Competence profile differences among graduates from different academic subject fields: implications for improving students’ education

The aim of a university education is the intellectual development of citizens, and the training of professionals for their subsequent entry into the workforce. However, this entry into the workforce, following the theoretical education usually provided by the university, implies that students have to manage this difficult transition by themselves. Society, in a continual process of transformation, requires of universities that they adjust, adapting the education they offer to comply with the demands of society and the workplace. Socio-emotional skills would seem to have influence predicting professional performance. These skills also influence job-finding and employability. Consequently, providing teachers with an education in socioemotional competences is becoming a necessary task within universities, and the majority of teaching staff consider these skills to be fundamental to the personal and socio-emotional development of students. The objective of our proposed work is to establish the characteristic profile of competences of a sample of teachers in training, and compare it with the competences profile of graduate students belonging to the fields of law sciences, social sciences, humanities, science and technology, and health. Starting from results, implications will be derived for the development of generic competences of socio-emotional type in the framework of the European Frame of Higher Education.

2012: una odisea urbana. La nueva sede de la Confederación de Empresarios de Albacete (FEDA)

La nueva sede de la Confederación de Empresarios de Albacete (FEDA), 2007-2011, es un edificio del equipo de arquitectos COR & Asociados, formado por Jesús Olivares y Miguel Rodenas, titulados por la Universidad de Alicante. Situado en un retal de la ciudad de Albacete (España), con 3800 m2 y un coste de poco menos de 1000 €/m2, este equipamiento público, de manifiesta calidad como pieza arquitectónica, suscita a los autores del presente artículo una reflexión en profundidad sobre el alcance de su impacto en el medio indeciso en que se inserta y sobre su capacidad para urbanizar un entorno falto de carácter.

Research-action Methodology between Computer Science and Educational Psychology: a Multidisciplinary Approach

Computer science studies possess a strong multidisciplinary aptitude since most graduates do their professional work outside of a computing environment, in close collaboration with professionals from many different areas. However, the training offered in computer science studies lacks that multidisciplinary factor, focusing more on purely technical aspects. In this paper we present a novel experience where computer studies and educational psychology find a common ground and realistic working through laboratory practices. Specifically, the work enables students of computer science education the development of diagnosis support systems, with artificial intelligence techniques, which could then be used for future educational psychologists. The applications developed by computer science students are the creation of a model for the diagnosis of pervasive developmental disorders (PDD), sometimes also commonly called the autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The complexity of this diagnosis, not only by the exclusive characteristics of every person who suffers from it, but also by the large numbers of variables involved in it, requires very strong and close interdisciplinary participation. This work demonstrates that it is possible to intervene in a curricular perspective, in the university, to promote the development of interpersonal skills. What can be shown, in this way, is a methodology for interdisciplinary practices design and a guide for monitoring and evaluation. The results are very encouraging since we obtained significant differences in academic achievement between students who attended a course using the new methodology and those who did not use it.

Perceived emotional intelligence, general intelligence and early professional success: predictive and incremental validity

Although the study of factors affecting career success has shown connections between biographical and other aspects related to ability, knowledge and personality, few studies have examined the relationship be-tween emotional intelligence and professional success at the initial career stage. When these studies were carried out, the results showed significant relationships between the dimensions of emotional intelligence (emotional self-awareness, self-regulation, social awareness or social skills) and the level of professional competence. In this paper, we analyze the relationship between perceived emotional intelligence, measured by the Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS-24) questionnaire, general intelligence assessed by the Cattell factor "g" test, scale 3, and extrinsic indicators of career success, in a sample of 130 graduates at the beginning of their careers. Results from hierarchical regression analysis indicate that emotional intelligence makes a specific contribution to the prediction of salary, after controlling the general intelligence effect. The perceived emotional intelligence dimensions of TMMS repair, TMMS attention and sex show a higher correlation and make a greater contribution to professional success than general intelligence. The implications of these results for the development of socio-emotional skills among University graduates are discussed.

General mental ability as moderator of personality traits as predictors of early career success

In this paper, we examine the effects of general mental ability (GMA) and the personality traits defined in the big five model on extrinsic and intrinsic indicators of career success, in a sample of 130 graduates who were in the early stages of their careers. Results from hierarchical regression analyses indicated that GMA does not predict any of the success indicators. In contrast, the combination of GMA and three of the Big Five Personality traits, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness, is significantly associated with greater early career success and has incremental predictive validity.

Does Trait Emotional Intelligence Predict Unique Variance in Early Career Success Beyond IQ and Personality?

In order to determine the contribution of emotional intelligence (EI) to career success, in this study, we analyzed the relationship between trait EI (TEI), general mental ability (GMA), the big five personality traits, and career success indicators, in a sample of 130 graduates who were in the early stages of their careers. Results from hierarchical regression analyses indicated that TEI, and especially its dimension “repair,” has incremental validity in predicting one of the career success indicators (salary) after controlling for GMA and personality. These findings provide support for the use of TEI measures as predictors of career success in the early stage.

Individual differences in predicting occupational success: The effect of population heterogeneity

Using a sample of 339 university graduates from the University of Alicante (Spain) three years after completion of their studies, we studied the relationships between general intelligence (GI), personality traits, emotional intelligence (EI), academic performance, and occupational attainment and compared the results of conventional regression analysis with the results obtained from applying regression mixture models. The results reveal the influence of unobserved population heterogeneity (latent class) on the relationship between predictors and criteria and the improvement in the prediction obtained from applying regression mixture models compared to applying a conventional regression model.

Differences between the personal, social and emotional profiles of teaching and computer engineering professionals and students

The evidence suggests that emotional intelligence and personality traits are important qualities that workers need in order to successfully exercise a profession. This article assumes that the main purpose of universities is to promote employment by providing an education that facilitates the acquisition of abilities, skills, competencies and values. In this study, the emotional intelligence and personality profiles of two groups of Spanish students studying degrees in two different academic disciplines – computer engineering and teacher training – were analysed and compared. In addition, the skills forming part of the emotional intelligence and personality traits required by professionals (computer engineers and teachers) in their work were studied, and the profiles obtained for the students were compared with those identified by the professionals in each field. Results revealed significant differences between the profiles of the two groups of students, with the teacher training students scoring higher on interpersonal skills; differences were also found between professionals and students for most competencies, with professionals in both fields demanding more competencies that those evidenced by graduates. The implications of these results for the incorporation of generic social, emotional and personal competencies into the university curriculum are discussed.