Having a share in creating a peaceful world: teaching students to become tolerant

The occurrence of terrible incidents and situations all over the world where people are dying or suffering, due to political, economic, or cultural reasons have a great impact not only on students but on all human beings. It is therefore feasible for educators to take an active role to overcome or at least to diminish the negative effects of the situations mentioned above by including human rights education in their curriculum. For these reasons, the aim of this study is to identify the perceptions of students in a multicultural setting through the content topic of human rights to meet the language objectives of the course and also to raise tolerance awareness. The researchers obtained data through interviews, paragraphs, and the teacher’s diary based on observations and content analysis is used to analyse the qualitative data while triangulation research method is used to support the validity of the results. Results of the current study demonstrate that the course had various positive effects on the students and the objectives were met concerning language together by raising more awareness towards tolerance through the content topic of human rights.

     

Physical education and sports education candidate students awareness and knowledge status about physical education lessons designed for physically disabled individuals

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the awareness and knowledge status of physical education candidate students about physical education lessons designed for disabled individuals. A qualitative data collection technique was used in order to present the knowledge and awareness status of candidate students. Research conducted during the 2017–2018 fall semester with 30 4th grade students. By using the interview technique students questioned if physical education for disabled course composed awareness and increased their knowledge about disabled with three questions. The Data obtained accordingly were summed up and annotated according the pre-determined themes. Moreover, qualitative data were prepared by using the frequency and breakdown tables to form the numerical findings. The results revealed that the physical education candidates did not have knowledge about the physical education lessons designed for disabled individuals before taking the course and awareness status also found low (53.34%). However they stated that the physical education for disabled course changed their knowledge and awareness status (60%).

     

‘‘Peace’’ perceptions of Special Education Students in North Cyprus: a metaphorical approach

Recently, the peace education as a field has received world-wide attention from scholars, educators and policymakers. In Europe, awareness-raising activities supported by individuals and organizations has paid off and led to successful implementation of peace curriculum into education. Considerable amount of studies reveals that the peace education activities in schools contributed to the realisation of the importance of peaceful and sustainable future. However, peace education is a long neglected subject among the scholars in North Cyprus. Unfortunately, there is no single study focussing on peace education and its necessity in North Cyprus. In this regard, the aim of this study is to investigate how Special Education Students in North Cyprus perceive the concept of ‘‘peace’’. Also, the possible ways of implementing ‘peace education’ into curriculum are scrutinized. In order to fulfil the research aim, qualitative data collected from 158 Special Education teacher candidates. The findings reveal that majority of the participants believes that ‘peace education’ should be taught in schools. At this point, collected data also indicate that governmental initiatives need to be taken in order to raise awareness among students and teachers about ‘peace education’.

     

Development of education rights for disabled children in Northern Cyprus and evaluation of grants for their families

This paper focuses on the evaluation of education rights of disabled children and grants for families to foster social integration. In this respect, it is essential to conduct a research to set situation analysis on the social inclusion and development for equal life. Qualitative research nature was conducted in order to understand perceptions and experiences on current situation on rights and possible ideas for further development. In this respect, research study revealed that there is an intensified need to conduct project and studies to enhance rights and education facilities of disabled children and services for their families.

     

A novel method as a diagnostic tool for the detection of influential observations in the Cox proportional hazards model

It is important that the process of studying and modelling the prognosis of disability should be conducted using time-to-event data, as the dynamic nature of disability could cause intervention on the modifiable (prognostic) factors, thus changing the course to a more favourable outcome. In disability research, the Cox PH model is frequently used to identify prognostic factors for the life expectancy of people with disabilities and to evaluate the treatment effects on the time to event. Accurate detection of influential observations is an important factor when fitting the Cox PH model, as influential observations in the Cox PH model can cause model misspecification, inaccurately determined factors, missed valuable biological information and/or violation of the proportional hazard assumption. In this paper, a novel multiple case detection method for influential observations is recommended in the Cox model. The aim of the paper is to inform clinicians and researchers who use the Cox PH model for describing the survival time as a function of multiple prognostic factors, regarding the importance of the detection of influential observations that can lead to misleading conclusions if they are present in the data set. The efficiency of the proposed method is presented through the real dataset. Additionally, in the specific case of North Cyprus, the aim is emphasize the importance of survival modelling studies that determine the prognostic factors affecting the lives of people with disabilities, to improve life quality and to develop a plan for healthier and higher quality life styles programmes for people with disabilities. As a first step, it is recommended that a system of database records of disabilities should be established and maintained by the government to raise public awareness.

     

高等体育院校体育教育专业毕业生就业问题研究

本文运用文献资料和调查等研究方法,以西安体育学院为例,对其2010和2012届本科体育教育专业毕业生和用人单位进行了调查研究,发现目前体育教育专业毕业生就业现状不容乐观,就业呈多元化趋势,社会对体育教育专业人才规格要求趋向"通用型"、"复合型"。通过调研分析,旨在拓展体育教育专业毕业生的就业渠道和提高就业率,为体育教育专业的人才培养方案和课程体系改革提供参考。     

An evaluation of class-teachers’ roles in transferring values

Besides their academic success, teachers are bound to equip learners with values and prepare them as good citizens for the society. In this respect, the aim of this study is to evaluate primary school class-teachers’ roles in transferring values to their learners. This qualitative study comprises views by inspectors, directors, subject-teachers working in ten primary schools and parents in the city of Nicosia, Cyprus. The data was collected through interviews. This research indicated that class-teachers are effective role-models with responsibilities and effect of values transferring differed according to academic priorities and personalities. While parents feel satisfied with values transfer, most inspectors, directors and subject-teachers point to deficiencies in the approach. At this point, it is suggested that teachers are trained and a target-based curriculum is designed. This study was particularly aimed at evaluating class-teachers’ roles in transferring values in primary school years, which are assumed to be the most critical period of time. In the literature, the opinions of inspectors, directors, subject-teachers and parents about value transferring are not well known. One of the aims of tolerance education is that all stakeholders in educational organizations are satisfied with the transferring values and they feel peaceful. In this study, these new perspectives will show the state of harmony in educational institutions and the different opinions about transferring values. This research is hoped to add to this issue, which was rarely dealt with in literature, for the development of applications and policies.

     

Technology-assisted tolerance education at elementary schools within the framework of inspector qualifications

The importance of tolerance is being seen as an essential virtue in contemporary societies and in this paper Cyprus sample was chosen as regards tolerance education. The two peoples of Cyprus with different language and religion but the same culture (Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots) thought that only politics could solve the deadlock after the 1974 war and the fact that the two peoples could be converged with education, especially tolerance education, was ignored. In this paper the intention is to approach tolerance education especially on the basis of education management for which reason inspectors are chosen as the study group. It was based on the execution of tolerance education with contemporary teaching approaches, especially in a technology-assisted manner. As a result, the research question was determined as “what is the status of technology-assisted tolerance education in elementary schools in Cyprus within the framework of inspector qualifications?” This is a qualitative research based on case study model. Participants of the study were chosen on a purposive-sampling and convenience-sampling basis. Thus, the sampling of the research consists of 20 educators (inspector, school manager, teacher and scholar) in Northern and Southern Cyprus in 2016–2017 spring semester. Ten of the educators were chosen from Northern Cyprus and the other 10 were chosen from Southern Cyprus. Data collection method used in this paper is “semi-structured interview” technique. Content analysis technique was used in the examination of the data collected in this research. A closer look at the research findings show that the opinions as regards usage of technology in tolerance education in elementary school are as follows: “preparation and usage of different materials in tolerance education”, “usage of positive examples of technology-assisted tolerance education outside Cyprus” and “including both technology and tolerance in every step of education programs”. When different opinions are taken into consideration, Greek Cypriots stated that awareness should be raised in children in environments without tolerance with technology-assisted education. Turkish Cypriots, on the other hand, emphasized that all stakeholders in education should have a technology-friend educator identity and in order to offer tolerance education their level of tolerance should be high in the first place.

     

民办高校体育课程教学改革的思考

本文运用文献法、访谈法、对比分析等研究方法,针对民办高校体育的课程目标、课程设置、课程实施、课程评价几个方面,对民办高校体育课程存在的问题进行了探究,并从民办高校培养应用型人才的角度对体育课程教学改革与构建进行了深入的探索和研究。     

The role of English as a foreign language classes in tolerance education in relation to school management practices

It is essential for individuals to develop a tolerant outlook towards cultures other than their own to be able to function well in a peaceful society. Teaching fundamental values, principles and attitudes concerning tolerance in early years might help in reaching this goal. Since English as a foreign language (EFL) education traditionally incorporates the teaching of the principles and values of the society, EFL classes might serve as an appropriate option to instill tolerance. This study delves into how primary school principals view EFL classes as venues to provide primary school children with tolerance education. More specifically, this research study seeks to understand and evaluate the role of EFL classes in teaching tolerance with regard to school management practices. To fulfil the aim of the study, twenty-seven school principals were interviewed to find that all of them had positive perceptions of tolerance and tolerance education and that a great majority of them acknowledged the role of EFL classes in tolerance education. This study has a few implications for theory building and school management practices.

     

Strategies for Internationalizing the Business Curriculum in the Asia Pacific

SUMMARY

With the rapid economic growth of the East Asian countries, there has been an increasing interest in the education and skill development strategies used in the region. One of the critical features of Singapore's human resource development strategy is the emphasis on regionalization and internationalization of the academic curriculum. The trend of this internationalization may be attributable to three major factors: Singapore government's regionalization policy, distance learning programs offered by foreign universities, and the overseas assignment of Singaporean managers as expatriates. This paper presents an overview of the internationalization of the business curriculum at the graduate and undergraduate level in Singapore, particularly at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU). The Nanyang Business School, although a young institution, is rapidly moving towards the internationalization process in various areas. At present its student body is drawn from more than 20 countries. About a third of its business faculty come from about 19 countries. At the undergraduate level, students are encouraged to study foreign languages, and required to take the international business course irrespective of their functional specialization. In addition, most functional areas of specialization offer at least one international course as an elective choice. Some of the students also complete their required professional attachment abroad. At the graduate level, the unique feature of it's MBA program is the compulsory International Business Study Mission. The newly introduced MBA specialization in International Business adds another dimension. The school is now focusing on extensive research efforts in the area of regional-ization and globalization of business through its several research centers. The paper also identifies a few concerns such as the rapid changes in the pedagogy due to the overall systemic changes in the curriculum from the traditional British education model and the availability of suitable case studies.     

Cultural and Contextual Aspects in Business Ethics

Abstract

This conceptual paper reviews the literature on business ethics and reports prevailing controversies: (i) The Deontological/Teleological (Formalist Utilitarian), Controversy: Whether ethical values are absolute or are they judged by their consequences, (ii) The Universal/Relativist Controversy: Whether ethical values are primarily universal, shared by all cultures, or are they culturally bound, (iii) Does business ethics warrant study as a field of its own, and whether or not to teach ethics in business schools. Consequently, the paper addresses the dilemma of: what value judgment is to prevail in case of conflicting systems, the case inherent in global business. This taxonomy aims at providing a frame for a cross-cultural research currently being conducted in Scandinavia, China and in the Middle East.     

America's Engagement in Iraq: Insights and implications for public management research

Abstract

There are lessons to be learned in the matter of public management in Iraq and Afghanistan, especially in the importance of the management cultures in which decisions are made. This review is of four books, by different authors, sharing their journalist approach. Four shared themes emerge from these works: the importance of training, organizational culture, strategy, and governance. The authors develop an awareness of the inter-connectivity of the leadership and management cultures of the military and civilians, with significant implications for future public management research. Each of the four books in this review offers contributions that extend the knowledge and practice of public management and public policy, providing hard-learned lessons that can be cross walked into teaching, practice, and research.     

Analysis of children’s interest in books and their reading levels depending on the education status of family

The reading rate is an important indicator of the development level of a country. The fundamental condition of being a developed country is having a sufficiently educated workforce, which, in turn, is directly related to reading abilities and habits. In modern society, which has been termed the “information age”, the fastest way to acquire knowledge is through reading. Reading habits are initially formed within the family. Subsequently, the desired reading objectives can be achieved through the positive contribution of the school and the child’s environment. A child with developed reading skills will have the targeted accumulation of knowledge and will be suitably positioned to attain success in their future education and professional lives. The ability to reach this objective easily is directly related to the guidance and encouragement of families in this regard. The results of this study indicate that there is a strong correlation between the levels of education of parents in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the reading habits that are given to children. For example, the results revealed that the children of 27 families with university and higher education levels read a total of 115 books, which is an average of 4.25 books per child on a monthly basis, whereas this figure was found to be 42 books, or an average of 1.82 in the 23 families with an education at high school level or below. The general purpose of the study is to determine the relationship between the reading habits of children and the education levels of their parents as well as the level of awareness of families in this respect. This is a qualitative study. The aim is to obtain in-depth and detailed data. The research is based on a case study, which is a qualitative research model. The examined case is that of North Cyprus.     

Tolerance,equality and access in all levels of education quality management

Forming quality is the most important elements of higher education in the world. Even in countries where systems in higher education are fully succeed in performance, quality is under ongoing observation. Barrier-free campuses are among the most crucial criteria in quality development and evaluation. While such campuses are strictly considered in American and European higher education, it has been observed that awareness of this issue has become a focus point in Turkey and necessary measures are taken. It is a fact that the disabled learners need to get benefit from educational services less than others. All individuals in a community have equal rights. Therefore, higher education has great responsibilities for “raising awareness”, “adapting standards by the community”, “understanding”, and “meeting the needs” of the disabled learners. The disability in our country are facing several problems such as education, employment, transportation and communication. Parallel to developing technology, there are solutions to such problems. Universities are institutions where scientist, educationalists, doctors, lawyers, engineers, politicians etc. are educated to shape the future of a country. Young people learn at universities, broaden their horizon, produce new ideas, and shape their future. At this stage, undoubtedly, universities are not expected to ignore the learners with disabilities. They, too, have the right, as other individuals, to receive education in their interest areas and contribute to production, benefit from all the facilities provided by the university and be active members of the society.

     

Emotional competencies and cognitive antecedents in shaping student’s entrepreneurial intention: the moderating role of entrepreneurship education

This paper focuses on the analytic thinking of emotional competencies and their influence, in particular, in shaping university students’ entrepreneurial intentions, backed by an extended model of Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behaviour, and analyses the moderating role of entrepreneurial education among the variables under study. The results, derived from an ex-ante and ex-post questionnaire addressed to Spanish university students engaged in a compulsory entrepreneurship course, were subjected to structural equation modelling analysis. Our findings show that entrepreneurship by university students is favoured by the development of their emotional competencies, due to the direct influence of the latter in shaping entrepreneurial intention and its positive impact on their cognitive antecedents (entrepreneurial attitudes and perceived self-efficacy), and suggest that students with a higher degree of emotional competencies who receive entrepreneurship education will have a more positive attitude towards entrepreneurship and will perceive themselves more capable of becoming entrepreneurs. The primary contribution of this paper is to spotlight the use of emotional competencies in encouraging entrepreneurship, and to heighten awareness of the positive effect of education on emotionally-competent students, a factor that should be taken into account to improve entrepreneurship education programmes.

     

Food safety knowledge,behavior and attitude of Libyan consumers

This research aims to study and analyze the relationship between consumer awareness and consumer protection issues relating to food safety; the researcher defined a set of variables associated to consumer awareness in this research to study the relationship between this awareness and between some of the economic and social characteristics of consumers such as the level of income for the head of household, level of education for the research samples and some other characteristics related to awareness of the consumers. To achieve this goal the researcher prepared a questionnaire for this purpose which been fulfilled from a random sample of Libyan students who are studying at Near East University in various specialist and stages of university study. To analysis these data the researcher has used non-parametric statistical analysis for the previous relationship, due to the nature of metadata where Chi square has been used to study the moral awareness of the relationship between the consumer and all of the level of income and level of education. These results showed the presence of statistically significant relationship between the level of consumer awareness and the level of income and the level of education, the results also showed that there were significant correlation between consumer awareness and all of the level of income and level of education. The study concluded that consumer protection policies should be directed to teach and educate consumers with a focus on lower-income segments of society and in the lower level of education.     

Developing a sustainability ethic in leaders

The triple bottom line of fiscal, social, and environmental success considerably alters how organizations (and stakeholders) measure sustainable success. More important, however, is the conceptual shift required to understand and successfully lead organizations within this increasingly accepted paradigm. This article uses a mixed‐methods approach to explore the conceptual development of a sustainability ethic in aspiring leaders. More specifically, the authors report research examining the curriculum and pedagogy of a leadership education effort, in this case a college‐level course, aimed at effecting change in both individual aspiring leaders and their immediate community. The article describes the philosophical and research base for the curriculum and specific activities with their pedagogical approach. Results show evidence of increased awareness, importance, and commitment to sustainability as well as changes in how students conceptualize sustainability leadership. Findings offer insights for further developing leadership education for sustainability.     

数据挖掘技术在推广教育规划中的应用研究

采用数据挖掘技术来分析武汉某所职业技术学院的入学者在推广教育课程中的选课偏好和课程完成率之间的关系。将2003年至2008年的入学者在推广教育课程中的选课记录用三种数据挖掘算法进行分析。研究结果作为在推广教育规划中课程设置的一个参考。     

The Measurement and Structural Modeling of the Reasonableness of Workplace Accommodations

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) guarantees protection from discrimination for persons with a disability. The ADA requires employers to make reasonable accommodations for persons with physical and mental disabilities unless doing so would produce undue hardship on the organization. Fifteen years after the passage of the ADA, the question as to what is a reasonable accommodation remains controversial, especially for some types of disabilities. In this study, a reasonable accommodation scale is proposed and tested using structural equation modeling in hopes that such a scale will aid the courts and organizations in determining what is reasonable. Individuals’ level of awareness of disability issues is also examined in the model to examine the relationship between awareness and willingness to accommodate. Results indicate acceptable fit of the model to the data and provide support for the proposed scale. Furthermore, the relationship between awareness of disability issues and willingness to accommodate was significant. Implications for research and practice are discussed.