Search Results (110)

Sacrificial rituals provide a critical perspective for examining the fundamental characteristics and evolutionary trajectory of Chinese civilization. The Functionalist and Annales schools, through theoretical frameworks such as “natural necessity theory” and “social-centric theory”, have explored the origins of sacrificial practices and their role in social cohesion. When these schools investigate Chinese sacrificial rituals, they identify significant differences in the humanistic and ethical dimensions compared to in Western intellectual traditions, thereby revealing how these distinctions propelled China onto a unique civilizational path. The sacrificial system underwent a process of humanization and moralization during the Shang and Zhou dynasties, culminating in the recognition of benevolence–righteousness attributes within human nature, primarily characterized by affection and reverence. The interplay between intrinsic human dispositions and ritualized sacrificial practices established the foundational structure for the social order, spanning from familial units to political society in China. This synthesis ultimately shaped the distinctive philosophical characteristics of Chinese civilization, emphasizing the principles of benevolent love, reciprocal loyalty, and harmonious coexistence. Full article

Background/Objectives: Participation in sports activities is one of the risk factors for traumatic dental injuries. Nevertheless, little data are available in the literature on such problems in persons with disabilities. This study aims to evaluate the prevalence and severity of traumatic dental injuries in athletes with intellectual disabilities and other coexisting chronic diseases, as well as the use of mouthguards and the level of treatment of injuries in this population. Methods: The research was carried out in seven special needs schools. Two calibrated dentists performed dental examinations in 100 subjects practicing sports, aged 8–30 years (study group), and in 128 individuals, aged 8–25 years, who do not perform systematic physical activity (control group). Statistica Software v.10 was used for statistical analysis, with the level of statistical significance at p ≤ 0.05. Results: The majority of individuals had one tooth affected by traumatic injury in the study and control individuals, with the results amounting to 14% and 5%, respectively; the difference between both groups was statistically significant (p = 0.02). Only one athlete used a mouthguard during training and competitions. Restorative treatment of traumatically damaged teeth was performed in six athletes (37%) out of the total sixteen subjects affected by dental injuries from the study group and in two (15%) out of thirteen participants from the controls. Conclusions: This study reveals that dentists should be professionally prepared to meet the special needs of the population with disabilities and chronic disorders to minimize the burden of dental trauma. There is an urgent need for preventive programs for special needs athletes, their parents/caregivers, and trainers concerning the use of mouthguards. Full article

Augmented Reality (AR) seamlessly blends the real-world environment with digitally generated content, creating an interactive hybrid experience where both realities coexist. This paper explores an augmented reality application developed for natural heritage education, specifically designed to enhance indoor learning. The focus is on a learning activity titled Exploring the Aquarium, implemented by the Education Centre for the Environment and Sustainability (E.S.E.C.) of Kastoria as part of an environmental education program. The activity enriches students’ knowledge and experiences during their aquarium visit, fosters active participation in the learning process, stimulates cognitive interest, and encourages actions that support the ecological restoration of aquatic ecosystems. This paper presents the application’s design criteria, thematic focus, learning objectives, and core functionalities. Additionally, the paper presents findings from quantitative research evaluating the learning experience. A questionnaire tailored for AR applications was employed to assess aspects such as challenge, educational value (knowledge gained), user collaboration, and intention to reuse the app. Data were collected from 148 K-12 students during the 2023–2024 school year. Descriptive statistical analysis revealed that all factors were evaluated highly. The results indicate that the AR-enhanced educational activity captured the students’ interest and facilitated a collaborative learning environment. The application was positively rated for its functionality, usability, informational content, and the satisfaction it provided, as well as its ability to encourage cooperation and future reuse. Full article

Academic success is conditioned by different factors, related to academic goals, life satisfaction, and feelings of belonging to the school. This article aims to assess whether beliefs, attributions (academic goals), and feelings (life satisfaction and sense of belonging to the school) do or do not influence attitudes towards school authority (school, teachers, learning, norms, and families). A total of 510 students from six secondary schools participated and four questionnaires were used: academic goals, life satisfaction, attitude towards institutional authority, and sense of belonging to school. The focus was on the description of academic goals and negative attitudes towards authority, focusing on the mediating role of school belonging and life satisfaction. Descriptive, variance, and mediation analyses were conducted. The questionnaire with the highest scores was sense of belonging to school. The dimension with the least influence on negative attitudes within academic goals was social reinforcement. Males showed more negative attitudes towards authority, and an indirect and significant relationship was observed between academic goals and negative attitudes towards authority, mediated by life satisfaction and sense of belonging to school. In conclusion, the role of the school as a protective agent is confirmed. Therefore, intervening in negative attitudes towards authority would solve coexistence problems and increase life satisfaction, expectations of academic performance, and the feeling of belonging to the school. Full article

Despite the limited academic focus on the context of Official Language Schools (OLSs), these institutions play a crucial role in the formal education system, which are exclusively dedicated to foreign language teaching across various modalities in Andalusia, where ten different languages are taught. The main aim of this study is to perform an analysis the following two specific aspects: first, a descriptive analysis of the digital competence of 105 OLS teachers, and, second, a contrastive analysis examining potential differences in digital competence based on the language and teaching modalities (e.g., face-to-face vs. blended learning). This study uses the DigCompEdu framework to evaluate the digital skills of the teachers, revealing that, while they receive some training in digital competence, the overall level is only moderate, indicating a significant need for further professional development. Notably, the study highlights that the teachers’ ability to convey the importance of digital tools for educational purposes is a crucial area, particularly in an environment where digital natives and immigrants coexist, presenting an intergenerational digital divide. The contrastive analysis shows no significant differences in digital competence based on language or modality, pointing to the lack of specialized training for blended learning teachers, who must rely heavily on technology in their work. This study suggests future research should focus on the digital competence of students, considering age as a potential influential factor in language learning, and recommends designing a tailored digital competence training plan for OLS teachers based on the DigCompEdu framework, which could benefit foreign language educators broadly. Full article

Epipelagic fish communities dominate fish assemblages and are an important part of marine ecosystems due to their high abundance, vertical migration behavior, and global distribution. Purse seine fisheries are key components of marine fisheries in the tropical Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO), primarily targeting skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis, SKJ), yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares, YFT), and bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus, BET). In this study, WCPO purse seine fishery data from 2014 to 2022, combined with environmental factor data, were used, and Mantel tests and correlation analysis were employed to analyze the diversity, fish coexistence mechanisms, and environmental responses of catch communities under the following two different fishing strategies: free–swimming schools (FSCs) and drifting fish aggregating devices (DFADs). Mantel tests indicated that nitrate (NO_3⁻), the Oceanic Niño Index (ONI), and pH significantly impact the diversity of the FSCs community, whereas NO_3⁻ significantly affects the diversity of the DFADs community. Based on the correlation analysis results, in the FSCs community, yellowfin tuna was positively correlated with bigeye tuna, and yellowfin tuna was negatively correlated with skipjack tuna and black marlin (Istiompax indica, BLM). In the DFADs community, yellowfin tuna was only positively correlated with skipjack tuna and bigeye tuna. In addition, species with high correlations were also positively correlated. The results of this study provide a theoretical basis for the biodiversity conservation of catch communities under two different purse seine fishing strategies in the WCPO. Full article

In recent decades, research on Haredi society has expanded significantly, emphasizing its distinctive characteristics in contrast with the broader Israeli social fabric. Commonly described as “separatist”, “secessionist”, “isolated”, and “an enclave”, Haredi society is often perceived as segregated from the rest of Israel’s population. However, recent studies suggest that this reclusiveness is a relatively recent development. Until the 1980s, most Haredim coexisted in mixed residential areas with secular, traditional, and national-religious populations. The employment rate among Haredi men was comparable to that of other Israelis, and secular subjects were part of the curriculum in Haredi schools. Moreover, many Haredi men served in the Israeli army and held a positive view of the state, celebrating its accomplishments. The contemporary concept of a “society of learners”, where many married men engage in yeshiva study while their wives serve as the main breadwinners, was once largely unacceptable within the community. Unlike earlier qualitative studies that documented the transformation of Haredi society, this article employs a quantitative approach to detail these changes. Through an analysis of residential patterns, education, military service, political influence, and the rise of the “society of learners”, this study provides a deeper understanding of the forces shaping contemporary Haredi society and explores potential future trajectories. Full article

Economic science is built on the basis of the concept of competition. Classical School economists have not defined this concept with precision. The “Neoclassic Revolution” defined the concept of perfect competition as an ideal combination of productive resources accessible to all permanently (optimal size). Within this framework, competition ensures that suppliers will cover demand by matching market prices to both average and marginal costs corresponding to the optimal size. Large and persistent differences in profit and wage rates, when interpreted from a perfect competition perspective, will always be considered a sign of the absence of competition. Only an alternative concept of competition can modify such an interpretation. In this context, the objective of this work was to develop an alternative concept of full competition, which is formally formulated, to foster a more sustainable environment for the coexistence of enterprises of different sizes. The full competition definition assumes that firms maximize long-term benefits (fixed-capital amortization period) by trying to ensure full use of productive capacity and achieving relative advantages through innovation instead of merely adjusting prices to maximize short-term benefits. This approach provides a different explanation for inequalities in profit and wage rates, from simple adjustment in prices (perfect competition) to the search for new and better opportunities through innovation (full competition). This could change the meaning and scope of economic policies, which are influenced by both Neoclassical and Keynesian approaches, when addressing the entrepreneurial challenges of sustainable development. Full article

This article concerns the analysis and strengthening of children’s emotional self-regulation as a key process in the sustainable and comprehensive educational development of students from 6 to 8 years of age. The objective of the present study was to design a didactic proposal for technological mediation (WhatsApp) that contributes to emotional self-regulation and underpins the sustainable education of children in the context of the prevalence of COVID-19. The research design involved documentation, field, and propositional work. Regarding the documentation design, the content analysis technique of the Institutional Educational Project and the Coexistence Project of an official educational institution located in Bogotá, Colombia, were used. Regarding the field design, the survey technique was applied through a structured questionnaire for populations made up of second grade primary school students, parents, and teachers of the institution. Among the main results, it stands out that the prevalence of COVID-19 and its post-pandemic implications have generated greater use of available technologies, such as the WhatsApp application, evidencing a positive relationship between the level of emotional self-regulation of children and its use as a didactic mediation agent. These findings serve as input for the design of the interactive TICSR-WA proposal. Full article

An important feature of China’s housing market is the coexistence of a high house-price- to-income ratio and high homeownership rates. The purpose of our study is to reveal the root causes of this paradox from a new perspective and theoretical foundation. Based on questionnaire data from Hangzhou and logistic regression models, our research finds that the most important factors driving middle and lower-income groups to buy homes are its unique household registration and school district housing system, underdeveloped housing rental market and inadequate regulatory system, and the wealth appreciation effect caused by the continued rise in housing prices. Furthermore, intergenerational wealth transfers, private lending, and China’s generous home mortgage policies have made homeownership possible for this groups. However, the high house-price-to-income ratio leads to heavy financial pressure on the middle- and low-income groups and is not conducive to sustainable and healthy economic development. To this end, we suggest that the government accelerate the equalization of public services, improve the regulatory system governing the rental housing market, and control the unreasonable rise in housing prices and diversify investment channels for residents. Full article

Children from multicultural families (i.e., families with at least one parent from a foreign country other than Korea) in South Korea face increased risks of adverse life conditions at home and school. However, few studies have investigated the cumulative effects of family and school adversities, especially internalizing behaviors in this population. This study examined the association between neglect and internalizing behaviors (i.e., depression and social withdrawal) and whether victimization from school violence amplifies the impact of neglect. Data were drawn from the second wave of the Multicultural Adolescents Panel Study (MAPS), which was constructed by the National Youth Policy Institute (NYPI) and included 1500 fifth-graders surveyed in 2012. We first examined the moderating effect of school violence victimization on the association between neglect and depression and subsequently tested the same model to predict social withdrawal. This study showed that neglect significantly increased depression and social withdrawal. Additionally, the impact of neglect on depression and social withdrawal intensified when school violence coexisted. The findings of this study suggest that children from multicultural families exposed to co-occurring adversities require more attention. Assessment of polyvictimization and psychological counseling are necessary for supporting these children who have suffered violence at home and school. Full article

The domain of education deals with the issue of the possibility of a person’s development so that the person would learn to become more human through the educational process. An integral part of a person’s development is first and foremost the dimension of an individual’s integration into society. Education for values plays an indispensable role in education. The technical aspect of education—as John Macmurray described it—has its foundation in instrumental rationality, aiming at the realization of utilitarian values in order to achieve the necessary social cooperation for the purpose of an easier coexistence. That so-called instrumental conception of life has given birth to a special type of the contemporary human being, homo faber. If, however, we strive to achieve the complete development of a human being through education, which is more fully realized only in the communion of people in the forms of friendship, fellowship and love, this instrumental conception requires enrichment through a communitarian conception of life, aimed at the realization of intrinsic values. In that sense, this article explores the contemplative and relational aspects of education from the perspective of religious education, which, according to John Macmurray, are based on the emotional level of rationality which results in the acquisition and adoption of intrinsic individual and inter-individual values. The aim of this article is to show that when it comes to education, these values are best conveyed through narratives. The article also attempts to shed light on the way students internalize and personalize intrinsic values through their emotional familiarity with the narratives, and especially with the value of reciprocity, which is key to authentic religious practice, and thus also to ethical awareness, which is important for the formation of moral awareness and character of a human being. Furthermore, the article explores the extent to which narratives as a form of religious knowledge are important in religious education, and in which they contribute to the formation of students’ opinions, attitudes and identities as transmitters of religious truths. Narratives notably carry a strong potential for the spiritual transformation of one’s personal and social life in such a way that they can motivate students to accept and realize certain religious and moral practices through experiential touching of values. Examples of narratives used in religious education textbooks in secondary schools in Croatia reveal how much they actually contribute to the goals of religious education in terms of education for intrinsic individual and inter-individual values. Full article

Successful urban school design includes green space to counterpoint the built form in cities, where parks and reserves are well frequented. Further integration of landscape and buildings is an aspect of urban development that could improve how architecture is experienced by the wider community. Above all, evidence shows that it enhances the health and wellbeing of inhabitants. By providing green space in buildings, nature can be accessed more directly by its occupants and allow connection with nature to occur more easily. Integrating nature with architecture can improve a building’s self-regulation, energy consumption, and overall performance. Architecture that integrates nature can have a distinctive appearance and character. The co-existence of bricks and mortar with plants and vegetation is one example of integration, whereas the use of natural materials such as timber as part of the building fabric can create distinctive architecture. It is this individuality that can provide a sense of identity to local communities. Access to the outdoors in urban settings is a critical requirement for successful urban school design. This paper focuses on the architectural practise of designing biophilic schools and illustrates how optimising playground opportunities can provide the highly sought-after connection between architecture and nature. Connecting classrooms and pedagogy to the outside environment during the design phases of projects can create unique responses to a place, enhancing the learning experience in environments where architecture and nature can be informed by emerging biophilic evidence. This study strives to develop a strategy where educational clients can be convinced to actively embrace a biophilic school approach. It also seeks to convince architects to adopt a biophilic approach to school design across design studios using the emerging evidence based on biophilia and biomimicry. Full article

Iodine and fluorine, as halogen elements, are often coexisting in water environments, with nearly 200 million people suffering from fluorosis globally, and, in 11 countries and territories, adolescents have iodine intakes higher than that required for the prevention of iodine deficiency disorders. It has been suggested that excess iodine and/or fluorine can affect thyroid health and intellectual development, especially in children, but their combined effect has been less studied in this population. This study investigated 399 school-age children in Tianjin, China, collected drinking water samples from areas where the school-age children lived, and grouped the respondents according to iodine and fluorine levels. Thyroid health was measured using thyroid hormone levels, thyroid volume, and the presence of thyroid nodules; intelligence quotient (IQ) was assessed using the Raven’s Progressive Matrices (CRT) test; and monoamine neurotransmitter levels were used to explore the potential relationship between thyroid health and intelligence. Multiple linear regression and restricted cubic spline (RCS) analyses showed that iodine and fluorine were positively correlated with thyroid volume and the incidence of thyroid nodules in school-age children, and negatively correlated with IQ; similar results were obtained in the secondary subgroups based on urinary iodine and urinary fluoride levels. Interaction analyses revealed a synergistic effect of iodine and fluorine. A pathway analysis showed that iodine and fluorine were negatively associated with the secretion of free triiodothyronine (FT3) and free tetraiodothyronine (FT4), which in turn were negatively associated with the secretion of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). Iodine and fluorine may affect IQ in school-aged children through the above pathways that affect thyroid hormone secretion; of these, FT3 and TSH were negatively correlated with IQ, whereas FT4 was positively correlated with IQ. The relationship between thyroid hormones and monoamine neurotransmitters may involve the hypothalamic–pituitary–thyroid axis, with FT4 hormone concentrations positively correlating with dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE), and 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HT) concentrations, and FT3 hormone concentrations positively correlating with DA concentrations. Monoamine neurotransmitters may play a mediating role in the effects of iodine and fluoride on intelligence in schoolchildren. However, this study has some limitations, as the data were derived from a cross-sectional study in Tianjin, China, and no attention was paid to the reciprocal effects of iodine and fluorine at different doses on thyroid health and intelligence in schoolchildren in other regions. Full article

Social skills are crucial to the personal development and academic success of elementary school students. Through competencies such as empathy, conflict resolution, leadership, and self-esteem, students learn to interact effectively and adapt to diverse social situations. However, the manifestation of these skills can be conditioned by factors such as race, ethnicity, or religion of the students, as well as by the environment in which they live. Therefore, it is vitally important to actively promote these skills within the school environment to ensure healthy growth and a successful future in society. In this context, the research focuses on the analysis of the social skills of intercultural students in Andalusia. Specifically, we investigated whether the White race, Castilian ethnicity, and Christian religion have any influence on these skills. To meet this objective, a quasi-experimental design was used with a non-probabilistic purposive sampling that included a sample of N = 803 intercultural students aged 6 to 12 years from schools in all Andalusian provinces. The results indicate that students of predominantly White, Castilian ethnicity, and Christian religion exhibit greater social skills compared to those of Gypsy ethnicity, Islamic religion, or no religious affiliation. These findings underscore the significant influence that culture and social environment exert on the development of social skills, which are fundamental for facilitating integration and promoting peaceful coexistence among different cultural groups. Full article