Practical Education Program and its Impact on Enhancing Perceived Self-Efficacy and Developing Soft Skills among of Al-Balqa Applied University Students

Abstract

Introduction: The main goal of the faculties of educational sciences in universities is represented in developing the student-teacher in educational and professional aspects. Such faculties aim to meet this goal in order to enable the student-teachers to handle the responsibilities assigned to them. Such responsibilities are represented in raising up a generation who is capable of adapting with the knowledge and technical advancements in the field of education. 

Objectives: The present study aimed to identify the impact of the practical education program on raising the perceived self-efficacy level of the student-teachers enrolled at Al-Balqa Applied University and improving their soft skills. The semi-experimental approach was adopted. The one-group research design was used.

 Methods: The researchers of the present study used a pre-scale and a post-scale. The sample consists from fifty (50) female and male students. Two instruments were developed. They are: the perceived self-efficacy scale and the soft skills scale. The perceived self-efficacy scale consists from 16 items. It targets two areas, which are: (the personal self-efficacy in teaching, and the expected outcomes of the teaching process in teaching). As for the soft skills scale, it consists from (16) items.

Results: It targets the following areas: (communication skills in teaching, and cooperation & group work skills in teaching). It was found that the practical education program has a statistically significant impact – at the statistical significance level of (a = 0.05)- on raising the respondents’ perceived self-efficacy level (in terms of the personal self-efficacy, and the expected outcomes of the teaching process) for the favour of the post-scale. It was found that the practical education program has a statistically significant impact – at the statistical significance level of (a = 0.05)- on improving the respondents’ soft skills (in communication skills in teaching and the cooperation and group work skills in teaching) for the favour of the post-scale.

Conclusion: The study recommends providing more attention to the practical education program in the syllabus. That should be done through increasing the number of the hours dedicated for it. The study recommends adding another aspect to this program through which students shall be trained on planning and giving lessons, and assessing students within campus.