Soft Skills Development through Active Learning in Postgraduate Studies: An Action Research Study

Authors

  • Hidaya Mohamed Zahir Villa College

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55712/ijsri.v7i2.70

Keywords:

higher education, action research, soft skills development, experiential learning, active learning

Abstract

The objective of the action research study presented in this paper was to teach postgraduate students the soft skills they find valuable and believe are challenging for them to learn, and to gain knowledge of their learning experience. Convenience sampling was used to recruit fifteen Master of Science in Accounting and Finance (MScAFM) students, who voluntarily enrolled in a stand-alone, soft skills education module offered to them, which was delivered through collaborative learning and case method. The learning approaches and content were designed based on a pre-assessment task where students identified their existing knowledge and learning needs. Data was collected using a survey questionnaire, field observations and semi structured interviews. The findings show that the students in this study most highly valued leadership skills, time management, and communication skills and believed that having these traits will make it easier for them to achieve their goals in both their professional and personal lives. Students found it difficult to use critical thinking skills, and to work collaboratively. They are also unable to transfer their knowledge and skills effectively in work-related situations. Hence, soft skill qualities, such as creativity, adaptability, and collaboration should be developed as part of educational activities that strongly emphasize their practical application in different contexts. Engaging in this action research project gave the students the confidence to have a voice, as was described by the students. Students’ voluntary completion rates for the module indicate the high value students place on gaining soft skills.

Author Biography

  • Hidaya Mohamed Zahir, Villa College

    Hidaya Mohamed Zahir is a senior lecturer at Centre for Postgraduation Studies, Villa College. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Hidaya Mohamed Zahir, Villa College, Male’, Maldives. Email: hidaya.mohamed@villacollege.edu.mv

     

References

Abbas, Q., & Asghar, I. (2021). Impact of leadership on organizational performance. International Journal of Management and Human Science, 5(1), 1-101.

Abrami, P. C., Bernard, R.M., Borokhovski, E., Waddington, D. I., Wade, C. A. Persson, T. (2015). Strategies for Teaching Students to Think Critically: A Meta-Analysis. Review of Educational Research, 85: 275–314.

Alsaleh, N. J. (2020). Teaching critical thinking skills: Literature review. Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology, 19(1), 21 - 39.

Barkley, E.F., Cross, K.P., and Major, C.H. (2005). Collaborative learning techniques: A handbook for college faculty. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Boreham, T. (2018). Soft skills are so hard to nurture. The Australian. 28th June.

Braun, V., Clarke, V., Hayfield, N., & Terry, G. (2020). A worked example of Braun and Clarke’s approach to reflexive thematic analysis. Quality & Quantity, 56, 1391-1412.

Brennan, M., Beekhuyzen, J., & Shannon, H. (2020). Nurturing adaptive expertise: Assessing adaptability skills development in an innovative transdisciplinary entrepreneurship course. Journal of Small Business Management, 58(3), 593-620.

Brooks, E., Brant, J., & Lamb, M. (2019). How can universities cultivate leaders of character? Insights from a leadership and character development program at the University of Oxford. International Journal of Ethics Education, 4(2), 167-182

Bruner, R. (2002). Socrates’ muse: Reflections on effective case discussion leadership. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Cano, J. (2005). Creating experiential learning. Agricultural Education Magazine, 78(3), 2.

Chavan, M. (2011) Higher Education Students’ Attitudes Towards Experiential Learning in International Business. Journal of Teaching in International Business, 22:2, 126-143, DOI: 10.1080/08975930.2011.615677

Chuang, Y. L., & Huang, Y. H. (2021). The association between time management skills and academic achievement among college students: A meta analysis. Educational Psychology Review, 33(1), 47-74.

Demirtas, O., & Ozen, A. (2019). The impact of time management on students’ academic achievement. In Vong, S & Tan, R. (Eds.), Handbook of research on academic success and the education of migrant students (pp. 1-19). IGI Global.

Deslauriers, L., Schelew, E., & Wieman, C. (2011). Improved learning in a large enrollment physics class. Science, 332(6031), 862-864

DeVoe, S. E. (2019). Adaptability as a key outcome in management education. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 18(4), 617-620.

Du-Babcock, B., & Yang, Y. (2021). English as a business lingua franca: A framework of integrative approach to future research in international business communication. Springer.

Duplass, J. A., & Zeidler, D. I. (2002). Critical thinking and the role of logical argument in social studies education. International Journal of Social Education, 15(1), 113-127.

Eikenberg, D. (2018). Why Soft Skills Are Harder Than They Look. Forbes. 12th July.

Ford, M.J. (2010). Critique in academic disciplines and active learning of academic content. Cambridge Journal of Education 40(3): 265–80

Ghanizadeh, A. (2017). The interplay between reflective thinking, critical thinking, self-monitoring, and academic achievement in higher education. Higher Education, 74(1), 101-114.

Gibbs, P., Angelides, P. & Michaelides, P. (2004). Preliminary thoughts on a praxis of higher education teaching. Teaching in Higher Education, 9(2), 183-194.

Gibbs, P., Cartney, P., Wilkinson, K., Parkinson, J., Cunningham, S., & James-Reynolds, C. et al. (2016). Literature review on the use of action research in higher education. Educational Action Research, 25(1), 3-22. DOI: 10.1080/09650792.2015.1124046.

Hemming, H. E. (2000). Encouraging critical thinking: “But… what does that mean?”. Journal of Education for Business, 75(3), 160-164.

Hoffer, E. R. (2020) Case-based Teaching: Using Stories for Engagement and Inclusion. International Journal on Social and Education Sciences, 2(2), 75-80.

Jones, M., Baldi, C., Phillips, C.R., & Waikar, A. (2016). The Hard Truth about Soft Skills: What Recruiters Look for in Business Graduates. College student journal, 50, 422-428.

Kolb, D. A., & Kolb, A. Y. (2005). Learning styles and learning spaces: Enhancing experiential learning in higher education. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 4(2), 193-212.

Kolb, D. A., Boyatzis, R. E., & Mainemelis, C. (2014). Experiential learning theory: Previous research and new directions. In Sternberg, R. J. & Zhang, L. (Eds.), Perspectives on thinking, learning, and cognitive styles (pp. 227-247). Routledge

Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential Learning: Experience as a Source of Learning and Development. Prentice-Hall; Englewood Cliffs, NJ.

Krizan, A. C., & Herdman, A. O. (2020). Teaching and learning communication skills in business education: A review of the literature and research agenda. Journal of Education for Business, 95(7), 455-465.

Leal-Rodríguez, A. L., Albort-Morant, G. (2019). Promoting innovative experiential learning practices to improve academic performance: Empirical evidence from a Spanish Business School, Journal of Innovation & Knowledge, 4(2), 97-103.

Lee, C. L., Chang, H. L., Chuang, S. S., & Hsu, M. C. (2020). Impact of time management on college students’ stress and academic performance: A moderated mediation model of self-efficacy and perceived control. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 2067.

McGrath, R. G. (2019). The end of competitive advantage: How to keep your strategy moving as fast as your business. Harvard Business Review Press.

McTaggart, R. (1994). Participatory Action Research: issues in theory and practice, Educational Action Research, 2:3, 313-337, DOI:10.1080/0965079940020302

Nohria, N. (2021). What the case study method really teaches. Harvard Business Review. December 21

Obasi, E. M., Ellis, R. L., & Hubbard, J. D. (2019). Graduate business students’ leadership development through experiential learning: A multiinstitutional study. Journal of Education for Business, 94(4), 207-215.

Porzecanski, A., Gifford, M., & Sengupta, N. (2017). Case studies in conservation science: Active learning in large classes. Journal of College Science Teaching, 46(4), 64-70.

Piaget, J. (1954). The construction of reality in the child. (M. Cook, Trans). Basic Books

Salmi, J. (2017). The Tertiary Education Imperative: Knowledge, Skills, and Values for Development. Cham: Springer.

Smith, J. (2020). Leadership skills for the 21st century. Routledge.

Thornhill-Miller, B., Camarda, A., Mercier, M., Burkhardt, J., Morisseau, T., Bourgeois-Bougrine, S., Vinchon, F., El Hayek, S., Augereau-Landais, M., Mourey, F., Feybesse, C., Sundquist, D., & Lubart, T. (2023). Creativity, Critical Thinking, Communication, and Collaboration: Assessment, Certification, and Promotion of 21st Century Skills for the Future of Work and Education. Journal of Intelligence, 11.

Velasco, M. S. (2014). Do higher education institutions make a difference in competence development? A model of competence production at university. Higher Education, 68(4), 503–523. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43648735

Vojtko, V., Rusnáková, V., & Pirošková, V. (2018). Competence in time management as a factor determining work efficiency. Human Resources Management & Ergonomics, 12(1), 49-57.

Vygotsky, L. S., & Cole, M. (1978). Mind in society: Development of higher psychological processes. Harvard university press

World Economic Forum. (2020). The Future of Jobs Report 2020. https://www.weforum.org/reports/the-future-of-jobs-report-2020

Zahir, H. M. (2021). Soft skills valued by Maldivian college students as they prepare for lifelong learning, career success, and citizenship. International Journal of Social Research & Innovation, 5(1), 47–65. https://doi.org/10.55712/ijsri.v5i1.27

Zhang, Y., Wang, L., Liu, X., & Chen, J. (2020). The influence of leadership skills on interpersonal communication and conflict management: A metaanalysis. Journal of Business Communication, 57(4), 545-572.

Published

30.10.2023

How to Cite

Soft Skills Development through Active Learning in Postgraduate Studies: An Action Research Study. (2023). International Journal of Social Research & Innovation, 7(2), 73-94. https://doi.org/10.55712/ijsri.v7i2.70