Enhancing the Problem-Solving Skills of Vocational Students Through Skills Competition

Abstract

Unlike general education, vocational education aims to nurture skilled people for various sectors in the society. The development of students’ problem analysis and problem-solving skills is crucial. As an important part of the vocational education system, skills competitions are considered a “booster” for improving the quality of teaching in vocational institutions. This paper examines the problem-solving skills of students in preparation for skills competition. First of all, we introduce China’s education policies and conduct a review of early scholars’ views, followed by a discussion on the specific problems faced in the design of the entry for skills competition and an exploration of the process of enhancing students’ problem-solving skills around these problems; we then propose several suggestions for vocational institutions to enhance their participation in skills competitions. Skills competitions provide a “special stage” for students in vocational institutions to show their abilities. The question of how this “stage” can be utilized to better improve students’ abilities is worth exploring in different fields.