Jesuit Tradition in Education

If you ask a student what primary mission a university has, he/she is likely to say that it is the transmission of knowledge that one can use for achieving professional goals in the future. This is certainly true to a great extent, but it is crucial to remember that higher education is aimed not only at sharing information from a specific field of human knowledge but also at shaping your personality through the development of the best qualities of mind and soul. Being a student is not only about being a data receiver. First and foremost, it implies transforming yourself in the constant striving for perfection.

I believe that Jesuit tradition in education is the best way to achieve outstanding results in preparing yourself for living, interacting, and working in the multi-faceted ever-changing modern world. This is a kind of education that is based upon both religious and secular values. Therefore, the aesthetic perception of the Renaissance interweaves with gospel ideals of the Society of Jesus, which creates the most favorable conditions for both intellectual enrichment and spiritual uplift of a person.

However, the opportunity for growth and comprehensive development is not the only reason I consider the Jesuit tradition valuable for higher education. I also believe that nowadays our society suffers from two equally prejudicial and destructive extremes: some are convinced that religious values are outdated and can only throw you back, whereas others think that science has gone too far and people should turn to God as the only omniscient guide and mentor. Despite the fact that it seems to be a deadly feud, Jesuit tradition gives us a unique chance to take the best of both positions leaving out dangerous extravagancies.

Contrary to the common belief that religion puts strict limitations on a person, Jesuit values prove to be liberating for students, since liberal curriculum not only provides a wide variety of subjects but also encourages you to open your mind to a totally new perception of the world. You come to understand that you should appease excessive desires in order to discover your true vocation. It does not imply denying yourself every imaginable pleasure  it rather means learning how to get rid of the redundant. Jesuit education gives us access to a liberating vision of ourselves and life that surrounds us.

However, there is nothing about imposing a worldview in the Jesuit approach. As a former school student, I know how hard it is to preserve your identity when you constantly experience pressure from public opinion, including your teachers and parents expectations. As a result, you always feel stressed because of failing someone else and become afraid of revealing your real self. Liberal arts education encourages you to explore your inner strivings and inclinations. You learn how to find out what really brings you joy and makes you feel your value as an individual. It makes you stronger, more self-confident, and adaptable to the changing world.

Nevertheless, such a way of thinking does not make you a complete egoist. The paradox is that the more you learn to concentrate on your personality  the more you happen to think of other people. This is perhaps the most valuable thing in Jesuit education for me. I believe that, no matter how hard it may seem to be a humanist, it is totally worth it. When you find beauty and perfection in your own soul, you start seeing them in everything that surrounds you, which gives you the most precious gift possible  that is, to live in harmony with yourself.

The Educational Route to India

Visit India

Please kindly consider the educational route to India aimed at educating the students on cross-cultural influences in global cultures. India is a country of diverse cultures, religions, languages, and races. The identity of Indian people and the social structure of this country are nourished by the rich cultural heritage that is almost 5,000 years old. India is one of the oldest civilizations in the world, and it has turned into a country of contrasts with the rich history and its unique atmosphere.

India is home to hundreds of nations that speak different languages, lead different lifestyles, and worship different Gods and deities. Indians are racially heterogeneous, for instance, in the Himalayas their faces resemble the Mongoloid nation (Stein, 2010).

It is impossible to say what unites all these people, but in India, the concepts of peace (Shanti) and kind neighborly relations are part of the national idea. A trip would be a unique opportunity to show how cultures interact and how they have gradually penetrated each other while preserving their identity and showing mutual respect. The educational route to India will allow students to immerse in the atmosphere of the cross-cultural environment and provide them with valuable experience.

The trip to India will include different activities, visits to famous historical places, and one-day travel to Agra. During the first day of the journey, students will explore the culture of Delhi and visit the main attractions of the Old City such as the famous bright bazaars, narrow lanes, rickshaws, and sacred places. The group will visit the Jama Masjid mosque and the world-famous Red Fort. The goal of the first day activities is to present the key concepts of the Indian culture, which are Hinduism and the Traditional Caste system (Singh et al., 2015).

The Caste system divided people by social groups; however, Hinduism was able to unite them in a single culture. To understand the Indian culture, students need to realize the importance of religious beliefs and traditional attitudes that influence all parts of the life of this nation (Maude, 2011). The visit to Raj Ghat (the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi who is considered the father of the nation) is the culmination of the first day. The students will learn about the significance of this person and his contribution to the development of India and then share their opinions concerning the great Indian leader.

On the second day, the students will get an opportunity to do sightseeing in New Delhi, which is the cross-cultural masterpiece of Anglo-Indian architecture (Sripati, 2014). The India Gate, the magnificent Presidential Palace and the Houses of Parliament would be the main destinations.

Students will learn about crucial historical events that have influenced the development of this country and will be assigned a task to reflect on how the historical background has influenced the national identification of Indian people (Maude, 2011). After that, the students will get a chance to walk around and visit the Lakshmi Narayan Temple. In the evening, the students can stroll through the city center and go to the Handicraft Emporium to explore the joint folk art collected from the multicultural masters of India.

On the third day, the students will take a tour to Agra via Shatabdi Express. The goal of this tour is to visit the world-famous Taj Mahal. It combines the elements of Persian, Indian, and Islamic architectural styles. The Taj Mahal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is called the pearl of Islamic art in India. It is one of the masterpieces of the Indian heritage that is admired all over the world (Sripati, 2014).

During the visit, students will have to take notes and photos, as later they will need to share their opinions concerning this place and its relevance. Also, students will have to explain what its cross-cultural influence was. Further, students will visit the Kinari Bazar, where every street is dedicated to a specific type of commodity or service (Stein, 2010). The last step to cognizing the Indian culture will be attending a workshop of marble carving, which is a unique opportunity to observe the work of artists whose skills have been passed over thousands of years from ancestors to future generations yet to come.

The goal of this trip is to show students how multiple cultures, religions, and races have mixed but remained unique at the same time. It should be noted that the best way to learn something is by experiencing it. By plunging into the diverse culture, students will realize that India was central to cross-cultural exchanges due to its historical background and geographic positioning.

This travel will be very useful in terms of multicultural teamwork as well. At present, society is becoming more international, and the working teams are comprised of different nationalities. Subsequently, students should learn to deal with diverse nations, races, and so on; but it would be impossible without due respect and understanding. Cross-cultural competence is a skill that should be gained and practiced in real-life situations rather than in theory.

The trip to India will provide insights into the way cross-cultural communication can be effective and multiple cultures can contribute to the development of the country. Further, communication style and approach to one culture will not necessarily be effective with another one. The differences often imply miscommunication and lead to tension within a multicultural team. Thus, the knowledge of key cultural components and awareness of personal skills that one should develop to be a fully functional member of society are topical for all the students.

References

Maude, B. (2011). Managing cross-cultural communication. Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillan.

Singh, S., Benanav, M., Blasi, A., Clammer, P., Elliott, M., Harding, P., & Raub, K. (2015). Lonely planet India. Melbourne, Australia: Lonely Planet.

Sripati, C. (2014). Indian heritage quiz: 500 rare questions and answers. Singapore, India: Partridge Publishing.

Stein, B. (2010). A history of India. New Jersey, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Peer Reviewing Cycle and Research Publishing

Peer-Reviewed Journals

The process of reviewing is an important part of publishing new research. The peer-review cycle encompasses many steps that ensure high quality of articles and studies in scientific journals. The most important parts of this cycle include assessing the quality of research and determining its significance to the field. First of all, published research should be sound and logical and have information that is based on viable sources. If this step is overlooked, journals may publish untrustworthy data and subject other researchers in making further mistakes (Hopewell et al., 2014). Therefore, the process of determining the validity of the information is vital. Moreover, the significance of research should also be determined by dedicated professionals. Journals have a limited number of pages in every issue. Thus, according to Lee, Sugimoto, Zhang, and Cronin (2013), choosing the most relevant articles that explore new topics or provide detailed information is essential for journals to be considered helpful. If publishers start to accept ideas that do not present new findings, scientific journals will be flooded by irrelevant studies.

These specifications distinguish peer reviewers from editors. While editors determine whether the article should or should not be published, peer reviewers play the role of professionals in the field of research that contribute to the quality of the article. Furthermore, peer reviewers remain anonymous, while editors work with writers directly. Based on this information, it is possible to determine that the article All in the Family? Parental Roles in the Epidemic of Childhood Obesity is peer-reviewed. The journal, in which this article is published, has information about its peer reviewers available on the website. Most journals disclose the peer-reviewed status of their articles. To find more peer-reviewed information on various topics, one can search for studies in a school library or on websites that publish peer-reviewed articles.

References

Hopewell, S., Collins, G. S., Boutron, I., Yu, L. M., Cook, J., Shanyinde, M.,& Altman, D. G. (2014). Impact of peer review on reports of randomised trials published in open peer review journals: Retrospective before and after study. BMJ, 349, g4145.

Lee, C. J., Sugimoto, C. R., Zhang, G., & Cronin, B. (2013). Bias in peer review. Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology, 64(1), 2-17.

The Law of Business Associations: Educational Course

Course Description

An exploration of the legal mechanisms that are set for effective management of business organizations. Topics include characteristics of a company, types of business organizations, formation of business organizations, management of companies, and termination of a company. The course is a 1000-level law course, and in-depth knowledge of the law is unnecessary. The course build-up on the knowledge of unfair business practices learned in the last semester.

Learning Outcomes

The law of business associations has a wide impact on entrepreneurial decision-making. According to Koh (2022), all business stakeholders need to have a glimpse of the legal systems circumventing their jurisdiction of business activities. Therefore, at the end of the course, the students are expected to achieve the following learning outcomes:

  1. Demonstrate knowledge of the law of business associations and theories of corporate management by recalling and recognizing the major terms: law, corporations, partnerships, sole proprietorship, shares, and limited liability.
  2. Identify laws, conditions, and regulations in national and international work environments that guide the formation of corporations, partnerships, and sole proprietorships.
  3. Demonstrate ability to compare different legal systems in the context of business operations, and identify the most favorable law for a given business case scenario.
  4. Apply abstractions, theories, and general principles of domestic and international business law in real-life business situations.
  5. Conduct intensive and thorough research on the ethical and legal problems facing businesses and human resource management.

Assignments/ Assessments

Group Work

Description

The students will work in a group of a maximum of six. The instructor will give a possible list of topics for the groups to choose from. The students are expected to choose their preferred topic in the second week of the semester, and take ten weeks to research. Submissions will be done during the last week of the semester. The scores obtained in the group work assignment will count for 10% of the students overall grade.

Connecting To Learning Outcome

In the groups, the students, are required to choose one of the topics listed below, and narrow it down to a specific area of discussion that is in line with various learning outcomes:

  1. Business law and theories of corporate management- learning outcome number 1
  2. Business law and human resource management- learning outcome number 5
  3. Business law and international corporate regulation- learning outcome number 2
  4. Formation of businesses at international levels- learning outcomes number 3 and 4

Rationale

The law of business associations is a multifaceted topic since it spans domestic and international legal frameworks. The group work assessment will play three significant roles in allowing the students to achieve the learning outcomes. Firstly, thorough research will ease an understanding of complex legal processes. Secondly, the group work research assignment will help students develop generic skills such as teamwork and communication. Lastly, the students will be encouraged to take a future course in commercial and business law due to a better understanding of the unit.

Continuous Assessment Test

Description

The continuous assessment test will be offered at the end of the sixth week of learning. The test will involve close-ended questions that will help determine the level of understanding among the students. The test will be a two hours sit-in exam that will be conducted online, thrush the colleges examination portal. The continuous test will account for 30% of the overall grade.

Connecting To Learning Outcome

The continuous test will be based on learning outcomes 1, 2, and 3. In connection to learning outcome 1, the students will be required to define various terms learned during the first five weeks. In connection with learning outcome 2, the students will relate domestic and international laws to given business case scenarios. Meanwhile, in connection with learning outcome 3, the students will differentiate given business laws and apply them.

Rationale

The continuous assessment test will serve three significant roles. Through the test, the instructor can identify areas of weaknesses and strengths at the student level. Additionally, the test will act as an academic performance indicator, requiring students to add effort in the forthcoming final exam. Furthermore, through the test, the instructor will adopt an effective teaching approach for better final exam and research paper results.

Final Exam

Description

A final exam, accounting for 70% of the overall grade, will be set. The students will be expected to sit for the exam in the last week of the semester, according to the colleges rules and regulations. The exam will consist of two sections: the first with close-ended questions and the second a descriptive essay question.

Sample close-ended question (section A):

  1. Which of the following is not a legal requirement when registering a company? (1 mark):

    1. Proposed company name
    2. Directors name
    3. Employees list
  2. Companies can be limited by? (2 marks)

    1. Shares and liability
    2. Capital
    3. Directors

Sample essay question (section B):

  • Describe legal challenges faced by companies intending to invest in the global market (15 marks)

Connecting To Learning Outcome

The final exam will be based on learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. While the first section will test outcomes 1, 2, and 3, the second section will test outcomes 4 and 5. Therefore, the students will be able to examine, define, analyze, describe, and apply the business law concepts learned in class.

Rationale

The final exam will give the students a chance to review the materials given during the classes. Consequently, an in-depth understanding of the course concepts and study skills needed. Moreover, the exam will show the students how they have improved during the academic year.

Reference

Koh, A. K. (2022). Shareholder protection in close corporations: Theory, operation, and application of shareholder withdrawal. Cambridge University Press.

The Role of the Visual Arts in Enhancing the Learning Process

This article explores the role of visual arts in education. The authors discuss how visual aids like drawings, diagrams, and videos can improve students involvement, understanding, and retention. They also stress the significance of giving pupils opportunities to put their knowledge to the test through creative expressions like sketching and sculpting. The study stresses the importance of incorporating visual arts into various pedagogical approaches. Visual art learning involves a lot of different cognitive, perceptual, and motor skills that are all connected. This makes the cross-cognitive transmission between learning and creativity a real possibility. Visual arts is a crucial input within the educational sector in the contemporary world that helps in motivating to adapt, and prosper.

The authors set out to demonstrate why it could be helpful to bring more visual arts instruction to the classroom. They claim that children will learn more through the visual arts because it gives them a safe space to experiment with ideas and put their knowledge into words. They also stress the value of visual arts in a comprehensive curriculum to boost learning outcomes. The authors stress the importance of visuals as a means of comprehension. They can boost students interest in class, comprehension, and application of abstract concepts, as well as offer students a creative outlet for expressing their understanding. They also imply that graphics can help pupils think more critically and work together more effectively. Finally, they stress the importance of using visual arts in a way that is consistent with the courses learning objectives and in conjunction with other methods of instruction.

The main point of this study is that inspiration is a vital part of the creative process for both the person making the art and the person looking at it. It is believed that the deeper brain structures, such as the limbic system and the medial frontal structures, are thought to mediate the perspective of emotions, inspirational rewards, and the admiration of the esthetic virtues of the impinging stimuli, which are involved in the integrative response of inspiration (Tyler & Likova, 2012). The authors appeal to logic, emotion, and authority (ethos), all in the service of their argument. The authors use Logos to convey their findings about the potential benefits of using graphics in the classroom and to stress the significance of adapting classroom visuals to the subject matter and students learning goals. Pathos is used to stress the potential of images to give students a voice in class discussions and foster student-teacher partnerships. The authors ethos is utilized to convince the reader that their work is credible and written by experts in the field.

In conclusion, the value of include visual arts in education has been effectively established in the study article The role of the visual arts in strengthening the learning process. It demonstrates the positive effects of art on learning, motivation, and retention. Integrating the visual arts into the classroom has been shown to improve students ability to think critically, solve problems, and be creative. The results of this study provide important evidence for the necessity for more research into the benefits of bringing visual arts into the classroom. In sum, the findings stress the value of appreciating how the visual arts may contribute to a richer and more engaging education for all children.

Reference

Tyler, C. W., & Likova, L. T. (2012). The role of the visual arts in the enhancing the learning process. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 6. Web.

Bolivian Secondary Education and Final Exams

At the moment, the Bolivian education system is far from ideal as numerous obstacles prevent individuals from acquiring knowledge. There are four years devoted to secondary education which is a non-compulsory. It means that numerous people might refuse to study and improve their understanding of basic concepts needed for enhanced careers or some other activities. Less than 25% of citizens engage in secondary education (Education system in Bolivia, n.d.). Additionally, educational establishments that provide secondary education are either private or religious ones (Education system in Bolivia, n.d.). Under these conditions, many young Bolivians are deprived of an opportunity to acquire needed knowledge. In this regard, the radical alteration of the sphere is needed to increase its efficiency and coverage. First, education should be compulsory to create a human capital that will serve as the basis for the further rise of the sphere (Carnoy & Levin, 1985).

It will also result in significant alterations in peoples mentalities and their improved understanding of the significance of education. The next generation will engage in secondary education voluntarily because of the benefits it might provide to them (Carnoy & Levin, 1985). Second, education is one of the factors that shape peoples mentalities and provide new capabilities for them (Carnoy & Levin, 1985). In this regard, the national program to improve secondary education in Bolivia should include enhanced freedom of expression for teachers and students for them to be able to engage in social disputes related to the state of human rights in the state and opportunities available for educated youth (Carnoy & Levin, 1985). Finally, secondary education should be focused on the further development of an individual and his/her career growth. In its turn, it will create new capabilities for students and cultivate the evolution of the educational system of the state.

Education for Refugees in Jordan

At the moment, about 630,000 registered Syrians live in Jordan as refugees (Ghazal, 2017). The migration started in the first stages of the crisis in 2011. Today, this mass of people live in difficult conditions. However, what is even more important is that children who have arrived with their parents are deprived of an opportunity to get an education. One should realize that these young people should be taught to avoid significant problems in the future. The fact is that uneducated individuals comprise the risk group that might engage in illegal activities or joins terrorist forces because of the lack of options. On the contrary, intelligent young people are one of the central forces that drive positive changes and promote the rise of the economy (UNESCO, 2016).

Additionally, literacy is one of the fundamental aspects of early childhood development which means that it is crucial to help children to evolve it to avoid harsh complications. For this reason, we should create a specific environment that will cultivate knowledge and ensure their transition to children who will later become the main contributors to state development. The suggested program is focused on children forced to move from their homes and living in complicated conditions of a refugee camp. One should remember that it is a specific environment that might include such aspects as the lack of space, water, food, and other essentials needed to guarantee the comprehensive development of a child. For this reason, the grant money should be spent on the creation of the setting. Children should be provided with textbooks, exercise books, stationery, etc. These all are crucial to guarantee enhanced outcomes and educate children. Moreover, teachers should also be encouraged to work in such a difficult setting which means that a specific rewarding policy should be introduced.

Barriers a Female Teacher Faces in Cambodia

Modern Cambodia still experiences numerous problems in the sphere of education, especially regarding girls involvement. By the statistics, only 22% of women living in the country can read and write at least at the veraow level (Kelsperry, 2009). Therefore, the situation is even more complicated in rural areas as the majority of girls living there are deprived of an opportunity to attend school, and the number of literate women is much lower. It could be considered the first challenge a female primary school teacher might face in Cambodia. The overwhelming majority of girls are not educated, and the gap between rural and urban populatpopulationsnificant. For this reason, working in rural areas, the teacher will face incomprehension and disapproval.

Therefore, one of the main causes for this treatment is extremely powerful traditions that consider women to be a house responsible for domestic housework and children (Unterhalter et al., 2004). Under these conditions, communities do not understand the need for education for women. These beliefs are especially strong in poor rural areas where the majority of people are not educated and perform some traditional activities. That is why, the female teacher will have to struggle against the biased attitude to educated women. Moreover, trying to engage young girls living in the area, she will suffer from parents resistance because of the lack of understanding of a critical role education plays (Kendall, 2007). Finally, discriminative patterns are stating that only males should be educated because of their dominant position. In this regard, the female teacher will have to struggle against social disapproval and mistrust based on gender issues.

References

Carnoy, M., & Levin, H. (1985). Schooling and work in the democratic state. Palo Alto, CA: Stanford University Press.

Education system in Bolivia. (n.d.).

Ghazal, M. (2017). Jordan hosts 657,000 registered Syrian refugees. The Jordan Times.

Kelsperry. (2009). Girls education in Cambodia.

Kendall, N. (2007). Parental and community participation in improving educational quality in Africa: Current practices and future possibilities. International Review of Education, 53, 701-708.

UNESCO. (2016). Education for people and planet: Creating a sustainable futures for all.

Unterhalter, E., North, A., Arnot, M., Lloyd, C., Moletsane, L., Murhpy-Graham, E.,& Saito, M. (2004). Girls education and gender equality.

Lenses for Close Reading of Narrative Texts

The variety of lenses provided by Lehman and Roberts (2013) in their book about close reading is expected to be a powerful tool in teaching students about close reading and its impact on text comprehension. The authors discuss different lenses for narrative and informational texts and include them into six groups of text study: text evidence, word choice, structure, the point of view and argument, and reading across text (Lehman & Roberts, 2013). The lenses for close reading of narrative texts include characters speech, actions, and thoughts, gestures and expressions, relationships, setting, time, and objects that are repeatedly mentioned or described (Lehman & Roberts, 2013). The purpose of these lenses is to teach students to find the evidence first, and after they reflect upon this evidence, they can formulate an idea based on these text details. Moreover, such an approach to texts also encourages paying more attention to those facts that students tend to overlook (e.g. settings, time frames).

Descriptions, facts, graphic data, and phrases about a subject (or subjects) are used as text evidence when students need to close read an informational text. These texts can be difficult for students to grasp during their first attempt; close reading fosters attention to details that can help students with unknown definitions and new words.

The efficiency of close reading is rooted in its ability to help the reader draw on prior and immediate knowledge to support integrating new text information (Lapp, Grant, Moss, & Johnson, 2013, p. 111).

Lenses used in the study of word choice are alike both in narrative and in informational texts; here, students pay attention to emotions and images that these words evoke, the style, and particular groups of words such as nouns or verbs, for example. The words can often reveal the texts central message or theme. However, the teacher has to be careful to ensure that students do not misinterpret the words or stick to those ideas not expressed in the text.

The structure of the text is examined through different lenses: for narratives, students focus on genre (fantasy/historical fiction) and plot, as well as the authors techniques; for scientific texts, editorials and articles are more common, and students need to study the text features and sections as well. Descriptions and comparisons are common for both types of text, but action and flashbacks are normally used in fiction. Claims and definitions are features of scientific texts; during a close reading session, the teacher needs to emphasize these differences in lenses so that students can apply the right lenses to a particular type of text.

If students have a hard time with the second lens, the purpose, the teacher can use text-dependent questions to encourage students consider evidence from the text instead of trying to provide their own opinions, sometimes vaguely related to the text (Fisher & Frey, 2012, p. 185). With the help of such questions and lenses, students will be capable of recalling specific parts and details of the text to develop their understanding of it.

The next important category is the point of view and argument in the text. The characters and authors point of view (what they think, believe, feel) can be evaluated by engaging the previous lenses (characters actions, thoughts, the structure of the text, word choice, etc.) (Lehman & Roberts, 2013). Students can try annotating the text to use the notes later in a discussion (Fisher & Frey, 2012). For scientific texts, students need to use other lenses: claims, counterarguments, ideas, the relevance of ideas and facts (Lehman & Roberts, 2013). To understand what makes this opinion persuasive, students pay attention to emotional appeals, sense of audience, humor, some rhetorical devices that can be used in the text, etc. As it can be seen, lenses for understanding the point of view in narrative and informational texts are different; narrative texts tend to express points of view in a subtle way, while informational texts often state the argument at the beginning or the end of the article. However, word choice and structure are the lenses essential for both types of text because they often reflect the argument or its flow towards the main claim/idea.

The last set of lenses is used in reading across the text: a comparison of settings, genres, authors, styles, characters or subjects aims to help students not only develop better understanding of the given text but also become [more active] in understanding their world (Lehman & Roberts, 2013, p. 118). Furthermore, students will learn to identify intertextual relations in different types of text and media. Intertextual connections can make students more aware of the connection between different texts and their influence on each other.

The advantage of close reading is in its ability to motivate students to look deeper to find ideas and evidence, develop their cognitive skills, and generally see texts from a different perspective compared to the wide type of reading. Lapp et al. (2013) point out that students were excited about the experience of close reading although they felt tired as well. With the help of the lenses, students can learn much more about a text even after the first unprepared reading.

References

Fisher, D., & Frey, N. (2012). Close reading in elementary schools. The Reading Teacher, 66(3), 179-188.

Lapp, D., Grant, M., Moss, B., & Johnson, K. (2013). Students close reading of science texts. The Reading Teacher, 67(2), 109-119.

Lehman, C., & Roberts, K. (2013). Falling in love with close reading: Lessons for analyzing texts and life. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Internal Self and External Self

The way people are seen by others is likely to differ from how each person views themselves. Nabigon (2006) proposes that an individual can be characterized by two aspects, which are their external (ES) and inner (IS) selves. The word persona can be used to describe the former, and ES is the image displayed to the outside world (Nabigon, 2006, p. 93). On the other hand, IS refers to a persons private feelings and thoughts (Nabigon, 2006). Although what an individual shows others may seem distinct from ones internal qualities, ES and IS are interconnected and may lead to an imbalance in life without proper care (Nabigon, 2006). My IS and ES have some discrepancies, which are depicted through a collage, but I have become better at listening to myself after participating in the program.

A visual I have created to illustrate my ES and IS has two parts. Picture 1 demonstrates a collage of my emotions that I show to others and keep to myself, with the above two circles representing me before the program and the ones below depicting me now. To assemble the visual, I used images of characters that portray different sentiments from the movie Inside Out (Ibrahim & Junaid, 2021). I understand that peoples feelings are quite complex, but the five emotions seem practical for the collages purpose of exhibiting my IS and ES.

Collage of my IS and ES emotions
Picture 1. Collage of my IS and ES emotions

The collage demonstrates who I am based on my feelings and what part of me I display to the world. It is important to mention that I moved to Sioux Lookout, Ontario, nine years ago for work. Now, I am a supervisor for child care and family services in Muskrat Dam, and I have two teenage sons. Prior to starting the program, I had a variety of emotions, and negative ones often overpowered those that were positive. For example, I tried to suppress my anger and fear, and although I was happy, I had pessimistic thoughts. However, as a mom and a professional working with children, I felt obligated to show that I was cheerful and brave. Occasionally, I would demonstrate some bitterness and be judgmental toward others and myself. Accordingly, my ES did not correspond with IS, causing an imbalance.

Approaching the programs end, I have discovered how to address my feelings better. I have realized that I was controlled by harmful experiences in my past and frequently was tired but did not know how to bring order to my life. I took the program to move up in my organization and learn more about Indigenous culture, but the lessons helped me understand better that I need to find inner peace. Nabigon (2006) states that individuals take care of their IS through personal reflection, which I now strive to practice daily. Moreover, Nabigon (2006) suggests that people are responsible only for their own happiness and should not attempt to influence others or solve their problems. Consequently, I no longer try to suppress my emotions but accept them and look for the reasons behind them. As a result, I am more at peace and do not feel the need to judge or demonstrate that I am always happy and fearless. Sometimes, I let go of my anger or sadness but in ways that do not harm others. Accordingly, I am now learning to take care of my IS and ES.

To conclude, the visual collage depicts my inner and external selves, which have transformed since the start of the program. I have discovered more about how to understand myself and interact with the people in my life. Although I am not in my perfect state, I believe that by implementing the insights from the program, I can nourish my IS and ES further and find balance.

References

Ibrahim, W. A., & Junaid, S. (2021). Emotional intelligence in Inside Out movie. Journal of Advanced English Studies, 4(2), 46-51. Web.

Nabigon, H. (2006). The hollow tree: Fighting addiction with traditional native healing. McGill-Queens University Press.

Educational Seduction and the Doctor Fox Lecture

Introduction

The article under analysis deals with the effects the educators presentation style and charisma can have on the learning process. The study described in the article is based on the assumption that learners can be seduced quite easily by the personality of the educator and appreciate the learning experience even if it is characterized by irrelevant content. This assumption is well-supported by studies that involve middle- and high-school students. Naftulin et al. examine the way experienced educators evaluated a lecture that was interesting in terms of presentation and rather irrelevant when it came to its content (630). The experiment described in the article revealed some peculiarities of learners perception and learning motivation.

Analysis

The experiment involved the participation of three groups of educators in such areas as psychiatry, psychology, and social work. The third group consisted of the educators who had a bachelors degree and other credentials. The overall number of participants was 55. The educators who took part in the experiment had a lecture. The lecturer was an actor who was presented as a knowledgeable professional with substantial credentials. The lecturer presented the material with the use of humor and various real-life stories, but the factual information on the matter (game theory in mathematics) was limited and often meaningless with conflicting statements and ideas. The lecture ended in a short discussion that was similar in nature. The participants completed questionnaires evaluating the lecture. It was found that the overall attitude of the vast majority of participants (from 70% to 90% depending on the group) was favorable although some people provided quite negative commentaries.

On the basis of this information, the researchers come to the conclusion that learners can be seduced by the educators charisma and presentation style irrespective of the level of their background knowledge on the matter. Naftulin et al. express their surprise at the easiness the participants were deceived as no one guessed that it was not a real lecture (634). Importantly, the researchers conclude that the results of the experiment show that there should be a balance between content and presentation. Another observation was associated with learners motivation. Some participants wanted to study the article used as the basis of the lecture even after learning about the purpose of the research. The authors conclude that

Naftulin et al. emphasize that the nature of the lecture could affect the results as the lecturer contemplated quite a general topic (634). The findings could be different if the topic of the lecture was more specific. The authors also add that the sample size is not large, which makes the data ungeneralizable. Nevertheless, the researchers stress that the obtained information is valuable as it provides insights into the correlation between the learning process and learning content and presentation. The authors even claim that actors can be invited to serve as charismatic educators in order to increase learners motivation and facilitate the learning process.

Work Cited

Naftulin, Donald H., et al. The Doctor Fox Lecture: A Paradigm of Educational Seduction. Journal of Medical Education, vol. 48, 1973, pp. 630-635.

Peer Review Cycle and Its Critical Issues

Key Issues in the Peer Review Cycle

In my opinion, one of the primary points in the peer-reviewed cycle is the research because it is the stage that requires a long and detailed analysis, which gives the possibility to proceed to the subsequent stages of writing a scientific work. Besides, the submission of a particular publication to an editor also plays an important role. This person checks an almost finished paper, regulates the time of its publication, and verifies the reliability of all the data. The fundamental difference between an editor and peer reviewer is that the first studies the content of an article, as well as checks the novelty and finds out whether the declared topic corresponds to the written sample. As Paltridge (2017) notes, a peer reviewer does not contact the author. He has no information about who wrote a particular paper, and the author of the work does not know the peer reviewer either.

Evidence of Peer-Reviewed Article

The article chosen for the analysis is about a life-work balance and flexible work schedules that may help in organizing the work and rest process (Galea, Houkes, & De Rijk, 2014). According to the information studied, it is possible to claim that this article was verified by the expert since it has all the necessary evidence of this procedure. First, the list of references is checked and edited. Secondly, the work is published in a well-known scientific journal, which indicates that the paper has passed the necessary verification. Peer-reviewed information can be found in various databases, which contain useful data about everything that a person needs to check a particular paper: the name of the editor and publisher, as well as the information about the place and date of publication.

References

Galea, C., Houkes, I., & De Rijk, A. (2014). An insiders point of view: How a system of flexible working hours helps employees to strike a proper balance between work and personal life. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 25(8), 1090-1111.

Paltridge, B. (2017). Learning to do peer review. London, UK: Palgrave Macmillan.