Best of: Soft Skills: More important than you might think!

While our bloggers take a much needed break, I will revisit this blog's most viewed posts. Check back each week!

Re-posted from February 2010
by Denise Philpot
 

We all know about teaching technical skills, whether it’s computer skills, welding techniques, or how to use a piece of equipment. These are the “easy” things to teach because we can design a rubric to assess knowledge learned, competencies acquired, and skills demonstrated. However, anyone that has ever hired or managed employees can tell you that it takes far more to be successful in the workplace. What does it take, in addition to those easily quantifiable, task-oriented skills to be successful? The answer is soft skills!

 

What are soft skills and what can be done to help our students improve them? Soft skills and other desired personal attributes include:

• Interpersonal skills
• Communication skills
• Time management skills
• Leadership skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Social skills
• Teamwork skills
• Organizational skills
• Personal work ethics and integrity
• Attitude and demeanor
• Willingness to learn

Many of these seem to be difficult to teach and even harder to assess in the classroom. Employers look for these skills and attributes when recruiting as a way of predicting success in the workplace. It is important that classrooms provide multiple opportunities for students to learn and practice these “soft skills” to increase their employability when they leave high school and search for meaningful employment.

 

From my personal experience as a manager, I was frustrated by the lack of job readiness that many entry level employees displayed. They generally exhibited strong technical knowledge in terms of general clerical and computer skills, but did not bring to their first job experience those soft skills required to be successful in a professional office environment. Whether I had to address appropriate workplace attire, professional e-mail communications, phone etiquette, customer service skills, timely follow-up and task completion, or tardiness and attendance, I quickly realized the most valuable thing I could offer these young people was coaching and mentoring to support soft skill acquisition and development. Although some of these subjects were addressed during new employee orientation, until these new hires were actually on the job, the topics presented in training did not translate for them into constructs in the workplace. Unfortunately, not all managers are willing to take the time to coach and mentor new employees that do not already have the necessary soft skills to be successful.

Classroom teachers can promote these highly sought skills by requiring professional behaviors in the classroom/lab/workshop, modeling appropriate interpersonal skills with students and peers, designing lessons that incorporate teamwork and problem-solving activities, and using case studies to examine the impact of ethical behaviors and positive/negative attitudes. Provide opportunities for students to complete an inventory of their skills and attitudes early in the semester and repeat the measure at the end of the course. Invite professionals in your industry to share with your students what they expect of their employees and how to improve their competitive advantage when applying for jobs. Talk about and be a shining example of life-long learning and discuss why it is important to embrace continuous learning for lifetime success.

As teachers, helping our students improve their soft skills also helps us! When we regularly and consistently model behaviors it strengthens them. Soft skills, in that sense, are just like technical skills. We need to practice them to keep them sharp! Demonstrate effective classroom leadership skills, communicate professionally with students and parents, provide timely feedback, always bring a positive attitude to your classroom, and treat all students with respect and dignity. Reward students when they are successful and provide opportunities for them to improve in areas that need work. Keep commitments and encourage students to practice time management skills outside the classroom. Prepare you students for the world of work by teaching them important soft skills through role modeling and practice. It truly is a win-win for both teacher and student!

 

References

• Chakraborty, Manishankar. (2009). Soft Skills: Essential for Shaping Well-Rounded Individuals. The Icfai University Press.
• Harris, Kara S. & Rogers, George E. (2008). Soft Skills in the Technology Education Classroom: What Do Students Need? The Technology Teacher.
• Sharma, Meenakshi. (2009). How Important Are Soft Skills from the Recruiter’s Perspective. The Icfai University Press.
• Smith, Lauren. (2007). Teaching the Intangibles. Fundamentals, T&D.
• Vincent, Kevin. (2009). Hard Facts of Soft Skill Management. New Zealand Management.

Best of: On Project Based Learning

While our bloggers take a much needed break, I will revisit this blog's most viewed posts. Check back each week!

Re-posted from August 10, 2012.
 by Lynne Cagle Cox
Cluster Specialist
Arts, AV Technology & Communication

With the 2012-2013 school year just around the corner, it seems prudent to begin thinking of ways to improve or supplement our classroom instructional offerings for the coming year. Every summer I spend a considerable amount of time dreaming up new ways to entice, excite, engage, and educate my incoming students. Many of my students tell me that I spend my time dreaming of new ways to torture them. Ultimately, my goal is to generate new ways to involve them in learning and to stretch them in their thinking, so perhaps my students are correct in their estimation of my intentions. 

As we are thinking parallel thoughts, I would like to discuss a topic that has recently received increased attention in educational circles: project-based learning. I will begin by stating that I am a staunch supporter of project-based learning. When I taught in the high school classroom, all of my instruction for the entire year was based on the exploration of concepts related to a single, multifaceted, complex project. With my position on the topic firmly in place, I will launch this discussion by dispelling a couple of myths as supported by literature and then share some practical “how-to” ideas.

Myth 1: Project-based learning is new.

In 1918, William Kilpatrick wrote, “The word ‘project’ is perhaps the latest arrival to knock for admittance at the door of educational terminology. Shall we admit the stranger?” (p. 319). Since the topic is now almost 100 years old in educational literature, I think we can confidently say that project-based learning is not a new concept.

 

Myth 2: Everyone knows what project-based learning is.

During a recent meeting of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) at my child’s school, I was informed by a fellow parent that she was adamantly opposed to project-based learning. She explained that in her opinion, project-based learning is defined as working in groups with the smart kid, ostensibly hers, doing all of the work and the others riding his/her coattails for an easy grade. My PTA friend is a well-educated and highly respected member of our community. I suspect she probably also scores well on tests of intelligence. Unfortunately, she does not really understand project-based learning. Fortunately, we need not rely on my PTA friend for a definition of the concept. 

In 1928, Kilpatrick defined the concept for us, provided a framework for classifying projects, and identified the primary underlying goal of project-based learning:

We understand the term project to refer to any unit of purposeful experience, any instance of purposeful activity where the dominating purpose, as an inner urge, (1) fixes the aim of the action, (2) guides its process, and (3) furnishes its drive, its inner motivation. (p. 283)

Kilpatrick (1928) classifies projects in four types: Type 1, an experience in which the dominating purpose is to make something; Type 2, an experience in which the purpose is to gain experience; Type 3, an experience where the dominating goal is to solve a problem to understand or explain an intellectual concept or challenge; and Type 4, an experience in which the purpose is to acquire certain knowledge or skill. According to Kilpatrick, the key point of project-based learning is that while a project is in process, the students are so actively engaged in the purpose of the project that they possess an inner drive to influence the outcome, guide their own inquiry, and practice self-motivation. Additionally, specifically for my PTA friend, Kilpatrick goes on to distinguish a difference between group and individual projects and states that both are equally valid methods for implementing project-based learning.

Implementing project-based learning in the CTE classroom.

So, how do we design, develop, and implement project-based learning? What makes a good project? In my opinion, a 2002 article by Dale Preuss does a nice job of summarizing six guiding principles presented in Adria Steinberg’s book Real Learning, Real Work. His summary essentially creates a checklist for us to follow as we go about the work of designing new and innovative ways to entice, excite, and engage our students in learning. For each principle, I will briefly define key terms (based on Merriam-Webster) and then provide a few application thoughts.

Principle 1: Authenticity. 

Definition of authenticity: real. 

Projects must be meaningful beyond the four walls of the classroom. The easiest way for me to gauge the authenticity of a project is to apply the standard of appropriateness in the workplace. If the project is not something that someone would be expected to do in the workplace on a regular basis, then I may want to reconsider including the project in my classroom.

Principle 2: Academic rigor. 

Definition of rigor: challenging. 

Projects should require students to stretch their thinking. In the real world we must combine concepts from various academic disciplines in order to solve meaningful problems. Creating an exhibition catalog, for instance, requires knowledge and skill in graphic design, photography, printing, English and math. In addition, an individual must consider the overall purpose of the catalog as well as the minutiae associated with copyright issues and technical editing. If the individual is working with others on the project, he or she must also be able to communicate in a professional manner. Multidisciplinary thinking is a critical part of project-based learning.

Principle 3: Applied learning. 

Definition of applied: put to practical use. 

Projects must require students to use knowledge in practical yet novel ways. Students need opportunities to practically use information to create new things, solve new problems, and respond to new challenges. Rote learning is essential for some things as long as we provide opportunities to apply that learning in meaningful and practical ways. The standard applied to the authenticity principle is appropriately applied to this principle as well: if students will not be expected to perform a task in the workplace, we may want to reconsider how much classroom time should be spent on the activity.

Principle 4: Active exploration. 

Definition of active: engaged.

Projects need to incorporate opportunities for students to seek out information from various reliable resources. Students can use textbooks for some answers, but should also be encouraged to access and evaluate other sources of information to solve problems. While writing this blog, for instance, I have referred to published scholarly articles, opinion articles, and Wikipedia articles; I have used printed publications and internet-based publications; and I have included anecdotal stories of other’s opinions as well as my own interpretations of the information based on my past professional experiences. Students should be required to use multiple sources when solving problems or responding to challenges.

Principle 5: Adult relationships. 

Definition of relationship: kinship.

Projects should incorporate opportunities for students into interact and work with members of the business community in meaningful ways. The word kinship implies a bond between people. We can look to the late Middle Ages at apprenticeships primarily in the trades and crafts for inspiration on creating modern opportunities for students to work with adults. Guest speakers and field trips are wonderful activities, but students also need opportunities to investigate and solve real problems with business professionals so they understand how those adults think, communicate, and work.

Principle 6: Assessment practices. 

Definition of assess: to determine the importance or value of something. 

Projects should provide multiple opportunities for students to assess their process, their progress, and their products. Assessment means more than assigning a grade to a final product. Assessment is a multifaceted, interactive process that should involve self-reflection, peer review, and professional evaluation. Traditional approaches to assessment (quizzes, papers, exams, etc.) are appropriate when they are paired with authentic assessment (presentations, discussions, exhibitions, portfolios, etc.).

Final thoughts.

To reiterate Kilpatrick’s premise, at the heart of project-based learning is student self-motivation: self-motivation to know, do, and learn. The teacher’s responsibility is to design projects that students can relate to and are interested in understanding as this is one of the best ways to set the stage for self-motivation. A Chinese proverb states, “Tell me and I’ll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I’ll understand.”

I hope you will spend some time this summer thinking about how you can structure your instructional content around a meaningful project or group of projects. Start small with one project to test the waters then progress into more complex projects. Project-based learning works – especially in CTE classrooms.

For further study:

Apprenticeship. (June 17, 2012). Retrieved on July 16, 2012 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apprenticeship

Kilpatrick, W. H. (1918). The project method. Teachers College Record, 19, 319-35.

Kilpatrick, W. H. (1921). Dangers and difficulties of the project method and how to overcome them: Introductory statement and definition of terms. Teachers College Record, 22(4), 283–288.

Preuss, D. A. (2002). Creating a project-based curriculum. Tech Directions, 62(3), p. 16-18. Provides a summary of benefits of project-based learning and characteristics of project-based activities. The steps of creating project-based curriculum are discussed.

Scott, J. L. and Sarkees-Wircenski, M. (2008). Overview of career and technical education (4th ed.). Orland Park, IL: American Technical Publishers. Provides a broad overview of the history of career and technical education. Includes a discussion of early forms of education for work, an in-depth description of modern career and technical programs, and a chronology of relevant legislation.

 

Does the White House Support CTE?

by Dr. Pamela Bracey

Cluster Specialist

Information Technology
 

As professionals of the field, we all know that Career & Technical Education (CTE) represents a critical investment in our future. After all, companies often view CTE programs as important sources for producing well-prepared employees that they need to fill skilled positions. The past two years have been a whirlwind in terms of funding and the overall future status of CTE, so I decided to post information regarding President Obama’s Administration’s blueprint for a reauthorized Perkins Act in case any of you have not yet heard about it.   

 

According to the United States Department of Education Office of Vocational and Adult Education’s publication last year regarding CTE, “Investing in America’s Future: A Blueprint for Transforming Career and Technical Education,” it is the goal of The Obama Administration to promote a new error of rigorous, relevant, and results-driven CTE shaped by four core principles:   

1. Alignment. Effective alignment between high-quality CTE programs and labor market needs to equip students with 21st-century skills and prepare them for in-demand occupations in high-growth industry sectors; 
2. Collaboration. Strong collaborations among secondary and postsecondary institutions, employers, and industry partners to improve the quality of CTE programs; 
3. Accountability. Meaningful accountability for improving academic outcomes and building technical and employability skills in CTE programs for all students, based upon common definitions and clear metrics for performance; and 
4. Innovation. Increased emphasis on innovation supported by systemic reform of state policies and practices to support CTE implementation of effective practices at the local level.  

According to the document, The Obama Administration’s proposal “reflects a commitment to promoting equity and quality across these alignment, collaboration, accountability, and innovation efforts in order to ensure that more students have access to high-quality CTE programs. The proposal seeks to also use a combination of technical assistance, competition, and a system of structured rewards to ensure that more students, regardless of backgrounds or circumstances, have access to high-quality CTE programs.” To view more, visit:
 

http://www.p12.nysed.gov/cte/docs/PerkinblueprintFull2013.pdf.

Is your district or CTE center doing anything to encourage or support these four core principles? If so, I would love to hear a few of your best practices.

Reference: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Vocational and Adult Education, Investing in America’s Future: A Blueprint for Transforming Career and Technical Education, Washington, D.C., 2012.

Financial Reality Check

By Holly Smith
Cluster Specialist
Business Management & Administration
Finance

If I could teach my seven and nine year-old girls something, it would be a greater understanding of money.  While they aren’t teenagers, they would spend  money like teenagers.  We implemented the Dave Ramsey soup cans of “save” “give” and “spend”, but that wasn’t capturing their attentions.  Then, we took them to the bank and they opened savings accounts and received their very own debit cards for deposit and withdrawals only.  As you can imagine, we now are scouring two messy bedrooms for those cards.

If you think about it, my girls aren’t much different than our teenager students.  Most of them want to spend money, may lose interest in saving money, and often lose track of money.  Where does a CTE teacher begin to wade through all of the available information out there to implement some practical information about personal finances?

I suggest starting with “The Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy” http://www.jumpstart.org. The emphasis is from pre-kindergarten through college age, and promotes lifelong financial success.  This site has a “rich” list of free resources which include single lessons and learning games as well as comprehensive courses.  They show you the National and State Standards in K-12 Personal Finance Education.  They have also listed their best practices for any teacher who would like to submit for publication.

 

The best tool for a teacher to implement in the classroom is their “Reality Check”. 

While it isn’t a precise budgeting tool, it will give students (especially your seniors) a valid assessment of what it will cost to live the life they want.  Have students go online, fill it out and look at their reality check.  They will be told what their average weekly salary needs to be after taxes, given some jobs that make that average salary, and then given the average salary earned according to degree of education achieved.

To keep the conversation going, ask the following questions:

1)    By a show of hands, how many of you need to make more money?

2)    How many of you need to reevaluate your luxury expenses? (i.e. haircuts, manicures, eating out)

3)    What are some other luxury expenses that you don’t feel you can live without? (answers will be type of car, clothing, happy hours, hair color treatments, etc.)

4)    If you have a luxury item that you refuse to lose, are you a bad person?  What are your guidelines for luxury spending?

5)    How, if at all, have your plans for your future changed based on this reality check?

I hope you will find this reality check fun and useful. 

Retrieved from May 14, 2001, from http://www.jumpstart.org/reality-check.html