soft skills

Exploring the employability literature shows that there is little empirical evidence on the interaction of soft skills, and for this reason, it is important to investigate this issue; Because it can play a significant role in teaching and developing soft skills. In this causal correlational research, the effect of learning and communication soft skills on emotional intelligence soft skills in agricultural students was investigated. Final-year undergraduate students of all agricultural fields in public universities constituted the statistical population of this survey and quantitative research. The statistical sample of the research included 384 people who were selected using the inverse square root method and the multi-stage sampling method. The research tool was a five-point Likert scale questionnaire, whose formal validity was approved by a panel of experts, as well as calculating the factor loading and the discriminant validity and divergent validity and reliability tests through the calculation of ordinal theta and composite reliability. The results of structural equation modeling showed that communication soft skills and learning soft skills have a significant effect in predicting students' emotional intelligence soft skills. This finding clarifies a part of the puzzle of the effect of soft skills on other soft skills of agricultural students. Revealing the mechanism of the effect of communication and learning soft skills on emotional intelligence soft skills, can facilitate the development of soft skills in agricultural higher education because it can provide a rational reason for focusing on a few soft skills.

The following research aims to provide a structural model for the development of essential soft skills in agricultural students. In this regard, a mixed approach (qualitative-quantitative) was used. In the qualitative part of the research, the data was collected through semi-structured interviews with 19 Participants (faculty members of agricultural majors) who are expert in the subject of research. Participants were selected using purposeful and snowball sampling methods. In qualitative phase, "grounded theory strategy" was used to design the initial model of the research. In the quantitative part of the research, after confirming the reliability and validity of the instrument, data were collected from 384 of the senior students of agricultural majors. In order to evaluate the research model, Structural equation modeling with partial least squares approach was used. The results of the research confirmed the research model. Based on this model, the factors affecting on essential soft skills and essential soft skills consequences for agricultural students were clarified.

The aim of this study was to explain the structural relationships between the components of essential soft skills in agricultural students (9 soft skills). In this regard, to achieve the aim of the study, the fuzzy DEMATEL technique was used. The views of 11 academic experts were collected through a questionnaire, based on the Likert scale. The results showed that communication skills, learning skills, and leadership skills are the most effective components, respectively. Also, findings indicated that the adaptability skills component is the most influential component. The results also show that five components (communication skills, emotional intelligence skills, leadership skills, learning skills, ethical skills) are causal factors and four components (problem-solving and decision-making skills, time management skills, teamwork skills, adaptability skills) Are effect factors. Thus, in higher agricultural education, while paying attention to the development of all essential soft skills, more focus and investment should be made on the development of communication skills, learning skills, and leadership skills, respectively.