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The purpose of this paper is to introduce a theoretical framework based on authentic learning approaches that can be taken into consideration in higher education (HE) contexts to design activities that enable students to develop employability skills.

Three methods were used to develop the framework: desk research on current demand and supply of new graduate’s employability skills; interviews in four European HE institutions to identify authentic learning scenarios; and asynchronous online focus group to validate the framework.

The paper takes a competence-centred approach to the concept of employability skills and sets out a taxonomy of skills required to enhance new graduates’ employability. It also gives criteria and examples of authentic learning scenarios in HE settings that promote the acquisition of these skills.

The framework developed remains theoretical. In a second phase, the framework will be applied to implement authentic activities in different programmes and subjects of five HE institutions, and the results will be reported in future publications.

The framework gives directions to create real and practical ways to enhance new graduates’ employability skills by improving the connection between HE curricula and the demands of the real world.

The added value of the paper lies in adopting a learner-centred, genuine and effective learning approach, such as authentic learning as a catalyst for bringing work experience to formal learning in HE institutions, in order to better develop graduates’ employability skills.

‘Education for employability’ has been the mantra of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) since its inception. To attain that, the 28 participating countries agreed to implement reforms aimed at bridging higher education (HE) curricula and learning strategies and the labour market demands. Indeed, the global financial crisis and the euro area crisis and the surge in youth unemployment they led to have reconfirmed the validity of this policy imperative. Clearly, several challenges beset the transition from content- to competence-based HE. By elaborating on the case of the Open University of Catalonia (UOC) this chapter, identifies and discusses them critically. Recommendations relevant for HE leadership conclude the discussion.

The Open University of Sri Lanka implemented a fully online professional development course on open educational resources-based e-learning (OEReL), which adopted a scenario-based learning (SBL) design within the constructivist pedagogy. It was designed to facilitate knowledge construction in a collaborative manner with the support of open educational resource (OER), mainly through peer-facilitated discussion forum activities. The purpose of this paper is to present a case study on how peer-facilitated discussions affected the OEReL process, what factors supported and hindered peer-facilitated discussions, and what challenges were faced during the process.

The OEReL course consisted of five modules with 14 discussion forum activities. Content analysis of the threaded forum discussions was the key data collection and analysis strategy based on the community of inquiry (CoI) framework (Garrison and Arbaugh, 2007). It was supplemented with participants’ reflections and focus group discussions.

The three elements of CoI – cognitive presence, social presence and teaching presence played a major role in knowledge construction in the OEReL process. A complementary relationship between cognitive presence, social presence and teaching presence was observed, where the three elements have interacted in supporting knowledge construction. Overall, the findings reaffirm the significant of role of instructors in cultivating the three presences within a peer-facilitated environment, by enabling learners to engage with the content in a meaningful manner through appropriate course design, structure and leadership.

Forum discussions created an opportunity for participants to engage in meaning making through social negotiation, where facilitation became a shared responsibility among instructors and learners. Peer-facilitation was the key strength that promoted critical, analytical and reflective thinking, as well as self-regulated learning. The SBL design, learning tasks with OER integration, and instructor guidance were the most supportive factors, while time constraints due to the participants’ workload was challenging.

Through carefully orchestrated, well-structured and pedagogically sound OEReL environments, peer-facilitated forum discussions can be designed creatively and implemented in a meaningful manner to enhance knowledge construction.

The frequency and sophistication of cybercrimes are increasing. These cybercrimes are impacting government and private organizations as well as individuals. One of the countermeasures is to improve the cyber hygiene of the end-users. Serious games or game-based learning has emerged as a promising approach for implementing security education, training and awareness program. In this paper, the researchers propose a tabletop card game called Cyber Suraksha to increase threat awareness and motivate users to adopt recommended security controls for smartphone users. Cyber Suraksha provides an active learning environment for the players. This paper aims to provide the details of the design and evaluation of the game using a between-subjects design.

The researchers have used constructive learning theory and the Fogg behaviour model (FBM) to design a tabletop card game called Cyber Suraksha. The researchers evaluated the game using a between-subjects design. The participants' responses in the control and intervention groups were collected using the risk behaviour diagnosis scale. Pearson’s Chi-Square test with a 5% significance level was used to test the hypotheses.

The results indicate that the game is enjoyable and fun. Cyber Suraksha game effectively motivates users to adopt the recommended security control for the targeted behaviour. The results indicate that the participants in the intervention group are 2.65 times more likely to adopt recommended behaviour. The findings of this study provide evidence for the effectiveness of hope and fear appeals in improving cybersecurity awareness.

The generalizability of the study is limited because the sample size is small compared to the total number of smartphone users in India, and only students from computer/IT UG programs in India are used as participants in this study.

This study uses hope and a fear appeal to design an effective serious game. It also demonstrates using the FBM and constructive learning principles for effective serious game design. Cyber Suraksha is effective for the student group and may be tested with other age groups.

To the researchers' knowledge, there are no serious games for cybersecurity awareness focusing on the threats faced by smartphone users based on FBM and constructive learning theory. This research used hope along with a fear appeal to motivate smartphone users to adopt recommended security controls.

The paper aims at examining the employability skills relevant in the unprecedented times of turbulence in businesses due to COVID-19 in the Indian context.

The study examined the recent skills model through an extensive literature review. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) is conducted to identify the employability skills perceived as important by multiple stakeholders. ANOVA was applied to examine the differences in perceived importance attached to these dimensions by the three stakeholders.

The ten-factorial solution was extracted based on the results of EFA The findings offer a fresh perspective on digital competencies perceived as most important to ensure successful long-term employability, followed by business fundamentals and behavioral skills.

The study has been able to map perceptions of employers, faculty and students based in Delhi-NCR regarding essential employability skills. It would be worthwhile to validate the proposed employability skills framework across different geographical sections of India and ascertain if the perceptions vary in the employment sector and employer size.

Although the study has put forth practical employability skills, there is a need for convergence between the business stakeholders and Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) to develop a broad skill-base for the fresh graduates. The study will prepare them for the volatile business environment.

Many previous studies have lacked the employability skill framework in the Indian context from the multiple stakeholders' perspective. The HEIs can rethink their current employability, including the most prominent skills required in succeeding in a technology-enabled business environment transformed by the pandemic.

This article investigates the application of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in experiential learning for authentic assessment in higher education. Recognized for its human-like content generation, GenAI has garnered widespread interest, raising concerns regarding its reliability, ethical considerations and overall impact. The purpose of this study is to explore the transformative capabilities and limitations of GenAI for experiential learning.

The study uses “thing ethnography” and “incremental prompting” to delve into the perspectives of ChatGPT 3.5, a prominent GenAI model. Through semi-structured interviews, the research prompts ChatGPT 3.5 on critical aspects such as conceptual clarity, integration of GenAI in educational settings and practical applications within the context of authentic assessment. The design examines GenAI’s potential contributions to reflective thinking, hands-on learning and genuine assessments, emphasizing the importance of responsible use.

The findings underscore GenAI’s potential to enhance experiential learning in higher education. Specifically, the research highlights GenAI’s capacity to contribute to reflective thinking, hands-on learning experiences and the facilitation of genuine assessments. Notably, the study emphasizes the significance of responsible use in harnessing the capabilities of GenAI for educational purposes.

This research showcases the application of GenAI in operations management education, specifically within lean health care. The study offers insights into its capabilities by exploring the practical implications of GenAI in a specific educational domain through thing ethnography and incremental prompting. Additionally, the article proposes future research directions, contributing to the originality of the work and opening avenues for further exploration in the integration of GenAI in education.

This paper aims to focus on academics in three private foreign universities located in Cairo (Egypt) to explore the effect of organizational learning on individual-level resistance to change with and without the mediation of authentic leadership.

A total of 960 academics were contacted and all of them received a set of questionnaires. After four follow ups, a total of 576 responses were collected with a response rate of 60.00 per cent. The author used the chi-square test to determine the association between organizational learning and authentic leadership. Multiple regressions were used to show how much variation in individual-level resistance to change can be explained by organizational learning and authentic leadership.

The findings highlight a statistical association between organizational learning and authentic leadership. Moreover, another statistical association is explored between authentic leadership and individual-level resistance to change. Furthermore, the statistical analysis proved that having an authentic leadership in the workplace fosters the effect of organizational learning in alleviating individual’s resistance to change.

Data were collected only from academics and did not include rectors and/or heads of academic departments, the matter that may lead to an inflation of statistical relationships. Future research could use a double source method. Moreover, focusing only on private foreign universities working in Egypt diminishes the author’s potential for generalizing his results.

The author recommends establishing a unit for knowledge management inside every university. The function of this unit includes but is not limited to examining prospective socio-political, cultural and economic changes/challenges in the surrounding environment and preparing the possible scenarios for dealing with them. This in turn should comprise involvement and learning opportunities for academics work in these universities. The suggested units should also organize monthly meetings between academics and representatives from different Egyptian sectors such as NGOs personnel, CEOs of private and public companies, environmentalists and politicians to address what change those actors seek universities to undertake to guide academics to fulfill their expectations.

This paper contributes by filling a gap in HR management and organization literature in the higher education sector, in which empirical studies on the relationship between organizational learning, authentic leadership and resistance to change have been limited until now.

Este artículo se centra en los académicos de tres universidades privadas extranjeras situadas en El Cairo (Egipto) para explorar el efecto del aprendizaje organizativo en la resistencia individual al cambio con y sin la mediación del liderazgo auténtico.

Se contactó con un total de 960 académicos. Se obtuvieron 576 respuestas válidas para un ratio de respuesta del 60%. Los autores usan el test chi-cuadrado para determinar la asociación entre el aprendizaje organizativo y el liderazgo auténtico. Se utilizaron regresiones múltiples para mostrar cuanta variación en la resistencia individual al cambio puede explicarse con el aprendizaje organizativo y el liderazgo auténtico.

Los resultados muestran una asociación estadística entre el aprendizaje organizativo y el liderazgo auténtico. También se explora la relación estadística entre el liderazgo auténtico y el nivel de resistencia individual al cambio. Más aún, el análisis estadístico muestra que un liderazgo auténtico favorece el efecto reductor del aprendizaje organizativo en la resistencia individual al cambio.

Los datos se obtuvieron exclusivamente de académicos, y no incluían rectores y/o directores de departamento, lo cual puede haber aumentado la significatividad estadística. La investigación futura puede utilizar un método con dos fuentes. Más aún, el foco en universidades extranjeras privadas que trabajan en Egipto puede afectar a la generalizabilidad de los resultados.

Los autores recomiendan establecer una unidad de gestión del conocimiento en cada universidad. La función de esta unidad incluye, pero no se limita a, examinar posibles cambios/retos socio-políticos, culturales y económicos en el entorno, y a preparar posibles escenarios para afrontarlos. Esto a su vez debe comprender la identificación de oportunidades de aprendizaje para los académicos en estas instituciones. Estas unidades deberían organizar reuniones mensuales entre los académicos y representantes de diferentes sectores Egipcios tales como personal de ONGs, directores de empresas públicas y privadas, activistas por el medioambiente y políticos para identificar sus necesidades y los cambios necesarios en la universidades para abordarlos.

Este trabajo contribuye a rellenar una ausencia en la literatura sobre organización y gestión de recursos humanos en la educación superior, en la que hasta la fecha no existían estudio sobre la relación entre el aprendizaje organizativo, el liderazgo auténtico y la resistencia al cambio.

Este artigo concentra-se em académicos de três universidades particulares estrangeiras localizadas no Cairo (Egito) para explorar o efeito do aprendizado organizacional na resistência em nível individual à mudança com e sem a mediação da liderança autêntica.

Um total de 960 acadêmicos foram contatados e todos receberam um conjunto de questionários. Após quatro acompanhamentos, um total de 576 respostas foram coletadas com uma taxa de resposta de 60%. O autor usou o teste do qui-quadrado para determinar a associação entre aprendizado organizacional e liderança autêntica. Se usou regressões múltiplas para mostrar quanta variação na resistência individual à mudança pode ser explicada pelo aprendizado organizacional e pela liderança autêntica.

Os resultados destacam uma associação estatística entre aprendizado organizacional e liderança autêntica. Outra associação estatística também é explorada entre liderança autêntica e resistência individual à mudança. Além disso, a análise estatística provou que ter uma liderança autêntica no local de trabalho promove o efeito do aprendizado organizacional na diminuição da resistência individual à mudança.

Os dados foram coletados apenas de acadêmicos e não incluíram reitores e/ou chefes de departamentos acadêmicos, o que pode levar a um aumento nas relações estatísticas. Pesquisas futuras poderiam usar um método com fonte dupla. Além disso, o foco apenas em universidades particulares estrangeiras que trabalham no Egito diminui o potencial do autor de generalizar seus resultados.

O autor recomenda o estabelecimento de uma unidade para a gestão do conhecimento em todas universidades. A função desta unidade inclui, entre outros, o exame de possíveis mudanças/desafios sócio-políticos, culturais e econômicos no ambiente circundante e a preparação dos cenários possíveis para lidar com eles. Por sua vez, isso deve incluir envolvimento e oportunidades de aprendizado para os acadêmicos trabalharem nessas universidades. As unidades sugeridas também devem organizar reuniões mensais entre acadêmicos e representantes de diferentes setores egípcios, como o pessoal de ONGs, diretores executivos de empresas públicas e privadas, ambientalistas e políticos para as mudanças que esses atores procuram nas universidades para orientar os acadêmicos a atender às suas expectativas.

Este artigo contribui preenchendo uma lacuna na literatura sobre gestão e organização de RH no setor de ensino superior, no qual estudos empíricos sobre a relação entre aprendizagem organizacional, liderança autêntica e resistência à mudança foram limitados até agora.

The study's main goal is to investigate different leadership styles that characterize middle-level leaders, the intermediate leadership tier of role holders in school, as they practice leadership scenarios through active participation in a professional learning process of role-play simulation, using a social-ecological approach.

Thirty middle-level leaders from different Israeli high schools and districts participated in the study during an M.A. course in an educational leadership program. The authors used qualitative analysis to examine role-play simulations of leadership scenarios based on group debriefings. This content analysis was conducted within a two-dimensional theoretical framework composed of leadership style theory and a social-ecological model.

The study findings address four main leadership styles: authentic, transformational, participative and transactional. Regarding their appearance within different social-ecological layers, the interpersonal layer was the most salient one with a prominent appearance of transformational and authentic leadership styles. On the organizational and communal layers, authentic leadership was more prominent. The study findings demonstrate multidimensionality in both the leadership styles and social-ecological layers, as different styles appeared in different layers concurrently.

The findings may help articulate the nature and characteristics of middle-level school leadership. They may also provide relevant theoretical content and instructional strategy to develop simulation-based preparation programs for middle-level leaders.

The study findings highlight unique leadership characteristics of middle-level school leaders and suggest a contextual perception of their leadership styles within a social-ecological framework.

As libraries evolve, they accommodate and refine their services to support the varied institutional, student and faculty, and course needs, including developing workshops tailored to course requirements or that provide students and faculty with additional skills that promote their academic pursuits. Some services provided by academic libraries reflect strategic choices that promote the increased alignment of the users’ needs with the institution’s needs. Some needs anticipated and observed by many research-intensive institutions are data literacy, research, and software skills. This chapter describes the case of the academic library at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), an R1 research institution, which offered the Data Workshop Series (DWS) to help prepare students, faculty, and staff to clean, manipulate, analyze, and visualize research data. This applied, student-centered technical workshop series was guided by authentic assessment, specifically performance tasks, which were employed to ensure the participants’ engagement and comprehension of the applied techniques presented. The performance tasks also helped participants gain confidence in their data skills. From them, the participants learned that they can use the software and solve questions on their own. When reflecting on what they learned in the DWS, participants stated that they could develop their skills on their own with additional practice and that they plan on integrating the software into their academic work. By offering the DWS, UNLV Libraries has taken a step toward being part of the life of the user, a partner in more than information findings, but in knowledge creation.