Elena de Prada Creo, Mercedes Mareque and Iago Portela-Pino
This study aims to determine whether university students are successfully acquiring or improving skills related to teamwork through a variety of extra-curricular activities, such…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to determine whether university students are successfully acquiring or improving skills related to teamwork through a variety of extra-curricular activities, such as sports, music, volunteering, international group work experiences and professional practices.
Design/methodology/approach
Descriptive statistics have been calculated to evaluate the normal behaviour of the variables. Accidental sampling was used via a cross-curricular study with a quasi-experimental design. An analysis of means was performed using the Student's t-test.
Findings
The results show the students to have highly developed interpersonal and communication skills, followed by adaptation and decision-making skills. The lowest scores corresponded to coordination and leadership skills. On the other hand, a significant correlation was established between extra-curricular activities and the acquisition of essential teamwork skills.
Originality/value
This study can confirm the important relation between extra-curricular activities and the acquisition of the teamwork skills that play a vital role in the overall development of our students, as well as for their integration into the job market, with particular emphasis on the acquisition of leadership skills which students are most lacking in, but which have shown to improve with any of the proposed activities. The promotion of the extra-curricular activities by the University, could greatly support our students' soft skills acquisition and complement their education.
Details
Keywords
Mario Diz-Otero, Iago Portela-Pino, Sara Domínguez-Lloria and Margarita Pino-Juste
Continuous training in professional teaching competencies has become one of the challenges of the school of the 21st century, especially if we refer to the mastery of digital…
Abstract
Purpose
Continuous training in professional teaching competencies has become one of the challenges of the school of the 21st century, especially if we refer to the mastery of digital competence. The aim of this study is to analyze the degree of digital competence of secondary school teachers of different areas of knowledge during the global pandemic of COVID-19 in the Galician autonomous community and obtain data that allow us to infer whether there is an association between individual variables such as age, gender, degree, work experience and their mastery of digital competence.
Design/methodology/approach
A cross-sectional descriptive quasi-experimental study is performed using an accidental sample of secondary school teachers from different fields of knowledge.
Findings
The different results obtained determine that the level of knowledge and use of digital media and tools is low. There are no significant differences depending on the variables analyzed, but it is necessary to establish specific continuing education plans for the improvement of digital competence in secondary school teachers to enable the effective use and management of information and communication technologies in future professionals.
Originality/value
Therefore, the findings of this study allow the development of educational interventions focused on increasing the digital competence of teachers, taking into account their individual characteristics.