Journal articles on the topic 'Teamwork Skills Inventory'

Purpose – This paper aims to apply the inventory – Comprehensive Assessment of Team Member Effectiveness (CATME) to examine the development of teamwork skills among freshmen from the Chinese Mainland through a cooperative learning activity (group project) in the context of Hong Kong. Design/methodology/approach – The questionnaire survey was conducted twice, at the beginning (pre) and end (post) of the group project; qualitative interviews were undertaken after their project completion. Findings – It was found that, except for Category 5 (having relevant knowledge, skills and abilities), the post mean scores in all items of other four categories declined, because students’ Chinese Mainland backgrounds led to their different understanding toward teamwork, as unveiled by the qualitative interviews. However their project completion enabled them to acquire the relevant competencies, causing the rise in the mean scores of Category 5. Research limitations/implications – Limited by the small sample size and American-driven CATME, this study did not observe the significant improvements in students’ self-reported evaluation of teamwork. There should be more applications of this instrument into the Asian and Chinese contexts for having it adapted to different national and cultural situations. Practical implications – As a gap observed in Chinese Mainland students’ understanding to teamwork, overseas education institutions can incorporate this for curriculum development. Originality/value – As a pioneer work in applying the CATME in the Chinese Mainland situation, this study implied a significant room for such kind of inventories mainly originated from west to incorporate the diverse national and cultural characteristics.

Children's gardens have recently been shown to increase life skills. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects that gardening/plant activities from the Junior Master Gardener curriculum, Literature in the Garden, have on children's life skills. The life skills examined were leadership, teamwork, self-understanding, decision-making skills, and communication skills. About 130 third-grade students from a Lee County, AL, school participated in the study. Students were equally divided into control and experimental groups, and each student was given the youth life skills inventory (YLSI) as a pre- and posttest. The experimental group participated in eight gardening/plant activities after the pretest, whereas the control group did not complete the activities. No significant differences were found between pretests and posttests for teamwork, self-understanding, decision making, communication, and overall life skills. Significant decreases from pretest to posttest were found on leadership skills for the experimental group. Several trends were observed with students who read more for fun, read more each week, and read more garden books generally increasing in life skills.

The subject of this research is the individual psychological characteristics for learning teamwork skills. The relevance of the selected topic is defined by solving the tasks of teaching team interaction skills in the process of professional training of specialists, as well by insufficient empirical data on psychological mechanisms of pedagogical influence upon the effectiveness of tram-building process. The goal consists in comparing individual traits of the students and nature of their relationships, which determine the type of team interaction. For achieving the set goal and verification of the advanced hypothesis, the author surveyed teams of students (N=11) based on quasi-experimental plan. Along with the comparative design and correlation design, the author also applied the following psychodiagnostic methods: Eysenck's Personality Inventory (EPI), questionnaire for emotional intelligence by D. V. Lusin, “lifestyle index” method (adapted by L. I. Wasserman and others), characterological questionnaire by G. Shmishek, self-esteem model by A. Budassi; as well as statistical methods: Kruskal-Wallis criterion, Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. Based on the acquired results, the author empirically describes the types of team: “introverted”, “restless-intellectual”, “inconsistent”, “narcissistic”, and “aggressive-manipulative”. Comparability of the types of teams with characteristics of “dark triad-tetrad” is determined. The novelty of this work consists in the empirical substantiation of differential approach towards teaching teamwork skills, as well as in outlining the two key trends in pedagogical work with the students. The first is aimed at overcoming social insecurity by means of intellectual self-affirmation. The second implies the students’ desire to exercise control over emotions and the object of relations. The proposed recommendations for work with each type of team can be implemented in pedagogical practice of the higher school.

The goal of this study was to assess changes in the life skill development of elementary school students participating in a 1-year school garden program. The Life Skills Inventory included statements for six constructs of life skills including teamwork, self-understanding, leadership, decision making skills, communication skills, and volunteerism. The students were divided into two treatment groups, an experimental group that participated in the garden program and a control group that did not participate in the school garden program. Students in the control group had significantly higher overall life skills scores on the pretest compared to students participating in the garden program but the scores were no longer significantly different between the groups on the posttest scores at the end of the program. In addition, there were no significant differences in the control group's pretest scores compared to their posttest scores. However, the students in the experimental group did significantly increase their overall life skills scores by 1.5 points after participating in the garden program. Two internal life skill scales were positively influenced by the garden program; “working with groups” and “self understanding.”

ABSTRACT It is not uncommon for educators to struggle with providing their students real-world experiences within the classroom environment. This is particularly true when teaching a subject as application-oriented as auditing. This article furthers existing literature on using virtual worlds in the classroom by describing the learning strategies of using a common virtual world application, Second Life, to simulate a physical examination of inventory in a master's-level auditing class. Specifically, this article explores how an inventory simulation exercise can be used within a virtual world to maximize learning objectives focused on critical thinking and professional judgment, project management and teamwork, effective documentation, interviewing skills, and applying auditing standards. It also examines the feedback received from students in incorporating virtual worlds into the classroom, and lessons learned for future application. Based on pre- and post-assignment surveys, the results demonstrate that students significantly improved their inventory observation knowledge, interviewing, audit documentation, critical thinking, and group work skills completing a virtual world inventory simulation experience. The most significant lesson for instructors to take away is how to include virtual worlds into course activities to maximize the learning objectives.

Abstract Background Residency programs desire assessment tools for teaching and measuring resident attainment of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education competencies, including interpersonal and communication skills. Objective We sought to evaluate the use of emotional intelligence (EI) assessment and training tools in assessing and enhancing interpersonal and communication skills. Methods We used a quasi-experimental design, with an intervention and control group composed of 1 class each of family medicine residents. The intervention was EI coaching. The assessment used the Emotional and Social Competence Inventory, a 360-degree EI survey consisting of self and other (colleague) ratings for 12 EI competencies. Results There were 21 participants in each of the 3 assessments (test, posttest, and control). Our EI coaching intervention had very limited participation due to a lack of protected time for EI coaching and residents' competing obligations. Return rates for self surveys were 86% to 91% and 66% to 68% for others. On all 3 trials, ratings by others were significantly higher than self ratings for every competence (range, P < .001–.045). None of the self ratings by the intervention group increased significantly for any of the competencies. None of the intervention group self ratings increased significantly on posttesting, whereas ratings by others increased significantly for coach/mentor (P < .001). The teamwork rating decreased significantly on both self and other ratings (P < .001). Achievement orientation was the highest intervention group posttest rating, and teamwork was the lowest. Conclusions EI is a necessary skill in today's health care environment, and our study found that a tool from another sector was useful in assessing resident EI skills. Because our EI coaching intervention was unsuccessful, the effects of coaching on interpersonal and communication skills could not be assessed.

BackgroundIn Japan, nursing education is being reformed to improve nurses' competency. Interest in use of simulation-based education to increase nurses' competency is increasing.ObjectivesTo examine the effectiveness of simulation-based education in improving competency of cardiovascular critical care nurses.MethodsA training program that consisted of lectures, training in cardiovascular procedures, and scenario simulations was conducted with 24 Japanese nurses working at a university hospital. Participants were allocated to 4 groups, each of which visited 4 zones and underwent scenario simulations that included debriefings during and after the simulations. In each zone, the scenario simulation was repeated and participants assessed their own technical skills by scoring their performance on a rubric. Before and after the simulations, participants also completed a survey that used the Teamwork Activity Inventory in Nursing Scale (TAINS) to assess their nontechnical skills.ResultsAll the groups showed increased rubric scores after the second simulation compared with the rubric scores obtained after the first simulation, despite differences in the order in which the scenarios were presented. Furthermore, the survey revealed significant increases in scores on the teamwork scale for the following subscale items: “Attitudes of the superior” (P < .001), “Job satisfaction” (P = .01), and “Confidence as a team member” (P = .004).ConclusionsOur new educational approach of using repeated scenario simulations and TAINS seemed not only to enhance individual nurses' technical skills in critical care nursing but also to improve their nontechnical skills somewhat.

Background and Objective. Lithuanian and international public health experts emphasize the importance of leadership in public health. The aim of this study was to explore the self-assessed level of leadership competencies of executives in Lithuanian public health institutions. Material and Methods. Data were collected in a cross-sectional survey of executives of Lithuanian public health institutions in 2010. The total number of returned questionnaires was 55 (response rate, 58.5%). Respondents were asked about their competencies in leadership, teamwork, communication, and conflict management. The evaluation was carried out by analyzing the answers provided in the survey, which used a 5-point rating scale. In addition, the Belbin Team-Role Self-Perception Inventory and the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument were used. Results. The results showed that respondents were reserved or limited in their individual capacities through this evaluation of their leadership competencies. The mean score was 3.47 (SD, 0.71). Skills in competency areas of communication, teamwork, and conflict management were scored higher (3.73 [SD, 0.67], 3.73 [SD, 0.62], and 3.53 [SD, 0.63], respectively). Most of executives preferred to choose action-oriented roles (76.2%). The most common role was “implementer” (69.1%). “Avoiding” (52.7%) was the most common conflict solving strategy. The results showed that 89.1% of executives wanted to improve teamwork; 83.6%, leadership competencies; 81.8%, communication; and 80.0%, conflict management. Conclusions. The study results suggest that the executives of Lithuanian public health institutions evaluate their leadership competencies moderately. These results indicate the value of leadership training for public health executives.

PurposeTwo of the most sought after properties in today's dynamic and competitive manufacturing environment are labour flexibility and effective teamworking. This is due in no small part to the growth of modern manufacturing philosophies which strongly advocate the need for both teamwork and flexibility. This paper aims to explore the impact of two labour flexibility strategies (functional flexibility and intra‐cell flexibility) on teamwork in a cellular manufacturing environment.Design/methodology/approachUsing a revised input/process/output (IPO) team effectiveness model a questionnaire was designed and a case study undertaken at a large Australian manufacturer. The knowledge, skills, and ability (KSAs) gained from job rotation (flexibility) was quantitatively tested against team processes and team performance.FindingsIt was found that functional flexibility had an overall stronger, significant effect on the five team processes tested (communication, conflict resolution, problem solving, goals and performance, tasks and planning) than did intra‐cell flexibility. In regards to output (team performance) functional flexibility performed better in areas such as customer delivery, inventory holdings and quality, while intra‐cell flexibility performed better in the area of absenteeism. An inconclusive result was obtained for the fifth output measure, efficiency rate.Research limitations/implicationsThe study was conducted at a single organisation, which limits the generalisation of the outcomes, therefore broader research on the area is recommended.Practical implicationsThe study provides evidence that the individual benefits of both functional flexibility and teamworking may be enhanced while being practised concurrently. With labour flexibility and teamwork being key factors in most modern organisations, the practical implications are much wider than the field of manufacturing.Originality/valueIndividually, the literature offers much on teamworking and flexibility but studies exploring the combined effects of these two important elements are rare, especially in the field of manufacturing. The present paper fills some of the gaps

In today's turbulent business environment, acquiring and developing leadership skills is one of the key challenges for managers, and emotional and social competencies are predominant among such skills. Possession of this specific set of competencies is a key factor necessary for building a positive psychological climate in an organization. The subject of the paper is the analysis of social competencies of manager, particularly social awareness (empathy and organizational awareness) and relationship management (conflict management, coach and mentor, influence, inspirational leadership and teamwork), as well as the analysis of leadership outcomes manifested through perceived leadership effectiveness by the employees, employee satisfaction with immediate superiors and encouraging employees by managers to put an extra effort into doing their job. The aim of this paper is to determine the relationship between social competencies of manager and the outcomes of leadership. The research was conducted on a sample of 30 employees in 8 organizations with more than 50 employees. Standardized ESCI (Emotional and Social Competency Inventory) and MLQ (Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire) questionnaires were used for the purpose of the research. Data analysis was performed using Spearman rank correlation and standard multiple regression. SPSS 25.0 software was used for data processing. A limitation of the study is the sample size.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to report on a study concerning what emotional intelligence (EI) leadership attributes branch managers in the public library service in Northern Ireland (Libraries NI) consider to be most important.Design/methodology/approachThe methodology in the study involved a survey of all branch managers in Libraries NI – an online questionnaire containing quantitative and qualitative questions was sent to 104 branch managers. Goleman's Emotional Competence Inventory (ECI) was used to examine what attributes and skills were considered to be more important.FindingsThe study found that while EI was a new concept to the majority of respondents, they were valuing and demonstrating EI attributes and traits in their work. The top five leadership attributes were: communication; teamwork and collaboration; adaptability; integrity/trustworthiness; and organisational awareness. Likert‐scale questions showed that being able to empathise with staff was considered to be important, and open‐ended questions demonstrated that the branch managers recognised the importance of self‐awareness and that recognising emotions in staff was an important management trait.Research limitations/implicationsThis study provides insight into the perceptions and practices of EI leadership within a public library setting and contributes to the research literature on the relevance of EI leadership for library management. It provides valuable comparative data for similar research undertaken elsewhere. Specific recommendations for further research into EI leadership and public libraries are also made.Practical implicationsThe paper shows how the findings can be used to improve practice. Three specific frameworks are proposed which can be applied in the workplace: an Emotional Intelligence Leadership Skills Competency Framework for Branch Managers, which lists the personal and social competencies for branch managers in public libraries; suggestions for applying EI to leadership/management and staff development; and suggestions for applying EI to customer relations.Originality/valueThis study analyses for the first time EI leadership in a public library setting in Northern Ireland, and contributes to the emergent literature on EI and library leadership. The EI Leadership Skills Competency Framework for Branch Managers that is developed from this study can be applied, tested and used within and beyond the Northern Ireland public library setting in which it was conceived.

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate dentists' opinions about the need for a practice management course in the undergraduate dental program. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2017 on practicing dentists in Lahore, Pakistan. A self-administered pilot-tested questionnaire was distributed among 588 dentists using a convenience sampling method to obtain their responses about the need for a practice management course. Descriptive statistics and bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed. Results: About 83.8% of 588 dentists completed the questionnaires. There were 36.7% of males and 63.3% of females (mean age 26.22 ± 4.8 years). The principles of patient management (94.1%), time management skills (90.3%), and teamwork (89.2%) were the most commonly agreed topics of the practice management course. The least agreed topics included office design (59.2%), health-care systems (60.9%), and inventory systems (69%). Most participants (74.4%) thought that a practice management course is required to successfully manage a dental practice, and 63% recommended to include the course in the dental curriculum. Multivariate logistic regression showed that dentists working in private clinic (odds ratio (OR): 3.35, P = 0.001), dentists with graduation within ≤ past 5 years (OR: 3.64, P = 0.001), and dentists who attended a practice management course (OR: 3.12, P = 0.001) were more likely to agree to the need of a practice management course to successfully run a dental office. Conclusion: Most dentists believed that a practice management course is required for a successful dental practice. The development and implementation of such a course should be based on the feedback from dentists to ensure evidence-based approaches.

Introduction / Innovation Concept: There are numerous research studies in the medical literature, which demonstrate how the experience of a medical residency can contribute towards burnout. The escalating performance pressures and expectations during residency training have the potential to negatively impact upon physician health and clinical performance. The purpose of this prospective cohort study was to test the effectiveness of the High Performance Physician (HPP) program among General Surgery residents at the University of Manitoba with regard to burnout and clinical performance. Methods: This program was delivered over a 9-week period. All 26 residents were asked to complete the Maslach Burnout Inventory - Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS). Each resident then participated as the team leader for a 15-minute trauma resuscitation simulation. Three attending physicians from Surgery & Emergency Medicine assessed resident performance and ability to manage work-based stressors. Following the simulation, each resident received a debrief interview. Once the HPP curriculum had been completed, residents took part in a second high fidelity simulation session and again completed the MBI-HSS. Curriculum, Tool, or Material: The HPP program offered through the Department of Emergency Medicine (EM), is a performance enhancement based curriculum. It is designed to equip physicians with mental skills to help optimize focus, arousal control, stress management, communication, and teamwork. Further, to utilize these skills to cope and respond more effectively to the inherent performance pressures that may present within one’s area of specialization. Conclusion: The Emotional Exhaustion domain of the MBI-HSS demonstrated a statistically significant decrease. The other domain scores were not statistically significant. Simulation domain scores did not demonstrate a statistically significant difference in performance between the pre- and post-HPP curriculum simulation sessions. A summative content analysis of the interview data demonstrated that residents believed internal barriers to situational awareness were the most significant impact on performance. Further study is required to determine if differences are seen in long-term follow-up.

Introduction: Stress has been shown to impair performance during acute events. The goal of this pilot study was to investigate the effects of two simulation-based training interventions and baseline demographics (gender, age) on stress responses to simulated trauma scenarios. Methods: Sixteen (16) Emergency Medicine and Surgery residents were randomly assigned to one of two groups: Stress Inoculation Training (SIT) or Crisis Resource Management (CRM). Residents served as trauma team leaders in simulated trauma scenarios pre and post intervention. CRM training focused on non-technical skills required for effective teamwork. The SIT group focused on cognitive reappraisal, breathing and mental rehearsal. Training lasted 3 hours, involving brief didactic sessions and practice scenarios with debriefing focused on either CRM or SIT. Stress responses were measured with the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (anxiety), cognitive appraisal (degree to which a person interprets a situation as a threat or challenge) and salivary cortisol levels. Results: Because the pre-intervention stress responses were different between the two groups, the results were analyzed with stepwise regression analyses. The only significant predictor of anxiety and cortisol responses were the residents appraisal responses to that scenario, explaining 31% of the variance in anxiety and cortisol. Appraisals of the post-intervention scenarios were predicted by their appraisals of the pre-intervention scenario and gender, explaining 73% of the variance. Men were more likely than women to appraise the scenarios as threatening. There were no differences in subjective anxiety, cognitive appraisal or salivary cortisol responses as a result of either intervention. Conclusion: Male residents, as well as those who appraised an initial simulated trauma scenario as threatening, were more likely to interpret a subsequent scenario as threatening, and were more likely to have larger subjective (anxiety) and physiological (cortisol) responses a subsequent scenario. Both CRM and SIT training were not effective in overcoming initial appraisals of potentially stressful events.

Absract:The EEES represents a major shift from traditional educational models in the University education system. The student takes an active role in their learning and the teacher becomes a in the guide the teaching-learning process. Besides this skills related to teamwork and interpersonal relationships (student-student, student-teacher and teacher-teacher ) become more important. In this paper we propose to develop some tools that allow us to evaluate the Student’s Good Practices relating more directly with student-student relationships and cooperative learning. Also deepen the process of adaptation of the Inventory of Good Practices in University Students, original by Chickering and Schlossberg (1995). In the context of the European Higher Education, this questionnaire has been translated into Portuguese and adapted for use with university students by Pinheiro (2007, 2008). Likewise, it has been used to establish intercultural studies, establishing the similarities and differences in the good practices associated with Portuguese and Spanish students (Gonzaga, Gozalo and Pinheiro, 2011). The aim of this study is to estimate the psychometric properties of two scales of the Spanish version of the Inventory of Good Practices in University Students: Work cooperatively with peers and Management of Personal and Social Resources. We have a group of 610 University of Extremadura´s students. Their responses to the inventories was subjected to analysis of reliability and validity: construct validity was assessed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, yielding satisfactory results.Keywords: Evaluation of Good Practice Student, University Education, psychometric study, adapting of instrument process.Resumen:El EEES supone un cambio importante respecto a los modelos educativos tradicionales en el sistema educativo Universitario. El alumno asume un rol activo en el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje y el profesor, pasa a ser un facilitador y orientador del mismo. También se promueven competencias relacionadas con el trabajo en equipo y las relaciones interpersonales (alumno-alumno, alumno-profesor y profesor-profesor) adquieren mayor trascendencia. En este trabajo nos proponemos desarrollar algunas herramientas que nos permitan evaluar aquellas Buenas Prácticas del alumno que se relacionan de forma más directa con las relaciones alumno-alumno y el aprendizaje cooperativo. También profundizar en el proceso de adaptación del Inventario de Buenas Prácticas en Estudiantes Universitarios (IBPEU), original de Chickering y Schlossberg (1995). Dentro del contexto del Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior, este cuestionario ha sido traducido al portugués y adaptado para su uso con alumnos Universitarios por Pinheiro, (2007, 2008). De la misma forma, se ha empleado para establecer estudios interculturales, estableciéndose las semejanzas y diferencias en la buenas prácticas asociadas con el aprendizaje alumnos portugueses y españoles (Gonzaga, Gozalo y Pinheiro, 2011). El objetivo del presente estudio es estimar las propiedades psicométricas de dos escalas de la versión española del Inventario de Buenas Prácticas en Estudiantes Universitarios: Trabajar en cooperación con los compañeros y Gestión de recursos personales y sociales. Para ello contamos con un grupo de 610 alumnos de la Universidad de Extremadura. Las respuestas de los estudiantes a estos inventarios serán sometidas a análisis de su fiabilidad y validez: su validez de constructo fue valorada mediante análisis factoriales exploratorios y confirmatorios, obteniéndose resultados satisfactorios.Palabras clave: Evaluación de las Buenas Prácticas del Alumno, Enseñanza Universitaria, estúdio psicométrico, proceso de adaptación de un instrumento

Recent engineering industry-based research has identified a number of skill deficiencies in graduating engineers. Emphasis on communication and teamwork informed by attributes of self management, problem solving and mutual accountability have been recognized as important needs by The Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET of the United States and are now required in undergraduate course material. The Engineering College at the American University of Sharjah has recognised this reality with the development of a course in language enhancement and professional communication centred on engineering multidisciplinary projects (EMDPs). This paper will outline four innovative practices that together inform this course; team-building, teamwork management, collaborative problem solving, resource management. Brief illustrative descriptions of: team-building through the use of the Belbin Team Role Inventory; management of teamwork development via planning and documentation; personnel and collaborative problem solving and interactive information sources hosted via a LibGuide will elaborate these innovative practices.

As the prevalence of persons with dementia increases, a larger, trained, and skilled healthcare workforce is needed. Attention has been given to models of person-centered care as a standard for dementia care. One promising role to deliver person-centered care is the care coordinator assistant. An inquiry about care coordinator assistant’s job satisfaction is reasonable to consider for retention and quality improvement purposes. We evaluated care coordinator assistants' job satisfaction quantitatively and qualitatively. This study was part of a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Health Care Innovation Award to the Indiana University School of Medicine. Sixteen care coordinator assistants, predominately female, African American or Caucasian, college graduates with a mean age of 43.1 years participated. Care coordinator assistants wrote quarterly case reports to share stories, lessons learned, and/or the impact of their job and completed the revised Job Satisfaction Inventory and Job in General scales during the second year of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services award. For the Job Descriptive Index subscales promotion, supervision, and coworkers and Job in General, care coordinator assistants scored similar to normative means. Care coordinator assistants reported significantly higher satisfaction on the work subscale and significantly lower satisfaction on the pay subscale compared to normative data. Care coordinator assistants completed 119 quarterly case reports. Job satisfaction and teamwork were recurring themes in case reports, referenced in 47.1% and 60.5% of case reports, respectively. To address the demands of increasing dementia diagnoses, care coordinator assistants can constitute a compassionate, competent, and satisfied workforce. Training care coordinator assistants to work together in a team to address the needs of persons with dementia and caregivers provides a viable model of workforce development necessary to meet the growing demands of this population.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to report the training of college librarians, academic and management staff, IT managers and students on how to organise, manage and use a user-friendly library. In Uganda, as in many countries, the problem is that school and/or college libraries are managed by librarians who may have good cataloguing and management skills, but who do not have the pedagogic skills and knowledge of the school curricula that are necessary for librarians to be able to guide and mentor both teachers and students or organise curriculum-related activities or facilitate research. The development of user-friendly libraries contributes in improving education quality through nurturing the interest of students and teachers in literacy activities and active search for knowledge. Under the stewardship of the Belgium Technical Cooperation and the Ministry of Education in Uganda, library stakeholders were trained on how to put users – rather than themselves – in the centre of the library’s operations and introduced to active teaching and learning methodologies and activities with emphasis on getting engaged in transforming spaces, services, outreach to users and collections. Several measures, short and long term were taken to address the gaps limiting the performance of the librarians. Given the disparities in the trainees’ education level and work experience, the training was delivered in seven modules divided into three units for over eight months in 2015. By the end of the training, trainees developed unique library strategic plan, library policies and procedures, capacity to use library systems, physical design and maintenance systems, partnerships, library structure and staff job descriptions. Design/methodology/approach To effectively engage the participants each topic was conducted using active teaching and learning (ATL) methodologies, including: lecture with slides and hands-on practice – each topic was introduced in a lecture form with slides and hands-on exercises. The main goal was to introduce the participants to the concepts discussed, offer opportunities to explore alternative approaches, as well define boundaries for discussion through brainstorming. The question-answer approach kept the participants alert and to start thinking critically on the topic discussed – brainstorming sessions allowed thinking beyond the presentation room, drawing from personal experiences to provide alternatives to anticipated challenges. The goal here was for the participants to provide individual choices and approaches for real life problems; group discussions: case study/ scenario and participant presentations – participants were provided with a scenario and asked to provide alternative approaches that could solve the problem based on their personal experience at their colleges. By the end of the group discussion, participants presented a draft of the deliverable as per the topic under discussion. More so, group discussions were an excellent approach to test participant’s teamwork skills and ability to compromise, as well as respecting team decisions. It was an opportunity to see how librarians will work with the library committees. Group discussions further initiated and cemented the much-needed librarian–academic staff – college management relationship. During the group discussion, librarians, teaching staff, ICT staff and college management staff, specifically the Principals and Deputy Principals interacted freely thus starting and cultivating a new era of work relationship between them. Individual presentation: prior to the workshop, participants were sent instructions to prepare a presentation on a topic. For example, participants were asked to provide their views of what a “user-friendly library” would look like or what would constitute a “user-friendly library”; the college library of HTC-Mulago was asked to talk about their experience working with book reserves, challenges faced and plans they have to address the challenges, while the college librarian from NTC-Kaliro was asked to describe a situation where they were able to assist a patron, the limitations they faced and how they addressed them. Doing so did not only assist to emotionally prepare the participants for the training but also helped to make them start thinking about the training in relation to their libraries and work. Take-home assignment: at the end of each session, participants were given home assignments to not only revise the training material but also prepare for the next day training. Further the take-home assignments provided time for the participants to discuss with their colleagues outside of the training room so as to have a common ground/ understanding on some of the very sensitive issues. Most interesting assignment was when participants were asked to review an article and to make a presentation in relation to their library experiences. Participant reports: participant reports resulted from the take-home assignments and participants were asked to make submission on a given topic. For example, participants were asked to review IFLA section on library management and write a two-page report on how such information provided supported their own work, as well as a participant report came from their own observation after a library visit. Invited talks with library expert: two invited talks by library experts from Consortium of Uganda University Libraries and Uganda Library and Information Science Association with the goal to share their experience, motivate the participants to strive higher and achieve great things for their libraries. Library visitation: there were two library visits conducted on three separate days – International Hospital Kampala (IHK) Library, Makerere University Library and Aga Khan University Hospital Library. Each of these library visits provided unique opportunities for the participants to explore best practices and implement similar practices in their libraries. Visual aids – videos, building plans and still photos: these were visual learning aids to supplement text during the lectures because they carried lot of information while initiating different thoughts best on the participants’ past experience and expertise. The training advocated for the use of ATL methodologies and likewise similar methodologies were used to encourage participants do so in their classrooms. Findings Addressing Key Concerns: Several measures, both long and short term, were taken to address the gaps limiting the performance of the librarians. The measures taken included: selected representative sample of participants including all college stakeholders as discussed above; active teaching and learning methodologies applied in the training and blended in the content of the training materials; initiated and formulated approaches to collaborations, networks and partnerships; visited different libraries to benchmark library practices and encourage future job shadowing opportunities; and encouraged participants to relate freely, understand and value each other’s work to change their mindsets. College librarians were encouraged to ensure library priorities remain on the agenda through advocacy campaigns. Short-term measures: The UFL training was designed as a practical and hands-on training blended with individual and group tasks, discussions, take-home assignments and presentations by participants. This allowed participates to engage with the material and take responsibility for their own work. Further, the training material was prepared with a view that librarians support the academic life of teaching staff and students. Participants were tasked to develop and later fine-tune materials designed to support their work. For example, developing a subject bibliography and posting it on the library website designed using open source tools such as Google website, Wikis, blogs. The developed library manual includes user-friendly policies and procedures referred to as “dos and don’ts in the library” that promote equitable open access to information; drafting book selection memos; new book arrivals lists; subscribing to open access journals; current awareness services and selective dissemination of information service displays and electronic bulletins. Based on their library needs and semester calendar, participants developed action points and timelines to implement tasks in their libraries at the end of each unit training. Librarians were encouraged to share their experiences through library websites, Facebook page, group e-mail/listserv and Instagram; however, they were challenged with intimate internet access. College libraries were rewarded for their extraordinary job. Given their pivotal role in the management and administration of financial and material resources, on top of librarians, the participants in this training were college administrators/ management, teaching and ICT staff, researchers and student leadership. Participants were selected to address the current and future needs of the college library. These are individuals that are perceived to have a great impact towards furthering the college library agenda. The practical nature of this training warranted conducting the workshops from developed but similar library spaces, for example, Aga Khan University Library and Kampala Capital City, Makerere University Library, International Hospital Kampala Library and Uganda Christian University Library. Participants observed orientation sessions, reference desk management and interviews, collection management practices, preservation and conservation, secretarial bureau management, etc. Long-term measures: Changing the mindset of librarians, college administrators and teaching staff is a long-term commitment which continues to demand for innovative interventions. For example: job shadowing allowed college librarian short-term attachments to Makerere University Library, Uganda Christian University Library, Aga Khan Hospital University Library and International Hospital Kampala Library – these libraries were selected because of their comparable practices and size. The mentorship programme lasted between two-three weeks; on-spot supervision and follow-up visits to assess progress with the action plan by the librarians and college administration and college library committee; ensuring that all library documents – library strategic plan, library manual, library organogram, etc are approved by the College Governing Council and are part of the college wide governing documents; and establishing the library committee with a job description for each member – this has strengthened the library most especially as an advocacy tool, planning and budgeting mechanism, awareness channel for library practices, while bringing the library to the agenda – reemphasizing the library’s agenda. To bridge the widened gap between librarians and the rest of the stakeholders, i.e. teaching staff, ICT staff, college administration and students, a college library committee structure and its mandate were established comprising: Library Committee Chairperson – member of the teaching staff; Library Committee Secretary – College Librarian; Student Representative – must be a member of the student Guild with library work experience; and Representative from each college academic department. A library consortium was formed involving all the four project supported colleges to participate in resource sharing practices, shared work practices like shared cataloguing, information literacy training, reference interview and referral services as well a platform for sharing experiences. A library consortium further demanded for automating library functions to facilitate collaboration and shared work. Plans are in place to install Koha integrated library system that will cultivate a strong working relationship between librarians and students, academic staff, college administration and IT managers. This was achieved by ensuring that librarians innovatively implement library practices and skills acquired from the workshop as well as show their relevance to the academic life of the academic staff. Cultivating relationships takes a great deal of time, thus college librarians were coached on: creating inclusive library committees, timely response to user needs, design library programmes that address user needs, keeping with changing technology to suite changing user needs, seeking customer feedback and collecting user statistics to support their requests, strengthening the library’s financial based by starting a secretarial bureau and conducting user surveys to understand users’ information-seeking behaviour. To improve the awareness of new developments in the library world, college librarians were introduced to library networks at national, regional and international levels, as a result they participated in conferences, workshops, seminars at local, regional and international level. For example, for the first time and with funding from Belgium Technical Cooperation, college librarians attended 81st IFLA World Library and Information Congress in South African in 2015. College libraries are now members of the Consortium of Uganda University Libraries and Uganda Library and Information Science Association and have attended meetings of these two very important library organisations in Uganda’s LIS profession. The college librarians have attended meetings and workshops organized by these two organisations. Originality/value At the end of the three units training, participants were able to develop: a strategic plan for their libraries; an organogram with staffing needs and job description matching staff functions; a Library Committee for each library and with a structure unifying all the four project-support Colleges; a library action plan with due dates including deliverables and responsibilities for implementation; workflow plan and organisation of key sections of the library such as reserved and public spaces; furniture and equipment inventory (assets); a library manual and collection development policy; partnerships with KCCA Library and Consortium of Uganda University Libraries; skills to use Koha ILMS for performing library functions including: cataloguing, circulation, acquisitions, serials management, reporting and statistics; skills in searching library databases and information literacy skills; skills in designing simple and intuitive websites using Google Sites tools; and improved working relationship between the stakeholders was visible. To further the user-friendly libraries principle of putting users in the centre of the library’s operations, support ATL methodologies and activities with emphasis on getting engaged in transforming spaces, services, outreach to users and collections the following initiatives are currently implemented in the colleges: getting approval of all library policy documents by College Governing Council, initiating job shadowing opportunities, conducting on-spot supervision, guide libraries to set up college library committees and their job description, design library websites, develop dissemination sessions for all library policies, incorporate user-friendly language in all library documents, initiate income generation activities for libraries, set terms of reference for library staff and staffing as per college organogram, procurement of library tools like DDC and library of congress subject headings (LCSH), encourage attendance to webinars and space planning for the new libraries.

When attending and participating in Higher Education, students face a multitude of personal, social, and work-related challenges, which may increase the risk of developing psychopathological symptomatology. To date, there is no instrument that grasps the non-technical skills that may help prepare students to respond to these challenges. This paper presents the development and psychometric properties of the Soft Skills Inventory (SSI). The inventory was developed based on theoretical and empirical findings on the skills associated with academic and professional success, and on students’ perception. The SSI was tested with 2030 Portuguese students (of which 77.1% were female) using a two-stage approach: item calibration and model generation (n = 1033), followed by model validation (n = 997). Item calibration analyses led to retaining 49 items that were organized into six-factors: self-determination, resilience, empathy, assertiveness, social support, and teamwork. This measurement model was further validated and proved to be an invariant, and thus credible, tool to compare male and female students on those relevant skills. All measures attained good internal consistency, with alphas ranging from .76 to .88. Female students scored significantly higher than males on self-determination, empathy, social support and teamwork. On the other hand, male students scored significantly higher on resilience. No significant differences were found between men and women for assertiveness. Psychometric analysis showed that the SSI is a reliable and valid instrument to evaluate students intra and interpersonal skills. The SSI may help identify gaps in soft skills and guide targeted interventions to support a more positive student experience in Higher Education.

Soft skills are important for any career and are necessary to access and face the labor market. This research focuses on soft skills by exploring engineer profiles. It also determines how soft skills are developed through the study of a representative sample of 314 undergraduate engineering students from 15 different Italian universities. The instrument used is a questionnaire that investigates soft skills and is based on the Business-focused Inventory of Personality (BIP). Answers are grouped into four areas: intrapersonal, interpersonal, activity development, and impression management. Results show that these engineers have more self-confidence than the reference sample; they demonstrated a great commitment in setting job goals and pursuing projects, a good emotional adaptation to social situations, and enough attitudes in terms of problem solving and openness to change. Perception on the ability to work under pressure is in the average, and they seem ready to take on challenging tasks. The score shows that engineers from the sample are able to express positive and negative ideas and feelings in balance with the reference average, but sometimes they have difficulties in establishing personal relationships. Therefore, they are unable to understand the moods of those who around them and may also have difficulty in understanding their expectations. This results in some difficulties in teamwork. The general result underlines the opportunity of empowerment programs regarding soft skills.

Background: Optimal patient outcomes require communication between providers in multiple professions to initiate referrals, communicate patient treatment, and coordinate care. While there is a clear need for increased understanding of the terminology, skills, and scopes of practice of professional colleagues, these tools are of limited effectiveness if there is poor interpersonal communication between team members. Multiple bodies for Interprofessional Practice and Education (IPP/IPE) identify communication skills as an integral part of education. In fact, the third competency domain set down by the Interprofessional Education Collaborative, Interprofessional Communication, states that professionals should, “Recognize how one’s own uniqueness, including experience level, expertise, culture, power, and hierarchy within the healthcare team, contributes to effective communication, conflict resolution, and positive interprofessional working relationships” [1].Methods and Findings: As part of a required interprofessional competence course, first-year students in ten health professions programs completed the Personal Coaching Style Inventory (PSCI) to self-identify personal communication styles. A series of one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) analyses followed by Tukey post-hoc analyses were performed in order to identify significant differences in PSCI component scores between programs. Within groups, students discussed personal and cohort-wide findings as they impact teamwork. The majority of students identified with the Mediator style. Differences in style were also found in relation to profession, gender, and race. The activity prompted discussion of varied roles in team dynamics, and how differences in style could affect interprofessional teamwork.Conclusions: Self-awareness of personal communication styles as well as predominant styles of other health professions may enhance interprofessional communication\skills. The skill with which students approach their team roles in heterogeneous groups following graduation has the potential to increase team functionality and patient outcomes.

Purpose The traditional image of an accountant as a boring, number cruncher may affect the likelihood that students with certain personality traits pursue the profession. This paper aims to identify differences in the traditional personality traits and cognitive styles associated with an accountant and identify the personality traits and cognitive styles of students currently entering the profession using empirical data. Design/methodology/approach A survey including a previously validated scale based on the Myers–Briggs type indicator and the Rational-Experiential Inventory-10 short scale was administered to 182 students enrolled in upper-level accounting courses. Findings Agreeing with the traditional image of an accountant, this study finds an uneven split for sensing/intuition and judgment/perception. Interestingly, this study finds a near even split in extraversion/introversion, thinking/feeling and cognition/intuition, which may affect interactions within the workplace. These near-even splits may indicate a positive shift in those pursuing a career in accounting toward individuals more capable of thinking outside the “box.” Practical implications This study informs firms of changes in the characteristics of accounting graduates entering the profession. Many firms have promoted the need for skills such as critical thinking, teamwork and communication recently, and it is expected that potential employees would exhibit these skills and behaviors. Determining the characteristics of new staff auditors, using empirical data, is critical given the increased analytical and interpersonal skills expected of those currently entering the profession. Originality/value Assessing the current composition of students pursuing careers in accounting is important because individuals’ personality differences can account for a large portion of differences in their behaviors. Shifting away from the stereotypical boring, nerdy, number cruncher accountant to a more colorful individual who thinks outside the “box” could have both positive and negative implications on the quality of work performed.