Journal of Culture and Values in Education (JCVE)
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Cultural Competency of Clinical Students in a Caribbean Medical School
Full text linkWe aimed to find out the clinical students’ scores on cultural competencies and its different components (awareness and sensitivity, behavior, patient-centered communication, practice orientation, and self-assessment); to check the correlation between different components of cultural competency; and to examine the influence of students’ demographic characteristics on their cultural competency. A 48-item Schwarz’s Healthcare Provider Cultural Competence Instrument (HPCCI) comprising five scales was used to measure the cultural competency of Trinity Medical Sciences University students in clinical years. The descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation, and multivariable regression analysis were done using SPSS. The students obtained 81.8% in overall cultural competency, 83.3% in awareness and sensitivity towards cultural competency, 75.8% in behavior, 82.6% in patient-centered communication, 83.3% in practice orientation, and 92% in self-assessment of cultural competency. A significant positive correlation was found among different scales of HPCCI with some exceptions. Age, gender, race, school semester of study, and birth country of students and their fathers were found as independent predictors for different components of cultural competency measured. The medical students’ awareness/sensitivity toward cultural competence, concerning behavior, their patient-centered communication, and practice orientation skills need attention and have to be a driving point in the planning, developing, and implementing focused effective cross-culture curricula to better prepare the medical students for the benefit of diverse patients and communities they will serve
Fraud Diamond Theory’s Perspectives of Principled Leadership in Organisational Transactional Relationships: Imaginary, Symbolic and Real Gifts
Full text linkThis article delves into the intricate world of gift-giving within the context of blesser-blessee relationships in South Africa, where affluent individuals provide financial support to their younger counterparts in return for favours, most often of a sexual kind. Examining the multifaceted nature of these transactions, the article explores the implications of such relationships on the emotional well-being, ethical considerations, and power dynamics of those involved. From imaginary and symbolic gifts to the controversial "envelope practices" we scrutinise the various dimensions of gift-giving in these relationships. Additionally, the article addresses the darker aspects of these dynamics, including issues of exploitation, vulnerability, and societal stigma. While recognizing the desire for intimacy among individuals, especially younger and less mature participants, the article emphasizes the importance of understanding the nuanced complexities of gift-giving within these relationships. The fraud diamond theory is explored as a foundation for the integration of practices like blesser-blessee behaviours within organisational activities, highlighting the role of social norms in shaping acceptable behavior. Ethical leadership is underscored as crucial for maintaining integrity within organisations, emphasising the importance of leaders in mediating uncertainty and promoting virtues such as humanity. Additionally, Lacan's theory is introduced, suggesting that communication is inherently flawed and that the unique context of the blesser-blessee phenomenon in South Africa may pose challenges for understanding. Ultimately, the article calls for a critical examination of the ethical implications and advocates for comprehensive education and support systems to navigate the challenges associated with intimacy, power imbalances, and financial transactions in such relationships
Exploring the School Management Team’s Perspectives about the Challenges of Addressing Learner-on-teacher Violence in Secondary Schools: Implications for Invitational Leadership
Full text linkAddressing learner-on-teacher violence remains a severe challenge to school management teams (SMTs) worldwide. School violence is a worldwide issue, and it also seems to be getting worse in South Africa, where it is not sufficiently reported or addressed. Thus, the study aims to explore SMTs' perspectives on the challenges of managing learner-on-teacher violence in selected South African secondary schools. The paper adopted the Invitational Leadership theory to guide and interpret the findings. A qualitative approach and a multiple case study design were used to draw attention to leadership challenges in addressing learner-on-teacher violence in secondary schools. Eight participants were purposively selected for the study. The data was generated through one-on-one semi-structured interviews) with principals, heads of departments (HODs), and teachers. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis, and four themes emerged. The findings revealed challenges SMTs face when addressing learner-on-teacher violence include inadequate policies, lack of parental involvement, insufficient departmental support, and lack of support from other stakeholders. Therefore, this paper recommends that the DBE capacitates school leaders in reviewing policies and supports them in implementing them
The Unnoticed Few: Exploring the Challenges Confronting International Students and Staff at a Rural University in South Africa
Full text linkGlobalisation and international student and staff mobility are not new phenomena, and South African universities have been fairly successful in the recruitment of internationals – particularly from other African countries, yet the challenges associated with internationalising universities remain persistent. This study sought to examine the challenges faced by international students and staff at a rural university in South Africa. We relied on a qualitative research approach which enabled us to rely on semi-structured interviews with international students, staff, and managers from the university’s International Office. The findings revealed that while some of the opportunities for studying and working abroad are to widen one's horizons and experience new cultures, international students and staff often experience difficulties such as language barriers, culture shocks, mental health issues, and financial pressures when adapting to their new context. We recommended that there be behavioural interventions, cultural interventions, and also financial support for student and staff expatriates
The Sway of Early Marriage on the Girl Child Education among Some Ethnic Groups in Lagos State, Nigeria
Full text linkThe research braces that education is necessary for everyone, regardless of gender. The study aimed to ascertain the impact of child marriage on girl-child education among the ethnic groups, determine the relative contribution of religious belief as a determinant of child marriage on girl-child education among the ethnic groups, and determine the relative contribution of cultural values as determinants of child marriage on the girl-child education among the ethnic groups in Lagos state, Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive research design while the population comprised all the girls within the Agege area, Lagos State, Nigeria. A sample of 141 married girls was purposively selected based on those who married as teenagers. A questionnaire titled “Impact of Child Marriage on Girl-child Education’’ was deployed to gather the data. The data were analysed using Chi-square and ANOVA with the mean (x ̅ = 2.48) and standard deviation (SD = 0.69) values of the participants. The result revealed that there was a statistically significant difference in the religious belief (F (2, 138) = 7.80, p < 0.05) of child marriage on girl-child education. Lastly, the findings showed a statistically significant relative contribution of cultural value (χ2 = 24.07; df = 4; p < 0.05) as a determinant of child marriage in the girl-child education among ethnic groups in Lagos State. The study recommends, among other things, that the Lagos State Government, via health education practitioners should constantly enlighten the public about the jeopardies of encouraging early marriage among girl-child
Probing Learners’ Attributes That Facilitate Effective Mathematics Teaching and Learning at the Rural Secondary School Level
Full text linkThis study sought to explore the attributes of students that make mathematics teaching most effective in secondary schools in the North-West province. A total of 1 120 mathematics students were surveyed with a structured questionnaire and 988 responses were received. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences was employed to evaluate quantitative responses. Study respondents were described using descriptive statistics such as the mean, standard deviation, variance and frequency distributions. According to the findings, there was a significant correlation above 0.3. The results also showed that the correlation matrix was not unitary, providing a strong relevance between the students' attributes. The p-value of most of the attributes was less than 0.01 and 0.05 levels of significance, confirming the interrelations between the attributes. Therefore, none of the attributes could be achieved without considering the others. It was concluded that the multiple relationships between these attributes are viable. Through the study, educators will be able to assess and authenticate a cross-cohort of mathematics students, which will lead to the implementation of appropriate attributes to improve mathematics performance at the secondary school level. Such diagnostic interventions can empower mathematics students to recognise warning signals to work toward improved performance
Techno-Rationalism and Higher Educational Law: Examining Legal Frameworks in Southern African Universities from a Freirean Critical Pedagogy Perspective
Full text linkThis conceptual article explores the profound impact of techno-rationalism on educational law in Southern African universities. It also examines the influence of techno-rationalism on equity, social justice and academic freedom within higher education in the digital era. The article critically analyses the reshaping of educational law in Southern Africa by considering technological advancements, economic forces, affective factors and socio-cultural dynamics. It aims to investigate whether the implementation of techno-rationalist discourses hinders social justice aspirations in universities. Additionally, the article explores how pervasive neoliberalism and market-driven logic are at universities, questioning whether these practices overshadow the institution’s core objectives and commitment to social justice. The article envisions possibilities for reconceptualising the university in the era of techno-rationalism through the critical pedagogy theory. This theory is relevant to this work because it promotes an emancipatory theoretical framework that challenges learning environments, especially higher education institutions, where people might be politically, socially and economically disempowered. It also calls for a holistic approach to knowledge, curriculum and pedagogy that recognises the university’s embeddedness in a broader ecological and socio-cultural context. Through this exploration, the article contributes to the scholarly discourse on the decolonisation of universities and seeks to inspire new lines of enquiry addressing inequality and the pursuit of social justice in Southern African higher education institutions
Confucius Institutes: China’s Cultural Soft Power Strategy
Full text linkThe employment of culture and language as a Chinese foreign policy strategy combines the leadership’s ideas and the academic effort to communicate with the world. China’s approaches to disseminating cultural soft power are seen through overseas Confucius Institutes (CIs). The CIs have been recognized as a symbol for transmitting the Chinese language and cultural elements abroad. This research argues that CIs function as agents of Beijing by promoting language and culture, fostering global recognition of China as a civilized society and cultural power, and improving its cultural connections worldwide. However, CIs’ influence was limited because it is not an acceptable model for foreign government-funded organizations. China has faced constraints in translating its soft power into desired outcomes, especially in the United States (US) and European Union (EU)
An Ethnographic Case Study of Secondary School’s Moral Education in a Mainland City of the Greater Bay Area
Full text linkChinese moral education is a much broader concept and is heavily criticized for being overly politicized and indoctrinated. The Greater Bay Area (GBA) initiative upholds the people-centered development philosophy in education. This study aims to investigate the school-level implementation in Shenzhen, one of the GBA cities, and teachers' perspectives to determine the facilitating and inhibiting factors across different layers in the student-centered ecological systems of students’ moral development. A two-year-long ethnographic case study was conducted in the case school based on Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory. The study participants consisted of 18 teachers. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to examine the participants' perceptions. The study findings revealed that the facilitating factors include clear guidelines on the national level, cooperative teachers, and ambitious principals with a consciousness of visions and responsibilities for moral education. Meanwhile, Shenzhen has the potential to be the pioneer of moral education reformation. However, the rigid content in the textbooks and the stuffy school culture hinder the success of moral education at the school level. The lack of communication and mutual understanding contributes to the splintered and emotionally exhaustive experience of moral education teachers. More efficient and measurable strategies should be used to uphold a tight alliance across different layers. Future research should examine alternative moral education models, decision-making processes, Chinese school management style, and the specific appliance of the ecological systems theory in the unique Chinese educational context
Difficulties and Coping Behaviors in Interpersonal Relationship Formation among Japanese Students in France: Implications for Cross-Cultural Social Skills for Studying Abroad in France
Full text linkThis study examined cross-cultural difficulties experienced by Japanese students in France and their coping strategies. This study consists of 2 parts: in Study I, difficulties in interpersonal relationship formation and coping strategies were explored from the perspective of Japanese students in France. In Study II, Japanese students’ coping behaviors in France were evaluated from the hosts’ perspective. Additionally, expected coping behaviors in specific sociocultural contexts were examined. Data were obtained through questionnaire surveys and interviews. Study I demonstrated that interpersonal difficulties fell under three major categories: assertiveness, sociability, and schedule fluidity. These comprise eleven medium and four minor categories. In Study II, active coping, in which a guest student actively attempted to address a challenge, and receptive coping, in which a guest accepted the host’s behavior and perspective, received high evaluations. Finally, the use and teaching of cross-cultural social skills with French people are discussed