Reducing listening anxiety in blended learning: The role of AI-driven feedback and strategy in EFL education.

This study aimed to identify the factors associated with nursing profession self-efficacy among newly graduated nurses. This descriptive cross-sectional study adhered to the STROBE guidelines. This descriptive study was conducted with 162 newly graduated nurses who had less than 1 year of clinical experience. Data were collected using both online and offline recruitment strategies from March 8 to April 23, 2025. Validated instruments were used to measure resilience, missed nursing care, nursing work environment and nursing profession self-efficacy. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation and hierarchical regression analysis. Nursing profession self-efficacy showed significant positive correlations with resilience and the nursing work environment, and a negative correlation with missed nursing care. Resilience and the nursing work environment were identified as significant factors associated with nursing profession self-efficacy. This study highlights the importance of strengthening resilience and improving the nursing work environment to enhance nursing profession self-efficacy among newly graduated nurses. To enhance self-efficacy, emotional and educational support should be strengthened, and improvements in the work environment are needed to promote patient safety and the quality of nursing care. Nursing managers and educators should consider strategies to strengthen resilience and improve the nursing work environment for newly graduated nurses. Structured education, job training, mentoring, emotional support and strengthened preceptorship programs may support professional role adaptation, reduce turnover intention and contribute to patient safety and nursing care quality.

On-call simulation in diagnostic radiology; an underused medical education tool.

Peer support workers (PSWs) play a critical role in addressing the substance use crisis, and PSWs' training experiences may influence important occupational outcomes such as job stress and burnout. This cross-sectional study examined associations between PSWs' training experiences, job stress, and 2 dimensions that contribute to burnout - a lack of personal achievement and emotional exhaustion - in a sample of 25 PSWs (Mage = 49.3, SD = 12.9; 64% cisgender women; 80% white) from South Carolina. Participants completed the Subjective Stress Scale and the Abbreviated Maslach Burnout Inventory. While burnout is typically characterized by 3 dimensions, this study was only able to measure personal achievement and emotional exhaustion due to low reliability of the depersonalization scale. Participants also reported the total number of training hours they received prior to becoming a PSW and what topics they received training in, which were categorized as knowledge-based, skill-based, or value-based. Sum counts for each topic category were calculated. Adjusted-regression analyses revealed that total number of training hours was not associated with personal achievement or emotional exhaustion (p's > .131) but was positively associated with job stress (B = 0.031, SE = 0.014, 95% CI [0.001, 0.060], p = .042, ηp2 = .200). Total number of training topics was not associated with job stress or emotional exhaustion (p's > .248) but was positively associated with personal achievement (B = 0.577, SE = 0.245, 95% CI [0.065, 1.090], p = .029, ηp2 = .226). Having received more knowledge-based training (B = 1.494, SE = 0.592, 95% CI [0.254, 2.734], p = .021, ηp2 = .270) and value-based training (B = 1.627, SE = 0.722, 95% CI [0.116, 3.138], p = .036, ηp2 = .211), but not skill-based training, was associated with greater personal achievement. High-quality training curricula that cover a range of topics, particularly knowledge- and value-based topics, may enhance PSWs' sense of personal accomplishment. Improving content and quality over quantity may also reduce PSWs' job stress. These efforts can support positive work experiences and engagement among PSWs in the substance use disorder recovery field.

The aim of this paper is to identify specific digital competencies that preschool teachers require, compared with schoolteachers, to extend the Austrian digital competence model for teachers, digi.kompP. Methodologically, the study is based on interviews with Austrian experts in early childhood education, media pedagogy, computer science, and preschool teacher education. The expert interviews addressed the digital competencies required by preschool teachers, differences compared with schoolteachers, the timing and nature of competence development, and the institutions involved. As a result of this study, sixteen new can-do statements were developed for the expansion of the existing digi.kompP model, which maps the specific competencies required by teachers in Austria. The findings of this study also provide valuable insights for the development of training and further education programs, emphasizing the critical need to integrate digital education into the curricula of vocational training and further education programs for preschool teachers. Furthermore, this study presents compelling arguments for the promotion of digital education in early childhood education and demonstrates the necessity for a collaborative strategy for digital education at the preschool level.

Recovery support services (RSS) are an evidence-based approach to support recovery from substance use disorders, most often composed of peer-to-peer support, referrals to housing, job training, and other forms of prosocial engagement and activities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, RSS providers quickly converted in-person services to digital delivery to avoid disruption. It is unclear if this rapid conversion impacted the delivery of services or if this delivery model could enhance RSS reach and uptake more generally by extending the reach of RSS providers and offering an alternative delivery method and access point. The goal of this study was to identify how RSS providers in Texas adapted their services for digital delivery and to what extent, if at all, technology limitations (eg, lack of digital infrastructure) were present. We conducted an electronic survey of 85 RSS providers, assessing their current capacity and methods for the digital recovery support service (D-RSS), followed by semistructured online interviews with a subset of 20 respondents. Most survey respondents (74/85, 87.1%) used D-RSS, though they used many dated technologies, devices, and platforms for service delivery. Many respondents indicated that they use Zoom (Zoom Video Communications) videoconferencing to communicate with participants; however, providers also indicated that they must use several different technology platforms to accomplish their service delivery goals. Four main themes emerged from the interviews: (1) the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on RSS, (2) barriers and facilitators to technology-delivered D-RSS, (3) awareness and expectations regarding the use of D-RSS, and (4) training needs to deliver D-RSS. RSS organizations have access to technology for D-RSS; however, the technology is often outdated. Because the pandemic required a rapid and unexpected shift to D-RSS to maintain and potentially expand access during a public health emergency, providers desire guidance for training staff and participants on how to best use technology. A subset of providers endorsed the potential of a unified platform for D-RSS delivery, especially for data capture. Most barriers to D-RSS identified by our respondents may be addressable through the streamlined deployment of technology resources, rigorous training and onboarding programs in best practices for providers and participants, and tailored implementation strategies for varying local contexts.

Accounting is widely regarded as a complex subject, and traditional teaching methods often fail to fully engage students or enhance learning outcomes. This study investigates the effectiveness of gamification and vocational programmes as pedagogical approaches to improve student engagement and academic performance in accounting education. A quantitative research design was employed, with primary data collected from 254 undergraduate and postgraduate students enrolled in accounting and vocational accounting programmes across India. Measurement scales were adapted from validated studies, and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was applied using SmartPLS 4.0 to test the proposed hypotheses. The results indicate that gamification has a significant positive effect on student engagement (β = 0.683, p < 0.001) but does not directly influence academic performance (β = 0.017, p = 0.448). Conversely, vocational programmes positively affect both engagement (β = 0.264, p = 0.014) and academic performance (β = 0.903, p < 0.001). These findings suggest that while gamified interventions enhance motivation, participation, and collaboration, practical and skill-based vocational training is essential for improving measurable learning outcomes. This study contributes to the accounting education literature by demonstrating the complementary roles of gamification and vocational programmes, emphasizing the importance of integrating motivational and performance-oriented pedagogical strategies. For educators and curriculum designers, combining gamified learning with vocationally oriented activities offers a promising approach to increase engagement, reinforce conceptual understanding, and prepare students for real-world professional challenges. The study also provides implications for curriculum design, policy development, and future research on hybrid pedagogical models.

Primary care is a pivotal part of the health care system. While in the 1990's it was considered a success story, nowadays it is a crisis sector. This paper aims to discover the reasons behind this, evaluating the human resources as well. The age distribution of family physicians is presented and the input and output of residency programmes (vocational training) and elements of the undergraduate education and governmental efforts for improvement are discussed. Based on national data, the components of financing and primary care provision are presented, as well as laboratory and radiological investigations and relevant expenditures are displayed. Fundamental and conceptional changes are needed in the whole health care system. New and innovative structures of primary care provision are required, besides appropriate financing, without uniformity. The problems of human resources could be solved with appropriate financing, wider professional competences and restructuring the undergraduate education. Orv Hetil. 2026; 167(26): 1018-1026.

Purpose: This community service program aimed to improve students’ accounting literacy and practical skills in general ledger posting and trial balance worksheet preparation at SMAN 2 West Jakarta. The program was designed to bridge the gap between theoretical accounting learning in school and practical competencies required in the workplace. Method: The activity was conducted at SMAN 2 West Jakarta on May 13, 2026, for students of Class XI-4. The intervention involved accounting education, hands-on practice, case-based simulations, and digital evaluation using Quizziz and Google Forms. The training covered the concepts, functions, and procedures of posting transactions to the general ledger and preparing trial balance worksheets. Results and Discussion: Prior to the intervention, students had limited practical understanding of the accounting cycle, particularly in general ledger posting and trial balance worksheet preparation. The activity was implemented in chronological order: introduction, pre-test, material presentation, guided practice, post-test, and participant satisfaction evaluation. The results showed improved student understanding, with a post-test average score of 81. Participants also demonstrated increased engagement, motivation, and ability to complete accounting practice exercises with guidance. Implications: This program helped strengthen students’ basic accounting competencies and work readiness. Future community service programs should provide longer training and cover a broader range of accounting topics, including financial statement preparation, tax literacy, digital finance, and sustainability reporting.

The study focuses on the problem of violence (physical, psychological, sexual, or economic) and harassment in the workplace, which is a global issue of high relevance. The article pays special attention to the content, structure and impact of the application of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention No. 190 on the Elimination of Violence and Harassment in the World of Work. The key provisions of this Convention are indicated, namely: the definition of the concept of ‘violence and harassment in the world of work’, a feature of which is its broad and inclusive nature, covering various forms of behaviour – from psychological pressure to physical violence; emphasis on the need to take into account the gender dimension of violence; outlining the broad scope of application of ILO Convention No. 190, which covers not only workplaces, but also work-related spaces (business trips, communications, training, digital environment, etc.); establishing the obligation of the state to form a comprehensive policy to prevent violence and harassment in the workplace. It is noted that the Convention applies to all persons in the field of work, including employees; employed persons regardless of their contractual status; persons undergoing vocational training; employees whose employment relationships have been terminated; volunteers; persons seeking work; persons exercising authority, performing duties and bearing the responsibility of the employer. It is emphasised that the peculiarity of the Convention is its orientation towards a preventive model of regulation, which provides for the participation of employers, employees and their organisations in the formation of a healthy and safe working environment. The international experience of implementing ILO Convention No. 190 is analysed using the example of France, Italy, Spain and other states. Author’s proposals have been developed for introducing reformative changes to the regulatory and legal field of Ukraine in the context of implementing the provisions of ILO Convention No. 190, namely, in the following areas: fundamental definitions; procedural prevention, expanded guarantees of rights to occupational safety; state supervision; evidence-based reform; protection from victimisation; social compensation; information and consultation; sufficient and objective statistics. It is emphasised that Ukraine objectively needs to consolidate the efforts of all stakeholders – national tripartite social partners, legislative and judicial authorities, scientific and expert community, civil society – in order to effectively promote the process of ratification and implementation of ILO Convention No. 190 through consolidated actions, taking into account domestic realities.

ABSTRACT Objective This study aims to explore the relationship between emotional intelligence and career maturity among high school students, and examine the mediating roles of self-management and coping styles in this relationship, thereby providing insights for career development education among high school students. Method A convenience sampling method was used to select 896 high school students from a high school in Guangdong Province, China. The study utilised the Wong & Law Emotional Intelligence Scale (WLEIS), Career Maturity Inventory (CMI), High School Students’ Self-Management Questionnaire, and the Coping Style Scale of Middle School Students (CSSMSS) to collect data, and a sequential mediation model was constructed for analysis. Results The results indicated that: (1) emotional intelligence was positively associated with career maturity; (2) self-management and problem-solving each independently mediated the relationship between emotional intelligence and career maturity; (3) self-management and positive coping styles functioned as sequential mediators in the relationship between emotional intelligence and career maturity. Conclusions Emotional intelligence was directly and indirectly associated with high school students’ career maturity through enhanced self-management and problem-solving coping styles, offering important insights for career education in high schools.

ABSTRACT This study investigates how structural inputs and contextual barriers influence learning engagement, skill gain, and employment outcomes among rural women participating in e-learning tourism vocational training. Drawing on the survey data from 390 women in the Mekong Delta Vietnam, the research develops and empirically tests a structural model linking digital access, content quality, and trainer support to learning engagement and decent work outcomes. Using the logic model framework, the study identifies both direct and moderating effects of support policies and socio-cultural barriers. Findings underscore that input factors play a critical role in enhancing rural women’s learning engagement and post-training employment. Moreover, policy and cultural contexts significantly moderate these relationships, shaping women’s digital inclusion and work readiness. The study advances theoretical understanding of digital capacity building in marginalised settings. It offers practical policy implications for designing flexible, gender-responsive, and sustainable vocational programmes that align with Sustainable Development Goals 5 and 8.

ABSTRACT This paper critically examines how national policies promoting generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) are enacted within English Further Education (FE) colleges between 2023 and 2025, with a focus on vocational and technical education. Drawing on documentary analysis of national policy, regulatory texts and institutional materials, the study is informed by policy enactment theory and a social justice lens. The study identifies a persistent gap between ambitious national discourse (emphasising personalised learning, workload reduction and workforce preparation) and uneven institutional practices. Documentary sources on a small number of early-adopting FE colleges indicate benefits such as administrative time savings and enhanced feedback processes, but significant barriers remain, including limited access to professional development, concerns regarding assessment malpractice and unequal institutional capacity. Critical scholarship suggests that failure to enact technology with substantive policy, institutional and practitioner guidance can accentuate existing inequities, particularly in rural or under-resourced contexts. The paper supports arguments that GenAI, frequently framed as a democratising innovation in vocational education, may instead intensify structural divides without equity-oriented policy support, and concludes by proposing clearer regulatory guidance, capacity-building measures and differentiated funding as conditions for more just and sustainable GenAI integration in the FE sector.

ABSTRACT This paper elaborates on the Swedish vocational education and training (VET) in massified schooling of 16–19 years old between 1975 and 2025 to show how VET has come to articulate with the institution and ‘grammar’ of the school. Three major education reforms are considered. The findings show a set of institutional responses that furthered massification of the upper-secondary school by incorporating VET. One aspect is the integration on an organizational plane. Another aspect deals with the handling of vocational contents in the standardized curriculum, e.g. through a delayed differentiation of content, its re-packaging and the work component. Altogether, these institutional responses indicate a strong political interest in attracting the young at the same time showing persistent difficulties in reconciling VET with the institution of the school in Sweden, shown in upper-secondary vocational education and training’s fluctuating appeal in the time span.

ABSTRACT Addressing Foundation Skills (language, literacy, numeracy and digital (LLND) capability) has long been recognised as important for learner progression and workforce participation in vocational education and training (VET). However, meeting the needs of diverse learners within cohort style provision remains a pedagogical challenge. This qualitative case study examines how differentiated task design can be enacted through a shared project structure aligned to common outcomes. Three learners completed interest-based projects culminating in a digital artefact and reflective writing task. Educator-mediated generative artificial intelligence was used as a planning support to draft level-appropriate materials. Thematic analysis of artefacts, reflections and observation notes identified three themes: contextual relevance, integrated application of foundation skills, and reflective awareness of learning. The findings provide applied insight into how structured project design can support differentiation in small-scale VET settings without fragmenting foundation skills development.

Purpose This study investigates whether vocational training programs in Australia's built environment sector can reduce recidivism among justice-involved youth whilst simultaneously addressing construction skills shortages. Design/methodology/approach A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Criminological and interdisciplinary databases were searched for studies published between 2008 and 2023. Thirty-four studies on vocational programs for justice-involved youth were included and synthesised narratively across intervention types and built environment sectors, with structured narrative appraisal applied to assess methodological quality. Findings Programs aligned with labour market demand, liveable wages and culturally responsive wraparound support achieved the strongest outcomes. Construction-focused interventions dominated the evidence base (n = 9), whilst pathways in property, urban planning and project management remained underrepresented. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth comprise 63% of those detained but represented only 24% of program participants, revealing a significant equity gap in vocational program access. Research limitations/implications Most included studies involved small samples and short follow-up, limiting causal claims. Future research should prioritise longitudinal, comparative designs across the built environment sector, with equity-informed analysis across gender, geography and jurisdiction. Practical implications Policy frameworks should integrate correctional education with workforce development at national, state and industry levels, with youth justice professionals, vocational education and training providers and construction industry partners each sustaining distinct roles in aligning training with real employment opportunities and throughcare support. Findings carry transferable implications for comparable jurisdictions addressing the intersection of youth justice and labour market integration. Originality/value This is the first known systematic review examining both recidivism reduction and workforce benefits from built environment vocational programs for justice-involved youth in Australia.

A ballet dancer's first pair of pointe shoes marks a significant milestone in training, allowing them to perform on the tips of their toes. Determining readiness for pointe work requires consideration of many factors, yet consensus is lacking regarding the abilities required to progress safely. Existing International Association for Dance Medicine and Science (IADMS) guidelines are broad and largely subjective. This study aimed to establish consensus on key criteria required before commencing pointe work using a scoping review and Delphi method. Secondary aims were to (i) explore differences in expert perspectives, (ii) determine expert panel agreement with the IADMS guidelines and (iii) identify reasons to conduct a pointe-readiness assessment. A scoping review identified existing pointe-readiness criteria and informed a Delphi study with 21 experts (ballet teachers, health professionals and dance researchers). Criteria from the scoping review and first Delphi round were synthesised using inductive content analysis and presented to the expert panel for rating on a 4-point Likert scale. Consensus (defined as ≥ 80% agreement) was assessed across two additional rounds. Ninety-nine criteria relating to progression to pointe work were identified and grouped into three themes: (i) skill and training, (ii) physical characteristics, and (iii) health and well-being, encompassing 10 assessment categories. 48/99 criteria reached consensus, with single-leg heel-rise repetitions, balance and control and injury history receiving the highest agreement (≥ 95%). Teachers placed importance on assessing technique and posture, whereas health professionals prioritised physical capacity measures. Twenty-two reasons for conducting pointe-readiness assessments were identified, with 18 reaching consensus. Highest agreement (≥ 95%) was for establishing a baseline; informing dancer and parent decisions; assessing likelihood of success; prescribing exercises; informing the teacher; and identifying additional needs prior to commencing pointe work. This study established consensus-informed pointe-readiness criteria and identified differences in perceived criterion importance between teachers, health professionals and dance researchers. While panel members agreed with current IADMS guidelines, consistent assessment methodologies were lacking. Findings support the value of pointe-readiness assessments in informing progression to pointe work and provide a foundation for developing standardised, evidence-informed assessment guidelines. Further research is required to validate assessment measures and evaluate their effectiveness in reducing pointe-related injury risk.

This study follows correlational design between variables volleyball training and holistic wellbeing of 250 respondents, through quota sampling, from selected universities in Liaoning and Jilin Provinces in China, anchored on Wellness Framework. The variables used are the volleyball training with dimensions physical, technical, sensitivity, tactical, and strength. For the dependent variable, holistic wellbeing, the dimensions are physical, social, intellectual, spiritual, emotional, occupational. For the descriptive findings, it revealed the highest rating (M=4.03 Strength Training & 3.90 Social Wellness) and the lowest rating (M=3.69 Tactical Training &3.60 Intellectual Wellness). For the inferential findings, using Spearman’s rho, the findings revealed that technical training (r=.354) generated the strongest correlation with physical wellness, physical (r=.521) moderate to strong correlation with physical training (r=.462) as correlate with intellectual wellness. This means that respondents are physically focused and determined to produce highly skilled technical performance. This also indicates that physical conditioning is very crucial on physical health outcomes. Intellectual awareness shows a moderate association with physical training but in other dimensions it is weak which imply that cognitive awareness is indirectly supported by physical involvement rather than technical or tactical drills. Spiritual wellbeing is most strongly associated with sensitivity training, emphasizing the importance of awareness and self-reflection. On the other hand, occupational wellbeing shows a weak association across all volleyball training dimensions which suggest that work readiness is not much influenced by volleyball training. This may depend on some external factors. The findings of the study is open for further study to explore on the weak association across dimensions.

ABSTRACT Intrapersonal knowledge is recognised as an important dimension of coaching expertise, yet few studies have examined how it develops through coach education. We aimed to address this gap by identifying mechanisms fostering intrapersonal knowledge development in a Vocational Coach Education Programme (vCEP). Eight coaches participated in this multimethod qualitative study. Coaches reported that the vCEP supported intrapersonal knowledge, particularly professional growth reflected in broadened perspectives and enhanced self-awareness. We also analysed a shift in the focus of reflection, which coaches likewise reported in the interviews. Our analysis showed that social learning and sustained opportunities for reflection were the main contributors to these outcomes. However, we did not find changes in the quality of reflection. We highlight that coach education should be designed to foster rich social learning spaces where uncertainty is engaged and diverse perspectives are expressed and to ensure sustained opportunities for meaningful reflection to support intrapersonal knowledge development.

ABSTRACT Students are essential stakeholders in the education system. However, there needs to be more focus on how their perceptions can be understood to improve or redesign the curriculum. Thus, this paper attempts to develop a comprehensive scale to measure the perception of engineering students of their curriculum specifically for marine engineering education. The study identified a 12-dimensional construct that covers aspects of a quality curriculum. The data collected using cross-sectional sampling supports this dimensional structure of the attributes of quality curriculum and the internal consistency and validity of the scale. The outcome of this paper will add to the existing knowledge pool by understanding students’ viewpoints about curriculum quality and further help accommodate these in designing curricula. Though this scale focuses on marine engineering education, owing to its proximity to other domains of technical education and the global nature of the primary construct, the same may be administered and tested for the quality of the curriculum of technical education in general.