Aurel Vlaicu University of Arad Editing House: Journals
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THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ MENTAL HEALTH: A FOCUS ON DEPRESSION: 10.24250/jpe/2/2025/PEO/ETE/AE/
No full textThis study investigates the impact of social media use on themental health of university students, focusing ondepression. Using a survey design, data were collectedfrom 180 students across Delta State University (DELSU),Dennis Osadebay University, Asaba, and Ogwashi-UkuPolytechnic. The research was anchored on the Uses andGratifications Theory, and Social Comparison Theory.Findings revealed that most students spend over threehours daily on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, andWhatsApp. Excessive use was significantly associated withdepressive symptoms such as loneliness, low self-esteem,and sadness, while moderate use promoted communicationand social support. The study concludes that frequentsocial media use contributes to poor mental health amongstudents. It recommends increased awareness on digitalwell-being and balanced online engagement to reduce therisk of depression
AGE DISCRIMINATION IN NIGERIAN PHYSICS EDUCATION: A POLICY AND EQUITY CRITIQUE: 10.24250/jpe/2/2025/AMA/
No full textThis paper examines age discrimination in physics education in Nigeria, analysing how educational policy impacts participation, equity, and achievement. Guided by Statistical Discrimination Theory, it evaluates how rigid age limits in university admissions marginalise learners regardless of merit, experience, or academic potential. The study highlights that such policies exclude non-traditional learners, late bloomers, and those delayed by socioeconomic challenges, thereby reducing diversity essential for innovation in physics education. Drawing from existing literature, it argues for inclusive reforms aligned with lifelong learning and educational justice. Recommendations include eliminating fixed age limits, implementing merit-based and flexible entry pathways, and promoting awareness of age diversity in educational planning. Removing structural age barriers is essential to fostering equity, broadening participation, and enhancing productivity in physics education
ADAPTIVE DIGITAL PARENTING IN EARLY CHILDHOOD: SUPPORTING HEALTHY MEDIA HABITS FOR PRESCHOOLERS: 10.24250/jpe/2/2025/SI/
No full textPreschoolers today are growing up surrounded by digitalmedia, which presents both developmental opportunitiesand risks. Parental guidance plays a key role in shapinghealthy media habits from early childhood. This studypresents the Adaptive Digital Parenting for Preschoolers(ADPP) program, an intervention program combiningparent education with a personalized mobile application.The 10-week randomized controlled trial involved 60families with children aged 3–5 years, divided intointervention and control groups. The ADPP programoffered interactive workshops and app-based feedbacktailored to each family’s digital behavior. Results indicatedsubstantial improvements in parents’ digital parentingcompetence (+20 points on a standardized scale, p < .001),significant reductions in children’s daily screen time (–40minutes on average), and greater parent–child coengagementwith educational media. Qualitative findingshighlighted decreased parenting stress, improved familyroutines, and higher confidence in managing technologyuse. While limited by its pilot scope and short-termduration, the study demonstrates that adaptive, technologysupportedparenting interventions can enhance digitalliteracy, reduce excessive screen use, and strengthen familyrelationships. The ADPP model contributes a scalableframework for supporting families in the digital age,promoting resilience and meaningful media use in earlychildhood
LEVELS OF UNDERSTANDING NON-LITERARY TEXTS IN CONTEMPORARY TEACHING: 10.24250/jpe/2/2025/ISJ/
No full textNon-literary texts are objective, written in clear andaccessible language, with the main characteristic ofcontaining information that should be comprehensible tothe reader. Such texts are included in textbooks across allsubjects in the lower grades of primary school, whichencourages the transfer and integration of knowledge, aswell as the development of cross-curricular connections,thereby contributing to the long-term acquisition ofknowledge. This type of text encompasses a wide range ofmaterials which, due to their nature and characteristics,are not only found in schoolbooks but are also availablethrough various platforms. Contemporary educationrequires an innovative approach to reading non-literarytexts, making it essential to monitor the development oftechnologies that provide numerous opportunities fordiverse forms of learning, thereby enhancing studentengagement, text comprehension, and the overall quality ofthe teaching process. This paper presents the results of aninformal knowledge test among fourth-grade primaryschool students, as well as their attitudes toward nonliterarytexts. The research was conducted on a sample of264 fourth-grade students from urban and suburbanschools in Serbia. The survey method and the method oftheoretical analysis were applied. Based on theoreticalinsights, eight progressively complex levels were identified,reflecting different degrees of comprehension. Students’attitudes toward this type of text were examined using afive-point Likert scale. The paper also presents anassessment of the correlation between students’ attitudesand their knowledge test results on non-literary texts usingthe X2 test. The research findings indicate that students holdpositive attitudes toward reading non-literary texts andinterpret them in accordance with the identified levels ofunderstanding. The results also showed that no statisticallysignificant difference was found between the level ofcomprehension on the knowledge test and students’ attitudes toward non-literary texts. Identifying levels ofunderstanding provides teachers with a basis for moreeffective guidance of students toward deepercomprehension of content and improvement of the teachingprocess. Knowledge at different levels contributes to thedevelopment of skills and competences that are essentialfor students throughout schooling as well as for lifelonglearning
DEVELOPING EMPATHY IN RELATION TO DISABILITY THROUGH EDUCATIONAL PROJECTS: THE ESSENTIAL ROLE OF THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM IN SUPPORTING INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: 10.24250/jpe/2/2025/AFR/
No full textPromoting empathy towards individuals with disabilities isa key objective of inclusive education, with direct effects onreducing stigmatization and fostering positive socialrelationships within the school environment. This paperexamines the impact of two applied educational projects:“Disabilities Explained to Children” and “DisabilitiesExplained to Teenagers” implemented in Arad Countybetween 2021 and 2025. These projects were developedthrough the effective collaboration of a multidisciplinaryteam (including support teachers, school counselors,speech therapists, and classroom teachers) and were basedon experiential learning activities, thematic short films,and disability-simulation activities or games. The dataanalysis indicates a significant increase in student andteacher participation, reflecting enhanced receptiveness tothe topic of disability and a strengthened culture ofinclusion within the participating schools. The resultsconfirm the potential of these projects to generate genuineattitudinal change and support the need for theiradaptation and expansion in other educationalcommunities, through locally sustained initiatives andcoherent institutional support
GREEN EDUCATION: CAN TASK-BASED LEARNING STRATEGY MAKE SUSTAINABLE COMPUTING MATHEMATICS STICK? 10.24250/jpe/2/2025/AKB/SAO/
No full textThe global push for a healthier environment emphasizes theimportance of sustainable computing in achieving theSustainable Development Goals. However, the ChiefExaminers of major examination bodies describedstudents’ achievement in senior secondary schoolmathematics topics related to sustainable computing asweak. This study investigated the effect of a task-basedlearning (TBL) strategy on students’ learning of thesetopics, with gender as a moderating variable. A pretestposttestcontrol group quasi-experimental design with a 2× 2 factorial was employed. The sample comprised 114senior secondary school students from two purposivelyselected public schools in the Ijebu-Education Bloc ofOgun State, Nigeria. The data collection instruments werethe Task-Based Learning Strategy Instructional Guide(TBLSIG) and Sustainable Computing MathematicsAchievement Test (SCMAT), with a reliability coefficient of0.71. The finding revealed that students exposed to the TBLstrategy significantly outperformed those taught usingconventional methods (F(1,109) = 77.968, p < 0.05).Gender was not found to significantly affect students’sustainable computing mathematics learning (F(1,109) =0.408, p > 0.05), as the TBL strategy was gender-neutral.The interaction effect of strategy and gender on learningachievement was not significant (F(1,109) = 0.784,p>0.05). Based on these findings, it is recommended thatteachers adopt the TBL strategy for teaching sustainablecomputing mathematics and consider its application inother subject areas. The Computer Studies curriculumshould also include sustainable computing mathematics toprepare students for sustainable development
EPISTEMOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL BELIEFS AMONG PRESERVICE BIOLOGY TEACHERS: 10.24250/jpe/2/2025/AK/
No full textThis study examined the levels of epistemological andcultural beliefs and its influence their academicperformance among respondents in the study area. Thesewere with a view to ascertain the relative and joint effectsof these beliefs on the academic performance of preserviceteachers in Biology. The study adopted descriptivecorrelational research design as the population comprisedall preservice teachers enrolled in the Department ofScience Education, Faculty of Education at ObafemiAwolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Nigeria, during the2023/2024 academic session. One hundred (100)preservice teachers were selected through randomsampling from the Biology education unit. Data werecollected through a structured questionnaire,Questionnaire on Epistemological and Cultural Beliefsamong Preservice Teachers in Biology (QECAP). QECAPwas divided into sections that measured demographicinformation, epistemological beliefs, cultural beliefs, andacademic performance. The reliability of the instrumentwas confirmed with a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.79.Descriptive statistics, One-Way ANOVA, and multipleregression analysis were used to analyse the data. Thefindings revealed that the majority of the respondents heldmoderate epistemological beliefs (51.0%) and moderatecultural beliefs (48.0%), reflecting a balanced perspectivein both areas. A significant positive influence ofepistemological beliefs on academic performance wasidentified, with higher epistemological beliefs associatedwith better academic performance (F = 6.20, p = 0.003).Additionally, the combined effect of epistemological andcultural beliefs significantly predicted academicperformance, explaining 49% to 52% of the variance (Adj.R2 = 0.49, R2 = 0.52, F = 12.30, p < 0.05), with theinteraction between beliefs showing a significant effect (B= 0.25, p = 0.015). The study concludes thatepistemological and cultural beliefs are crucial determinants of academic success among preserviceBiology teachers at OAU as fostering sophisticatedepistemological beliefs and integrating cultural contexts ineducational practices can enhance academic performance
ASSESSING PRINCIPALS’ ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) AWARENESS, LITERACY AND COMPETENCIES: 10.24250/jpe/2/2025/IOA/FA/
No full textThis study assessed principals’ awareness, literacy, andcompetency in Artificial Intelligence (AI) in secondaryschools in Gusau Metropolis, Zamfara State. The studyadopted a descriptive survey design. A researcher-designedquestionnaire was used as the instrument for datacollection, with an overall reliability coefficient of 0.83established through Cronbach’s Alpha. Data wereanalyzed using mean and standard deviation to answer theresearch questions, while regression analysis wasemployed to test hypotheses at the 0.05 level ofsignificance. Findings revealed that principals had a highlevel of awareness of AI in education (x = 3.2), but theirliteracy and competency in applying AI tools foradministrative and instructional purposes were low (x =1.6 and 2.3). Also, there was a positive significantinterrelationship among principals’ awareness, literacyand competency of AI (p<0.05). This study concluded thatthere is a pressing need for targeted interventions thatmove beyond awareness campaigns and focus on buildingfunctional AI literacy and hands-on competence. The studyrecommended among others that specific capacity-buildingprograms and continuous professional development shouldbe organized to bridge the gap between awareness andeffective application of AI in school leadership
COMMUNICATION, IMAGE, AND SYMBOLIC POWER WITHIN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS: FROM THE DRAMATURGY OF INTERACTION TO HABITUS AND SIMULACRA. AN INTEGRATIVE FRAMEWORK WITH AN APPLIED CASE STUDY: 10.24250/jpe/2/2025/MBI/
No full textThis article examines communication between families anda bilingual kindergarten-primary school (“Institution X”)in Hungary, as a producer of legitimacy and symbolicauthority rather than a mere conduit for information.Integrating Goffman’s dramaturgical sociology,Bourdieu’s theory of habitus and symbolic capital,Baudrillard’s analysis of sign-value and hyperreality, andDancu’s account of symbolic communication, we developan operational Institutional image capital (IIC) indexcombining front-stage practices, symbolic capital, andsign-governance. Using longitudinal institutional data(2012-2025) – parent satisfaction, mentoring evaluations,enrolments/transfers, media presence, and digital activity –we show a sustained increase in all sub-indices and in IIC(76.8 to 86.8, 2021-2025). Findings support fivehypotheses: media/digital visibility and consistentcommunicative rituals are associated with higher parentaltrust, reduced conflict, and enrolment growth. The analysisdemonstrates that (1) predictable front-stage routinesstabilize interactional order; (2) public recognition ofpedagogical expertise converts cultural into symboliccapital; and (3) proactive sign-management anchorsmeaning before rumor produces simulacra. We concludethat communication is constitutive of educational quality: itsustains symbolic contracts with the community, shapes theinterpretive environment of learning, and secures theinstitution’s right to define legitimate educationalnarratives
Expected Value of a Picture Fuzzy Number
Get PDFThis paper proposes a mathematical framework for the definition and computation of the expected interval and expected valueof Picture Fuzzy Numbers (PFNs), providing a robust and interpretable tool for ranking and decision-making analysis in contextscharacterized by imprecise or uncertain information