Education Sciences

DenHartog, Corinne

doi: 10.3390/educsci14090923pmid: N/A

Forgiveness, though hard for many to simply define in concrete terms, is not necessarily a foreign concept or practice for the average individual. In an attempt to further understanding of forgiveness, the present study gathered the thoughts, opinions, and experiences of a specific community of individuals, public school teachers. Using a series of six focus group interviews, analysis of data produced insights and conclusions related to how teachers understand forgiveness in theory and practice, how they practice forgiveness within their jobs, and their thoughts on forgiveness or virtue education within schools. Thematic analysis is presented with quotational support and a discussion of application to both forgiveness theory and future forgiveness education pursuits is offered in summation. Due to the many mental, emotional, and physical health benefits associated with forgiveness, the value of exploring forgiveness and forgiveness education is readily evident. This study provides a glimpse into the experiences of a community of individuals who practice forgiveness regularly within the context of their jobs as public school educators.

Galiti, Peli

doi: 10.3390/educsci14090924pmid: N/A

This article presents the accumulated experience and outcomes after ten years of forgiveness education (FE) in the schools of Greece. The author implemented the program throughout Greece by publishing new books on FE adapted to the Greek culture and training an interdisciplinary team of educators through both in-person and online workshops in several Greek cities. Using feedback from the experiences of the trained teachers and the participating students, a lot of valuable information was obtained for the future expansion of forgiveness education programs. Our objective is to provide a conceptual map for educators so that they may be better equipped when designing their own implementation plans for forgiveness education programs in other schools and countries. Dissemination practices and innovative methods are suggested. Recommendations for the future also include steps for the development and growth of FE in institutions and settings outside the school environment, thus spreading FE concepts and the resultant new ways of thinking and practices throughout the community.

Wang Xu, Jiahe;Huang, Shih-Tseng Tina;Enright, Robert D.

doi: 10.3390/educsci14090925pmid: N/A

This paper first explores the risk factors associated with adolescents’ suicidal thoughts, attempts, and behaviors within different developmental domains and in the environment, using the developmental systems theory (DST). The most frequently identified risk factor for suicide, psychological pain, is examined in terms of its nature, expression, and possible cause. This paper criticizes the current empirical research of suicidal adolescents’ interventions on two issues: (1) lack of concern for fundamental issues in lifespan development and (2) inadequate treatment of the emotional needs resulting from the psychological pain in adolescents. Finally, this paper proposes forgiveness education intervention as targeting the emotional needs, particularly psychological pain, for suicidal adolescents.

Ben Yair, Yitzhak;Ohayon, Sarel;Ronel, Natti;Freedman, Suzanne

doi: 10.3390/educsci14090926pmid: N/A

Education serves as the primary line of defense against crime and other psychological difficulties. Children exposed to adversity and emotional challenges may be susceptible to various risks, potentially leading to criminal activities. Forgiveness has been demonstrated as a healing influence in the lives of individuals who have experienced hurt and accumulated negative emotions due to life events. Understanding forgiveness from a young age, in both theory and practice, may facilitate improved relationships and psychological well-being. This article underscores the significance of forgiveness education, advocating for a culturally and theologically sensitive approach. In this article we will offer an example of integrating forgiveness education principles with insights from Judaic sources. The aim is to generate insights regarding theologically sensitive forgiveness in general by focusing on Judaism. As we demonstrate, the implications of this approach extend beyond the Jewish context, and our conclusions and recommendations are applicable to diverse cultures and religions worldwide.

Worthington, Everett L.

doi: 10.3390/educsci14090927pmid: N/A

Much attention has been devoted to the effectiveness of forgiveness interventions in children and adolescents featuring two premier programs by Enright and his colleagues. Little attention has been given to psychoeducational forgiveness interventions with emerging adults. This is a narrative review of REACH Forgiveness studies with emerging adults (ages 18–25). The life tasks of emerging adults justify offering psychoeducational interventions to emerging adults. Research studies on REACH Forgiveness (k = 17), non-REACH Forgiveness studies (k = 4), and community campaigns at universities (k = 4) with emerging adults are summarized. Effect sizes per hour (d/h) for REACH Forgiveness studies (k = 13 for psychoeducational groups; k = 4 for self-administered workbooks) are reported. The proto-REACH groups (k = 5) had mean d/h = 0.104; REACH groups (k = 9) had d/h = 0.101; self-administered workbooks (k = 3) had mean d/h = 0.15; non-REACH Forgiveness studies (k = 4) had d/h = 0.09. All studies were from the USA, and most were from universities. However, a recent article reported randomized controlled trials in five non-USA samples of adults (N = 4598). A 3.34-h workbook had d/h = 0.16, suggesting that the workbook might be effective with emerging adults around the world. Finally, three USA Christian universities had public health immersion campaigns to promote forgiveness, and a community psychoeducational campaign in 2878 secular university students in Colombia (of ~9000 total) allowed choices among 16 psychoeducational activities. The number of activities used was proportional to forgiveness experienced. For forgiveness, d = 0.36 plus substantial reductions in depression and anxiety, indicating strong public health potential of forgiveness psychoeducation in emerging adults worldwide.

Toussaint, Loren;Kueny, Angela;Stevens, Allison

doi: 10.3390/educsci14090928pmid: N/A

The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of a new middle-school-classroom forgiveness curriculum in promoting forgiveness and reducing anger. The students in this study were 153 fourth through eighth graders in three regional parochial schools. The students were assigned to forgiveness education or control groups in the fall semester and reassigned to the opposite group in the spring semester. Before-and-after assessments of forgiveness and anger were collected in both the fall and spring semesters. The quantitative results showed that levels of forgiveness increased as expected in both semesters, but anger did not change in expected ways. The qualitative results showed that the children’s conceptualizations of the forgiveness process aligned closely with the core forgiveness curriculum content. The results suggest that meaningful work can be accomplished to promote forgiveness in the middle school classroom using this newly developed, efficient, and effective curriculum that can be implemented by teachers and staff.

Sun, Jingping;Day, Christopher;Zhang, Rong;Zhang, Huaiyue;Huang, Ting;Lin, Junqi

doi: 10.3390/educsci14090929pmid: N/A

This meta-synthesis crosses international borders by analyzing successful principalship across nine countries. With careful, detailed, systematic, and analytic synthesis, it critically explores research-informed understandings of successful principal leadership over the last 20 years. The paper is an interim report of reviews of the 85 articles and 23 chapters produced by the International Successful School Principal Project (ISSPP), the largest, longest-running international research project in this field. In that project, success is defined as the principal’s ability to grow and sustain students’ academic, personal, and social developments and achievements over time. The results add to existing knowledge of how successful school principals achieve success by examining high-quality, published case study evidence from Australia, Cyprus, Israel, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Spain, the UK, and the US. Results suggest common sets of core values, qualities, and practices among school principals, regardless of national contexts, conditions, or cultures. Because the research design is multi-perspective and multi-layered, the case studies also show significant, context-informed differences in timing, pace, and extent of application of improvement strategies. Thus, the findings of this synthesis paint a thorough and cohesive picture of who successful principals are and what they do over time at the global level to achieve success, as they navigate values-led school success in different contexts and improvement phases within complex internal and external ecological chrono-, macro-, exo-, meso-, and microsystems.

Gubevu, Bongumusa Welcome Selby;Mncube, Vusumzi Sthembiso

doi: 10.3390/educsci14090930pmid: N/A

This article seeks to reflect on the opportunities that mobile smartphones (MSPs) present as ICT integration tools in teaching geography. The more extensive study, underpinned by the Professional Development Framework for Digital Learning (PDFDL) in ICT integration, employed a qualitative research approach. Lensed by the Professional Development Framework for Digital Learning (PDFDL), the article used the qualitative approach to garner insights from the participants regarding using MSPs as tools to integrate ICT in geography teaching. Data collection tools included interviews, observations, and document reviews. Researchers sampled (n = 4) schools, interviewed and observed (n = 13) teachers, and interviewed (n = 10) learners and (n = 8) parents in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. Furthermore, they used a purposive sampling technique to access the participants, basing the research on the premise that MSPs promote virtual reality for an array of learners. As the findings revealed, although some participants viewed the use of MSPs as a distractor in the learning space, teachers felt compelled to heed the call to modify their teaching pedagogies, such that they integrated mobile phones fruitfully in their teaching. The findings further revealed that such a paradigm shift would benefit homeschooling and facilitate a dual teaching mode at learning institutions. Curriculum planners are responsible for helping teachers accept that uncertainty is the only certainty about the future, considering the volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and augmentation (VUCA) challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Extended lockdown periods accelerated the use of MSPs in teaching, requiring every stakeholder in the educational space to become a life-long learner by using a range of technologies and platforms.

Carmona, Guadalupe;Rivera, Jessica;Montero-Moguel, Luis

doi: 10.3390/educsci14090931pmid: N/A

This study examined critical factors in a mentoring system within a federally-funded Pathways to the Education Sciences Research Training Program to prepare undergraduates at a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI) for graduate studies in educational research. Our conceptual framework integrates an inclusive model of family engagement consistent with the literature recommendations for diverse families of college students. We considered the following question: what is the role of family and friends within an orchestrated network of mentors who provide support to undergraduate fellows from minoritized groups in their pathways toward graduate studies in educational sciences? We analyzed quantitative and qualitative responses from an end-of-program survey administered to one cohort of this program. Within their mentoring network, fellows reported that family and friends provided important support in socio-emotional, cognitive, and identity development, but not as strong as that provided by distributed faculty and academic mentors. This study furthers our understanding of the role of family and friends within an orchestrated network of mentors within our Pathways Training Program. However, we still need to extend our knowledge of how research training programs at HSIs can be more intentional in emphasizing the important contributions family and friends provide to promote the success of diverse students in their pathways toward graduate studies.

Olszewski-Kubilius, Paula

doi: 10.3390/educsci14090932pmid: N/A

Talent development as a framework for services for advanced learners has gained traction within schools, but there are challenges that remain. In this paper, we address some of these, including identification systems that are consistent with a domain focus and geared towards the stage of talent development; exceptional abilities that are often ignored by schools but could be identified and cultivated; programming that is continuous, articulated with the school curriculum, with defined outcomes for growth and performance; better understanding and use of data for identification and monitoring of progress; and policies that support acceleration and advanced learning options. The major challenge for schools is the potential to bifurcate services into talent development for underserved learners versus gifted services for high achieving students, rather than providing multiple pathways for learners with different needs that lead to high achievement for all.