Search Results for
"Higher education"

This study evaluates the efficacy of current training methods for technical specialists in higher education, focusing on the development of professional competencies, skills, and personal qualities. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, including questionnaires and interviews among students of National Technical University “Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute” and National University of Civil Protection of Ukraine, the research identifies gaps in traditional educational frameworks and the challenges posed by distance learning. Key findings reveal a significant satisfaction with the quality of professional training among students, underscored by the effective use of modern teaching methods and technologies. However, difficulties with distance learning and technology utilization were notable concerns. The study recommends the creation of online laboratories, development of training programs for modern technologies, incorporation of joint student projects, and enhanced collaboration between universities and industry to improve training quality. These recommendations aim to align technical education more closely with industry demands and technological advancements. The implications for Technical and Vocational education and Training (TVET) suggest a paradigm shift towards integrating interactive, technology-driven methods into curricula, addressing the digital divide, and fostering industry-academia partnerships. This approach promises to prepare a workforce adept at navigating the complexities of modern and future job markets, emphasizing the practical application of theoretical knowledge and the importance of continuous learning and adaptability. © 2024, Penerbit UTHM. All rights reserved.

In Portugal, Initial Vocational education and Training (IVET) has a negative public image, which is partly due to perceptions about course syllabi and the low number of former IVET students who go on to higher education. We aimed to analyse the perspectives of IVET students on the syllabi of a Portuguese IVET modality, specifically the apprenticeship courses. Our focus was on the knowledge conveyed in the sociocultural and scientific components, as well as the possibility of accessing higher education. The analysis was made within the framework of Michael Young’s “powerful knowledge” and McGregor’s “meaningful education” concepts. Data analysis was based on 54 semi-structured interviews with apprenticeship course students from nine training centres in northern Portugal. A deductive-inductive content analysis supported by NVivo software was used. The knowledge acquired in the apprenticeship courses is compared with its counterpart of general upper secondary education. The results point out that overall, the participants mention that they find the subjects of the sociocultural and scientific components of the apprenticeship courses’ syllabi to be easy, simplified, and summarised. These features discourage some students who expect to extend their knowledge. For others, the applicability of the knowledge acquired to “real life” is valued. As far as access to higher education is concerned, some students are aware that the knowledge acquired in the courses hampers their ability to take the national access exams, while others are not aware of these constraints. Paying for private lessons to study for the exams is a mentioned possibility. In conclusion, apprenticeship courses’ sociocultural and scientific syllabi are based on a very low academic level, comparable to that of lower secondary education. This levelling down impairs students to perform well in the national exams that give access to higher education. A real equivalence of knowledge between the sociocultural and scientific components of apprenticeship courses and the general component of general education would be beneficial for that. It could also promote greater parity of esteem between vocational and general education, lessening the negative perception of IVET that persists in Portugal. © 2024, Penerbit UTHM. All rights reserved.

Fostering heightened interest and engagement in engineering, cultivating diversity, equity, and inclusivity within the engineering workforce, and equipping students to thrive in an industry characterized by rapid technological advancements stand as pivotal objectives in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education. Motivation exerts a profound influence on students across diverse academic fields. It is intricately intertwined with their level of engagement in the subjects they are studying, the inherent complexities of their chosen career paths, the career opportunities they foresee, and the potential of being misdirected toward a field they may not truly enjoy. To this end, understanding the key factors driving motivation is of the utmost importance, not only to increase retention and reduce attrition, but to also enhance students' learning, performance, and success. Even though the critical role of motivation in students' learning and overall academic success is widely acknowledged, there remains a notable gap in research examining the factors contributing to students' struggles in finding the necessary motivation for effective learning and outstanding performance, along with strategies to address this deficiency. This research aims to fill this gap by exploring the key factors driving STEM students' motivations for learning while simultaneously investigating the key factors hindering this motivation. To achieve these goals, this study surveyed STEM students at one of the largest minority-serving institutions in the United States to identify the key factors motivating and demotivating them, as well as to pinpoint strategies for enhancing motivation. The survey results revealed that several academic, financial, and social factors play a significant role in students' motivation, including career difficulty, perceptions of future and career opportunities, financial difficulties, lack of adequate work-life balance, and subsequent burnout. In light of these results, this research proposes several strategies that could potentially help students increase their motivation, including peer mentoring and/or tutoring, financial aid workshops, career fairs, and time management workshops. The findings of this study serve educational institutions and stakeholders by providing them with strategies that could help motivate students and contribute to their academic success. © American Society for Engineering education, 2024.

Purpose: The study aims to investigate students' attitudes toward using technology for micro-credential programs (MCPs) and their behavioral intention toward using MCPs for learning and enhancing their skills. The study also intends to investigate the moderating influence of labor market conditions (LMC). Design/methodology/approach: A closed-ended questionnaire is employed to collect data from 474 participants through a convenience sample, from the university students in Karachi. Two theoretical frameworks are used in the study: technology acceptance model (TAM) and self-determination theory (SDT). The partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) technique is used to analyze data. Findings: Findings reveal significant and positive relationships between all variables, except controlled motivation (CM) and perceived challenges. Moreover, the moderation results ascertain that the labor market does not moderate the relationship between attitude toward using technology for MCPs and students' behavioral intention toward using MCPs for learning. Originality/value: The study seeks to understand students' attitudes and behavioral intentions toward using technology for MCPs. Also, the moderating effect of LMC is highlighted in understanding the impact of the attitude to use technology (AT) for MCPs and behavioral intentions in higher educational institutions (HEIs) in Pakistan. The study highlights intuitive practical implications for students of HEIs, universities and digital credential program providers. © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited.

This opinion piece investigates the evolution of Singapore’s education system through the integration of Competency-Based education (CBE), driven by global economic changes and the country’s vision for a future-ready workforce. It explores how CBE’s focus on mastery over rote learning prepares learners for real-world challenges, fostering critical thinking and adaptability. Anchored by policies like SkillsFuture and collaboration with industry, this article examines Singapore’s commitment to lifelong learning and skill mastery, enhancing employability and resilience among Singaporeans. The discussion contributes to educational reform, highlighting Singapore’s innovative model that aims to equip learners with the competencies needed to thrive in the 21st century. By analysing current trends, implementation strategies, and potential challenges, it provides a comprehensive overview of CBE’s impact on higher education in Singapore, offering insights and recommendations for future developments. © 2024, Kaplan Singapore. All rights reserved.

This article presents novel empirical findings on whether and under what conditions the public supports apprenticeship subsidies paid to training firms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on the literature on justice research and deservingness theory, we construct an experimental factorial survey among individuals from German administrative records. The findings suggest selective support targeting the neediest firms, for example, small firms and firms strongly affected economically. Furthermore, we find that perceived deservingness is higher for firms offering apprenticeships in an area of skill shortage. Our results furthermore suggest that personal characteristics impact the assessment of the distribution of state support. © 2023 The Authors. Industrial Relations published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Regents of the University of California (RUC).

In this study we employed regression analysis and between-group matched pair design to analyze whether participation in a competency-based education pilot was associated with improved high school completion and postsecondary entry. Data were obtained for high schools participating in a CBE pilot program in Illinois. Results of the matched pair design showed that CBE participation was significantly associated with higher rates of high school graduation for seniors across all groups with differences significant overall (97.2% for CBE vs. 93.1% for non-CBE), for White students (97.2% vs. 92.7%), and for students eligible for Free and Reduced Lunch (96.3% vs. 90.3%). Graduation rate for seniors was also higher for African American students and for Hispanic-Latinx students, but the differences were not statistically significant. In the matched pair design, CBE participation was not significantly associated with entry into college within 12 months of high school. © The Author(s) 2023.

The study aims to identify profiles of trainee teachers in terms of their stress and work experiences and to uncover profile differences in regard to dropout intentions and perceived relationships between trainee teachers and their mentors. Based on data from 1,756 German trainee teachers, three distinct stress and work experience profiles could be identified. Trainee teachers with high levels of stress and negative work experiences exhibit higher dropout intentions and experience their relationship with their mentors as less transparent, fair and trusting, and more ambivalent compared to trainee teachers with low levels of stress and positive work experiences. The results underline the importance of the relationship between mentors and trainee teachers for the professional development of future teachers. © The Author(s) 2023.

Access to traditional education is expensive and has limitations related to geographical locations. The internet development has enabled the use of alternative tools for providing teaching and learning services referred to as Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). Despite the advantages of using MOOCs in higher Learning Institutions (HLIs), there is a paucity of studies related to the adoption of MOOCs in developing countries. Furthermore, the self-regulation aspect, an important factor in an uncontrolled learning environment has received less attention in the literature. Nevertheless, available studies on the adoption of MOOCs have not paid attention to the issue of the age difference, which is important in adopting innovative technology. Therefore, to address the gap this study extended the Technology-User- Environment (TUE) framework by examining mediating and moderating effects of self-regulation and age respectively on the adoption of the MOOCs in Tanzania. The study employed purposive sampling to collect a total of 351 which were analyzed using SmartPLS 4.0. Findings show that observability, perceived usefulness, peer pressure, self-regulation and self-efficacy have significant effects on the adoption of MOOCs. Furthermore, findings show that age moderates the relationship between peer pressure and MOOCs adoption behaviour. Also, Self-regulation was found to mediate the relationship between perceived usefulness, personal readiness, observability and MOOCs adoption. The study provides recommendations to enhance the adoption of MOOCs in Tanzania's higher education sector. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2023.

How can university work experiences contribute to reframing International Development from expert saviourism rooted in colonial legacies into a project of social justice and global solidarity? In this article, I propose the design of work-experiential pedagogies that integrate practical work experiences with critical theoretical teaching and an emphasis on students’ experiential knowledge. Such pedagogies call for an expansion of the forms of university work experiences, challenging students to reflect on their manifold personal and institutional locations, to explore the diverse spaces in which work experiences can take place and to experiment with multiple pathways for change. My proposal draws on teaching examples and student journeys at my home university in the UK. © 2024 SAGE Publications.