Search results for: teachers beliefs

Authors: Rahimah Abdulrahman, A. Eardle, Wilfred Alan, Abdel Hamid Soliman

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With the rapid development in technology, and advances in learning technologies, m-learning has begun to occupy a great part of our lives. The pace of the life getting together with the need for learning started mobile learning (m-learning) concept. In 2008, Saudi Arabia requested a national plan for the adoption of information technology (IT) across the country. Part of the recommendations of this plan concerns the implementation of mobile learning (m-learning) as well as their prospective applications to higher education within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The overall aim of the research is to explore the main issues that impact the deployment of m-learning in nursing institutes in Saudi Arabia, at the Armed Force Hospitals (AFH), Alhada. This is in order to be able to develop a generic model to enable and assist the educational policy makers and implementers of m-learning, to comprehend and treat those issues effectively. Specifically, the research will explore the concept of m-learning; identify and analyse the main organisational; technological and cultural issue, that relate to the adoption of m-learning; develop a model of m-learning; investigate the perception of the students of the Nursing Institutes to the use of m-learning technologies for their nursing diploma programmes based on their experiences; conduct a validation of the m-learning model with the use of the nursing Institute of the AFH, Alhada in Saudi Arabia, and evaluate the research project as a learning experience and as a contribution to the body of knowledge. Activity Theory (AT) will be adopted for the study due to the fact that it provides a conceptual framework that engenders an understanding of the structure, development and the context of computer-supported activities. The study will be adopt a set of data collection methods which engage nursing students in a quantitative survey, while nurse teachers are engaged through in depth qualitative studies to get first-hand information about the organisational, technological and cultural issues that impact on the deployment of m-learning. The original contribution will be a model for developing m-learning material for classroom-based learning in the nursing institute that can have a general application.

Keywords: activity theory (at), mobile learning (m-learning), nursing institute, Saudi Arabia (sa)

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Authors: Surajo Ladan

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There is no doubt nowadays, the media plays a crucial role in the development of languages. Media practitioners influence and set our linguistic norms to a greater extent. Their strategic position makes them influential than school teachers as linguistic pacesetters and models. This is so because of the direct access to the general public that media enjoys being public, oriented and at the same time being patronized by the public, the media is regarded as an authority as far as language use is concerned. In the modern world, listening to the news has become part and parcel of our daily lives. Easy communication has made the world a global village. Contact between countries and people are increasing daily. In Nigeria and indeed the whole of West Africa, radio is the most widely spread out of the three types of media (radio, television, and print). This is because of its (radio) cheapness and less cumbersome and flexibility. Therefore, the positive or negative effect of radio on the lives of a typical Nigerian or African cannot be over emphasized. Hausa language, on the other hand, is one of the most widely spoken languages in West Africa and, of course, the lingua franca in the Northern part of Nigeria and Southern Niger. The language has been in use to a large extent by almost all the popular foreign media houses of BBC, VOA, Deutsche Welle Radio, Radio France International, Radio China, etc. The many people in Nigeria and West Africa depend so much on the news in this language. In fact even government programmes, mobilization, education and sensitization of the populace are done in this language through the broadcast media. It is against this background, for effective and efficient work of this nature it requires the services of a trained translator for the purpose of translating scientific and technological terms. The main thrust of this paper was necessitated for the fact that no nation develops using foreign or borrowed language. This is in lined with UNESCO declaration of 1953 where it says 'the best Language of Instruction (LOI) is the vernacular or the Mother Tongue (MT) of the learner'. This idea is in the right direction especially nowadays that the developing nations have come to terms with realities that their destiny is really in their own hands, not in the hands of the so-called developed nations.

Keywords: translation, scientific, technological, language, radio, media

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Authors: Andrea N. Alarcon, Julian D. Castro, Gloria C. Rojas, Paola A. Vaca, Santiago Ortiz, Gustavo Martinez, Pablo D. Lemoine

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Recently, electoral results across many countries have shown to be inconsistent with rational decision theory, which states that individuals make decisions based on maximizing benefits and reducing risks. An alternative explanation has emerged: Fear and rage-driven vote have been proved to be highly effective for political persuasion and mobilization. This phenomenon has been evident in the 2016 elections in the United States, 2006 elections in Mexico, 1998 elections in Venezuela, and 2004 elections in Bolivia. In Colombia, it has occurred recently in the 2016 plebiscite for peace and 2018 presidential elections. The aim of this study is to explain this phenomenon using cultural cognition theory, referring to the psychological predisposition individuals have to believe that its own and its peer´s behavior is correct and, therefore, beneficial to the entire society. Cultural cognition refers to the tendency of individuals to fit perceived risks, and factual beliefs into group shared values; the Cultural Cognition Worldview Scales (CCWS) measures cultural perceptions through two different dimensions: Individualism-communitarianism and hierarchy-egalitarianism. The former refers to attitudes towards social dominance based on conspicuous and static characteristics (sex, ethnicity or social class), while the latter refers to attitudes towards a social ordering in which it is expected from individuals to guarantee their own wellbeing without society´s or government´s intervention. A probabilistic national sample was obtained from different polls from the consulting and public opinion company Centro Nacional de Consultoría. Sociodemographic data was obtained along with CCWS scores, a subjective measure of left-right ideological placement and vote intention for 2019 Mayor´s elections were also included in the questionnaires. Finally, the question “In your opinion, what is the greatest risk Colombia is facing right now?” was included to identify perceived risk in the population. Preliminary results show that Colombians are highly distributed among hierarchical communitarians and egalitarian individualists (30.9% and 31.7%, respectively), and to a less extent among hierarchical individualists and egalitarian communitarians (19% and 18.4%, respectively). Males tended to be more hierarchical (p < .000) and communitarian (p=.009) than females. ANOVA´s revealed statistically significant differences between groups (quadrants) for the level of schooling, left-right ideological orientation, and stratum (p < .000 for all), and proportion differences revealed statistically significant differences for groups of age (p < .001). Differences and distributions for vote intention and perceived risks are still being processed and results are yet to be analyzed. Results show that Colombians are differentially distributed among quadrants in regard to sociodemographic data and left-right ideological orientation. These preliminary results indicate that this study may shed some light on why Colombians vote the way they do, and future qualitative data will show the fears emerging from the identified values in the CCWS and the relation this has with vote intention.

Keywords: communitarianism, cultural cognition, egalitarianism, hierarchy, individualism, perceived risks

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Authors: Rhiannon Barker, Gregory Hartwell, Matt Egan, Karen Lock

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Background: Evidence suggests that mental health (MH) issues in children and young people (CYP) in the UK are on the rise. Of particular concern is data that indicates that the pandemic, together with the impact of school closures, have accentuated already pronounced inequalities; children from families on low incomes or from black and minority ethnic groups are reportedly more likely to have been adversely impacted. This study aimed to help identify specific support which may facilitate the building of a positive school climate and protect student mental health, particularly in the wake of school closures following the pandemic. It has important implications for integrated working between schools and statutory health services. Methods: The research comprised of three parts; scoping, case studies, and a stakeholder workshop to explore and consolidate results. The scoping phase included a literature review alongside interviews with a range of stakeholders from government, academia, and the third sector. Case studies were then conducted in two London state schools. Results: Our research identified how student MH was being impacted by a range of factors located at different system levels, both internal to the school and in the wider community. School climate, relating both to a shared system of beliefs and values, as well as broader factors including style of leadership, teaching, discipline, safety, and relationships -all played a role in the experience of school life and, consequently, the MH of both students and staff. Participants highlighted the importance of a whole school approach and ensuring that support for student MH was not separated from academic achievement, as well as the importance of identifying and applying universal measuring systems to establish levels of MH need. Our findings suggest that a school’s climate is influenced by the style and strength of its leadership, while this school climate - together with mechanisms put in place to respond to MH needs (both statutory and non-statutory) - plays a key role in supporting student MH. Implications: Schools in England have a responsibility to decide on the nature of MH support provided for their students, and there is no requirement for them to report centrally on the form this provision takes. The reality on the ground, as our study suggests, is that MH provision varies significantly between schools, particularly in relation to ‘lower’ levels of need which are not covered by statutory requirements. A valid concern may be that in the huge raft of possible options schools have to support CYP wellbeing, too much is left to chance. Work to support schools in rebuilding their cultures post-lockdowns must include the means to identify and promote appropriate tools and techniques to facilitate regular measurement of student MH. This will help establish both the scale of the problem and monitor the effectiveness of the response. A strong vision from a school’s leadership team that emphasises the importance of student wellbeing, running alongside (but not overshadowed by) academic attainment, should help shape a school climate to promote beneficial MH outcomes. The sector should also be provided with support to improve the consistency and efficacy of MH provision in schools across the country.

Keywords: mental health, schools, young people, whole-school culture

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Authors: Sreekanth Reddy Ballarapu

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The perception of the whole process of teaching and learning is undergoing a drastic and radical change. More and more student-centered, pragmatic, and flexible approaches are gradually replacing teacher-centered lecturing and structural-syllabus instruction. The issue of teaching English as a Foreign language is no exception in this regard. The traditional Present-Practice-Produce (P-P-P) method of teaching English is overtaken by Task-Based Teaching which is a subsidiary branch of Communicative Language Teaching. At this juncture this article strongly tries to convey that - Task-based learning, has an advantage over other traditional methods of teaching. All teachers of English must try to customize their texts into productive tasks, apply them, and evaluate the students as well as themselves. Task Based Learning is a double edged tool which can enhance the performance of both the teacher and the taught. The sample for this case study is a class of 35 students from Semester III - Network branch at TVTC College of Technology, Adhum - Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The students are high school passed out and aged between 19-21years.For the present study the prescribed textbook Technical English 1 by David Bonamy was used and a number of language tasks were chalked out during the pre- task stage and the learners were made to participate voluntarily and actively. The Action Research methodology was adopted within the dual framework of Communicative Language Teaching and Task-Based Learning. The different tools such as questionnaires, feedback and interviews were used to collect data. This study provides information about various techniques of Communicative Language Teaching and Task Based Learning and focuses primarily on the advantages of using a Task Based Learning approach. This article presents in detail the objectives of the study, the planning and implementation of the action research, the challenges encountered during the execution of the plan, and the pedagogical outcome of this project. These research findings serve two purposes: first, it evaluates the effectiveness of Task Based Learning and, second, it empowers the teacher's professionalism in designing and implementing the tasks. In the end, the possibility of scope for further research is presented in brief.

Keywords: action research, communicative language teaching, task based learning, perception

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Authors: Monika Haanpää

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Well-functioning workplaces are often characterized by good co-operation, adequate flow of information, open interaction between workers and a supportive work environment. The workplace is a mosaic of human personalities and the influx of people, who speak different languages and who are from different cultural backgrounds, may bring about new challenges and enrich this environment. However, this influx of people could also pose a problem as the adaptation of immigrant people to new terms of work may depend heavily on the level of language skills, the stage of culture shock, professional identity, and personality. Migration is not a rare phenomenon in Finland anymore; nobody is surprised to see people from different countries and different backgrounds in the schools, on the streets or in shops. However, this does not mean that immigration is an easy process for people coming from other countries. The experience of workers, with diverse language and backgrounds, has rarely been researched, particularly from the superior's point of view. In addition, the vast majority of researchers have paid more attention to multicultural kindergartens in terms of immigrant children and their families. Hence, there is a need to show the problem which exists in the recruitment of the increasing number of workers who come from different countries. Opinions about kindergartens, as multicultural workplaces, have been gathered through interviews with immigrant workers responsible for education. In addition, a questionnaire for native Finnish workers and superiors in kindergartens was carried out. The collected material has been analyzed qualitatively, focusing on topics such as: the kindergarten as a multicultural workplace, factors influencing career success of workers with diverse language and cultural backgrounds, the social relations in the multicultural workplaces and teachers’ changing professional identity. The results of the research provided a novel aspect of the multicultural workplace and emphasized a dependency of immigrant workers’ on language skills in Finnish; affecting professional success. In addition, they showed the good relations between other native Finnish co-workers and superiors. The results also illustrate why writing skills in Finnish are so important in kindergartens. Part of the investigation also questions some results of the research i.e. which is more important in the kindergarten as a multicultural workplace: personality, good professional skills or good language skills.

Keywords: kindergarten, multicultural workplace, social relations at work, work satisfaction

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Authors: Yasmeen Coaxum

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The year 2020 became synonymous with the words “Emergency Remote Teaching,” which was imposed upon educators during the COVID-19 pandemic. Consequently, teachers were compelled to find new and engaging ways to educate their students outside of the face-to-face classroom setting. Now online instruction has become more of the norm rather than a way to manage educational expectations during a crisis. Therefore, implementing a strategic way to create online environments for students to thrive, create, and fully engage in their learning process is essential. The Synchronous Online Flipped Learning Approach or SOFLA® is a distance learning model that most closely replicates actual classroom teaching. SOFLA® includes structured, interactive, multimodal activities in an eight-step learning cycle with both asynchronous and synchronous components that foster autonomous and interactive learning among today’s online learners. The results of a pilot study in an Intensive English Program at a university, using SOFLA® methodology to facilitate podcasting in an online learning environment will be shared. Previous findings on student-produced podcasting projects have shown that students felt they improved their pronunciation, vocabulary, and speaking skills. However, few if any studies have been conducted on using a structured online flipped learning approach to facilitate such projects. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to assess the effect of using the SOFLA® framework to enhance optimum engagement in the online environment while using podcasts as the primary tool of instruction. Through data from interviews, questionnaires, and the results of formative and summative assessments, this study also investigates the affective and academic impact this flipped learning method combined with podcasting has on the students in terms of speaking confidence and vocabulary retention, and production. The steps of SOFLA will be illustrated, a video demonstration of the Anchor podcasting app will be shown, and final student projects and questionnaire responses will be shared. The specific context is a 14-week advanced level conversation and listening class. Participants vary in age but are all adult language learners representing a diverse array of countries.

Keywords: mall online flipped learning, podcasting, productive vocabulary

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Authors: Syauqi Asfiya R.

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This study examines the constraints faced by Islamic boarding school (Pesantren) in Indonesia in effectively addressing physical violence within their educational institutions. The vulnerability to violence in the education sector remains pervasive, including in Pesantren, primarily due to the residential nature of the boarding school system, which necessitates round-the-clock interaction among students from diverse backgrounds. Additionally, environmental factors, parenting styles, individual characteristics, and media influences further complicate the conditions within Pesantren. Numerous cases of physical violence have been reported, underscoring the need to identify the constraints of violence prevention strategies implemented by Pesantren. Adopting a case study approach, this research focuses on a Modern Pesantren in Tangerang and utilizes interviews conducted with 20 victims of violence to explore the aspects of Pesantren's violence prevention strategies that may have been overlooked. The findings indicate that many students face a dilemma when reporting the violence they experience, as the imposed sanctions often prove excessively severe and carry the risk of exacerbating the violence perpetrated by the offenders. Consequently, numerous victims choose to remain silent, thereby enabling the perpetuation of violence. Moreover, senior students (mudabbir) are prohibited from giving punishment, but there are still many who punish other students based on their personal moods. Furthermore, violence is also perpetrated by religious teachers (ustadz), despite their responsibility for addressing such issues. The evaluation process often follows a unidirectional approach wherein the santri have limited freedom compared to the Mudabbir or ustadz when it comes to providing feedback. Additionally, sentiment within specific student generations is reinforced due to the segregation of dormitories based on cohorts. Lastly, the absence of psychologists to address the trauma experienced by victims further exacerbates the situation. This research sheds light on the constraints faced by Pesantren in effectively preventing physical violence and emphasizes the importance of implementing comprehensive measures to create safer and nurturing learning environments within these institutions.

Keywords: physical violence, islam, boarding school, constraint

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Authors: Maha A. Al-Hsayni

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Title of the Study: The Effect of Using Augmented Reality Technique in a Computer Course Unit on the Academic Achievement and Attitudes of High School Female Students. This study aimed at identifying the effect of using the Augmented Reality technique on the academic achievement of computer course at the cognitive domains (Knowledge, comprehension and analysis) with third high school female students in Holy Makkah. The researcher used: The quasi-experimental approach. The sample of the study was comprised of (55) female students in the third high school level in Holy Makkah in the second semester of the academic year 1434/1435 H. These students were assigned to two groups: The experimental group of (28) students who were taught by using the Augmented Reality technology, and the control group of (27) students, who were taught by using the traditional method. The researcher prepared a set of tools and materials, which are represented in achievement test consisted of (30) clauses, direction instrument consisted of (25) clauses and the design of augmented reality for computer study unit. The study used the following statistical methods for data analysis: Cronbach's alpha coefficient, Pearson correlation coefficient, means, standard deviations, t-test and analysis of covariance test ANCOVA. The study reached the following results: 1- There are statistically significance difference at ( 0.05) among the adjusted means of the experimental and control groups in the posttest at the domains of (Knowledge, comprehension and analysis) of third high school graders after adjusting the pretest 2- There are statistically significance difference at ( 0.05) among the means of pre and post-test for female students of the experimental group in the scale of attitude towards using Augmented Reality Technique. In the light of the study results, the researcher recommends the followings: The necessity of using Augmented Reality Technique in teaching computer courses for high school students. Furthermore, emphasizing the need to provide schools with educational halls equipped with instruments and screens that enable teachers to use the Augmented Reality in teaching the other courses. Also, the researcher suggested conducting more studies in order to improve the process of teaching and learning.

Keywords: augmented reality technique, computer course unit, academic achievement, attitudes, high school female students

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Authors: Frederick W. Gooding, Jr., Mark Beeman

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Nearly a century ago, the groundbreaking 1915 film ‘The Birth of a Nation’ popularized the way Hollywood made movies with its avant-garde, feature-length style. The movie's subjugating and demeaning depictions of African American women (and men) reflected popular racist beliefs held during the time of slavery and the early Jim Crow era. Although much has changed concerning race relations in the past century, American sociologist Patricia Hill Collins theorizes that the disparaging images of African American women originating in the era of plantation slavery are adaptable and endure as controlling images today. In this context, a comparative analysis of the successful contemporary film, ‘Bringing Down the House’ starring Queen Latifah is relevant as this 2004 film was designed to purposely defy and ridicule classic stereotypes of African American women. However, the film is still tied to the controlling images from the past, although in a modern hybrid form. Scholars of race and film have noted that the pervasive filmic imagery of the African American woman as the loyal mammy stereotype faded from the screen in the post-civil rights era in favor of more sexualized characters (i.e., the Jezebel trope). Analyzing scenes and dialogue through the lens of sociological and critical race theory, the troubling persistence of African American controlling images in film stubbornly emerge in a movie like ‘Bringing Down the House.’ Thus, these controlling images, like racism itself, can adapt to new social and economic conditions. Although the classic controlling images appeared in the first feature length film focusing on race relations a century ago, ‘The Birth of a Nation,’ this black and white rendition of the mammy figure was later updated in 1939 with the classic hit, ‘Gone with the Wind’ in living color. These popular controlling images have loomed quite large in the minds of international audiences, as ‘Gone with the Wind’ is still shown in American theaters currently, and experts at the British Film Institute in 2004 rated ‘Gone with the Wind’ as the number one movie of all time in UK movie history based upon the total number of actual viewings. Critical analysis of character patterns demonstrate that images that appear superficially benign contribute to a broader and quite persistent pattern of marginalization within the aggregate. This approach allows experts and viewers alike to detect more subtle and sophisticated strands of racial discrimination that are ‘hidden in plain sight’ despite numerous changes in the Hollywood industry that appear to be more voluminous and diverse than three or four decades ago. In contrast to white characters, non-white or minority characters are likely to be subtly compromised or marginalized relative to white characters if and when seen within mainstream movies, rather than be subjected to obvious and offensive racist tropes. The hybrid form of both the older Jezebel and Mammy stereotypes exhibited by lead actress Queen Latifah in ‘Bringing Down the House’ represents a more suave and sophisticated merging of past imagery ideas deemed problematic in the past as well as the present.

Keywords: African Americans, Hollywood film, hybrid, stereotypes

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Authors: Jefferson S. Galanza, Jewel An Mischelle R.Camcam, Alyssa Karryl C. Co, Stephanie P. De Guzman, Jet Jet K. Dongui-is, Rodolfo Dane C. Frias, Ovelle C. Jueco, Harvey L. Matbagan, Victoria Luzette T. Rillon, Christelle Romyna H. Saruca, Jeanette Roma M. Villasper

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Background: Amidst numerous studies conducted on learning styles of students from a variety of courses, levels and school, a recent study recommended a great need for research on learning styles of student nurses. Moreover, related literatures have not been found exploring both the learning and teaching style of student nurses. Aims: The study aimed to determine the learning and teaching styles of student nurses and if there is an association between them. It also intended to discover whether student nurses are unimodal or multimodal in their styles and identified which faculty teaching style affords maximum outcome for student’s learning styles. Methods: Quantitative Descriptive-Correlational design was used. Participants were randomly selected 312 student nurses at School of Nursing X, Baguio City, Philippines. The questionnaire utilized a modified version of an adopted tool from Fleming’s VARK learning style version 7.2 (Visual, Auditory, Reader/Writer, Kinaesthetic) and Grasha’s teaching styles (Formal Authority, Demonstrator, Facilitator, Delegator). SPSS 19 was used for statistical treatment of data, where Chi square was used for the correlation of unimodal learning and teaching styles. Results/Finding: Majority of student nurses’ learning style is Kinesthetic and their teaching style is Demonstrator, which was also found to be significantly associated. Moreover, 8 out of 10 students are Unimodal in their learning and teaching modalities. In general, their preferred faculty teaching style is similar to their teaching style, which supports the concept, that teachers teach the way they learn. Conclusion: Study concludes that student nurses’ learning styles and teaching styles are varied, which exemplifies the uniqueness of every learner.This diversity in styles provided more evidence that a variety of mode of teaching and learning should be used by faculty and students to increase learning outcome and academic achievement. Recommendation: Future studies could be carried out in various schools of nursing utilizing faculty as respondents. Conduct assessment of learning style at the onset of classes/clinical placements so that faculty will become aware of the diversity of learners leading them to deliver diverse teaching methods.

Keywords: learning, learning styles, teaching styles, student nurses

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Authors: Rashedul Islam

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A firmly-validated aim of teaching science is to support student enthusiasm for science learning with an outspread interest in scientific issues in future life. This is in keeping with the recent development in Gifted and Talented Education statement which instructs that gifted students have a renewed interest and natural aptitude in science. Yet, the practice of science teaching leaves many students with the feeling that science is difficult and compared to other school subjects, students interest in science is declining at the final years of the primary school. As a curriculum guides the teaching-learning activities in school, where significant consequences may result from the context of the curricula and syllabi, are a major feature of certain educational jurisdictions in NSW, Australia. The purpose of this study was an exploration of the curriculum sets the context to identify how science education is practiced through primary schools in Sydney, Australia. This phenomenon was explored through document review from two publicly available documents namely: the NSW Science Syllabus K-6, and Australian Curriculum: Foundation - 10 Science. To analyse the data, this qualitative study applied themed content analysis at three different levels, i.e., first cycle coding, second cycle coding- pattern codes, and thematic analysis. Preliminary analysis revealed the phenomenon of teaching-learning practices drawn from eight themes under three phenomena aligned with teachers’ practices and gifted student’s learning characteristics based on Gagné’s Differentiated Model of Gifted and Talent (DMGT). From the results, it appears that, overall, the two documents are relatively well-placed in terms of identifying the context of teaching and learning primary science to gifted students. However, educators need to make themselves aware of the ways in which the curriculum needs to be adapted to meet gifted students learning needs in science. It explores the important phenomena of teaching-learning context to provide gifted students with optimal educational practices including inquiry-based learning, problem-solving, open-ended tasks, creativity in science, higher order thinking, integration, and challenges. The significance of such a study lies in its potential to schools and further research in the field of gifted education.

Keywords: teaching primary science, gifted student learning, curriculum context, science syllabi, Australia

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Authors: Harry Einhorn

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This paper aims to explore the integration of Buddhism into educational settings with the goal of fostering the holistic development of children. By incorporating Buddhist principles and practices, educators can create a nurturing environment that cultivates wisdom, compassion, and ethical values in children. The teachings of Buddhism provide valuable insights into mindfulness, compassion, and critical thinking, which can be adapted and applied to educational curricula to enhance children's intellectual, emotional, and moral growth. One of the fundamental aspects of Buddhist philosophy that is particularly relevant to education is the concept of mindfulness. By introducing mindfulness practices, such as meditation and breathing exercises, children can learn to cultivate present-moment awareness, develop emotional resilience, and enhance their ability to concentrate and focus. These skills are essential for effective learning and can contribute to reducing stress and promoting overall well-being in children. Mindfulness practices can also teach children how to manage their emotions and thoughts, promoting self-regulation and creating a positive classroom environment. In addition to mindfulness, Buddhism emphasizes the cultivation of compassion and empathy toward all living beings. Integrating teachings on kindness, empathy, and ethical behavior into the educational framework can help children develop a deep sense of interconnectedness and social responsibility. By engaging children in activities that promote empathy and encourage acts of kindness, such as community service projects and cooperative learning, educators can foster the development of compassionate individuals who are actively engaged in creating a more harmonious and compassionate society. Moreover, Buddhist teachings encourage critical thinking and inquiry, which are crucial skills for intellectual development. By introducing children to fundamental Buddhist concepts such as impermanence, interdependence, and the nature of suffering, educators can engage them in philosophical reflections and broaden their perspectives on life. These teachings promote open-mindedness, curiosity, and a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of all things. Through the exploration of these concepts, children can develop critical thinking skills and gain insights into the complexities of the world, enabling them to navigate challenges with wisdom and discernment. While integrating Buddhism into education requires sensitivity, cultural awareness, and respect for diverse beliefs and backgrounds, it holds great potential for nurturing the holistic development of children. By incorporating mindfulness practices, fostering compassion and empathy, and promoting critical thinking, Buddhism can contribute to the creation of a more compassionate, inclusive, and harmonious educational environment. This integration can shape well-rounded individuals who are equipped with the necessary skills and qualities to navigate the complexities of the modern world with wisdom, compassion, and resilience. In conclusion, the integration of Buddhism into education offers a valuable framework for cultivating wisdom, compassion, and ethical values in children. By incorporating mindfulness, compassion, and critical thinking into educational practices, educators can create a supportive environment that promotes children's holistic development. By nurturing these qualities, Buddhism can help shape individuals who are not only academically proficient but also morally and ethically responsible, contributing to a more compassionate and harmonious society.

Keywords: Buddhism, education, children, mindfulness

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Authors: Alice Khachian, Shoaleh Bigdeli, Azita Shoghie, Leili Borimnejad

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Background and aim: The hidden curriculum is crucial in nursing education and can determine professionalism and professional competence. It has a significant effect on their moral performance in relation to patients. The present study was conducted with the aim of identifying the hidden curriculum components in the nursing and midwifery faculty. Methodology: The ethnographic study was conducted over two years using the Spradley method in one of the nursing schools located in Tehran. In this focused ethnographic research, the approach of Lincoln and Goba, i.e., transferability, confirmability, and dependability, was used. To increase the validity of the data, they were collected from different sources, such as participatory observation, formal and informal interviews, and document review. Two hundred days of participatory observation, fifty informal interviews, and fifteen formal interviews from the maximum opportunities and conditions available to obtain multiple and multilateral information added to the validity of the data. Due to the situation of COVID, some interviews were conducted virtually, and the activity of professors and students in the virtual space was also monitored. Findings: The components of the hidden curriculum of the faculty are: the atmosphere (physical environment, organizational structure, rules and regulations, hospital environment), the interaction between activists, and teaching-learning activities, which ultimately lead to “A disconnection between goals, speech, behavior, and result” had revealed. Conclusion: The mutual effects of the atmosphere and various actors and activities on the process of student development, since the students have the most contact with their peers first, which leads to the most learning, and secondly with the teachers. Clinicians who have close and person-to-person contact with students can have very important effects on students. Students who meet capable and satisfied professors on their way become interested in their field and hope for their future by following the mentor of these professors. On the other hand, weak and dissatisfied professors lead students to feel abandoned, and by forming a colony of peers with different backgrounds, they distort the personality of a group of students and move away from family values, which necessitates a change in some cultural practices at the faculty level.

Keywords: hidden curriculum, nursing education, ethnography, nursing

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Authors: Rhea Khosla, Victoria Tzortziou-Brown

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Introduction: Adolescent SRH has been neglected since the start of the millennium. Adolescents comprise 16% of the global population, with the largest proportion living in Asia (650 million). By late adolescence, individuals in these regions are likely to become sexually active, and thus they must understand their SRH rights. Many lack knowledge of SRH, using unreliable sources for such information. Sex education is necessary to standardize and inform sexual knowledge, which empowers adolescents to make informed SRH decisions. School is an appropriate environment for this, however, SRH education requires effective policy to enforce. Nonetheless, this issue remains of low political priority in Asia and Africa. Current literature on sex education policy in schools in these regions is scarce and tends to have broad aims. Thus, a scoping review was necessary. Methods: Literature searches were conducted in February 2023 using six databases, including grey literature databases (PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Global Index Medicus), returning a total of 1537 unique articles. After screening titles, abstracts and full text, 17 articles remained. References of included articles were additionally searched, producing a further 7 articles, which then underwent thematic analysis Results: Most countries in Africa and Asia did not have studies on this topic. Studies derived data from interviews with key stakeholders and quantitative methods quantified questionnaire responses. Barriers were: policy/curriculum issues, societal opinions, teaching discomfort, and lack of educator training. Limitations were insufficient timing, inconsistent implementation, insufficient hours dedicated to teaching, education received late into schooling, and discrepancies between teachers, schools, and students about whether policies were being implemented. Discussion: Based on the existing limited evidence, a cultural shift to reduce stigma seems necessary, alongside teacher and student involvement in policy formulation with effective implementation monitoring and educator training.

Keywords: adolescent, Africa, Asia, education, sexual and reproductive health, policy

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Authors: Diogo Prosdocimi, Don Ross, Matthew Townshend

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Road authorities are mandated within limited budgets to both deliver improved access to basic services and facilitate economic growth. This responsibility is further complicated if maintenance backlogs and funding shortfalls exist, as evident in many countries including South Africa. These conditions require authorities to make difficult prioritisation decisions, with the effect that Road Asset Management Systems with a one-dimensional focus on traffic volumes may overlook the maintenance of low-volume roads that provide isolated communities with vital access to basic services. Given these challenges, this paper overlays the full South African road network with geo-referenced information for population, primary and secondary schools, and healthcare facilities to identify the network of connective roads between communities and basic service centres. This connective network is then rationalised according to the Gross Value Added and number of jobs per mesozone, administrative and functional road classifications, speed limit, and road length, location, and name to estimate the Basic Access Road Network. A two-step floating catchment area (2SFCA) method, capturing a weighted assessment of drive-time to service centres and the ratio of people within a catchment area to teachers and healthcare workers, is subsequently applied to generate a Multivariate Road Index. This Index is used to assign higher maintenance priority to roads within the Basic Access Road Network that provide more people with better access to services. The relatively limited incidence of Basic Access Roads indicates that authorities could maintain the entire estimated network without exhausting the available road budget before practical economic considerations get any purchase. Despite this fact, a final case study modelling exercise is performed for the Namakwa District Municipality to demonstrate the extent to which optimal relocation of schools and healthcare facilities could minimise the Basic Access Road Network and thereby release budget for investment in roads that best promote GDP growth.

Keywords: basic access roads, multivariate road index, road prioritisation, two-step floating catchment area method

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Authors: Monica Karlsson

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The positive effect of a supportive written context on comprehension and retention when faced with a previously unknown idiomatic expression is today an indisputable fact, especially if relevant clues are given in close proximity of the item in question. Also, giving learners a chance of visualizing the meaning of an idiom by offering them its source domain and/or by elaborating etymologically, i.e. providing a mental picture in addition to the spoken/written form (referred to as dual coding), seems to enhance comprehension and retention even further, especially if the idiom is of a more transparent kind. For example, by explaining that walk the plank has a maritime origin and a canary in a coal mine comes from the time when canaries were kept in cages to warn miners if gas was leaking out at which point the canaries succumbed immediately, learners’ comprehension and retention have been shown to increase. The present study aims to investigate whether contextualization of an audiovisual kind could help increase comprehension and retention of L2 idioms. 40 Swedish first-term university students studying English as part of their education to become middle-school teachers participated in the investigation, which tested 24 idioms, all of which were ascertained to be previously unknown to the informants. While half of the learners were subjected to a test in which they were asked to watch scenes from various TV programmes, each scene including one idiomatic expression in a supportive context, the remaining 20 students, as a point of reference, were only offered written contexts, though equally supportive. Immediately after these sessions, both groups were given the same idioms in a decontextualized form and asked to give their meaning. After five weeks, finally, the students were subjected to yet another decontextualized comprehension test. Furthermore, since mastery of idioms in one’s L1 appears to correlate to a great extent with a person’s ability to comprehend idioms in an L2, all the informants were also asked to take a test focusing on idioms in their L1. The result on this test is thus seen to indicate each student’s potential for understanding and memorizing various idiomatic expressions from a more general perspective. Preliminary results clearly show that audiovisual contextualization indeed has a positive effect on learners’ retention. In addition, preliminary results also show that those learners’ who were able to recall most meanings were those who had a propensity for idiom comprehension in their L1.

Keywords: English, L2, idioms, audiovisual context

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Authors: Soheir Mohamed Hegazy

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Culture sustainability, which reflects a deep respect for people and history, is a cause of concern in contemporary architecture. Adopting ultramodern architecture styles was initiated in the 20th century by a plurality of states worldwide. Only a few countries, including Oman, realized that fashionable architectural designs ignore cultural values, identity, the context of its environment, economic perspective, and social performance. Stirring the Sultanate of Oman from being a listless and closed community to a modern country started in the year 1970. Despite unprecedented development in all aspects of Omani people's life, the leadership and the public had the capability to adjust to the changing global challenges without compromising social values and identity. This research provides a close analysis of one of the recent examples of contemporary vernacular architecture in the Sultanate of Oman, as a case study, Oman International Airport. The said airport gained an international appreciation for its Omani-themed architecture, distinguished traveler experience, and advanced technology. Accordingly, it was selected by the World Travel Awards as the Best Tourism Development Project in the Middle East only four weeks afterward after starting its operation. This paper aims to transfer this successful design approach of integrating the latest trends in technology, systems, eco-friendly aspects, and materials with the traditional Omani architectural features, which reflects symbiotic harmony of the community, individuals, and environment to other countries, designers, researchers, and students. In addition, the paper aims to encourage architects and teachers to take responsibility for valorizing built heritage as a source of inspiration for modern architecture, which could be considered as an added value. The work depends on reviewing the relevant literature, a case study, interviews with two architects who were involved in the project’s site work, and one current high-ranking employee in the airport besides data analysis and conclusion.

Keywords: contemporary vernacular architecture, culture sustainability, Oman international airport, current Omani architecture type

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Authors: Rodriguez Diego, Del Valle Martin, Hargreaves Matias, Riveros Jose Luis

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Nutrient deficiencies due to a diet low in quantitative and qualitative terms, are prevalent throughout the developing world, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Children and women of childbearing age are especially vulnerable. Limited availability, access and intake of animal foods at home and lack of knowledge about their value in the diet and the role they play in health, contribute to poor diet quality. Poor bioavailability of micronutrients in diets based on foods high in fiber and phytates, the low content of some micronutrients in these foods are further factors to consider. Goats are deeply embedded in almost every Sub-Saharan African rural culture, generally kept for their milk, meat, hair or leather. Goats have played an important role in African social life, especially in food security. Goat meat has good properties for human wellbeing, with a special role in lower income households. It has a high-quality protein (20 protein g/100 meat g) including all essential amino acids, good unsaturated/satured fatty acids relationship, and it is an important B-vitamin source with high micronutrients bioavailability. Mozambique has major food security problems, with poor food access and utilization, undiversified diets, chronic poverty and child malnutrition. Our objective was to design a nutritional intervention based on a dietary diversification, nutritional education, cultural beliefs and local resources, aimed to strengthen food security of children at Barrio Broma village (15°43'58.78"S; 32°46'7.27"E) in Chitima, Mozambique. Two surveys were conducted first of socio-productive local databases and then to 100 rural households about livelihoods, food diversity and anthropometric measurements in children under 5 years. Our results indicate that the main economic activity is goat production, based on a native breed with two deliveries per year in the absence of any management. Adult goats weighted 27.2±10.5 kg and raised a height of 63.5±3.8 cm. Data showed high levels of poverty, with a food diversity score of 2.3 (0-12 points), where only 30% of households consume protein and 13% iron, zinc, and B12 vitamin. The main constraints to food security were poor access to water and low income to buy food. Our dietary intervention was based on improving diet quality by increasing the access to dried goat meat, fresh vegetables, and legumes, and its utilization by a nutritional education program. This proposal was based on local culture and living conditions characterized by the absence of electricity power and drinkable water. The drying process proposed would secure the food maintenance under local conditions guaranteeing food safety for a longer period. Additionally, an ancient local drying technique was rescued and used. Moreover, this kind of dietary intervention would be the most efficient way to improve the infant nutrition by delivering macro and micronutrients on time to these vulnerable populations.

Keywords: child malnutrition, dietary diversification, food security, goat meat

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Authors: Divyani Redhu, Manisha Rathaur

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India has emerged as a very lucrative market for the smartphones in a very short span of time. The number of smartphone users here is growing massively with each passing day. Also, the expansion of internet services to far corners of the nation has also given a push to the smartphone revolution in India. Millennial, also known as Generation Y or the Net Generation is the generation born between the early 1980s and mid-1990s (some definitions extending further to early 2000s). Spanning roughly over 15 years, different social classes, cultures, and continents; it is irrational to imagine that millennial have a unified identity. But still, it cannot be denied that the growing millennial population is not only young but is highly tech-savvy too. It is not just the appearance of the device that today; we call it ‘smart’. Rather, it is the numerous tasks and functions that it can perform which has led its name to evolve as that of a ‘smartphone’. From usual tasks that were earlier performed by a simple mobile phone like making calls, sending messages, clicking photographs, recording videos etc.; today, the time has come where most of our day – to – day tasks are being taken care of by our all-time companion, i.e. smartphones. From being our alarm clock to being our note-maker, from our watch to our radio, our book-reader to our reminder, smartphones are present everywhere. Smartphone has now become an essential device for particularly the millennial to communicate not only with their friends but also with their family, colleagues, and teachers. The study by the researchers would be quantitative in nature. For the same, a survey would be conducted in particularly the capital of India, i.e. Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR), which is the metropolitan area covering the entire National Capital Territory of Delhi and urban areas covering states of Haryana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. The tool of the survey would be a questionnaire and the number of respondents would be 200. The results derived from the study would primarily focus on the increasing reach of smartphones in India, smartphones as technological innovation and convergent tools, smartphone usage pattern of millennial in India, most used applications by the millennial, the average time spent by them, the impact of smartphones on the personal interactions of millennial etc. Thus, talking about the smartphone technology and the millennial in India, it would not be wrong to say that the growth, as well as the potential of the smartphones in India, is still immense. Also, very few technologies have made it possible to give a global exposure to the users and smartphone, if not the only one is certainly an immensely effective one that comes to the mind in this case.

Keywords: Delhi – NCR, India, millennial, smartphone

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Authors: Metin Özkan

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In the last decade, Turkish higher education has been expanded dramatically. With this expansion, Turkey has come a long way in establishing an efficient system of higher education which is moving into a ‘mass’ system with institutions spanning the whole country. This expansion as a quantitative target leads to questioning the quality of higher education services. Especially, the qualities of higher education services depend on mainly quality of educators. Qualities of educators are most important in Turkish higher education system due to rapid rise in the number of universities and students. Therefore, it is seen important that reveals the portrait of ideal university teacher from the point of view student enrolled in Turkish higher education system. The purpose of this current study is to determine the portrait of ideal university teacher according to the views of Turkish Students. This research is carried out with descriptive scanning method and combined and mixed of qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Research data of qualitative section were collected at Gaziantep University with the participation of 45 students enrolled in 15 different faculties. Quantitative section was performed on 217 students. The data were obtained through semi-structured interview and “Ideal University Teacher Assessment” form developed by the researcher. The interview form consists of basically two parts. The first part of the interview was about personal information, the second part included questions about the characteristic of ideal university teacher. The questions which constitute the second part of the interview are; "what is a good university teacher like?” and “What human qualities and professional skills should a university teacher have? ". Assessment form which was created from the qualitative data obtained from interviews was used to attain scaling values for pairwise comparison and ranking judgment. According to study results, it has been found that ideal university teacher characteristics include the features like patient, tolerant, comprehensive and tolerant. Ideal university teacher, besides, implement the teaching methods like encouraging the students’ critical thinking, accepting the students’ recommendations on how to conduct the lesson and making use of the new technologies etc. Motivating and respecting the students, adopting a participative style, adopting a sincere way of manner also constitute the ideal university features relationships with students.

Keywords: faculty, higher education, ideal university teacher, teacher behavior

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Authors: Pieter De Vries, Renate Klaassen, Maria Ioannides

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This paper is about an explorative research into the use of emerging technologies for teaching and learning in higher engineering education. The assumption is that these technologies and applications, which are not yet widely adopted, will help to improve education and as such actively work on the ability to better deal with the mismatch of skills bothering our industries. Technologies such as 3D printing, the Internet of Things, Virtual Reality, and others, are in a dynamic state of development which makes it difficult to grasp the value for education. Also, the instruments in current educational research seem not appropriate to assess the value of such technologies. This explorative research aims to foster an approach to better deal with this new complexity. The need to find out is urgent, because these technologies will be dominantly present in the near future in all aspects of life, including education. The methodology used in this research comprised an inventory of emerging technologies and tools that potentially give way to innovation and are used or about to be used in technical universities. The inventory was based on both a literature review and a review of reports and web resources like blogs and others and included a series of interviews with stakeholders in engineering education and at representative industries. In addition, a number of small experiments were executed with the aim to analyze the requirements for the use of in this case Virtual Reality and the Internet of Things to better understanding the opportunities and limitations in the day-today learning environment. The major findings indicate that it is rather difficult to decide about the value of these technologies for education due to the dynamic state of change and therefor unpredictability and the lack of a coherent policy at the institutions. Most decisions are being made by teachers on an individual basis, who in their micro-environment are not equipped to select, test and ultimately decide about the use of these technologies. Most experiences are being made in the industry knowing that the skills to handle these technologies are in high demand. The industry though is worried about the inclination and the capability of education to help bridge the skills gap related to the emergence of new technologies. Due to the complexity, the diversity, the speed of development and the decay, education is challenged to develop an approach that can make these technologies work in an integrated fashion. For education to fully profit from the opportunities, these technologies offer it is eminent to develop a pro-active strategy and a sustainable approach to frame the emerging technologies development.

Keywords: emerging technologies, internet of things, pro-active strategy, virtual reality

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Authors: Wesley Preßler, Lucie Schmidt

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Digital transformation is playing an increasingly important role in the development of smart residential quarters. In order to accompany and steer this process and ultimately make the success of the transformation efforts measurable, it is helpful to use an appropriate maturity model. However, conventional maturity models for digital transformation focus primarily on the evaluation of processes and neglect the information and power imbalances between the stakeholders, which affects the validity of the results. The Multi-Generation Smart Community (mGeSCo) research project is developing an interdisciplinary maturity model that integrates the dimensions of digital literacy, interpretive patterns, and technology acceptance to address this gap. As part of the mGeSCo project, the technological development of selected dimensions in the Smart Quarter Jena-Lobeda (Germany) is being investigated. A specific maturity model, based on Cohen's Smart Cities Wheel, evaluates the central dimensions Working, Living, Housing and Caring. To improve the reliability and relevance of the maturity assessment, the factors Digital Literacy, Interpretive Patterns and Technology Acceptance are integrated into the developed model. The digital literacy dimension examines stakeholders' skills in using digital technologies, which influence their perception and assessment of technological maturity. Digital literacy is measured by means of surveys, interviews, and participant observation, using the European Commission's Digital Literacy Framework (DigComp) as a basis. Interpretations of digital technologies provide information about how individuals perceive technologies and ascribe meaning to them. However, these are not mere assessments, prejudices, or stereotyped perceptions but collective patterns, rules, attributions of meaning and the cultural repertoire that leads to these opinions and attitudes. Understanding these interpretations helps in assessing the overarching readiness of stakeholders to digitally transform a/their neighborhood. This involves examining people's attitudes, beliefs, and values about technology adoption, as well as their perceptions of the benefits and risks associated with digital tools. These insights provide important data for a holistic view and inform the steps needed to prepare individuals in the neighborhood for a digital transformation. Technology acceptance is another crucial factor for successful digital transformation to examine the willingness of individuals to adopt and use new technologies. Surveys or questionnaires based on Davis' Technology Acceptance Model can be used to complement interpretive patterns to measure neighborhood acceptance of digital technologies. Integrating the dimensions of digital literacy, interpretive patterns and technology acceptance enables the development of a roadmap with clear prerequisites for initiating a digital transformation process in the neighborhood. During the process, maturity is measured at different points in time and compared with changes in the aforementioned dimensions to ensure sustainable transformation. Participation, co-creation, and co-production are essential concepts for a successful and inclusive digital transformation in the neighborhood context. This interdisciplinary maturity model helps to improve the assessment and monitoring of sustainable digital transformation processes in smart residential quarters. It enables a more comprehensive recording of the factors that influence the success of such processes and supports the development of targeted measures to promote digital transformation in the neighborhood context.

Keywords: digital transformation, interdisciplinary, maturity model, neighborhood

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Authors: Catherine Wheatley, Emma L. Davies, Helen Dawes

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The health benefits of exercise are widely recognised, but numerous interventions have failed to halt a sharp decline in physical activity during early adolescence. Many such projects are underpinned by the Theory of Planned Behaviour, yet this model of rational decision-making leaves variance in behavior unexplained. This study investigated whether the Prototype Willingness Model, which proposes a second, reactive decision-making path to account for spontaneous responses to the social environment, has potential to improve understanding of adolescent exercise behaviour in school by exploring constructs in the model with young people. PE teachers in 4 Oxfordshire schools each nominated 6 pupils who were active in school, and 6 who were inactive, to participate in the study. Of these, 45 (22 male) aged 12-13 took part in 8 focus group discussions. These were transcribed and subjected to deductive thematic analysis to search for themes relating to the prototype willingness model. Participants appeared to make rational decisions about commuting to school or attending sports clubs, but spontaneous choices to be inactive during both break and PE. These reactive decisions seemed influenced by a social context described as more ‘judgmental’ than primary school, characterised by anxiety about physical competence, negative peer evaluation and inactive playground norms. Participants described their images of typical active and inactive adolescents: active images included negative social characteristics including ‘show-off’. There was little concern about the long-term risks of inactivity, although participants seemed to recognise that physical activity is healthy. The Prototype Willingness Model might more fully explain young adolescents’ physical activity in school than rational behavioural models, indicating potential for physical activity interventions that target social anxieties in response to the changing playground environment. Images of active types could be more complex than earlier research has suggested, and their negative characteristics might influence willingness to be active.

Keywords: adolescence, physical activity, prototype willingness model, school

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Authors: Stephanie J. Sedberry, William J. Gerace, Ian D. Beatty, Michael J. Kane

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Increasing the number of US university students who attain degrees in STEM and enter the STEM workforce is a national priority. Demographic groups vary in their rates of participation in STEM, and the US produces just 10% of the world’s science and engineering degrees (2014 figures). To address these gaps, we have developed and tested a practical, 30-minute, single-session classroom-based intervention to improve students’ self-efficacy and academic performance in University STEM courses. Self-efficacy is a psychosocial construct that strongly correlates with academic success. Self-efficacy is a construct that is internal and relates to the social, emotional, and psychological aspects of student motivation and performance. A compelling body of research demonstrates that university students’ self-efficacy beliefs are strongly related to their selection of STEM as a major, aspirations for STEM-related careers, and persistence in science. The development of an intervention to increase students’ self-efficacy is motivated by research showing that short, social-psychological interventions in education can lead to large gains in student achievement. Our intervention addresses STEM self-efficacy via two strong, but previously separate, lines of research into attitudinal/affect variables that influence student success. The first is ‘attributional retraining,’ in which students learn to attribute their successes and failures to internal rather than external factors. The second is ‘mindset’ about fixed vs. growable intelligence, in which students learn that the brain remains plastic throughout life and that they can, with conscious effort and attention to thinking skills and strategies, become smarter. Extant interventions for both of these constructs have significantly increased academic performance in the classroom. We developed a 34-item questionnaire (Likert scale) to measure STEM Self-efficacy, Perceived Academic Control, and Growth Mindset in a University STEM context, and validated it with exploratory factor analysis, Rasch analysis, and multi-trait multi-method comparison to coded interviews. Four iterations of our 42-week research protocol were conducted across two academic years (2017-2018) at three different Universities in North Carolina, USA (UNC-G, NC A&T SU, and NCSU) with varied student demographics. We utilized a quasi-experimental prospective multiple-group time series research design with both experimental and control groups, and we are employing linear modeling to estimate the impact of the intervention on Self-Efficacy,wth-Mindset, Perceived Academic Control, and final course grades (performance measure). Preliminary results indicate statistically significant effects of treatment vs. control on Self-Efficacy, Growth-Mindset, Perceived Academic Control. Analyses are ongoing and final results pending. This intervention may have the potential to increase student success in the STEM classroom—and ownership of that success—to continue in a STEM career. Additionally, we have learned a great deal about the complex components and dynamics of self-efficacy, their link to performance, and the ways they can be impacted to improve students’ academic performance.

Keywords: academic performance, affect variables, growth mindset, intervention, perceived academic control, psycho-social variables, self-efficacy, STEM, university classrooms

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Authors: Robert Long

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The results of a one-year study on the evolution of complexity, accuracy, and fluency (CAF) in the compositions of Japanese L2 university students throughout a semester are presented in this study. One goal was to determine if any improvement in writing abilities over this academic term had occurred, while another was to examine methods of editing. Participants had 30 minutes to write each essay with an additional 10 minutes allotted for editing. As for editing, participants were divided into two groups, one of which utilized an online grammar checker, while the other half self-edited their initial manuscripts. From the three different institutions, there was a total of 159 students. Research questions focused on determining if the CAF had evolved over the previous year, identifying potential variations in editing techniques, and describing the connections between the CAF dimensions. According to the findings, there was some improvement in accuracy (fewer errors) in all three of the measures), whereas there was a marked decline in complexity and fluency. As for the second research aim relating to the interaction among the three dimensions (CAF) and of possible increases in fluency being offset by decreases in grammatical accuracy, results showed (there is a logical high correlation with clauses and word counts, and mean length of T-unit (MLT) and (coordinate phrase of T-unit (CP/T) as well as MLT and clause per T-unit (C/T); furthermore, word counts and error/100 ratio correlated highly with error-free clause totals (EFCT). Issues of syntactical complexity had a negative correlation with EFCT, indicating that more syntactical complexity relates to decreased accuracy. Concerning a difference in error correction between those who self-edited and those who used an online grammar correction tool, results indicated that the variable of errors-free clause ratios (EFCR) had the greatest difference regarding accuracy, with fewer errors noted with writers using an online grammar checker. As for possible differences between the first and second (edited) drafts regarding CAF, results indicated there were positive changes in accuracy, the most significant change seen in complexity (CP/T and MLT), while there were relatively insignificant changes in fluency. Results also indicated significant differences among the three institutions, with Fujian University of Technology having the most fluency and accuracy. These findings suggest that to raise students' awareness of their overall writing development, teachers should support them in developing more complex syntactic structures, improving their fluency, and making more effective use of online grammar checkers.

Keywords: complexity, accuracy, fluency, writing

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Authors: Estifanos H. Zeru

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Introduction: Epidemiological research is important to draw need-based rational public health policy. However, research on child and adolescent mental health in low and middle income countries, where socioeconomic, political, cultural, biological and other mental health hazards are in abundance, is almost nonexistent. To the author's knowledge, there is no published research in this field in Eritrea, whose child and adolescent population constitutes 53% of its total population. Study Aims and Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and patterns of DSM-IV psychiatric disorders and identify their socio-demographic correlates among children and adolescents in Mendefera, Eritrea. The study aims to provide local information to public health policymakers to guide policy in service development. Methodology: In a cross-sectional two stage procedure, both the Parent and Child versions of the SDQ were used to screen 314 children and adolescents aged 4-17 years, recruited by a multi-stage random sampling method. All parents/adult guardians also completed a socio-demographic questionnaire. All children and adolescents who screened positive for any of the SDQ abnormality sub-classes were selected for the second stage interview, which was conducted using the K-SADS-PL 2009 Working Draft version to generate specific DSM-IV diagnoses. All data gathered was entered into CSPro version 6.2 and was then transported in to and analyzed using SPSS version 20 for windows. Results: Prevalence of DSM-IV psychiatric disorders was found to be 13.1%. Adolescents 11-17 years old and males had higher prevalence than children 4-10 years old and females, respectively. Behavioral disorders were the commonest disorders (9.9%), followed by affective disorders (3.2%) and anxiety disorders (2.5). Chronic medical illness in the child, poor academic performance, difficulties with teachers in school, psychopathology in a family member and parental conflict were found to be independently associated with these disorders. Conclusion: Prevalence of child and adolescent psychiatric disorders in Eritrea is high. Promotion, prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation for child and adolescent mental health services need to be made widely available in the country. The socio-demographic correlates identified by this study can be targeted for intervention. The need for further research is emphasized.

Keywords: adolescents, children, correlates, DSM-IV psychiatric disorders, Eritrea, K-SAD-PL 2009, prevalence and correlates, SDQ

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Authors: Mary T. McKinley

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As socio-economic globalization impacts education and turns knowledge into a commodity, institutions of higher education are becoming more intentional about infusing a global and intercultural perspective into education via the recruitment of international students. Coming from dissimilar cultures, many of these students are evaluated and held accountable to Euro-American values of independence, self-reliance, and autonomy. Not surprisingly, these students often experience culture shock with deleterious effects on their mental health and academic functioning. Thus, it is critical to understand the experiences of international students with the hope that such knowledge will keep the field of psychology from promulgating Eurocentric ideals and values and prevent the training of these students as good-enough White therapists. Using a critical narrative inquiry framework, this study elicits stories about the challenges encountered by international students as they navigate their clinical training in the presence of acculturative stress and potentially different worldviews. With its emphasis on story-telling as meaning making, narrative research design is hinged on the assumption that people are interpretive beings who make meaning of themselves and their world through the language of stories. Also, dominant socially-constructed narratives play a central role in creating and maintaining hegemonic structures that privilege certain individuals and ideologies at the expense of others. On this premise, narrative inquiry begins with an exploration of the experiences of participants in their lived stories. Bounded narrative segments were read, interpreted, and analyzed using a critical events approach. Throughout the process, issues of reliability and researcher bias were addressed by keeping a reflective analytic memo, as well as triangulating the data using peer-reviewers and check-ins with participants. The findings situate culture at the epicenter of international students’ acculturation challenges as well as their resiliency in psychology doctoral programs. It was not uncommon for these international students to experience ethical dilemmas inherent in learning content that conflicted with their cultural beliefs and values. Issues of cultural incongruence appear to be further exacerbated by visible markers for differences like speech accent and clothing attire. These stories also link the acculturative stress reported by international students to the experiences of perceived racial discrimination and lack of support from the faculty, administration, peers, and the society at large. Beyond the impact on the international students themselves, there are implications for internationalization in psychology with the goal of equipping doctoral programs to be better prepared to meet the needs of their international students. More than ever before, programs need to liaise with international students’ services and work in tandem to meet the unique needs of this population of students. Also, there exists a need for multiculturally competent supervisors working with international students with varying degrees of acculturation. In addition to making social justice and advocacy salient in students’ multicultural training, it may be helpful for psychology doctoral programs to be more intentional about infusing cross-cultural theories, indigenous psychotherapies, and/or when practical, the possibility for geographically cross-cultural practicum experiences in the home countries of international students while taking into consideration the ethical issues for virtual supervision.

Keywords: decolonizing pedagogies, international students, multiculturalism, psychology doctoral programs

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Authors: Biva Samadder, Samita Manna

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India is a melting pot of races, tribes, castes and communities. The population of India can be roughly branched into the huge majority of “Civilized” Indians of the Plains and the minority of Tribal population of the hill area and the forest who constituting almost 16 percent of total population of India. The Kirat community composed of four ethnic tribes: Limbu, Lepcha, Dhimal, and Rai. These Kirat people were found to be rich in indigenous knowledge, skill and practices especially for the use on medicinal plants and livelihood purposes. The “Mundhum" is the oral scripture or the “Bible of the Limbus” which serves as the canon of the codes of the Limbu socialization, their moral values and the very orientation of their lifestyle. From birth till death the Limbus are disciplined in the life with full of religious rituals, traditions and culture governed by community norms with a rich legacy of indigenous knowledge and traditional practices. The present study has been conducted using both secondary as well as primary data by applying social methodology consisting of the social survey, questionnaire, interviews and observations in the Kalimpong Block-I of Darjeeling District of west Bengal of India, which is a heterogeneous zone in terms of its ethnic composition and where the Limbus are pre-dominantly concentrated. Due to their close contact with other caste and communities Limbus are now adjusted with the changing situation by borrowing some cultural traits from the other communities and changes that have taken place in their cultural practices, religious beliefs, economic aspects, languages and in social roles and relationships which is bringing the change in their material culture. Limbu language is placed in the Tibeto- Burman Language category. But due to the political and cultural domination of educationally sound and numerically dominant Bengali race, the different communities in this area forced to come under the one umbrella of the Nepali or Gorkhali nation (nation-people). Their respective identities had to be submerged in order to constitute as a strong force to resist Nepali domination and ensure their common survival. As Nepali is a lingua-franca of the area knowing and speaking Nepali language helps them in procuring economic and occupational facilities. Ironically, present day younger generation does not feel comfortable speaking in their own Limbu tongue. The traditional knowledge about medicinal plants, healing, and health culture is found to be wear away due to the lack of interest of young generation. Not only poverty, along with exclusion due to policies they are in the phase of extinction, but their capabilities are ignored and not documented and preserved especially in the case of Limbus who having a great cultural heritage of an oral tradition. Attempts have been made to discuss the persistence and changes in socioeconomic pattern of life in relation to the social structure, material culture, cultural practices, social relationships, indigenous technology, ethos and their values and belief system.

Keywords: changing social relationship, cultural transition, identity, indigenous knowledge, language

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Authors: Ábrám Zoltán

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Introduction: Climate change is now a major health risk, and its environmental and health effects have become frequently discussed topics. The consequences of climate change are clearly visible in natural disasters and excess deaths caused by extreme weather conditions. Global warming and the increasingly frequent extreme weather events have direct, immediate effects or long-term, indirect effects on health. For this reason, it is a need to teach the health effects of climate change in medical schools. Material and methods: We looked for various surveys, studies, and reports on the main pathways through which global warming affects health. Medical schools face the challenge of teaching the health implications of climate change and integrating knowledge about the health effects of climate change into medical training. For this purpose, there were organised World Café workshops for three target groups: medical students, academic staff, and practising medical doctors. Results: Among the goals of the research is the development of a detailed curriculum for medical students, which serves to expand their knowledge in basic education. At the same time, the project promotes the increase of teacher motivation and the development of methodological guidelines for university teachers; it also provides further training for practicing doctors. The planned teaching materials will be developed in a format suitable for traditional face-to-face teaching, as well as e-learning teaching materials. CLIMATEMED is a project based on the cooperation of six universities and institutions from four countries, the aim of which is to improve the curriculum and expand knowledge about the health effects of climate change at medical universities. Conclusions: In order to assess the needs, summarize the proposals, to develop the necessary strategy, World Café type, one-and-a-half to two-hour round table discussions will take place separately for medical students, academic staff, and practicing doctors. The CLIMATEMED project can facilitate the integration of knowledge about the health effects of climate change into curricula and can promote practical use. The avoidance of the unwanted effects of global warming and climate change is not only a public matter, but it is also a challenge to change our own lifestyle. It is the responsibility of all of us to protect the Earth's ecosystem and the physical and mental health of ourselves and future generations.

Keywords: climate change, health effects, medical schools, World Café, medical students

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