No / The nature of Higher Education (HE) has seen many changes throughout the last decade. The agenda for widening participation in HE has led to an increase in the number of students with a broader range of educational s. At the same time there has been a surge in the development of digitalisation and the convergence of computing and telecommunications technologies available for use in education. This paper discusses the outcomes of a case study, conducted in a School of Health Studies within a northern English University, which identified the extent to which `non-traditional¿ students access on-line learning facilities, such as virtual learning environments and library networks, and what factors enhanced or formed barriers to access. `Non-traditional¿ students, for the purpose of this study, were defined as mature students who were returning to higher education after a considerable break. The outcomes indicated that skill deficit is a major obstacle for many `non-traditional¿ students. The paper explores this issue in depth and suggests potential ways forward for the delivery of technology supported learning for `non-traditional¿ students in Higher Education.

La formation par simulation dans le champ de la santé a pris son essor il y a une dizaine d’années en France, notamment en anesthésie-réanimation. Dans cette thèse, nous portons intérêt aux pratiques pédagogiques qui étayent ce dispositif et plus particulièrement au débriefing qui constitue l’axe central pour la conceptualisation de l’action, au regard de la didactique professionnelle (Pastré, 1999). Dans sa forme pleine échelle, la simulation vise à travailler des compétences techniques associées à des compétences dites non techniques (communication, leadership, émotions, …). Pour approcher les pratiques des formateurs dans le débriefing portant sur la construction des compétences non techniques, nous avons d’abord réalisé une enquête exploratoire auprès de formés puis nous avons mis en place un programme de recherche en trois phases : phase 1 - observations filmées à visée heuristique, phase 2 - observations filmées et entretiens d’auto confrontation en France et au Canada, phase 3 - focus groups avec des formateurs. Nous montrons, par l’analyse des données recueillies, que le passage de l’expertise professionnelle en anesthésie-réanimation à la posture de formateur dans le cadre d’un débriefing présente certaines difficultés. Nos résultats permettent alors d’appuyer des propositions pour accompagner un changement dans les pratiques des formateurs grâce à l’élaboration de la structure conceptuelle du débriefing, à la construction d’un référentiel de formation de formateurs et à un type d’artéfact cognitif pouvant soutenir le débriefing. / Interest for simulation-based training in healthcare arose around ten years ago in France, especially in the field of anesthesia and resuscitation. Studies about the teaching practices underlying this type of training focus on several points but more particularly on debriefing, which constitutes the central axis for conceptualizing action, according to professional didactics (Pastré, 1999). In its full-scale form, simulation aims at improving technical skills in association to so-called non-technical skills (communication, leadership, emotion management, etc.). To study the practices of trainers in the debriefing of non-technical skills, we first conducted an exploratory survey with trainees, then we created a research program in three steps: step 1 – filmed observations with a heuristic objective, step 2 – filmed observations and self-confrontation interviews in France and Canada, step 3 – focus groups with trainers. Through the analysis of this data, we show that the transition from professional expertise to trainer status in the framework of debriefing is challenging. Our results allow us to back propositions supporting a change in the practices of trainers based on the design of the conceptual structure of debriefing, the creation of a curriculum for a training-of-trainers course, and a type of cognitive artifact to support the organization of debriefing.

O presente estudo teve como objetivo desenvolver um modelo de habilidades técnicas do ataque da posição quatro e por meio do modelo, analisar o comportamento do ataque da posição quatro na categoria infanto-juvenil masculina. Para o primeiro objetivo, utilizou-se do método delphi, entrevistando-se em dois momentos distintos (1ª e 2ª etapas) 14 treinadores das seleções brasileiras de voleibol masculina e feminina. Enquanto que na primeira etapa foi delineada a estrutura do modelo, na segunda, foi possível elaborar o modelo propriamente dito a partir do nível esperado de consenso. Os resultados demonstraram que, para as onze situações de bloqueio, cento e setenta e duas habilidades técnicas foram relacionadas pelos treinadores, entre as quais, somente quatro (SBT1-I, SBT1-J, SBT3-A e SBT3-S) não alcançaram o critério de consenso estabelecido (média, moda, mediana igual ou superior a 4.0 e desvio padrão igual ou inferior a 0,65). Para o segundo objetivo, foram observados doze jogos em campeonatos mundiais dos anos 2005 e 2007, nos quais foram analisados valores de freqüência de ocorrência e eficácia. Os resultados mostraram maiores ocorrências nas situações de bloqueios duplos seguidas dos bloqueios simples e triplos. Quanto às habilidades técnicas, a corrida de aproximação em diagonal foi a mais utilizada pelos atacantes com opção de ataque direto. As habilidades com ataque explorando o bloqueio ocorreram com maior freqüência frente aos bloqueios duplos e triplos compactos. A análise de correlação de Spearman detectou baixo nível de associação entre freqüência de ocorrência e eficácia. Contudo, a análise de regressão logística (binária e multinomial) entre as habilidades mais freqüentes permitiu verificar que a SBD1-A foi a situação/habilidade que mais ocorreu, no entanto, com menores chances de sucesso entre a maioria das situações/habilidades investigadas. As habilidades técnicas empregadas nas situações de bloqueio simples obtiveram maiores chances de sucesso que as habilidades utilizadas nos bloqueios duplos. Os resultados destacaram o aspecto situacional do ataque, o qual revelou necessidade de aplicação de habilidades técnicas específicas em determinadas estruturas de bloqueio para se obter o sucesso / The objective of this study was to develop a model for attack technical skills in zone four and to analyze the performance of young players through this model. In the first case, through the delphi method and in two distinct moments (1st and 2nd phases), fourteen coaches of the Brazilian male and female teams were interviewed. The structure of the model was designed in the first phase and, by means of consensus, the model itself was eventually designed in the second phase. Results evidenced that 170 attack technical skills were reported by the coaches in eleven block situations, and only four (SBT1-I, SBT1-J, SBT3-A e SBT3-S) did not reach the consensus level (mean, mode, median equal or above 4.0 and standard deviation 0,65). In the second case, twelve games were analyzed during the world championships in years 2005 and 2007 in the frequency and efficacy of actions. The results from the analysis of attack performances from zone four during the world championships showed a larger number in double blocks followed by simple and triple blocks. As for technical skills, the type of run with diagonal approach was the most used by attack players with the option of direct attack. Techniques where attack explores blocking were most common in compact double and triple blocks. The Spearman correlation analysis showed no relation between frequency and efficacy. However, a logistic regression analysis (binary and multinomial) between the most frequent techniques evidenced that SBD1-A block/skill situation was the most frequent but least likely to success. Technical skills in simple block situations were more likely to be successful than those in double blocks. The results also highlighted the situational aspect of attack that requires specific technical skills for certain block structures to be successful

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine relationships between gender and race, disability status, single parent status, and economically disadvantaged status of students enrolled in Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology advanced manufacturing skills programs. Furthermore, this study determined if there were significant relationships between race and disability status, single parent status, and economically disadvantaged status of students enrolled in Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology advanced manufacturing skills programs. Finally, differences in completion rates between female and male students as well as differences in completion rates between white and nonwhite students enrolled in Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology advanced manufacturing skills programs. Archival data from Fall 2014 were collected from the Office of Research and Assessment at the Tennessee Board of Regents for each student at the point of enrollment. Chi-square tests of independence were used to determine if significant relationships existed between demographic variables and completion rates. Significant relationships were found between gender and race where there more white females and males than nonwhite females and males. Significant relationships between gender and disability status were discovered where there were more students of both genders who were not disabled than were disabled. Significant relationships between race and single parent status were found in that more nonwhite students were single parents than white students. Significant relationships between race and economically disadvantaged status indicated more nonwhite students were economically disadvantaged than white students. Significant differences between gender and program completion rate were realized in that more males completed their programs of study than females. Finally, significant differences were discovered between race and program completion rate revealing more white students completed their programs of study than nonwhite students. However, there were no significant differences found between race and disability, between gender and economically disadvantaged status, and gender and single parent status.

The World Economic Forum (WEF) found that Botswana's information and communication technology (ICT) networked readiness index (NRI) had declined from position 89 in 2012 to 104 in 2015. A decline in Botswana's ICT NRI resulted in a modest gross domestic product (GDP) growth increasing from 4.2% in 2012 to 5.0% in 2015. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies ICT service provider managers use to build employee competencies to address ICT infrastructure performance deficiencies. The target population for this study consisted of over 120 managers from 2 ICT service providers located in Gaborone and Francistown in Botswana. The conceptual framework for this study was information technology (IT) competency model. Face-to-face interviews with 15 managers and a review of 12 company documents were gathered and all interpretations from the data were subjected to member checking to ensure the trustworthiness of the study findings. The thematic analyses of participants' interviews and company documents resulted in the emergence of 3 common themes: developing professional employee competencies through training, promoting knowledge acquisition and skills transfer, and developing budgets for funding the development of employee competencies. Participants cited training and professional development as a reason for ICT infrastructure performance deficiencies. Social implications from this study include developing strategies business managers can use to build employee competencies to improve ICT infrastructure performance, which could result in improved services to citizens and enhanced national development, social transformation, and economic diversification.

The U.S. Government (USG) sets aside $133 billion annually to procure goods and services from small businesses. To increase efficiency and effectiveness, the USG employs e-commerce procedures that continually change, forcing small and microbusiness owners (MBO) to learn new technical skills. This continuum of change is adversely affecting MBO who lack technical skills. The purpose of this correlational study was to determine whether a relationship existed between the independent variables of formal training consisting of third party providers, consultants, and higher education (INTM); previous federal employment (PFE); and government-sponsored training (GST) and the dependent variable of MBO winning a USG contract. The theoretical lens used to frame the study was the resource-based view. Participants included 259 owners of microbusinesses with fewer than 5 employees located in the United States. A Web-based survey provided data for logistic regression analysis, which showed a statistically significant finding that MBO who did not have GST were 2.6 times more likely to win a USG contract than MBO who had GST. INTM and PFE were not significantly associated with winning a USG contract. Implications for social change include encouraging government officials to develop training programs whereby MBO may benefit from increased business opportunities, which may spark business growth, reduce unemployment within communities, and contribute to the economy.

Regional accounting firm leaders face challenges with employees who possess strong technical skills, but lack nontechnical communicating and teamwork skills. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies regional accounting firm leaders use to train technical staff on soft skills. The human capital theory was the conceptual framework supporting the study. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with partners, leaders, managers, and human resource personnel with 5 years or more of experience who participated in the hiring, training, and professional development process at 3 regional CPA firms. The review of company documents and company website postings triangulated the semistructured interviews. Data analysis entailed coding, conceptualizing concepts and ideas, identifying themes, and member checking to ensure the trustworthiness of interpretations. Based on the data collected, 3 themes emerged after the analysis including soft skills needed for success, mentoring and leadership programs, and team building initiatives. Findings from this study may contribute to social change by providing strategies regional accounting firms could use to provide soft skills training and mentoring initiatives to technical staff. Improvement in soft skills training may improve employees' lives by increasing their employability, career progression, and transition within the workplace, which may improve the economic wellbeing of local communities.

Introduction Clinical decision-making, situation awareness, task management, and teamwork are key non-technical skills (NTS) required by junior doctors. However, research has demonstrated that new doctors have difficulty demonstrating effective NTS behaviours. Tactical decision games (TDGs) are low-fidelity classroom-based activities designed to develop proficiency in NTS. They have been used in other safety-critical industries to develop NTS but their use in undergraduate medical education has been very limited. This aim of this thesis was to explore the potential role of TDGs as a novel method of developing final year medical students’ NTS. Methods Throughout this thesis a qualitative approach was taken, underpinned by constructivist epistemology. In the first instance the feasibility and acceptability of using generic (non-medical) TDGs with groups of final year medical students was explored. Thereafter, the use of non-medical TDGs and acute care simulation scenarios to develop NTS was investigated. Acute medical TDGs were developed with support and guidance from an expert panel. The potential role of medical TDGs to develop final year medical students’ NTS was then explored. Medical TDGs were then implemented into the core undergraduate curriculum in the clinical assistantship programme. Results In the feasibility study six key themes emerged from the data: ‘‘the value of non-medical games’’; ‘‘giving and receiving feedback’’; ‘‘observing and reflecting’’; ‘‘recognizing and understanding NTS’’; ‘‘dealing with uncertainty and ambiguity’’, and ‘‘introducing TDGs into the curriculum’’. Exploring the use of non-medical TDGs and acute care simulation to develop NTS, five key themes emerged from the data: “situation awareness and fixation”; “expectations influencing behaviour”; “being uncomfortable with uncertainty”; “transmitting and receiving information” and “working with peers and seniors”. Using acute medical TDGs to develop NTS, five key themes emerged from the data: “understanding capabilities and responsibilities of team members”; “prioritising in a busy clinical environment”; “developing a workable solution”; “relating medical TDGs to clinical experience” and “introducing medical TDGs into the undergraduate curriculum”. A team of facilitators were trained and medical TDGs delivered to the full final year cohort in the clinical assistantship programme. Discussion and conclusions This thesis has found that generic and acute medical TDGs represent an exciting potential method of teaching medical students NTS. TDGs appear to be versatile activities that can be adapted to meet the needs of participants in different contexts. As such, the full potential of TDGs in the undergraduate curriculum and beyond remains to be explored.

As habilidades não técnicas (HNT) complementam as habilidades técnicas, contribuindo para que o trabalho seja desempenhado de forma eficiente e segura. Sob a perspectiva da engenharia de resiliência (ER), o exercício das HNT não depende apenas da capacitação dos indivíduos, mas também do contexto organizacional. Esse trabalho aborda a capacitação baseada em cenários (CBC) como alternativa para a capacitação em HNT. A CBC apresenta cenários com problemas a serem solucionados pelos participantes, a partir de um contexto fidedigno ao encontrado na prática. Esta dissertação tem como objetivo principal identificar habilidades não técnicas e fatores para composição de cenários de treinamentos e como objetivos específicos: (a) identificar contribuições da organização do trabalho para o exercício das HNT; (b) identificar adaptações realizadas pelos eletricistas; (c) propor um programa de capacitação baseada em cenários com enfoque em habilidades não técnicas (HNT) de eletricistas que atuam em redes aéreas de distribuição. A aplicação prática do programa é ilustrada por meio de um estudo de caso em uma distribuidora de energia elétrica. O programa proposto é constituído por sete etapas: (0) Identificação das HNT; (1) Definição dos objetivos da capacitação; (2) Definição dos cenários de capacitação; (3) Definição do sistema de avaliação; (4) Refinamento da proposta para o programa de capacitação; (5) Capacitação dos instrutores; (6) Projeto Piloto; (7) Implantação da capacitação. / The non-technical skills (HNT) complement the technical skills, contributing to the work to be performed efficiently and safely. From the perspective of resilience engineering (RE), the exercise of HNT not only depends on the training of individuals, but also the organizational context. One of the methods used for such training is scenario-based training (CBC). The CBC presents scenarios with challenges to be addressed by participants, from a real context. This study has as main objective to identify electricians non technical skilss and to identify factores to composse the training scenarios. This studies also aim: (a) to identify organizational contributions for the non technical skills exercise; (b) to identify work adaptations; (c) to propose a scenario-based training program focusing non-technical skills. The practical implementation of the program is illustrated through a case study in an electricity distribution company. Seven steps compose the program: (0) Non-technical skills identification; (1) Definition of the training objectives; (2) Definition of training scenarios; (3) Definition of the evaluation system; (4) Refinement of the proposal for the training program;; (5) Trainer’s training; (6) Pilot Study; (7) Implementation.

As habilidades não técnicas (HNT) complementam as habilidades técnicas, contribuindo para que o trabalho seja desempenhado de forma eficiente e segura. Sob a perspectiva da engenharia de resiliência (ER), o exercício das HNT não depende apenas da capacitação dos indivíduos, mas também do contexto organizacional. Esse trabalho aborda a capacitação baseada em cenários (CBC) como alternativa para a capacitação em HNT. A CBC apresenta cenários com problemas a serem solucionados pelos participantes, a partir de um contexto fidedigno ao encontrado na prática. Esta dissertação tem como objetivo principal identificar habilidades não técnicas e fatores para composição de cenários de treinamentos e como objetivos específicos: (a) identificar contribuições da organização do trabalho para o exercício das HNT; (b) identificar adaptações realizadas pelos eletricistas; (c) propor um programa de capacitação baseada em cenários com enfoque em habilidades não técnicas (HNT) de eletricistas que atuam em redes aéreas de distribuição. A aplicação prática do programa é ilustrada por meio de um estudo de caso em uma distribuidora de energia elétrica. O programa proposto é constituído por sete etapas: (0) Identificação das HNT; (1) Definição dos objetivos da capacitação; (2) Definição dos cenários de capacitação; (3) Definição do sistema de avaliação; (4) Refinamento da proposta para o programa de capacitação; (5) Capacitação dos instrutores; (6) Projeto Piloto; (7) Implantação da capacitação. / The non-technical skills (HNT) complement the technical skills, contributing to the work to be performed efficiently and safely. From the perspective of resilience engineering (RE), the exercise of HNT not only depends on the training of individuals, but also the organizational context. One of the methods used for such training is scenario-based training (CBC). The CBC presents scenarios with challenges to be addressed by participants, from a real context. This study has as main objective to identify electricians non technical skilss and to identify factores to composse the training scenarios. This studies also aim: (a) to identify organizational contributions for the non technical skills exercise; (b) to identify work adaptations; (c) to propose a scenario-based training program focusing non-technical skills. The practical implementation of the program is illustrated through a case study in an electricity distribution company. Seven steps compose the program: (0) Non-technical skills identification; (1) Definition of the training objectives; (2) Definition of training scenarios; (3) Definition of the evaluation system; (4) Refinement of the proposal for the training program;; (5) Trainer’s training; (6) Pilot Study; (7) Implementation.