Philosophical Underpinnings of Disaster Risk Reduction Research: The Case for Social Constructivism

In response to the growing interdisciplinarity of disaster research, this paper explores the philosophical underpinnings of disaster research to a) elucidate the methodological choices that disaster researchers make b) reflect on how these different choices and philosophical approaches consider disaster risk, and c) provide arguments infavor of the application of social constructivism for improving the results of disaster research. It investigates the epistemological and ontological underpinnings of social constructivism and objectivism and reflects on how they are applied in disaster research through a review of the literature. For ease and to avoid repetitive duplication of the references, the endnote reference manager was used in this study, with all references employed in this study managed using the endnote library. APA 6th reference style is followed to manage and harmonized the bibliographic section. Its findings indicate that the objectivist approaches that dominated the field until the 1980s emphasized the role of science and technology in reducing disaster risk focused on the physical and natural elements of different disasters, and therefore lack certain applicability. As a counter, this paper argues that a discursive, social constructivist approach that considers disasters as socially framed, rooted, and constructed may provide more fruitful applications of disaster research.

A Social Constructivist Approach to Management of Primary Student Behavior

To teach lessons effectively, primary teachers need to effectively manage student behavior. Good student behavior management helps teachers receive a smooth coordination from students in classroom practices. This article provides knowledge base for primary teachers in managing student behavior and presents some possible measures to help primary teachers effectively manage student behavior. The article focuses on clarifying the issues of characteristic of primary students, principles of student behavior management, and measures of effective behavior management. The article applies a student-centered approach and social constructivism to provide measures to manage student behavior. The article not only works for primary teachers but also has many meanings for educational administrators and trainers in order to improving the implementation of General Education Program of 2018 in the current context of educational innovation.

Designing a Lesson Plan About Teaching French Grammar as a Foreign Language from a Social Constructivist Approach

In modern methods, in line with the social constructivist and action-oriented approaches, knowledge should be (co-) constructed by the learner in interaction with his or her learning environment which has been established by the teacher prior to the session. A social constructivist approach can be described as learning-centered. This approach indicates learning as an interactive process. This study aims to define how learners build instructional sequences based on the European Common Language Reference Framework (CEFR) and action-oriented methods by using authentic documents including metalanguage. The sequence is for adult learners at A2 level. They are Turkish students who are at least 19 years old and they have participated in a one-year preparatory class with the aim of reaching B1 level. We will analyze the context of the procedure teaching and the profile of the learners to whom it will be passed. At the end of these introductory analyzes, which are important for the development of an audience-specific learning sequence, we will create a sequence guide with additional activity sheets for students.

Grief, photography and meaning making: A psychological constructivist approach

This article examines the value of using photography as both a methodological and therapeutic tool for the construction – and study – of meanings after a death-related loss. A study case, consisting of narratives of mourning elicited through a personal photo diary and a follow-up interview, will be analysed in light of five key advantages of using photography to study grief experiences according to a social constructivist approach. These advantages are (1) agency in the search for meaning; (2) the role of photography as a tool for scaffolding narratives of loss; (3) the role of photography in preserving the continuing bonds with the deceased; (4) the role of photography as technology of the self for emotional self-regulation and (5) photography as a process in the reviewing of the contextualised experience.

Exploration of Masculinity in Sanjeev Upreti's Hansa

Can a man be rigid, strong and decisive all the time? How do people know about their normative gender roles? Who formulates the rules about love, sex, marriage, and men and women relations? These are some of the issues raised in Sanjeev Upreti's latest novel Hansa [Duck] (2019). The novel artistically and sensitively traces the limits of patriarchal gender roles and suggests that masculinity is contextual and undergoes a continuous process of change. The major male characters of the novel, despite their inclination towards heterosexuality, and despite their effort to perform traditional masculinity, fail. Though they have embraced hegemonic masculinity as an ideal form of masculinity, and try to practice it, they are weak and vulnerable. This article explores why these characters fail to perform their gender roles as par their expectations. To analyze male gender roles and masculinity in the novel, theories of masculinity are drawn basically from Raewyn Connell and Judith Butler‟s social constructivist approach to gender studies. Analyzing the novel through the lens of masculinity helps the reader understand the constraints of hegemonic masculinity and provides insight to alternative ways of understanding male gender roles and masculinity. The article has found that the male characters of the novel suffer because they stick to the traditional masculinity and fail to adapt to their changed roles.

Developing a peer supported feedback model that enhances oral proficiency in French

This article investigates the process of development for a novel online peer-supported approach that enhances oral proficiency in French at an Australian university to cope with ever more complex challenges. These challenges include students with mixed ability in the same class, reduced teaching resources and student surveys identifying a lack of speaking practice affecting confidence and performance in oral assessments. A related aim of the present study was to facilitate assessment literacy of our students by encouraging them to make links between the skills practised in class and the requirements for the final oral summative assessment. Methodology draws on educational practice influenced by a social constructivist approach to develop a learning model using online peer feedback, where more advanced learners support less experienced peers outside the formal classroom. Preliminary results reveal that although the model was deemed to be ‘generally effective’ in enhancing speaking skills and developing a better understanding of assessment literacy, it needs to enable learners to build their meta-skills across the three-year degree program to be truly effective. The conclusion explores further development and expansion of the learning approach across the French undergraduate program and makes future recommendations.

SOCIALLY CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH IN TEACHING INFORMATICS AT SCHOOL

The article considers features of organization of teaching computer science at school on the basis of social constructivist approach. The main idea of this approach is the construction by students of their knowledge of computer science in the process of collaboration through solving problem tasks in a network community. The organization of student activities in the network community on the basis of social constructivist approach includes the organization of joint community management, creation of conditions for communication and interaction of students, solution of problem tasks in computer science, and self-regulation of educational activities. Joint management of the network community contributes to a deeper understanding of differentiation of access rights in the network, functional possibilities of a community; gaining experience of organization activities of other people; increasing responsibility for their learning. Solving problem tasks in computer science contributes to the development of interest to the subject, formation of the ability to independent information research, its analysis, and a more confident acquirement of ICT tools. In the process of discussing problem situations in online communities, students master social norms, rules and values of these communities that leads to a successful functionality in these communities. Self-regulation of educational activity allows students to make a decision about the effectiveness of cognitive activity and the need for its correction.