Introduction to Soft Skills IMPRESS Project Soft Skills

Introduction to Soft Skills IMPRESS Project Soft Skills Team Improving the Efficiency of Student Services 530534 -TEMPUS-1 -2012 -1 -UK-TEMPUS-SMGR Lecturer: Lutsenko Olena Associate professor of Applied Psychology Department

Origination of this course This course was designed under the EU Tempus Impress Project “Improving the Efficiency of Student Services” funded by the European Commission and lasts from October 15, 2012 October 14, 2015 (Project number 530534 -TEMPUS-1 -2012 -1 UK- TEMPUS-SMGR ). It was designed by representatives of 4 Ukrainian Universities (Kharkiv, Kyiv, Donetsk, Lviv) under supervision and leadership of University of Northumbria (UK). The main purpose of the project is to improve "students’ experience" in higher education in Ukraine, which will enable Ukrainian students to get acquainted with the European standards and as a result to meet the modern education quality standards in accordance with the Bologna Process requirements.

Learning outcomes § Understand conception of Soft Skills. § Have a clear representation about structure of the course and its assessment. § Be able to set goals and manage your own professional and personal development. § Apply reflective practice to understand your learning processes and articulate and evaluate personal objectives and motivation. § Assume responsibility for your learning and self-assessment.

Resources for course • E-manual of Soft Skills for professional Development; • Power Point Presentations; • Site of Laboratory of Psychodiagnostics: http: //psydilab. univer. kharkov. ua • Site of IMPRESS project: http: //www. impress-eu. com

Definition of Soft Skills refer to the cluster of personality traits, social graces, facility with language, personal habits, friendliness, and optimism that mark people to varying degrees

What are soft skills? Generally, soft skills may be subdivided into three basic categories: 1. Personal qualities 2. Interpersonal skills 3. Additional skills/ knowledge

60 "soft skills", desired by employers 1. Math. 2. Safety. 3. Courtesy. 4. Honesty. 5. Grammar. 6. Reliability. 7. Flexibility. 8. Team skills. 9. Eye contact. 10. Cooperation. 11. Adaptability. 12. Follow rules. 13. Self-directed. 14 Good attitude. 15. Writing skills. 16. Driver's license. 17. Dependability. 18. Advanced math. 19. Self-supervising. 20. Good references. 21. Being drug free. 22. Good attendance. 23. Personal energy. 24. Work experience. 25. Ability to measure. 26. Personal integrity. 27. Good work history. 28. Positive work ethic. 29. Interpersonal skills. 30. Motivational skills. 31. Valuing education. 32. Personal chemistry. 33. Willingness to learn. 34. Common sense. 35. Critical thinking skills. 36. Knowledge of fractions. 37. Reporting to work on time. 38. Use of rulers and calculators. 39. Good personal appearance. 40. Wanting to do a good job. 41. Basic spelling and grammar. 42. Reading and comprehension. 43. Ability to follow regulations. 44. Willingness to be accountable. 45. Ability to fill out a job application. 46. Ability to make production quotas. 47. Basic manufacturing skills training. 48. Awareness of how business works. 49. Staying on the job until it is finished. 50. Ability to read and follow instructions. 51. Willingness to work second and third shifts. 52. Caring about seeing the company succeed. 53. Understanding what the world is all about. 54. Ability to listen and document what you have heard. 55. Commitment to continued training and learning. 56. Willingness to take instruction and responsibility. 57. Ability to relate to coworkers in a close environment. 58. Not expecting to become a supervisor in the first six months. 59. Willingness to be a good worker and go beyond the traditional eight-hour day. 60. Communication skills with public, fellow employees, supervisors, and customers.

Why Soft Skills Matter So Much? ““Soft skills get little respect but will make or break your career” (Peggy Klaus). It's often said that hard skills will get you an interview but you need soft skills to get and keep the job.

According to researches conducted in Harvard and Stanford Universities only 15% of your career success is provided by your hard skills, whilst other 85% by so called soft skills.

Structure of the Soft Skills Course Selfmanagement Critical thinking Presentation skills Academic debate Peer-to-peer Interaction Reflective thinking and writing Group work

Self-management Self-motivation Task setting/prioritizing Taking responsibility Timemanagement

Critical Thinking «Thinking about thinking» (Raiskums) «This way of thinking, which does not accept the arguments and conclusions blindly, rather, it examines assumptions, recognize hidden values, evaluates the data and conclusions» (Mayers) «Reasonable reflective thinking, aimed at deciding what to trust and what to do» (Ennis)

Reflective thinking is a part of the critical thinking process referring specifically to the processes of analyzing and making judgments about what has happened. Dewey (1933) suggests that reflective thinking is an active, persistent, and careful consideration of a belief or supposed form of knowledge, of the grounds that support that knowledge, and the further conclusions to which that knowledge leads.

Presentation skills A presentation is the set of techniques and skills required successfully to present oral information to others.

Academic Debate is the process of inquiry and advocacy, a way of arriving at a reasoned judgment on a proposition. (Freeley, A. , Steinberg, D. , 2008)

Group Work Group work is one of the most useful ways of learning about cooperation, shared responsibility, project planning, and time management. Learning how to work successfully in a group has a close association with how we participate in the work place.

P 2 P Interaction • Interaction and learning method (technology) when the source of knowledge is not a professor but a peer student (peer instructor). • An educational practice and interactional framework fostering learning in many forms of life. • Strategy that promotes participation and interaction.

Assessment of the Module Formative assessment Summative assessment Activity during the learning sessions, writing Personal Development Plan, Learning Log and collecting portfolio (essays, vocabulary etc. ) and presentation. Academic debate (middle) Reflective Essay (final) Answers to the 2 questions in writing (Final)

Theme Assessment Scores # Forms of learning Maximum Minimum mark 1 Work during contact hours 2 Presentation 3 Essays, PDP, Learning Log 4 Academic debate 5 Reflective essay (final) 6 Answers to 2 questions in writing (final) 32 8 10 10 20 20 0 0 0 100 0 Total

Successful passing the course

What is Learning Log? A learning Log is a journal which evidences your own learning and skills development. It is not just a diary or record of “What you have done” but a record of what you have learnt and critically reflected upon. A Learning Log contains your record of your experiences, thoughts, feelings and reflections. One of the most important things it is your conclusions about how what you have learnt is relevant to you and how you will use the new information/knowledge/skill/technique in the future.

How do I ‘’do a Learning Log? Try to write something down after every new learning experience: • What you did; • Your thoughts; • Your feelings; • How well (or badly) it went; • What you learnt; • What you will do differently next time. On a regular basis (usually 3 -5 weekly) review what you have written and reflected upon this. Be honest with yourself.

Ask yourself questions such as: • Have I achieved anything? If so, what? • What progress have I made? • Have I put any theory into practice? • How does what I have been doing lead me becoming better at a skill? • How can I use this to plan for the future? • How can I use this to plan new learning? • Experiences? (Possible form of Log and instructions are posted in our site)

Reflection can help people to change Changes associated with reflection From To Accepting Questioning Intolerant Tolerant Doing Thinking Being Descriptive Analytical Impulsive Being Reserved Unassertive Diplomatic Being more Open Assertive Unskilled Communicators Reactive Concrete Thinking Lacking Self Awareness Skilled Communicators Reflective Abstract Thinking Self Aware

Home-work activities v Start to write your Learning Log. v Fulfill the test Honey&Mumford Learning Styles Questionnaire. Write in your Learning Log what you realize after you analyze your results of the test. v Read the text of Chapter 1 of e-manual of our course.

QUESTIONS?

What is Personal Development Plan (PDP)? ‘PDP is structured and supported process undertaken by an individual to reflect upon their own learning, performance and/or achievement and to plan for their personal, educational and career development’

PDP Structure • What are my development objectives? • • Priority What activities do I need to undertake to achieve my objectives? • What support/resources do I need to achieve my objectives? • Actual date for achieving my objectives • Evidence of achieving

QUESTIONS?

Thanks for your attention and activity!