<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<italic>Introduction:</italic>Religious textbooks are always at the front of the Greek educational reality, following the broader tendency of a school study grounded on textbook culture. The present paper focuses on the visual structure of the Greek secondary religious textbooks (in the three grades) and answers the following questions: What kinds of visuals are used in the textbooks? What exactly does the substance of these things consist of? Where can they go, exactly? Moreover, how do linguistic and visual structures relate to one another?
On the other hand, the “otherness” problem is also analyzed through the results provided by the implication of the mixed method used. The latter is accumulated in the assumption of the dynamics of the visuals and their capacity to stimulate the participation of the students through their content. The otherness definition follows two main paths: one of an interdisciplinary approach during the learning process and another concerning the personal stimulation of all students through an inter-social and interreligious level. The hypothesis is confirmed through the interesting results of the present research.
<italic>Methods: </italic>For research purposes, it has been used Atlas ti. The software was available for the qualitative type of research. However, there are various accounts of interesting quantitative magnitudes for comparisons.
<italic>Results:</italic>The primary outcome focuses on a frequency balance among the grades using traditional and more modern visuals in their textbooks.
<italic>Discussion:</italic>Pictures could offer an outstanding pedagogical service when used creatively and effectively. The latter means that the meanings of the day’s lesson could be conveyed through visuals to all the students (international students included). Then the religion teacher could initiate a debate in class or assign a related artful thinking activity (providing motivation and inflaming students’ participation.
<italic>Limitations: </italic>The first twenty pages of each religious textbook have been used for research. The above restriction consisted of a research choice to avoid a broader statistical data account, which was not the primary goal to achieve.
<italic>Conclusions:</italic>Disregarding the dominant research frequencies and locations and going further from the correlations issues between textual and visual formations as depicted, it might be interestingly argued that the modern and abstract tendencies and options of Grade A and B’s religious textbooks consist of a pole of appealing of the otherness in an individualistic and spiritualistic level of discussion.
</abstract>

The Interdisciplinary Pictorial Material of Greek Religious Textbooks - A Chance to Meet the Otherness

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<italic>Introduction:</italic> Among the contemporary models developed, the updated Bloom’s taxonomy has become the most widely used cognitive process model for gauging learning questions. This model emphasizes the cognitive levels starting from remembering information and progresses to advanced levels such as producing knowledge. Even though students use a variety of strategies to synthesize information and learn, there is an urgent need for teachers to adopt better pedagogies to facilitate meaningful learning. Adams (2015) established that Bloom’s taxonomy places emphasis on student’s ability to acquire prior knowledge before interpreting or applying it into a real-world scenario. It is of interest then to determine the Bloom’s levels in principles of economics textbooks.
<italic>Methods:</italic> This study utilized qualitative research to determine whether the aspects of Bloom’s revised taxonomy were utilized in end of chapter questions. The questions at the end of the chapters of the “Principles of Economics” by Gregory Mankiw (2021) were classified based on Bloom’s revised taxonomy.
<italic>Results:</italic> The study revealed that most of the questions utilized the apply level of Bloom’s cognitive domain. There were few questions regarding evaluation or creating.
<italic>Discussion: </italic> Faculty need to be aware of the different Bloom’s levels available to them and potentially focus more on the higher levels of Bloom’s revised taxonomy.
<italic>Limitations: </italic>One limitation is that only the leading Principles of Economics textbook was surveyed. Other textbooks may produce different results.
<italic>Conclusions:</italic> The leading Principles of Economics textbook had many end-of-chapter questions at the apply level of the revised Bloom’s taxonomy. There may be opportunities to develop more questions at the higher levels of the revised Bloom’s taxonomy.
</abstract>

Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy in a Principles of Economics  Textbook

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<italic>Introduction:</italic> The undergoing globalization brings epidemiological, economical, energetical, and environmental security risks. The current task in the field of improving the quality of the environment is educating students in schools for adaptation to the climate change and mitigating its impact on the life and health of living organisms.
<italic>Methods: </italic>The authors carried out a research study on the sample of teachers in 57 schools in the Slovak Republic focusing on particular themes of environmental security, teachers’ knowledge in the field and the availability of material didactic means.
<italic>Results:</italic> Particular themes of environmental security were identified and teachers’ knowledge in the field was examined. Special attention was paid to the availability of material didactic means to be used for the purposes of environmental education. Statistically significant differences were found between their availability in towns and villages.
<italic>Discussion:</italic>Human activities have significantly changed the quality of the environment and now, the necessary to start applying a more environmentally responsible approach is clear. In the Slovak school system, the cross-cutting theme environmental education provides space for it.
<italic>Limitations:</italic>Limitations are given by the size and the composition of the sample, which do not allow to generalize the obtained findings to the entire population.
<italic>Conclusions:</italic>In education, it is important to introduce measures and to prepare graduates for the future as a reaction to the climate emergency situation and the planetary crisis. So, teachers should have expertise, possess objective information, as well as appropriate didactic means for educating students.
</abstract>

Information and Material Support to Environmental  Education in Slovakia in the Times of Crisis

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<italic>Introduction:</italic>Today, thanks to information technologies including Web 2.0 technology, educators can make their lessons more efficient and understandable. In addition, they can encourage active participation of students in this way. With the increase of online education applications during the Covid-19 epidemic in the world, the use of Web 2.0 tools in education has also increased.
<italic>Methods:</italic>Explanatory design, one of the mixed research methods, was used in this research. Within the scope of this research, a questionnaire was applied to the participants to determine their perceptions about Web 2.0 tools, and then interviews were conducted with interview questions created in line with the analysis of quantitative data. 69 pre-service teachers from a large Turkish state university participated in the quantitative stage of the research and five students participated in the qualitative stage.
<italic>Results:</italic> In line with the data obtained, it was concluded that the music teacher candidates’ perceptions of Web 2.0 tools were high.
<italic>Discussion: </italic>In the survey application, which forms the basis of the quantitative step of the research, it is seen that the majority of students gave the answer “I agree” or “strongly agree” to survey items. Especially in 2020, with the Covid-19 pandemic worldwide, distance education been implemented for a while thanks to technology, and this situation brought teachers and students closer to technology and improved their usage skills. In addition, these skills are supported by the use of Web 2.0 tools and it is seen that teacher candidates also have a perception towards this.
<italic>Limitations: </italic>The research was limited to 69 students who voluntarily accepted.
<italic>Conclusions:</italic> Although Web 2.0 tools have not yet been used effectively by music students, the importance of these tools in terms of the active role of students in the course has been understood.
</abstract>

Opinions of Music Education Department Students on Web 2.0 Tools: The Case of Bursa Uludag University

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<italic>Introduction:</italic> Item response theory (IRT) has received much attention in validation of assessment instrument because it allows the estimation of students’ ability from any set of the items. Item response theory allows the difficulty and discrimination levels of each item on the test to be estimated. In the framework of IRT, item characteristics are independent of the sample and latent traits of the person are independent of the test on the account that the selected models perfectly fit the data. Therefore, scores that describe examinee performance are independent on test difficulty. The scores of the examinee may be lower on a difficult test and higher on easier tests, but the ability level of the examinee remains the same over any test at the time of testing. The IRT model allows the estimation of item parameters. The line of difference between the models and parameters of IRT is not clear to many students in assessment.
<italic>Purpose:</italic>This paper reviews the parameters that are estimated using IRT and the models available in IRT. Also, the paper highlights the difference between the parameters and models and the various models under each set of data.
<italic>Methods:</italic>Various literatures on IRT relating to the parameters and models of IRT are reviewed.
<italic>Conclusions:</italic>There are four parameters estimated with IRT but the models are not four. Again, the models of IRT depends on the type of data. Dichotomous data has four models for the four parameters. However, polytomous data has two parameters: item difficulty and item discrimination for the models.
</abstract>

Parameters and Models of Item Response Theory (IRT):   A Review of Literature

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<italic>Introduction:</italic>The spread of the coronavirus brought necessary changes in education, including the abrupt transfer from classroom instruction to an exclusively online environment. The teachers and pupils/students adapted to the new conditions, and currently, virtual education elements are being implemented in face-to-face teaching to enhance its efficiency. The aim of our research was to monitor distant education in vocational music school environment, describe main difficulties in vocational music online classes, and identify elements of distance learning that can be implemented in music education after pandemics.
<italic>Methods:</italic>The study utilized a mixed research design. The primary method of collecting data was through questionnaires (2020, 2021 and 2022), and analysing essays written by students from the Faculty of Performing Arts at the Academy of Arts in Banská Bystrica, Slovakia (2020).
<italic>Results:</italic>Student respondents strongly believe that while in theoretically oriented courses, online education can replace face-to-face learning, it is no viable option for practically oriented courses in higher music education. More than half of the students do not support the inclusion of elements of distance education in face-to-face teaching. In spite of several challenges, the positive aspects of online education support the implementation of some distance learning elements in face-to-face music education.
<italic>Discussion: </italic>Our findings about vocational music online education do not contradict other surveys (Yurdal, Sahin, Kosan, &amp; Toraman, 2021; Wang, 2023; Al-Mawee, Kwayub, &amp; Gharaibeh, 2021; Bakhov, Opolska, Bogus, Anishchenko, &amp; Biryukova, 2021; Martha, Junus, Santoso, &amp; Suhartanto, 2021).
<italic>Limitations: </italic>The main limitation is the sampling, as it only included participants who had internet access and were willing to participate in the survey. Future studies should encompass more music educational institutions in Slovakia to achieve a larger sample size. Furthermore, in analyzing questionnaires, we did not make difference between participants´ music study fields.
<italic>Conclusions:</italic>Although distance education has shown considerable improvement since 2019 and has undeniable advantages, students pursuing performing arts and composition at the Faculty of Music Arts at the Academy of Arts maintain rather sceptical attitude towards it. They strongly believe that in practical courses, the online teaching cannot fully replace the face-to-face instructions. However, teachers often incorporate certain online teaching elements into their regular classes.
</abstract>

Musical Art Distance Education after Pandemic

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<italic>Introduction:</italic>This study aims at examining the direct and indirect mediating role of the intolerance of uncertainty (IU) variable in the relationship between COVID-19-induced OCS and depression in a Turkish adolescent sample.
<bold><italic>Methods:</italic></bold> The sample consists of 427 people (248 females, 179 males) between the ages of 14-18, living in Turkey and selected by convenient sampling method. The data were collected through the COVID-19 Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Scale, Depression, Stress and Anxiety Scale (DASS-21) and Intolerance of Uncertainty Index-A for Children (IUI-A-C).
<italic>Results:</italic> The findings show that COVID-19-induced OCS have strong predictive effects on depression symptoms. The findings also revealed that IU directly and indirectly mediates the relationship between COVID-19 OCD and depression symptoms, as well as its negative predictive effect for depression symptoms.
<italic>Discussion: </italic>It can be said that OCS caused by COVID-19 trigger depressive symptoms in adolescents. In addition, it can be thought that IU, with its mediator effect, may play a triggering role in the emergence of COVID-induced OCS. Another research finding is that IU may be an important transdiagnostic construct for depressive symptoms.
<italic>Limitations: </italic>The current study has also some limitations. First, the study was carried out as a cross-sectional study. The fact that the sample group is non-clinical and a clinical group is not included can be considered as second delimitation. Third, the current study just used scales to evaluate the students’ self-report. At this point, a different perspective can be developed by taking the opinions of the parents.
<italic>Conclusions:</italic> The results show that COVID-19-induced OCS increase depressive symptoms in Turkish adolescents and IU has a mediating effect in this relationship. In addition, the results provide important data for the treatment of mental symptoms related to the pandemic.
</abstract>

Investigating the Relationships between Obsessive Compulsive Symptoms (OCS) and Depression Symptoms and Intolerance of Uncertainty in Turkish Adolescents during Covid-19

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<italic>Introduction:</italic> Learner indiscipline has emerged as a global cause for concern for educators and parents in the 21st century. This study sought to develop a framework for the successful implementation of positive discipline. The study sought to provide answers revolving around the contributing factors towards learner indiscipline, the effects of indiscipline on teaching and learning, educators’ perceptions on positive discipline, factors leading to the ineffective implementation of positive discipline and the constituents of an effective framework for implementing positive discipline.
<italic>Methods:</italic> The study adopted a qualitative approach. Districts were identified utilising convenience sampling, while participants were sampled purposively. Data collection comprised semi-structured interviews and document analysis. Six schools from two districts in the Mpumalanga Province were selected as the study sample. The sample comprised twenty-four participants, including principals, class teachers, Life Orientation teachers, and chairpersons of School Governing Bodies from each school. Thematic content analysis was used to analyse the data and present the findings.
<italic>Results:</italic> The findings revealed that learner indiscipline is affected by several contributing factors such as family situation, community setting, human rights, peer pressure, educators, and learners themselves. Lack of stakeholder engagement, absence of training, overemphasis on learners’ rights and conditioning of educators and parents on corporal punishment are the factors that have led to the ineffective implementation of positive discipline.
<italic>Discussion:</italic>To ensure the implementation of positive discipline is successful, a framework should support a multi-stakeholder consideration to engagement. Ubuntu values should be incorporated in re-packaging the positive discipline toolkit so that it suits the local context.
<italic>Limitations: </italic>Only two education districts in one province of South Africa formed part of the study.
<italic>Conclusions:</italic> Educators are to adopt a revised curriculum that accommodates positive discipline and Ubuntu values in related subjects taught in school. Effective implementation requires regular monitoring, evaluation and reviewing of the positive discipline approach. The study proposed an Afrocentric framework for the implementation of positive discipline.
</abstract>

A Framework for Implementing Positive Learner Discipline in Public Secondary Schools from the Context of the Mpumalanga Province

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Acta Educationis Generalis

Volume 13 (2023): Issue 3 (November 2023)

The Interdisciplinary Pictorial Material of Greek Religious Textbooks - A Chance to Meet the Otherness

Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy in a Principles of Economics Textbook

Information and Material Support to Environmental Education in Slovakia in the Times of Crisis

Opinions of Music Education Department Students on Web 2.0 Tools: The Case of Bursa Uludag University

Parameters and Models of Item Response Theory (IRT): A Review of Literature

Musical Art Distance Education after Pandemic

Investigating the Relationships between Obsessive Compulsive Symptoms (OCS) and Depression Symptoms and Intolerance of Uncertainty in Turkish Adolescents during Covid-19

A Framework for Implementing Positive Learner Discipline in Public Secondary Schools from the Context of the Mpumalanga Province

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