TEACHING TECHNIQUES AND METHODS TO DEVELOP CRITICAL THINKING IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

TEACHING TECHNIQUES AND METHODS TO DEVELOP CRITICAL THINKING IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Author(s): Carina Nădăban / Language(s): English / Issue: SI/2023

Keywords: critical thinking; teaching; interactive methods; abilities; problem-solving;

The term "critical thinking" is often used to describe skills compatible with teaching-learning, but also applicable at work, in the family, and the circle of friends. Both attitudes and capacities are needed to carry out the critical thinking training process. Skills are those required in interacting with people and processing information correctly to achieve credibility of data and maintain clarity in communication. Critical thinking takes place in the context of solving problems and interacting with the people around them, so critical thinkers must adapt to both contexts. This type of thinking must be formed and developed from childhood. For this purpose, the teaching staff plays an important role, because it directs the development of students' thinking. Through the instructional-educational process, the teaching staff offers students the chance to develop this thinking. The learning methods and techniques applied by the teacher will direct the development process. We analyzed different methods and techniques through which critical thinking is developed, we described how to integrate and deploy them in the educational process.

INVESTIGATING THE INFLUENCE OF COVID-19 ETHICS ON STUDENTS’ INTEREST IN LEARNING CHEMISTRY

INVESTIGATING THE INFLUENCE OF COVID-19 ETHICS ON STUDENTS’ INTEREST IN LEARNING CHEMISTRY

Author(s): Juliana Nkiru Nnoli,Stephen Chinedu Nwafor / Language(s): English / Issue: SI/2023

Keywords: chemistry; learning; covid-19; ethics; influence; students; interest;

This study discusses the influence of COVID-19 ethics on students’ interest in learning chemistry. Five research questions and one null hypothesis guided the study. A descriptive survey research design was used to carry out this study. The population for this study consists of 2,644 chemistry Students in the 19 public secondary schools in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra state. A sample size of 80 chemistry students was used for the study. The simple random sampling method was used to select eight (8) public secondary schools in Awka South Local Government Area. Therefore, 10 chemistry students were selected from each of the eight secondary schools. Twenty (20) item structured questionnaires on a four-point rating scale developed by the researchers were used for data collection. The instrument was validated by two experts. To determine the internal consistency of the instrument, the Cronbach alpha formula was used and a reliability coefficient of 0.87 was obtained. After the administration of the instrument to the respondents, the data obtained were analyzed using mean and standard deviation to answer the research question and z-test to test the null hypothesis at the significance level of 0.05. The findings of the study revealed that social distancing, use of face masks, regular washing of hands, use of hand sanitizers and restriction of movement are common COVID-19 ethics. Also, COVID-19 negatively affected students’ chemistry learning and influences students’ interest to a high extent. It was shown that COVID-19 ethics influenced more of male students’ interest than their female counterparts as there was a significant difference between the male and female chemistry students on COVID-19 ethics on student interest in favour of the males. Thus, providing enough lesson time and provision of ICT and e-learning facilities are possible ways to improve students’ interest in learning chemistry during the COVID-19 era.

STUDIES ON UNIVERSITY STUDENT ATTITUDE IN DISTANCE EDUCATION: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

STUDIES ON UNIVERSITY STUDENT ATTITUDE IN DISTANCE EDUCATION: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Author(s): Zeyneb Uylaş Aksu,Sevinç Gülseçen / Language(s): English / Issue: SI/2023

Keywords: distance education; students’ attitude; online learning;

In recent years, with the digital transformation, distance education has become a frequently preferred education option. In addition to technological elements, student and teacher factors are very important in distance education. In this study, a systematic review of studies investigating the attitudes and behaviors of university students in distance education was made. Prisma 2020 checklist was followed while reviewing studies. As a result of the reviews, 38 publications were included in this research. In the research, answers to 5 basic questions were sought. The studies compiled according to the researched subjects, the countries conducting the research, the year, the method used, and the data collection methods were listed. In conclusion, the most studied subject among the studies investigating student attitudes toward distance education was online education adopted. The year with the most publications was in the year 2020. This research is a useful guide for studies that want to study student attitudes in distance education.

EXPLORING THE POWER OF PSYCHO-PEDAGOGY: INTEGRATING PSYCHOLOGY, EDUCATION, AND STUDENT DEVELOPMENT FOR EFFECTIVE LEARNING AND ACADEMIC SUCCESS

EXPLORING THE POWER OF PSYCHO-PEDAGOGY: INTEGRATING PSYCHOLOGY, EDUCATION, AND STUDENT DEVELOPMENT FOR EFFECTIVE LEARNING AND ACADEMIC SUCCESS

Author(s): Mona Bădoi-Hammami,Corina Colareza Costache / Language(s): English / Issue: SI/2023

Keywords: psycho-pedagogy; psychology; pedagogy; effective learning; classroom engagement;

The nucleus of education sciences is represented by the learning outcomes, because only through them can one judge an educational strategy or an effective educational method etc. Here, the aim of this study emerged, which is to shed light on the points of intersection between the three main axes of the educational process, pedagogy, psychology, and education, about enhancing learners' skills that have an impact on facilitating their access to more. High-quality learning outcomes in the long term. In educational settings, it is crucial to grasp psychological theories and incorporate them. This content examines psycho-pedagogy concepts, including the integration of psychology and education. Investigating the influence of issues like emotional management, active involvement in the classroom, and teacher-student relationships is a way to support both learner growth and academic performance through the educational process. It will also be discussed the potential psychologist’s findings in educational contexts, emphasizing the importance of creating a comfortable, joyful classroom environment for academic success. Examining the intersection of pedagogy and psychology, the benefits of using positive psychology, immersive learning strategies, and mindfulness techniques are demonstrated to enhance learner engagement and motivation to learn

ROBOTICS EDUCATION IN ECE: TEACHERS’ OPINION AND WAYS OF INTEGRATION

ROBOTICS EDUCATION IN ECE: TEACHERS’ OPINION AND WAYS OF INTEGRATION

Author(s): Nicoleta Samarescu / Language(s): English / Issue: SI/2023

Keywords: educational robotics; early childhood education; programming skills;

Educational robotics in Early Childhood Education is proven to empower children to understand the basic functions of technology and become digitally literate. The article investigates the current opinion of teachers about educational robotics at preschool level. The study takes them through several stages of questioning: from what they understand robotics to be at preschool level, if they consider the integration of robotics elements useful, how easy they find the integration of these elements and how quickly they can integrate practical robotics elements into games didactic. With a well-done PhD process Educational Robotics can have maximum effectiveness throughout its life. The natural curiosity and way of thinking of the new generation are advantages that must be exploited. Numerous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of robotic education in the early education of children, although all we have to do is guide the specialists to integrate it into the teaching-learning process. The results of the quantitative analysis carried out with the help of teaching staff are presented by category and the significant differences that resulted are highlighted as well as recommendations for the integration of robotics elements in ECE activities.

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF BUSINESS EDUCATION PROGRAM IN NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES FOR 21ST-CENTURY SKILL ACQUISITION

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF BUSINESS EDUCATION PROGRAM IN NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES FOR 21ST-CENTURY SKILL ACQUISITION

Author(s): Chidiebere Christopher Ufondu,Oluchi Chinazor Obi,Chukwuemeka Favour Cheidozie / Language(s): English / Issue: SI/2023

Keywords: digital; education; skill;

This study examined digital transformation of business education program for 21st-century skill acquisition in Nigerian universities. Two purposes of the study were employed in this research work. two research questions guided the study and two null hypotheses which were tested at 0.05 level of significance. A descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. The population of the study comprised 34 business educators in universities in Anambra state. The entire population was used for the study since the population is manageable and accessible to the researcher. Hence, there was no sampling The instrument used to collect data for the study was a structured questionnaire with two parts; part A contained items on the demography of respondents and part B contained items on the two research questions under the study. The questions were structured on a 4-point rating scale of Strongly Agree (SA); Agree (A), Disagree (D) and Strongly Disagree. The instrument was validated b three experts, two from the Department of Business Education and one from Measurement and Evaluation. Cronbach Alpha reliability coefficient was used to test consistency of the instrument and a general coefficient of 0.76. Data collected was analyzed using arithmetic mean and standard deviation while t- test was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. When the p value was found to be equal or less than 0.05 alpha levels, the noted difference was said to be significant, therefore, the null hypothesis was be rejected. However, a p value found to be greater than 0.05, the noted difference was insignificant, therefore, the null hypothesis will be accepted. The findings of the study revealed among others that curriculum modernization, administration facilitate 21st century skill acquisition in universities in Anambra state. Based on the findings of the study, the researcher recommended that curriculum planners should revamp the business education curriculum to emphasize experiential learning and real-world application of knowledge and skills by integrating relevant and future-focused content, students can develop the skills required for success in the 21st century. There should be integration of digital literacy into the core curriculum of business education programs by designing courses and learning activities that explicitly incorporate digital tools and technologies relevant to the field, such as data analysis software, project management platforms, and digital marketing tools.

AUTONOMOUS LEARNING – A THEORETICAL APPROACH

AUTONOMOUS LEARNING – A THEORETICAL APPROACH

Author(s): Monica-Iuliana Anca / Language(s): English / Issue: SI/2023

Keywords: autonomy; autonomous learning; self-education; metacognitive skills; critical thinking;

Autonomy is a pedagogical concept with multiple educational dimensions, the most important correlative notions being involvement, freedom of choice, responsibility, critical thinking, and metacognition. Educational autonomy is a pedagogical concept with multiple educational dimensions, important correlative notions being activation, freedom of choice, responsibility, critical thinking, and metacognition. The common teacher-student actions aim to increase the student's autonomy and include the acquisition of meta-knowledge and the use of meta-cognitive strategies, reflection on knowledge, performing self-evaluations and co-evaluations, combining individual activity with cooperative work activities, and mutual exchanges. The student thus contributes responsibly to his own training, (self) training. The autonomy of the student is objectified in the management of the new knowledge, in setting their own goals and strategies of learning and training, in the hierarchy of priorities, in the design of the strategies of (self) monitoring and self-evaluation, in the curricular management, in the time management. Just like self-education, self-training refers to the conscious, voluntary processes, in which the person undertakes actions aimed, consciously, at qualitative transformations, which lead to the development of his own personality. In self-training, "learning to learn" is essential, understood as the assimilation of cognitive/intellectual and metacognitive skills, contributing to the transformation of self-instruction and self-training into a necessity.

Competing Narratives of Irish Independence

Competing Narratives of Irish Independence

Author(s): Júlia Fodor / Language(s): English / Issue: 3/2023

In Close Tandem? The Parallel Biographies of Harold Nicolson (1886–1968) and Allen Leeper (1887–1935)

In Close Tandem? The Parallel Biographies of Harold Nicolson (1886–1968) and Allen Leeper (1887–1935)

Author(s): Ágnes Beretzky / Language(s): English / Issue: 3/2023

Keywords: Harold Nicolson; Allen Leeper; peace-making; Paris; 1919–1920

This paper explores the parallels between the careers of Harold Nicolson and Allen Leeper. Though far away at birth, they were soon linked by their university years and then by their service in the British Foreign Office, which in 1919 saw them both posted to Paris for the Peace Conference: They worked in the office room 108 of the Astoria Hotel, processing and organizing the vast amount of material relating to the Danube and Balkan border disputes, as two of the most valuable and tireless assistants to Sir Eyre Crowe, the British Under-Secretary ofState. Drawing on primary sources, this paper examines their influence as Czechoslovak, Romanian, and Yugoslav Commissioners on the shaping of future borders, and then highlights their later self-reflections on their activities in 1919. Finally, the present paper seeks to explore whether it is proper to judge their activities, as is otherwise generally accepted in Hungarian historiography, as equally damaging to Hungarian interests.

Tolkien, the Practicing Catholic: The Early Letters

Tolkien, the Practicing Catholic: The Early Letters

Author(s): Zsuzsanna Péri-Nagy / Language(s): English / Issue: 3/2023

Keywords: Tolkien; Letters; religious practices; private devotion

The present paper investigates a hitherto unknown face of J. R. R. Tolkien: Tolkien, the practicing Catholic. The analysis of his works, mainly that of The Lord of the Rings by minutious scholarly work as well as his own lines about the “fundamentally religious” conception of it makes it clear that Tolkien had an overall religious worldview which determined to a considerable extent the creation of his works. A great amount of research has been made and is being made to uncover all the implications of Tolkien’s faith into his works. However, the actual religious practices of his everyday life have been left uncovered yet. This paper attempts to provide a brief glance into by examining Tolkien’s early Letters, using the selection edited by Humphrey Carpenter.

Private Memory and Public History in Chang-rae Lee’s A Gesture Life and in Christina Park’s The Homes We Build on Ashes

Private Memory and Public History in Chang-rae Lee’s A Gesture Life and in Christina Park’s The Homes We Build on Ashes

Author(s): Judit Nagy / Language(s): English / Issue: 3/2023

Keywords: sexual slavery; works by Korean diasporic authors; narrative theory; the “perpetrator”’s tale; Korean history

Former comfort station medical staff Doc Hata’s reminiscences of Kkutaeh in Chang-raeLee’s A Gesture Life (1999) and Minjoo’s narrative of her accidental kidnapping and subsequent afflictions punctuated with Nara’s factual input in Christina Park’s The HomesWe Build on Ashes (2015) offer a near-historical portrayal of Japanese military sexual slavery. In an attempt to uncover how private memory and public history are linked in the two novels, this paper will discuss the following points: storylines and narration, the perpetrator’s tale, Doc Hata and Minjoo’s respective stories of sexual military slavery, and finally, the author’s comments on their motivation, sources, and insights.

“Dreams always speak in Welsh” – Fictional Realities in Antal Szerb’s The Pendragon Legend

“Dreams always speak in Welsh” – Fictional Realities in Antal Szerb’s The Pendragon Legend

Author(s): Zita Turi / Language(s): English / Issue: 3/2023

Keywords: Szerb Antal; occultism; The Pendragon legend; Wales; narratology

My essay focuses on the interconnection between the Welsh setting and narratology in The Pendragon Legend by Antal Szerb. Szerb experimented with several prose genres and combined different narrative styles to create a text that blends science with occultism, history with bogus history, and dream visions with reality. To achieve this, he adopted the Welsh theme of the novel in which stories with varying degrees of authenticity are fused. I argue that the Welsh setting in the novel reveals considerable confusion concerning the nations that make up the United Kingdom. At the same time, it also provided an opportunity for Szerb to set the plot in a space which Hungarian readers would have been familiar with thanks to “The Bards ofWales” (“A velszi bárdok”) by János Arany, yet probably had very few real-life associations of, and which thus could accommodate the fantastical plotline.

TEACHERS' VIEWS ON LINGUISTIC AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY OF PRESCHOOL AND PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN

TEACHERS' VIEWS ON LINGUISTIC AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY OF PRESCHOOL AND PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN

Author(s): Stauroula Kalliontzi / Language(s): English / Issue: 2/2022

Keywords: teachers; linguistic diversity; cultural diversity; children

This article examines teachers' views on linguistic and cultural diversity of children in preschool and primary school. Teachers' views reveal that their knowledge is limited and they are asked to teach students based on their personal beliefs and efforts. The teachers' lack of knowledge about linguistic and cultural diversity affects both the direct contact they have with the children and the cooperative relationships with their parents. This implies communication problems between them which in turn affect the education of children who have linguistic and cultural diversity. The need for teacher training is therefore highlighted in order to be able to effectively utilize the cultural and linguistic capital of children and their families at all levels.

Tamás Juhász (ed.): Art in Urban Space: Reflections on City Culture in Europe and North-America, Budapest – Paris, Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church in Hungary – L’Harmattan Publishing, 2021, 266 pp.

Tamás Juhász (ed.): Art in Urban Space: Reflections on City Culture in Europe and North-America, Budapest – Paris, Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church in Hungary – L’Harmattan Publishing, 2021, 266 pp.

Author(s): Gábor Patkós / Language(s): English / Issue: 3/2023

“Becoming”: Review of Kornélia Horváth – Judit Mudriczki – Sarolta Osztroluczky (eds.): Diversity in Narration and Writing: The Novel, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2022, 305 pp.

“Becoming”: Review of Kornélia Horváth – Judit Mudriczki – Sarolta Osztroluczky (eds.): Diversity in Narration and Writing: The Novel, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2022, 305 pp.

Author(s): Tamás Juhász / Language(s): English / Issue: 3/2023

Jonathan Brant – Edward Brooks – Michael Lamb (eds.): Cultivating Virtue in the University, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2022, 288 pp.

Jonathan Brant – Edward Brooks – Michael Lamb (eds.): Cultivating Virtue in the University, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2022, 288 pp.

Author(s): Dóra Bernhardt / Language(s): English / Issue: 3/2023

Lieven Ameel (ed.): The Routledge Companion to Literary Urban Studies, New York, Routledge, 2023, 498 pp.

Lieven Ameel (ed.): The Routledge Companion to Literary Urban Studies, New York, Routledge, 2023, 498 pp.

Author(s): Anita Barta / Language(s): English / Issue: 3/2023

Review of Francine Prose: Cleopatra: Her History, Her Myth, E-book ed., New Haven and London, Yale University Press, 2022, 224 pp.

Review of Francine Prose: Cleopatra: Her History, Her Myth, E-book ed., New Haven and London, Yale University Press, 2022, 224 pp.

Author(s): Mária Varga / Language(s): English / Issue: 3/2023

Job Standardization as a Mediator of the Using Information Technologies Impact on Employee Efficiency

Job Standardization as a Mediator of the Using Information Technologies Impact on Employee Efficiency

Author(s): Elvir Čizmić,Elvir Karajbić,Đevad Šašić / Language(s): English / Issue: 17/2022

Keywords: Job description; technical system; job standardization; mediation effect; employee efficiency;

The content of work in all types of workplaces has been intensively changing in the last few decades, especially in the part of the way of doing work and increasing efficiency. The mentioned dynamic of changes is caused by alters in the technical system that is increasingly relying on information technology and automation systems, where today one person can perform in certain areas the same amount of work that was previously performed by dozens of employees. Standardization at the time of the fourth technological revolution, can be used to a certain extent to improve the efficiency of the work of employees in all areas and industries, whether it is production or service, but with different intensity. The aim of the paper is to test the mediating influence of job standardization on employee efficiency if the key outputs of the job analysis process are observed as predictors. The paper will test the impact of job analysis segments including information technology using intensity on employee efficiency in the context of the fourth technological revolution and digitalization, directly and indirectly through the mediation of job standardization construct. In the above way, we want to find out the answer to the question of how important the standardization of work is as a vehicle for the efficiency of employees in modern business conditions that require acceptance of the principle of deviating from the standard job description and procedures (dejobbing), which to a certain extent is in logical collision with the standardization of work.

The Role of Top Management in Quality Management According to BFC SEE Standard

The Role of Top Management in Quality Management According to BFC SEE Standard

Author(s): Đevad Šašić,Venan Hadžiselimović,Elvir Čizmić / Language(s): English / Issue: 17/2022

Keywords: Quality management; local self-government; top management; BFC SEE;

Business Friendly Certification South-East Europe (BFC SEE) is a unique program for improving the quality of services in municipalities in the region of South-East Europe, which is available to companies and potential investors. BFC SEE provides the top management of municipalities with a clear roadmap on how to create a favorable business environment and introduce internationally recognized standards of efficient and transparent local administration. For investors looking to invest or expand their business in Southeast Europe, BFC SEE serves as a standardized tool for assessing local business conditions, indicating which municipality in the region provides the best investment climate. The problem that will be addressed in the paper is focused on analyzing the effects of the introduction of standards and determining the justification of their application in local self-government units in order to improve the organization of business and quality of service provision. The goal of the research is to examine how quality management using the BFC SEE standard affects the creation of a favorable business environment and the increase in the number of business entities in local self-government units. In the framework of this research, important aspects related to the attitudes of the top management of local self-government units are questioned regarding their perception of the importance of standards and improvement of business processes that determine the attractiveness of the business environment. The research sample will include at least 50% of the local self-government units that have implemented the specified standard in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.