Critical thinking is one of the core twenty-first century skills. This study designs the strategy of peer assessment based on the theory of knowledge building to improve a class of 33 undergraduate ...students' critical thinking skills in one semester. The context of knowledge building has four phases-idea generation, idea connection, idea improvement, and rising above-which are iterated by three rounds of peer assessment. In this study, the dependent variable was critical thinking skills, and the independent variable was peer assessment. Data sources include critical thinking skills surveyed, peer comments on Knowledge Forum and grades scored by students. The results showed that (1) students' critical thinking skills were significantly improved; (2) students' reports have risen in peer assessment; and (3) students' critical thinking skills are significantly correlated with peer assessment in the knowledge-building community with both peer comments and peer grades. The findings indicated that knowledge building created a positive culture for the promotion of critical thinking skills, comments that expressed strong disagreement could improve students' critical thinking skills, and the formation of community knowledge played a substantial role in promoting students' critical thinking skills.
In times of physical distancing, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic, people are likely to turn to digital communication to replace in-person interactions. Yet, persisting digital inequality ...suggests that not everyone will be equally able or disposed to increasing digital communication during a public health crisis. Using survey data from a national sample of U.S. participants (N = 2,925) that we collected during the early months of the pandemic, we analyzed how sociodemographics, living arrangements, and Internet experiences and skills relate to increases and decreases in various digital communication methods. We find that people privileged in their socioeconomic status, their Internet skills and online experiences are more likely to increase and less likely to decrease digital communication during the pandemic. The findings illustrate how digital inequalities can put already disadvantaged groups at greater risk of diminished social contact during a public health crisis. We discuss the theoretical implications of our findings for digital inequality research, the practical implications for inclusive crisis responses, and directions for future research.
•Digital inequality disadvantages some populations in communicating with family and friends during COVID-19.•Those with greater socioeconomic and digital privilege more likely increase and less likely decrease digital communication.•Disparities in digital communication emerge around sociodemographics, and Internet skills and experiences.•Crisis responses should consider those vulnerable to digital exclusion and implement appropriate mitigation strategies.
Regarding the caliber of newly-graduated professionals, the software industry expresses discontent. Therefore, software industries spend on training these individuals to improve software development ...process-related skills. According to various research studies, one reason for the lack of skilled graduates is a gap between industry and academia. One of the vital areas of software development where that gap exacerbates is software testing. The study aims to find skills (testing skills, Soft skills, and technical skills) that the software industry demands from novice software testers and assess their relevant importance. To find the skills that the software industry requires from fresh graduates, we have analyzed 160 job advertisements. The results revealed that the software industry focuses on testing skills and demands technical and soft skills, as 98% of advertisements require testing-related skills. Regarding soft skills, 92% of advertisements demanded soft skills. The novice tester must have strong technical skills as 78% of job advertisements require different technical skills. Moreover, the industry at present is also considering personality traits and educational attainment when hiring novice software testers. This study intends to identify the skill set for the novice software tester required by the Pakistan software industry. Results of the study indicate that software companies want to hire fresh graduates who are proficient in testing skills along with technical and soft skills. Therefore, there is a need to incorporate identified skills in software testing courses to better prepare computing graduates for the role of a novice software tester.
Sources that contribute to variation in mathematical achievement include both numerical knowledge and general underlying cognitive processing abilities. The current study tested the benefits of ...tablet‐based training games that targeted each of these areas for improving the mathematical knowledge of kindergarten‐age children. We hypothesized that playing a number‐based game targeting numerical magnitude knowledge would improve children's broader numerical skills. We also hypothesized that the benefits of playing a working memory (WM) game would transfer to children's numerical knowledge given its important underlying role in mathematics achievement. Kindergarteners from diverse backgrounds (n = 148; 52% girls; Mage = 71.87 months) were randomly assigned to either play a number‐based game, a WM game, or a control game on a tablet for 10 sessions. Structural equation modeling was used to model children's learning gains in mathematics and WM across time. Overall, our results suggest that playing the number game improved kindergarten children's numerical knowledge at the latent level, and these improvements remained stable as assessed 1 month later. However, children in the WM group did not improve their numerical knowledge compared to children in the control condition. Playing both the number game and WM game improved children's WM at the latent level. Importantly, the WM group continued to improve their WM for at least a month after playing the games. The results demonstrate that computerized games that target both domain‐specific and domain‐general skills can benefit a broad range of kindergarten‐aged children.
We tested the benefits of engaging in tablet‐based games that target either domain‐specific or domaingeneral skills in a diverse population of kindergarten‐aged children. Structural equation modeling was used to determine children’s learning gains in mathematics and working memory across time. The results suggest that computerized games that target both domain‐specific and domain‐general skills can lead to broad and longitudinal benefits that go beyond the trained task.
The present study investigates the effect of online learning vs. blended learning (BL) in developing English language skills by nursing student. The participants of the study included sixty students ...of Asadabad Nursing Faculty. They were randomly divided into three groups. The control group received general English instruction through the communicative approach and did exercises based on the tasks for developing general English skills. The online group received general English instruction through LMS instructional model. The BL experimental group received general English instruction through blended learning instructional model. Students then took a posttest of standard general English (TOFEL). The results showed that the blended learning group performed better than the other groups in developing general English skills. These results have pedagogical implications for curriculum designers, developers of training programs for future nurses, material producers, and all who are involved in nursing education.
Purpose
In the last decade, graduates’ employability has assumed a central role in scholars’ concerns. This was mainly due the high rate of recent graduates’ unemployment in some European countries, ...as well as the Bologna Process reform of the European higher education system and the new Europe Strategy 2020. The purpose of this paper, driven by the increasing need to improve graduates’ skills and employability, is to identify a set of skills that students consider important to achieve success in their own field of study and another set of skills, which they perceive to lack the most.
Design/methodology/approach
To achieve the main goal of this study, based on the methodology supported by literature review, a questionnaire was applied to students from five different European universities.
Findings
The main results allowed the authors to infer that, on the one hand, the European students of the universities included in the study consider communication, thinking and interpersonal skills as the most important skills to get a job in their own field of study; and on the other hand, personal, interpersonal and entrepreneurial skills are the skills lacked by students. These set of skills are quite similar and even overlapping, which makes this a significant inference that needs to be accounted by higher education institutions (HEIs).
Originality/value
In the research carried out in this study, with the students of five different European universities affected by the economic crisis of 2007/2008, the needed skills perceived by students to obtain employment in their own field of study were identified, along with the skills which they perceived to lack the most. The obtained findings contribute to shed light on the important issue of supporting HEIs regarding the skills that should be imparted in the curricula of their courses and workshops, in order to help the students to succeed in the current and potential competitive labour market.
The Movement Assessment Battery for Children-Second Edition (MABC-2) is a recent revision of the well-known Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC). The MABC-2 is designed to identify and ...describe impairments in motor performance of children and adolescents 3 through 16 years of age. The Performance Test and the Checklist have been standardized using a larger, more representative normative sample. The evolution of the MABC-2 and research using the MABC is presented to provide a context for the MABC-2. The content of the MABC-2 is described including the scoring format, standardization sample, reliability, and validity. The MABC-2 includes four new items, the revision of some items, the creation of a 3- through 6-year and 11- through 16-year age bands, the combination of the 7- through 8- and 9- through 10-year age bands, and a system to assist with score interpretation. The Checklist has been reorganized and the total number of items reduced to 30. The primary weakness of the MABC-2 is the lack of evidence on reliability and validity. The quality, comprehensiveness, and rigor of reliability and validity studies reported in the test manual are variable. Considering the strengths and weakness of the MABC-2, it appears to be a clinically useful instrument, however, until further reliability and validity studies are completed, therapists should be guarded when basing their clinical decisions solely on MABC-2 test results.
This study investigated the extent to which life skills training was offered to middle and high school students with autism and life skills training needs after high school. A secondary analysis of ...the National Longitudinal Training Study-2 (NLTS-2) data was conducted in this study. This study found that the majority of the middle and high school students with autism (77.4%) had received life skills training in school. Receipt of life skills training differed across students’ gender, age, diagnosis of intellectual disability, and functional mental skills. Students received life skills training in general education classrooms, special education classrooms, individual instruction, and community settings. Life skills training was needed for the majority of the high school leavers with autism (78%).
Non-technical skills are essential for today's professional accountant who operates in a dynamic socio-technical environment. Accounting degrees have continued to be criticised for failing to develop ...these skills to the required level. In the Scottish location of this study, employers have responded by seeking out graduates from non-accounting degrees who they perceive have better developed these skills. The research aims to further the debate on non-technical skill development of accounting graduates, interpreted through a lens of institutional theory. Data was collected via a questionnaire to Big 4 ICAS trainees and subsequent interviews with Scottish academics. Pressure, driven normatively by accreditation, for high-levels of technical content was found to result in accountancy degree providers requiring to make prioritisation decisions regarding the development of non-technical skills. Accountancy degree providers appeared to prioritise interpersonal and communication skills at the detriment of intellectual skills. Un-actioned, this could threaten the institutional legitimacy of accountancy degrees.
Purpose
This study explores insights from key stakeholders into the skills they believe will be necessary for the future of work as we become more reliant on artificial intelligence (AI) and ...technology. The study also seeks to understand what human resource policies and educational interventions are needed to support and take advantage of these changes.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a qualitative study where a sample of highly experienced representatives from a range of small to large Irish organisations, both public and private, provide insights into this important topic.
Findings
Findings indicate participants see a continued need for soft and hard skills as we evolve towards a more technologised workplace, with a need for employees to adopt a lifelong learning philosophy. As the knowledge economy in Ireland is well established, experts do not expect mass displacement to occur but differ with respect to the predicted rate of change. Novel HR interventions such as hiring for potential, pooling talent and establishing postgraduate supply contracts are seen as key. Current state interventions were mostly viewed positively but revamping of curricula is needed as well as stronger partnerships with tertiary institutions.
Research limitations/implications
The interpretivist nature of the study limits the generalisability of the findings as they are based on a relatively small sample from one country. Also despite the significant expertise of the sample, it is not possible to predict whether their forecasts will manifest.
Practical implications
This research highlights the need for Irish SMEs to embrace the impacts of automation and AI as many are seen to be slow in reacting to changes in technology. The study also reveals cutting edge talent management interventions for employers to adopt that will insulate them from the challenges technological change presents to recruitment and employee development.
Originality/value
The findings from this paper culminate in the development of a conceptual framework, which encapsulates the responsibilities of all parties so that future skills needs will be met. This highlights the interplay between employers, individuals/employees, the Irish Government and educational institutions, demonstrating how they are interdependent on one another as we move towards a more technologised future.
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