Alumni Assessments of Soft Skill Formation in an Extended Simulation

Moore, Joel David; Loh, Sharmaine

doi:10.1093/isp/ekaa021

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…† These items were averaged to create a composite measure of perceived soft skills (see Table 3 for a summary of how this measure was constructed). This measure aligns with existing definitions of soft skills used throughout the literature ( 1 – 8 , 45 , 46 ) and in practice-based settings ( 47 ).…”

Section: Experimental Designmentioning

confidence: 71%

“… Items were developed based on existing definitions of soft skills used in the literature (see refs. 3 – 8 , 45 , 46 ). We also drew on the Department of Labor’s soft skill curriculum ( 50 ), which aims to teach the following set of skills to young workers: communication, enthusiasm and attitude, teamwork, networking, problem solving and critical thinking, and professionalism.…”

Section: Experimental Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Preventing soft skill decay among early-career women in STEM during COVID-19: Evidence from a longitudinal intervention

Melin

Correll

2022

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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As the workforce shifts to being predominantly hybrid and remote, how can companies help employees—particularly early-career women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields—develop greater confidence in their soft skills, shown to improve organizational retention? We evaluate the effects of an online longitudinal intervention to develop soft skills among early-career women employees at a North American biotechnology company during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Controlling for baseline levels collected immediately prior to nationwide lockdowns, we find that a 6-month online intervention increased early-career women’s assessments of their soft skills at work by an average of 9% ( P < 0.001), compared with a decrease of about 3.5% for a matched control group ( P < 0.05), resulting in an average treatment effect of nearly 13% on the treated group. Furthermore, we find evidence that the intervention led to an increase in manager-assessed performance for early-career women relative to employees not in the intervention, and that overall, increased self-assessments of soft skill competencies were associated with greater odds of retention. Results show how employee soft skill development was affected by the pandemic and provide insights for a feasible and cost-effective method to train and engage a hybrid or fully remote workforce.

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Section: Experimental Designmentioning

confidence: 71%

Section: Experimental Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

Preventing soft skill decay among early-career women in STEM during COVID-19: Evidence from a longitudinal intervention

Melin

Correll

2022

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Reimagining Conflict Management Pedagogy through Fantastical Role-Play Simulations

Wehlan

Reinke

2022

International Studies Perspectives

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Research demonstrates that simulations encourage students to apply their understanding of theories and content, navigate problem-solving processes with peers, support student motivation for learning, and reflect afterward to enrich their comprehension of course materials. Peacebuilding and international relations scholars have implemented simulations to improve student learning and understanding about complex dilemmas, such as collective action, structural inequality, post-conflict reconstruction, climate change, disaster management, and terrorism. However, studies of real-life-based simulations also indicate that they may entrench, rather than subvert, students’ extant bias, perpetuate cultural misrepresentation, and pose logistical challenges for instructors and students. We thus add to scholarly debates about the utility of role-play simulations in internationalized pedagogy settings by asking and answering: Do adult learners perceive fantastical role-play simulations as effective teaching and learning tools for cross-cultural negotiation? We bridge disparate literature on (1) simulations as active learning tools, (2) real-life simulation approaches for teaching cross-cultural studies, and (3) creative play pedagogy to investigate the utility of fantastical simulation as a pedagogical approach for teaching cross-cultural negotiation theories. While we examined the perceived effectiveness of fantastical simulations for adult learners in a graduate-level course, more research is needed to understand their utility in other classrooms and disciplines.

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Alumni Assessments of Soft Skill Formation in an Extended Simulation

Cited by 2 publications

References 29 publications

Preventing soft skill decay among early-career women in STEM during COVID-19: Evidence from a longitudinal intervention

Preventing soft skill decay among early-career women in STEM during COVID-19: Evidence from a longitudinal intervention

Reimagining Conflict Management Pedagogy through Fantastical Role-Play Simulations

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