Search Results for
"learning"

This study examines the effects of firm-based (or dual) vocational education and training (VET) on labour market and educational outcomes. Using Swiss administrative data, I compare graduates of dual and school-based VET, all of whom have studied the same curriculum and received the same diploma. In addition to municipality fixed effects models, I use distance to the nearest full-time VET school as an instrumental variable to identify the causal effect. The results show that dual VET is far more effective for securing first employment, especially for men and for occupations with loose labour market conditions. For causal channels, dual VET not only provides the possibility of remaining in the training firm upon graduation but is also more effective among those who do not remain. However, as school-based VET graduates are more likely to progress to higher education, the overall results show that each form of VET has a comparative advantage. © 2025 Elsevier Ltd

Social entrepreneurship education is promising to foster entrepreneurial intentions and inspire vocational learners to tackle societal challenges by applying sustainable business models. Challenge-based learning is an innovative approach for social entrepreneurship education as it encourages learning while working on real-world challenges addressing societal issues. Nevertheless, there is limited evidence for Challenge-based learning in the context of vocational education and training. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the design of Challenge-based learning courses for social entrepreneurship education in vocational education and evaluate their potential to contribute to changing entrepreneurial intentions. N = 44 vocational students in three Challenge-based learning-oriented social entrepreneurship courses were surveyed using standardized scales in a longitudinal design. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, a mixed ANOVA, and hierarchical linear regressions. Differences in Challenge-based learning implementation mainly concern the authenticity and complexity of the challenge as well as external stakeholder involvement. Differences in entrepreneurial intentions between courses were only significant after the course. Only participants in course 3 reported a statistically significant increase in entrepreneurial intentions. Beyond course membership, only previous entrepreneurial intentions explained incremental variance. To sum up, Challenge-based learning shows potential to foster entrepreneurial intentions, but more research on the design of interventions and specific adaptations for the vocational education context is needed. © The Author(s) 2025.

Palpation is a cornerstone of osteopathic practice, serving both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. In France, the professionalization of osteopathy accelerated in 2014, when regulatory decrees mandated structured, competency-based teaching. This aligns with broader trends in science education emphasizing curriculum academization, professional collaboration, and skills-oriented learning. Among the six core competencies in osteopathy, “Performing an osteopathic intervention” includes palpation, assessed on precision, relevance, and clinical efficacy. Pedagogical guidelines underscore the need to regularly update teaching methods in light of scientific advances. Physiologically, palpation involves complex neurobiological mechanisms. Specialized receptors in the fingertips process shape, pressure, and vibration, while affective touch engages psychoemotional dimensions that can influence therapeutic outcomes. Targeted training improves inter-examiner reproducibility and may even induce structural brain changes. From an educational perspective, socio-constructivist and professionalization frameworks are particularly relevant. They highlight the interplay between individual development, guided practice, and communal learning. Students benefit from sensitive training and cognitive scaffolding that fosters reflection and skill refinement. Beyond individual effort, peer learning and mentorship are equally vital. Interactions with teachers and peers nurture shared values, feedback, and role modeling, all of which reinforce confidence and self-efficacy. The emergence of a shared vocabulary and use of standardized tools further support diagnostic precision. Ultimately, palpation is a technical skill embedded in social meaning and professional identity. Its development contributes to integrating learners into the osteopathic community of practice. As a structured, evidence-based, and patient-centered modality, palpation continues to evolve within a broader network of clinicians and educators. © 2025 Elsevier Ltd

This study investigates the role of Work-Integrated learning (WIL) in addressing the evolving demands of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) labour market. Amidst global economic shifts, technological advancements, and a persistent skills gap, WIL and integrative learning methods such as Work-Based learning (WBL) emerge as pivotal frameworks to bridge the gap between academic preparation and workplace requirements. By employing a scoping review methodology and guided by PRISMA protocols, this research identifies recurring themes across 50 studies from 2013 to 2024, focusing on WBL and WIL programme characteristics, competency development and assessment, stakeholders' engagement, stakeholder and university cooperation, and WIL impact on stakeholders, universities and students. The findings reveal that while WBL and WIL promote employability and the acquisition of both hard and soft skills, challenges persist for students in balancing academic and professional responsibilities. The study underscores the critical need for stronger cooperation between universities and organisations, particularly through reflective practices, structured learning agreements, and flexible curricula. These elements are essential to align stakeholder expectations and foster student success. Ultimately, this work highlights the transformative potential of WBL and WIL in enhancing employability, innovation, and sustainable partnerships between academia and industry, offering valuable insights for future research and practice within the EHEA context. Context and implications Rationale for this study: This review analysed non-theoretical studies with WIL and WBL data to identify recurring themes, including these programmes' characteristics, stakeholders, universities and students' perceptions. Why the new findings matter: WIL and WBL bridge the theory–practice gap, answer misalignment between higher education and labour market needs in the EHEA, and enhance employability. Implications for policy makers, practitioners and researchers: This study may serve as a guidance for students, higher education institutions and employers involved in WIL and WBL programmes to prioritise co-designed learning contracts and flexible curricula to address implementation challenges. We suggest that these programmes have a reflective pedagogy, structured mentorship and collaboration, and shared assessment frameworks to align academic-professional objectives. Policy-makers should support university-stakeholders partnerships and fund adaptable WIL or WBL models. Future research should pursue longitudinal studies on graduate outcomes and cross-national comparative analyses to strengthen generalisability. © 2025 The Author(s). Review of Education published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Educational Research Association.

Background: Historically, physical therapy focused on physical capabilities. The “Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation” course within the Rehabilitation Therapy (RT) program is a highly practical course that requires students to master complex clinical skills. Traditional teaching methods have struggled to engage students effectively, and the lack of interaction has reduced learning outcomes. This study aims to examine the effects of combining the flipped classroom model (FCM) with a multi-functional camera system (MFCS) on enhancing student performance, course satisfaction, and practical skills. Methods: This quasi-experimental study included 106 Guangzhou Medical University RT candidates from 2020 to 2021. We divided the students into four groups: the Combined Group (FCM combined with MFCS), the MFCS Group, the FCM Group, and the Traditional Approach Group (TA Group). After completing the course, students filled out questionnaires that assessed course satisfaction, MFCS effectiveness, and their mastery of SOAP (subjective, objective, assessment, plan) practical skills. We also evaluated teaching effectiveness using the final exam scores. We statistically analysed the data using SPSS 25.0. Results: The results showed that students in the Combined Group had significantly higher scores in practical assessments, theoretical exams, and overall scores compared to the FCM and the TA groups (P < 0.05). In terms of course satisfaction, the Combined Group also scored significantly higher than the FCM and the TA groups (P < 0.05). Further analysis revealed a strong positive correlation between overall course satisfaction and SOAP scores in the Combined and MFCS groups. Conclusion: The teaching model that combines the FCM with the MFCS significantly enhances students’ classroom experience, practical skills, and learning achievements. The results suggest that this integrated teaching approach effectively bridges the gap between classroom learning and clinical practice skills, making it worthy of broader application in highly practical professional courses. © The Author(s) 2025.

While haptic interactions are increasingly integrated into embodied Extended-Reality (XR) educational systems, their impacts on students’ learning outcomes remain underexplored. To address this gap, a comprehensive three-level meta-analysis of 25 studies (50 effect sizes) was conducted to evaluate how haptic interactions in XR learning environments affect students’ learning (i.e., conceptual learning, operational performance, and user experience). Funnel plots and Egger’s regression method revealed no significant publication bias. Results indicated significant improvements in conceptual learning (g = 0.91, 95% CI: [0.40, 1.41]) and user experience (g = 0.48, 95% CI: [0.06, 0.90]) with haptic interactions, though effects on operational performance were non-significant. Moderator analyses explicitly identified key contextual drivers of efficacy: 1) Intervention time: Long-term (g = 0.79) and middle-term (g = 1.65) interventions outperformed short-term implementations; 2) learning pace: System-paced (g = 0.97) outperformed self-paced; 3) Environment: Both classroom (g = 0.90) and lab (g = 0.87) settings yielded significant gains; 4) Subject domain: Health sciences (g = 0.79) and science technology (g = 0.62) yielded significant gains; 5) Haptic type: Kinesthetic feedback (g = 1.21) surpassed tactile approaches. These findings underscore haptic interactions’ potential to enhance educational outcomes through multi-sensory learning, while providing actionable strategies, such as prioritizing kinesthetic tools, to optimize XR-based learning. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2025.

Background: The Obesity Policy Engagement Network (OPEN)-EU manifesto, led by the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO), underscores the urgent need for enhanced, evidence-based education for healthcare professionals (HCPs) involved in obesity care. This scoping review aims to identify and profile relevant literature that reports on obesity-related competencies for HCPs and to synthesise identified competencies into obesity competency domains and subdomains to inform HCP education. Methods: A scoping review was conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute and PRISMA guidelines, including a comprehensive search strategy targeting PubMed, CINAHL Plus and ERIC databases (2014–2024). Based on clear inclusion criteria, full-text articles which focused on obesity-related competencies in HCP education were identified. Thematic analysis of all reported competencies was conducted to generate obesity-related competency domains and subdomains. Results: Twenty-two studies were included in the scoping review (out of 1286 unique records resulting from database searches) with a diversity of HCP disciplines represented. Multiple obesity competencies were identified, spanning eleven key domains: Obesity Background, Clinical Assessment, Clinical Management, Evidence-Based Practice, Communication, Professionalism/ethical standards, Patient Centred Care, Advocacy/influencing, HCP Education, Public Health/Health promotion and Health Systems. The most frequently reported competencies fell within the domains of Clinical Assessment and Clinical Management. Conclusion: This scoping review identified and synthesised obesity related competencies from HCPs education and professionalisation literature into eleven key domains and related subdomains. These findings highlight the multifaceted nature of obesity management, postulating the usefulness of comprehensive, competency-based training for HCPs. © The Author(s) 2025.

This study explores how entrepreneurial competencies and mindsets evolve through structured experiential learning, using a multi-assessment model that combines psychometric measures (Entrepreneurial Mindset Profile), learner reflections (designed action sampling), and educator observations aligned with the EntreComp framework. Data were collected across three phases—pre-program, during-program, and post-program—through a mixed-methods design. Findings provide exploratory evidence of developmental progression in key competencies such as self-confidence, execution, initiative, and persistence. Learners’ trajectories moved from emotional awareness and self-regulation toward more strategic action and collaborative engagement. The study contributes to debates on entrepreneurship education by (1) conceptualizing entrepreneurial competencies as learnable, observable, and context-dependent; (2) operationalizing experiential learning as a catalyst for transformational development; (3) positioning assessment as an embedded pedagogical mechanism for real-time feedback and identity formation; and (4) leveraging real-time learning data to inform adaptive curriculum design. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2025.

Objective: To construct precise learner personas for medical students by integrating social sensing data with the Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) framework, thereby informing targeted pedagogical strategies. The study aims to address the gap in integrating behavioral data with competency assessment for multidimensional learner characterization. Methods: Purposive sampling was employed to recruit 45 clinical interns (June–December 2024) based on data saturation principles. Data collection combined semi-structured interviews, social sensing technology (multimodal data from medical forums and clinical sensor arrays with AES-256 encryption for privacy protection), and EPA-based clinical observations. Thematic analysis via NVivo 12 Plus was used to extract features, with manual coding validating theoretical saturation after 45 interviews. Results: A four-dimensional persona framework (learning attitude, clinical competence, social interaction, self-improvement awareness) was discovered, yielding five archetypes: Proactive Achievers (28.89%), Skilled Practitioners (20.00%), Social Collaborators (17.78%), Passive Followers (24.44%), and Ambiguous Improvers (8.89%). Intergroup differences in EPA-assessed clinical skills were significant (ANOVA, p < 0.05 for all dimensions). Conclusion: The multimodal framework enables data-driven learner characterization, providing evidence for personalized medical education. Future work will validate persona utility in educational interventions. © The Author(s) 2025.

The government of Ethiopia provides TVET in a cooperative modality, which requires the active involvement of enterprises. The study was conducted to investigate the involvement of enterprises in cooperative training within the Oromia Regional State of Ethiopia. The study aimed to determine whether enterprises were appropriately equipped, knowledgeable about the purpose of the training, and participated in planning and assessment, as well as their willingness to provide hands-on practice, if there is compensation for enterprises' involvement in cooperative training. Data were collected through questionnaires administered to 80 TVET instructors selected using simple random sampling technique. This method focused on instructors with direct experience in cooperative training programs across four purposefully chosen administrative zones, considering geographical diversity, community lifestyles, variations in enterprise concentration, and related factors to capture a range of perspectives. The researcher used the mean score to determine the instructors' responses and standard deviation to indicate the degree of variability in the response. The findings revealed a significant mismatch between the number of trainees and the available space in enterprises, highlighting capacity constraints. Furthermore, the study indicated a lack of enterprise involvement in key aspects of the training process, including planning learning activities, participating in trainee assessments, and contributing to the evaluation of trainee performance. Instructors also reported that enterprises possessed limited knowledge regarding the learning outcomes of the training programs and were not actively engaged in trainee assessment. Compensation provided to enterprises for their participation in cooperative training was perceived as minimal, and no formal warranty was in place to cover potential damages occurring during the training period. To mitigate the problem of TVET training, it is necessary to encourage collaboration between TVET colleges and enterprises by compensating enterprises involvement and potential damages. Equip TVET colleges in peripheral areas with well-equipped workshops and resources to enable them to provide comprehensive in-campus training. On top of that, it is paramount to establish clear policy frameworks, invest in capacity-building for instructors and mentors, and implement robust monitoring mechanisms for all cooperative training programs. © The Author(s) 2025.