Journal of Social Sciences Advancement

The relationship of Time Perspective with Depression, Anxiety and Stress across International Students in China during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Hafiza Komal Yameen — Sat, 02 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Individual differences in psychological relationships to time are the fundamental construction of time perspective (TP). Research suggests that TP is related to mental health. The question is whether balancing TP predicts mental health well-being in cross-culture studies. Considering the period of COVID-19 and several individual differences that might have significant psychological effects. A cross-sectional, web-based survey study was conducted among international students (N=228) who enrolled at Chinese universities. The participants were recruited through convenient sampling. Following informed consent, demographic variables, depression, anxiety, and stress scales were used. Later on, reliability, correlation, and regression analysis were conducted to examine the association between variables. Results show a strong positive relation between Past Negative (PN) TP with anxiety, depression, and perceived stress. Present Fatalistic (PF) also shows a significant relation with anxiety. While TPs' dimensions Past Positive (PP) and Future (F) negatively significant with depression. Our study illustrates that balancing one's own temporal perspective decreases the chances of being mentally sick. This suggests that manipulative TP profiles are tailored to mental health. Thus, TP profiles may impact conditions that are characterized to achieve the desired behavioral outcomes in periods of uncertainty.

Colonial Shadows: Unveiling the Narrative of Colonialism and Othering in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness

Amna Aziz, Aiman Naeem, Suman Naeem — Sun, 10 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Conrad’s "Heart of Darkness" unfolds against the backdrop of European colonialism in the Congo, serving as a profound exploration of the human psyche and the moral ramifications of imperialism. This abstract delves into the intricacies of colonial shadows and the pervasive theme of othering that Conrad masterfully elucidates. During an era characterized by anxiety and oppression, Conrad's novella is widely regarded as a moral lesson on human self-indulgence and a sociological commentary on the morality of colonialism and imperialism. Through the protagonist, Marlow's journey into the heart of Africa, Conrad unveils the darkness inherent in the colonial enterprise, exposing the brutal exploitation and dehumanization of the African people by European powers. Central to the narrative is the concept of othering, whereby Europeans construct an image of the African "other" as inferior and uncivilized, justifying their oppressive actions. Conrad meticulously portrays the consequences of this ideological construction, depicting the profound psychological impact on both the colonizers and the colonized. Moreover, he critiques European civilization's inherent hypocrisy and moral decay, which claims enlightenment while perpetuating barbarism in the name of progress and profit. Through vivid imagery and haunting prose, Conrad forces readers to confront uncomfortable truths about the human condition and the insidious nature of colonialism.

Language as a Gateway: Maximizing Student Effective Learning through English Teaching – Learning Processes in Pakistani Context

Sadia Irfan, Bushra Jamil, Bibi Maryam, Khalida Parveen — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000

All developing nations know that learning English is vital in adopting the latest scientific and technological innovations. Despite English's better position, Pakistani students struggle to speak it well because of administrative, social, and educational barriers and issues with how it is taught. For this reason, teaching English to students in Pakistan is a difficult task. This study aims to identify possible solutions for the difficulties English language teachers in public schools in Pakistan suffer. The research revealed that the translation method of instruction was used rather than the direct and strategical methods. It also proved that teaching English followed a similar pattern to teaching other topics, like general science and Pakistan Studies. With this teacher-centered method of instruction, learners don’t get a chance to practice their language abilities in a classroom setting, mainly in public schools. This method of teaching English is based on several aspects, such as a lack of teachers with the necessary training, a lack of in-service training for primary and secondary school teachers, a rote memorization system of exams, overcrowded classes, a heavy workload of teachers, a lack of teaching resources, and a lack of ongoing support from the teachers. The study also suggested some solutions to enhance students' learning through English language development (ELD) and also for teachers to overcome these challenges by improving the teaching quality in the English language, which can help students learn effectively in their future higher education. English instructors ought to have specialized training emphasizing teaching English as a language rather than other areas of study.

An examination of manifestation of Bloom's taxonomy in biology school-based assessment in selected school

Mbuli Rose, Agatha Wilson Yintore — Fri, 22 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This study investigates the utilization of Bloom's Taxonomy in school-based biology assessment tasks in selected secondary schools in the Meru district of Tanzania. Despite the emphasis on Bloom's Taxonomy in teaching and assessment, examination results in biology have been consistently underwhelming. The study aims to examine the manifestation of Bloom's Taxonomy in the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains within school-based biology assessments. Qualitative research methods were employed to gather data, including interviews, observations, and document analysis. Findings reveal that while some teachers demonstrate an understanding of Bloom's Taxonomy and its application in assessment, others lack clarity on its principles. Teachers acknowledge the importance of progressing from lower to higher cognitive complexity levels in teaching and assessment. However, observations indicate a tendency to assign assessment tasks predominantly at lower cognitive levels, neglecting higher-order thinking skills. Similarly, the affective and psychomotor domains are addressed to varying degrees. Teachers incorporate aspects of the affective domain by observing student attitudes, behaviors, and values, although this aspect is often less structured. The psychomotor domain is assessed through practical activities and demonstrations, with some teachers effectively integrating it into assessment tasks. Recommendations include curriculum review to ensure alignment between syllabi and teaching materials, increased budget allocation for biology resources, and addressing teacher workload through recruitment initiatives. These measures aim to enhance the quality of biology education and improve student assessment performance. Overall, this study highlights the need for greater alignment between teaching practices, assessment methods, and educational objectives.

Citizen Satisfaction with Public Policy from Good Governance Theory

Trung Phan Nhan — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The relationship between people and policy is not a new issue in previous public policy research. However, few authors mention serious research on people's satisfaction with current policies. Studies on good state governance with progressive criteria, emphasizing participatory, consensus-oriented, transparent and accountable, responsive and effective, efficient, equitable, inclusive, and following the rule of law have created a positive evaluation system for each country's state management activities, especially in public policy evaluation. Assessing people's satisfaction lies in the content of policy evaluation. People have the right to know and be aware of the problems of the policy, the reasons for its creation, and the benefits that the policy brings to the majority of the people, ensuring the nation's political guidelines and policies. Satisfaction assessment based on good governance theory contributes to the author's assessments and analysis to discuss factors affecting people's satisfaction with the policy process, expanding the issue of people-centered policy processes, thereby suggesting some implications for countries.