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The purpose of this paper is to distinguish knowledge gained vs skills learned as two learning-related training criteria; and to then test the impact of two career motivation variables, home care intent and stepping stone, for explaining these training criteria beyond controlled-for variables.

The research used a sample of 720 personal/home care aides (P/HCAs) who filled out pre-training and post-training surveys. Training consisted of 25 modules, lasting approximately 100 hours on various P/HCA knowledge bases, with training sessions generally five to six hours/day, four to five days/week over a three to four week period. Factor analyses, correlation, and hierarchical regression analyses were used to test the hypotheses.

Results showed that these two learning outcomes, knowledge gained vs skills learned, could be differentiated and reliably measured. Subsequent hierarchical regression analyses showed additional discriminant validity for these two learning outcomes. For the two measured career motivation variables, home care intent and stepping stone, home care intent was positively related to both learning outcomes but stepping stone only had a significant positive impact on skills learned. Training delivery was significantly related only to knowledge gained, while instructor rating was significantly related only to skills learned.

A unique sample of P/HCA trainees was utilized to test for this previously untested learning outcome distinction. As the population ages and demand increases for P/HCAs, additional training and studies evaluating such training will be needed.

The purpose of this paper is to provide a student learning outcome focussed assessment of the benefits and limitations of traditional internships, e-internships, and simulated internships to evaluate the potential of computer-mediated internships (CMIs) (e-internships and simulated internships) within higher education from a student perspective.

The paper undertakes a systematic conceptually based assessment of the extent to which CMIs are able to replicate the cognitive, skill-based and affective learning outcomes of traditional internships. In addition, the key limitations of traditional internships from a student perspective are identified, and the potential ability of CMIs to address these limitations is assessed.

The findings of this paper highlight that CMIs are able to replicate most of the benefits of traditional internships, whilst concurrently addressing many of their limitations. However, the current paper also identifies a number of important limitations for student learning in CMIs, and provides advice that aims to assist students in maximising their learning outcomes in these situations.

The paper is the first to provide a systematic student learning outcome focussed comparison of traditional internships and CMIs. In addition, the paper establishes the high potential of simulated internships for student learning in higher education, and provides students, higher education providers and researcher with learning outcome focussed criteria sets that enable the empirical evaluation of CMIs in future research.

The purpose of this study is to obtain preliminary evidence over a three‐year period on the efficacy of a curriculum designed to foster information literacy skills in graduate students in a chemistry bibliography course.

Specifically, the researchers examined the application and results of an assessment tool and its connectivity to instructional strategies for improving literacy outcomes. ACRL's “Information literacy competency standards for higher education” provided the basis for the construction of the assessment tool. The instrument was given to chemistry graduate students enrolled in the course at the beginning and at the end of the semester.

The assessment results from all three years indicated marked improvements in the average student score from the pre‐ to the post‐test. The assessment provided evidence of skill development over the course of the semester for specified outcomes.

The research would have been strengthened by the use of a valid control group of graduate students in related chemistry majors who were not enrolled in the class. The extended study would have supplied rates of improvement in the control group over a given period of time compared with rates of improvement of students enrolled in the class.

The paper provides methods for approaching the assessment of information literacy skills by focusing on tool development based on desired learning outcomes.

The study developed, refined and applied a methodology to assess student information literacy skills based on learning outcomes over a three‐year period. The literature lacks reports of studies looking at the assessment of information literacy development of graduate students in the sciences as well as the use of “backward design” in creating evaluative tools.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the learning outcomes of students and the importance of research supervisors in writing research.

A questionnaire covering three dimensions: (A) skill set, (B) course arrangement, and (C) supervisor guidance was distributed to research students in Hong Kong and Chengdu, China, to examine their perceptions of a research module.

The regression results presented in this paper suggest that clear expectations of the course and the communication skills of supervisors or peers can explain around 20-30 percent of the change in the dependent variables of “awareness of using strategies to learn effectively,” “building self-confidence” and “quality of interaction.” With regard to the learning outcomes of students, the skills of using various resources, writing literature reviews and communication skills were perceived as being very important. For research supervisors, the quality of interaction, research experience and being approachable were all identified as being important.

The management of higher educational institutes could consider these findings when designing research curricula and selecting research supervisors so as to enhance learning outcomes.

The paper details learning outcomes from supervisors of writing research, which is important for the educational sector and the business world.

Industry and academia around the world stress the importance of professional skills (also known as soft skills, generic skills, or transferable skills) so it is necessary to be able to assess students’ attainment of these skills. An innovative method was developed in the USA for assessment of these skills in an engineering program (Ater Kranov, Hauser, Olsen, & Girardeau, 2008); this method was based around student discussion of an open-ended, unresolved, discipline-related problem, held face-to-face and subsequently analyzed using a rubric. In the research project described here, the method was adapted for the United Arab Emirates by writing appropriate scenarios for computing students, by modifying the rubric and by running the discussion on an online discussion board. The primary aims were to determine the feasibility of adapting the method and to examine its suitability. The results of the study showed that the method can be adapted and employed very successfully with UAE students. This paper presents the method, its adaptation and implementation, and the results obtained.

The Undergraduate Leadership Teaching Assistant (ULTA) experience offers students a high-impact opportunity to develop, practice, and evaluate their leadership knowledge, skills, and abilities. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine outcomes of the ULTA experience as a high-impact practice for students studying leadership. Weekly journal entries of eight ULTAs were analyzed to assess their perspectives on the experience. Findings revealed the ULTAs developed cognitive skills through the generation of mostly divergent discussion questions on the knowledge and comprehension level of the Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: Cognitive Domain (Bloom et al, 1956). ULTAs applied their learning from the experience to both personal and professional roles and intend to model behaviors in seven skill areas: (a) communication; (b) active listening; (c) mentoring; (d) responsibility; (e) followership; (f) professionalism; and (g) collaboration.

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the issue of bridging the gap between the labour market and university through recognition of non‐academic learning.

The purpose is achieved by proposing portfolio use for documenting adults' personal and professional growth as part of their learning outcomes gained through non‐academic learning, including informal learning, work‐based learning and non‐formal learning that occurred outside one's workplace. To gain insights into the use of the portfolio for documenting adults' personal and professional development through different learning environments qualitative/content analysis was used, with the focus on the descriptions of adults' learning outcomes according to Carter's taxonomy. The study involved 11 portfolios drafted by candidates having claims for academic credits in a management study programme at Mykolas Romeris University in Vilnius, Lithuania. A learning format combining a portfolio development seminar followed by online consultations was created by the university; it was aimed at supporting candidates seeking academic recognition of their learning outcomes gained outside academia in exploring their non‐academic learning experience.

A structured portfolio and, more specifically, the portfolio based on Carter's taxonomy used as a tool for empowering the candidates has highlighted three important aspects of their learning claim, i.e. personal qualities, skills and knowledge as acquired in the non‐academic environment and built the basis for proof of personal and professional development in line with the requirements of existing university modules.

The research is not intended to compare the taxonomy of personal qualities, skills and knowledge against any specific curriculum requirements; rather, it should be subject to further discussion. The research is based on one of the very first attempts to introduce a validation procedure of non‐academic learning and thus bears limitations of a pilot project.

A clearly structured portfolio of learning outcomes enables adults to highlight important aspects of their learning claim and match their proof of learning in line with the university requirements for academic credit.

While portfolio has been frequently identified as an effective tool for learning, assessment and professional development in higher education, little known research has focused on the use of portfolio as a tool for documenting adults' learning outcomes gained outside academia.

This study evaluates participation in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, a service-learning activity, to determine if participating students develop confidence in the skills needed for success in the accounting profession. An analysis of data from students at eight U.S. universities shows that VITA students were significantly more confident in their practical skills, citizenship skills, and personal responsibility skills after their VITA experience than a control group of students who did not participate in VITA, measured over a similar period of time. The VITA participants also reported a stronger sense of school pride and moderately more confidence in their interpersonal skills. However, the VITA students reported less confidence in their problem-solving skills, perhaps due to being faced with complex decision-making situations. While this finding was initially unexpected, it actually demonstrates the value of experiential learning for students.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the cause–effect relationship between vocational support and the levels of acquisition of practical skills via learning self-efficacy during a training intervention in computer maintenance technology among vocational electronic technology students.

Quasi-experimental research was employed. The participants were 84 undergraduates of vocational electronic technology education in Nigeria. The study applied the modified stages of the Dreyfus model of skills acquisition as the training model. The study proposed a four-simple mediation models based on the first four stages of the modified Dreyfus model of skills acquisition (namely, novice, advanced beginner, competent and proficient stages) via practical skills learning self-efficacy.

The result showed significant effects of perceived vocational support in practical skills training on the levels of acquisition of practical skills in computer maintenance technology. Learning self-efficacy mediated the relationship between perceived vocational support and three levels of practical skills acquisition (advanced beginner, competent and proficient).

All possible mediation pathways were not covered in this study. However, the study x-rayed the tendency of pathways in training intervention in vocational education and allied fields of study.

This study has empirically provided evidence to support the Dreyfus model of skills acquisition, as a plausible practical skills training model. Hence, the study can serve as a model for other researchers for replication in other fields of study.

To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that revealed potential pathways in work-related practical skills training interventions. The study has also validated the Dreyfus model as a potential skill acquisition model for practical skills training.

The purpose of this paper is to answer the research question: “Do different pedagogies used in teaching entrepreneurship education influence individual skill development, which then in turn translates into a likelihood of entrepreneurial implementation intention?”

The number of total participants for the quasi-experiment was 308 undergraduate students in Malaysia, in which pre- and post-test (n=203) and control (n=105) groups are included. Students who enroled in the entrepreneurship course were randomly allocated into a class employing teacher-centred pedagogy or student-centred pedagogy. Learning outcomes are measured by objective and subjective measures.

Both pedagogical approaches had a positive effect on the development of the learning outcomes. However, the students who learned using the teacher-centred approach statistically developed a higher level of objective and subjective learning outcomes compared to the students who learned using the student-centred approach. The findings also suggest that the relationship between entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial intention mediates by learned skills.

The quasi-experimental design greatly improves the ability to make accurate claims about the impact of entrepreneurial education on entrepreneurship-related outcomes. Further, the study uses the implementation intention strategy in measuring the entrepreneurial intention. Thus, the study strongly supports for the view that implementation intention improves predictive validity of the behavioural intention within the framework of theory of planned behaviour by setting out in advance when, where, and how the goal will be achieved.