Search Results (100)

This qualitative study examines how culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP) and transformative learning are fostered in higher education when structured reflection, dialogic engagement, and feedback are intentionally embedded in teacher education coursework. Drawing on data from two university courses—one undergraduate course for preservice teachers and one graduate course for in-service educators (n = 44)—the study explores how equity-focused instructional design supports development toward inclusive, globally informed practice. Data sources included student reflective writing, an anonymous pre- and post-semester survey aligned with InTASC dispositions, instructor reflexive journals, peer observation reports, and course feedback artifacts. Of the 44 enrolled participants, 39 completed the pre-survey and 19 completed the post-survey; survey results were analyzed descriptively at the group level because responses were anonymous and could not be matched across time. Analysis followed Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis procedures, with trustworthiness strengthened through triangulation, peer debriefing, member checking with a subset of participants, and reflexive journaling. Findings revealed seven interconnected themes demonstrating how reflective writing, critical scholarship, multimedia exemplars, dialogic feedback, and iterative course design supported movement from awareness toward equity-oriented pedagogical praxis. Four overarching outcomes were especially salient: (a) expanded understandings of CRP as justice-oriented praxis; (b) increased capacity to identify and interrogate personal and systemic bias; (c) stronger connections between global and intercultural perspectives and locally grounded teaching commitments; and (d) reported pedagogical shifts toward more inclusive, equity-centered practice. Survey findings indicated a group-level shift from Agree toward Strongly Agree across equity-oriented dispositions, suggesting strengthened professional commitments while warranting cautious interpretation given unmatched responses and post-survey attrition. Comparative analysis also highlighted cohort-differentiated developmental trajectories, underscoring the importance of scaffolded, context-responsive approaches in equity-focused teacher education. Overall, the study demonstrates how intentional instructional design can position reflection as an ethical and professional stance that supports equity, inclusion, and global readiness across educator career stages. Full article

Technical higher education in the Philippines is a government priority, as it equips learners with the technical knowledge and practical skills necessary to develop industry and technology-ready human capital. In parts of Mindanao, the Philippines, where socio-economic and technological challenges are significant, Industrial Technology Education (ITE) learners must be equipped with relevant, comprehensive knowledge of industry trends. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was employed in this research, combining quantitative surveys with qualitative interviews to provide a comprehensive analysis. Five hundred twenty-six learners participated in the survey, and six were selected for in-depth interviews. The findings highlight the significant impact of familial and peer support on fostering confidence, encouraging academic perseverance, and improving mental health. However, financial hardships and inadequate emotional support remain significant obstacles. The study emphasizes the importance of cultivating an inclusive campus atmosphere via awareness efforts, accessible services, and mentorship programs to guarantee fair educational opportunities. For this reason, the implementation of personalized education plans, flexible learning, digital access, academic and educational support, and an institutional support system is highly encouraged to address learners’ essential needs. The research findings also suggest integrating mentorship programs, adopting inclusive learning practices, developing an adaptable curriculum, and providing mental health support services for learners, particularly those with disabilities. By aligning the curriculum with industry specifications and standards and providing well-planned support frameworks, higher education institutions in Mindanao can produce graduates who are professionally qualified, highly skilled, well-mannered, and career-prepared, fully equipped to meet the demands of the dynamic workforce. Full article

This study aimed to investigate the factors that predict the acceptance of distance learning among undergraduate nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic and to examine Please check if the Citation part is missing the implications of these findings for nursing education in the post-pandemic era. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Greece with a convenience sample of undergraduate nursing students from the Hellenic Mediterranean University and the University of Patras. Data were collected between December 2020 and January 2021 using an online questionnaire. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS version 21.0. A total of 378 undergraduate nursing students (mean age: 22 years) participated in this study. The regression model predicting students’ attitudes toward distance learning (ATel) was statistically significant and explained 18.3% of the variance in ATel scores (R² = 0.183, adjusted R² = 0.158). Among the psychological and experiential factors, future career concerns (β = 0.237, p < 0.001), emotional distress related to social isolation (β = 0.186, p = 0.001), and perceived difficulties in group work (β = 0.140, p = 0.013) were revealed as significant predictors of the students’ attitudes toward distance learning. In contrast, digital readiness, flexibility, and perceived effectiveness of distance learning were not revealed as statistically significant predictors in the multivariate model but were positively associated with students’ attitudes. Demographic characteristics were not identified as statistically significant predictors of ATel scores. Psychosocial factors were significantly associated with nursing undergraduate students’ attitudes toward distance learning, underscoring the importance of incorporating blended learning in higher education in the post-pandemic era to secure group interaction, effective collaboration, and students’ well-being. Full article

Understanding student artificial intelligence (AI) literacy in the context of higher education is crucial as technology advances and AI use increases. The purpose of this study is to better understand how university students perceive, define, and apply AI literacy within their own educational experiences and from their own disciplinary lens. Collecting electronic survey responses from 130 graduate and undergraduate students across several disciplines including First-Year Writing, Communication Studies, and Education, this study attempts to elucidate how students articulate and perceive their own degree of AI literacy—Access, Understanding, Critical Thinking, Application, and Ethics—in the educational context. Overall, students reported infrequent use, using ChatGPT most often. Education students reported a lower understanding of AI than non-education students. Undergraduates reported higher rates within ethics than graduate students. No significant differences in AI literacy were found between students who were or were not first-generation students, students who did or did not receive financial aid, or by gender. Students reporting higher rates of use also reported higher rates of AI literacy. Crucially, this study provides key qualitative and quantitative insights exploring how students perceive their own AI literacy. Understanding the current state of students’ AI literacy is important to facilitating holistic student success in academic environments and career readiness as institutions of higher education adapt and prepare curricula, programs, and interventions addressing AI literacy across disciplines. Full article

Background: The transition from dental education to professional practice represents a critical stage in career development, influenced by individual expectations, labor market conditions, and institutional support mechanisms. This study aimed to explore final-year dental students’ perceptions of professional transition and the role of public authorities in facilitating early-career integration. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 216 final-year dental students from a single Romanian university using a structured, self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were performed using Jamovi software, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results: Most students reported feeling insufficiently prepared for professional practice and identified lack of clinical experience as the main barrier to employment. A strong preference for private sector employment was observed, while interest in the public sector was limited. Students expressed a clear need for structured support, including mentorship, practical training, and career guidance. A significant association was identified between intention to work abroad and the types of support expected from authorities (χ²(2) = 14.7, p < 0.001, moderate effect size). Conclusions: The findings highlight important challenges in the transition to professional practice and emphasize the need for coordinated interventions involving educational institutions and public authorities. Strengthening structured support mechanisms may facilitate professional integration and contribute to improved workforce retention. Full article

Project SCORE (Student-Centered Outcomes Research Experiences) is a community-engaged after school science education program designed to address persistent inequities in health, education, and biomedical career access among Mississippi youth. Grounded in youth participatory action research and leveraging near-peer mentoring (NPM), the program engages teens in public health education, research skill development, and mentored inquiry led by undergraduate and graduate health sciences students. Program components include weekly workshops during the academic year and a one-week residential summer campus experience focused on health literacy, scientific thinking, research communication, and college-readiness. An evaluation assessed implementation and short-term outcomes. Pre/post survey data indicate increases in STEM self-efficacy, career interest in STEM careers, and public health communication skills. Students reported strong engagement, belonging, and program satisfaction, and summer participants described an enhanced interest in college and health science careers. The lessons learned highlight the importance of robust NPM support, flexible program adaptation, and strong community partnerships. Early findings demonstrate that Project SCORE is a feasible, acceptable, and replicable model for engaging historically excluded youth in STEM and public health through community-based, student-centered research experiences. Full article

Psychological readiness for career choice represents a critical developmental task during adolescence, shaping subsequent educational paths and vocational self-determination. This study investigates the formation of such readiness among grade nine students in a public secondary school in Almaty, Kazakhstan, using an integrated psychological assessment approach. Grounded in Holland’s RIASEC theory and temperament-based perspectives, the study examines how vocational interests, temperament characteristics, and educational decision status interact in early career planning. Data were collected from 185 students during structured school-based diagnostic sessions employing a RIASEC vocational interest inventory, a temperament assessment, and a brief educational decision questionnaire. The findings reveal a differentiated structure of vocational interests, with social and investigative orientations most prevalent. While a majority of students reported preliminary career or educational choices, a substantial proportion remained undecided, indicating heterogeneous levels of psychological readiness. Temperament distributions suggest that emotional regulation plays an important role in translating vocational interests into concrete decisions. Overall, the results support conceptualizing psychological readiness as a multidimensional construct encompassing interest clarity, personality-related regulation, and decision commitment. The study highlights the importance of sustained, psychologically informed career guidance during key educational transitions and offers practical implications for school-based career counseling. Full article

Background: In an era characterized by rapid technological disruption and vocational uncertainty, Career Adaptability (CA) has emerged as a critical meta-competency for university students transitioning into the workforce. While the importance of CA is well-documented, the internal mechanisms that foster it remain under-explored. This research adopts a resource-based perspective to investigate how Mindfulness—a state of non-judgmental present-moment awareness—acts as a catalyst for career readiness. Specifically, this study examines a dual-mediation model, proposing that Mindfulness enhances Emotional Intelligence (EI) and Psychological Capital (PsyCap) (comprising hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism), which in turn bolsters an individual’s capacity to adapt to changing career landscapes. By integrating these four constructs, the study provides a comprehensive framework for understanding how “being present” (Mindfulness) translates into “being prepared” (Career Adaptability) through the cultivation of emotional and psychological resources. Methods: The study collected data from 705 final-year students at Wollo University (male = 399 and female = 306). The study employed several well-established instruments: the Compound Psychological Capital Scale (CPC), the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale (WLIES), and the Career Adapt-Abilities Scale (CAAS). These instruments were rigorously evaluated for their psychometric applicability within the Ethiopian context. Results: PLS-SEM analysis revealed: (a) direct and positive influences of mindfulness, PsyCap, and EI on career adaptability; (b) partial and positive mediation effects of PsyCap and EI in the mindfulness-career adaptability link; (c) a serial mediation effect of mindfulness through PsyCap and EI; and (d) the proposed model explained a substantial amount of variance in university students’ career adaptability. Conclusions: Despite its strengths, the study acknowledged certain limitations and discussed potential implications for enhancing career adaptability, highlighting the benefits of cultivating mindfulness. Full article

This study explores the effectiveness of an AI-enabled career preparation platform in enhancing undergraduate students’ awareness of their career readiness and skill development. The research was conducted within a localized context at a comprehensive university in Singapore, introduced as part of a career-preparation exercise for internship exploration and selection, allowing students to self-assess their current competencies and identify gaps vis-à-vis industry requirements. Students first evaluate their perceived knowledge of their skills and the deficiencies they need to address. This platform leverages artificial intelligence to help students profile their skills and discover tailored internship opportunities. By uploading their resumes, students receive a personalized skills profile identifying their relevant competencies. The platform then suggests potential career roles and automatically shows skills for development. Using a retrospective pretest-posttest survey with Likert-scale responses, statistical tests revealed significant improvements across all measured areas. The platform was further assessed across two constructs with high internal consistency, reflecting strong user engagement and satisfaction. Lastly, we highlight the potential of AI-driven tools in supporting student career preparedness and offer insights for further platform improvements. The findings from this study are not assumed to generalize directly to other institutional, cultural, or national settings, but instead offer initial context-specific indications of how such tools may support students’ perceived skill awareness and career planning. Full article

Emerging adults who are students (EAS) face challenges balancing academic demands with early career development in a competitive labour market. Career and vocational interventions (CVIs) aim to support this transition by improving employability, academic outcomes, career self-efficacy, and mental health protective factors. This systematic review assesses the effectiveness of CVIs compared with standard approaches in improving employment-related outcomes for EAS, following Cochrane and PRISMA guidelines. Multiple databases were searched for studies published between 2018 and May 2025. Three independent reviewers screened abstracts and full texts in duplicate. Eligible studies were primary research evaluating CVIs for students aged 12–25 yrs and reporting employment-related outcomes. Thirty-one moderate- to low-quality studies examining middle school, high school, and university students were included from an initial 5765 records. CVIs were typically multi-component, combining training, school- or work-based learning, and additional supports. Overall, CVIs were associated with improved career readiness, academic outcomes, employment, resilience, and career adaptability. However, some studies reported lower employment rates and income for women and students with disabilities compared with men and peers without disabilities. These findings suggest that CVIs can support school-to-work transitions but underscore the need for tailored, integrated approaches, and higher-quality longitudinal research to guide policy and practice. Full article

The undergraduate nursing students’ final year project, commonly called a ‘dissertation’ is an important component of the bachelor’s nursing programme. It can take the form of a literature review and proposal for a research or service improvement project. While crucial for developing research competence and evidence-based practice skills in preparation for their future careers, nursing students often find the dissertation process highly stressful. An online qualitative survey comprising open-ended questions was used to elicit nursing students’ rich, reflective accounts of the dissertation process at a university in the Northeast of England (hereafter referred to as the study site) from those who have recently completed their dissertations. The data obtained from 24 pre-registration nursing students who responded to the survey were thematically analysed. The findings revealed that critical relationships and essential support systems were key mediators of the challenges students faced, particularly a lack of readiness for the dissertation module, but they ultimately achieved transformative outcomes of an effective learning experience. Their navigational challenges can inform curriculum design and practices to better support students in their dissertation journey. Full article

Freezing cold injury (FCI) is a localized injury caused by prolonged exposure to sub-zero temperatures, posing a significant health risk to military personnel operating in extreme climates. This study aimed to explore how FCI affects the health and lives of soldiers in the Norwegian Armed Forces (NAF), addressing the broader context of its impact on military readiness and the personnel’s well-being. Sixteen participants with a history of grade 2 FCI were recruited through the Norwegian Armed Forces Health Registry and interviewed. Systematic content analysis was used to identify key themes related to the causes and consequences of FCI, as well as the influence of military culture. The findings indicate that FCI results from interacting environmental, behavioural, and systemic factors. Environmental contributors included cold exposure and limited opportunities to eat or drink. Behavioural and individual contributors included reduced awareness of bodily cues in cold conditions and the need to remove gloves for weapon handling under time pressure. Systemic contributors, particularly military cultural norms emphasizing strict discipline and toughness, were perceived to discourage early symptom reporting and the use of preventive measures. Most participants (11/16) reported long-term consequences, including chronic physical discomfort, functional limitations, and negative impacts on their careers and daily lives. This study highlights the significant short- and long-term consequences of FCI, which extend beyond physical harm to affect soldiers’ overall health, functioning, and career progression. The findings emphasize the need for targeted preventive measures to mitigate the risks of FCI and protect military personnel in extreme climates. Full article

Community pharmacies in the United States (US) face an increasingly unsustainable future due to declining third-party reimbursement (remuneration) and ongoing cash flow challenges following the elimination of retroactive direct and indirect remuneration (DIR) fees. These pressures have contributed to widespread pharmacy closures, the emergence of pharmacy deserts, and reduced access to care for millions of patients. Despite these challenges, community pharmacy remains the most common employment setting for pharmacy school graduates in the US. However, currently required community pharmacy Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) student rotations may offer limited exposure to business, management, and entrepreneurial activities, potentially leaving students underprepared for practice in this setting. US colleges and schools of pharmacy are uniquely positioned to address this gap by partnering with their community pharmacy APPE rotation sites to intentionally integrate business- and practice-focused knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs) into the APPE. Equipping students with these KSAs may enhance early career readiness while also supporting the financial sustainability of US community pharmacies through the development of innovative, revenue-generating services. These efforts further align with the 2025 Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) Standards and may help advance the profession. Future research should examine optimal community pharmacy APPE structures, models, and assessment strategies to maximize student preparedness and long-term community pharmacy sustainability. Full article

Graduate employability has become a central concern for higher education institutions as labour markets undergo rapid transformation driven by digitalisation, technological change, and evolving organisational practices. Universities are increasingly expected to equip graduates with a broad range of employability skills and to collaborate with industry to enhance labour market readiness. However, existing research on employability skills development and university-industry collaboration remains fragmented across disciplines, contexts, and stakeholder perspectives. This systematic review synthesises evidence on how universities prepare their graduates for the labour market through employability skills development and university-industry collaboration. Following PRISMA guidelines, 84 journal articles and conference papers published between 2015 and 2025 were identified through a systematic search of the Scopus database and analysed thematically. The findings reveal that graduate employability is conceptualised as a multidimensional and context-dependent construct encompassing discipline-specific, transversal, digital, career management, and professional disposition-related skills. Employability skills development is most strongly supported through pedagogical approaches that emphasise authentic engagement with professional contexts, including work-integrated learning, project- and challenge-based learning, and technology-mediated collaboration. Reported outcomes extend beyond immediate employment metrics to include enhanced confidence, skills acquisition, employability awareness, curriculum relevance, and organisational learning. However, the effectiveness and sustainability of these initiatives are shaped by structural and institutional conditions, including policy frameworks, resourcing, partnership coordination, and equity of access. The review contributes an integrative synthesis that connects employability skills, pedagogical design, and university-industry collaboration, and outlines implications for policy, educational practice, and future research. Full article

Background/Objectives: Evidence-based practice (EBP) is a core competence in physiotherapy, yet its implementation in routine clinical practice remains inconsistent. This study aimed to describe self-reported EBP competencies among physiotherapists and to examine factors associated with daily EBP and readiness to implement EBP. Methods: A cross-sectional analytic survey was conducted among 337 practicing Estonian physiotherapists (75% female) between 2022 and 2024. EBP competencies were assessed using the Estonian version of the Evidence-Based Practice Questionnaire (EBPQ-E). Two multiple linear regression models examined associations of demographic and professional characteristics and EBP competencies with (1) daily EBP and (2) readiness to implement EBP. Results: The mean total EBPQ-E score was 4.72 (SD = 0.89), with the highest scores in Attitude, followed by Knowledge/Skills, Practice, and Sharing. While physiotherapists strongly endorsed the value of EBP, critical appraisal and knowledge sharing were less frequent. Readiness to implement EBP was associated with supervisory experience, dual employment, and working with colleagues (p < 0.05), explaining 7.5% of the variance. Daily EBP was primarily explained by EBP competencies (40.8% variance), whereas 5–10 years of qualification showed a negative association. Conclusions: While professional and contextual factors support readiness for EBP, sustained implementation relies on continuous competency development and career-long support for practicing physiotherapists, shifting focus away from static background characteristics, workload, and time constraints. Full article