Actualizing hope and joy in K-12 curricula through Daisaku Ikeda’s human education

Purpose: Our study aims to create a framework grounded in Daisaku Ikeda’s philosophy of education for educators and researchers to implement and evaluate human education in the classroom. Research Methodology: We first synthesized the eighteen chapters by scholars involved in Ikeda studies, published in the book entitled: Hope and Joy in Education: Engaging Daisaku Ikeda across Curriculum and Context to discover the main themes in Ikeda’s human education. Based on these themes, we selected six children’s stories developed by Ikeda to design lessons. We then conducted surveys with ten K-12 teachers across disciplines and school districts to explore their perspectives toward humanity and their feedback on our lesson design. Results: Our finding indicates that creating hope and joy in education is inseparable from human revolution, value creation, happiness, the greater self, global citizens, as well as life and death. In addition, the participant’s responses to the survey questions help educators and researchers understand what K-12 teachers look for in order to implement lessons on humanity more efficiently and effectively. Limitations: By no means would we consider our lesson design exemplary or applicable in all different contexts. Instead, we consider these lessons a starting point to continue exploring a better way to teach humanity in school. Contribution: Seeing examples of lesson plans on humanity and learning from K-12 teachers’ perspectives provide an aspect for educators and researchers to use, extend, or expand the present study to bring hope and joy to students in their local contexts.

Consequence of Covid-19 lockdown on household food security: Voices from Hoima City, Uganda

Purpose: To investigate the consequence covid-19 lockdown on food security among a cohort of peri-urban households in Hoima city. Research methodology: A descriptive survey was employed targeting 186 respondents. Data were collected using a researcher-designed self-administered questionnaire and analysed using quantitative statistics. Specifically, chi-square was employed to establish whether the hypothesis held sway; also, regression analysis was employed with a view of forecasting the degree of change in household food security due to covid-19 lockdown. Results: The period of lockdown announced and implemented by the government had a positive consequence on food security. Nonetheless, the economic hardships overturned the successes otherwise achieved as a number of households sold off much of the food so as acquire other household items. Recommendations: While the government is credited for instituting a lockdown as a means to reduce the spread of covid-19 virus, it is recommended that city authorities are encouraged to boost urban farming by distributing agri-inputs to households in the peri-urban seeing that their daily incomes are already constrained. Contribution: The findings of this study may be useful to city authorities in Uganda in evolving a guide on integration of food security as a cross-cutting issue in the overall strategic disaster management plan. This article makes an input to the budding field of understanding by underlining inroads that can generate more sustainable urban community livelihoods through food security.

Analysis the development of growth centers and hinterland areas in Bangka Regency, Indonesia

Purpose: This study aims to determine and analyze the development of growth centers and hinterland areas in Bangka Regency, Indonesia. Research Methodology: The analytical methods used are scalogram analysis, centrality index, gravity analysis, and GIS (Geographic Information System) methods. The type of data is quantitative data. The data source is secondarily obtained from BPS of Bangka Regency. Results: The results of the scalogram analysis and centrality index showed that Sungailiat District had the first order as the center of growth. The other seven districts, namely Belinyu, Merawang, Mendo Barat, Pemali, Riau Silip, Puding Besar, and Bakam are hinterland areas. Sungailiat District as the growth center has the strongest interaction value with the hinterland area, namely Pemali District, and the weakest interaction value with Bakam District. Limitations: This research uses the descriptive quantitative approach in its calculations using simple mathematical calculations. Further research is needed to find out how much influence it has on the region. Contributions: This study is to provide alternative inputs to the government of the Bangka Regency in formulating policy planning and decision-making regarding growth centers and hinterland areas.

Analysis of borehole water accessibility in Samaru Community, Zaria Metropolis, Kaduna State, Nigeria

Purpose: This study is aimed at analyzing the water accessibility in Samaru Community, Zaria Metropolis, in Nigeria with a borehole as the center for attraction. Research methodology: Questionnaires, interview, and observation methods were applied in data collection and systematic sampling was adopted in selecting the respondents. The questionnaires were administered from January 2021 to August 2021. Results: The results revealed that the hand pump borehole was the major source of water supply in the study area with 71%. The consumption of water per capita of the majority of respondents, 61%, was less than 30 liters against WHO standards. Then, 59% of respondents cover a distance of between 1-2 km to get access to their water supply. Findings further revealed that cooking use of borehole water was 38% against drinking that is 24%. Additionally, some water-borne diseases like typhoid fever and cholera were reported in some cases. Limitation: The issue at hand virtually affects the whole of the metropolis but eight researchers could not cover all sections because of the limitation of time. Contribution: Research on the provision of clean water and sanitation cannot be overemphasized as they are objective six of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) because of their importance in life.

Training and development methods and organizational performance: A case of the local government organization in Central Region, Ghana

Purpose: Is to investigate the relationship between training and development (T&D) methods and organizational performance in the local government sector, as well as contribute to knowledge. Research Methodology: The study employed a quantitative approach and correlation design, a census sampling method to sample 215 employees, a structured questionnaire to collect data, multiple linear regression to test hypotheses, and the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 20 to input, transform and analyze the data. Result: The result shows that training and development (T & D) methods (job orientation, job rotation, workshop & conference, and classroom lectures) had a significant relationship with organizational performance. The findings also revealed that training and development (T & D) methods (job orientation, workshop & conference, and classroom lectures) have a significant relationship with the quality of service delivery. However, job rotation has no relationship with quality service delivery. Limitation: The study's main weakness is that it only looked at four different training and development methods and their impact on organizational performance and service quality. Another flaw in the study is that it only looked at one metropolitan assembly. Contribution: In this regard, metropolitan and municipal assembly executives and managers should consider employing training and development methods that provide stronger predictions to boost the organization’s performance and delivery of quality services to communities. They should train and develop employees within the organization as soon as political power changes hands to enhance organization performance because policy adherence is critical to the organization's performance.

Exploring the practices of secondary school teachers in preparing for classroom observation amidst the new normal of education

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the practices of secondary public school teachers in preparing for classroom observation amidst the new normal of education. The emphasis of this study was drawn from the central question, "What are the practices of secondary public school teachers in preparing for classroom observation amidst the new normal of education?". Research Methodology: This study used a qualitative research design. It employed a phenomenology design to explore the practices of secondary public school teachers in preparing the new normal classroom observation. Results: Teachers believe that classroom observation is a measuring tool for achieving their professional goals or performance level. They also think that classroom observation can evaluate and assess the students' learning outcomes effectively and efficiently. Limitations: This study was limited to 22 secondary public school teachers in Cagayan, Philippines. Contribution: It can be helpful for teachers to improve their teaching techniques, strategies, methods, and instructional materials to be used amid this new normal of education.

Exemplary leadership practices in early childhood education in preparing the golden generations for Indonesia

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the ideal quality of inclusive early childhood education, an effective leadership style and five practices of exemplary leadership. Research methodology: This is a review article. The review process began with a search engine (Google Scholar) to search and review early childhood education and leadership articles. Results: The results suggest that it is important to hold quality inclusive early childhood educations since, in this level of education, six developmental areas are well stimulated. The key success of maintaining quality inclusive early childhood education is a collaboration among education parties (government, school, parents and community). A school needs a principal who can perform five exemplary leadership practices to help “Golden Indonesia 2045” become true. Limitations: First, the scope of articles reviewed is still very limited to the literature review in the Indonesian context. This and other limitations will be opportunities for further empirical studies about five practices of exemplary leadership in the Indonesian education area. Contribution: This study can be useful for the early childhood education level.

Efficacy of farmer field schools in achieving participatory technology development among smallholder farmers in the Hoima district, Uganda

Purpose: This study investigated the efficacy of FFS for participatory technology development among smallholder farmers in Hoima district, Uganda. It is anticipated that by making FFS concrete, household food security will be enhanced. Research methodology: The study utilised primary data, which was collected using a self-administered questionnaire. While 120 respondents were sampled, 103 responded, generating a response rate of 85.83%. This was an excellent response seeing that it merited above 75%. The researcher administered all questionnaires in one month. Results: From the findings indicate that PTD is more desirable in the Hoima district. In addition, the construct of the ability to solve problems from time to time indicates that problem-solving is very desirable for PTD in the Hoima district. The results suggest a positive correlation between FFS and PTD among the study population, indicating that a unit-change in the FFS constructs will lead to a proportionate change in the constructs of PTD in the same direction. This implies that improving FFS quality by a single unit will translate into progressive improvement in PTD in the Hoima district. This study also suggests that FFS alone has a strong positive influence on PTD in the Hoima district. Limitations: This study merely covered farmer-field schools, yet several interventions aim to raise the quality of agriculture in Uganda, such as National Agricultural Advisory Services and Emyoga. Contribution: This study contributes to the deeper understanding of what ought to be done to improve the quality of farming in Uganda.

The significance of tasks in second language learning: The case of Africa University in Zimbabwe

Purpose: This study utilised the case study approach for an in-depth understanding of the practices of teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) at Africa University (AU), Zimbabwe. The study aimed to provide a description of unique and typical ESL experiences in a particular African context. Research Methodology: The study investigated 60 participants who were prospective undergraduate students enrolled in the ESL programme and were separated into two groups. Each group consisted of 30 participants who received task-based instruction hinged on reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Result: An analysis of the learners' performance revealed that tasks facilitate the learning of ESL by exposing learners to different problem-solving scenarios that required higher-order cognitive skills. Limitations: This study was based on the ESL classroom at AU, which enrols students from African countries. A similar study could be conducted with students from more diverse backgrounds to establish if the results of this study could be corroborated or refuted. Similar studies could also be conducted in other second language contexts where English is not the target language. Contribution: The results of this study are important for the discipline of ESL as they support existing knowledge that tasks allow learners to communicate using the correct grammatical structures in a given relevant context.

Principal’s efforts to change in schools: A case study in Indonesia

Purpose: This study aims at describing the principals’ efforts to make changes, the factors supporting the changes, and inhibiting factors. Research methodology: This research uses a literature review method to describe the principals’ efforts to make changes, the factors supporting the changes, and inhibiting factors. Results: The results show that (1) the principals’ efforts to make changes include catalysts, creators, facilitators, and stabilizers, (2) the supporting factors are the principals’ efforts to make changes and support from teachers and parents to make these changes, and (3) there are several factors, including inhibiting factors. These factors are unfolding needs which include economy, social needs, self-esteem, and individuals that requirefinding new work methods, new work groups that cause inconvenience and obscurity to achieve, limiting the individuals’ share of information and school organizational resources, and orthodox thinking leading to underdevelopment of knowledge and skills as well as limiting authority, increasing workload, increasing number of rules, and intimidating individual career development. Limitations: This study only focuses on the principle of making changes, the factors supporting the changes, and inhibiting factors. Contribution: This research contributes to the principals’ efforts to make changes, the factors supporting the changes, and inhibiting factors to achieve school goals and a good leader to manage the school.