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Description
Soft skills encompass a wide variety of skills that are necessary to be successful in school and in the workplace. From time management to goal setting, communication and collaboration, the non-cognitive, or soft skills, are fundamental to academic success However, even with their importance, soft skills are often not explicitly taught. The purpose of this action research study was to explore the impact of teaching soft skills to high school students.
A soft skills curriculum was created using self-efficacy theory which serves as the heart of Bandura’s (1977) Social Learning Theory. Specifically, the soft skills were taught, modeled, and then practiced by the participants. The Soft Skills Training Group (SSTG) consisted of eight sessions and covered five soft skills: communication, collaboration, time management, work ethic, and goal setting. Additional soft skills related to employability were also covered. These consisted of creating a resume, completing a job application, and practicing job interviews.
Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected. Quantitative data included student and teacher Soft Skills Survey results. Qualitative data included student homework assignments and work produced during the intervention. Reflection sheets were completed after each session to serve as a self-assessment of new knowledge and application of the soft skills covered each session. At the conclusion of the SSTG intervention participants were also interviewed to gather qualitative data about their experience in the group.
Results indicate that although high school students had received some training in soft skills, they lacked the motivation to consistently use their knowledge of soft skills in the classroom. As suggested by previous research, soft skills require hands on practice and constructive feedback to increase student use of soft skills on a regular basis.
A soft skills curriculum was created using self-efficacy theory which serves as the heart of Bandura’s (1977) Social Learning Theory. Specifically, the soft skills were taught, modeled, and then practiced by the participants. The Soft Skills Training Group (SSTG) consisted of eight sessions and covered five soft skills: communication, collaboration, time management, work ethic, and goal setting. Additional soft skills related to employability were also covered. These consisted of creating a resume, completing a job application, and practicing job interviews.
Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected. Quantitative data included student and teacher Soft Skills Survey results. Qualitative data included student homework assignments and work produced during the intervention. Reflection sheets were completed after each session to serve as a self-assessment of new knowledge and application of the soft skills covered each session. At the conclusion of the SSTG intervention participants were also interviewed to gather qualitative data about their experience in the group.
Results indicate that although high school students had received some training in soft skills, they lacked the motivation to consistently use their knowledge of soft skills in the classroom. As suggested by previous research, soft skills require hands on practice and constructive feedback to increase student use of soft skills on a regular basis.
ContributorsGlaittli, Michelle (Author) / Henriksen, Danah (Thesis advisor) / Foulger, Teresa (Committee member) / Metz, A.J. (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2018
Description
With organizations’ rising interest in creativity as one of the most sought out skill sets for graduates, it has become crucial to infuse creativity training in academic programs. This study evaluated freshmen business students’ perceptions about their personal, everyday creativity and examined the influence of infusing creativity training in their freshmen seminar course.
This action research study drew upon the intersection of three creative self-belief theories from management and education psychology literature: Jaussi, et al (2007) Creative Identity Theory; Karwowski (2014) Creative Mindset Theory; and Tierney & Farmer (2002) Creative Self-efficacy Theory. These theories arguably stemmed from Burke (1991) Identity Theory; Dweck (2006) Mindset Theory; and Bandura (1977, 1997) Self-efficacy Theory, respectively. This approach was used to understand what factors influenced students’ perceptions about their personal, everyday creativity.
Freshmen business students participated in the study. A concurrent mixed methods approach was used to gather data from the students. Quantitative data came from a post- and retrospective pre-intervention survey that assessed four constructs: creative identity, creative self-efficacy, growth mindset, and fixed mindset. The data also came from the quantitative section of a post-workshop feedback survey asking to rate the effectiveness of each workshop. Qualitative data were gathered in several ways. Student interviews focused on asking how they defined creativity, shared reasons that motivated or inhibited them to practice creativity, and explained to what extent the workshops influenced them. Additional qualitative data came from student reflection essays and the qualitative section of a post-workshop feedback survey.
Research results suggested students gained an increased understanding in the importance of adopting a growth mindset, designating ‘creative’ as a critical identity and building confidence in their creative endeavors. The students’ interview and reflection essay data were consistent with the survey data. Finally, research results from the study highlighted the benefit of creativity training as a crucial, complementary, and iterative form of study in an academic setting allowing students to know themselves better and to prioritize their creative performances as part of their program learning outcomes.
This action research study drew upon the intersection of three creative self-belief theories from management and education psychology literature: Jaussi, et al (2007) Creative Identity Theory; Karwowski (2014) Creative Mindset Theory; and Tierney & Farmer (2002) Creative Self-efficacy Theory. These theories arguably stemmed from Burke (1991) Identity Theory; Dweck (2006) Mindset Theory; and Bandura (1977, 1997) Self-efficacy Theory, respectively. This approach was used to understand what factors influenced students’ perceptions about their personal, everyday creativity.
Freshmen business students participated in the study. A concurrent mixed methods approach was used to gather data from the students. Quantitative data came from a post- and retrospective pre-intervention survey that assessed four constructs: creative identity, creative self-efficacy, growth mindset, and fixed mindset. The data also came from the quantitative section of a post-workshop feedback survey asking to rate the effectiveness of each workshop. Qualitative data were gathered in several ways. Student interviews focused on asking how they defined creativity, shared reasons that motivated or inhibited them to practice creativity, and explained to what extent the workshops influenced them. Additional qualitative data came from student reflection essays and the qualitative section of a post-workshop feedback survey.
Research results suggested students gained an increased understanding in the importance of adopting a growth mindset, designating ‘creative’ as a critical identity and building confidence in their creative endeavors. The students’ interview and reflection essay data were consistent with the survey data. Finally, research results from the study highlighted the benefit of creativity training as a crucial, complementary, and iterative form of study in an academic setting allowing students to know themselves better and to prioritize their creative performances as part of their program learning outcomes.
ContributorsHomayoun, Sogol (Author) / Buss, Ray (Thesis advisor) / Henriksen, Danah (Committee member) / Underiner, Tamara (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2019
Description
This mixed methods study explores the impact of parents learning to practicemindfulness on their emotion regulation, their interactions with children, and their children’s emotion regulation. The study was situated within the Balsz School District, where children often have difficulty regulating their emotions, leading to emotional, behavioral, relational, and learning challenges. Whether by exposure to community or domestic violence, refugee or homeless status, many families within the district have been exposed to multiple forms of trauma, often associated with emotional dysregulation. Parent and child emotion regulation are interdependent and interconnected. Relationships and interactions between parents and children begin in utero lay and neurobiological pathways that are the basis for the child’s emotions, behaviors, beliefs about themselves, relationships, and the world. Working with parents is often an entry point in helping children. Mindfulness promotes emotion regulation through changes to the structures and functions of the brain. One way these changes become visible is through alterations in behavior and communication in relationships with others. The mixed methods approach of this study utilized surveys, auto-ethnographic observation, and interviews. Results demonstrate that parents who learned to practice mindfulness strengthened their emotion regulation and feelings of connectedness to others. They became more aware of their feelings when interacting with their children, particularly in moments that required discipline. When children needed to be disciplined, parents were able to pause, reflect, and communicate with their children to promote internalized learning. This learning was carried forward in children and evidenced through positive changes in children’s emotion regulation. Overall, children were less worried, easier to soothe, and happier.
ContributorsGruber, Natalie (Author) / Henriksen, Danah (Thesis advisor) / Chapman, Amy (Committee member) / Siegel, Daniel J (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
The shift across developmental education from prerequisite to corequisite remediation has left students underprepared for college-level mathematics in need of additional support. Typically, this support takes the form of content remediation, but what happens when this extra help is reframed in terms of student learning skills and confidence? Taking place across four sections of College Algebra at a large community college in Texas, this mixed methods, quasi-experiment examined the academic and affective outcomes between students given the usual, content-centered remediation versus an intervention grounded in the theories of self-regulated learning and growth mindset. This intervention included explicit instruction on cognitive and metacognitive learning strategies and growth mindset principles, weekly reflective student learning journal writing prompts, and a reworking of formative assessments. No statistically significant differences were found between the two groups, but higher exam scores by the intervention group indicate possible practical significance. Qualitative differences also emerged between the two groups with the intervention group self-reporting a wider variety and more frequent use of metacognitive learning strategies, demonstrating a higher degree of self-experimentation and strategic planning, and experiencing greater increases in external locus of control and self-confidence. Although many interesting avenues remain to be studied the incorporation of self-regulated learning and growth mindset principles may help students enrolled in corequisite algebra-based courses become more effective learners.
ContributorsCollins Montalbano, Amy (Author) / Henriksen, Danah (Thesis advisor) / Firetto, Carla M (Committee member) / Simpson, Nancy (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2021
Description
The purpose of this study was to (a) embed nature and mindfulness into university course curriculum to determine the influence they have on students’ health and well-being, (b) examine students’ perspectives of mindfulness in the natural environment, and (c) to determine what students identify as the impacts of integrating nature and mindfulness into the university curriculum. This study was unique from previous studies. Several mindfulness practices were introduced so participants could explore and evaluate what worked for them and what did not. The research was conducted in two Environmental Education Certificate courses at Arizona State University: The Ecology and History of the Sonoran Desert (SCN 301) and Nature Journaling (SCN 309). This action research (MMAR) study included a participant pool of thirty-two students: sixteen from the in-person SCN 301 courses and sixteen from the online SCN 309 courses. Students participated in four activities requiring them to sit in a location, engage in mindfulness, and observe nature. These activities are identified as “sit spots” in this study. The four sit spots included two indoor and two outdoor sit spots. Students participated in a one-minute breathing meditation, a 54321 mindfulness technique, and a self-administered, non-clinical Mindfulness-based Art Therapy (MBAT) component during these sit spots.
Qualitative and quantitative data was collected via the pre- and post-Nature Relatedness Scale (NR) and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Quantitative data was also collected during the Activity Survey (AS). Qualitative data consisted of open-ended questions in the AS, class discussion, researcher observations and notes, and students’ reflections. All analyzed data was synthesized to produce the findings in this study.
The findings suggest that integrating mindfulness and nature into university positively influenced students' mental health and well-being. Students reported decreased stress and anxiety while increasing focus, attention, and academic performance. Mindfulness and nature cultivate a more mindful and meaningful way of connecting with oneself, individuals, and nature. Mindfulness and nature also were linked to learning by producing academic benefits. The results of this study inform my local practice and set the foundations to produce results in a larger educational context.
ContributorsSchuster, Cyna (Author) / Koyama, Jill (Thesis advisor) / Walters, Molina (Committee member) / Henriksen, Danah (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023