the Environmental Citizenship Questionnaire (ECQ) is becoming a research focus. The research on environmental citizenship in China mainly staying at the level of theoretical research and descriptive research due to the accuracy of the ECQ. The emergence of the ECQ-China Version is helpful to promote the empirical research on environmental citizenship in China.This study verifies the effectiveness of the ECQ by removing 16 ECQ items which are not suitable for Chinese culture and evaluating environmental citizen-related knowledge among 550 Chinese junior high school students. The ECQ-China Version, consisting of 75 items, showed convincing results for all measurements: students’ past and present environmental citizenship behavior and the essential skills, values, attitudes, and competence that an environmental citizen should be equipped with had a significant impact on students’ future environmental citizenship behavior. This study suggests that: (1) Environmental citizenship education should not only focus on knowledge education, but also include skills education. (2) Environmental citizenship education should adhere to comprehensive principles, focusing on innovative practice of ideas and methods. (3) China’s environmental citizenship education should focus on the cultivation of citizens’ ability to participate, so that environmental citizenship can become the driving force for sustainable environmental development.

Effectiveness of the Flipped Project-Based Learning Model Based on Moodle LMS to Improve Student Communication and Problem-Solving Skills in Learning Programming

The acquisition of programming skills is often complex and poses challenges that impede students’ progress and understanding. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of the flipped project-based learning (FPBL) model, implemented via Moodle LMS, in enhancing students’ communication and problem-solving abilities in programming education. The study employed a quasi-experimental design with a control group following a blended learning approach and an experimental group utilizing the FPBL model. Purposive sampling was used. Data collection involved pre- and post-tests assessing communication and problem-solving skills, analyzed through paired and independent sample t-tests to evaluate the significance of the observed improvements. These findings demonstrated significantly positive outcomes in the experimental group. For problem-solving skills, the paired sample t-test showed a mean difference of 16.000, a t-value of 5.852, and a significance level of 0.000. Communication skills analysis revealed a mean difference of 7.400, a t-value of 10.418, and a significance level of 0.000. Independent sample t-tests corroborated these results, indicating notable enhancements in both skills in the experimental group compared to the control group. he FPBL model based on the Moodle LMS markedly improved students’ communication and problem-solving skills in programming education. Future research should investigate the long-term retention of these skills and the applicability of the model across different disciplines and educational levels.

Defining music demonstration lessons: a unique performance-based lesson type improving teachers’ instructional skills in Chinese mainland education

Abstract Teaching is a highly complex act, and learning to teach in an educational era that combines both teacher-centred and student-centred approaches presents additional challenges. Conducting demonstration lessons (DL) is one of the methods aimed at enhancing teachers’ instructional skills. This study examines the features and functions of this unique type of lesson from the perspective of music demonstration teachers in Guangdong, China. Through observation and interviews, the findings not only reveal the prevalence of DLs as performance-based lessons in Chinese teachers’ professional lives but also explore their distinctions from regular school teaching and their potential for improving teachers’ pedagogical abilities. Concerns and issues related to this type of lesson, along with possible solutions, are also discussed to provide recommendations for incorporating DLs into teacher training programmes in higher education institutions.

Abutment Tooth Formation Simulator for Naked-Eye Stereoscopy

Virtual reality is considered to be useful in improving procedural skills in dental education, but systems using wearable devices such as head-mounted displays (HMDs) have many problems in terms of long-term use and hygiene, and the accuracy of stereoscopic viewing at close ranges is inadequate. We developed an abutment tooth formation simulator that utilizes a display (spatial reality display—SRD) to precisely reproduce 3D space with naked-eye stereoscopic viewing at close range. The purpose of this was to develop and validate the usefulness of an abutment tooth formation simulator using an SRD. A 3D-CG (three-dimensional computer graphics) dental model that can be cut in real time was output to the SRD, and an automatic quantitative scoring function was also implemented by comparing the cutting results with exemplars. Dentists in the department of fixed prosthodontics performed cutting operations on both a 2D display-based simulator and an SRD-based simulator and conducted a 5-point rating feedback survey. Compared to the simulator that used a 2D display, the measurements of the simulator using an SRD were significantly more accurate. The SRD-based abutment tooth formation simulator received a positive technical evaluation and high dentist satisfaction (4.37), suggesting its usefulness and raising expectations regarding its future application in dental education.

Advancing SDGs and performance management strategies for security personnel in higher education

Orientation: Performance management aligns individual and organisational goals, enhancing employee motivation, sustaining organisational success.Research purpose: The study aimed to investigate challenges experienced by security managers with performance management systems in a tertiary institution in Durban, South Africa.Motivation for the study: Understanding challenges delivers insights to advance organisational effectiveness, support sustainable development, and enhance human resources (HR) practices in the higher education security sector.Research approach/design and method: A qualitative approach was used. Twelve security managers were purposively selected for semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed using thematic analysis and NVivo software.Main findings: The study identified three challenges, namely inadequate training, education, development and communication, technological barriers and low computer literacy, limited resource allocation, inconsistent rewards, and a lack of transparency. These challenges were found to hinder performance management system application, reducing employee engagement and productivity.Practical/managerial implications: The study recommends the institution increase adult basic education and training in technological skills and literacy. Enhancing feedback mechanisms, conducting performance needs assessments, and implementing fair reward strategies may improve sustainable development of performance management practices.Contribution/value-add: The study advocates for practical strategies in response to the challenges faced by security managers to enhance performance aligned with sustainable development goals 4 (quality education), 8 (decent work and economic growth), 10 (reduced inequalities) and 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions), contributing to sustainable HR, embracing contextualised performance management application in developing countries.

THE ASSESSMENT OF SELF-PERCEIVED EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AND COMPETENCY LEVEL OF EMERGENCY NURSES AT TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL LAHORE

Competency in emergency nursing is crucial for ensuring high-quality patient care in fast-paced healthcare environments. Understanding emergency nurses' self-perceived educational needs and skill competencies is essential for guiding future training and improving patient outcomes. Objective: To assess emergency nurses' self-perceived educational needs and skill competencies at a tertiary care hospital in Lahore. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using convenience sampling. The study population comprised 125 emergency staff nurses. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Frequency distribution and data normality checks were performed to assess the nurses' educational background and skill competencies. Results: Most respondents (71.2%) held an associate diploma in general nursing, 13.6% had a post-RN qualification, and 15.2% held a Generic BSN. Regarding skill competency, 44% of respondents perceived themselves as highly competent, 40.8% as qualified, and 15.2% as least competent, particularly in areas like defibrillation and neurological assessment. Furthermore, 60% of the nurses needed additional education to enhance their patient care skills. Conclusion: The study concluded that emergency nurses at tertiary care hospitals require further education and training to enhance their knowledge and improve patient care outcomes. Continuous professional development programs focusing on skill enhancement are recommended to bridge the identified competency gaps.

Enhancing Pedagogical Competence in Inclusive Early Childhood Education through Interactive Digital Modules: A Pre-Experimental Study

One of the primary challenges in early childhood education (ECE) is ensuring that teachers possess the necessary pedagogical competence to effectively support diverse learners, particularly in inclusive education settings where students with special needs require tailored teaching strategies. This study explores the effectiveness of interactive digital modules in enhancing the pedagogical competence of early childhood education (ECE) teachers in inclusive settings. Using a quantitative pre-experimental design, 70 teachers from 12 inclusive ECE institutions participated in pre-and post-tests to assess their pedagogical skills before and after module exposure. Results show a significant increase in post-test scores, with an average improvement from 50 to 89, confirmed by a paired sample t-test (p < 0.01). The N-Gain analysis revealed a high level of effectiveness, with an average score of 0.78, indicating that the modules substantially improved teacher competencies. However, the lack of a control group limits the study’s ability to attribute improvements solely to the intervention. Other factors, such as previous teaching experience or additional resources, may have influenced the outcomes. Despite this limitation, the findings suggest that interactive digital modules are valuable for advancing pedagogical skills in inclusive education. These results have important implications for teacher professional development, supporting integrating of digital tools into ECE teachers' training programs. Future research should employ more rigorous experimental designs, including control groups, to better isolate the impact of digital modules and investigate their long-term effects on teaching competence and student outcomes in inclusive environments.

Pendidikan dan Kompensasi di Era Teknologi: Faktor Utama dalam Meningkatkan Motivasi Kerja Karyawan

This study aims to examine the influence of education and compensation on employee work motivation at Suzuki Dealer PT. Megah Putera Kendari. Rapid technological advancements pose new challenges, including the demand for adaptation to big data and automation, which require employees with relevant educational skills. This research uses a quantitative approach with a sample of 55 employees, selected through proportional stratified random sampling. Data analysis was conducted using multiple linear regression with SPSS 23 software, including normality tests, t-tests, F-tests, and the coefficient of determination (R²). The results show that education has a positive and significant effect on work motivation. Good educational qualifications contribute to increasing employee motivation. Additionally, compensation also has a positive and significant effect on work motivation. The better the compensation provided, in line with the principles of fairness, appropriateness, and equity, the higher the employee work motivation. This study highlights the importance of education and fair compensation in enhancing work motivation at PT. Megah Putera Kendari.

Issues of physical development among the Mongolian youth

At the beginning of the research, we proposed the goal of studying the modern trends in physical education at the Mongolian University of Science and Technology through analysis and comparative assessments. As a result of the study, it was observed that comprehensive education in England, sports education using technical and technological advances in Australia, sports teaching for happiness in Japan and China and skills education and physical education in Mongolia are the dominant teaching approaches. In the course of the analysis, it has been found out that there is a lack of attitude towards physical education in Mongolia, and we have determined the extent to which it has been effective through a test study. One of the main goals of our work is to study the issue of physical development of the Mongolian youth in years past. The article presents the results of the unprecedented physical development test of the first-year students enrolled in the Mongolian University of Science and Technology from 2008 to 2018. We used the “Test to Determine the Level of Physical Development and Fitness of the Population”. Actually, this test named after the President of Mongolia Mr. Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj has been implemented at the national level. During the test, height, weight, speed, strength, flexibility and endurance of students were studied by the movement test method. The test was evaluated according to the approved methodologyю. And as a result, we used quantitative and statistical research methods, performed reliability and statistical tests for each questionnaire and data obtained and analyzed the correlation of factors. If we look at physical development levels of all students, there were 14 percent with poor results and 44 percent with insufficient ones. The physical development of the majority of participants (58 percent) was rated below the sufficient level (17 points) that a person of that age should have. In terms of gender, 53 percent of male students and 65 percent of female students had insufficient physical development. According to the data of a sociological questionnaire survey of students participating in the test, 58.1 percent did not exercise or play sports. It was an interesting observation that coincided with the result that 58.0 percent of the test participants had insufficient physical development. According to our research, the majority of Mongolian students and young people had a low level of physical fitness, and one of every six students had weight problems. This may indicate that the approach to teaching skills development and physical education is somewhat ineffective. The theoretical and practical significance of the research is that the current situation regarding physical development of students and youth can be determined and the results can serve as a basis for making detailed policies and decisions for the development of physical activity and sports among young people. Today, students and youth are the most important segment of the population that drives the economy and human development of Mongolia, so it is important to cultivate a healthy and physically fit nation relying on the fact that physical activity and sports should be available for all people.

Increasing creativity, production innovation and commercialization through the new teaching factory model based on life skills

This research aims to implement and develop a new teaching and learning factory model based on life skills in Vocational Secondary Education (SME) Creative and Production Crafts Expertise Program. This model is designed to support the needs of the Industrial Revolution 4.0 by integrating project-based learning through collaboration between the school curriculum and the industrial world. This research usesmixed methods, with a quasi-experimental design involving control and experimental groups using pre-test and post-test. The results showed that the new teaching and learning factory model was valid and reliable based on expert validation tests. The implementation of this model successfully increased students' creativity in product design, production, and commercialisation, and it developed social skills such as critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and interpersonal skills. In conclusion, the implementation of the life skills-based teaching factory model is effective in preparing students to face the challenges of the world of work, improving innovation skills, and supporting production processes that are relevant to industry needs. The contribution of this research is in the development of an innovative learning model that integrates the education curriculum with the world of work, thus producing graduates who are better prepared to face the challenges of the Industrial Revolution 4.0.

The innovative teaching strategies of educational soft skills cultivation affect students' performance and sense of efficiency

Introduction: Organization and time management are critical soft skills in education, as learning is frequently arranged around test and assignment deadlines. Guiding students to use long-term projects with milestones and smaller goals can help them improve their planning abilities. The Lack of self-confidence, fear of making errors, fear of being mocked, and lack of faith in own expertise or talents. This study is intended to identify how the instruction tactics for educational soft skills cultivation affect students' performance. Method: A total of 120 students were collected for this study. The data were split into two groups such as Group A and Group B, respectively. Interaction, flipping the classroom, decision-making, cooperation, engagement in professional work, and collaborative learning are all strategies of educational soft skills that are increasingly regarded as critical for success in dynamic work situations. The data were examined with SPSS software. Result: The findings indicate while there was no discernible increase in Group B, students in Group A showed a considerable improvement in soft skills, which encompass all strategies. Conclusion: The research reveals a positive association between academic achievement and the improvement of performance-related soft skills. The study emphasizes how crucial it is to include cutting-edge teaching techniques in the curriculum to help students develop critical soft skills.

Transmedia skill derived from the process of converting films into educational games with augmented reality and artificial intelligence

Transmedia skill, derived from the process of converting films into educational games using augmented reality and artificial intelligence, involves employing various languages and mediums to adapt an original narrative to another format. This transmedia practice presents an opportunity to cultivate diverse skills in teacher training by transforming film narratives into educational games with Augmented Reality (AR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Moreover, these educational games enable student engagement in missions or challenges, enhancing their engagement with educational activities. Thus, this research stems from an Innovation project implemented in the Degree in Early Childhood Education (N=77) with two groups of university students who developed 24 educational games in physical and digital formats. The objectives are: 1) to compare the transmedia process adopted by both groups when converting children's animation films into games, some in digital format and others combining physical and digital resources; and 2) to analyze their transmedia skill reflected in the games developed. The methodology adopted is non-experimental empirical, with a descriptive and comparative nature. Two instruments were designed and validated, one to analyze the transmedia process followed in each case and another to ascertain the level of transmedia skill of the university students. The results reveal that both groups chose different creative approaches to gamify the films, expanding their stories by leveraging the potential of AR and AI to create interactive characters and settings. From this, their transmedia capability could be inferred. Thus, the use of digital applications to collaboratively design games—utilizing film narratives—represented an innovation in their training, holistically enhancing various skills. In conclusion, this experience presents an opportunity to increase the transmedia skills of future educators.

Influence of the development of entrepreneurial skills on the confidence to undertake in university students

This study aimed to explore the influence of entrepreneurial skills development on entrepreneurial confidence in university students. Using an empirical approach, a structured questionnaire was administered to 322 students at a university in Lima, Peru, to assess participants’ perceptions of self-awareness and self-assessment, problem solving, communication and presentation of ideas, as well as their entrepreneurial confidence. The data collected were analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM), which allowed for the identification of significant relationships between the variables. The results revealed that self-awareness, problem solving and effective communication have a positive and determinant influence on the development of entrepreneurial skills, which in turn significantly strengthen students’ entrepreneurial confidence. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating the promotion of entrepreneurial skills in university education, as this can increase students’ readiness and willingness to successfully start and manage their own entrepreneurial projects.

Error Management Training and Adaptive Expertise in Learning Computed Tomography Interpretation

Adaptive expertise helps physicians apply their skills to novel clinical cases and reduce preventable errors. Error management training (EMT) has been shown to improve adaptive expertise with procedural skills; however, its application to cognitive skills in medical education is unclear. To evaluate whether EMT improves adaptive expertise when learning the cognitive skill of head computed tomography (CT) interpretation. This 3-arm randomized clinical trial was conducted from July 8, 2022, to March 30, 2023, in 7 geographically diverse emergency medicine residency programs. Participants were postgraduate year 1 through 4 emergency medicine residents masked to the hypothesis. Participants were randomized 1:1:1 to a difficult EMT, easy EMT, or error avoidance training (EAT) control learning strategy for completing an online head CT curriculum. Both EMT cohorts received no didactic instruction before scrolling through head CT cases, whereas the EAT group did. The difficult EMT cohort answered difficult questions about the teaching cases, leading to errors, whereas the easy EMT cohort answered easy questions, leading to fewer errors. All 3 cohorts used the same cases. The primary outcome was a difference in adaptive expertise among the 3 cohorts, as measured using a head CT posttest. Secondary outcomes were (1) differences in routine expertise, (2) whether the quantity of errors during training mediated differences in adaptive expertise, and (3) the interaction between prior residency training and the learning strategies. Among 212 randomized participants (mean [SD] age, 28.8 [2.0] years; 107 men [50.5%]), 70 were allocated to the difficult EMT, 71 to the easy EMT, and 71 to the EAT control cohorts; 150 participants (70.8%) completed the posttest. The difficult EMT cohort outperformed both the easy EMT and EAT cohorts on adaptive expertise cases (60.6% [95% CI, 56.1%-65.1%] vs 45.2% [95% CI, 39.9%-50.6%], vs 40.9% [95% CI, 36.0%-45.7%], respectively; P < .001), with a large effect size (η2 = 0.19). There was no significant difference in routine expertise. The difficult EMT cohort made more errors during training than the easy EMT cohort. Mediation analysis showed that the number of errors during training explained 87.2% of the difficult EMT learning strategy's effect on improving adaptive expertise (P = .01). The difficult EMT learning strategy was more effective in improving adaptive expertise for residents earlier in training, with a large effect size (η2 = 0.25; P = .002). In this randomized clinical trial, the findings show that EMT is an effective method to develop physicians' adaptive expertise with cognitive skills. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05284838.