Mediation Tools Research Articles

Children’s world-making practices as peacebuilders in the community

ABSTRACT The vulnerabilities of children are compounded by the impacts proceeding armed conflict, but they are often not involved as citizens in peacebuilding efforts. Consequently, the participation of children in peacebuilding initiatives is often tokenistic, despite evidence of the role children play in contributing to reconstruction and peacebuilding. To challenge this normative narrative, this paper illustrates the benefits of peacebuilding activities when children lead them. The research focuses on data gathered from arts-based peacebuilding projects in Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal and Rwanda, focused on youth empowerment and the strengthening of community relations. Through analysis of 70 interviews with children (N = 32) and adult stakeholders (e.g. teachers/artists/policymakers/community-leaders/third-sector organisations) (N = 38), the paper explores the role of children in world-making practices, as well as their capacity as current and future leaders. The paper engages with the Figured Worlds framework, demonstrating the benefits of arts-based methods that promote intergenerational dialogue and enable children to imagine a better future in the present. It presents a model that illustrates the dynamics related to the creation of cultural artefacts that challenge fossilised tools for community mediation, suggesting that arts-based programmes can significantly alter how a community comes to discuss important aspects of sustainable peacebuilding.

Alone on the Bridge: The Intersectional Identity and Mediating Role of Israeli Educators of Ethiopian Descent

ABSTRACTIntercultural mediation has developed significantly in recent decades in various public systems, including the education system. In Israel, hundreds of mediators from various social groups serve to bridge between the parents and community on the one hand, and the school on another. This role involves a personal and professional challenge given the mediators' intersectional identity as members of both a migrant group and the host culture, where they represent the Israeli education system. This study focuses on mediators of Ethiopian descent, and examines the following questions: (1) How are the mediators' two identities expressed? (2) How do they affect their personal and professional experiences? (3) What, in their experience, are the most effective tools for intercultural mediation in the school system? (4) How can a public system support the mediators' activity? The study was carried out in the Research Lab of the Center for the Advancement of a Shared Society at the Beit Berl College, with the funding of the Feldman Foundation TX.

The Strategic Role of Social Entrepreneurship in Addressing Communal Conflicts in Indonesia

This research examines the strategic role of social entrepreneurship in the resolution of communal conflicts in Indonesia, focusing on its use as a tool for mediation and community recovery. Utilizing qualitative methodologies and documentary studies, this study collects and analyzes data on how social entrepreneurship initiatives contribute to peacebuilding and social integration. The findings indicate that social entrepreneurship not only plays a role in generating economic profits but also promotes social coherence and improves the quality of life in communities affected by conflicts. This study also evaluates the challenges in the implementation of social entrepreneurship and provides practical recommendations for the development of policies and practices that support social integration and national stability. Consequently, this study offers valuable insights into the potential of social entrepreneurship as an effective tool in resolving communal conflicts in Indonesia

SOME ASPECTS OF ACTIONS TO RESPONSE TO EXTERNAL SECURITY THREATS AND CRISES OF THE EUROPEAN UNION

The European Union is taking action in various areas of security to improve its ability to respond to crises and increase its resilience to future challenges, so this article examines the evolution of crisis response actions of the European Union countries in the face of challenges and threats in a rapidly changing geopolitical environment in relation to European security. This, in turn, is reflected in the speed of decision-making by the competent associations of the European Union regarding legal regulation that corresponds to the current situation. The authors identify and analyze the main directions of action and response measures of member countries in the legal field. In this context, the authors pay special attention to the consideration of the European Union's security policy in relation to hybrid threats from neighboring states, ensuring cyber security, the use of modern information communication technologies, as well as mediation tools in the prevention of these threats. The authors analyze issues of cooperation between the European Union and the United Nations in the field of peacekeeping and military missions. The authors also touched on the specifics of lessons learned from addressing the consequences of crisis situations and the impact of the EU countries’ integrated approach to responding to crisis situations in the context of the past pandemic, as well as the impact of hybrid threats. The results of this study show that the relevant institutions of the European Union skillfully, promptly and effectively coordinate decision-making on response and management in crisis situations, and as part of improving the anti-crisis management strategy, taking measures to prevent the consequences of crisis situations in the EU area (hybrid threats, illegal migration, terrorism, organized crime, etc.)

Relieving negative Chinese transfer in EFL syntactic writing through negative feedback based on computational thinking

Negative feedback can temporarily relieve negative Chinese transfer (NCT) in English as a foreign language (EFL) syntactic writing by focusing only on the surface writing constructs, neglecting that EFL writing is an embodiment of the process by which higher-order thinking operates. To solve the problem, the researchers conducted a pretest, interventionist group dynamic assessment (IGDA) in the form of negative feedback based on computational thinking (CT), higher-order thinking, and post-test quasi-experimental design, with a control group receiving the direct correction feedback instructing model to mitigate the NCT in EFL syntactic writing. We analyzed the syntactic writing types and frequencies of the NCT obtained through repeated-measure ANOVA and confirmed by qualitative data through video recording. The results indicated that IGDA in the form of negative feedback based on CT principal skills could (1) significantly decrease syntactic writing errors caused by the NCT, (2) improve learners’ EFL writing performance, and finally, (3) elevate the computer as an essential mediation tool. This innovative instructing mode of intervening with writing constructs and higher-order thinking and bringing about deeper thinking and creativity contributes to the EFL writing teaching methodology in a foreign language higher education.

Niepaństwowi aktorzy dyplomacji opartej na wierze w procesie pokojowym na przykładzie inicjatywy pokojowej liderów religijnych Acholi

FAITH-BASED DIPLOMACY NON-STATE ACTORS IN THE PEACE PROCESS – THE EXAMPLE OF THE ACHOLI RELIGIOUS LEADERS PEACE INITIATIVE Parallel to the actors of classical diplomacy, non-state actors are engaged in efforts to restore peace. A particular category among them comprises actors of faith-based diplomacy, whose participation in peace processes incorporates their unique tools of mediation and reconciliation. An illustrative example of the specificity of non-state actors practicing faith-based diplomacy is the activity of a group of religious leaders associated with the Acholi community in promoting the peaceful resolution of the rebellion in Northern Uganda that began in 1986. To understand the operational capacity of non-state actors engaged in faith-based diplomacy, this article will analyse the means employed by members of the Acholi Religious Leaders Peace Initiative at both the domestic and international levels, as well as the reception of their actions by the conflict parties and the international community.

O LÚDICO NA EDUCAÇÃO INFANTIL COMO INSTRUMENTO FACILITADOR DA APRENDIZAGEM

This article aims to highlight some benefits that can be observed with the use of playful activities in the early grades, with early childhood education being an ideal setting for this. As the first stage of basic education, early childhood education seeks the complete development of the child up to the age of 5, in their physical, psychological, intellectual, and social aspects, complementing the role of the family and society. (Art. 29, LDB) The main advantages of using playful activities in lessons as a pedagogical resource include promoting transformations in practice, making it more meaningful and engaging. Children become more motivated to learn, as games and play contribute to the development of various human skills. In this sense, using playful methods in the classroom can be a powerful mediation tool in the teaching and learning process in the early grades, where preschoolers can learn and have fun at the same time, making learning a pleasurable and enjoyable experience.

Predictable Irrationality in Mediation: Observations on Behavioural Economics

In my paper I attempt to provide a common intersection of mediation and behavioural economics. In doing so, I seek to identify the answers that can be used to assign the domain of mediation methodology where theorems of man's decisions of behavioural economics are validated. I seek to identify the answers that can be used to the domain of mediation methodology where behavioural economics can be applied to the theorems of man's choices. I do so in order to take account the phenomena behind human decisions, influencing them and determining their characteristics. Through this, I seek to prove the proposition that human behaviour is neither logical nor rational, a claim which plays an important role in mediation. Beyond this, the study discusses the statements of behavioural economics which also prove the above theorem. However, the aim of the paper is also to collide the results of behavioural economics with the practical experience of mediation, thereby answering the question whether theoretical results of behavioural economics on human decisions are validated in practice. The essence of mediation is to reach a favourable agreement, the in-process tool of which will influence human behaviour and decision-making towards this goal. In my study, accordingly, I intend to achieve the goal of naming the mediation techniques and tools that can be used to achieve the outcome of mediation that is a good agreement.

Analyzing Students’ Thinking in Mathematical Problem Solving Using Vygotskian Sociocultural Theory

Objective: This study aims to investigate students' thinking in solving mathematical problem solving (MPS) using the Vygotskian sociocultural theory (SCT) in the form of mathematical objects. Method: This qualitative study involved 34 high school students in Palembang, 20 female and 14 male students. Data were obtained from students' work and video recordings when students solved problems. The analysis of students' work was reviewed from the semiotic system to see the students' semiotics, including languages (natural and alphanumeric), concepts and propositions, procedures, and arguments. The video recordings were analyzed to assess communication and collaboration among students during problem-solving activities. Research Findings and Discussions: Analyzing students' work and video recordings revealed significant insights into their problem-solving strategies and sociocultural interactions. Through semiotic analysis, it was possible to observe how students expressed and communicated mathematical ideas. Moreover, examining video recordings elucidated communication and collaboration dynamics within the classroom context. These findings shed light on the effectiveness of integrating Mathematical Problem Solving (MPS) with Socio-Cultural Theory (SCT) principles in fostering algebraic thinking and enhancing students' mathematical abilities. Research Implication: The findings of this study hold implications for both research and practice in mathematics education. They provide valuable insights for designing instructional approaches that promote collaborative problem-solving and facilitate the development of algebraic thinking skills. Additionally, the application of Vygotskian SCT in mathematics classrooms offers a promising avenue for cultivating a supportive sociocultural environment conducive to learning. Originality/Value: This study contributes to the existing literature by offering a comprehensive exploration of MPS through the lens of Vygotskian SCT, mainly focusing on using mathematical objects as mediational tools. By examining students' semiotic systems and sociocultural interactions, this research enhances our understanding of the complex processes involved in mathematical problem-solving and underscores the importance of sociocultural factors in shaping students' mathematical experiences.

Reconstructing a teachers' discourse to build inclusive interactions using positive discourse analysis and a formative intervention program

ABSTRACT This study aimed to transform the discourse of an English teacher to build peace and promote inclusive interactions, democracy, and social justice in the classroom with students with disabilities. It used formative interventions and positive discourse to transform the teacher’s activity system regarding a teacher’s discourse. Research has explored whether teachers’ discourse promotes a peaceful environment, revealing signs of discrimination and symbolic violence. Studies have focused on raising awareness of the power of teachers’ discourse to generate an understanding of its impact. Nevertheless, little is known about teachers’ discourse transformation to promote inclusive interactions while teaching English to students with disabilities. The study is framed under the theoretical underpinnings of activity theory aimed at transforming teachers’ praxis. Results showed transformation in the teacher’s discourse in three main elements: subject, object, and mediation tools.

Structural Analysis of Pedagogic Mediation in a Foreign Language Classroom

Cultural diffusion and a paradigm shift from a “skill-based” approach to an “action-oriented” approach in language pedagogy transform the functions of an educator in a foreign language classroom. A language instructor accepts an intermediatory role in learners’ interactions with the environment, using language as a primary mediation tool. Thus, by being involved in varied social contexts and activities, a language educator mediates learning, communication, and sociocultural environments. This study relies on a structural analysis to investigate the mediating role of a language educator. It suggests that pedagogic mediation should be viewed as a specific form of language educators’ activity and described through three dimensions: mediating learning, mediating communication, and mediating sociocultural space. In the teaching and learning context, these dimensions manifest themselves as skills to adapt to the instructional and linguistic complexity of texts, manage interaction, facilitate communication in sensitive situations, etc. Drawing upon a phenomenological research design and qualitative methods, the study develops illustrative descriptors that can be used in a foreign language classroom to assess the patterns of social, instructional, and communicative behavior of educators. The developed descriptors allowed for exploring the self-perceptions of pre-service language teachers towards their abilities for pedagogic mediation in a foreign language classroom. The results of the study identified the learning gaps among novice language teachers that can be further addressed as learning objectives while designing a curriculum for professional training in language education.

Migrant Fishers’ Cultural Funds of Knowledge and Translanguaging Praxis for the Development of Contextualized Instructional Material: A Narrative Ethnography

Fishing is a flourishing industry in Antique, Philippines, which led to the mushrooming settlement of Cebuano-speaking migrant fishers in the coastal villages. With the implementation of the K to 12, pressing concerns about the lack of contextualized instructional materials (IM) in these trans-local spaces emerged. This study aimed to generate the cultural funds of knowledge and translanguaging praxis of migrant fishers as bases for developing contextualized instructional material. Under the lens of narrative ethnography and cultural memory banking as a mediational tool, various “seeds” about the knowledge, beliefs, and practices of migrant fishers were documented in memory bank charts. Translingual narratives were analyzed. Participants were purposively chosen and all qualitative data were analyzed qualitatively using manual coding and QDA Lite Miner software processing. Cultural beliefs and practices in fishing were presented in memory bank charts and analyzed adapting Polkinghorne’s analysis of narratives. Contextualized storybooks accompanied by a teacher’s guide were developed, validated, evaluated, and pilot-tested. It resulted in a “very acceptable” for the storybook and an “excellent” rating for the teacher’s guide. The study recommends that school heads create opportunities to involve teachers, parents, and other people in the coastal community to interact beyond the classroom setting. Contextualizing community resources and indigenous knowledge as inputs in the lessons and the IM across other subject areas may be explored.

TEACHERS’ BELIEFS ABOUT CLASSROOM LANGUAGE ASSESSMENT: COLLABORATIVE DISCUSSION AS A MEDIATIONAL SPACE

In recent years, numerous studies have been conducted on language teachers’ beliefs about language assessment; however, teachers’ collaborative discussion as a mediational tool has received scant attention. The present study aimed to investigate non-native language teachers’ beliefs about classroom language assessment regarding features of effective assessment, assessment of learners by teachers, peers, and themselves, benefits of assessment, informal assessment vs. formal assessment, and continuous assessment. Participants of the study were positioned in two collaborative discussion groups of novice and experienced teachers. Analysis of the data indicated that the teachers in each focus group held similar beliefs about most of the issues on classroom language assessment. The findings also demonstrated that the participants believed in the important role of classroom language assessment for different purposes, the utilization of both informal and formal assessment, and the utilization of continuous assessment as a fair mode of assessment. Furthermore, they believed that classroom language assessment should accurately assess what is taught in the course while focusing on all four language skills and sub-skills. Although they had positive attitudes toward teacher assessment and self-assessment, they were not in favor of peer assessment. The results of this study have implications for teacher education as adequate attention should be paid to teachers’ assessment beliefs due to their vital role in classroom assessment. Collaborative discussions can be enacted in teacher education to shape and reshape teachers' assessment beliefs.

The Influence of Heuristic and Computer-Assisted Audit Techniques (CAAT) on Fraud Detection with Experience as a Mediating

This study explores the impact of Heuristics and Computer-Assisted Audit Techniques (CAAT) on fraud detection, with Experience as the mediating variable. The findings show that CAAT has no significant effect on fraud detection, while heuristics have a significant effect. Experience also directly contributes positively to fraud detection. An interesting result is that CAAT affects fraud detection through experience as a mediator, while heuristics have no significant effect when mediated by experience. Experience serves as a key bridge that strengthens the relationship between CAAT and fraud detection. The implication is that organisations can improve audit strategies by understanding the complexity of these factors, acknowledging the differential impact between CAAT and heuristics, and leveraging experience as a vital mediator tool to improve fraud detection.

HUMAN MEDIATION BETWEEN MOTHER ANIMALS AND THEIR YOUNG IN LIVESTOCK REPRODUCTION – A CASE STUDY ON LAMB BAGS

In pastoral society, the reproduction of livestock is directly related to the survival and prosperity of herders. The key to domestic animal reproduction lies in the cognitive bond between mother livestock and their young. Herdsmen use various tools and techniques to help develop this cognitive bond. These human mediation tools have various characteristics such as ‘restorative’ or ‘destructive’. The lamb bag, a widely used tool in pastoral society, has both ‘restorative’ and ‘destructive’ natures. Based on ethnographic data collected in Inner Mongolia, China, this paper first introduces the production method of lamb bags, then describes their structure, function and the multi-dimensional relationships generated during the application process, and finally discusses the cultural implications of ‘restorative’ and ‘destructive’ human mediation in pastoral culture. This article was published open access under a CC BY-NC 4.0 licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ .

Translanguaging as a Mediational Tool in the Process of Feedback in Second Language Writing

Abstract A growing number of studies have focused on pedagogical translanguaging, helping to develop students’ writing competence in second language (L2) classrooms. However, the role of translanguaging in the feedback from both teacher and students in L2 writing remains scant. Adopting a sociocultural approach, this study aims to investigate how translanguaging practices in L2 writing tutorials can mediate learning in the process of feedback, especially in the post-writing stage. Data were collected from classroom observations and writing assignments, with seven students and one tutor in 16-week writing tutorials at a university in Central China. Data were analyzed through thematic analysis and microgenetic analysis. Results show that teachers and students work together to construct knowledge and expand the multilingual repertoire and that translanguaging strategies promote feedback in the dialogic process. The mediating role of translanguaging in L2 writing tutorials can offer opportunities to enhance content learning, encourage learner participation, establish comprehension and provide pastoral care. The findings also shed light on L2 writing pedagogy that translanguaging as a mediational tool can decolonize curricula that are primarily English-medium and promote awareness of teachers in an equitable educational environment, by supporting equity for culturally and linguistically diverse students.

Designing Bespoke Visual Mediation Tools Using ‘Viscourse’ for Intergenerational Research

Abstract Visual methods are an innovative design space for study methodologies with young children. The accessibility of visual media, and flexibility of their design and use, has spurred methodological innovations that stretch the boundaries of intergenerational research. This article explores the visual dialogic nexus in research methods tailored to investigate discourse. The research sought to uncover the perspectives of young children and their teachers about their discursive affordances in the first year of school. Employing an iterative design process, bespoke visual mediation tools were collaboratively created with a visual artist to capture the intergenerational viewpoints of the participants. This article reconceptualises discourses as ‘viscourses’ through a Foucauldian post-structuralist lens. This reframing emphasizes the impact of the discursive gaze and manipulation of art elements and principles as themes for scrutiny during the design phase. The resulting visual mediation tools underwent pilot testing with two focus groups of 5-year-old children and their class teachers. Findings from the pilot study underscore the potential of visual mediation tools for generating authentic contexts that enable participants to ‘inhabit’ a time and place within a semiotic space. The method facilitates capture of multi-faceted data, including evidence of children’s higher order thinking concerning abstract phenomenon.

A Low-Career Elementary Teacher’s Paradigmatic Shift Experience in Lesson Discussion through Cognitive Coaching

This study explored the process of cognitive coaching in relation to social studies lessons for a low-career elementary teacher. The purpose was to scrutinize the procedures and principles followed by the coach and the teacher and to identify changes in the teacher’s instructional and curricular expertise. During the coaching, the coach utilized mediational tools such as paralanguage, response behaviors, and mediative questioning to facilitate the teacher's self-directed learning process. Consequently, the teacher experienced autonomy in lesson discussions. Reflecting on lesson planning, she recognized the necessity of reading children's books and the need to restructure units. She established goals to enhance her teaching expertise, expressed a willingness to explore self-reflection methods, and hoped to improve her use of mediational tools.
 Over a span of 7 months, data were collected from the coach and the teacher. The data collection included pre-coaching open-ended survey responses, transcripts of coaching dialogue over two cycles, and open-ended survey responses from a mid-term evaluation. Additionally, instructional plans for the teacher's 6th-grade social studies class were gathered. These data were analyzed using the constant comparative method, and a validation process was conducted for the results. As recommendations, a paradigm shift focusing on teachers' thinking in lesson discussions, establishing a culture where observers mediate teachers' internal thoughts in a non-judgmental manner, reevaluation of mandatory classroom observations, providing coaching related to individual teachers' lessons within the learning community, concurrent emphasis on personal reflective thinking and sharing and discussing experiences and knowledge within the learning community, fostering collaboration between teacher training institutions and educational authorities for developing and expanding cognitive coaching training programs, and coupling training for the enhancement of instructional expertise and curricular expertise were suggested. Further studies were proposed.

Instagram and end of life. Exploring the mediational role of social networks in young cancer patients through a case study

The growing prominence of social networks has changed the field of death by allowing people to share their personal experience of dying or surviving the death of loved ones. This paper features a case study through which we examine the mediational role of new technologies in end-of-life experiences in young cancer patients. The case study revolves around an Instagram account created by a young Spanish woman after being diagnosed with a cancer that would ultimately end her life. The thematic analysis carried out on the 196 posts focuses on three of the main topics addressed in the account: (1) the visibilisation of cancer and its impact on the daily lives of young patients; (2) the life lessons learnt from the experience of cancer; (3) a critique of the traditional imaginary of cancer, understood in terms of an individual struggle, together with the denunciation of the lack of social protection for young cancer patients. Ultimately, the analysis shows how Instagram acts in this case as a mediational tool through which the account’s creator not only relates to her community of followers, but also to herself and to her own illness, giving rise to different meaning-making and self-regulating functions.

Challenging Traditional EFL Writing Classroom Using Al Mediated Tool: A Paradigm Shift

Students usually find the traditional writing classroom cumbersome due to its teacher centered approach that hardly allows learners take charge of their own learning. As a result of not being actively engaged in the classroom and nature of writing requiring a rigorous practice, students lag behind in developing writing skills including the paraphrasing ones. In order to deal with this situation, this study employs QuillBot, an AI-mediated and learner-centered tool, in a group pre/post quasi-experimental research to mend EFL students' writing and paraphrase skillsSpecific focus areas include summarization, grammar and spelling, rewriting sentences, sequencing sentences, identifying correct sentences, and matching phrasal verbs. 25 EFL students enrolled in the Technical Report Writing course and using QuillBot, an AI-mediated tool, comprised the research sample. Through pre- and post-experimental assessments, researchers assessed how well the students' writing skills performed both before and after the experiment. The dependent-sample t-test affected the post-test results. It was shown that the AI-mediated tool QuillBot significantly enhanced the writing skills of EFL students. Furthermore, a semi-structured interview was carried out to cross-validate the information gathered from the written samples. The semi-structured interview included questions about the students' observations and experiences using the instrument. The researchers suggested using QuillBot in a writing class to help students master writing and paraphrasing techniques in light of the findings. The results of the present research into the AI-mediated tool QuillBot may have ramifications for addressing other EFL teaching and learning issues.