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1 – 10 of 594Satlaj Dighe, John M. LaVelle, Paidamoyo Chikate, Meral Acikgoz, Padmavati Kannan, Doris Espelien and Trupti Sarode
Although educators would likely agree that values and ethics are important in all disciplines, they have particular importance for practice-oriented fields. These applied…
Abstract
Although educators would likely agree that values and ethics are important in all disciplines, they have particular importance for practice-oriented fields. These applied professionals need to solve complex social problems that require the application of ethical standards and value perspectives. While the importance of value-engaged practice is known to the applied field, there is little research and conversation about how values can be integrated into teaching. This chapter synthesizes values-education approaches in various practice-based disciplines such as public administration (PA), program evaluation, social work, and public health. This chapter draws from empirical and theoretical works as well as the authors' experiences developing, participating in, and conducting values-based research on professionals and professional education.
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Radiah Othman and Rashid Ameer
This paper aims to seek accounting graduates' perspectives on the demand for accounting in their workplaces, on the gaps in accounting education (AE), and on the future of the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to seek accounting graduates' perspectives on the demand for accounting in their workplaces, on the gaps in accounting education (AE), and on the future of the accounting profession, inspired by the new definition of accounting proposed by Carnegie et al. (2021, 2022, 2023a), to adopt a strong focus on sustainable development goals (SDGs) in AE to inculcate tertiary students with the skills that lead them to approach and apply accounting as a multidimensional technical, social and moral (TSM) practice.
Design/methodology/approach
The online qualitative survey was distributed to 100 randomly selected New Zealand accounting graduates in order to gather insights from their workplaces. All responses from the 30 graduates who completed the questionnaire underwent qualitative analysis using Leximancer software, which automatically identifies high-level concepts and insights and offers interactive visualizations without bias.
Findings
The graduates’ experiences underscore the ongoing significance of technical skills in the New Zealand workplace. They emphasized the lack of non-technical skills training, stressed the necessity of diverse business knowledge and highlighted the importance of automation and digital skills.
Practical implications
The implications for transforming AE involve adopting an activist approach to integrate a TSM perspective into teaching and learning and being open to an interdisciplinary approach to expose tertiary students to the impact of accounting on sustainable development, including collaboration with professional bodies for real-world experiences.
Originality/value
The importance of engaging with SDG-related narratives is stressed to stimulate further discussion, debate and research aimed at identifying practical solutions for AE as a facilitator for SDGs in realizing accounting as a TSM practice.
Yu Guo Wang and I Ta Wang
With a focus on undergraduate music major students in China, the study sought to examine how higher music education institutions prepare professional knowledge, professional…
Abstract
Purpose
With a focus on undergraduate music major students in China, the study sought to examine how higher music education institutions prepare professional knowledge, professional skills and soft skills in relevance to music students' employability.
Design/methodology/approach
The quantitative survey engaged 359 music students from five music institutions in Western China to report their perceptions toward music curriculum related to employability. The current study examined whether their perception varied based on their gender, location, school, educational background and professional option purpose.
Findings
Perception differences in the music curriculum were observed across gender, schools, educational background and professional option purpose. School differences were the most significant among all five factors, followed by professional option purpose, educational background and gender. The location difference was insignificant among the five factors. There were insufficient opportunities for community and industrial engagement in higher music education.
Originality/value
The current study provides an insight into the higher music education curriculum for employability preparation in current China. This is one of the limited empirical studies in Western China to investigate music students' perceptions of professional knowledge and skills and the soft skill line with employability. The findings can serve as a reference for prospective employees in the music industry, policymaking and curriculum design and future research.
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Hiroshi Ito, Shinichi Takeuchi, Kenji Yokoyama, Yukihiro Makita and Masamichi Ishii
This study examines the impact of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation on education quality. We discern the prospective influences of…
Abstract
Purpose
This study examines the impact of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation on education quality. We discern the prospective influences of AACSB, focusing on shifts in teaching methods and content and assessment procedures.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a case study approach, in-depth interviews are conducted with a Japanese-accredited business school’s faculty members to understand their perceptions of the school’s education-quality issues. The data were thematically analyzed.
Findings
Respondents acknowledged that AACSB accreditation has positively influenced teaching, encouraging active learning and the case method. However, they also indicated that accreditation had a restrictive effect on assessment activities, pushing toward compliance rather than genuine learning evaluation. This dichotomy suggests a need for balancing standard adherence with the flexibility to maintain educational depth and assessment integrity.
Research limitations/implications
Convenience sampling may introduce self-selection bias. Furthermore, the qualitative case study approach does not allow for statistical generalization. However, when combined with existing literature, the findings can be analytically generalized and transferred to other contexts.
Originality/value
We provide insights regarding AACSB accreditation’s impact on business education, encompassing shifts in teaching methods and content and faculty perceptions of assessment. This study enhances the scholarly understanding of business school accreditation and offers guidance to accredited or accreditation-seeking academic institutions.
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Vidya Lawton, Verity Pacey, Taryn M. Jones and Catherine M. Dean
Work readiness is an important aspect of the transition from higher education to professional practice. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of work readiness…
Abstract
Purpose
Work readiness is an important aspect of the transition from higher education to professional practice. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of work readiness of individuals transitioning into physiotherapy practice in Australia and identify any association with personal, education and work factors.
Design/methodology/approach
Purpose-built surveys were distributed to final-year students and graduates of physiotherapy programmes nationally. Work readiness was measured using the recently validated Work Readiness Scale for Allied Health Professionals 32 (WRS-AH32), which captures the following four domains: Practical Wisdom, Interpersonal Capabilities, Personal Attributes and Organisational Acumen. The surveys also included personal, education and work data. Work readiness was expressed as percentages for total work readiness and within each domain. Independent t-tests were used to examine the influence of personal, education and work factors on work readiness.
Findings
176 participant responses were analysed (84 students and 92 graduates). Total work readiness was 80% [standard deviation (SD)8], with Practical Wisdom the highest scoring domain (91%, SD8) and Personal Attributes the lowest scoring domain (65%, SD14). Considering overall work readiness, individuals reporting some psychological symptoms scored lower than asymptomatic individuals [mean difference 7% (95% confidence interval (CI) 4 to 9)] and final-year students scored less than graduates [mean difference 3% (95%CI 0 to 5)].
Practical implications
All stakeholders, including individuals, universities and employers, need to consider further strategies to develop aspects of work readiness, particularly within the domain of Personal Attributes and those with psychological symptoms.
Originality/value
This study demonstrates that physiotherapy students and graduates perceive themselves to be well prepared to transition to the workforce.
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Buddhini Amarathunga, Ali Khatibi and Zunirah Mohd Talib
This study aims to undertake a theoretical and technical exploration of the literature on Work Readiness (WR) through the implementation of a systematic literature review and…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to undertake a theoretical and technical exploration of the literature on Work Readiness (WR) through the implementation of a systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis. The present study addresses seven distinct research questions: (1) an examination of the descriptive features characterizing the literature on WR, (2) an analysis of trends in annual scientific publications related to WR, (3) the identification of the most pertinent and high-impact sources contributing to WR, (4) the delineation of the globally cited articles exerting the most influence on WR, (5) the determination of the most relevant countries associated with WR, (6) an evaluation of the outcomes derived from Bradford’s Law of Scattering and Lotka’s Law of scientific productivity in the context of WR, and (7) the identification of the prevailing research avenues that hold significance for future studies on WR.
Design/methodology/approach
The present study employed Systematic Literature Review (SLR) and bibliometric analysis mapping techniques to analyze 521 articles extracted from the Scopus database. The analysis utilized Biblioshiny software and VOSviewer software as the primary tools.
Findings
The findings reveal that WR constitutes a steadily expanding subject discipline, showcasing a notable 9.12% annual growth in scientific production spanning from 1975 to 2023. Australia, the USA, and Canada emerged as the most productive countries within the field of WR, as evidenced by their cumulative scientific production. The thematic map of keyword analysis suggests several burgeoning pathways for future researchers in the WR domain, including workplace learning, functional capacity evaluation, graduate WR, digital literacy, blended learning, resilience, and curriculum.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the WR discourse by providing a comprehensive literature review. The findings of this study hold significance for graduates, universities, employers, the higher education industry, and the broader community.
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Alina Botezat, Cristian Incaltarau, Sabina Ana Diac and Alexandra Claudia Grosu
This paper aims to extend the scope of previous studies on education-occupation mismatch to explicitly focus on the role high school track choices have on the risk of being…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to extend the scope of previous studies on education-occupation mismatch to explicitly focus on the role high school track choices have on the risk of being mismatched in the labor market.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper uses the most exhaustive available database regarding the early-career paths of university graduates in Romania. Using a novel matching technique, entropy balancing (EB), our study relies on multinomial logit models and logit regressions to estimate the effect of the completed high school track on the likelihood of being mismatched in the labor market. The empirical analysis focuses on two types of education-occupation mismatches: horizontal and vertical mismatches.
Findings
We show that studying a different field in college compared to the completed high school track increases the risk of being skill mismatched in the first job after graduation. Five years after college graduation, the influence of the high school track fades, while being skill mismatched in the first employment plays a more important role. In contrast, we find no evidence that pursuing a college major unrelated to the completed high school track increases the probability of being overeducated. However, being overeducated in the first job increases the risk of being overeducated five years later.
Originality/value
The study brings new reliable evidence on the extent to which high school track choices may contribute to the risk of being mismatched in the labor market.
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Rickard Enstroem and Rodney Schmaltz
This study investigates the impact of large-scale teaching in higher education on students’ preparedness for the workforce within the context of evolving labour market demands…
Abstract
Purpose
This study investigates the impact of large-scale teaching in higher education on students’ preparedness for the workforce within the context of evolving labour market demands, the expansion of higher education and the application of high-impact teaching strategies. It synthesizes perspectives on employer work readiness, the challenges and opportunities of large-scale teaching and strategies for fostering a dynamic academia-industry feedback loop. This multifaceted approach ensures the relevance of curricula and graduates’ preparedness while addressing the skills gap through practical recommendations for aligning teaching methodologies with employer expectations.
Design/methodology/approach
The research methodically examines the multifaceted challenges and opportunities inherent in large-scale teaching. It focuses on sustaining student engagement, maintaining educational quality, personalizing learning experiences and cultivating essential soft skills in extensive student cohorts.
Findings
This study highlights the critical role of transversal skills in work readiness. It also uncovers that despite its challenges, large-scale teaching presents unique opportunities. The diversity of large student groups mirrors modern workplace complexities, and technological tools aid in personalizing learning experiences. Approaches like peer networking, innovative teaching methods, real-world simulations and collaborative resource utilization enrich education. The importance of experiential learning for augmenting large-scale teaching in honing soft skills is emphasized.
Originality/value
This manuscript contributes to the discourse on large-scale teaching, aligning it with employer expectations and the dynamic requirements of the job market. It offers a nuanced perspective on the challenges and opportunities this educational approach presents, providing insights for crafting engaging and effective learning experiences in large cohorts. The study uniquely integrates experiential learning, co-creation in education and industry-academia feedback loops, underscoring their importance in enhancing student work readiness in large-scale teaching.
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Rubaya Rahat, Claudia Calle Müller and Mohamed ElZomor
Construction education rarely addressed the importance of disseminating knowledge on infrastructure equity, thus impeding progress toward creating equitable and sustainable…
Abstract
Purpose
Construction education rarely addressed the importance of disseminating knowledge on infrastructure equity, thus impeding progress toward creating equitable and sustainable developments. This study aims to investigate the existing sustainability courses under the American Council for Construction Education (ACCE) accredited construction management (CM) programs to examine the integration of infrastructure equity topics and assess improvement in CM students’ knowledge and awareness to address this issue through an intervention.
Design/methodology/approach
To achieve these objectives, this research reviewed the sustainability course descriptions of the ACCE-accredited undergraduate and graduate CM curricula. Furthermore, the study implemented a workshop within a CM sustainability course that taught the students about the key concepts of infrastructure equity as well as how to address this issue by leveraging the Envision infrastructure rating system.
Findings
The course review results showed that most sustainability courses lack topics such as infrastructure equity and social sustainability. Moreover, the analysis of pre- and postworkshop surveys indicated that guided training could improve the students’ understanding as well as boost their confidence to address and mitigate infrastructure inequity issues.
Originality/value
The findings of the study are valuable for increasing awareness of infrastructure equity and facilitating the future construction workforce with the required expertise to develop equitable infrastructure systems.
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Ishfaq Hussain Bhat and Shilpi Gupta
Purpose: This study aims to evaluate, explore, and characterise the perceptions of the Indian private sector employers on the 21st century 4Cs (critical thinking, communication…
Abstract
Purpose: This study aims to evaluate, explore, and characterise the perceptions of the Indian private sector employers on the 21st century 4Cs (critical thinking, communication, creativity, and collaboration) skills gap, which affects their productivity.
Need for Study: This research aims to shed light on the significant issue of the soft skills gap, precisely the 4Cs skills in India. Soft skills, including the 4Cs, are complex and crucial for organisations, and the shortage of these skills among the workforce is a growing concern. This research addresses enterprises’ challenges in bridging this gap by exploring different ways to utilise these skills.
Methodology: Fifty-six respondents were interviewed based on cluster sampling. An invitation was sent to 40 private sector organisations from five different industries. Only 15 organisations agreed to participate in the interview process.
Findings: A total of seven were generated from the data, which included: (1) explicit and timely feedback; (2) compassion and understanding; (3) motivation deficiency; (4) lack of collaboration synergies; (5) lack of practical knowledge; (6) interpersonal skills; and (7) creating team culture.
Implication: Given the prevalent skills gap, it is challenging for Indian industries and organisations to remain competitive in the global market. Investing in the education system, providing students with the necessary academic and vocational skills, and equipping them with soft skills, such as the 21st century 4Cs skills is essential to address this issue. Investment is necessary to prepare the workforce to meet the demands of emerging businesses and technologies, ensuring that industries and organisations remain competitive.
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