Search results for: religious education

Authors: Felicia Kikelomo Oluwalola

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The study was designed to identify the challenges to change and innovation in educational system in Nigeria. Educational institutions, like all other organizations, require constant monitoring, to identify areas for potential improvement. However, educational reforms are often not well-implemented. This results in massive wastage of finances, human resources, and lost potential. Educational institutions are organised on many levels, from the individual classroom under the management of a single teacher, to groups of classrooms supervised by a Head Teacher or Executive Teacher, to a whole-school structure, under the guidance of the principal. Therefore, there is need for changes and innovation in our educational system since we are in the era of computer age. In doing so, this paper examined the psychology of change, concept of change and innovation with suggested view points. Educational administrators and individuals should be ready to have the challenge of monitoring changes in technologies. Educational planners/policy makers should be encouraged to involve in change process.

Keywords: challenges, change, education, innovation

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Authors: Emily Cherono Sawe, Elisha Ondieki Makori

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Knowledge and digital economies have brought challenges and potential opportunities for universities to innovate and improve the quality of learning. Disruption technologies and information dynamics continue to transform and change the landscape in teaching, scholarship, and research activities across universities. Digital literacy is a fundamental and imperative element in higher education and training, as witnessed during the new norm. COVID-19 caused unprecedented disruption in universities, where teaching and learning depended on digital innovations and applications. Academic services and activities were provided online, including library information services. Information professionals were forced to adopt various digital platforms in order to provide information services to patrons. University libraries’ roles in fulfilling educational responsibilities continue to evolve in response to changes in pedagogy, technology, economy, society, policies, and strategies of parent institutions. Libraries are currently undergoing considerable transformational change as a result of the inclusion of a digital environment. Academic libraries have been at the forefront of providing online learning resources and online information services, as well as supporting students and staff to develop digital literacy skills via online courses, tutorials, and workshops. Digital literacy transformation and information staff are crucial elements reminiscent of the prioritization of skills and knowledge for lifelong learning. The purpose of this baseline research is to assess the implications of digital literacy transformation in institutions of higher learning in Kenya and share appropriate strategies to leverage and sustain teaching and research. Objectives include examining the leverage and preparedness of the digital literacy environment in streamlining learning in the universities, exploring and benchmarking imperative digital competence for information professionals, establishing the perception of information professionals towards digital literacy skills, and determining lessons, best practices, and strategies to accelerate digital literacy transformation for effective research and learning in the universities. The study will adopt a descriptive research design using questionnaires and document analysis as the instruments for data collection. The targeted population is librarians and information professionals, as well as academics in public and private universities teaching information literacy programmes. Data and information are to be collected through an online structured questionnaire and digital face-to-face interviews. Findings and results will provide promising lessons together with best practices and strategies to transform and change digital literacies in university libraries in Kenya.

Keywords: digital literacy, digital innovations, information professionals, librarians, higher education, university libraries, digital information literacy

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Authors: E. Kharaishvili, M. Chavleishvili, M. Lobzhanidze, N. Damenia, N. Sagareishvili

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The article substantiates that youth employment in Georgia, especially in the agricultural sector, is an acute socio-economic problem. The paper analyzes the indicators of youth employment and unemployment rates by age and gender in the agriculture sector. Research revealed that over the past decade, the unemployment rate in rural areas has decreased; however, the problem of unemployment is more sensitive than in the city in this field. The article established youth unemployment rates in rural areas; it assesses labor and educational migration causes. Based on the survey, there are proposed findings and recommendations of the agricultural sector about improving youth employment, reducing unemployment rate, reaching migration processes optimization.

Keywords: youth employment, the agricultural sector, unemployment rate, youth migration, agricultural education

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Authors: Peter Smolianov, Steven Dion, Christopher Schoen, Jaclyn Norberg, Nicholas Stone, Soufiane Rafi

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This study assessed the micro-level elements of track and field development in the US against a model for integrating high-performance sport with mass participation. This investigation is important for the country’s international sport performance, which declined relative to other countries and wellbeing, which in its turn deteriorated as over half of the US population became overweight. A questionnaire was designed for the following elements of the model: talent identification and development as well as advanced athlete support. Survey questions were validated by 12 experts, including academics, executives from sport governing bodies, coaches, and administrators. To determine the areas for improvement, the questionnaires were completed by 102 US track and field coaches representing the country’s regions and coaching levels. Possible advancements were further identified through semi-structured discussions with 10 US track and field administrators. The study found that talent search and development is a critically important area for improvement: 49 percent of respondents had overall negative perceptions, and only 16 percent were positive regarding these US track and field practices. Both quantitative survey results and open responses revealed that the key reason for the inadequate athlete development was a shortage of well-educated and properly paid coaches: 77 percent of respondents indicated that coach expertise is never or rarely high across all participant ages and levels. More than 40 percent of the respondents were uncertain of or not familiar with world’s best talent identification and development practices, particularly methods of introducing children to track and field from outside the sport’s participation base. Millions more could be attracted to the sport by adopting best international practices. First, physical education should be offered a minimum three times a week in all school grades, and track and field together with other healthy sports, should be taught at school to all children. Second, multi-sport events, including track and field disciplines, should be organized for everyone within and among all schools, cities and regions. Three, Australian and Eastern European methods of talent search at schools should be utilized and tailored to the US conditions. Four, comprehensive long term athlete development guidelines should be used for the advancement of the American Development Model, particularly track and field tests and guidelines as part of both school education and high-performance athlete development for every age group from six to over 70 years old. These world’s best practices are to improve the country’s international performance while increasing national sport participation and positively influencing public health.

Keywords: high performance, mass participation, sport development, track and field, USA

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Authors: Giovana Privatte Maciera, Jair Izaías Kappann

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Introduction: The violence against woman is a complex phenomenon that accompanies the woman throughout her life and is a result of a social, cultural, political and religious construction, based on the differences among the genders. Those differences are felt, mainly, because of the patriarchal system that is still present which just naturalize and legitimate the asymmetry of power. As consequence of the women’s lasting historical and collective effort for a legislation against the impunity of violence against women in the national scenery, it was ordained, in 2006, a law known as Maria da Penha. The law was created as a protective measure for women that were victims of violence and consequently for the punishment of the aggressor. Methodology: Analysis of police inquiries is established by the Police Station of Defense of the Woman of Assis city, by formal authorization of the justice, in the period of 2013 to 2015. For the evaluating of the results will be used the content analysis and the theoretical referential of Psychoanalysis. Results and Discussion: The final analysis of the inquiries demonstrated that the violence against women is reproduced by the society and the aggressor, in most cases it is a member of their own family, mainly the current or former-spouse. The most common kinds of aggression were: the threat bodily harm, and the physical violence, that normally happens accompanied by psychological violence, being the most painful for the victims. The biggest part of the aggressors was white, older than the victim, worker and had primary school. But, unlike the expected, the minority of the aggressors were users of alcohol and/or drugs and possessed children in common with the victim. There is a contrast among the number of victims who already admitted have suffered some type of violence earlier by the same aggressor and the number of victims who has registered the occurrence before. The aggressors often use the discourse of denial in their testimony or try to justify their act like the blame was of the victim. It is believed in the interaction of several factors that can influence the aggressor to commit the abuse, including psychological, personal and sociocultural factors. One hypothesis is that the aggressor has a violence history in the family origin. After the aggressor being judged, condemned or not, usually there is no rehabilitation plan or supervision that enable his change. Conclusions: It has noticed the importance of studying the aggressor’s characteristics and the reasons that took him to commit such violence, making possible the implementation of an appropriate treatment to prevent and reduce the aggressions, as well the creation of programs and actions that enable communication and understanding concerning the theme. This is because the recurrence is still high, since the punitive system is not enough and the law is still ineffective and inefficient in certain aspects and in its own functioning. It is perceived a compulsion in repeat so much for the victims as for the aggressors, because they end involving, almost always, in disturbed and violent relationships, with the relation of subordination-dominance as characteristic.

Keywords: aggressors' profile, gender equality, Maria da Penha law, violence against women

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Authors: Insiya Bhalloo

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It is quite common in the Muslim faith for non-Arabic speakers to be able to convert written Arabic, especially Quranic Arabic, into a phonological code without significant semantic or syntactic knowledge. This is due to prior experience learning to read the Quran (a religious text written in Classical Arabic), from a very young age such as via enrolment in Quranic Arabic classes. As compared to native speakers of Arabic, these Arabic readers do not have a comprehensive morpho-syntactic knowledge of the Arabic language, nor can understand, or engage in Arabic conversation. The study seeks to investigate whether mere phonological experience (as indicated by the Arabic readers’ experience with Arabic phonology and the sound-system) is sufficient to cause phonological-interference during word recognition of previously-heard words, despite the participants’ non-native status. Both native speakers of Arabic and non-native speakers of Arabic, i.e., those individuals that learned to read the Quran from a young age, will be recruited. Each experimental session will include two phases: An exposure phase and a test phase. During the exposure phase, participants will be presented with Arabic words (n=40) on a computer screen. Half of these words will be common words found in the Quran while the other half will be words commonly found in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) but either non-existent or prevalent at a significantly lower frequency within the Quran. During the test phase, participants will then be presented with both familiar (n = 20; i.e., those words presented during the exposure phase) and novel Arabic words (n = 20; i.e., words not presented during the exposure phase. ½ of these presented words will be common Quranic Arabic words and the other ½ will be common MSA words but not Quranic words. Moreover, ½ the Quranic Arabic and MSA words presented will be comprised of nouns, while ½ the Quranic Arabic and MSA will be comprised of verbs, thereby eliminating word-processing issues affected by lexical category. Participants will then determine if they had seen that word during the exposure phase. This study seeks to investigate whether long-term phonological memory, such as via childhood exposure to Quranic Arabic orthography, has a differential effect on the word-recognition capacities of native Arabic speakers and Arabic readers; we seek to compare the effects of long-term phonological memory in comparison to short-term phonological exposure (as indicated by the presentation of familiar words from the exposure phase). The researcher’s hypothesis is that, despite the lack of lexical knowledge, early experience with converting written Quranic Arabic text into a phonological code will help participants recall the familiar Quranic words that appeared during the exposure phase more accurately than those that were not presented during the exposure phase. Moreover, it is anticipated that the non-native Arabic readers will also report more false alarms to the unfamiliar Quranic words, due to early childhood phonological exposure to Quranic Arabic script - thereby causing false phonological facilitatory effects.

Keywords: modern standard arabic, phonological facilitation, phonological memory, Quranic arabic, word recognition

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Authors: Fouad Mrad, Viviane Zaccour

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The accelerated developments in the political, economic, environmental, security, health, and social folders are exhausting planners across the world, especially in Arab countries. The impact of the tension is multifaceted and has resulted in conflicts, wars, migration, and human insecurity. The potential cross-cutting role that science, innovation and technology can play in supporting Arab societies to address these pressing challenges is a serious, unique chance for the people of the region. This opportunity is based on the existing capacity of educated youth and inaccessible talents in the local universities and research centers. It has been accepted that Arab countries have achieved major advancements in the economy, education and social wellbeing since the 70s of the 20th Century. Mainly direct outcome of the oil and other natural resources. The UN Secretary-General, during the Education Summit in Sep 2022, stressed that “Learning continues to underplay skills, including problem-solving, critical thinking and empathy.” Stars of Science by Qatar Foundation was launched in 2009 and has been sustained through 2023. Consistent mission from the start: To mobilize a new generation of Pan-Arab innovators and problem solvers by encouraging youth participation and interest in Science, Technology and Entrepreneurship throughout the Arab world via the program and its social media activities. To make science accessible and attractive to mass audiences by de-mystifying the process of innovation. Harnessing best practices within reality TV to show that science, engineering, and innovation are important in everyday life and can be fun.” Thousands of Participants learned unforgettable lessons; winners changed their lives forever as they learned and earned seed capital; they became drivers of change in their countries and families; millions of viewers were exposed to an innovative experimental process, and culturally, several relevant national institutions adopted the SOS track in their national initiatives. The program exhibited experientially youth self-efficacy as the most distinct core property of human agency, which is an individual's belief in his or her capacity to execute behaviors necessary to produce specific performance attainments. In addition, the program proved that innovations are performed by networks of people with different sets of technological, useful knowledge, skills and competencies introduced by socially shared technological knowledge as a main determinant of economic activities in any economy.

Keywords: science, invention, innovation, Qatar foundation, QSTP, prototyping

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Authors: Ilona Buchem, Carolin Gellner

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Over the last few years, the call for the support of senior learners in the development of their digital literacy has become prevalent, mainly due to the progression towards ageing societies paired with advances in digitalisation in all spheres of life, including e-health and electronic patient record (EPA). While major research efforts in supporting senior learners in developing digital literacy have been invested so far in e-learning focusing on knowledge acquisition and cognitive tasks, little research exists in learning models which target virtual mentoring and coaching with the help of pedagogical agents and address the social dimensions of learning. Research from studies with students in the context of formal education has already provided methods for designing intelligent virtual agents in support of personalised learning. However, this research has mostly focused on cognitive skills and has not yet been applied to the context of mentoring/coaching of senior learners, who have different characteristics and learn in different contexts. In this paper, we describe how insights from previous research can be used to develop an intelligent virtual learning coach (agent) for senior learners with a focus on building the social relationship between the agent and the learner and the key task of the agent to socialize learners to the larger context of digital literacy with a focus on electronic health records. Following current approaches to mentoring and coaching, the agent is designed not to enhance and monitor the cognitive performance of the learner but to serve as a trusted friend and advisor, whose role is to provide one-to-one guidance and support sharing of experiences among learners (peers). Based on literature review and synopsis of research on virtual agents and current coaching/mentoring models under consideration of the specific characteristics and requirements of senior learners, we describe the design framework which was applied to design an intelligent virtual learning coach as part of the e-learning system for digital literacy of senior learners in the ePA-Coach project founded by the German Ministry of Education and Research. This paper also presents the results from the evaluation study, which compared the use of the first prototype of the virtual learning coach designed according to the design framework with a voice narration in a multimedia learning environment with senior learners. The focus of the study was to validate the agent design in the context of the persona effect (Lester et al., 1997). Since the persona effect is related to the hypothesis that animated agents are perceived as more socially engaging, the study evaluated possible impacts of agent coaching in comparison with voice coaching on motivation, engagement, experience, and digital literacy.

Keywords: virtual learning coach, virtual mentor, pedagogical agent, senior learners, digital literacy, electronic health records

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Authors: Ragea Alqahtani

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The purpose of the study was to measure the effectiveness of the Goldstein’s social skill streaming model based on the special and general pre-service teachers’ knowledge about controlling their emotions in conflict situations. A review of previous pieces of literature guided the design and measurement of the effectiveness of the approach to the control of emotions. The teachers were assessed using the coping strategy, adult anger, and Goldstein’s skill streaming inventories. Lastly, the paper provides various recommendations on the sensitization of the Goldstein’s Social Skill streaming model to both the special and pre-service teachers to promote their knowledge about controlling emotions in conflicts.

Keywords: emotional control, Goldstein social skill streaming model, modeling technique, self- as-a-model, self-efficacy, self-regulation

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Authors: Marcos Devaner, Marcela Alves, Cledson Braga, Fabiano Alves, Wilton Bezerra

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This article discusses the inclusion of people with disabilities in the process of testing an accessible system solution for distance education. The accessible system, team profile, methodologies and techniques covered in the testing process are presented. The testing process shown in this paper was designed from the experience with user. The testing process emerged from lessons learned from past experiences and the end user is present at all stages of the tests. Also, lessons learned are reported and how it was possible the maturing of the team and the methods resulting in a simple, productive and effective process.

Keywords: experience report, accessible systems, software testing, testing process, systems, e-learning

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Authors: T. J. O Ceallaigh

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Subject matter driven programs such as immersion programs are increasingly popular across the world. These programs have allowed for extensive experimentation in the realm of second language teaching and learning and have been at the centre of many research agendas since their inception. Even though immersion programs are successful, especially in terms of second language development, they remain complex to implement and not always as successful as what we would hope them to be. Among all the challenges these varied programs face, research indicates that the primary issue lies in the difficulty to create well-balanced programs where both content instruction and language/literacy instruction can be targeted simultaneously. Initial teacher education and professional development experiences are key drivers of successful language immersion education globally. They are critical to the supply of teachers with the mandatory linguistic and cultural competencies as well as associated pedagogical practices required to ensure learners’ success. However, there is a significant dearth of research on professional development experiences of immersion teachers. We lack an understanding of the nature of their expertise and their needs in terms of professional development as well as their perceptions of the primary challenges they face as they attempt to formulate a coherent pedagogy of integrated language and content instruction. Such an understanding is essential if their specific needs are to be addressed appropriately and thus improve the overall quality of immersion programs. This paper reports on immersion teacher perceptions of online professional development experiences that have a positive impact on their ability to facilitate language and content connections in instruction. Twenty Irish-medium immersion teachers engaged in the instructional integration of language and content in a systematic and developmental way during a year-long online professional development program. Data were collected from a variety of sources e.g., an extensive online questionnaire, individual interviews, reflections, assignments and focus groups. This study provides compelling evidence of the potential of online professional development experiences as a pedagogical framework for understanding the complex and interconnected knowledge demands that arise in content and language integration in immersion. Findings illustrate several points of access to classroom research and pedagogy and uncover core aspects of high impact online experiences. Teachers identified aspects such as experimentation and risk-taking, authenticity and relevance, collegiality and collaboration, motivation and challenge and teacher empowerment. The potential of the online experiences to foster teacher language awareness was also identified as a contributory factor to success. The paper will conclude with implications for designing meaningful and effective online CLIL professional development experiences.

Keywords: content and language integrated learning , immersion pedagogy, professional development, teacher language awareness

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Authors: Lorena Blasco-Arcas, Francesca Pucciarelli

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Business contexts have become globalised and digitalised, which requires that managers develop a strong sense of cross-cultural intelligence while working in geographically distant teams by means of digital technologies. How to better equip future managers on these kinds of skills has been put forward as a critical issue in Business Schools. In pursuing these goals, higher education is shifting from a passive lecture approach, to more active and experiential learning approaches that are more suitable to learn skills. For example, through the use of case studies, proposing plausible business problem to be solved by students (or teams of students), these institutions have focused for long in fostering learning by doing. Though, case studies are no longer enough as a tool to promote active teamwork and experiential learning. Moreover, digital advancements applied to educational settings have enabled augmented classrooms, expanding the learning experience beyond the class, which increase students’ engagement and experiential learning. Different authors have highlighted the benefits of digital engagement in order to achieve a deeper and longer-lasting learning and comprehension of core marketing concepts. Clickers, computer-based simulations and business games have become fairly popular between instructors, but still are limited by the fact that are fictional experiences. Further exploration of real digital platforms to implement real, live projects in the classroom seem relevant for marketing and business education. Building on this, this paper describes the development of an experiential learning activity in class, in which students developed a communication campaign in teams using the BuzzFeed platform, and subsequently implementing the campaign by using other social media platforms (e.g. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter…). The article details the procedure of using the project for a marketing module in a Bachelor program with students located in France, Italy and Spain campuses working on multi-campus groups. Further, this paper describes the project outcomes in terms of students’ engagement and analytics (i.e. visits achieved). the project included a survey in order to analyze and identify main aspects related to how the learning experience is influenced by the cultural competence developed through working in geographically distant and culturally diverse teamwork. Finally, some recommendations to use project-based social media tools while working with virtual teamwork in the classroom are provided.

Keywords: cultural competences, experiential learning, social media, teamwork, virtual group work

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Authors: Khajeerat Phumpurk

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This research aims to study the knowledge, attitude toward household accounting of people in Bangkeaw Samutsongkhram. The sample use in this study was the people in tambol bangkeao Mueang Samut songkhram province. The Sample size for 100 household by using the accidental sampling and data collection was a questionnaire. Statistical analysis for frequency, percentage, mean, minimum, maximum value and standard deviation. It was found that the most of the respondent are farmers for 63.4. Most of them are male, with average of age 49.54 years. The education is vocational. The average household income is 60,873.74 per year. The respondent has the debt with the bank for 64.4 percent. The greatest influence to do the household accounting of farmers is the bank expertise. All the advice about doing household accounts get it from the staff of the bank for agriculture and agricultural cooperatives. The farmers for 57.3 do household accounting during the night time.

Keywords: Bangkeaw Samutsongkhram, household accounting, knowledge, sufficiency economy

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Authors: Benjamin D Reese Jr

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Implicit bias is understood as unconscious attitudes, stereotypes, or associations that can influence the cognitions, actions, decisions, and interactions of an individual without intentional control. These unconscious attitudes or stereotypes are often targeted toward specific groups of people based on their gender, race, age, perceived sexual orientation or other social categories. Since the late 1980s, there has been a proliferation of research that hypothesizes that the operation of implicit bias is the result of the brain needing to process millions of bits of information every second. Hence, one’s prior individual learning history provides ‘shortcuts’. As soon as one see someone of a certain race, one have immediate associations based on their past learning, and one might make assumptions about their competence, skill, or danger. These assumptions are outside of conscious awareness. In recent years, an alternative conceptualization has been proposed. The ‘bias of crowds’ theory hypothesizes that a given context or situation influences the degree of accessibility of particular biases. For example, in certain geographic communities in the United States, there is a long-standing and deeply ingrained history of structures, policies, and practices that contribute to racial inequities and bias toward African Americans. Hence, negative biases among groups of people towards African Americans are more accessible in such contexts or communities. This theory does not focus on individual brain functioning or cognitive ‘shortcuts.’ Therefore, attempts to modify individual perceptions or learning might have negligible impact on those embedded environmental systems or policies that are within certain contexts or communities. From the ‘bias of crowds’ perspective, high levels of racial bias in a community can be reduced by making fundamental changes in structures, policies, and practices to create a more equitable context or community rather than focusing on training or education aimed at reducing an individual’s biases. The current paper acknowledges and supports the foundational role of long-standing structures, policies, and practices that maintain racial inequities, as well as inequities related to other social categories, and highlights the critical need to continue organizational, community, and national efforts to eliminate those inequities. It also makes a case for providing individual leaders with a deep understanding of the dynamics of how implicit biases impact cognitions, actions, decisions, and interactions so that those leaders might more effectively develop structural changes in the processes and systems under their purview. This approach incorporates both the importance of an individual’s learning history as well as the important variables within the ‘bias of crowds’ theory. The paper also offers a model for leadership education, as well as examples of structural changes leaders might consider.

Keywords: implicit bias, unconscious bias, bias, inequities

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Authors: Charles Atkins

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Anakainosis-desmios is the experience of spiritual renewal during incarceration. "Anakainosis” is a Greek word for “renovation or renewal" that has taken on profound meaning in Christocentric theology where it is defined as the phenomenon of spiritual renewal or a change of heart that is achieved by God’s power. “Desmios” is another Greek word found in the Bible which stands for “one who is bound or a prisoner. Anakainosis-desmios occurs when a person, while residing in an environment of surveillance and coercion, has his consciousness renewed in such a way that he generates unexpected emancipatory and hospitable attitudes. They expressed an awareness of the prison environment and a willingness to engage that environment through their transformed relationships with time, space, matter, and people. By the end of the 20th century, Open Theism, gained the attention of many American evangelicals and theologians. Open Theism was born out of the concerns people had about those scriptures which demonstrate a dynamic God who has unparalled wisdom instead of omniscience; liberating power instead of omnipotence; and abiding faithfulness instead of immutability—all of these attributes being aspects of God’s love for humanity. Scriptural exegesis is one of the primary factors that informed the creation of the open view of God and many who hold this view claim that the divine attributes of omniscience, omnipotence and immutability are not necessarily Scriptural but rather philosophical attempts to define the nature of God. Scriptures that do not support such divine attributes have been a source of distress for many. Some would say that open theists have created lenses that enable a Bible student to gain comfort from those scriptures which seem to show God demonstrating repentance, disappointment and a readiness to learn. This paper will bring Open Theism into conversation with anakainosis-desmios. For open theists the reading of Scripture is an important part of the foundation of their perspectives. Open theists focus on certain Scriptures which demonstrate God showing repentance, disappointment and a readiness to learn. This focus led to their questioning of the systematic theologies that have been created and the biblical hermeneutics that have been used historically as lenses for interpreting such Scriptures. The perspective of anakainosis-desmios is also significantly influenced by the reading of Scripture. Spiritual renewal while incarcerated can occur largely through the religious practice of Bible study. Studying Scriptures during incarceration has supported many people who are seeking to develop new renderings of reality that empower them to flourish in some way despite the hostile environment of prisons. A conversation between the two points of view on the God of the Bible will lead to an expansion of both and to a deepening of a person's experience of Scripture Study.

Keywords: open theism, anakainosis-desmios, religion in prison, open theology, practical theology, Bible, scripture, openness of God, incarceration, prison

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Authors: Naava Dihi, Jon Anson

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Love, so it appears, is not socially blind. We show that partner selection is socially constrained, and the freedom to choose is limited by at least two major factors or capitals: on the one hand, material resources and education, locating the partners on a scale of personal achievement and economic independence. On the other, the partners' ascriptive belonging to particular ethnic, or origin, groups, differentiated by the groups' social prestige, as well as by their culture, history and even physical characteristics. However, the relative importance of achievement and ascriptive factors, as well as the overlap between them, varies from society to society, depending on the society's structure and the factors shaping it. Israeli social structure has been shaped by the waves of new immigrants who arrived over the years. The timing of their arrival, their patterns of physical settlement and their occupational inclusion or exclusion have together created a mosaic of social groups whose principal common feature has been the country of origin from which they arrived. The analysis of marriage patterns helps illuminate the social meanings of the groups and their borders. To the extent that ethnic group membership has meaning for individuals and influences their life choices, the ascriptive factor will gain in importance relative to the achievement factor in their choice of marriage partner. In this research, we examine Jewish Israeli marriage patterns by looking at the marriage choices of 5,041 women aged 15 to 49 who were single at the census in 1983, and who were married at the time of the 1995 census, 12 years later. The database for this study was a file linking respondents from the 1983 and the 1995 censuses. In both cases, 5 percent of household were randomly chosen, so that our sample includes about 4 percent of women in Israel in 1983. We present three basic analyses: (1) Who was still single in 1983, using personal and household data from the 1983 census (binomial model), (2) Who married between 1983 and a1995, using personal and household data from the 1983 census (binomial model), (3) What were the personal characteristics of the womens’ partners in 1995, using data from the 1995 census (loglinear model). We show (i) that material and cultural capital both operate to delay marriage and to increase the probability of remaining single; and (ii) while there is a clear association between ethnic group membership and education, endogamy and homogamy both operate as separate forces which constraint (but do not determine) the choice of marriage partner, and thus both serve to reproduce the current pattern of relationships, as well as identifying patterns of proximity and distance between the different groups.

Keywords: Israel, nuptiality, ascription, achievement

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Authors: Kamaran Fathulla

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Human creativity knows no bounds. More than a millennia ago humans have expressed their knowledge on cave walls and on clay artefacts. Using visuals such as diagrams and paintings have always provided us with a natural and intuitive medium for expressing such creativity. Making sense of human generated visualisation has been influenced by western scientific philosophies which are often reductionist in their nature. Theoretical frameworks such as those delivered by Peirce dominated our views of how to make sense of visualisation where a visual is seen as an emergent property of our thoughts. Others have reduced the richness of human-generated visuals to mere shapes drawn on a piece of paper or on a screen. This paper introduces an alternate framework where the centrality of human functioning is given explicit and richer consideration through the multi aspectual philosophical works of Herman Dooyeweerd. Dooyeweerd's framework of understanding reality was based on fifteen aspects of reality, each having a distinct core meaning. The totality of the aspects formed a ‘rainbow’ like spectrum of meaning. The thesis of this approach is that meaningful human functioning in most cases involves the diversity of all aspects working in synergy and harmony. Illustration of the foundations and applicability of this approach is underpinned in the case of humans use of diagramming for creative purposes, particularly within an educational context. Diagrams play an important role in education. Students and lecturers use diagrams as a powerful tool to aid their thinking. However, research into the role of diagrams used in education continues to reveal difficulties students encounter during both processes of interpretation and construction of diagrams. Their main problems shape up students difficulties with diagrams. The ever-increasing diversity of diagrams' types coupled with the fact that most real-world diagrams often contain a mix of these different types of diagrams such as boxes and lines, bar charts, surfaces, routes, shapes dotted around the drawing area, and so on with each type having its own distinct set of static and dynamic semantics. We argue that the persistence of these problems is grounded in our existing ways of understanding diagrams that are often reductionist in their underpinnings driven by a single perspective or formalism. In this paper, we demonstrate the limitations of these approaches in dealing with the three problems. Consequently, we propose, discuss, and demonstrate the potential of a nonreductionist framework for understanding diagrams based on Symbolic and Spatial Mappings (SySpM) underpinned by Dooyeweerd philosophy. The potential of the framework to account for the meaning of diagrams is demonstrated by applying it to a real-world case study physics diagram.

Keywords: SySpM, drawing style, mapping

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Authors: Proud Arunrangsiwed

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This study analyzes the crisis management and image repair strategies during the crisis of Mahidol Wittayanusorn School (MWIT) library burning. The library of this school was burned by a 16-year-old-male student on June 6th, 2010. This student blamed the school that the lesson was difficult, and other students were selfish. Although no one was in the building during the fire, it had caused damage to the building, books and electronic supplies around 130 million bahts (4.4 million USD). This event aroused many discourses arguing about the education system and morality. The strategies which were used during crisis were denial, shift the blame, bolstering, minimization, and uncertainty reduction. The results of using these strategies appeared after the crisis. That was the numbers of new students, who registered for the examination to get into this school in the later years, have remained the same.

Keywords: school, crisis management, violence, image repair strategies, uncertainty, burn

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Authors: Ali Saeed Alghamdi, Basel Mazen Alsolami, Basel Saeed Alghamdi, Muhanad Saleh Alzahrani Alamri, Salman Anwar Thabet, Abdulhalim J. Kinsara

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Objectives: This study measures the knowledge of the cardiovascular disease among the general population in western regions of Saudi Arabia, and it aimed to increase the level of awareness about cardiovascular diseases among the general population by providing an awareness lecture that included information about the risk factors, major symptoms, and prevention of cardiovascular diseases. The lecture has been attached at the end of the questionnaire. Setting: This study was conducted through an online questionnaire that included our aim and main objectives that targeted the general population in the Western regions of Saudi Arabia (Makkah and Madinah regions). Participants: This study participants were 460 collected through an online questionnaire. Methods: All Saudi citizens and residents who live in the western region of Saudi Arabia aged 18 years and above will be invited to participate voluntarily. A pre-structured questionnaire was designed to collect data on age, gender, marital status, education level, occupation, lifestyle habits, and history of heart diseases, with cardiac symptoms and risk factors sections. Results: The majority of respondents were females (74.8%) and Saudis. The knowledge about cardiovascular disease risk factors was weak. Only (18.5%) scores an excellent response regarding risk factors awareness. Lack of exercise, stress, and obesity were the most known risk factors. Regarding cardiovascular disease symptoms, chest pain scores the highest symptom (87.6%) among other symptoms like dyspnea, syncope, and excessive sweating. Participants revealed a poor awareness regarding cardiovascular disease symptoms also (0.9%). However, preventable factors for cardiovascular diseases were more knowledgeable than others categories in this study (60% fall into excellent knowledge). Smoking cessation, normal cholesterol level, and normal blood pressure score the highest preventable methods (92.2%), (88.6%), and (78.7%) respectively. 83.7% of the participant have attended the awareness lecture, and 99 of the attendees reported that the lecture increased their knowledge about cardiovascular disease. Conclusion: This study discussed the level of community awareness of cardiovascular disease in terms of symptoms, risk factors, and protective factors. We found a huge lack of the participant's level of knowledge about the disease and how to prevent it. Moreover, we measure the prevalence of the comorbidities among our participants (diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia/ hypertriglyceridemia) and their extent of adherence to their medication. In conclusion, this study not only demonstrates awareness of cardiovascular disease risk factors, symptoms, management, and the association between each domain but also provides educational material. Further educational material and campaigns are required to increase awareness and knowledge about cardiovascular diseases.

Keywords: awareness, cardiovascular diseases, education, prevention, risk factors

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Authors: John Njikem

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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most commonly diagnosed behavioral disorders in children, associated with this disorder are core symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. This study was purposely to enlighten and inform teachers, policy makers and other professionals concern in the education of this group of learners in inclusive schools in Buea, Cameroon. The major purpose of this study was to identify children with ADHD in elementary schools practicing inclusive education and to investigate the effect of classroom based intervention on their academic performance. The research problem stems from the fact that majority of children with ADHD in our school mostly have problems with classroom tasks like paying attention, easily distracted, and difficulties in organization and very little has been done to manage this numerous conditions, therefore it was necessary for the researcher to identify them and implement some inclusive strategies that teachers can better use in managing the behavior of this group of learners. There were four research questions and the study; the sample population used for the study was 27 pupils (3-7years old) formally identified with key symptoms of ADHD from primary 3-6 from four primary inclusive schools in Buea. Two sub-types of ADHD children were identified by using the recent DSM-IV behavioral checklist in recording their behavior after teacher and peer nomination they were later subjected to three groups for classroom intervention. Data collection was done by using interviews and other supportive methods such as document consultation, field notes and informal talks as additional sources was also used to gather information. Classroom Intervention techniques were carried out by the teachers themselves for 8 weeks under the supervision of the researcher, results were recorded for the 27 children's academic performance in the areas of math’s, writing and reading. Descriptive Statistics was applied in analyzing the data in percentages while tables and diagrams were used to represent the results. Findings obtained indicated that there was significant increase in the level of attention and organization on classroom tasks in the areas of reading, writing and mathematics. Finding also show that there was a more significant improvement made on their academic performance using the combined intervention approach which was proven to be the most effective intervention technique for pupils with ADHD in the study. Therefore it is necessary that teachers in inclusive primary schools in Buea understand the needs of these children and learn how to identify them and also use this intervention approaches to accommodate them in classroom task in order to encourage inclusive educational classroom practices in the country. Recommendations were based on each research objective and suggestions for further studies centered on other methods of classroom intervention for ADHD children in inclusive settings.

Keywords: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, inclusive classrooms, academic performance, impulsivity

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Authors: Ashoke Priyadarshana Premananda

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As per the suggestions of previously conducted research in Counseling Psychology, the necessity of forming culture- friendly approaches has been strongly emphasized by a number of scholars in the field. In response to that, Multicultural-model of Buddhist Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (MMBCBT) has been formed as a culture-friendly therapeutic approach to address psychological disturbances (depression) in late adulthood. Elderly population in the world is on the rise by leaps and bounds, and forming a culture-based therapeutic model which is blended with Buddhist teachings has been the major objective of the study. Buddhist teachings and cultural applications, which were mapped onto Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in the West, ultimately resulted in MMBCBT. Therefore, MMBCBT is a blend of cultural therapeutic techniques and the essence of certain Buddhist teachings extracted from five crucial suttas, which include CBT principles. In the process of mapping, MeghiyaSutta, GirimānandaSutta, SallekhaSutta, DvedhāvitakkaSutta, and Vitakka- SaṇṭhānaSutta have been taken into consideration mainly because of their cognitive behavioral content. The practical components of Vitakka- Saṇṭhānasutta (Aññanimittapabbaṃ) and Sallekhasutta (SallekhaPariyāya and CittuppādaPariyāya) have been used in the model while mindfulness of breathing was also carried out with the participants. Basically, multi-cultural therapeutic approaches of MMBCBT aim at modifying behavior (behavioral modification), whereas the rest is centered to the cognitive restructuring process. Therefore, MMBCBT is endowed with Behavioral Therapy (BT) and Cognitive Therapy(CT). In order to find out the validation of MMBCBT as a newly formed approach, it was then followed by mixed research (quantitative and qualitative research) with a sample selected from the elderly population following the purposive sampling technique. 40 individuals were selected from three elderly homes as per the purposive sampling technique. Elderly people identified to be depressed via Geriatric Depression Scale underwent MMBCBT for two weeks continuously while action research was being conducted simultaneously. Additionally, a Focus Group interview was carried out to support the action research. As per the research findings, people who identified depressed prior to the exposure to MMBCBT were found to be showing positive changes after they were exposed to the model. “Paired Sample t test” showed that the Multicultural Model of Buddhist based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy reduced depression of elderly people (The mean value (x̄) of the sample (level of depression) before the model was 10.7 whereas the mean value after the model was 7.5.). Most importantly, MMBCBT has been found to be effectively used with people from all walks of life despite religious diversities.

Keywords: buddhist psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy in buddhism, counseling in cultural context, gerontology, and buddhism

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Authors: Matthias Grünke

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In this single-case study, we evaluated the effects of a self-graphing intervention to help students improve their reading fluency. Our participant was a 10-year-old girl with a suspected learning disability in reading. We applied an ABAB reversal design to test the efficacy of our approach. The dependent measure was the number of correctly read words from a children’s book within five minutes. Our participant recorded her daily performance using a simple line diagram. Results indicate that her reading rate improved simultaneously with the intervention and dropped as soon as the treatment was suspended. The findings give reasons for optimism that our simple strategy can be a very effective tool in supporting students with learning disabilities to boost their reading fluency.

Keywords: single-case study, learning disabilities, elementary education, reading problems, reading fluency

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Authors: Jiří Barta

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The paper deals with simulation programs of spread of harmful substances. Air pollution has a direct impact on the quality of human life and environmental protection is currently a very hot topic. Therefore, the paper focuses on the simulation of release of harmful substances. The first part of article deals with perspectives and possibilities of implementation outputs of simulations programs into the system which is education and of practical training of the management staff during emergency events in the frame of critical infrastructure. The last part shows the practical testing and evaluation of simulation programs. Of the tested simulations software been selected Symos97. The tool offers advanced features for setting leakage. Gradually allows the user to model the terrain, location, and method of escape of harmful substances.

Keywords: Computer Simulation, Symos97, Spread, Simulation Software, Harmful Substances

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Authors: E. Rommes, Els Toonen, Rahil Roodsaz, Suborna Camellia, Farhana Alam, Saad Khan, Jhalok Ranjon Talukder, Tanveer Hassan, Syeda Farjana Ahmed, Sabina Faiz Rashid

Abstract:

In Bangladesh, a country in which adults (both parents and teachers) find it particularly hard to speak with youth about sexuality, adolescents seem to struggle with various insecurities about their sexual feelings, thoughts, behavior and physical characteristics. On the basis of a large number of interviews and focus groups with rural and urban Bangla adolescent girls and boys of lower and middle class as part of the large-scale three-year project ‘Breaking the Shame’, we have identified ten sexual themes or ‘myths’ that youth struggle with most. These encompass amongst others beliefs and insecurities on masturbation, discharge, same-sex behavior and feelings, the effects of watching porn and gender norms. We argue that the Internet is a particularly suitable medium to ‘debunk’ those myths, as youth can consult it anonymously and privately and so avoid social shame. Moreover, amongst the myths, we have identified two kinds which may need different debunking techniques. One kind of myth concerns scientifically uncontested, generally biological related information, such as the effects of having sex with a pregnant woman, questions on the effects of a penile or vaginal discharge or questions on the effects of masturbation. The second kind of myths concerns more diverse information sources and deals with e.g. religious or culturally specific norms, such as on the meaning and existence of homosexuality or gender appropriate norms of behavior in Bangladesh. For addressing both kinds of myths, expert information including a wealth of references to information resources needs to be provided, which the Internet is very suitable for. For the second kind of myths, adolescents also need to learn how to deal with sometimes conflicting norms and information sources, and they need to develop and reflect on their own opinions as part of their identity formation. On the basis of a literature review, we thus distinguish general information needs from identity formation needs, which includes the need to be able to relate information and opinions to one’s own opinions and situation. Hence, we argue that youth not only need abstract expert information to be able to debunk sexual myths, but also the option to discuss this information with other adolescents and compare their own situation and opinions with other peers, who in that way serve as ‘warm experts’ for each other. In this paper, we will describe the outcomes of our qualitative study above. In addition, we will present our findings of an intervention by presenting youth with general, uncontested information on the Internet with additional peer discussion options to compare the debunking effects on different kinds of myths.

Keywords: peer discussion, intervention, sexual myths, shame

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Authors: Nova Grail S. Luminang, Gwyneth B. Gortiza, Alvin E. Haboc, Marinol K. Hate, Rhean Mitchel N. Joven, Kara Kate D. Lammao, Rosemarie M. Lambayung, Elmo Carl D. Lardizabal, Zyra B. Linggayo, Rizza Mae G. Liwag, Ronalyn O. Songcuan

Abstract:

Breast cancer survivorship represents a complex and continuous journey extending beyond the completion of treatment, involving coping with physical, emotional, and psychological aspects of life post-treatment. This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of breast cancer survivors after successful treatment in Tabuk City, focusing on their post-treatment experiences, coping mechanisms, and necessary lifestyle changes. Researchers have selected Tabuk City as their research locale. Utilizing Martin Heidegger’s descriptive phenomenological design, this qualitative research included six participants, allowing for data saturation. Purposive sampling was employed to select participants. Researchers used Colaizzi’s Phenomenological Method in analyzing the data in order to achieve a reliable understanding of the participants’ experiences. The findings revealed three main themes: going through post-treatment hurdles, building resilience, and transformative wellness adjustments. Breast cancer survivors faced significant challenges, including physical adversities, emotional turmoil, limited social life, memory lapses, decreased sexual intimacy, and economic constraints. To cope, survivors adjusted their thoughts and attitudes, accepted their situation, relied on religious beliefs, and joined the support group Kalinga Cancer Care Ministry INC. Additionally, they strived to return to a normal life and embraced gratitude. Survivors made essential changes to their daily routines, modifying their diets, exploring herbal remedies, and incorporating physical activities such as walking and household chores. These adjustments helped improve their overall well-being and prevent cancer recurrence. The researchers concluded that the journey of breast cancer survivors is marked by significant challenges and inspiring resilience. The impact of breast cancer treatment extends beyond physical recovery, encompassing profound emotional and social dimensions. Despite these difficulties, survivors demonstrate remarkable strength and adaptability, making positive lifestyle changes that offer a hopeful and inspiring narrative of recovery and perseverance.

Keywords: breast cancer, lived experiences, breast cancer survivor, post-treatment hurdles, emotional turmoil

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Authors: Wisdom Robert Duruji

Abstract:

The outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 serotype infection was recorded in January 2020 in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China. This study examines the concepts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the implications of vaccines for health security in Nigeria and Diasporas. It challenges the widely accepted assumption that the first case of coronavirus infection in Nigeria was recorded on February 27th, 2020, in Lagos. The study utilizes a range of research methods to achieve its objectives. These include the double-layered culture technique, literature review, website knowledge, Google search, news media information, academic journals, fieldwork, and on-site observations. These diverse methods allow for a comprehensive analysis of the concepts and the implications being studied. The study finds that coronavirus infection can be asymptomatic; it may be the antigenicity of the leukocytes (white blood cells), which produce immunogenic hapten or interferons (α, β and γ) that fight infectious parasites, was an immune response that prevented severe virulence in healthy individuals; the reason healthy patients of coronavirus infection in Nigeria naturally recovered after two to three weeks of on-set of infection and test negative. However, the fatality data from the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) is incorrect in this study’s finding; it perused that the fatalities were primarily due to underlying ailments, hunger, and malnutrition in debilitated, comorbid, or compromised patients. This study concluded that the kits and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) machine currently used by the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in testing and confirming COVID-19 in Nigeria is not ideal; it is programmed and negates separating the strain to its specific serotypes amongst its genera coronavirus, and family Coronaviridae; and might have confirmed patients with the symptoms of febrile caused by cough, catarrh, typhoid and malaria parasites as Covid-19 positive. Therefore, it is recommended that the coronavirus species infected in Nigeria are opportunistic parasites that thrive in human immuno-suppressed conditions like the herpesvirus; it cannot be eradicated by vaccines; the only virucides are interferons, immunoglobulins, and probably synthetic antiviral guanosine drugs like copegus or ribavirin. The findings emphasized that COVID-19 is not the primary pandemic disease in Nigeria; the lockdown was a mirage and not necessary; but rather, pandemic diseases in Nigeria are corruption, nepotism, hunger, and malnutrition caused by ineptitude in governance, religious dichotomy, and ethnic conflicts.

Keywords: coronavirus, corruption, Covid-19 pandemic, lock-down, Nigeria, vaccine

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Authors: Haneffa M. G.

Abstract:

Retirement preparedness among Malaysian working individuals found to be poor. Prior research proven women consistently have lower retirement confidence as compared to men. Retirement planning still become the vague issues due to saving for the golden years are being stepsided by many people. Most of them think that their contributions in companies and government retirement plan is enough to comfort them in their golden years. The Employee Provident Fund (EPF) claims that most of nearly retired person have inadequate fund to retire. Therefore, this paper aims to discuss the saving behavior of younger cohort of working individuals towards retirement planning in Malaysia. A theoretical framework is developed to understand the relationship between demographic characteristics, financial education, goal clarity, perceived religiosity and retirement savings behavior.

Keywords: retirement planning, savings behavior, perceived religiosity, goal clarity, Malaysia

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Authors: Xianghan O'Dea

Abstract:

This article argues an urgent need to better understand the personal experiences of Chinese top-up students studying in the UK since the number of Chinese students taking year-long top-up programmes in the UK has risen rapidly in recent years. This lack of knowledge could potentially have implications for the reputation of some UK institutions and also the attractiveness of the UK higher education sector to future international students. This longitudinal study explored the academic and social experiences of twelve Chinese top-up students in a UK institution in-depth and revealed that the students felt their experiences were influenced significantly by their surrounding contexts at the macro and meso levels, which, however, have been largely overlooked in existing research. This article suggests the importance of improving the communications between the partner institutions in China and the UK, and also providing sufficient pre-departure and after arrival support to Chinese top-up students at the institutional level.

Keywords: articulation agreements, Chinese top-up students, top-up programmes, U-curve

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Authors: Zahara Abdulhussan Al-Awadai

Abstract:

In recent years, serious games have started to gain an increasing interest as a tool to support learning across different educational and training fields. It began to serve as a powerful educational tool for improving learning outcomes. In this research, we discuss the potential of virtual experiences and games research outside of the games industry and explore the multifaceted impact of serious games and related technologies on various aspects of our lives. We highlight the usage of serious games as a tool to improve education and other applications with a purpose beyond the entertainment industry. One of the main contributions of this research is proposing a model that facilitates the design and development of serious games in a flexible and easy-to-use way. This is achieved by exploring different requirements to develop a model that describes a serious game structure with a focus on both aspects of serious games (educational and entertainment aspects).

Keywords: game development, requirements, serious games, serious game model

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Authors: Laith F. Gulli, Nicole M. Mallory

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We developed a novel measurement instrument to assess Knowledge of Educational Programs in Professional Psychotherapy Programs (KEP-PPP or KEP-Triple P) within the United States. The instrument was designed by a Panel of Experts (PoE) that consisted of Licensed Psychotherapists and Medical Care Providers. Licensure track psychotherapy programs are listed in the databases of the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE); American Psychological Association (APA); Council on Social Work Education (CSWE); and the Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP). A complete list of psychotherapy programs can be obtained from these professional databases, selecting search fields of (All Programs) in (All States). Each program has a Web link that electronically and directly connects to the institutional program, which can be researched using the KEP-Triple P. The 29-item KEP Triple P was designed to consist of six categorical fields; Institutional Type: Degree: Educational Delivery: Accreditation: Coursework Competency: and Special Program Considerations. The KEP-Triple P was designed to determine whether a specific course(s) is offered in licensure track psychotherapy programs. The KEP-Triple P is designed to be modified to assess any part or the entire curriculum of licensure graduate programs. We utilized the KEP-Triple P instrument to study whether a graduate course in Addictions was offered in Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) programs. Marriage and Family Therapists are likely to commonly encounter patients with Addiction(s) due to the broad treatment scope providing psychotherapy services to individuals, couples and families of all age groups. Our study of 124 MFT programs which concluded at the end of 2016 found that we were able to assess 61 % of programs (N = 76) since 27 % (N = 34) of programs were inaccessible due to broken Web links. From the total of all MFT programs 11 % (N = 14) did not have a published curriculum on their Institutional Web site. From the sample study, we found that 66 % (N = 50) of curricula did not offer a course in Addiction Treatment and that 34 % (N =26) of curricula did require a mandatory course in Addiction Treatment. From our study sample, we determined that 15 % (N = 11) of MFT doctorate programs did not require an Addictions Treatment course and that 1 % (N = 1) did require such a course. We found that 99 % of our study sample offered a Campus based program and 1 % offered a hybrid program with both online and residential components. From the total sample studied, we determined that 84 % of programs would be able to obtain reaccreditation within a five-year period. We recommend that MFT programs initiate procedures to revise curricula to include a required course in Addiction Treatment prior to their next accreditation cycle, to improve the escalating addiction crisis in the United States. This disparity in MFT curricula raises serious ethical and legal consideration for national and Federal stakeholders as well as for patients seeking a competently trained psychotherapist.

Keywords: addiction, competency, curriculum, psychotherapy

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