GiLE Journal of Skills Development
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21st Century Skills development among young graduates: a European perspective
Full text linkThis paper presents the results of the project “21st Century Skills: Changing the Approach to Teaching in Higher Education”, which was funded by the Erasmus+ programme between 2019 and 2021. The study involved seven institutions coming from different parts of Europe; mainly these were universities, but there was also one not-for-profit organisation, and one SME. Past and present-day initiatives and studies relating to the development of soft and digital skills among university students are investigated, with particular regard being paid to their perspective when they first have to face the job market. The study design is threefold, involving firstly desk research, where major documents were collected in Bulgaria, Spain, Turkey, Czech Republic, and Italy; then market research, where a sample of corporate professionals and university representatives were interviewed in order to gather additional information relating to the level of development of these skills among young graduates and employees; and lastly, a comparison between two questionnaires filled in by students before and after completing the courses established by the project. Research stages one and two are briefly introduced, with the main focus of the paper being on stage three and a discussion in which the results from various European countries are compared. The results reveal that some European countries prioritise some skills more than others. In addition, in the examined countries, it can be seen that 21st Century Skills are still not widely developed by young graduates and there is a mismatch between the value attributed to the improvement of competencies and the actual content of training provided by European universities. In summary, employers and academics have provided key information relating to the most needed skills in the market today. In addition, they have testified that attention should be paid to university projects, such as internship programmes and advanced English courses in order to better prepare young people for the marketplace. Furthermore, students should be more involved in activities aimed at improving their level of 21st Century Skills, with courses specifically designed to address this need and make them more aware of their current skill level and the abilities they are expected to have. Currently, these courses are rarely organised by Higher Education institutions and even when they are, they are not always effective
Transforming Teachers’ Instructional Design for Enhancing Critical Thinking in Ugandan Schools: Assessment through Rubric
Full text linkThe needs of our society are quickly evolving and soft or transferable skills are key to lifelong learning and the creation of an adaptable and resilient workforce. There is an ever-growing demand for individuals who can process data, evaluate concepts, and develop arguments; the development of critical thinking skills is crucial. This study shows the effectiveness of a professional development model that aimed at improving teachers’ instructional design skills for nurturing critical thinking in the classroom. The study adopted a quantitative research approach in order to identify and assess the transformation in teachers’ pedagogical practices while developing lesson plans designed to elicit and nurture critical thinking among their learners. This study focused on a sample of 16 teachers at a secondary school in Central Uganda. The researcher purposefully selected the teachers, who specialised in three different subjects: English (5), mathematics (5), and history (6). The teachers who participated in the study were on average 32 years old and had 8 years of teaching experience. To evaluate the effectiveness of the lesson plans that the participants designed, the researcher developed a contextualised rubric that was then validated by experts to assess the teachers’ improvements in designing lessons for critical thinking enhancement. The findings confirmed that after the training intervention, the teachers showed a greater ability to differentiate between cognitive process and mere rote learning, helping them to elicit critical thinking in their students. At the end of the process, the lesson plans designed were clearer and more coherent, incorporating activities that could improve the learners’ critical-thinking skills. This study provides an important contribution in terms of how to promote contextually appropriate and innovative pedagogical strategies
State of knowledge on emergency response and crisis management: evidence of sample secondary students of Bangladesh
Full text linkIn the era of late modernity, individual vulnerability is affected by various threats and risks. Consequently, people need to be aware of these and fit in more than ever before. To help people become competent in this changing world and to prepare for future threats, academic institutions play a vital role. To understand such an academic role, a part of the literature has highlighted how a student can better learn emergency responses (ER) and crisis management (CM). Nevertheless, very little literature has focused on how a developing country’s students, particularly teenagers, learn and understand ER and CM. Focusing on such gaps in the literature, this study aims to understand a sample of Bangladeshi secondary students’ state of knowledge related to ER and CM. With the help of cluster sampling, the researcher distributed a survey among a sample of 360 students between 9th and 12th standard from two southern districts respectively Khulna and Noakhali, which are also disaster-prone areas of Bangladesh. Adopting Krathwohl’s model of knowledge typology, such as factual knowledge, conceptual knowledge, procedural knowledge, and metacognitive knowledge, the researcher collected and evaluated the data with descriptive statistics. The findings of this study show that even though most of the students are familiar with different ER- and CM-related keywords, they have limited deeper knowledge. Furthermore, there was a significant knowledge difference between the genders. Similarly, the lack of training in the academic environment also makes these young students vulnerable to any kind of threat from their surroundings that could affect the districts’ weak institutional and legislative structure. The scholarship of this study, which has policymakers and young academics as its possible audience, could assist them in raising the knowledge levels of students by adding new information to textbooks with illustrations and by setting up drills
Bring the Warriors Back Home: Contemplating the Need for Retaining a Talented Workforce in Organisations
No full textThe article discusses the changing nature of careers today, and how organisations ought best to respond to this scenario. The advantages of participating in the gig economy and the ways it impacts both employees and organisations are discussed against a backdrop of signalling theory. Organisational practices addressing work-life balance issues, inclusion and diversity, job autonomy, flexibility, attractive compensation packages, and the fostering of an employability culture are all highlighted as sending out positive signals. Conversely, negative signals, such as in extreme cases appearing to have a hire-to-fire policy, should be avoided. The article concludes by highlighting the need for further research into the factors influencing talented individuals\u27 decisions to return to full-time work, as well as the strategies organisations can use to attract them
The Relationship Between Time Spent Abroad and Intercultural Sensitivity: Implications for ICC Skills Development Among Hungarian Business University Students
Full text linkIn today’s globalised business landscape, characterised by a proliferation of multinational corporations employing culturally diverse workforces, intercultural sensitivity is important in facilitating collaboration. Regarding higher education, it has been found that intercultural sensitivity can be increased through time spent abroad, although the results have been shown to vary depending on the specific context. As the impact of time spent abroad on intercultural sensitivity has yet to be examined in the Hungarian context, this study aimed to investigate whether there were significant differences in various components of intercultural sensitivity between Hungarian business students who had spent varying periods abroad. A total of 270 Hungarian business students from a leading Hungarian business university, aged 18-26, completed the Intercultural Sensitivity Scale (ISS). The focus was on intercultural sensitivity levels between students who had spent less than one month abroad and those who had spent more than one month abroad. The findings indicated that students who spent more time abroad showed improved confidence in intercultural interactions; however, significant differences for other components of the ISS were not observed. Although the results are specific to the Hungarian or Central European context, the findings provide insight for institutions seeking to design effective exchange programs that promote intercultural competence among students, preparing them for success in the global business environment
Setting Students up for Success: Developing Interdisciplinary Skills in a Medical Sciences Graduate Program
Full text linkAcknowledging the importance of skill development in graduate programs, Western University in Canada developed an innovative master’s program in interdisciplinary medical sciences. The program aims to promote students’ academic, professional, and personal skills by engaging them in experiential and interdisciplinary learning that adopts an explicit and reflective approach in focusing on seven core skills: problem-solving, communication, leadership, critical reflection, working in diverse teams, project management, and decision making. This paper draws on the experiences and reflections of the inaugural cohort of students enrolled in the program to address the following research questions: 1) How does the MSc IMS program impact students’ skill development? and 2) How did students practise the seven core interdisciplinary skills outlined in the program? The study utilizes a mixed methods approach by collecting quantitative and qualitative data using pre- and post-online surveys administered to the students. The findings highlight the program\u27s positive impact in terms of students’ reflection on their level of competence in the seven core skills, especially in complex problem-solving, oral and written communication skills, and critical reflection. Results also show that students specifically appreciated the contribution of experiential learning components of the program in advancing their skills. The paper emphasizes the importance of addressing students’ skill development in higher education in an explicit and intentional approach and engaging students in reflective practise on their skill development. Implications for the design and review of graduate programs are also discussed
Leadership Job Requirements in Multicultural Virtual Teams: Which Behaviour and Skills Do Leaders Need to Manage Multicultural Virtual Teams Successfully? A Review
Full text linkMulticultural virtual teams have become increasingly relevant. Organisations and leaders face different challenges in managing these teams. This review analyses and identifies the challenges in multicultural virtual teams and the job requirements for leaders to face these challenges. It answers the question of which behaviour and skills leaders need to manage multicultural virtual teams successfully. A literature review was conducted in which thirty-five publications and their key findings have been considered, analysed, and systemised to derive a concrete requirement profile for leaders of multicultural virtual teams. The results present the challenges that can occur in multicultural virtual teams and the behaviours leaders can demonstrate when facing these challenges. The challenges arise from multicultural differences as well as from the virtual environment. The most important behaviours to face most of the challenges include raising awareness of language barriers and cultural differences, enquiring about team members\u27 needs and expectations, clarifying expectations about the collaboration, establishing binding norms, ensuring compliance, adapting flexibly to individuals and situations, using ‘rich-media’, and synchronising work schedules. The findings also identify leaders\u27 traits, attitudes and skills to execute the recommended behaviour. Leaders of multicultural virtual teams require sensitivity, flexibility, assertiveness, personal initiative, mastering different leadership styles, negotiation competence, and active listening. The outcome of this paper is a practicable overview of possible challenges and required behaviours as well as traits, attitudes, and skills of leaders when managing multicultural virtual teams. Leaders can benefit from this helpful guide for appropriate behaviour in specific challenges. Recruiters can use the findings as a helpful tool for selecting appropriate leaders for multicultural virtual teams
