Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences Studies
Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences Studies (ISSN: 2663-7197) is a double-blind peer-reviewed, monthly, open-access monthly journal published by Al-Kindi Center for Research and Development. It publishes high-quality articles across the breadth of humanities and social sciences research. With its uniquely broad coverage, all articles are free to access across the globe, allowing authors to share their research and maximise its impact. The journal is led by expert international editorial board members who take an objective approach to peer review, ensuring each research paper is reviewed and evaluated on its own scholarly merits and research integrity. Publishing your work in the Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences Studies means you will receive prompt and reliable publishing and a global platform for your research to reach its full potential.
Al-Kindi Center for Research and Development
Distance Learning in the COVID-19 Era and Beyond: A Multi-Dimensional Review of Teaching, Learning, Assessment, Infrastructure and Crisis Management
This study presents a systematic review (SR) of the author’s research on distance learning (DL) during the COVID 19 pandemic, published between 2020 and 2024. As an author bounded corpus, it offers an exceptionally comprehensive, multi dimensional examination of DL during the COVID 19 pandemic, spanning every major dimension of the teaching learning process, thus offering one of the most extensive individual research programs on this topic in Saudi Arabia and beyond. The corpus consists of 30 studies that document the educational crisis, responses, adaptations, and outcomes across Saudi schools and universities during the pandemic period. The studies were organized into nine thematic clusters: digital infrastructure, technology use, and platforms; teaching practices and instructional strategies; student engagement and preferences; children, family role, and home based learning; psychological, social, and cultural dimensions; exams, assessment, and academic performance; curriculum adaptation; teachers’ professional development; and the pandemic job market for graduates. Results revealed an interconnected system of challenges and innovations. Digital inequity was a major issue during the early months of the pandemic, though it was mitigated through community based solutions. Instructors rapidly diversified their pedagogical practices by integrating podcasts, YouTube videos, blogging, mobile audiobooks, online vocabulary tasks, virtual speaking activities, and redesigned practicum practices. Students’ engagement patterns reflected both creativity and strain: while many benefited from interactive and technology mediated tasks, others experienced low self efficacy, anxiety, and a strong preoccupation with exams and grades. Studies on children highlighted the central role of parents in monitoring and supporting home based learning, as well as the benefits and risks of iPad use among young learners. Psychologically, the corpus revealed widespread dissatisfaction, low motivation, and emotional fatigue among students, alongside the potential of positive psychology and intercultural exchanges to enhance resilience. Assessment practices underwent some changes, resulting in flexible exam formats and grade inflation, while curricular structures remained largely unchanged due to institutional constraints. Only one study examined DL after the pandemic, indicating the need for further research on long term shifts in digital learning. Overall, the review demonstrates that DL during COVID 19 was not a uniform experience but a complex ecosystem shaped by infrastructure, pedagogy, learner agency, family dynamics, institutional policy, and socio emotional factors.
Systematic review (SR), Al-Jarf research program, distance learning (DL), remote education, crisis management, COVID-19, Corona virus, Pandemic, distance learning infrastructure, student engagement
Copyright (c) 2026 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
To What Extent Does the Developed Curriculum (Jordan High Note) for the Eleventh Academic Grade Take into Account 21st Century Skills
Curriculum plays a vital role in the learning teaching process. It is an effective tool for promoting 21st century skills among the students by equipping them with these skills which enable them to perform effectively and appropriately within a global committee of English speakers. This study aims to provide an in- depth description of the inclusion of 21st century skills in the English developed curriculum “Jordan High Note” in its trial version for the first semester in Jordan for the Eleventh Academic grade, which consists of five units. The qualitative descriptive analytical approach was adapted, and a content analysis tool has been designed. It consisted of (46) items that symbolized the 21st century skills and represented the main domains: Learning & Innovation skills, Information, Media and Technology skills, and Life & career skills. The finding showed that the exercises which presented 21st century skills were to a great extent to Learning & Innovation skills (the 5Cs) then moderate to Life & Career and the least to Information, Media & Technology skills via English skills. It is suggested that future revisions should encourage students to use ICT effectively inside & outside the school by including more exercises related to these skills. Moreover, including more technology-based activities by including exercises guiding students towards filming, designing PowerPoint presentations and integrating Artificial Intelligence tools such as Canva, NotebookLM,..etc. in order to align with the 21st century skills.
21st century skills, developed curriculum, English Language, eleventh academic grade
Joe Starks as a Narcissist in Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes were Watching God (1937)
Narcissism is a common term nowadays. According to psychologists, narcissism is a disorder that makes a person more self-centered (Lavner et al., 2016, p. 2). This research examines narcissism in Zora Neale Hurston’s novel “Their Eyes Were Watching God.” The researcher analyzes the character of Joe Starks in the light of narcissism. The research aims to prove that Joe Starks is a narcissist. The study is divided into Introduction, literature review, methodology, Joe Starks as a narcissist, and a conclusion.
Narcissism, narcissist, personality, self-centered, disorder
Fragmentation and Discontinuity in Hyper-Text Literature: A Study of Michael Joyce’s Afternoon, a Story
The present study is concerned with Michael Joyce’s Afternoon, a Story (1987), as one of the fundamental works of hypertext fiction which plays a crucial role in the evolution of digital literature. It investigates how fragmentation and discontinuity function within a literary text; they are not merely seen as stylistic devices but structural principles. The study argues that Afternoon transforms fragmentation into an epistemological condition through an analysis rooted in poststructuralist theory and media studies. The paper also analyzes the way Joyce’s Afternoon, a Story decentralizes narrative authority, subverts chronological order, and redefines the role of the reader through embedding discontinuity into its digital form. Therefore, fragmentation and discontinuity are essential elements that are meant to reflect significant transition and systematic shifts in narrative forms in the digital age.
“Afternoon, a Story”, discontinuity, fragmentation, hypertext fiction, post- structuralism.
Rethinking the Human: A Feminist Comparative Reading of Narjiss Nejjar’s Dry Eyes and Leila Abouzeid’s Year of the Elephant through Irigaray’s Paradigm of Ethical Sexual Difference
This paper examines the ways in which the notion of the "human" is reimagined in Leila Abouzeid's novella Year of the Elephant (1989) and Narjiss Nejjar's film Dry Eyes (2003). This examination is framed within the feminist critical paradigm of ethical sexual difference developed by Luce Irigaray. In this utopian paradigm, the traditional rhetoric of sexual antagonism between the sexes dissolves in favour of intersubjective, spiritual relationality and co-existence. This paper uses a feminist comparative analysis to examine the relevance of Irigaray's ideas on ethical sexual difference in the works of both Abouzeid and Nejjar. It emphasises how these narratives foreground a symbolic female and feminist ethical consciousness that redefines heterosexual relational dynamics. This consciousness is seen as a transformative process that transcends orthodox textual/sexual politics that often subscribe to subjugation and assimilation. It brings into being a new female and feminist discourse that affirms an ethical "amorous exchange," wherein reciprocal respect, understanding, and recognition of one another's differences can foster a more genuine sense of subjectivity.
Copyright (c) 2026 Sanae KALLOUBI https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Role of the Social Justice in Achieving Freedom and Equality
The study aimed at explaining the role of social justice in achieving freedom and equality, while the problem of the study centered on a pivotal question meaning: what is the role of social justice in achieving freedom and equality. And to answer the question of the study and achieve its objectives, the study used the descriptive analytical method. And the study came to assure that the social justice has an effective role in achieving freedom and equality. Also, the study let us reach numerous results, the most significant of which are: the social justice is considered one of the most important indicators for enhancing social and political stability in states and democratic communities, and the social justice has an effective role in achieving freedom and equality and both of them are intertwined. Their outcomes required numerous recommendations the most important of which are: spreading cultural awareness among citizens with the significance of the social justice and its role in achieving freedom and equality among all categories of the society, and guarantee of independence of the control corporations and institutions of fairness, transparency and the judicial authority to strengthen the role of the social justice in achieving freedom and equality to all categories of the society.
The Role of Communication in Enhancing PKK Community Kitchen Initiatives for Stunting Reduction in Lebak Regency (A Case Study of Rangkasbitung District)
Stunting in Lebak Regency has become a serious concern as it reflects the condition of maternal and child well-being, which is influenced by undernutrition, economic constraints, and suboptimal caregiving practices, with approximately 4,391 children affected. In response to this condition, the Family Welfare Movement Team (Tim Penggerak PKK) has implemented various activities, including nutrition education, cooking demonstrations, the utilization of family medicinal plants (TOGA), strengthening of integrated health posts (posyandu), promotion of clean and healthy living practices, cross-sector collaboration, and continuous monitoring. These activities have been integrated into the ten core PKK programs, which are holistic in nature and encourage family and community participation. This study aimed to describe the communication processes and elaboration carried out by the Family Welfare Movement Team through the Dapur PKK Program in efforts to enhance maternal and child well-being, particularly in relation to stunting prevention. The study employed a qualitative approach using a case study method and was conducted in Lebak Regency from June to November 2025. Ten informants were selected through purposive sampling based on inclusion criteria and the relevance of information. Data were analyzed thematically through data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing to understand communication patterns, forms of elaboration, and the role of the Family Welfare Movement Team. The findings showed that communication and elaboration within the Dapur PKK Program occurred in a hierarchical and participatory manner through coordination meetings, digital group communication, official correspondence, as well as cooking practices and technical assistance. These processes shaped nutritional understanding, encouraged changes in family practices, and increased awareness of healthy dietary patterns and child nutrition among mothers and families. The communication strategy integrated personal, participatory, and cross-sector approaches through the involvement of community leaders, health professionals, and the use of digital media. The study concludes that the Dapur PKK Program plays a role in supporting maternal and child well-being and stunting prevention efforts. Hierarchical and participatory communication strategies are recommended to be continuously developed by expanding cross-sector collaboration and the utilization of digital media to reach a wider range of families.
Copyright (c) 2026 Ikma Nurhikmah, Ahmad Sihabudin, Ail Muldi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
AI cognitive laziness in programming learning among university students
Artificial intelligence become an essential part in education. In this research we study the impact of Generative Artificial Intelligence GenAi tools on student adoption in programming learning, the data was collected from 105 students how study a programming language in the university the survey include 20 question that is analysis to find the mean, standard deviation and AI dependency Index the result show that the AI Dependency is 3.6 which indicates that student over-reliance on these tools so this will reduce the cognitive effort made by students during learning, we recommend to use these tools to support learning process rather than reduce the critical thinking and cognitive effort.
Artificial intelligence tools, cognitive effort, AI dependency, learning
Copyright (c) 2026 Hadeel Alshboul https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Spiritual Intelligence and its Relationship with the Behavioral Indicators which Connected with the Central Nervous System CNS among Psychiatric Clinics Patients
Awareness of mental health, coupled with the rising rates of stress and anxiety among individuals, has led to a global increase in the demand for mental health services. Mental health disorders, including anxiety and depression, are among the leading causes of disability worldwide, resulting in significant burdens at multiple levels—most notably the individual, family, social, and economic levels. The study aims to answer the following main research question: What is the relationship between spiritual intelligence and behavioral indicators associated with the central nervous system among patients attending psychiatric clinics? From this main question, several sub-questions emerge. First, what is the level of spiritual intelligence among patients attending psychiatric clinics? Second, what is the level of behavioral indicators associated with the central nervous system among patients attending psychiatric clinics? Third, is there a statistically significant relationship at the significance level (α < 0.05) between spiritual intelligence and behavioral indicators associated with the central nervous system among patients attending psychiatric clinics? Finally, are there statistically significant differences at the significance level (α < 0.05) in the levels of spiritual intelligence and behavioral indicators associated with central nervous system functions among patients attending psychiatric clinics that can be attributed to gender, age, educational level, and marital status?
Spiritual Intelligence; Behavioral Indicators; Central Nervous System; CNS; Psychiatric Clinics Patients
Ḥudud and Islamic Morality. Overview of Ḥudud and its Controversy
This article examines the controversy surrounding ḥudud laws within Islamic jurisprudence and their perceived incompatibility with international human rights standards. It explores how punishments associated with ḥudud, such as amputation, flogging, and stoning, are widely criticised for violating global norms that prohibit cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment, as outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The paper further analyses tensions between Islamic moral codes and Western conceptions of individual freedoms, particularly in areas such as religious conversion, privacy, and sexual autonomy. The study also engages with the reformist perspective of Tariq Ramadan, who advocates for a contextual reinterpretation of Islamic texts and calls for a moratorium on the application of ḥudud punishments. While acknowledging the scriptural basis of these laws, Ramadan emphasises the importance of historical context, strict conditions of application, and contemporary socio-political realities. The article concludes by highlighting the ongoing debate between traditionalist and reformist approaches, demonstrating the complexity of reconciling Islamic legal traditions with modern human rights frameworks.
Ḥudud - Islamic law - Human rights - Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) -Penal code - Sharia - Religious freedom - Legal reform - Islamic jurisprudence
Copyright (c) 2026 Abdeladim Zehani https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
A systematic Review of Studies on Adult Reading Practices, Interests, Habits and Challenges
This study presents a systematic review (SR) of eleven studies conducted by the author over a twenty year period (2004–2023), offering a comprehensive and longitudinal examination of adult L1 recreational reading in Arab contexts. Collectively, these studies provide an integrated view of adult reading practices, interests, habits, motivation, challenges, literacy campaigns and reading promotion programs. The corpus was organized into four thematic clusters: (i) digital reading, social media, and contemporary reading behavior; (ii) reading interests, preferences, and popular genres and topics; (iii) literacy campaigns and reading promotion programs; and (iv) reading challenges and the broader decline of reading culture. Across the corpus, findings consistently show that although adults show a clear preference for specific genres, particularly fiction, entertainment oriented topics, and self development materials, actual engagement in recreational reading remains limited. This gap between interest and practice is affected by a number of structural, cultural, and technological barriers such as the dominance of entertainment driven media environments, the persistent misalignment between school curricula and college students’ reading interests, and the limited role of families and communities in cultivating and enhancing reading habits. Despite these constraints, the review identifies promising strategies for enhancing reading culture, including the strategic use of digital reading tools, community based reading initiatives, and successful national literacy campaigns worldwide. By consolidating two decades of research within a coherent author bounded corpus, this SR fills a critical gap in global L1 recreational reading scholarship, where adult reading—particularly in Arabic—remains significantly under examined. The findings underscore the need for multi level interventions that integrate educational reform, digital literacy development, family and community engagement, and sustained policy support. Strengthening adult recreational reading is not only a cultural priority but also a foundation for lifelong learning, personal development, and societal well being. Thus, this SR contributes a regionally grounded yet globally relevant perspective, offering insights that can inform future research scope, guide educational and cultural practice, and support national efforts to cultivate a log-term reading culture across the Arab world.
Systematic Review (SR), recreational reading, Al-Jarf reading research program, adult readers, reading practices, reading habits, reading interests, adult literacy, reading promotion programs, reading challenges
A Glimpse of the Sun as a Timeless Motif in Elizabethan Renaissance: Shakespearean Sonnets 7, 18, and 33
Ever since the creation of man, he has been fascinated with the Sun as an essential element of nature that determines change in his daily life. In accordance with the natural cycle of the Sun from the east to the west, man started to calculate not only the time of the day, but also to determine the season of the year. Therefore, man rapidly started to view the Sun as a rich source of creativity due to its distinctive traits of size, light, and heat; which are incomparable to anything else. With its daily recurrence, primitive man started to look at the Sun and imagine it to be something like a golden chariot crossing the sky, while the Greco-Roman classics associated it with a heroic or divine figure as Apollo or Helios. In this article, the Sun is looked at during the Elizabethan Renaissance; particularly by the one and only “Bard of Avon” William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616) in his Sonnets 7, 18, and 33. In this collection of sonnets, the persona expresses his emotions and passions towards his beloved, where the Sun plays a vital role in their depiction. The article adopts a critical framework that attempts to highlight how Shakespeare looks at the Sun as something beyond a symbol or an archetype. The article attempts to illustrate how Shakespeare in Sonnets 7, 18, and 33 resorts to the Sun as a recurrent motif in a general outline of storytelling. In spite the fact that the persona does establish an evident connection of resemblance as well as a means of comparison between his beloved and the Sun , yet the Sun eventually proves to surpass humans, who change over time, while the Sun remains glorious and pure.
Beloved, Persona, Shakespeare, Sonnets, Sun.
Jane Eyre and Wide Sargasso Sea: Identity in postcolonial analyses and literature
Colonial literature established lopsided cultural hierarchies by portraying the West as civilized, rational, and morally superior to the colonized who were represented as violent, irrational, and culturally inferior to the former. Rigid dividing lines created by such hegemonic discourse made essential the construction of identities amidst racial and gendered power structures. Dominant western narratives reinforced exclusion and power imbalances by silencing, stereotyping, and relegating minorities to marginal roles. This study draws on Edward Said’s Orientalism (1978) and Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak’s concept of subaltern silencing (1988) to examine how hegemonic discourse operates in Charlotte Bronte representation of Bertha Mason as a racialized and violent Other in her 1847 novel Jane Eyre. It also analyzes how the narrative authority is manipulated to construct an imperial reading of Bertha as an irrational and uncivilized character. Further, the study explores how Jean Rhys reconfigures this representation by restoring historical, racial, and gendered context to Bertha reimagined as Antoinette in Wide Sargasso Sea (1966). It examines the role of narrative revision and postcolonial feminist critique in the novel to expose the play of race and gender in the formation of fractured identities shaped by colonial history. The study concludes with a critical reflection on the possibilities and limitations of postcolonial resistance, questioning whether narrative rewriting can fully dismantle hegemonic discourse or whether it remains structurally linked to the canon it seeks to challenge.
Postcolonial Identity, Hegemonic Discourse, Colonial Binary Opposition, Narrative Rewriting, Intersection of Race and Gender, Subaltern Silencing
The effectiveness of self-regulated learning strategies on the square equations problem-solving among ninth-grade students and arousing their motivation for learning.
The research question intended was to examine the effectiveness of employment some of the self- regulated learning strategies in solving quadratic equations among ninth grade students and increasing their motivation to learn, the research study employed a semi-experimental curriculum, and the students in the research were (60) students in the ninth-grade basic students in mathematics in one of the schools of the Directorate of Education of the Northwest Badia District and they were distributed randomly in two equal groups (one experimental and another group that was not experimental). was taught in accordance with the teaching model based on self-regulated learning, the other was a female officer who was taught in the conventional manner, and there were actually thirty female students in each group. The researcher used two tools in this study, one in the form of a test that measures the solution of quadratic equations and the other in the form of a questionnaire to measure motivation; after confirming their veracity and consistency, the study's results showed that there were statistically significant differences at the level (α=0.05) between the average scores in the experimental group and the control group.The study recommended using the model based on structured learning in the teaching of mathematics; the ninth-grade quadratic equation solving module is self-taught. The results also demonstrated statistically significant differences between the average scores of the experimental group and the control group in the measure of motivation.
Self- Regulated Learning, Solving Quadratic Equations, Motivation for Learning, Basic Ninth Graders.
Copyright (c) 2026 awad mufleh shehab alkhazam https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Inspirational Leadership of Secondary Schools Principals and its Relation to Teachers’ Organizational Trust in Zarqa Governorate
This study aimed to investigate the degree of inspirational leadership practiced by public secondary school principals in the Zarqa First Education Directorate and its relationship to teachers' organizational trust levels. The study employed a descriptive correlational approach. The sample consisted of 319 teachers (male and female). Two questionnaires were used to collect data: one measured the degree of inspirational leadership practice, and the other measured teachers' organizational trust levels. The results showed that the degree of inspirational leadership practiced by public secondary school principals in the Zarqa First Education Directorate was high. No statistically significant differences were found based on gender, but statistically significant differences were found based on academic qualifications, favoring those with a bachelor's degree, and on years of experience, favoring teachers with less than five years of experience. The results also indicated that teachers' organizational trust levels were high, with no statistically significant differences based on gender or years of experience. However, statistically significant differences were found based on academic qualifications, favoring those with a bachelor's degree. The results also showed a statistically significant positive correlation between the degree to which high school principals practiced inspirational leadership and the level of organizational trust among teachers.
Inspirational Leadership, Organizational Trust, Zarqa Governorate
The Predictive Ability of Psychological Stress on psychosocial Adaptation Among Elderly Syrian Refugees in Jordan
The study aimed to examine the levels of psychological stress and psychosocial adjustment among older Syrian refugees in Jordan, and to determine whether there are statistically significant differences in the predictive power of psychological stress on psychosocial adjustment attributable to gender and income level. The study employed a descriptive–predictive quantitative design and was conducted on a sample of 207 older Syrian refugees residing in Amman. The findings indicate that older Syrian refugees in Jordan experience psychological stress at an overall elevated level, with economic and psychological stressors emerging as more severe compared to health-related and social stressors. Prominent economic stressors included fear of the discontinuation of assistance, financial insecurity, and loss of economic independence. Psychological stress was characterized by deep emotional distress associated with homesickness, loss and bereavement, chronic grief, death anxiety, and fear of returning to Syria amid the ongoing transitional phase. Regarding health-related stressors, significant barriers were identified in relation to treatment costs and limited access to healthcare services. While family ties functioned as a protective factor that mitigated social stress, feelings of distress stemming from emptiness and loss of social role persisted. The results further revealed that psychosocial adjustment was fragile, reflected in low self-acceptance and body image, excessive preoccupation with health deterioration, and a marked tendency toward social withdrawal and avoidance of social interaction among older adults.
psychological stress, psychosocial adjustment, older adults, Syrian refugees
Intrapersonal Communication as a Psychological Restoration Mechanism Among Quarter-Life Crisis
Early adulthood is a transitional phase often marked by uncertainty and psychological pressure, which can manifest as a Quarter-Life Crisis (QLC). This study examines how intrapersonal communication functions as a mechanism for psychological restoration among young adults in Indonesia experiencing QLC. Using an interpretative phenomenological approach (IPA), five participants were recruited through purposive sampling and engaged in in-depth interviews to explore their internal dialogue, reflective practices, and coping strategies. Data were analysed thematically to identify patterns of intrapersonal communication and meaning-making processes. Findings indicate that participants used both verbal self-talk and nonverbal reflective activities, including journaling, contemplation, and personal rituals, to regulate emotions, process experiences, and maintain psychological stability during periods of uncertainty. Intrapersonal communication also facilitated meaning reconstruction and adaptive reorientation of life goals, strengthening self-regulation, resilience, and a sense of agency. These practices persisted beyond the peak of the crisis, forming sustainable restorative pathways that support ongoing psychological well-being. The study highlights the significance of intrapersonal communication in promoting emotional regulation and resilience among young adults and points to practical applications in personal coping strategies, therapeutic interventions, family and community support, and workplace resilience programs. By integrating intrapersonal communication with psychological restoration theory, this research provides insight into how young adults in Indonesia navigate developmental challenges and recover from QLC.
quarter life crisis, intrapersonal communication, psychological restoration, self-reflection, early adulthood.
An Integrative Review of Studies on Teaching English for Art Education Purposes to Ph.D. Students
The literature revealed two major gaps: First, no systematic (SR) or integrative reviews (IRs) have examined the teaching of English for Art Education Purposes (EAEP), despite its growing relevance in Saudi higher education. No comprehensive review has synthesized research on reading, vocabulary, translation, electronic searching, research skills, or assessment within art education contexts. Second, no SRs have focused on the longitudinal development of a single scholar’s research program, although such an approach can offer valuable insights into the evolution of EAEP pedagogy, materials design, and instructional innovation over time. To fill these gaps, the present study aimed to conduct an IR of the author’s research on teaching EAEP between 2003 and 2013. The review synthesizes a decade of work on reading, vocabulary, translation, electronic searching, research skills, instructional strategies, technology integration, and assessment in English for art education contexts. Thus, this study provides a unique longitudinal perspective that is absent from existing ESP systematic reviews. This IR synthesized seven EAEP studies derived from a single teaching of the EAEP course in 2004/2005. The corpus was categorized into 5 thematic clusters: (i) Reading in Art Education, (ii) Translation in Art Education, (iii) Electronic Searching & Research Skills, (iv) Technology Integration in EAEP for Art and (v) Assessment in English for Art Education. Findings of this IR showed that EAEP instruction was grounded in a clear needs analysis that shaped all aspects of EAEP course design. Authentic disciplinary materials from art education scholarship played a central role in developing learners’ academic literacy. Reading, vocabulary, translation, electronic searching, and research skills functioned as an integrated system rather than isolated components. Structured scaffolding supported learners’ progression from guided engagement to greater autonomy. The technologies used reflected the limited institutional resources of the early 2000s but still facilitated meaningful engagement with specialized texts. Together, these findings position EAEP as a coherent form of disciplinary literacy and highlight the need for future research that explores diverse contexts and leverages contemporary digital and AI enhanced tools. This IR offers the first comprehensive synthesis of EAEP research and establishes a foundational framework for advancing disciplinary literacy in art education contexts.
Systematic Review (SR), English for art education purposes (EAEP), EAEP course design, EAEP teaching strategies, EAEP technologies, students’ needs analysis, academic needs, professional needs, EAEP assessment, art texts
The Impact of Business Intelligence on Organizational Excellence in Jordanian Commercial Banks
This study aims to investigate the impact of business intelligence on organizational excellence in Jordanian commercial banks. In an increasingly competitive and dynamic business environment, commercial banks must adopt strategic tools that enhance their decision-making processes and overall performance. Business intelligence—through its core dimensions of data management systems, data analysis systems, management support systems, and report presentation—plays a pivotal role in improving operational efficiency and sustaining competitive advantage. The study adopted a quantitative approach using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to test the proposed model and hypotheses. Data were collected from a proportional stratified random sample comprising 280 managers from senior and middle management levels across 12 Jordanian commercial banks. The findings revealed that all dimensions of business intelligence have a statistically significant and positive effect on the dimensions of organizational excellence, namely leadership excellence, subordinate excellence, strategy excellence, and operations excellence. Based on these findings, the study recommends enhancing investment in business intelligence infrastructure, fostering a data-driven organizational culture, and providing training for managerial staff to optimize the strategic use of BI tools—ultimately supporting sustainable excellence and competitiveness in the banking sector.
Business Intelligence, Organizational Excellence, Jordanian Commercial Banks
The awareness of students in the Faculties of Science and Information Technology regarding the importance of studying mathematics in serving the local community
The aim of this study is to explore the level of awareness among students of the Faculties of Science and Information Technology regarding the importance of studying mathematics in serving the local community, as well as the extent to which the mathematical concepts they learn during their university studies are connected to their daily lives, local community problems, and solutions to these problems. The study adopted a descriptive approach, and a questionnaire was designed to collect data from the study population. The questionnaire included several sections: general student information, awareness of the importance of mathematics, attitudes and practical behavior, and obstacles and challenges. The study sample consisted of 178 students from the Faculties of Science (Mathematics and Chemistry majors) and Information Technology (Computer Science, Software Engineering, Computer Networking Systems, and Information Security majors).
Student awareness, studying mathematics, serving the local community, mathematical concepts
Copyright (c) 2026 kholoud shqurat https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Cognitive Biases in Group Decision-Making Processes and Their Impact on Decision Quality
This paper systematically explores the manifestations of cognitive biases in group decision-making processes and their impact on decision quality. As a decision-making form characterized by multi-agent participation and collective deliberation, group decision-making is widely applied in organizational management, public policy formulation, and social governance. However, cognitive biases inherent in individual members and their interactions significantly constrain decision effectiveness. The article begins by reviewing the basic processes and characteristics of group decision-making, as well as the psychological and social origins of cognitive biases. Building on this foundation, it focuses on analyzing the specific manifestations and mechanisms of typical cognitive biases—such as availability bias, selective attention, representativeness bias, anchoring effects, confirmation bias, and groupthink—during the three stages of information collection, information evaluation, and decision formation. These biases lead to fragmented information acquisition, distorted judgment, and opinion convergence, thereby reducing decision accuracy, increasing risks, and hindering team collaboration. To address these issues, the article proposes systematic strategies from three aspects: enhancing members’ cognitive abilities, optimizing decision-making processes and mechanisms, and fostering an open and inclusive team atmosphere.
Group decision-making; Decision-Making Processes; cognitive biases; decision quality
Burundian Women: Key Actors in Peace Amid Persistent Challenges
This literature review examines the role of Burundian women in peace and security processes through a systematic analysis of peer-reviewed and grey literature available online, following the PRISMA methodology. Burundi’s armed conflicts have had profound social, political, and humanitarian consequences; however, women have emerged as critical actors in conflict prevention, resolution, and post-conflict peacebuilding. The review highlights key historical and institutional contributions, notably the 1996 Burundian Women’s Peace Conference, which significantly influenced the national peace process and contributed to the incorporation of a 30% gender quota in the Constitution. Furthermore, the training of thousands of women as community mediators has strengthened local conflict resolution mechanisms and social cohesion. Despite these advances, significant challenges persist. Women remain underrepresented in formal security and decision-making institutions, and gender-based violence continues to undermine peace and security efforts. The findings also reveal a substantial gap between normative frameworks—particularly United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security—and their effective implementation at national and local levels. This review underscores the need to enhance women’s meaningful participation across all levels of peace and security governance, address impunity for gender-based violence, and provide sustained support to grassroots women-led initiatives. The study concludes by identifying areas for future research, including the long-term impact of gender quotas and the lived experiences of women peacebuilders in Burundi, to inform more inclusive and sustainable peacebuilding strategies.
Women, Peace and Security; Burundi; Gender Quotas; Conflict Resolution; UNSCR 1325; Peacebuilding
An Investigation into the Linguistic Landscape of Shop Signs in Al-Najaf Al-Ashraf Governorate: A Sociolinguistic Study
The topic of the linguistic landscape is an increasingly researched area within the domain of sociolinguistics as it has the potentiality of exposing the languages used in a specific community and the views and ideologies associated with them. One of the demonstrations of the linguistic landscape is via the shop signs in the streets and markets of a certain community. Thus, this study attempts at cultivating the use of English in the shop signs of Al-Najaf Al-Ashraf Governorate centre, which is located in the southwest of the capital, Baghdad. It basically aims at investigating the distribution of shop signs that demonstrate the use of English in central and peripheral areas, as well as investigating the factors that have the potentiality of being responsible for using English from the point of view of shop owners. The data are collected from three areas starting from the city centre to the peripheral areas. The method used in this study is a qualitative descriptive method by giving a detailed description of the types and functions of the linguistic landscapes used in the shop signs. The results show that English is used in the central areas as in Al-Rawan and Al-Muthanaa streets more than the peripheral ones as in Al-Wafaa and Al-Askarii area. Besides, the targeted customers, English competency and the educational level of the shop owner, effect of main trading cities, and creating a name that is easily remembered by customers due to its association with the products and services provided by the shop, the prestigious social class inhabiting the center of the city, their educational level and high economic income are the main factors that affect the choice of English in shop signage.
Linguistic Landscape, Their Types, Functions, Shop Signs, Al-Najaf Al-Ashraf.
Predictive Validity of Diagnostic Tests on Graduate Students' Academic and Comprehensive Examination Performance
Diagnostic Test scores were assessed for predictive validity on Academic Performance (GWA) and Comprehensive Examination Performance in 291 Northeastern College graduates. The quantitative correlational research approach used secondary data and the Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient (r) to examine whether early assessments predicted academic success. Diagnostic Test scores showed a weak positive correlation with Academic Performance (r= 0.162, p = 0.006). Higher diagnostic scores slightly improve GWA outcomes, but the test has little predictive potential for program academic performance. This indicates that academic achievement is complex and shaped by contextual and motivational factors beyond cognitive capacity, necessitating integrated evaluation methods. The Diagnostic Test did not predict the high-stakes Comprehensive Examination Performance (r= 0.040, p=0.492). Academic Performance (GWA) did not connect with Comprehensive Examination Performance (r= 0.28, p = 0.633). Initial diagnostic tests and overall academic grades did not predict performance on the comprehensive exam. High-stakes tests require a cumulative application of knowledge and skills that early assessments and traditional grades cannot provide. The study recommends a more comprehensive, multifaceted assessment strategy that uses targeted preparatory programs to address skill deficiencies identified through diagnostic testing, thereby improving the prediction of graduate program success.
Predictive validity, Diagnostic test, Academic performance, Comprehensive examination, General Weighted Average (GWA), Correlational research, Graduate students.
Assessment of Library Service Quality at a Private Higher Education Institution
This mixed-methods study examines library services at a private higher education institution using a quantitative survey and students' qualitative remarks. The Philippine education system relies on evaluation to improve student performance, satisfaction, and services to meet academic needs. The quantitative phase uses stratified random sampling (n=391) and a customized version of LibQUAL+ to measure five service characteristics (Physical, Services, Collections, Selection, and Staff). The qualitative stage identified users' challenges and suggestions through open-ended questions and topic analysis. Participants generally rated the library staff (M=4.14) and physical characteristics (M=4.15) positively. Internet access and replacing worn materials were the lowest-rated (M = 3.92). Qualitative findings revealed service gaps in limited/outdated resources, noise, and staff approachability (demeanor and empathy). Significant differences in service impression by year level were found (p < .001), with fourth-year students holding the least favorable views across all parameters. Strengths of the library include the expertise of core staff and physical accessibility. It must address inadequacies in resource currency, IT infrastructure, and noise management services. According to the study, a year-level and gender-focused service strategy is needed. Institutional technology modernization investments should focus on error management, user understanding, and technology upgrading. Staff training should include required user-centered training to close the affective rapport gap.
Library Services, User Satisfaction, Triangulation, LibQUAL
Assessment of pedagogical and Technical Quality of Generative AI Response in Java OOP
In this study, we examine the quality of answers returned by AI language models (GenAI) to Java Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) questions. A 20-question package was developed, including questions on Classes, Objects, Encapsulation, Inheritance Polymorphism and Constructors. Each GA was then rated with respect to the MAs and SAs in terms of (a) how correct it was; (b) how much understanding it revealed; (c) how clear it is; (d) if included code, whether the code quality was acceptable; and also, in terms of potential “hallucination.” The experimental results demonstrate that GenAI generates high-quality answers, especially in the correctness and conceptual depth aspects, but may fail to make a clear response for questions of complex semantics. The research offers a transferable model for AI evaluation in education.
Generative AI, Java OOP, Programming Education, AI Evaluation
Framing Freedom in Narjiss Nejjar’s The Rif Lover (2011): Female Agency Between Empowerment and Western Tropes
This paper conducts a critical examination of the sociocultural factors that influence the experiences of Moroccan women confronting social depression. It centers on one of Morocco’s most debated films, The Rif Lover (2011), directed by Narjiss Nejjar. The film employs specific cinematic techniques, such as framing, editing, and visual symbolism, to explore interconnected themes including love, female sexuality, freedom, and notably, female empowerment. Produced during a period marked by significant events, including the Democratic Spring and King Mohammed VI's historic speech acknowledging the importance of gender equality across various domains. This era had a marked influence on Moroccan cinema and culture. During this period, Moroccan filmmakers began addressing numerous cultural taboos. By applying postcolonial-feminist theory alongside a qualitative visual thematic analysis, this article demonstrates how a female diasporic filmmaker may inadvertently reinforce Western notions of women’s liberation and desire. The film's findings are situated within the director's skillful use of cinematic techniques, rendering it a poetic text that offers female characters a space and a voice through the camera's lens. She opens a new debate on women’s freedom and religion within Moroccan society, which is both traditional and modern, and has been influenced by colonization for approximately forty years.
Moroccan cinema, cinematography, love, sexuality, female body, and Moroccan culture
Assessing The Effect of Early Literacy Growth with Parental Involvement in the Kindergarten Learners
This study assessed the effect of parental involvement on early literacy development of kindergarten in Bantayan Central Elementary School, Ticad, Bantayan, Cebu, during the SY 2024-2025 using a descriptive-correlational design. A total of 112 respondents, comprising 105 parent-respondents and 7 kindergarten teachers. The data gathered were the demographic profiles of the respondents, the level of parents’ involvement in the school activities of the learners, and the level of early literacy development of the learners in terms of language development, attitudes towards reading, and voluntary reading. These were analyzed using percentage frequency, weighted mean, and Pearson’s r correlation. Results showed a very high level of parental involvement in the different school activities of the learners, as indicated in the different indicators mentioned. This indicates that parental involvement in school activities has a positive and significant impact on the student performance. The study recommends that parents should be involved in the early literacy development of the kindergarten learners.
Parental involvement, Early literacy development, Kindergarten learners, Language development
Parental Involvement: A Vital Component of Kindergarten Learners’ Early Literacy Development
This study assessed parental involvement and early literacy development of kindergarten learners. The research employed a descriptive correlational design to examine the relationship between parental involvement and early literacy development. A total of one hundred twelve respondents participated, comprising one hundred five parents and seven kindergarten teachers. Data were gathered using adapted survey questionnaires from established research instruments and analyzed using frequency count, percentage, weighted mean, and Pearson correlation coefficient. Results revealed that parent-respondents were predominantly female from younger age groups with diverse educational backgrounds, smaller family sizes, and lower income levels, while teacher-respondents were predominantly female with substantial teaching experience and graduate-level qualifications. Parental involvement in school activities demonstrated very high levels across nearly all indicators. Early literacy development showed very high overall performance, with language development scoring higher than attitudes towards reading and voluntary reading behaviors. The correlation analysis revealed a weak positive relationship between parental involvement and early literacy development that was not statistically significant, leading to acceptance of the null hypothesis. The findings suggest that the school represents an optimal educational context where ceiling effects mask the relationship between variables. An Early Literacy Development Plan was proposed to address specific areas requiring enhancement while building upon existing strengths.
Beyond Institutional Collaboration: Collaborative Governance and it's Limits in Socio-economic Empowerment Programs for Vulnerable Woman
The Women’s socioeconomic vulnerability remains a persistent policy challenge in decentralized governance contexts, requiring governance approaches that extend beyond sectoral and institutional boundaries. This study examines how collaborative governance is structured and enacted in the empowerment of Perempuan Rawan Sosial Ekonomi (PRSE) in Kabupaten Jember, Indonesia, and assesses its implications for women’s socioeconomic empowerment outcomes. Employing a qualitative phenomenological design, data were collected through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, non-participant observation, and document analysis involving key institutional actors and PRSE beneficiaries. Data were analyzed using an interactive model of qualitative analysis. The findings reveal that collaborative governance in PRSE empowerment has been formally established through multi-actor involvement but remains substantively limited. Collaboration is predominantly government-led, with asymmetric power relations and procedural participation by beneficiaries. While empowerment initiatives improve access to skills training, financial literacy, and short-term economic resilience, these outcomes are weakly institutionalized and lack sustainability due to fragmented coordination and limited beneficiary involvement in decision-making processes. This study contributes to collaborative governance and gender empowerment literature by demonstrating that institutional collaboration alone is insufficient to produce transformative empowerment outcomes. Meaningful empowerment requires inclusive governance mechanisms, substantive power-sharing, and integrated policy coordination. Practically, the findings highlight the need for participatory governance reforms and sustainability-oriented empowerment strategies to enhance the long-term socioeconomic autonomy of vulnerable women. The study offers empirical insights for policymakers and scholars concerned with gender-responsive governance and social policy implementation in developing-country contexts
Women’s empowerment; Woman Socioeconomic vulnerability; PRSE; Local governance
Copyright (c) 2026 Nur Wahdatul Chilmy, Hadi Prayitno, Supranoto Supranoto, Linda Dwi Eriyanti https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0