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This study aims to establish a “Tourism Professional Skills Evaluation System in Application-Oriented Universities” to bridge the gap between industry requirements and traditional curricula. In response to the tourism sector’s rapid growth and shifting market demands, this study employ the Modified Delphi Method (MDM) and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to identify and weight five core competency domains: basic professional knowledge and skills, professional related knowledge and skills, interpersonal and self-development skills, physical fitness, as well as cultural and ethical rule of ethics qualities. Through expert panels and group discussions, this study develops a comprehensive set of indicators covering all essential competencies. The system has been piloted at a case university and received strong endorsement from both industry and academic stakeholders. By quantitatively defining indicator hierarchies and weights, this framework delivers a scientifically grounded, objective tool for educators, administrators, and policymakers to design and refine tourism talent development programs. © 2025 Lin et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Background: As a critical force for the future development of hospice care, death education for nursing students plays an essential role in the provision of hospice care services. However, current research has overlooked the heterogeneity of death education needs among individuals, and few studies have explored the influencing factors of death education needs and its relationship with hospice attitude of nursing interns. Objective: A latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted to identify the unique characteristics of death education needs among nursing interns in China and to explore the influencing factors of death education needs and its relationship with hospice attitude of nursing interns. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Settings: A tertiary hospital in Shandong Province, China. Participants: The sample consisted of nursing interns (N = 225) from five medical universities. Methods: Latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to establish a latent profile model for death education needs among nursing interns in China. Binary logistic regression analysis was then performed to examine the predictors of high death education needs based on the different latent profiles. Results: Nursing interns' death education needs could be categorized into two latent groups: a “Low-level needs-higher views of death” group (26.2 %) and a “High-level needs” group (73.8 %). Binary logistic regression analysis, with the Low-level needs-higher views of death as the reference, revealed that educational level, experience of bereavement, occasional opportunities to care for the dying, and attitudes toward hospice care were significant predictors of nursing interns' death education needs. Conclusions: Death education needs among nursing interns in China exhibit distinct profiling characteristics. Nursing interns with higher educational levels, experience of bereavement, opportunities to care for the dying, and positive attitudes toward hospice care are more likely to fall into the “High-level needs” group. These findings provide valuable insights for the development of future death education training models. © 2025

Introduction: The school-to-work transition (STWT) represents the initial significant career milestone in young people's lives. In Italy, the Paths for Transversal Skills and Orientation (PCTOs) were introduced in upper secondary schools as an educational tool to support STWT. PCTOs aim to equip students with transversal skills that promote employability and personal development. Given limited research on PCTO effectiveness, this study examines specific PCTO characteristics in enhancing students' transversal skills and career resources. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between April and May 2024. 567 students (M age = 17.30, SD age = 1.02, 72% males) from two vocational schools (grades 11–13) in central Italy completed a questionnaire assessing four PCTO indicators: orientation value, student involvement in PCTO design, number of PCTO experiences, and quality of the tutor-student relationship. Transversal skills and career motivational resources were also evaluated. Results: A path analysis model revealed positive associations between PCTO indicators and students' transversal skills, which, in turn, were related to career motivational resources. Contrary to expectations, the quality of the tutor–student relationship did not show direct associations with the outcomes. Additionally, results suggested that engaging in various PCTO activities may reduce the clarity of career orientation. Conclusions: Findings highlight that a quality PCTO planning fosters transversal skills, indirectly enhancing career resources. While different PCTO experiences support skill development, they may reduce the “orientation” value of the Paths. This study underscores the value of PCTOs in preparing young people for the labor market, emphasizing the importance of targeted, skill-oriented experiences. © 2025 The Author(s). Journal of Adolescence published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Foundation for Professionals in Services to Adolescents.

[No abstract available]

This study investigates how geographical factors influence the digital skills of educational administrators in Thailand's Pathum Thani province. A digital skills assessment framework, comprising three components: competency, knowledge, and experience, was developed and validated using confirmatory factor analysis. Data from 346 educational staff and 219 school teachers across seven districts were analyzed. The findings revealed significant district-level variation in digital skills, influenced by factors such as student population, student density, and budget support. The assessment framework demonstrated strong reliability and validity, with all model fit indices meeting accepted thresholds. This research contributes by providing a validated tool to assess digital proficiency in educational leadership and by identifying key geographical factors that shape digital skills development. It underscores the need for targeted digital training programs and equitable resource allocation to enhance digital proficiency among school administrators. These insights can inform national policies and guide the design of district-level digital literacy initiatives. © 2025 Elsevier Ltd

Introduction: The career aspirations of undergraduate radiography students have previously been surveyed but there is little in the literature exploring nuclear medicine as a career specialism. This study aimed to explore the relationship between clinical placement and career choice within third and fourth year diagnostic radiography undergraduates in Scotland. Methods: University ethical approval was obtained; gatekeepers were appointed from each university and distributed the survey. The online survey was conducted consisting of 22 questions including 4 open ended. Descriptive results were summarised using tables and graphs, whilst inferential statistics were collated using R. Results: The survey response rate was 30.3 % (n = 64/211). Students were predominantly female (89 %). The preferred modality for specialising was general radiography (weighted average = 98.99) whilst nuclear medicine was the least favored career choice (weighted average = 18.69). Clinical placement was the most influential factor in career planning for radiography students, and students expressed a desire to learn more about nuclear medicine. There was a statistical difference in length of time spent in nuclear medicine between the three universities (p = .021). Conclusion: The study helped to establish the link between career planning and clinical placement. Students were more likely to choose a modality based on a positive clinical experience. Notably students spent the least amount of clinical time within NM and also favour this modality the least for their future career. Implications for practice: Students have demonstrated a need to learn more about the modality and experience it within a clinical placement setting. It is recommended that the radiography curriculum is modified to incorporate learning objectives with a minimum of one week within NM. © 2025 The Authors

Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programs are increasingly recognized as equipping women with essential skills to navigate the dynamic labor market. However, there is limited research on the specific impact of TVET on women's self-employability. This study explores the relationship between TVET participation and self-employability among women in Balochistan, addressing a critical gap in the literature. A mixed-methods approach was utilized, combining quantitative data from 368 current and former female TVET students in Quetta with qualitative insights from in-person interviews and focus groups involving 27 participants, including female graduates, skilled female entrepreneurs, and subject matter experts. Thematic analysis highlighted the opportunities and challenges women entrepreneurs face during and after TVET engagement. Key findings revealed that while TVET contributes positively to entrepreneurial development, many women continue to struggle with work-life balance issues. Traditional gender roles and societal expectations impose significant time and energy constraints on individuals. Moreover, limited access to credit, inadequate funding, and complex loan procedures hinder the success of female-led micro and small enterprises. Social constraints, family obligations, and interpersonal skills influence entrepreneurial outcomes. This study advocates that governments and local bodies provide family support services to help ease the burden on women who balance business and family commitments. Enhancing TVET's role in equipping women with critical skills while simultaneously addressing systemic challenges can help Balochistan foster a more inclusive and equitable economic future for female entrepreneurs. © 2025 The Authors

Aim: Vygotsky's social constructivist educational pedagogy as a way for registered nurses who teach to build psychologically safe and socially just learning environments for ‘in practice’ registered nurses with specific learning disorders. Background: As a supportive educational brief, specific learning disorders, its occurrence in nursing, factors potentially having an impact on those with a specific learning disorder and what constitutes safe and just learning environments are outlined. Vygotsky's social constructivist educational pedagogy is an example of inclusive pedagogy whose integration can positively address specific learning needs. Design: A descriptive design. Methods: Using a narrative review method, extant theoretical and evidence-based publications are used to inform this discussion paper. Results: Through the narrative review, themes and evidence are systematically aligned to highlight the critical elements and steps essential to address the gap in learning strategies and pedagogy relevant to ‘in practice’ registered nurses and nurse educators. The literature suggests that social constructivism, in conjunction with the social model of disability, represent a means for reconceptualising factors that influence effective learning relationships with nurses with specific learning disorders, while developing inclusive, socially just and psychologically safe learning environments. Conclusion: Nurse educators can adopt social constructivist principles to address the effects of stigma, adverse ableism, stereotype threat and re-wounding of the registered nurses they teach. Benefits to nurses who are teaching, nurse learners and the nursing profession emerge in developing learning environments that better accommodate this target population. © 2025 Elsevier Ltd

Positive psychology has been increasingly recognized in EFL learning. However, empirical research on how well-being constructs such as PERMA influence learner outcomes in online MOOC environments remains limited. This study aimed to investigate whether positive emotions predict English performance test scores through the mediating effects of engagement, relationships, and meaning. A quantitative cross-sectional design was adopted in this study. Data were collected from 350 participants through a self-reported questionnaire and standardized English test scores. Structural equation modeling was employed to test the hypothesized relationships. The results revealed that positive emotions significantly predicted learners' English performance test scores (β = 0.623, p < 0.001). Engagement (β = 0.094, p < 0.001) and relationships (β = 0.160, p < 0.001) served as significant mediators, whereas meaning (β = 0.077) did not. A significant direct effect (β = 0.297, p < 0.05) also emerged, indicating partial mediation. These findings highlight the role of positive emotions in shaping academic performance through psychological engagement and social connection. The study provides practical implications for developing emotionally supportive MOOC environments to enhance EFL learning outcomes. © 2025 The Authors

Introduction Foundations of youth and young adults’ (YYAs) lives were shaken by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. This study explores how over a year of pandemic, with several periods of stay-at-home orders, impacted Ontario YYAs and important foundations that influence their development and future wellbeing. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted April – June 2021 during stay-at-home orders. Nineteen Ontario YYAs, age 16–21, were asked how relationships, education, work, and important events had been impacted by the pandemic and public health responses, and how they had coped. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to iteratively engage with data to distill themes. Respondents included: eight high school students, ten post-secondary students, one full time employed. Results Three main themes were identified. First, disruptions to individual agency and life course (theme), included (subthemes): drastic shift to increased time and isolation at home; feeling responsible for others’ health and safety; learning and professional development suffered; precarious employment; and lost beginnings and endings to important transitions. Second, relationships and connectedness changed (theme), included (subthemes): Friendships were altered; family dynamics changed; and international students faced unique challenges. Third, wellbeing and coping (theme), included (sub-themes): stress was high; coping methods were diverse; and connecting digitally was suboptimal. Some friendships were lost; some grew closer. Those in their last year of high school/university in spring 2020 or 2021 lost important transitional endings (graduation, etc.). Those starting post-secondary in fall 2020 also lost transitional beginnings (e.g., leaving home, on-campus experience, meeting new friends). Conclusions There is need for further research to assess long-term impacts, especially among YYAs who had family members at severe risk and those who graduated high school during the pandemic. Public health practitioners should work with high schools and post-secondary schools to develop approaches to limit the severity of altered schooling and important transitions in future upheavals. © 2025 Austin et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.