| Popis: |
In this research paper we will discuss how development of soft skills among teachers and students of educational institutes plays an important role in increasing or maximizing the productivity. For human capital development five soft skills elements are considered to be important tool which comprises of communication skills, critical thinking and problem solving skills, team work, lifelong learning and information management skills, and leadership skills. For overall students development following initiatives can be taken by the top management or teachers of educational institutes. Development of soft skills through stand-alone subject, development of soft skills by embedding it in existing courses, development of soft skills based on support programs, development of soft skills based on campus life. Dr. Sna Farooqi Assistant Professor, Dr. VN BRIMS, Thane Introduction: The development of human capital and the upgrading of the mentality and intellectual capacity of an Institute must be a priority if one needs to maximize the productivity of Educational institutes. Focusing on these areas will enable the Educational Institutes to raise its capacity for knowledge, creativity, and innovation, which are essential elements in order to increase productivity. It is equally important for students as well to have good level of soft skills as they carry the goodwill of their educational institute further. In this paper we will discuss a twofold model for the development of soft skills among teachers and students of educational institutes. Meaning Soft Skills: Soft skills is a sociological term relating to a person’s “EQ” (Emotional Intelligence Quotient), the cluster of personality traits, social graces, communication, language, personal habits, friendliness, and optimism that characterize relationships with other people. Importance of Soft Skills: In order to achieve entrepreneurial success and for maximizing human capital in any enterprise soft skills like leadership, decision-making, conflict resolution, negotiation, communication, creativity and presentation skills plays a very important role. In other words we can say person’s soft skill is an important part of their individual contribution to the success of an organization. We can also say, soft skills combined with efficient management team and an effective human resource management system, it can lead a way to get the highest return on the investment in terms of human capital. Good knowledge of soft skills becomes of extreme significance if you are dealing with a customer face to face. In an interview with Economic Times the Prime Minister said India will be a developed nation by 2020 with an economic growth of 8%. But Professor Bala Balachandran of J L Kellogg Graduate School of Management said these are fine assertions but without soft a skill, that is relationship skills, this would remain a dream. He further added that knowledge is not the only tool to get ahead in globalised economic scenario. Soft skill will provide an edge over the competition. Technology and skills alone don’t make bottom line. It is people who do. How people in business or in offices behave with customers/clients, colleagues, how they inspire loyalty makes the crucial difference. Review of Literature: A recent study on 12,000 students by Birrell (2006) of Monash University in Australia showed that more than one-third of foreign students in Australian Universities, which includes 23.5% of Malaysian students, are not proficient enough in English, concluding that despite good work ethics these students are not equipped for professional level work. The study also indicated that while graduates had sufficient command of language in handling day-to-day situation, they were still incompetent to engage in an intellectual discussion which is essential in the demanding work force. Similarly a biannual survey by the Association of Graduate Recruiters in the UK reported that there is an inadequate supply of applicants as they lack in ‘‘soft’’ skills (Association of Graduate Recruiters 2006). Implementation of soft skills at Educational Institutes: We have developed a framework suggesting the approach that should be undertaken in implementing soft skills. Thus, the Institute can adopt the proposed approach, although the implementation which is done at Faculty level varies with each Faculty dependent on the type of courses offered. In order to maximize productivity in educational institutes here is a twofold model to describe the relevance and techniques of improving soft skills among both teachers and students. |
