Pedagogical Approaches To Intercultural Competence Development

The volume generously provided by Cambridge Scholars Publishing in 2020 and edited by Christine E. Poteau entitled Pedagogical Approaches to Intercultural Competence Development is organized into seven chapters. Beyond the generic theme of interest under which they come together (Pedagogical Approaches to Intercultural Competence Development) and which gives unity to the volume, each chapter is a small universe in itself, unique, interesting, topical, and attractive as a perspective of approach, design, arguments, contents, applications, implications, bibliography. Therefore, the volume can be covered in full, as a holistic approach to the phenomenon, or by chapters, depending on the interest of the reader and his area of ​​expertise. In full agreement with the theme (and, as it were, to increase the diversity of perspectives), it is proposed as a volume that brings together contributions from different geographical and socio-cultural areas (Brazil, Hawaii, Israel, Japan, USA, Ukraine), to researchers and educators with backgrounds in various fields, concerned with the same major problem (enhancing pedagogical approaches and expanding intercultural competence skill development) and finding solutions that, beyond their immediate focus can allow the emergence of suggestions with a higher degree of applicability or generation of explanatory models. That is why, although the analyses are focused on different specific aspects of the problem (in each chapter), the perspective of approach/solution is one that rises towards the global, in which the answers and proposals of the authors are related to the interdisciplinary approach (e.g.: the need to globalize curricula and identify diverse pedagogical challenges in the development of intercultural competence). One of the effects aimed at following this journalistic approach refers precisely to the development of initiatives across fields of experiential learning and the initiation of cooperation programs for a stronger global community.

REVIEW OF THE BOOK “ELEMENTE DE COMUNICARE SIMBOLICĂ” [ELEMENTS OF SYMBOLIC COMMUNICATION], AUTHOR: ANDREEA RALUCA PURCARU, LUMEN PUBLISHING HOUSE, 2017

We are human beings, and what distinguishes us from other beings is the anguish of finitude, the reason, the articulate language, and so on. Associating and forming groups are the characteristics specific to the human beings, because since the antiquity as it has been said that we were social beings. Communication occupies an important place nowadays. Whether written, oral, internal or external, the communication is essential nowadays. In this context, Anca Raluca Purcaru brings to the fore a new perspective in terms of communication, through her work ”Elemente de comunicare simbolică” (“Elements of symbolic communication”), published by the Lumen Publishing House of Iasi.

Diving deep into the bottom of the soul. Two journeys into the worlds of NLP and PCP

I’m not the first one who point to the fact that the increasing numbers of therapies and therapists have generated the increasing numbers of diseases and patients/ clients. So, I imagine a world of health and wisdom, a world built on the building blocks of NLP and PCP. For each of these fields I offered a) a map, b) a story and c) some models of mind. Also, I use the metaphor of “diving into the deep” to explore these views, leaving open new possibilities of explorations and discoveries.

REVIEW OF THE VOLUME ”HOMO HODIE. CONCEPTELE CARE NE CONTROLEAZĂ DE SECOLE” [HOMO HODIE. CONCEPTS THAT HAVE CONTROLLED US FOR CENTURIES], AUTHOR: DRAGOȘ OBREJA, LUMEN PUBLISHING HOUSE, 2019

Dragoș Obreja is a graduate of the Faculty of Sociology and Social Work of the University of Bucharest, currently being a master student of the same faculty. “Homo Hodie. The concepts that have controlled us for centuries” is the third of his works, published in 2019 by Lumen Scientific Publishing House from Iași. Trying to answer a question, seemingly simple, but which hides aspects that are quite difficult to clarify, namely whether we are truly more modern than our predecessors, the author addresses a multitude of topics. The work is very heterogeneous, and the author himself calls it a "stew"

Transforming the Possible intoAction in Colson Whitehead’s Novel “The Intuitionist”

The XXIst century, known among others as a “culture of empiricism,” is a time of accelerated technology and engineering feats, on the one hand and of controversial race problems, on the other. For approaching Colson Whitehead’s novel “The Intuitionist,” where the writer is travelling back and forth between “the naturalist novel of race” and “the imaginative novel of ideas,” George Kelly’s Personal Construct Theory will be employed as a methodological device to decode its intricate meaning. Kelly’s socio-psychological theory incorporates vectors of action and perception meant to reveal how the individual construes the world, in Whitehead’s case, how Lila Mae Watson, the city’s first black female elevator inspector, construes herself as the follower of James Fulton, another black person, father of Intuitionism and promoter of vertical thought, meant to give rise to the perfect, new generation elevator in a city marked by pain and the stoicism of black people who look for the ultimate elevator that will take them “up and out.” Kelly’s concept of motivation will be also turned into account through his argument that people act not because of “motive forces,” but because of alternative perspectives that better suit them. Motivation will also grant to Lila MaeWatson the ability “to transform the possible into action and create values” (Alfred Whitehead, qtd in Lavelle, 1997: 146) and it will be commented upon as a prestigious educational device meant to ensure a greater understanding of the communication context present in Whitehead’s novel.

Psychological Strengths Contributing to Rural Student’s Academic Performance in Kadazandusun

Achieving academic success is a shared dream among students. To achieve academic success, psychological strengths, such as psychological well-being, academic self-efficacy, and motivation, are predictors of students’ academic achievement. To examine these factors, a study was conducted on rural students from the Kadazandusun community residing in the interior Sabah division. It is predicted that each of these psychological factors may contribute to the academic achievement of these rural students. There were 668 Kadazandusun rural students from 17 rural schools in Sabah who participated in this study. A set of questionnaires comprising four parts was used to measure all the variables based on the following sequence: Section A measured demographic variables, Section B measured psychological well-being, Section C measured achievement motivation, and Section D measured academic self-efficacy. The simple regression analysis showed that each psychological factor moderately affected academic achievement. Psychological well-being, achievement motivation, and academic self-efficacy contributed 4.4%, 2.2%, and 5.1% of the variance in students’ academic achievement, respectively. This study’s results may give the Ministry of Education, schools, and parents a glimpse of hope that despite educational limitations, such as lack of infrastructure and geographical location, students’ psychological strengths can enhance rural students’ academic performance. Therefore, the educational authorities can provide more programmes regarding works that increase psychological well-being, motivation, and academic efficacy, which may contribute to the academic success of rural students.

An integrative approach to vocational identity and of the prevention of school adaptation difficulties

The present paper aims to present an integrative model of the development of vocational identity in the prevention of the school adaptation difficulties. The transition to another level of education, regardless of age, implies new obstacles and question marks. The essential dimensions of personal orientation in vocational development (psychological, pedagogical and social) are interconditioned and interrelated with each other. Research has indicated that student career exploration can have a positive effect on school engagement. Also, research has confirmed that students who are engaged in their education, consider school as a valuable experience, and want to participate in school activities are more likely to demonstrate high academic achievement (Klem & Connell, 2004; Want & Halcombe, 2010) and are less likely to drop out of school (Finn & Rock, 1997). Educational counseling / vocational education facilitates, through the steps it involves, the emergence of new cognitions, attitudes and effective behaviors. Also, the various practices promoted in school focus on the prevention of problems that may hinder the development and harmonious functioning of the person.

REVIEW OF THE VOLUME ”SOLUȚIONAREA DIPLOMATICĂ A DIFERENDELOR ÎN DREPTUL INTERNAȚIONAL FLUVIAL” [DIPLOMATIC SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES IN INTERNATIONAL RIVER LAW], AUTHOR: DAN ALEXANDRU GUNĂ, LUMEN PUBLISHING HOUSE, 2019

Browsing through the pages of Dan Alexandru Gună's book, " Soluționarea diplomatică a diferendelor în dreptul internațional fluvial" [Diplomatic Settlement of Disputes in International River Law], the words "beatus, qui prodest, quibus potest" came to my mind (”blessed is the one who becomes useful through the help given”). In these few simple words I could describe this paper, which turns out to be a thorough research of the fundamental principle of public international law, namely the peaceful settlement of international disputes.