Journal Plus Education

PROFESSIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON RESILIENCE IN SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE

Alina COSTIN — 2024-03-21

Social work is a profession that addresses social problems in society and aims to promote changes that facilitate optimal frameworks for the development of disadvantaged categories and equally promote the healthy development of human relationships. Exercising the profession constituted a permanent challenge due to the professional's daily contact with adversity, in various forms: abandonment, poverty, disabilities, losses, inequalities, etc. We aim to explore the perception of social workers in different social services at community level with consideration of the difficulties of the profession and resilience as a core feature in client practice. 4 in-depth interviews were conducted and 80 social workers from special and primary services responded to a questionnaire on resilience indicators. The results confirm other specialized studies that emphasize that resilience is a specific trait of the social worker (Wolin, 2004; Benard, 1991; Grant, & Kinman, 2012) and address the inherent nature of the profession. Study participants identified several manifestations of resilience, or compartments of it, that enable them to remain or perform better in an environment marked by suffering. A positive self-concept and a strong sense of identity. openness to experience, sense of humor, etc. We conclude that social workers are consciously involved in this process of generating change for the better; however, signals could be observed indicating the need to care for and maintain a healthy organizational climate to prevent occupational risks such as burnout, compassion fatigue.

THE LEVEL OF PROFESSIONAL SKILLS OF PEDAGOGUES IN THE CONTEXT OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENTIFIC THINKING

Sergiu SANDULEAC — 2024-03-21

Scientific thinking is essential for equipping students to tackle the complexities of the modern world, and teachers play an important role in nurturing this skill. To gain insights into the competencies utilized and developed by pedagogues in applying scientific knowledge to everyday problem-solving, we conducted an expansive survey to glean their perspectives. Presented herein are the synthesized and meticulously selected directions derived from the respondents’ responses. The predominant focus of pedagogues lies in practical activities that intersect with daily life, encompassing both socially useful and cultural activities. This emphasizes the significant impact of culture on scientific education as a whole, and particularly on the development of scientific thinking. Our analysis of responses obtained through a comprehensive questionnaire administered to 511 educators revealed a discernible imperative for educators to elevate their proficiency in scientific thinking. Teachers require specific knowledge and skills to effectively professionalize in pedagogy related to the development and enhancement of scientific thinking. Foremost among these is an imperative foundation in comprehending scientific thinking as both a cognitive process and a human faculty, encompassing facets of critical, systematic, and reasoned analysis. While teachers adeptly employ abstract language, problematization methods, and acknowledge the significance of experiments a notable gap exists in their professional preparatory endeavors.

CHANGES IN THE USAGE OF LEXICAL BUNDLES IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION DURING THE LAST 20 YEARS

Radmila PALINKASEVIC — 2024-03-21

Formulaic language contributes to demonstrating membership in a specific discourse community. However, the norms of a specific language community tend to change over time, which adds to the complexity of academic writing. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to explore the changes in the usage of lexical bundles in scientific papers in the field of education over the last 20 years. The focus is on lexical bundles, multi word sequences that recur frequently and are distributed widely across different texts. As a prominent feature of any text, exploring their usage and change over time brings insight into the changes which occur in the academic writing style. The results showed a decrease in the usage of lexical bundles over time. Statistically significant differences were found in the structural and functional usage of lexical bundle tokens for both groups and subgroups. This indicates that the concrete bundles used over time have not significantly changed but only the frequency of their usage.

IS THERE REALLY A GENERATIONAL GAP? CHARACTERISTICS, VALUES AND HOW TO TALK TO EACH GENERATION

Sebastian VAIDA — 2024-03-21

Every twenty years or so, a new generation emerges, in the sense of a large group of individuals with their own set of characteristics. And each generation is slightly different than the previous ones, and faces challenges in communicating with other generations. In this theoretical research, we analyze the various generations that exist, with a focus on their main characteristics, similarities and differences. There are six main generations, from the beginning of the 20th century (around 1920’s till present day): (1) the mature generation; (2) baby boomers; (3) generation X; (4) generation Y; (5) generation Z and (5) generation Alpha. The purpose is to give a broad view about their main traits and recommendations about how to talk to each generation and we hope these ideas will help improve communication both at work, on a professional level and between generations, mainly on a personal level.

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN CHINA UNDER ECONOMIC GLOBALIZATION

Zhang JIEQIAN — 2024-03-21

Economic globalization is the development characteristic and advantage of modern economy, especially the in-depth development of knowledge economy and people-oriented era, which has become the decisive factor of the world economy in the 21st century. In this context, competition among countries increasingly revolves around the quantity, quality and development level of human resources. This transformation has brought both opportunities and challenges to human resource management (HRM) in China. Economic globalization has prompted China's human resources management concepts to be re-examined and updated, and the field of human resources management has shown a more diversified pattern. The subjects of human resources management are constantly changing, and it is necessary to adjust the human resource’s structure and improve the overall quality of the workforce. While economic globalization has brought opportunities to China, it has also brought tremendous pressure to China's human resources management. Fierce international competition has posed a severe test to human resources and challenged traditional human resource management methods and structures.

This article deeply explores the impact of economic globalization on human resource management in China. It analyzes how China's human resources management responds to the emergence of diverse talent market, the growing demand for cross-cultural skills, the fluidity of global talent flows, the need for technology and digital transformation, and the regulation and compliance faced in operations challenge. Globalized environment. By understanding and responding to these changes, China's human resource management can proactively respond to the changing situation and seize the opportunities brought by economic globalization.

THE ROLE OF THE STEP-BY-STEP EDUCATIONAL MODEL IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNICATION AND LEARNING BEHAVIORS THROUGH POSITIVE INTERACTION AT AN EARLY AGE

Doina Florica TIFREA — 2024-03-21

The “Step-by-Step” program promotes the desire for permanent knowledge and learning as essential for today’s child. This program gives children the opportunity to be open in the future to the new things they will come into contact with, to other creative and modern activities. The study presents the experimental research that we carried out starting from the idea that if the educational alternative “Step by Step” is used, then the children get more involved in learning than in the individual or frontal approaches specific to traditional education. The children involved will show their desire and interest to share with others what they experience, and this leads to a permanent motivation for knowledge and learning. This implies a development of the language, and an increased efficiency of the act of learning, and this type of learning will open to other creative and modern activities.

PREDICTORS OF UNDERGRADUATE SCIENCE EDUCATION STUDENTS’ ENTREPRENEURIAL INTENTIONS IN GOVERNMENT OWNED UNIVERSITIES IN SOUTH-EAST NIGERIA

Stephen Chinedu NWAFOR — 2024-03-21

The study examined the predictors of undergraduate science education students’ entrepreneurial intentions in government owned universities in South-East Nigeria. Three research questions guided the study. Descriptive survey research design was used in the study. The population for the study consisted of all the 472 undergraduate science education students in two federal government owned universities in South-East Nigeria, this include Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka (261 students) and University of Nigeria Nsukka (211 Students). Simple random sampling was used in selecting the sample for the study. The sample size for the study consists of 127 students. The research instrument was a structured questionnaire on four-point Likert scale adapted from Lee, et al. (2012) and Manzoor, Meheraj and Wali (2020), in addition, the research instrument was validated by three lecturers in the Department of Science Education, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. Similarly, the reliability of the instrument was calculated using Cronbach Alpha reliability technique and a value of 0.76 was obtained. The data collected was analyzed using mean and standard deviation. The finding of the study shows that attitude, subjective norms (SN) and perceived behavioral control (PBC) have influence on entrepreneurial intentions (EI) of undergraduate science education students. Moreover, students’ attitude accounted to a high extent their EI than SN and PBC which were to a moderate extent. Based on the results, it was recommended that Parents should encourage their children to associate themselves with entrepreneurship-based groups that support entrepreneurship since social norms have a significant influence on entrepreneurial intention and Government should establish entrepreneurship networks in universities and communities to support entrepreneurship activities set up.

IMPROVING SOCIAL COMPETENCES THROUGH SPORT: AN EXPLORATION OF THE EDUCATIONAL ROLE OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT

Vasile CHASCIAR — 2024-03-21

The current context of society underlines the need to develop robust social skills among adolescents, essential for social integration and professional success. This research examines the impact of physical activity and sports on the development of social skills, such as empathy, effective communication and teamwork, among adolescents. Through a mixed methodology, combining quantitative analysis of data collected from surveys applied to a sample of 500 adolescents and qualitative analysis of detailed interviews with selected participants, the study provides a comprehensive perspective on how involvement in sports activities contributes to improving social skills. The results indicate a significant positive correlation between regular participation in sports and higher levels of social skills mentioned. These findings suggest that sport, as an integral part of the educational curriculum, can play a vital role in promoting adolescent social development. The conclusions of the study recommend the systematic incorporation of physical education programs focused on the development of social competences, highlighting the importance of a holistic educational framework that values the physical, cognitive and social dimensions of youth development. This abstract effectively summarizes the purpose, methodology, main results, and conclusions of the research, giving the reader a clear and concise overview of the study. The next step would be to develop the introduction section, which will detail the context of the research and objectives in more detail. If you have any further details or adjustments to make to the abstract, or if you would like us to proceed with the introduction, please let me know.

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS' PERFORMANCE IN BIOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY IN ONDO AND EKITI STATES, BEFORE COVID-19

Florence Omosholape ABIDOYE — 2024-03-21

Education is a fundamental process that facilitates human learning, skill development, and knowledge transfer. It plays a pivotal role in fostering economic growth, improving quality of life, and shaping societies. This study focuses on the performance of secondary school students in Biology and Chemistry in the Nigerian states of Ondo and Ekiti from 2015 to 2018. The research examines the comparative performance of these subjects and explores factors that might contribute to variations. Using an ex-post facto research design, the study analyzed data from the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) to determine academic outcomes. The results indicate significant differences in performance between the two subjects and the two states. Students in Ondo state performed better in Biology, while those in Ekiti state excelled in Chemistry. Factors that caused the differences in their performances included access to learning tools, student attitudes, students’ resource availability, students’ interpersonal relationship, students’ regularity to class, parental education, and the learning environment, were discussed. The study suggested that laboratory facilities be improved, teacher should be trained, and class sizes be optimized to enhance student achievement.

PARENTS' PERCEPTIONS ABOUT IMPROVING STUDENT'S BEHAVIOR THROUGH PARTICIPATION IN NON-FORMAL ACTIVITIES. A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS

Dana DUGHI — 2024-03-21

Social competence is the ability to effectively manage social interactions and refers to the behavior of getting along well with others, being able to form and maintain close relationships, and responding adaptively to the social environment. Given the complexity of social interactions, social competence is the product of a wide range of cognitive skills, affective processes, behavioral skills, social awareness, and personal and cultural values related to interpersonal relationships. In the present research, we want to highlight the relational side of social skills, and in this sense, we developed a program of non-formal activities, wanting to highlight whether the behavior of the participant's registers changes from the parents' perspective. Thus, we developed a questionnaire for parents, made up of 14 items, structured into two categories: items aimed at the child's activity (activities carried out by the student outside of class hours, his schedule, areas of interest, group of friends), and the second part items designed to collect data about the parent's perception of non-formal activities, his consent to allow the child to participate in non-formal activities in the formal space, and the willingness to get involved in the design, organization and conduct of these activities). The subjects of the present experiment are primary school students, two classes of students, a total of 53 students forming the experimental sample and two classes forming the control sample, forming 49 students. As a result of the students' participation in the program of non-formal activities organized and carried out in the formal space, we observe an improvement in the behavior of the children who are part of the experimental sample, behavior perceived by their parents.

INFLUENCE OF SMART CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT ON STUDENTS’ INTEREST AND ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT

Abiola OLORI — 2024-03-21

This study investigated the influence of smart classroom on secondary school students’ motivation and active engagement in learning. Two hypotheses were raised in the descriptive research design study. The sample comprised of students of the purposively selected international private schools in Lagos State. Data was collected through administration of questionnaire that was validated with reliability coefficient values of 0.85. Data were analyzed using inferential statistics of chi-square. The study found significant influence of smart classroom environment on students’ motivation towards learning (X2 = 87.69, df =3, p<0.05). The study also found significant influence of smart classroom environment on students’ active engagement towards learning (X2 = 97.68, df =3, p<0.05). Based on the findings, it is recommended that since majority of the learners agreed that it provides motivation, school administrators should encourage their teachers for its uses in all subjects. As a result of the active engagement it provides for students, instructional designers should integrate it in the curriculum planning and development.

ROOTS AND WINGS - CULTURAL AWARENESS AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN

Denisa Ramona CHASCIAR — 2024-03-21

In the current context, cultural education plays an essential role in the integral development of children, especially in rural communities where access to cultural resources may be limited. This article examines the "Roots and Wings" program, an innovative project designed to enrich the cultural education of rural children through direct and experiential activities. Through storytelling and folklore workshops, cultural preservation projects, local art and history sessions, children's festivals and partnerships with schools, the program aims to strengthen children's ties with the cultural heritage of their community. The study uses mixed methods, including participatory observations and questionnaires, to assess the impact of the program on children's knowledge, appreciation and application of cultural values in everyday life. Preliminary results suggest a significant improvement in understanding and appreciation of local culture, as well as an increase in confidence in one's own creative and social skills. The article argues that such programs can serve as valuable models for integrating culture into the educational curriculum, having the potential to transform children's perspective on cultural heritage and positively influence their behavior.

SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN UNIVERSITY: EDUCATIONAL TRAINING ACTIVITY FOR SOCIAL WORK PROGRAM STUDENTS

Dana ZAMFIRESCU-MARES — 2024-03-21

In line with the Bar-On model, emotional-social intelligence is a cross-cutting section of interdependent emotional and social competencies, stressors, and facilitators that determine how effectively we understand and express ourselves, understand and relate to others, and cope with daily demands. The competencies, skills, and emotional and social facilitators mentioned in this conceptualization include the five key components described above, with each component encompassing a number of closely related competencies, skills, and facilitators detailed in the annex. Consistent with this model, being emotionally and socially intelligent means understanding and expressing oneself effectively, understanding and relating well to others, and easily coping with daily demands, challenges, and pressures (Bar-On 2006). Given the specialized literature detailing important aspects of socio-emotional development, I have developed a training program dedicated to final-year students in the social work specialization. The aim of this program is to develop socio-emotional skills and raise awareness of these skills for their professional application in a competent manner. I have extracted six elements from the Bar-On model (empathy, social responsibility, interpersonal relationships, stress management, problem-solving, and optimism) that are relevant to the practice of the social work profession.

THE ROLE OF COMICS IN FACILITATING POSITIVE INTEGRATION IN THE CLASSROOM

Elena-Maria TATAR — 2024-03-21

In any field of activity, communication is the glue that fosters good understanding and healthy relationships between living beings. Referring strictly to didactic communication, it is imperative due to the fact that the educational act relies on all types of communication in order to lead to the success of the educational act which is done, as we know so well, through the activity of learning which must be done voluntarily, by the learner. In an ever-changing society, where parents are busy and find it difficult to take the time to communicate with their children, using the after-school services of schools and various organizations, it is up to the teacher to communicate effectively and to help the pupil to develop his or her intellectual, mental, physical, etc. skills. This article aims to show how we can facilitate a sense of well-being in the school environment using the comic strip technique.

RELEVANT KEY PROFESSIONAL SKILLS AND THE LEVEL OF THE EDUCATION SEEKERS' AWARENESS IN THIS REGARD

Natalya SHEMYHON — 2024-03-21

The modern development of the professional market is characterized by rapid transformations associated with the widespread use of digital technologies and the advent of artificial intelligence. This situation affects the field of employment, accelerating the emergence and disappearance of professions, and leads to a reassessment of the key professional skills that modern employees should have. However, there is a certain gap between the skills that are needed in the professional market and the ability of the education system to ensure their development. Given the trends of rapid technological transformations and corresponding changes in the employment market, professional education should train specialists capable of constant improvement of their professional level, possible retraining. Such tasks involve a certain change in the functions and objectives of higher education, and therefore scientists are increasingly paying attention to the process of formation and development of those students’ skills which will contribute to the realization in the employment market even during its structural transformations. The purpose of the study is to review the extent to which the students themselves know and understand the content and requirements of modern skills with a view to improving the professional training of future specialists by the higher education system. Based on research in the field of professional skills, the skills identified at the World Economic Forum 2023 in Davos have been chosen as a guide. A survey of education seekers with the aim of identifying the understanding of the importance of the specified skills has shown a gap between the optimal set of skills and the education seekers’ perception of them. We observe a shift in the preferences of education seekers towards technological skills, and at the same time insufficient awareness of the importance of so-called soft skills, which collectively constitute the sphere of skills necessary to achieve professional and life success and is an indicator of human capital. The findings support the need for purposeful development in the process of professional training of the key skills that employees need today in order to improve the conformity of education and training with the requirements of the professional market.

THE IMPACT OF CREATIVITY ON EDUCATIONAL UNDERSTANDING

Roxana CHIS — 2024-03-21

This study investigates the ability of creativity to bring about significant change in the field of education. It suggests a new methodology that integrates the latest creativity research with teaching methods. Our research aims to create a strong theoretical framework to enable the successful integration of creative activities in education. We believe that creativity is a crucial factor in understanding and improving educational processes. The first part of the paper presents a theoretical framework that aims to clarify the interpretation and use of creativity concepts in the educational process. The study focuses on discovering and analyzing creative situations that can improve and facilitate the teaching and learning process. Using the theoretical framework, the study suggests an educational model adapted to the unique characteristics and individual needs of students. This study examines practical strategies for overcoming barriers, such as the importance of providing in-service training for teachers. Our study highlights the vital importance of creativity in reforming education and presents a theoretical and practical framework that can be used as a basis for creating more adaptable, inventive and personalized teaching methods that meet the demands of 21st century learners.

THE ROLE OF DRAMATIC PADAGOGY IN DEVELOPING TRANSVERSAL COMPETENCE ON STUDENTS

Adela REDES — 2024-03-21

The old didactic theatre must be replaced by, let us say, pedagogical.” (Augusto Boal). Lifelong learning education can be ensured also with the dramatic pedagogy learning curricula due to the specific of student’s competences that can be improved and valued in formal and nonformal learning on promoting skills, attitudes a key-competences, social and positive values. The key-competences frame has a transversality characteristic but the most important is to identify the life key-competences you need to ensure, along with the selected methods used to achieve them. In this study we propose dramatic pedagogy methods to develop the acquisition of knowledges and skills of students and also to highlight their benefits thru drama teaching. The impact dramatization curricula in formal learning context encourages all students to participate to activities using their creativity or to express their personalities in solving problems, to express their imagination and most off all to be authentic. All teachers can use on their learning context planning such as dramatization, as a significant element of their teaching according with the used drama methods. Dramatization as an art form involves cohesion and mutual cooperation between students and teachers. It encourages students to think positively about themselves, to learn and believe in their own growing abilities. Dramatization as an educational method, through integrated approaches of learning contributes permanently to adapt and to design curriculum for students need of learning and to increases the perspective of expansion knowledges outside the curriculum, to free movement and to research on the worldwide science.