Effectiveness of Participatory Learning Strategies in Fostering Generic Skills: A Comparative Study

Abstract

Developing generic skills has become an essential priority in contemporary teacher education, as these transferable competencies are strongly associated with employability, lifelong learning, and professional readiness. This study investigates the effectiveness of Participatory Learning Strategies in fostering generic skills among student teachers. Grounded in learner-centered, experience-based pedagogical principles, participatory learning emphasizes active engagement, collaboration, problem-solving, and authentic learning contexts. A sample of 337 student teachers participated in the study, where generic skills were assessed using the Generic Skills Inventory. Four subject-based compelling situations and four school-based challenging problems formed the learning framework for the participatory strategy. Results were analyzed using critical ratios to compare the impact of Traditional Learning Strategies versus Participatory Learning Strategies across eight categories of generic skills. Findings indicate statistically significant improvements (p < .01) in all measured skills including communication, problem solving, information processing, and team management among participants exposed to the participatory approach. The results demonstrate that participatory learning creates a more dynamic, meaningful, and contextually relevant environment for developing key competencies in teacher trainees. The study highlights the need for integrating participatory pedagogies within teacher education programs to strengthen both academic and employability outcomes.