Search Results for
"Higher education"

Professional Development (PD) for teachers plays a significant role in nurturing new skills, extending updated knowledge and promoting educational reform. The concept of Outcome-Based education (OBE) is highly recognised in the field of education as it matches the student-centred claim and emphasises measurable learning outcomes. In order to improve the training effectiveness and stimulate vocational teachers’ learning motivation, authors in this research developed a PD for vocational teachers according to the design process and learning outcomes of the OBE concept. Trainees’ learning motivation is measured through the questionnaire based on Kirkpatrick’s model of training evaluation and the ARCS Model of motivation. A total of 40 secondary vocational teachers and 40 higher vocational teachers from Guangdong, China were enrolled in this research. The analysis of quantitative data was conducted using paired samples t-test and one-sample t-test to evaluate trainees’ motivation and satisfaction throughout the PD. The findings of this research suggest that the PD design based on the OBE framework has a significant impact on trainees’ learning motivation and training satisfaction according to the comparison of the data collected from trainees before and after attending the PD. © Authors.

The modern apprenticeship system is an essential strategy for human resources development in China. It is the institutional carrier for training high-level technical and skilled talents. Based on the perspective of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), a survey of 495 first-year college students’ willingness and behavior to participate in modern apprenticeship in N vocational college in Jiangsu Province found that perceived benefits, prescriptive norms, exemplary norms, external conditions, and self-efficacy have significant positive effects on college students’ willingness to participate in modern apprenticeship. Behavioral willingness and external conditions have a significant positive impact on college students’ participation in modern apprenticeship. Situational factors have a significant positive moderating effect on college students’ willingness and behavior to participate in modern apprenticeship. For this reason, the article proposes the following actions to push on modern apprenticeship. We should establish a high-quality employment security mechanism to enhance the inherent attraction of modern apprenticeship, attach importance to career planning education to improve students’ self-cognition, pay attention to career cognition education to enhance students’ career development awareness, improve the modern apprenticeship “1+X” certificate system to enhance college students’ sense of academic achievement. © The Author(s) 2024.

This study explores how two typical pedagogical modes, namely, problem-based and employment-based pedagogical mode, contribute to the employability of university and college students. Based on analysis of a total sample of 428 undergraduates from Chinese universities and colleges using structural equation modelling, the results show that students’ absorptive capacity was positively related to their employability. The employment-based pedagogical mode, considering the absorptive capacity as a partial mediator, was positively related to students’ employability. The problem-based pedagogical mode, considering the absorptive capacity as a complete mediator, was positively related to students’ employability. Absorptive capacity act as an important mediator variable when the employment-based and problem-based pedagogical mode influence students’ employability. Based on the findings, specific suggestions and managerial implications for higher education policy, manpower training, and future research are provided. © The Author(s) 2024.

Purpose: This study is to examine and develop sector skills strategies and action plans for the textile and apparel (T&A) sector. Design/methodology/approach: The paper used a participatory action qualitative method anchored on the Skills for Trade and Economic Diversification (STED) framework, utilising the workshop-based approach with 24 key stakeholders of the sector. Content analysis was used with the help of Nvivo software. Findings: The findings revealed that there are skills shortages, skills gaps, skills mismatches and skills diversification programmes available through higher education and work-based learning. Further, there are labour supply challenges such as national skills policy and strategy, government and stakeholder coordination, funding, relevance of curriculum and qualifications, access to practicals and the absence of a clear national vision for the sector. Research limitations/implications: This study possesses an inherent limitation in terms of generalising the findings derived from qualitative research. Originality/value: This research is among the first of its kind to assess skills needs and gaps through the lens of STED framework, which has been overlooked in previous literature. Importantly, this study provides vocational insights into skill needs in the sector. © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the moderating effect of the reflective practice of business students on how it helps to develop their employability skills through various university strategies. Design/methodology/approach: The study employed a simple random sample to select undergraduate level 400 students from the Universities under study (the University of Ghana, University of Professional Studies Ghana, Lancaster University Ghana and Webster University Ghana). Only final-year students with an informed judgement on the reflective practice and various institutional practices to acquire graduate employability skills were participated. The independent variables of the study are institutional strategies (curriculum design, extra curriculum, work-integrated learning, career development centre, university collaboration with the industry, student engagement, internship job placement), the moderator is the reflective practice and the dependent variable of the study is graduate employability. Findings: The study found that the moderation role of reflective practice had a significant effect on institutional strategies (extracurriculum, career development centre, university collaboration with the industry, student engagement and internship job placement) and graduate employability. Research limitations/implications: The study was limited to only undergraduate business students from four universities ignoring other disciplines and postgraduate students. Practical implications: The practical implication is that reflective practice must be an integral tool for various universities if they want students to use their strategies to sharpen their employability skills. Social implications: The social implications of the study emphasise the reflective practice of graduate students in universities. This implies that firms and other institutions must consider reflective practice for the maximum output of their employees. Originality/value: The concept of employability is a bit complex as it concerns many stakeholders of the educational process; the students, academic staff, employers, policymakers and higher education; the private sector; and the government. Although examining students' employability development skills is of great importance, students' reflective practice tends to be overlooked in most studies. Therefore, the focus of this study examines how the reflective practice of graduate students promotes employability through the various university strategies, which had not been considered. © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Employability is a set of key personal attributes and transferable and discipline-specific skills considered essential for effective workplace performance; however, there are numerous perspectives about employability and how to develop it in higher education. Definitions and measurements of employability are influenced by factors such as government policy, requirements of employers, discipline norms and structural barriers. In the context of the Special Issue: 20-year JUTLP Review, this structured narrative review aimed to explore and understand employability to inform higher education learning and teaching practice. Forty-six articles published in the Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice were included, set in the context of 45 review articles on employability sourced from Scopus and ERIC databases and other selected literature. Several definitions of employability drew on existing employability frameworks and researchers’ evolving conceptions of employability within their disciplinary contexts. We propose a composite definition of employability based on the findings from this review: Employability is lifelong, evolving and complex, requiring adaptability and capabilities including knowledge, skills and attributes to obtain sustainable employment and resolve work ambiguities in challenging globalised, sociocultural and economic contexts. higher education teaching practices, curriculum and assessment develop employability by developing discipline-specific alongside transferable knowledge, skills, attitudes, literacies, competencies, capacities and capabilities relevant to potential workplaces and aligned with employability attributes. Student-centred experiential learning models such as work-integrated learning, internships, industry experience, problem-based learning and reflection promote employability. higher education also should promote career development competencies to enable students to showcase their skills, experiences, and attributes to employers through e-portfolios. © by the authors.

In recent years, higher education in India has undergone significant changes, transitioning from traditional outcome-based learning to prioritizing international accreditation for top universities. This shift is part of a larger effort to elevate teaching standards, foster innovation, and promote global collaboration. While rote learning was previously prevalent, it produced graduates with strong theoretical foundations but often lacked practical skills and global perspectives essential in today's interconnected world. Despite the positive shift to international accreditation, challenges remain, necessitating more robust faculty development programs to meet rigorous standards. Graduates from accredited universities are better equipped to address global challenges and remain committed to lifelong learning. Global accreditation will continue to shape the future of education as the world progresses and interconnects. © 2024, IGI Global. All rights reserved.

Institutional Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC): Accessing Quality higher education in Bangladesh delves into the crucial role of the IQAC in shaping the landscape of higher education in the region. Aligned with the fourth Sustainable Development Goal, this book underscores the paramount importance of quality education in addressing societal challenges. With a focus on the IQAC, a vital entity mandated by the University Grants Commission and supported by World Bank funding, this book conducts a comprehensive qualitative study. Through purposive sampling, the researchers explore the current status of IQAC across public and private universities, analyzing key variables such as governance quality, human resource management, and student quality management. The study unveils challenges faced by IQAC, ranging from a lack of autonomy to inadequate infrastructure and restricted student access to laboratories. This book emphasizes the need for continuous progress, improved policies for teacher recruitment and training, enhanced lab facilities, and updated curricula reflective of contemporary realities. Jannatul Ferdous advocates for a paradigm shift in educational priorities, urging universities to prioritize research, practical training, and innovative teaching methods. This insightful exploration serves as a valuable resource for policymakers, educators, and stakeholders committed to elevating the quality of higher education in Bangladesh and fostering a generation prepared for the challenges of a globalized knowledge economy. © 2024 by The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

Purpose: This study intends to conceptually and technically examine the literature on work integrated learning (WIL) through a systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis. The present study addresses eight distinct research questions: (1) descriptive features of the extracted literature on WIL, (2) publications trends and thematic evolution in the field of WIL, (3) the most relevant and high-impact sources on WIL, (4) the most global cited articles on WIL, (5) the most relevant and high-impact authors on WIL, (6) the most relevant countries on WIL, (7) outcomes of Bradford’s Law of Scattering and Lotka’s Law of Scientific Productivity and (8) trending research avenues for future studies in the field of WIL. Design/methodology/approach: The present study employed systematic literature review (SLR) and bibliometric analysis mapping techniques to analyze 1,295 articles extracted from the Scopus database. The analysis utilized Biblioshiny software and VOSviewer software as the primary tools. Findings: The findings reveal that WIL constitutes a steadily expanding subject discipline, showcasing a notable 23.28% annual growth in scientific production spanning from 2002 to 2023 (July). Australia, South Africa and Canada emerged as the most productive countries within the field of WIL, as evidenced by their cumulative scientific production. The thematic map of keyword analysis suggests several burgeoning avenues for future researchers in the WIL domain, including education, reflective practices, curriculum, employability skills, international students, learning and self-efficacy. Originality/value: This study contributes to the WIL discourse by providing a comprehensive literature review. The present study’s findings hold significance for graduates, universities, employers, the higher education industry, policymakers, regulators and the broader community. © 2024, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Purpose: This study examines two crucial aspects of employability in the tourism industry, with a particular emphasis on contemporary advancements. The first aspect pertains to the emerging demands in the employability sector of the tourism industry, driven by technological advancements. Given the evident nature of this emerging trend, it is imperative to possess a robust infrastructure and comprehensive knowledge. The second aspect is to evaluate the level of education that industry employees receive in relation to the tourism sector in order to ensure sustainable development. Design/methodology/approach: The study employed a thematic literature review to evaluate the significance of tourism education on employability and the necessity of adopting technology. Findings: The findings deviate from the extensive literature search showed that higher education Institutions should prioritise ensuring that the new generation’s technological capabilities align with the traditional curricula in their respective fields, given the widespread use of personal computers and smartphones. Ultimately, students are increasingly expecting that technology will significantly impact their educational experiences and modes of communication for their future careers. Practical implications: It is widely acknowledged that the most efficient approach to fostering learning is to exert authority over the learning setting, and educators should generate learning prospects for students rather than merely transmitting information and facts. Originality/value: This review assesses two key aspects of employability in the tourism industry, focussing on recent technological advancements and the necessary skills for students' future careers. © 2024, Emerald Publishing Limited.