Pedagogical approaches to teaching soft skills in higher education contexts

Küçük Resim Yok

Tarih

2025

Dergi Başlığı

Dergi ISSN

Cilt Başlığı

Yayıncı

Taylor & Francis Ltd

Erişim Hakkı

info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

Özet

In response to evolving labor market demands, soft skills such as communication, teamwork, critical thinking and emotional intelligence have become as vital as technical expertise for higher education graduates. This study investigates how soft skills are understood, taught and assessed by faculty members in Kazakhstani universities, as well as the institutional, cultural and policy factors shaping their integration. Employing a qualitative research design grounded in phenomenology, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 20 faculty members from diverse academic disciplines in Astana, Shymkent, Semey and Arkalyk. The findings reveal a multidimensional understanding of soft skills among participants, who employ varied pedagogical strategies including interactive learning, case-based teaching and digital tools. However, the assessment of soft skills remains challenging due to their subjective nature and the lack of standardized evaluation tools. Moreover, cultural norms, hierarchical academic traditions and institutional limitations present further obstacles. Despite these challenges, there is growing institutional and policy-level recognition of the importance of soft skills, underscoring the need for systematic reforms in curriculum and teacher training.

Açıklama

Anahtar Kelimeler

Soft Skills, Higher Education, Pedagogical Approaches, Kazakhstan, Teaching And Assessment

Kaynak

Cogent Education

WoS Q Değeri

Q2

Scopus Q Değeri

N/A

Cilt

12

Sayı

1

Künye