Critical Engagement Research Articles

Leveraging ChatGPT for Enhancing English Writing Skills and Critical Thinking in University Freshmen

This study assesses the impact of ChatGPT, an AI conversational agent, on English writing proficiency and critical thinking among freshmen at Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade. Through qualitative and quantitative methodologies, including semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and analysis of writing samples, improvements in grammar, vocabulary, coherence, and argumentation depth were documented. While findings demonstrate significant enhancements in writing skills and stimulated critical thinking, challenges such as potential over-reliance on AI tools were also recognized. The study proposes recommendations for integrating AI in language education, emphasizing the need for balanced and critical engagement with technology.

Hip-Hop Infusion in Social Work Education

Background:2023 marks the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. Although hip-hop has existed for a half-century, little attention has been given to its infusion into social work education. This conceptual article explores the potential of hip-hop as a framework for social work education.Objective:We aim to demonstrate how core tenets of hip-hop can be aligned with the Council on Social Work Education’s Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) to enhance student learning, client connection, advocacy skills, and empathy.Methods:This conceptual piece draws on existing literature on hip-hop culture and social work education. We explored how various elements of hip hop can be integrated into social work education to achieve the learning objectives outlined in the EPAS.Implications:Integrating hip-hop principles into social work education can have a transformative impact. By fostering critical thinking, self-reflection, and engagement with diverse narratives, students will be better equipped to navigate the complexities of social work practice. Furthermore, a hip-hop-informed approach can cultivate a more culturally responsive lens for advocacy and policy development. This in turn empowers students to build rapport with clients from marginalized communities, utilizing effective communication to promote social change.Conclusion:Hip-hop offers a powerful set of tools for social work education. Integrating its principles can cultivate a new generation of social workers with the knowledge, skills, and cultural competency to address the complex challenges facing individuals, families, and communities.

How kindness took a hold: A sociology of emotions, attachment and everyday enchantment.

How are we to understand the contemporary preoccupation-at least in many English-speaking societies-with 'random acts of kindness' and the idea of kindness more generally? Should this be seen as a challenge to the logic of capitalism or reinforcing of it, an example of commodification of emotion within our everyday lives? By introducing and mapping the contours of an emergent 'kindness industry', placing emotion (and enchantment) at the heart of how attachment to the idea of kindness is theorised, and marshalling existing empirical research on contemporary framings of everyday kindness, I argue that there is a need for a critical sociological engagement with the 'pro-social' that does justice to its profound ambivalence. In the case of contemporary kindness this involves understanding both the regulatory nature of the enchantment sold by a kindness industry and the problem-solving potential of the enchantment of kindness in the everyday, where it both helps address contemporary feelings of hopelessness and shame and facilitates the possibility of making life materially liveable.

Pedagogical and teaching strategies used to teach writing to pre-licensure students enrolled in health professional programs: a scoping review protocol.

The objective of this review is to map the existing literature on pedagogical approaches and teaching strategies used to teach academic and professional writing to pre-licensure students who are enrolled in health professional programs. Health professional programs are intended to develop competence in both academic and professional writing. Effective academic writing skills prompt critical reflection and engagement with research communities, while professional writing skills are used to document interventions and communicate across health systems. Despite the importance of these 2 forms of writing, there are ongoing concerns that practitioners are entering practice without adequate writing skills. Given these concerns and the importance of writing across health disciplines, there is value in identifying the pedagogical strategies and approaches used in health professional programs to develop writing skills and to transfer such skills from one communicative context to another. This review will consider research on the pedagogical approaches and teaching strategies used to teach academic and professional writing in pre-licensure health professional programs. This review will be conducted in line with the JBI methodology for scoping reviews. The search strategy will aim to locate published literature using MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase, CINAHL with Full-Text (EBSCOhost), ProQuest Nursing & Allied Health (ProQuest), and ERIC (EBSCOhost), along with gray literature (using databases/search engines). Papers published from 2010 onward in English and in French will be included. Extracted data will be reported in tabular format and presented narratively to address each review objective. http://osf.io/9raxp.

A CONCEPTUAL MODEL FOR DESIGNING TEACHER-CENTERED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Educators often experience significant levels of stress in the workplace that impact their enthusiasm about the profession and longevity in the field of education. Some personal impacts of stress on educators may include emotional numbing, feeling shut down, loss of energy, and increased illness or fatigue. Recently, some schools and districts have begun investing in programming to support educator well-being; however, these initiatives are rarely developed and co-led by educators themselves, and they do not address systemic issues within schools that may serve as barriers to teachers’ well-being. In this paper we draw upon existing theories and research, Critical Professional Engagement, Healing-Centered Engagement, and Critical Love Praxis, to explore the development and use of a conceptual framework to support the design of teacher-centered and justice-oriented professional development.

IF YOU COULD READ MY MIND: ON THE HISTORY OF MIND AND OTHER MATTERS

ABSTRACTIn The Primacy of Method in Historical Research: Philosophy of History and the Perspective of Meaning, Jonas Ahlskog presents a critical and lucid engagement with contemporary philosophies of history and makes a sustained case for a return to the ideas of history and social science as developed by R. G. Collingwood and Peter Winch. What philosophy needs again is, first, a recognition of the “primacy of method”—that is, the insight that what one knows about reality depends on how one knows it. Second, philosophers need to take “the duality of method” seriously again and to recognize that the modes of explanation in the human sciences and the natural sciences are categorically different from each other—especially now that this difference has been blurred in recent debates about the Anthropocene. Ahlskog's book is thus also a contribution to the classical debate about causal explanation versus meaningful understanding. On closer analysis, however, Ahlskog's “untimely meditations” on “historical method” suffer from an insufficient engagement with counterarguments. A first line of critique challenges the idea that human action cannot be explained causally. A second line of critique challenges the idea that all aspects of human action can be “understood,” because the unintended aspects and consequences of individual actions cannot. These require causal explanation. A third line of critique concerns Ahlskog's denial of the fundamental plurality of ideas of history and the social sciences. Squeezing this plurality into one philosophical mold comes at a price. Unintentionally, Ahlskog's “untimely meditations” also show that much.

Capitalist urbanization in the post-neoliberal and de-globalizing world economy: A minor critical engagement with VIP-Urbanism literature

Capitalist urbanization in the post-neoliberal and de-globalizing world economy: A minor critical engagement with VIP-Urbanism literature

ChatGPT in foreign language education - friend or foe? A quantitative study on pre-service teachers’ beliefs

Artificial intelligence becomes increasingly prominent in digital language teaching and learning and it will gain even more significance in the future of EFL education (cf. Schmidt & Strasser 2022). Therefore, it is key to explore how those who will shape this future perceive the newest development: pre-service EFL teachers. As Zheng puts it: “EFL pre-service teacher beliefs are the focus of change in the process of education” (2009), consequently their perceptions and beliefs regarding this evolving area of teaching and learning are of utmost importance. Focussing on the latest developments in ChatGPT, this paper aims to give a first insight into the potential and limitations of this AI platform from the perspectives of pre-service teachers in Germany. Therefore, this research project explores the following research questions: o RQ1: Do student teachers consider ChatGPT relevant for their future teaching practice? o RQ2: In which areas of language education do they see potential changes due to ChatGPT? In what ways? o RQ3: Are there any differences in the perception of ChatGPT between tech-savvy and non-tech-savvy student teachers? The research instrument is a combination of the "technology commitment" scale (Neyer et al. 2016) and items developed specifically for this research project. For RQ3, the analysis refers to existing preliminary work that was able to establish a relationship between technology commitment and the probability of technology application (cf. Knetzek & Christensen 2016). Based on the results of the survey, this paper then aims to offer new perspectives for EFL teacher education and outline concrete reflection activities that further pre-service teachers’ critical engagement with AI in language education.

Evelyn Waugh's Satirical Masterpieces: A Delightful Blend of Wit and Critique

This study explores the satirical masterpieces of Evelyn Waugh, a renowned British author, with a focus on their delightful blend of wit and critique. The aims of this research are to analyze Waugh's satirical techniques, examine the themes and subjects of his works, and evaluate their impact on literature and society. The methodology involves a comprehensive analysis of Waugh's major novels, including "Decline and fall," "Vile Bodies," and "A Handful of Dust," using close reading and critical analysis. The results reveal the remarkable ability of Waugh to use humor and irony to expose the absurdities and vices of his contemporary society. Through sharp characterizations, witty dialogue, and clever narrative structures, he satirizes various aspects of British upper-class life, modernism, religion, and the decline of traditional values. The discussion delves into the effectiveness of Waugh's satirical techniques, their relevance in today's context, and their enduring influence on subsequent writers. It also addresses the ethical considerations of satire, as well as the potential limitations of Waugh's perspective. Ultimately, this research concludes that Evelyn Waugh's satirical masterpieces offer readers a delightful blend of entertainment, thought provoking social commentary, and a lasting critique of human follies and societal constructs. His works continue to captivate audiences, inspiring laughter, introspection, and critical engagement with the complexities of the world.

Beyond conflict-related sexual violence: the continuum of violence in Iraq’s Women, Peace and Security action plans

Women’s experiences of conflict and their roles in its prevention have become an increasingly large focus for feminist scholars, particularly since the adoption of the Women, Peace and Security agenda in 2000. Iraq has been at the forefront of engagement with the Women, Peace and Security agenda, being the first Middle East state to adopt a national action plan. This article analyses Iraq’s Women, Peace and Security action plans, largely drafted by women’s civil society organisations, using the concept of the ‘continuum of violence’. In doing so, the article shows how a fuller breadth of violence is used by Iraqi women writing and working on Women, Peace and Security inside Iraq than what appears in Women, Peace and Security resolutions. The article therefore contributes to critical engagements with the Women, Peace and Security agenda by addressing two themes: the agenda’s limited capture of gendered violence in conflict; and the agenda’s top-down nature when it comes to reconceptualising the agenda, its limits and its opportunities.

José Míguez Bonino and the Third-World Challenge to the Ecumenical Movement

precis: This essay examines the role of José Míguez Bonino as a Latin American Protestant observer at both Vatican II and the CELAM Conference in Medellin (1968), as well as his active participation in World Council of Churches and Faith and Order meetings. It explores his impact on the solidification of Latin American ecumenism, particularly through his critical engagement of the "ecumenical establishment" and his emphasis on the "social question" in addressing overlaps and tensions between Christian unity and social justice. It ultimately argues that Bonino contributed to the rise of an ecumenical liberation Christianity and a third-world ecumenical perspective that continues to be significant for ecumenical practice and theology today.

Navigating complexity: a multifaceted approach to teaching climate change in middle school

Global climate change is one of the most significant challenges of the twenty first century, requiring its integration into K-12 science education curricula to foster informed and climate-literate citizens. However, challenges remain in effectively teaching climate change, including a lack of instructional materials and a reliance on traditional teaching methods that limit student engagement and understanding. To address these challenges, this study developed a unit that combines socioscientific issue-based instruction, scientific modeling, and systems thinking to improve climate education. The unit was implemented by a teacher trained in the Socioscientific Issues and Model-based Learning (SIMBL) framework and showed promising results. Students demonstrated an improved understanding of climate complexity, as evidenced by the inclusion of multiple factors in their system maps and the justification of policy decisions based on their knowledge. In addition, the integration of media literacy tools improved students’ critical engagement with online content. Overall, the SIMBL unit facilitated transformative learning experiences that empowered students to understand and address the multifaceted challenges of climate change. The study suggests implications for teachers and advocates for adapting the sequence to various standards and socioscientific topics beyond climate change.

Aging, femininity and class: reimagining the ‘halmeoni’ in contemporary South Korean cinema

ABSTRACT This article explores the representation of elderly women, termed ‘halmeoni’ in Korean, in contemporary South Korean films to discover traces of departure from previous modes of representation of aging femininity on screen. The discussed films feature elderly female characters onto whom the persisting double standard of aging between men and women is projected. Additionally, the films convey the harsh realities faced by these female characters, reflecting socio-cultural anxieties surrounding the increasing social concerns about aging underclass single women in Korea’s context. Prompted by the global recognition of Korean actress Youn Yuh-jung in her 70s, the article calls for a re-evaluation of the portrayal of the ‘halmeoni’ in Korean cinema, with the conviction that this imperative may extend beyond the confines of Korean media. The interpretation of the five films—three of which feature Youn as an aging underclass woman—seeks to mediate feminist discourses critiquing age-related marginalization in cultural representation as a universally gendered issue while highlighting the specific historical and cultural underpinnings for aging femininity found in the onscreen Korean ‘halmeoni.’ Through a close analysis of the elderly female characters, the article urges critical engagement with new modalities of representing aging femininity.

How SoTL can Inform Teaching Traumatic Histories

Educators charged with teaching histories marked by oppression and violence navigate a challenging duality: they must foster critical engagement and deep analysis of traumatic events without causing secondary trauma to their students, all within the context of growing political pressures on history curriculum in K-12 and higher education. This article, based on the results of a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) study in a college-level war and society course, explores student-identified challenges to learning about the Holocaust as well as their strategies for navigating emotional distress associated with that learning process. The article also considers SoTL-informed pedagogical interventions for teaching hard histories with a trauma-informed approach sharing student reactions to an oral history podcast assignment for supporting thoughtful and effective communication about sensitive topics. Among other results, this study found that students approached learning about the Holocaust with varied and self-aware strategies for emotional regulation, despite the common expectation that it would be difficult to hear about the tragic experiences of others. Students also expressed both general and specific benefits to learning this content, despite the significant challenge of navigating sensitive topics with careful language.

RECONSIDERING THE USE OF POST-POSITIVIST PARADIGM IN SOCIAL SCIENCES: IS IT POSSIBLE?

This paper investigates the evolving landscape of research methodologies in the social sciences, focusing on the renewed interest in post-positivism amid growing dissatisfaction with strictly quantitative approaches. The study traces the experiences of a junior social work researcher struggling with paradigm identification, ultimately finding alignment with the adaptable and inclusive nature of post-positivism. By highlighting post-positivism's shift from a rigid quest for absolute truths to an emphasis on interactive dialogue and continuous learning, this research enriches the methodological discourse. The examination of post-positivism’s nuanced ontological, epistemological, and axiological perspectives underscores the significance of reflexivity and critical engagement in research. The study advocates for integrating qualitative and quantitative methods within the post-positivist paradigm to address complex social issues more effectively. It emphasizes the pivotal role of junior researchers in contributing to paradigm discussions and advancing the field, particularly in the scholarship of teaching and learning. By revisiting the post-positivist paradigm, this research encourages graduate students and emerging scholars to critically examine and understand the epistemological foundations that shape knowledge production. This exploration not only enriches their research but also equips them with essential skills for engaging with varied perspectives and advancing scholarly discourse.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0777/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Structural Inequalities in Namibia and South Africa: A Critical Social Work Perspective

Namibia and South Africa share land and maritime borders and the interrelated structural challenges of poverty and socio-economic inequalities amidst progressive economic growth that are rooted in their apartheid past and contemporary economic development trajectories. Such inequalities are defined along racial, class, gender and other social locations that either grant privilege, power and access to socio-economic opportunities or result in marginalisation, oppression and resource deprivation. The rationale for this article is linked to the historic call for social work to intensify efforts in promoting social and economic equality. Despite Namibia and South Africa’s geographical proximity and their intertwined histories, there is a dearth of social work studies that offer a comparative critical social work perspective on structural inequalities in these former apartheid strongholds. While social work should actively engage in contesting the structural contradictions of poverty and inequalities amidst abundant resources, the reality is often that of the uncritical acceptance of existing socio-political inequalities, such that the profession’s enunciated commitment to social justice becomes perimetric. Thus, the article argues for the inclusion of critical social work approaches in social work education and practice against a backdrop of ideological divides, political trends and contextual factors that limit social workers’ critical and structural level engagement.

Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) Disclosure as Ontological Shock? Exploring Diversity Among Social Media Responses to a Congressional UAP Hearing

The topic of “Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena” (UAP) has risen to increasing prominence recently, as exemplified by the Congressional UAP hearing in July 2023. Indeed, some observers interpreted the event as “disclosure” – a process by which authorities, long suspected to have withheld evidence that some UAP are genuinely anomalous (e.g., extraterrestrial), admit this to the public. Whether it actually constituted disclosure is another issue, but it was certainly experienced by some as such. The significance of such disclosure is that some commentators suggested it may precipitate “ontological shock” (a person having their fundamental sense of reality challenged in some way). Whether the hearing did indeed do so is the research question animating this paper, which presents an exploratory, preliminary examination of reactions to the hearing on X (previously Twitter). A Grounded Theory analysis identified 19 themes (involving 76 subthemes), distributed across four categories: concern; positive reactions; skepticism and indifference; and critical engagement. Evidently, even if this event constituted disclosure and/or ontological shock for some people, there were diverse reactions, and collectively the effect was more one of ontological “fracturing.” The paper highlights the complexity of this topic and the need for further research.

Социально-философские аспекты влияния кинокоммуникаций на сознание людей

The article delves into the multifaceted influence of film communications on human consciousness from a social-philosophical perspective. Emphasizing the significance of cinema as a potent medium of communication in modern society, the analysis explores the intricate dynamics through which films shape individuals’ perceptions, values, and behaviors. Concepts such as media effects, ideological hegemony, and symbolic interactionism are employed to elucidate the complex interplay between cinematic narratives and individual consciousness. Analyzing the process of film reception, the article elucidates how viewers subconsciously internalize cinematic narratives, projecting themselves into the characters and situations depicted on screen. This process engenders a cognitive resonance wherein viewers assimilate the existential themes and values propagated by the film, thereby shaping their worldview and cognitive frameworks. Moreover, the article explores the dual nature of film communication’s influence on human behavior, distinguishing between covert and overt forms of influence. While covert influence operates on the subconscious and emotional levels, shaping individuals’ values and attitudes, overt influence manifests as deliberate and purposeful actions informed by cinematic narratives. By examining the social-philosophical dimensions of film communication, this article contributes to a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between media, ideology, and human consciousness. Acknowledging cinema’s role as a powerful agent of socialization and cultural dissemination, the article underscores the relevance of critical engagement with cinematic texts and the need for media literacy in modern society.

Critical engagement with digital health: A socio-material analysis of physical education teachers’ digital health mind maps

Objective: This paper forms part of a DigihealthPE project in which we have been working with physical education (PE) teachers to co-create critical and embodied digital health pedagogies. As part of the project, we invited PE teachers to mind map their personal engagements with digital health technologies. We aimed to explore the potential openings and opportunities (and limitations) within these maps for critical thinking and action. Method: Data were generated during a workshop with 12 PE teachers in Scotland. Informed by new materialism, we focus on the human and non-human factors and intra-actions evident within six narrative portraits generated from teachers’ mind maps. Results: Our findings suggest that teachers were engaging complexly and extensively with digital health technologies, which we considered an opening for further critical work. Importantly, experiences of strong (negative) affect had the potential to transform engagements with digital health technologies. Conclusion: We conclude by exploring how the process of mind mapping helped us to see further opportunities for supporting teachers to engage critically with digital health technologies. We also argue that new materialist-informed critical practices in education may have transformative potential for helping teachers and pupils to engage critically with the moving body, technology and health.

Penerapan Pemberian Tugas Proyek Terhadap Hasil Belajar IPA Pada Peserta Didik Pulau Barrang Lompo

This research focuses on the condition of education in Makassar, especially in island areas such as Barrang Lompo, where educational facilities and resources are still limited. The aim is to evaluate the effectiveness of Project-Based Learning (PjBL) on improving science learning outcomes of grade 10 students at Barrang Lompo High School. This pre-experimental study used a One-Shot Case Study Design with two main variables: project assignment and science learning outcomes. The subjects were 28 grade 10 students, with data collected through cognitive tests and observation sheets measuring psychomotor skills. Data were analyzed descriptively, by presenting statistics such as mean scores and frequency distributions. The results showed that the implementation of PjBL had a positive impact on cognitive and psychomotor learning outcomes. The cognitive assessment showed that 75% of students met the minimum completion criteria (KKM), while the psychomotor assessment showed that 100% of students reached the standard. The results concluded that PjBL can significantly improve educational outcomes in under-resourced areas by encouraging critical thinking, problem-solving skills and active student engagement. Future research is recommended to further explore and validate these findings across different subjects and contexts