Vol 9, No 3 (2024)





Table of Contents

Research Articles

by Silvia Di Battista, Monica Pivetti, Michele Moro, Emanuele Menegatti, Andrea Greco
422 Views, 242 PDF Downloads

Fully understanding factors that are related to teachers’ behavioural intentions to use and acceptance of Educational Robotics (ER) in their classes, particularly among students with disabilities, is a big challenge. In particular, social psychology models may be used more consistently to inform scholars about the paths and the strength of interrelated factors influencing learning support teachers’ acceptance of ER. In this study, the Almere model, an evolution and adaptation of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) as used in Conti and colleagues was validated. The model is directed to measure acceptance of ER in a sample of 319 learning support teachers via structural equation modeling. Results showed a model explaining a good percentage of variance. In the learning support teachers’ intentions to use ER with students with disabilities, positive and direct effects were exerted by teachers’ positive attitudes toward robotics, and by their perception of the enjoyment and usefulness of robotics. Furthermore, results showed that perception of enjoyment in using ER was strongly and positively associated with perceived sociability and this, in turn, was positively associated with levels of trust. Finally, perceived sociability was positively associated with social presence perceptions.


Research Articles

by Namoonga Chilwalo, Katlego Rantho, Miriam Hasheela, Frans Matlakala
346 Views, 249 PDF Downloads

Background information: Bereavement enhances adolescent’s chances of suffering from psychosocial problems globally and adolescents in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) are not an exception. Due to the mourning condition, some of the adolescents become susceptible to multiple mental disorders, stigmatization and social rejection leading to maladaptive coping mechanisms such as substance abuse. Purpose: This study aimed to synthesize the existing literature on the psychological challenges faced by adolescents during bereavement in SADC. Methods: We opted for a scoping review due to its ability to rapidly map the existing literature sourced from international databases (JSTOR, and PubMed), local databases (Sabinet African Journal) and performed hand-search using Google Scholar. We made use of operators and techniques such as Boolean operators, truncations and MeSH terms. The inclusion of the study was limited to adolescents aged 10–26 years within SADC, primary studies (qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods) and a 10-year projection of studies conducted from 2013 to 2023 in SADC. Results: The findings of the study revealed that adolescents in SADC experience feelings of hopelessness, low self-esteem, anger, grief overload, suicidal thoughts, shock and confusion as a result of bereavement. They are also battling with poor academic performance and abuse due to being socially stigmatized and rejected. To cope with this ordeal, some of the adolescents’ resort to dropping out of school, social isolation and substance abuse. Conclusions and recommendations: Our research has revealed that bereavement in adolescents is closely linked with psychological challenges. In addition to psychological distress, our research has unveiled profound social challenges faced by bereaved adolescents. Adolescents frequently encounter the risk of abuse within their families and experience financial hardships following the loss of loved ones. Thus, recommends a constructive active plan for offering support services to bereaved adolescents and, the adoption and promotion of bereavement programs within families, communities and social welfare centres to address risk factors of maladaptive coping.


Research Articles

by Thanh Thao Le, Trut Thuy Pham
3504 Views, 244 PDF Downloads

This qualitative study delves into the cultural and educational impact of Nobita, a central figure in the Japanese anime series “Doraemon”, within the Vietnamese setting. Employing a qualitative approach, the research utilized a thematic analysis of specific episodes of “Doraemon”, combined with the Vietnamese viewers’ comments. The episodes were carefully selected to cover a range of scenarios depicting Nobita’s various challenges and interactions. A thematic analysis of viewer comments and selected episodes featuring Nobita was conducted, accompanied by insights from Vietnamese viewers. The objective was to discern how Nobita’s character aligns with, and at times contrasts with, Vietnamese cultural and moral norms. The findings unveil key themes: the cultural hybridization of Nobita’s character, the impartation of moral lessons, viewer identification with Nobita, and his influence on shaping children’s notions of responsibility and self-reliance. The study reveals how Vietnamese viewers, particularly children, actively engage with Nobita’s traits, resulting in a blend of Japanese and Vietnamese cultural elements. This refutes the conventional perspective of global media as a one-way cultural force, highlighting instead a reciprocal process of cultural interpretation and adaptation. Moreover, the research underscores Nobita’s significant role in moral education, illustrating that Vietnamese children do not just emulate but critically engage with his character through observational learning. This process extends beyond imitation, involving a deeper level of understanding and internalization of moral lessons. Furthermore, the study emphasizes Nobita’s role in fostering empathy and understanding, resonating with the universal aspects of human experiences and emotions. These findings offer insights into the intricate relationship between global media content and local cultural dynamics, underlining the influential role of media characters in shaping cultural perceptions, moral reasoning, and empathy in young audiences. The study contributes to the discourse on the impact of international media on local cultures, highlighting the potential of media content in bridging cultural gaps and aiding in child development.


Research Articles

by Nurkhalida Makmor, Zalena Mohd, Khalilah Abd Hafiz, Nur Husna Hamzah, Aza Azlina Md Kassim
958 Views, 178 PDF Downloads

Online social supports empower consumers to communicate and share their knowledge and experiences with each other through social commerce platforms. The communication becomes more important for online communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Existing scholars have studied social commerce; however, lack of studies has focused on social supports and TAM constructs. Also, a growing concern on the reliability and validity of comments of online consumers would jeopardize the success of social commerce business. Therefore, the research addresses the research gap by proposing a conceptual model. On the basis of the technology adoption model (TAM), this research considers social supports, consumers online purchase intentions and the role of trust as a mediator in Malaysian context. A total of 200 respondents participated. The data are collected via online platforms and analyzed using PLS-SEM software. The results reveal that the social support, perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness have significant effects toward purchase intention in social commerce platforms. Meanwhile, trust mediated the relationship of social support and purchase intention. The present study discusses the research implications, limitations, and future directions.


Research Articles

by Claudia Messina-Albarenque, Carmen de Andrés-Viloria, Gema de Pablo-González, Tamara Benito-Ambrona
177 Views, 249 PDF Downloads

The uncertainty, constant changes and growing diversity that characterize the societies in which we live have a considerable impact on people's lives. Education is no stranger to this situation and, aware of its responsibility and social function of training for life, has echoed the recommendations to promote the development of emotional skills. However, there are voices critical of this initiative considering that they respond to the interest of maintaining a neoliberal economic-social order. The purpose of this article is to deepen our knowledge of these critical positions and to present a rationale for Emotional Education that includes and contextualises them, to conclude with a reflection on the need to reconcile the different views and perspectives for the benefit of the integral personal development of individuals and society. To meet the objective of this proposal a systematic literature review was carried out in the PsycInfo, Education database, Dialnet, ERIC and Scielo databases, and 14 scientific publications in specialized journals and 3 books that responded to the objective of the study were selected. As a result of the analyses of the literature we have made a categorisation of the criticisms into six areas: political, educational, psychological, sociological, philosophical, and, to a lesser extent, linguistic. The need to reconcile different perspectives for the implementation of EE in schools and the importance of teacher training for this purpose is discussed. Finally, the implications of the criticism are pointed out as well as future lines of research.


Research Articles

by Rui Mu, Dongxing Liu
333 Views, 198 PDF Downloads

Many scholars have focused on the advantages and characteristics of Orff Schulwerk in improving students’ music learning performance; however, the effects of students’ perceptions of Orff Schulwerk on their learning performance remain unexplored. Based on the technology acceptance model (TAM), this study explored the differences among college students of different grades in terms of Orff Schulwerk perception, music learning interests, and learning performance; the effects of students’ perceptions of Orff Schulwerk on their music learning performances and the mediating effect of music learning interest, with 433 Chinese college students majoring in preschool education as the samples. The results showed that college students of different grades show no significant differences in Orff Schulwerk perception, music learning interests, and learning performance; college students’ perceptions of Orff Schulwerk had a significant positive effect on their music learning performances, and their music learning interest had a partial mediating effect. Supplementing the theoretical literature on Orff Schulwerk, this study fills the gap in literature, extends the application of the TAM to the field of education, and provides a practical reference for colleges and universities to use Orff Schulwerk for provoking college students’ learning interest and improving their performances.


Research Articles

by Anwesweta Panigrahi, Rupali Khaire, Swetaleena Hota, Rashi Taggar, Arya Kumar
392 Views, 190 PDF Downloads

In the dynamic banking industry, job satisfaction, organizational citizenship behavior (OCB), and employee engagement are interconnected. The study on Indian public and private banks examines how these factors ensure long-term viability and global competitiveness. Employee engagement, job satisfaction, and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) are studied. Job satisfaction and OCB are examined to see if employee engagement mediates. This study prompted the banking sector’s growing awareness of the need to retain and satisfy employees and customers for profitability and stability. To achieve these goals, you must understand these variables’ complex relationships. A sample of 234 Indian public and private bank employees represents the banking workforce. The cross-sectional quantitative study used structured questionnaires. Statistical analysis was rigorous with Smart PLS 3 and structural equation modelling (SEM). Job satisfaction affects OCB and employee engagement. Job satisfaction and organizational citizenship are mediated by employee engagement. This novel study empirically examines the complex relationships between these banking industry factors. This study can help bank managers and policymakers retain customers and improve organizational effectiveness.


Research Articles

by Negar Dehghan, Mansour Yeganeh, Zahra Zare
267 Views, 127 PDF Downloads

This paper aims to investigate the impact of complexity and mystery on the perceived legibility of citizens in urban parks. The theoretical framework is based on Rachel and Stephen Kaplan’s theory (four cognitive states) and Lynch’s legibility theory. The method is descriptive correlational. Data collection was done through a survey questionnaire and mental maps. The paper uses Lynch’s mental maps and asks people to draw some aspects of the parks they remembered the most and compare the results with the surveys. The data analysis uses descriptive and inferential techniques as well as logical reasoning. The research claims a significant correlation with a higher-than-average coefficient between the legibility indicators (path, edge, node, district, landmark) and complexity and mystery in urban parks. The conclusion is that districts in urban parks have the most significant impact on the overlapping of citizens’ collective mental maps. Landmarks, paths, edges, and entrances are almost equally and moderately fuzzy-scale on the legibility of citizens’ mental maps in urban parks. Nodes play less of a role in citizens’ collective mental maps than other park elements. Parks with too many entrances, non-linear paths, indistinguishable districts, and undefined edges are not perceptible to citizens, and citizens’ perceptions of space differ significantly from the existing reality. The correlation between legibility dimensions, such as edges, nodes, landmarks, districts, paths, and entrances, is higher than the fuzzy scale average. Moreover, the legibility in each dimension will affect legibility dimensions a lot. Lynch’s theory of legibility in the spatial perception of parks and Kaplan’s theory of complexity and mystery criteria appear to be not fully responsive. It differs based on the features of each park, such as openness and closeness. For future research, it is better to comprehensively understand by using all dimensions of Kalpan’s theory: complexity, mystery, refuge, and prospect.


Research Articles

by Md Mahbubur Rahman, Prothoma Anmol, Md. Mizanur Rahman
438 Views, 129 PDF Downloads

Like other developing countries, the COVID-19 pandemic has seriously affected the public’s mental and physical health in Bangladesh. People, especially, in the country’s capital city, Dhaka, have suffered as a serious consequence of the pandemic in various ways, for instance, fear, stress, sadness, isolation, and loneliness. The study investigates parents’ perceptions of sending their children to kindergarten or primary school during the COVID-19 pandemic in Dhaka North City (DNCC), Bangladesh. The research employs several qualitative tools for answering the stated questions and objectives. Adopting a purposive sampling procedure, 30 informants from two wards were selected in the DNC area. We examine the “Field Theory” approach developed by Brager and Holloway to prepare the interview guide administered to these 30 informants. Apart from in-depth interviews, the study utilizes focus group discussions (FGDs) to obtain comprehensive data from them. The study reveals that parents have various perceptions about sending their children to school during the COVID-19 pandemic, making decisions based on psychological state, behavior patterns, quality education, and school safety measures. Parents feel insecure about sending their children to school as the institutional authorities are unaware of sanitizing the premises. As well, quality education greatly concerns the parents making such decisions about sending their children to school. The study recommends that the government, school authorities, and guardians take safety measures seriously inside the homes and the schools’ premises to help ensure children can safely attend primary schools.


Research Articles

by Manju Shree Pradhan, Vichayanan Rattanawiboonsom, Fuangfa Panya
207 Views, 114 PDF Downloads

This research was carried out utilizing both quantitative and qualitative methods to examine the correlation between Informal Workplace Learning (IWL) and Employability. This investigation considers the role of competency development as an intermediary factor. The study tested a moderated mediation model using data collected from 512 employees from all five banks located in Bhutan. The findings supported initial hypotheses. Utilizing structural equation modelling (SEM), the study found that IWL significantly impacts employability, and this relationship is fully mediated by competency development. However, the expected moderating effects of Self-directed Learning Orientation (SDLO) and Learning Goal Orientation (LGO) on the connection between IWL and competency development were not observed. In simpler terms, the results suggest that IWL contributes to the development of competencies, which in turn enhances employability. Yet, SDLO and LGO do not enhance the influence of IWL on competency development. Additionally, qualitative techniques were employed to gather insights into the experiences related to IWL, competency development, and employability, providing a complementary perspective to quantitative findings. Overall, this study holds significance for shaping human resource policies formulation and strategies related to employee growth and development.


Research Articles

by Yu Xiang, Aweewan Mangmeechai
491 Views, 193 PDF Downloads

This study analyzes the influencing factors of residents’ intention to participate in e-waste recycling behavior with the help of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and Value-Belief-Norm (VBN) model. On the basis of factor analysis, through correlation analysis and regression analysis, this paper conducts an empirical study on the influencing factors of residents’ intention to participate in e-waste recycling behavior, revealing the formation mechanism of residents’ intention to participate in e-waste recycling behavior. The results show that Values, Awareness of consequences, Ascription of responsibility, Behavior attitude, Perceived behavior control and Personal norm are the main factors that affect residents’ participation in e-waste recycling behavior, and the impact of perceived behavior control is the most significant. The research results can help understand the formation mechanism and implementation process of residents’ e-waste recycling behavior intention, predict the possibility of residents’ participation in e-waste recycling behavior in the future, and provide some reference and inspiration for the research of residents’ participation in e-waste recycling behavior in China. In addition, we can essentially understand the reasons for the low recovery rate of e-waste and the lack of scale, and provide reference for the government and relevant departments to formulate corresponding policies and enterprises to establish a standardized recovery system.


Research Articles

by Chen Chen, Hue San Kuay, Yee Cheng Kueh, Chao Liu
236 Views, 134 PDF Downloads

These days, psychological problems among college students are increasingly prominent due to various factors. It is crucial for colleges to improve and innovate the working mode of mental health education to promote the healthy development of college students’ body and mind. Based on ternary interactive determinism of human’s internal factors, behavior and environment, this study creatively combines the environmental atmosphere, personality characteristics and behavior habits of contemporary college students organically, analyses the existing deficiencies in the construction of the current psychological education system from these three perspectives deeply, and puts forward practical paths for the innovation of the psychological education system in colleges.


Research Articles

by José Calizaya-López, Ana Miaury-Vilca, Yaneth Aleman-Vilca, Hilda Pinto-Pomareda, Merly Lazo-Manrique, Teresa Yañez-Fernandez, Yenny Asillo-Apaza
386 Views, 264 PDF Downloads

The Violence Against Women Index is a measure that evaluates the evolution of violence in a given context to understand the severity of the problem, which is a public health issue. Objective: This study aimed to measure the violence against women index in Peru according to sociodemographic variables. Method: The study was descriptive, comparative, quantitative, and cross-sectional; 1565 women who had experienced violence participated and were intentionally sampled. A validated measurement instrument was used to assess the rate of violence against women. Results: A moderate level (54.1%) of violence against women was found with a tendency to increase severely (33.7%, significant indices). In addition, differences were found in the index of violence according to sociodemographic variables of women (p < 0.05). Conclusion: violence does not distinguish women from being victims because of their social, family, economic, educational, cultural, or residential status; however, there is a greater probability of severe violence in adult women with a low level of education.


Research Articles

by God'sgift Ogban Uwen, Omotosho Moses Melefa, Mary Emmanuel O’Neill
184 Views, 111 PDF Downloads

This paper explores motivations for love as stancetaking in the discourse on romantic relationships among female undergraduates in two Universities in Southern Nigeria. Insights from Community of Practice and Appraisal Theory were used to instantiate the use of situated linguistic choices to establish the different impulses for female undergraduates’ engagement in heterosexual relationships. Data for the study were generated through (non)participant observation, informal interactions and semi-structured interviews involving a representative sample of 44 female undergraduates. The findings show that the participants utilised youth culture of sexual expressiveness to establish their motivations for love, cognitively construed as stancetaking on romantic relationships with their male sexual partners. Participants’ language use shows that the female students’ motivations for loving their male sexual partners include: high sexual performance, good academic performance, financial benefits, intention to get married in future, access to power and security, and physical attractiveness. This study, aside from establishing the increasing practice of heterosexual relationships among Nigerian university undergraduates, has also presented participants’ motivations for sexual practices as the girls’ peculiar sexual narrations of their worldview. This also shows the creation of situated linguistic choices as outcome of ‘new’ youth expressive culture as demonstrated in the discourse of their sexual relationships and experience within the liberal university environment.


Research Articles

by Julia Borisenko, Elena Evseenkova
342 Views, 141 PDF Downloads

Objective: Parents and surrounding adults create conditions not only for the physical and safe development of the child but also for the development of his attitudes, and understanding of the world, including gender attitudes and behavior. In this article, we present the study aimed to identify how parents and teachers appraise the gender behavior of preschool boys and girls. Method: We studied the results of 474 participants: 316 parents (158 married couples) of preschool children (average age 5.3) and 158 daycare teachers, who communicate with the child almost every day and know him well. One parent described the usual child’s gender behavior by answering the Pre-school Activities Inventory (PSAI), and the other parent and daycare teacher were interviewed about the usual child’s gender behavior. Results: The statistical analysis of the data let us conclude that within one culture parents and other adults communicating with the child appraise the gender behavior of male children similarly. Parents of both genders as well as teachers interpret boys’ behavior as more gender-specific than girls’ behavior. All surrounding adults interpret girls’ behavior as more gender-neutral than boys’. Conclusion: There is a difference in attitudes, perceptions, and evaluation of preschool boys’ and girls’ gender behavior by parents and teachers, which is expressed in leveling the gender specificity of girls’ behavior.


Research Articles

by Yun Liu, Johan Afendi Bin Ibrahim, Yen Sin Foo
260 Views, 137 PDF Downloads

Giant panda tourism is famous for promoting tourists’ travel to giant panda nature reserves. Different viewpoints have always existed regarding giant panda tourism, and the negative impact on the behavior and habitat of giant pandas has also been the subject of many researchers. A theoretical framework was proposed based on Extended Theory of Planned Behavior. SEM was used to test the hypotheses by AMOS28.0. The respondents of the study are tourists who travelled to Wolong National Nature Reserve aiming to watching giant pandas spanning from August 2023 to October 2023. 302 valid questionnaires were collected by face-to-face survey using a simple random sampling. All hypotheses were supported by testing. Cognition negative affects attitude of tourist disturbance toward giant pandas. Attitude positively affects tourist disturbance intentions toward giant pandas. Subjective norm positively affects tourist disturbance intentions toward giant pandas. Perceived behavioral control positively affects tourist disturbance intentions toward giant pandas. There exists a sequential relationship among cognition, attitude, and intention. Attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control have a significant positive influence on tourist disturbance intentions directly. The results of this study can provide new directions to take new measures for tourism managers, producing a positive role in promoting the development of giant panda tourism.


Research Articles

by Aishath Waheeda, Fathmath Nishan
212 Views, 164 PDF Downloads

Leadership stems from recognition and acceptance, surpassing the mere reliance on their title. Research indicates varying perceptions of relationship values between leaders and followers. A leader’s crucial awareness of these differences prevents harm to the institution through disagreements that expose poor style and self-knowledge. This study examines the perception difference of deans’ leadership styles in Maldives higher education institutes using self-rating and their lecturers’ perceptions using followers rating. In this study, a sequential explanatory mixed-method design was used. The first phase collected data via surveys from deans and lecturers (N = 190) from nine different HEI, with SPSS used for analysis. The second phase included qualitative interviews with deans and lecturers (N = 21), which were evaluated using template analysis. The independent sample t-test was used to assess the difference in averages between two independent groups, leaders and lecturers. According to the data, there was a slight statistically significant difference between deans’ self-assessments of their own current leadership styles and lecturers’ ratings of their leaders’ existing leadership styles. On the other side, it was discovered that both leaders and lecturers like the same leadership approaches. The findings of this research study suggest institutes to focus on developing academic deans’ leadership styles based on followers’ perception. Leadership measurement should consider both leaders’ and subordinates’ perceptions to avoid flawed conclusions. Also, this study calls for academic deans to reflect on their leadership, acknowledge limitations, and engage in developmental activities for growth.


Research Articles

by Yihang Lyu
334 Views, 196 PDF Downloads

In the 21st-century global economy, entrepreneurship is a key driver of economic development, innovation, and job opportunities. This paper aims to analyze the impact of entrepreneurial failure experiences on re-entrepreneurship performance and the mediating role of entrepreneurial resilience.This study employs a quantitative approach, collecting 451 valid questionnaires in various regions of China. Data analysis includes regression and mediation analysis.Entrepreneurial failure experiences positively influence re-entrepreneurship performance, as they trigger entrepreneurial resilience. Resilience enables entrepreneurs to recover from failure, promoting personal growth and subsequent success.This research uncovers the positive effects of entrepreneurial failure experiences on re-entrepreneurship performance and highlights the role of entrepreneurial resilience. These findings inform entrepreneurial processes, enhance success rates, and guide policy-making. Future research should consider additional mediators and adopt a multidisciplinary approach for a comprehensive understanding of entrepreneurial failure’s impact.


Research Articles

by Yanbo Wu, Jinghan Meng, Qizhi Liu, Dachen Sheng, Xiaotong Wang, Yan Geng
137 Views, 122 PDF Downloads

Using data from the 2018 Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS), this study empirically examined the impact of Chinese residents’ Internet use on their subjective well-being. The results show that Internet use significantly increases residents’ subjective well-being; the results of the marginal effect show that the increase in Internet use increases the probability of residents choosing “Relatively happy” and “Extremely happy”; further analysis shows that Internet use increases the probability of residents choosing “Relatively happy” and “Extremely happy” through the marginal effect. “Moreover, in the heterogeneity analysis, Internet use significantly increases the subjective happiness of middle-aged people aged 35–60, and increases the subjective happiness of low-education and low-income groups, while rural residents have higher subjective well-being from Internet use relative to urban residents. This study mitigates the estimation bias that may be caused by the sample self-selection problem through propensity score matching (PSM), and conducts a series of robustness tests on the empirical results. Therefore, the government should emphasize the role of Internet use in enhancing residents’ happiness and promoting the happiness effect of Internet use by further improving Internet infrastructure and upgrading residents’ Internet use skills.


Research Articles

by Abhijeet Chavan, Abhijit Mohanty, Sujata Joshi
271 Views, 185 PDF Downloads

Studies on association amongst relationship marketing and loyalty of patients are still trying to establish its presence in the healthcare management. Also, the variables impacting this association are still in exploratory phases. The research is being carried out for determining the nature of that relationship and also examining mediating and moderating effect of different variables. Data collected through various Scopus and other online databases have been used for this study. Literature review has been carried out by dividing it into three parts, relationship marketing, patient loyalty and variables like patient satisfaction, age, gender, family size, health insurance, etc. Primary data was collected from 938 patients of private healthcare providers by administering questionnaire online as well as in person. PLS-SEM was applied to analyze the data, which was used after testing the instrument for reliability and validity. After Covid-19 pandemic everyone felt need of a good health insurance but in actual many people were not having a simple health insurance cover also. Hospitals will have a major role in promoting health insurance and in turn providing quality service, but their role is currently limited to processing of health insurance and nothing more. Model from the study will help understand organizations the strength and direction of relationship between patient loyalty and efforts taken for marketing along with impact of moderating and mediating variable on the same. Future research can look into the other variables that will moderate or mediate the relationship in turn will help not only healthcare organizations but insurance companies also to develop product or service according to requirement of relationship. Research focuses on impact of moderating effect of health insurance on association amongst marketing efforts taken for relationship marketing and loyalty of patients through patient satisfactions’ mediation which was not studied before this. The study aims to test the conceptual model of moderating impact of health insurance on association between relationship marketing, patient loyalty and patient satisfaction using SEM.


Research Articles

by S Sukri, NEN Sukhairy, AW Radzuan, NA Jabar, SW Hasbullah, MZM Zain, HY Hapiz, ASA Latef, Y Ibrahim
148 Views, 164 PDF Downloads

This research focuses on the adaptive reuse of old shophouses in Jalan Mendaling Kajang, Selangor. The city’s modern development has caused some old shophouses to be abandoned and demolished. Some of them have been renovated to lose their heritage value. This study aims to understand the form of adaptive reuse of shophouses in Jalan Mendaling Kajang and to measure the community’s perception of the adaptive reuse of heritage buildings in preserving their collective memory through heritage values, a sense of belongingness, and sustainability. This study used a mixed-method approach, combining a qualitative and quantitative analysis to provide research rigour. The quantitative data collection was conducted through a survey in the form of questionnaires given randomly to 386 respondents. The sampling selection was determined using Krecjie Morgan’s table. Meanwhile, the qualitative data collection involves an interview session with several informants from the professionals of Kajang Municipal Council, the premises owners, and the local community. Direct observation of shophouses in Jalan Mendaling Kajang was also conducted. In the meantime, the qualitative data were analysed using six steps thematic analysis by Clarke and Braun, whereas the quantitative data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) using descriptive analysis. The result highlights the role of the old shophouses in preserving the community’s collective memories of the past, which evokes their sense of identity and belongingness and eventually promotes heritage sustainability. This research contributes as a reference for the adaptive reuse of old shophouses in preserving and conserving old shophouses in the future in connecting the community’s identities and sense of belongingness through collective memories of the past.


Research Articles

by Rianmahardhika Sahid Budiharseno, Daffa Faadihilah Suntari Putra, Fadhel Husien, Berlin My Anggelita Pramesthi Cahyaningtyas
167 Views, 145 PDF Downloads

This study delves into the realm of binary options trading, a high-risk investment strategy, through the lens of user perspectives and satisfaction with the Binomo app. Binary options trading, characterized by its simplicity and potential for high returns, has seen a surge in popularity with the advent of online trading platforms. However, it also carries significant risks and legal implications. Through an analysis of 14,341 reviews of the Binomo app, this research uncovers key areas of user concern and interest, including aspects related to money, time, trading, and app functionality. The study reveals a prevalence of negative sentiments, highlighting potential issues of fraud, withdrawal problems, and overall dissatisfaction. Despite the high rating, the study underscores the need for prospective traders to understand the inherent risks and legal implications of binary options trading. The findings provide valuable insights for improving user experience, enhancing transparency and security, and fostering trust among users.


Research Articles

by Fathimath Muna, Aishath Waheeda, Fathimath Shaheeda, Aishath Shina
147 Views, 160 PDF Downloads

The COVID-19 pandemic forced Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to abruptly adopt online assessments in place of traditional assessments, posing several challenges especially in the developing countries. The purpose of this study was to explore the challenges experienced by lecturers in implementing online assessments at HEIs in the Maldives, during the time of COVID-19 pandemic. Data was collected using qualitative, semi-structured interviews from a purposefully selected sample of 30 lecturers representing eleven different disciplines and ten HEIs in the country. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis method. Findings revealed seven major themes which include difficulties in keeping up with the fast-changing assessment policies; students lack of awareness on institutional assessment policies and procedures; inadequate infrastructure and work-space to deliver online assessment; lack of technological competency of lecturers and students; issues related to work-load and time management; lecturers’ competency in designing online assessments; addressing student diversity; and ensuring academic integrity. In the light of these findings, it is recommended that both students and lecturers need to be made aware of institutional assessment policies, better training needs to be offered for lecturers to enhance their skills in designing and implementing online assessments so that they can offer more authentic online assessments that would enhance academic integrity.


Research Articles

by Hanna Ambaras Khan
1882 Views, 104 PDF Downloads

Law subject is not exclusive to law students only. There are many faculties that offer law subjects to the students. In terms of teaching and learning law, there are a few methods such as lectures, drafting, and case study. However, teaching law to non-law students needs creativity. The non-law student’s perception of law subject is important to develop interest in the learning process. Most non-law students thought law was difficult and uninteresting. Hence, there is a need to revise the method of teaching and learning to attract students’ attention and interest and to change their perception of learning law subjects. The objective of this research is to study the change in the accounting students as non-law students’ perspective in learning law using a mix of conventional and revised methods, and whether there is any change in their perception. This paper adopts a qualitative research method to collect data. The findings of the research show that a mix of conventional traditional, and revised methods changed students’ perspectives about learning law subjects. The mixed method is seen as fun and suitable for accounting students to learn law. It is suggested to have many other activities created as assessment methods in teaching law to accounting students.


Research Articles

by Olojuolawe Sunday Rufus, Adewumi Moradeke Grace, Adegboye Oluwadamilola Olalekan, Shirka Kassam Jwasshaka, Shola F. Bakare
341 Views, 198 PDF Downloads

The rising rate of youth unemployment and the attendant consequences on the general population in Nigeria called for concern. The academia and other relevant stakeholders have gradually come to realize that the possession of academic qualifications alone cannot guarantee a good quality job. Thus, many of Nigerian higher institutions are now introducing entrepreneurship studies into their school curriculum without a clear framework. This study intends to create a topology of skills that will help Electrical Technology students in Nigeria find jobs. To gather information about the different skills needed, the Google Scholar search engine was adopted. The search was between 2018 and 2023. The inclusion criteria involve entrepreneurship studies with a focus on Technical Education, Vocational education, and Electrical Technology. A total of 80 Journal articles were extracted for the study. Data were directly collected from the critical stakeholders. The study was guided by 3 objectives. The participants for the study involved 12 experts from the industry and academics. The sample size was purposive and obtained based on Theoretical saturation. The topology of skills was achieved with the application of the Nvivo12 software and the thematic analysis. A Broad skill suitable for the 21st-century job matching for electrical technology students was generated. The study is recommended for in-depth analysis in order the isolate all the in fits.


Research Articles

by Jason V. Chavez, Jhordan T. Cuilan, Haydee G. Adalia
514 Views, 218 PDF Downloads

Cultural values, beliefs, and traditions can significantly influence communication patterns related to seeking forgiveness. Within the context of Islam, apologizing during Ramadan is widely regarded as an integral part of religious practices. The significance of apologizing during Ramadan is observed among various Muslim communities, such as in Indonesia and the Philippines. The study aimed to explore how cultural values and religious teachings shape the perception and practice of apology among individuals during the holy month of Ramadan in the Philippines. The research employed a purposive sampling technique, selecting 16 college students who provided valuable insights into the message patterns surrounding apology and forgiveness within their cultural and religious context. The findings highlighted the enduring relevance of cultural and religious beliefs in shaping apology and forgiveness practices, even in the face of modern systems. Despite societal changes, the concept of apology based on cultural and religious values remained significant and remarkable among young Muslim individuals. Cultural and religious beliefs emphasized the importance of maintaining positive relationships with family, friends, relatives, and neighbors through seeking forgiveness and expressing apologies. The study contributed to the existing literature on forgiveness and cultural studies, providing insights into the interplay between cultural values, religious teachings, and apology practices during Ramadan.


Research Articles

by K. Sarojani Devi Krishnan, Nazatul Shima Abdul Rani
133 Views, 134 PDF Downloads

This paper intends to explore whether there exists any relationship between management of facilities and tenants’ satisfaction towards retirement homes in Malaysia. A set of questionnaire was administered to 400 tenants of retirement homes in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Johor, and Kelantan and only 205 complete questionnaires were used for the study. The questionnaire consists of six items on management of facilities with a high reliability value of α = 0.93; and eight items on tenants’ satisfaction with a high reliability value of α = 0.91. The results from Pearson correlation analysis show that there is a strong, positive and significant relationship between management of facilities and tenants’ satisfaction towards retirement homes. The respondents agreed with the items on efficient management of facilities which are collaborations with NGOs in providing transport and medical assistance, creating awareness of these collaborations, availability of food bank supply, an integrated database, effective management of activity space, collaboration with public professional healthcare and skilled social volunteers. As for tenants’ satisfaction, the tenants agreed with the items which include an increase in the number of retirement home tenants, availability of health screening equipment, high quality food and facilities, and skilled caretakers, retirement homes equipped with internet facilities, and happy with activities conducted. Hence, the findings show that the management of facilities in retirement homes has a direct relationship with tenants’ satisfaction towards these retirement homes.


Research Articles

by Manimegalai Ambikapathy, Maizurah Khathu Abdul Hamid
168 Views, 100 PDF Downloads

Vaccination is a prevention cure to stop COVID-19 spreading. In early 2022, the Malaysian government encouraged parents from preschool and primary schools to vaccinate their children to protect them from infectious viruses. The Malaysian government encourages parents of pre- and primary-school children to vaccinate their children vaccinated against COVID-19 virus. Although vaccination benefits children, some parents are hesitant about immunizing their children due to the opposite and different types of information they received about the immunization effect. This study attempts to identify the readiness and acceptance of vaccination to children among parents from Selangor state based on the availability of information tools used by parents in accepting or rejecting vaccination. This study employed a survey method. A sample of 200 parents who have children between the ages of one to 12 years old were selected to participate in this study. Convenient sample selection was carried out to reach the targeted and qualified respondents through email, social media and WhatsApp platforms. Data were analyzed using SPSS. The results indicated that most of the selected parents ready to vaccinate their children and in examining the trustworthiness of the information platform covering COVID-19 vaccination content, mostly trusted the content provided by the Ministry of Health (MoH). The findings also demonstrated a significant positive relationship between parent’s information-seeking behavior and readiness to vaccinate their kids.


Research Articles

by Amina Omrane, Mohammad Ayub Khan
678 Views, 443 PDF Downloads

The present study represents a comparative analysis between the national cultures of six countries: Tunisia, Germany, China, Mexico, Pakistan and the USA. The overall results of this analytical research indicated that in the light of the Hofstede’s model foundations, Tunisia, Pakistan and Mexico resemble each other to a great extent. Indeed, even if they are geographically far from each other and residing in three different continents, their corresponding national cultures based on religious values, social organization, and language seem similar. Conversely, Germany, China and the US share similar cultural features, even if China is known by its collectivism. Such findings offer cross cultural opportunities and challenges for business leaders and entrepreneurs who are willing to do business in these countries.


Research Articles

by Yin  Su, Yue Hou
212 Views, 113 PDF Downloads

To more clearly present the psychological mechanism and cognitive basis of humorous speech, this study measured college students using various scales, discussed the role of humorous coping in resolving their social anxiety and regulating their mental health, and attempted to construct a cognitive symbol working model from three dimensions: theory of innocence, modern semiotics, and conceptual integration theory. We used the proposed model to present the psychological mechanism and cognitive basis of humorous speech. This study found that humor coping is positively correlated with college students’ social anxiety, which is positively correlated with mental health. Affinity humor style and humor coping can positively predict college students’ communication anxiety, but affinity humor style has better predictive power. This research held that relevance is the general principle of communicative cognition and has become a space of conceptual synthesis network. The combination of conceptual fusion and deviation theory with conventional theory can help us better understand verbal humor and reveal its cognitive basis. There is a close relationship between humorous language and human psychological mechanisms. Finally, there is also a clear relationship between different psychological mechanisms and the structure of humorous language.


Review Articles

by Rohman Hikmat, Suryani Suryani, Iyus Yosep, Taty Hernawaty, Efri Widianti, Imas Rafiyah, Titin Sutini
649 Views, 429 PDF Downloads

Bullying among students is a serious problem that is increasing every year. Bullying behavior causes victims to experience mental health problems such as anxiety and trauma until adulthood. The role of schools is needed to deal with the problem of bullying among students. The aim of this study is to describe a school program that integrates nursing interventions to reduce bullying behavior in students. This study used a design narrative review. Article from PubMed database. The inclusion criteria in this study were that the sample consisted of students, full text, using English, school program, nursing interventions, randomized control trials or quasi-experimental designs, and the last 5 years of publication (2018–2023). The research results showed that there were 6 articles discussing integrated school programs with nursing interventions to reduce bullying behavior in students. Program implementation is carried out by involving teachers, students, parents and health workers through educational activities, counseling, games and training. Active student involvement is important to reduce bullying behavior. In addition, student safety and comfort need to be considered to support the intervention process. Students also need to be trained to improve their assertiveness and empathy skills in order to be able to build interpersonal relationships between students so as to reduce the occurrence of conflicts that cause bullying. Then, school programs that are integrated with health workers need to actively involve the government so that they can issue policies to reduce bullying.