scholarly journals Soft Skills as Predictors of Students’ Life Self-Fulfillment

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (8) ◽  
pp. 65-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. N. Stepanova ◽  
E. F. Zeer
Keyword(s):  
Communication Skills ◽  
Soft Skills ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Management Skills ◽  
Rank Correlation Method ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Basic Communication Skills ◽  
Basic Communication

Introduction. Today, global transformations of the most important institutions of modern society, acceleration of its development and total digitalisation actualise the search for the new and previously unknown determinants of human potential realisation. In this regard, soft skills are considered as possible predictors of not only professional, but also of life self-fulfillment of an individual. Therefore, soft skills involve developed communicative qualities, high level of selfregulation, critical thinking, ability to convince, leadership, creativity, etc.The aim of the present article was to conduct the empirical research of students’ soft skills demonstration in relation to the parameters of self-realisation; the value of such parameters allows the level of positive predictions about the self-fulfillment of the individual to be determined.Methodology and research methods. At the theoretical level, the article provides a retrospective analysis of the concepts of “self-fulfillment” and “soft skills” in the Russian and foreign science. An empirical part of the research was carried out through the methodologies “The study of Stability of Human Life World” (I. O. Loginova) and “Modified Questionnaire of Self-Actualisation Diagnostic” (A. V. Lazukin, in the adaptation of N. F. Kalin). To diagnose soft skills, a set of techniques was used, including the questionnaire “Measurement of Communicative and Social Competency” (V. N. Kunitsyn), the methodologies for studying the motivation for university education (T. I. Ilyin), the diagnostic procedures of reflection level (A. B. Karpov), the methodology of the study of the individual relationship to innovations (N. M. Lebedev, A. N. Tatarko) and the methodology “Coping Behaviour in Stressful Situations”. The following tests were employed: “Readiness for Self-Development” (V. Pavlov, T. A. Ratanova, N. F. Shliakhta), “My Information Culture” (N. I. Gendina), “Ability to Predict” (L. A. Regush). Spearman’s rank correlation method was used as a mathematical statistical method.Results and scientific novelty. The article is aimed to discuss various approaches to the study and understanding of students’ soft skills. Based on the theoretical analysis, the main groups of soft skills are identified: basic communication skills, self-management skills, effective thinking skills. Soft skills increase the effectiveness of the individual in solving a wide range of professional and life tasks. The authors prove that well-being of professional and private world is conditioned by the indicators of students’ soft skills. Basic communication skills (communicative and personal potential), self-management skills (motivation to acquire knowledge, reflexive abilities) and effective thinking skills (ability to predict, innovativeness) increase the stability of the psychological system of the student’s personality, its ability to maintain stability, resistance to negative phenomena and freedom of behaviour. It is emphasised that soft skills are not only the main predictors of professional development of the individual, but also provide the formation of an active, creative position in relation to own activities and lives. The authors have come to the conclusion that the creation of the conditions for the development of soft skills in students can prepare them for an adequate perception and realisation of socio-professional innovations in the future.Practical significance. The results of the present research can be used by the representatives of the system of vocational education, i.e. tutors and teachers, who carry out psychological and pedagogical support of university students.

scholarly journals Menshenina S.G. Interdisciplinarity as a Means for Students’ Soft Skills Development

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
P. G. Labzina ◽  
S. G. Menshenina
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Group Dynamics ◽  
Soft Skills ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Educational Process ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Skills Development ◽  
Management Skills ◽  
Interdisciplinary Project ◽  
Interdisciplinary Interaction

Introduction. The development of the business sphere, scientific and technological progress set the pace of engineering education modernization and stimulate the search for the optimal and close to real working conditions ways of improving and enhancing professional competences and soft skills of university graduates. Interdisciplinarity has become a professional fields trend comprising enormous potential to foster the research, implement its results into practice and facilitate students’ soft skills development.Materials and Methods. The study is based on the analysis and comparison of domestic and foreign experience on the problem of the research; pedagogical observation of the educational process; study and generalization of pedagogical experience; experimental work.Results. The interdisciplinary project “Hardware and software complex of augmented reality as a means of learning a foreign language” was carried out with students of different specialties on the bases of Samara State Technical University. The rationale for this project choice is related to the relevance of the information technologies use in educational process and the need to learn a foreign language for professional purposes. These conditions make us think of creating the innovative methodological support of educational process. Considering the development of students’ soft skills, special attention was paid to group dynamics, role functions, leadership, as well as environmental and context factors. Interdisciplinary interaction terms were identified: stable working relationships which help develop communication literacy skills; finding the effective conflict solution that stimulates thinking skills; role and time distribution for actualizing management and self-management skills; a common goal achieving which is conditioned by the combination of the main soft skills groups of effective thinking skills, communication skills, management and self-management skills.Discussion and Conclusion. Practical work within the interdisciplinary project proved the necessity of students’ soft skills development for achieving success in professional sphere. The most efficient way to better this process is to realize the interdisciplinary interaction due to its potential, represented by its resources, ideas and approaches from different fields, and opportunities for mastering the skills in question.

Comments on the Use of the Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities with Culturally Deprived Children in the Rural South

1970 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 56-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen J. Waddell ◽  
Delwin D. Cahoon
Keyword(s):  
Communication Skills ◽  
Functional Assessment ◽  
Minority Groups ◽  
Rural South ◽  
Item Content ◽  
Content Bias ◽  
Local Norms ◽  
Basic Communication Skills ◽  
Basic Communication

Evidence of item content bias in the Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities (ITPA) is examined. The instrument fails, in certain subtests, to relate to the basic communication skills of Headstart children in the rural South. Incautious application of the test to minority groups may not yield adequate functional assessment of these children's skills. The authors recommend that alternative scoring procedures, local norms, or new items be developed.

scholarly journals Gendered Evaluation Responses to Experiential Learning as an Adjunct to a Basic Communication Skills Course

1997 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith A. Rolls
Keyword(s):  
Experiential Learning ◽  
Communication Skills ◽  
Communication Apprehension ◽  
Learning Context ◽  
Warm Climate ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Learning Contexts ◽  
Basic Communication Skills ◽  
Basic Communication

Abstract: The author examined gendered evaluation responses to experiential learning in terms of how students rated the overall experience, responded to experiential learning, and responded to experiential learning facilitators. An analysis of evaluation forms indicated no difference in the overall rating of the experience. In responses to the experiential learning context, females noted receiving encouragement and claimed communication apprehension reduction. Regarding experiential learning facilitators, males focused on instructional competence and individual practices while females noted facilitators' knowledge and their easy-going natures. The facilitator's sex did not influence responses. The findings underscore the importance of personnel in creating gender-sensitive experiential learning contexts that offer a ``warm climate'' for both men and women. Résumé: L'auteur a comparé les réactions d'étudiants males et femelles à l'égard de l'apprentissage expérentiel examinant selon la leurs perspectives sur l'expérience globale, l'apprentissage expérentiel et les facilitateurs d'apprentissage expérentiel. Une analyse des formulaires d'évaluation ne permet pas d'indiquer une différence entre hommes et femmes quant à la perception de l'expérience globale. En ce qui a trait à l'apprentissage expérentiel, les femmes ont noté les encouragements qu'elles ont reçus et ont déclaré une diminution dans leur appréhension à communiquer. Pour ce qui est des facilitateurs d'apprentissage expérentiel, les hommes ont souligné la compétence d'instruction et les pratiques individuelles tandis que les femmes ont noté le savoir des facilitateurs et leur nature paisible. Le sexe du facilitateur n'a pas influencé les réponses. Les résultats mettent en évidence l'importance pour le personnel de la création de contextes d'apprentissage expérentiel quitiennent compte du sexe des participants et qui offrent un "climat chaleureux" autant pour les hommes que pour les femmes.

Improving the Communication Skills of Mentally Handicapped Adults

1986 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 130-132
Author(s):  
Sarah Allen ◽  
Nicola Willett
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Therapy ◽  
Communication Skills ◽  
Social Communication ◽  
The Other ◽  
Mentally Handicapped ◽  
Social Communication Skills ◽  
Basic Communication Skills ◽  
Therapy Department ◽  
Basic Communication

This article discusses the setting up and format of two very different communication groups run in the occupational therapy department at Turner Village Hospital for mentally handicapped adults. One of the groups emphasizes basic communication skills and the other emphasizes social communication skills.

scholarly journals Problem-Based Learning: An Experiential Strategy for English Language Teacher Education in Chile

2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diego Muñoz Campos
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Problem Based Learning ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Learning Activity ◽  
Cultural Issues ◽  
Management Skills ◽  
Research Knowledge ◽  
The Impact

The Chilean education system requires English language teachers to be equipped with non-conventional teaching strategies that can foster meaningful learning and assure successful learners’ performances in diverse and complex settings. This exploratory, descriptive, research study aimed at discovering the perceptions of 54 pre-service teachers about the impact of a problem-based learning activity in the development of key competencies, including higher order thinking skills and reflective, research, knowledge transfer/integration, social, and self-management skills. Groups of participants chose a made-up, ill-structured problem which combined language teaching and socio-cultural issues, and devised holistic solutions. Findings suggest a comprehensive impact on the first four skills, but a limited impact on social and self-management skills.

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