Search Results (21)

In a climate of pervasive teacher shortages, initiatives have focused on attracting new teachers to the profession, with hardest-to-staff schools more likely to fill vacancies with early-career teachers, including those with conditional status. In Australia, workforce policy prioritises induction and mentoring to support transition to the profession and improve retention. This paper aims to understand mentor teacher experiences in hardest-to-staff schools, where a growing cohort of inexperienced teachers increases the need for mentoring. The analysis is based on data from semi-structured interviews conducted with teachers in six schools across two Australian states, as part of a larger project exploring work experiences of teachers in hardest-to-staff schools. In addition to formal mentoring, our findings illustrate that in these schools, informal and incidental mentoring is widespread. Further, the iterative nature of novice teacher induction creates a sense of ambivalence in longer-serving teachers. While experienced teachers find reward in supporting early-career colleagues, the hidden labour inherent to constant incidental mentoring encroaches on the time available to manage their own workload, sometimes leading to frustration and even resentment. We conclude that while mentoring is crucial with so many new entrants to the profession, policymakers should be aware of the labour associated with increased incidental mentoring to avoid unintended consequences for teachers who find themselves in the position of supporting growing numbers of new staff. Full article

This article presents the results of a study conducted in the area of qualitative social research in relation to the interpretative paradigm, as well as a review of research concerning the specificity and characteristics of the functioning of representatives of Generation Z (Zoomers, GenZ) and Generation Alpha. The aim of the present research was to assess the opinions of university teachers regarding the functioning of the iGen generation and the challenges of educating students representing Generation Z. In this research, a focus interview method was used. Interviews were conducted over a period of 6 months, with a total research sample [N = 150] of university teachers. Sociological, pedagogical and psychological analyses indicate different functioning of the young iGen generation in the context of social relations, learning and communication processes in relation to previous generations. These differences affect the educational process—the transmission of knowledge and the relationship of teachers with students. An analysis of the research results allowed for the proposal of exemplary educational solutions such as the competence-based education (CBE) model, as well as problem- and project-oriented learning (PBL) methods. The conclusions led to the design of practical guidelines that could be implemented in the process of educating students and, at the same time, preparing young people for the changing needs of the labour market. Full article

Given the rapidly changing job market in Canada and globally, there have been increasing calls to address the transferable skills gap between higher education graduates and the skills needed for the many new and changing jobs across the labour market. To investigate which fields of study in higher education in Canada produce graduates who go on to use more transferable skills on the job, we created an index of transferable skills use at work from several background questionnaire variables available in the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) in Canada survey. A series of four least squares linear regression models were used to examine the impacts of variables such as field of study and occupation type on this transferable skills index. Teacher training and education programs were found to have the highest scores on the transferable skills index, suggesting that these programs (and other professional programs) should be considered as a source of inspiration for how all programs can promote transferable skill development in their students. We also found a connection between transferable skill use and management roles within the workplace, suggesting that transferable skills are important factors in promotion to management roles. Full article

In recent years, virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a pivotal technology in the field of education, offering immersive and interactive experiences that have the potential to significantly enhance teaching and learning processes. However, for educational designers, teachers, and lecturers who lack advanced information technology skills, identifying and evaluating suitable VR applications can be a complex and labour-intensive endeavour. This article provides a non-technical, action-oriented overview of commercially available VR solutions designed for social skills training in education. To identify relevant providers, we conducted a four-phase snowball search from April to October 2024, combining academic literature reviews, expert interviews, web searches, and demo testing. This process led to the identification of ten VR providers suitable for social and communication skills development. The selected applications were analyzed across ten key criteria, including communication style, avatar design and customization, technological requirements, language support, and the availability of content libraries and authoring tools. The results reveal significant variation among providers in terms of pedagogical flexibility, technical accessibility, and degrees of user customization. By mapping these differences, the article offers a practical starting point for educational stakeholders seeking VR solutions that align with their instructional goals. Rather than offering an exhaustive review, the study presents a structured orientation to facilitate informed decision-making in selecting and implementing VR tools for social skills training. Full article

Many learners with mild intellectual developmental disorders (IDD) in mainstream primary schools in the Free State Province of South Africa require support to maximise their learning potential and prepare them for work post-school. In this study, a qualitative approach and Critical Disability Theory were used to explore the experiences of education stakeholders (teachers, parents, and principals) in how schools support the career development of learners with mild IDD in mainstream schools. There were 25 participants in this study, and data were collected through interviews, focus group discussions, and demographic questionnaires. The findings indicated that teachers were optimistic that learners with intellectual developmental disorders could thrive if identified early and provided with specialised support services. The findings also showed that teachers had low self-efficacy regarding their training on inclusive education practices and had limited knowledge about career development services. All the participants were optimistic that learners with mild IDD could participate in the labour market if they were taught work-related skills at an early age. It is recommended that stronger collaborative partnerships should be developed between stakeholders to promote inclusive support interventions, transform teaching approaches, and equip mainstream teachers with the required skills. Full article

Forest cover mapping is of paramount importance for environmental monitoring, biodiversity assessment, and forest resource management. In the realm of forest cover mapping, significant advancements have been made by leveraging fully supervised semantic segmentation models. However, the process of acquiring a substantial quantity of pixel-level labelled data is prone to time-consuming and labour-intensive procedures. To address this issue, this paper proposes a novel semi-supervised-learning-based semantic segmentation framework that leverages limited labelled and numerous unlabelled data, integrating multi-level perturbations and model ensembles. Our framework incorporates a multi-level perturbation module that integrates input-level, feature-level, and model-level perturbations. This module aids in effectively emphasising salient features from remote sensing (RS) images during different training stages and facilitates the stability of model learning, thereby effectively preventing overfitting. We also propose an ensemble-voting-based label generation strategy that enhances the reliability of model-generated labels, achieving smooth label predictions for challenging boundary regions. Additionally, we designed an adaptive loss function that dynamically adjusts the focus on poorly learned categories and dynamically adapts the attention towards labels generated during both the student and teacher stages. The proposed framework was comprehensively evaluated using two satellite RS datasets, showcasing its competitive performance in semi-supervised forest-cover-mapping scenarios. Notably, the method outperforms the fully supervised approach by 1–3% across diverse partitions, as quantified by metrics including mIoU, accuracy, and mPrecision. Furthermore, it exhibits superiority over other state-of-the-art semi-supervised methods. These results indicate the practical significance of our solution in various domains, including environmental monitoring, forest management, and conservation decision-making processes. Full article

This article describes the serious game Compete!, developed within the European Erasmus+ framework, that aims to teach soft skills to higher education students in order to increase their employability. Despite the increasing relevance of soft skills for successful entry into the labour market, these are often overlooked in higher education. A participatory learning methodology based on a gamification tool has been used for this purpose. The game presents a series of scenarios describing social sustainability problems that require the application of soft skills identified as key competencies in a field study across different European countries. These competencies are creative problem-solving, effective communication, stress management, and teamwork. On completion of each game scenario and the game itself, students receive an evaluation of both their soft skills and the strategic and operational decisions they have made. In the evaluation of these decisions, both the economic and sustainability aspects of the decision are assessed. The teacher can then address the competencies and sustainability issues using the different game scenarios, thus creating higher motivation and deeper understanding amongst the students. This hybrid learning methodology incorporates digital tools for the cross-curricular teaching and learning of sustainability and soft skills. In conclusion, this article describes a possible method of incorporating soft skills in higher education; this complements students’ technical knowledge while helping to achieve Sustainable Development Goals. Full article

The 2019 pandemic had a direct impact on all educational stakeholders. While many teachers and trainers regarded the changes with some scepticism, others embraced the opportunity to integrate technology into their teaching-and-learning methods and resources. As translation trainers, it is essential to follow and understand the translation market. Translators require vast competencies, amongst which is the flexibility to adapt. In translation training, project-based learning (PBL) has been established as an essential teaching-and-learning method, as it has proven to foster the development of essential competencies, since it simulates the translator’s work environment. Thus, the need to implement new strategies within a short timeframe reinforced the practice of PBL. PBL reflects the work of a freelance translator, because it places the student at the centre of the learning process. In these situations, student self-regulation becomes essential, as it is necessary to analyse the market/situation/project received and be flexible enough to adapt to the specific context. As of 2018–2019, ISCAP implemented PBL as the main teaching-and-learning method in its Technical Translation courses. At the same time, on these courses, an ongoing qualitative quasi-experimental study on student self-regulated learning (SRL) began. The purpose is to understand student perception of their self-regulation competence and its development, or lack thereof, after using PBL to complete translation assignments. The study presented in this article aims to examine the possible effects an online-PBL approach may have on a student’s SRL during the pandemic. Students enrolled in the translation courses voluntarily answered a survey on SRL two times: at the beginning and then at the end of the course. The purpose was to analyse and compare each student’s responses before and after using PBL strategies, identifying changes in student perception over a six-month period. Additionally, we compare each group’s results over a period of three years, which includes the lockdown. Statistical analysis showed that a higher level of self confidence in autonomous learning was achieved, but a lower level of belief in the importance and usefulness of the course contents was noted. Additionally, the study revealed that, with the exception of time-management, student SRL increased. Results indicate that PBL is a useful simulation of the translation labour market and that it does enhance essential competencies, amongst which is student SRL. Full article

This study was designed to assess the psychometric properties of a brief version of the Frankfurt Emotion Work Scale (FEWS) adapted to Spanish in a sample of teachers, taking into consideration gender differences. Method: The sample consisted of 9020 teachers of public education in the Valencian Community (M_age = 45.33 years, SD = 9.15; 72.5% female). Results: The psychometric properties are adequate. It consists of 12 items grouped into six factors that explain 79.54% of the variance. Cronbach’s alpha and composite reliability coefficients (CRC) for the full scale are adequate: α = 0.79; CRC = 0.90. Confirmatory Factorial Analyses also confirm the structure of the scale (χ² = 890.36, S-B χ² = 747.38, df = 39, NFI = 0.945, NNFI = 0.911, CFI = 0.947, IFI = 0.947, MFI = 0.925, and RMSEA = 0.069). Convergent and discriminant validity were also probed. Finally, a gender effect over Emotional labour was found, there was a difference between gender in the scale and all of the dimensions of the questionnaire, with higher values on women. Conclusions: according to the results of this study, the use of this diagnostic tool for Spanish non-university teachers appears to be justified. Full article

Given the impact of unsustainable practices, work, and living patterns, it has become increasingly important to raise global citizens as stewards of the earth’s life support system. Thus, developing sustainability literacy has become very crucial. A sustainability-literate professional can make sound decisions and act in environmentally friendly, socially acceptable, and economically viable ways. Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) arguably has the potential to educate workers, graduates, and citizens alike in developing sustainability literacy since it is regarded in many nations as the supplier of skilled labour. TVET teacher training programmes in Malaysia have been vastly proficient in developing vocationally competent teachers and workers. Still, there remains uncertainty regarding the extent to which these vocational teaching professionals have been trained to develop sustainability competencies and literacies. The implication is that, when technical and vocational teachers responsible for training workers do not possess the requisite competencies to engage in sustainability education, the potential for TVET to become a viable tool for ESD diminishes. Given this backdrop, this study was undertaken to propose a curriculum framework for sustainability literacy for technical and vocational teacher training programmes. Using a modified Delphi method (MDM) consisting of 15 expert participants from Asian-Pacific countries, four important curricular elements for sustainability literacy were identified and defined. These include the learning outcomes for sustainability literacy, teaching competencies for sustainability literacy, pedagogical approaches to foster effective teaching and learning for sustainability, as well as ESD integration strategies. The specific indicators within this curriculum framework were also defined. The paper concludes with vivid implications for practice within TVET teacher training programmes in realising Goal 4 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Full article

Stress is a defining trait of our modern societies. The correlations between economic and social developments and the state of ill-being of populations have long been demonstrated. Today, negative environmental factors such as climate change, war and health crises have consequences on populations. Regardless of gender or age, more and more people are suffering from stress, of which there are many effects. According to studies, stress is an emotional response resulting from human–environmental interaction. They define stress as a state of discomfort and tension caused by external factors. This author believes that stress has a negative impact, which leads to frustration and increased difficulty in addressing issues. Authors describes stress as a physical and psychological state experienced by someone facing a real or potential. For students, stress can be caused by a number of factors. Some of these may include how the university functions, exam periods, relationships with teachers, the pressure that parents put on academic achievement, competition with other students, financial problems, uncertainty about the future, and lack of self-confidence. Symptoms of stress are now well identified. Students suffering from stress report feeling unhappy, having stomach pains, difficulty relaxing and sleeping, mental health problems, and even depression. When it comes to stress, Romanian students are no exception, especially because of the particularly volatile situation faced by the nation. The country has high immigration of skilled and qualified labour, inflation, and depreciation of the national currency. Students also claim to be stressed by the challenges of student life and the demands of the working world. They have a constant fear of failure and doubt themselves, their academic skills, and success in their careers after graduating. Our sociological study aims to deepen our knowledge in this field in Romania. In an already anxious context, it successively examines stress factors, symptoms experienced by students, conditions for organising studies, and ways to improve students’ quality of life. To conduct our study, we sampled students at the Dunărea de Jos University of Galați. We analysed 151 questionnaires sent to a sample of students listed in various first-year university courses. The results of this survey ultimately allow us to better identify the time-related, financial, and social factors of stress and the resulting symptoms. It is very clear that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a detrimental effect on this already fragile young population. Our study is also an opportunity to discuss ways to better manage student stress. Full article

This article charts the contiguity of farming and film, blending permaculture and cinema to advance a modality of sustainable film theory and practice we call “permacinema.” As an alternative approach to looking and labour, permaculture exhibits a suite of cinematic concerns, and offers a model for cinematic creativity that is environmentally accountable and sensitive to multispecies entanglements. Through the peaceable gestures of cultivation and restraint, permacinema proposes an ecologically attentive philosophy of moving images in accordance with permaculture’s three ethics: care of earth, care of people, and fair share. We focus on work by Indigenous artists in which plants are encountered not only as raw material or as aesthetic resource but as ingenious agents and insightful teachers whose pedagogical and creative inputs are welcomed into the filmmaking process. By integrating Indigenous epistemologies and cosmologies we hope to situate permacinema in the wider project of cinema’s decolonization and rewilding. Full article

In the era of globalization and technology, society demands young generations of citizens able to work in a kind of environment characterized by complexity and diversity. Therefore, the education system faces a new kind of challenge, as graduates are reported to need transversal skills, which are unlikely to be learned through traditional classroom teaching. The overall aim of this article is to examine the needs for these skills and their acquisition by higher education teachers to cope with the evolving European labour market of the 2020s. The article envisions the importance of soft skills in the teaching profession. The empirical part consists of a comparative study with Italian and Portuguese teachers, highlighting the status of a set of crucial soft skills (assertiveness, networking skills, teamwork, sensitivity, socialization, action-orientation, ability to work under pressure and social desirability). Full article

In addition to restrictions in training companies, vocational schools were also closed due to the coronavirus pandemic in Germany. After the unexpected first lockdown, it was the challenge of all those involved to draw lessons from the emergent weaknesses in the system and to prepare for further school closures. These preparations primarily involved shifting to digital learning platforms. This article uses a simple and easy to understand research design and focuses from a practical point of view on the results of a quantitative online survey conducted by the University of Applied Labour Studies Mannheim among 143 apprentices in southern Germany on the differences between the first and second school closures with regard to live communication with teachers, attention to apprentice concerns by the vocational school, access to digital devices, and the use of these devices. The results of the survey show that, according to the apprentices’ assessments, the vocational schools were able to improve live communication as well as better attend to the apprentices’ concerns between lockdowns. In addition, the apprentices were able to improve their own digital devices and competencies and, to a large extent, make up for deficits. They were better able to use digital devices and software during the second school closure compared to the first. Gender differences were observed. However, despite significant improvements, there is still a need to modernize and innovate, which should be considered in future digital developments at schools. Full article

The mission of higher education institutions (HEI) includes fostering conditions that enable student participation, and a commitment to their professional success. Pedagogical strategies which combine learning that goes beyond the university and involves a service-learning (SL) course carried out in the context of a pedagogical innovation programme of the University of Porto were examined. This examination included interviews with teachers, a focus group discussion with students and the analysis of logbooks and final reports to realize the potential of SL for improving employability. The results put into perspective the weaknesses and potentialities of SL courses at HEI and show that when academic learning is integrated with community experience, students gain both personal/social and academic skills. They also develop leadership and communication skills and critical awareness on the one hand and time and resources management and the ability to adapt and respond to challenges of the real world on the other, all seen as beneficial for the transition into the labour market. Full article