Maintaining Skill Development of Newly Qualified Physical Education Teachers: Mentorship After Graduation

High percentages of newly qualified teachers drop out during their first 5 years of teaching in the classroom. Often, formal support systems are put in place to overcome ‘practice shock’. Yet this practice shock is generally associated with traditional academic subjects such as mathematics, humanities and science. The often-marginalised subject of physical education can be largely neglected when newly qualified teachers are considered. One strategy to reduce practice shock is that of an established mentoring program. The large volume of literature on mentoring across an array of education subjects suggests that mentoring is a valued skill. However, while mentoring is acknowledged as an essential prerequisite for successful teacher induction, its effectiveness in physical education may vary depending on the mentor’s quality of support and the mentee’s initial professional beliefs. This article draws on a structured analysis of research-based articles on mentoring for newly graduated physical education teachers and explores the discipline between mentee and mentor to make more valid inferences about the roles, responsibilities and outcomes of mentoring. The need for clarity around a physical education teacher’s role as a mentor and associated responsibilities relative to the provision of emotional support and guidance are examined along with suggestions for explicit transmission-oriented mentoring approaches to support beginning teachers’ professional development

The Digital Bridge Project: Strengthening Cognitive Resilience in Ukrainian and EU Students

The events in Ukraine in 2022 had a devastating effect on its population.  The authors of this paper considered whether it would be possible to strengthen both Ukrainian and other young people’s cognitive resilience in the face of different forms of conflict if they were put into contact with students in other countries. One potential means for building this resilience that could be explored in a classroom setting was the provision of a platform through which to compare perspectives with fellow students of other nationalities while gaining exposure to and practical experience with a set of cognitive tools for understanding and addressing challenging situations.  The Digital Bridge Project (DPB) was designed to improve these students’ English and critical analysis skills through direct exchange with their counterparts in other parts of the world via five online interviews in which they explored decision-making tools proposed by a variety of authors. The following case study describes how the Project was conducted. Three Ukrainian universities and the University of Europe for Applied Sciences in Iserlohn, Germany participated in this study. The results of the Project indicate that it is a model that can be applied effectively in a variety of subject areas. The authors recommend that schools and universities wishing to emulate the model discussed here should adapt the format to their specific needs. The results of the student surveys from both countries involved indicate that the method can empower students to address a wide range of disruptive forces in business and society with tools that are part of a 21st century skill set for both enhancing managerial decision-making and encouraging participatory democracy

Re-Thinking Teachers’ Roles for One-to-One Teaching: The Hungarian Perspective

While teacher training generally focuses on preparing trainees for teaching groups of students, during their careers teachers will face situations where they need to teach students in one-to-one situations. Private language teaching is a large, but often informal industry; therefore, its scale tends to be underestimated. The lack of research and teacher training in this field leads to clients (or learners) being misled easily by untrained tutors or people claiming to be professionals without any training in teaching. This review of the literature focuses on this vast, but largely abandoned area of language teaching to create a framework for the discussion of one-to-one teaching by clarifying the terminology with a focus on interpreting teachers’ roles in one-to-one teaching based on the most popular English teacher training books in the Hungarian context. The implications of this review are relevant for any stakeholder involved in language teaching and learning. Within our theoretical framework, we have defined three main roles in three professional areas: instructors are course managers (course management), teachers (professional competencies), and supporters (social-psychological awareness and skills), being primarily responsible for course design, facilitating learning, and creating a supportive atmosphere, respectively. One-to-one teaching is unique and deserves not to be on the periphery of teacher training

Developing Employees’ Critical Thinking Skills in Malta: Evaluating a Hypothetical Business Proposal

Critical thinking is considered one of the most significant competencies that employees need to develop in order for them to contribute to an organisation’s success and productivity. The lack of professional development opportunities aimed at enhancing the critical thinking capacity of employees might be deleterious for organisations seeking to capitalise on this competence as a means of remaining innovative. By means of a conceptual case study of Thinkerly – a business-to-business (B2B) firm offering critical thinking training solutions in Malta – this article considers the firm’s business idea, target customer segment, and competitive external business environment. The hypothetical business proposal analyses the internal and external factors affecting the firm’s performance and evaluates the positioning, strategy and competitive advantage of the bespoke training firm. The primary objective of the conceptual case study is to indicate the main considerations a B2B company needs to take when developing critical thinking training in a specific context. To illustrate how any such proposal is likely to have its limitations, two of the models utilised in the design of Thinkerly’s proposal are subjected to critique

A Future in the Past: Career Opportunities for Australian History Graduates

Australia\u27s History educators frequently face challenges regarding the value of post-school qualifications in history. Comments from Australian Government ministers have intensified claims that history degrees lack broad skills valued by employers. This study addresses the dearth of research examining the alignment between learning outcomes from history degrees and occupational skills. A comprehensive analysis was conducted on learning outcomes from 27 history degrees offered by Australian universities. These outcomes were mapped against the Australian Government\u27s Skills Classification Core Competencies and Occupation Listings, employing a rigorous curriculum mapping methodology. The results identified 126 occupations that align with the skills and competencies developed through history degrees. This research not only challenges misconceptions about the employability of history graduates but also provides empirical evidence of the broad applicability of historical skills across various sectors. The findings reveal a significant concentration of history graduates in managerial and professional roles, indicating the high value placed on critical thinking, analytical, and communication skills developed by studying history. However, the study also highlights areas for improvement, particularly in digital engagement and numeracy skills. The research demonstrates that history degrees cultivate a range of transferable skills highly sought after in the modern job market, including advanced communication, critical analysis, research proficiency, and adaptability. These skills position history graduates to excel in diverse fields such as public policy, journalism, law, business, and education. Furthermore, the study underscores the importance of interdisciplinary approaches in curriculum design to enhance graduate employability. This research contributes valuable insights for curriculum development and career guidance in history education, demonstrating that history degrees lead to diverse and meaningful employment outcomes. It also provides a robust evidence base for advocating the value of historical studies in an increasingly skills-focused higher education landscape

Research Writing, Peer Review and Academic Publishing: Benefits of Individual, Institutional and Journal Mentoring

Writing academic research papers acceptable for journal publication is not often taught in graduate programs let alone in undergraduate studies. Students and early career researchers (herein known as students for both categories) usually undergo a trial-and-error period to learn how to navigate the publication submission process—a long and daunting task. However, E-mentoring, or electronic mentoring, has proven to be beneficial for students. E-mentoring opportunities can be found by a pro-active student seeking out published researchers in their fields and requesting if they can mentor them. Colleges, universities or other academic institutions may have formal or informal research or peer review programmes, internship, field experience or practicum courses for-credit. Academic journals may also host student mentoring programmes for peer review, editing, and/or research writing hands-on experiences. Mentoring students in research writing and the journal publication process should start as early in one’s academic career as possible. Age or academic status should not be seen as a deterrent or disadvantage when mentored by a patient, experienced and enthusiastic research mentor. Such e-mentoring experiences can be offered by individual researchers, at the institutional level or from the academic journal—the latter being the most ideal model worthy of advocacy and replication

Paideia Patristic Education: Analysis into the acquisition of soft skills in Universities in Machakos County, Kenya

The acquisition of soft skills is increasingly recognized as a crucial component of higher education, essential for preparing students to meet the challenges of the modern workforce. This study investigates the process of acquiring soft skills through Paideia Patristic Education (PPE) in universities in Machakos County, Kenya. This quantitative study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the PPE framework in promoting key soft skills such as communication, teamwork, critical thinking, and flexibility. Purposive sampling technique was used to target specific faculty members and students. Data was collected using structured and semi-structured questionnaires. The study\u27s results show that PPE has a positive effect on students\u27 soft skills, particularly in enhancing their ability to work effectively in teams and collaborate. Universities in Machakos County and beyond should strongly consider incorporating Paideia Patristic Education principles into their curricula. This would help cultivate crucial soft skills in students, better equipping them for the challenges of the contemporary job market

Exploring Knowledge and Perceptions of Level Learning Outcomes and Meta-Skills in a Creative Business School Context

Much has been written about the necessity for graduates to be aware of their skill set and transferability for the workplace.  Degree programs in Scotland have long relied on guidance from the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) on the taxonomy or wording of level learning outcomes (LLOs), which are the building blocks of degrees.  More recently, a meta-skills framework created by Skills Development Scotland (SDS) offers clarity around meta-skills and suggests relevant wording, but these do not always align with academic taxonomies.  The current research sought to explore the relationship between LLOs and meta-skills further from an academic and student perspective. A qualitative approach consisting of staff interviews and student focus groups from a range of creative business courses was adopted. A thematic analysis revealed gaps in staff and student understanding of LLOs and meta-skill terminology.  The findings support the argument that skills should be linked more obviously to modular learning and recommendations are made as to how these could be communicated effectively to aid understanding around the transferability of university-acquired skills to the workplace.

Unlocking Potential With Multimodal Learning and Assessment: A Discussion of the Barriers and Benefits

In the current dynamic education landscape, equipping students with flexible, critical and creative digital literacy skills is essential. Higher education plays a key role in this endeavour, as changes in the use of digital technology and academic practices have created an increasing need for teachers and students to develop multimodal competencies. To develop these skills, educational institutions should embrace and utilise multimodality in both teaching and assessment. Aside from meeting students’ expectations to develop their digital literacy skills, multimodal approaches provide an engaging, interactive and creative experience of education. They also constitute a more inclusive method of learning, as neurodivergent students can access information and demonstrate knowledge in different ways. This article provides a synthesis of research into the barriers and benefits of multimodal learning and assessment. The paper calls for a change in mindset among education stakeholders, advocating for the recognition of learning as multimodal, and the implementation of multimodal assessment

Cognitive Skills within the Inner Development Goals (IDG) Framework: Empowering Sustainable Careers and Sustainable Development

Our theoretical manuscript aims to explore the role that dimension two, ‘Thinking-Cognitive Skills’ of the Inner Development Goals (IDG) framework, can play in empowering sustainable careers and sustainable development. We begin by setting the scene before introducing the theoretical framework, which combines the IDG framework and Sustainable Career Ecosystems Theory (SCET). Our attention then turns to systematically considering each of the components of dimension two of the IDG framework. These include (a) critical thinking, (b) complexity awareness, (c) perspective skills, (d) sense-making, and (e) long-term orientation and visioning.  The theoretical contribution comes from integrating the IDG framework and SCET. Practical implications come from offering eight pragmatic recommendations to empower students in the context of higher education to prepare for sustainable careers and sustainable development: (i) curriculum design, (ii) interdisciplinary approach, (iii) experiential learning, (iv) faculty development, (v) assessment and evaluation, (vi) campus culture, (vii) collaboration and external partners, and (viii) research and innovation. Limitations and a future research agenda are also provided