Motivation to learn foreign languages is a significant determinant of successful language acquisition. The subject has been widely researched in the past, and since the early 1990s a great deal of empirical research related to the classroom environment has been proposed to expand theory into everyday classroom practice. I present an empirical, longitudinal (3-year) study to explore the relationship between and changes in foreign language learning motivation, learning motivation and self-concept in the 5th, 6th and 8th forms of elementary school. The same tests (Kozéki-Entwistle’s Learning Motivation Questionnaire, the Tenessee SelfConcept Scale, and Clément, Dörnyei and Noels’ Foreign Language Learning Motivation questionnaire) were administered three times, so I was able to compare the results and draw conclusions about developmental tendencies. A strong correlation was found between motivational and self-esteem scores, and between learning and foreign language learning motivation subscales. It is necessary to highlight the importance of the Moral, Family and Social Self, which draws our attention to the family values and beliefs students are equipped with, when they enter the school. The significant decrease in motivation and self-esteem in the period under investigation focuses our attention on problems of adolescence, and challanges language teachers to establish a highly motivating classroom practice.

Character education is a growing discipline with the deliberate attempt to optimize students’ ethical behavior. The outcome of character education has always been encouraging, solidly, and continually preparing the leaders of tomorrow. The promotion of character education should not just a leap service but has an action plan for practice. In order words, education policy should take the lead to actualize moral education. Taken together, parents, teachers, and administrators as stakeholders, should join this camp to encourage students to manifest those good values in their lives. The outline of this paper is that first the definition of character education is provided. Then, the historical perspective of character education is reviewed. Third, the issue of context in character education is disclosed. The challenge and controversy of implementation of character education is also presented. Finally, the implication and further research are discussed.

The educative project MelArete proposes an interpretation of ethical education: a form of Education to Virtue Ethics in the light of the philosophy of care. Starting from the ontological assumption that care is prime in life and without it the human being cannot flourish in his/her humanity, the project is based on an interpretation of the pedagogy of care. Since the practice of care reveals to have an ethical core and that core is made of ways of being-with-the-others, the pedagogical theory of MelArete states that in order to develop a project that is in relationship with the core of life we must educate to care. Therefore, educating to care means educating to virtues. On this basis MelArete proposes activities with the aim to guide children’s attention to the concepts of care and virtues.  MelArete has its many references in Plato and Aristotle; besides it assumes the distinction of Ricoeur between ethics and morality. In Plato/Socrates (Alcibiades I) ethics is an educational action that allows the others to thrive in their own existential capabilities; moreover, in Aristotle’s (Nicomachean Ethics) ethics searches for eudaimonia, a good quality of life. In our educational project with children, the educative methods are the following: conversations (promoting intersubjective thought), narratives (reading and writing stories about virtues), vignettes and games (stimulating ethical thinking through a playful language) and the “diary of virtues” (promoting a reflecting culture of virtues in everyday life). In this paper we present the theoretical background of the project and a summary of the pedagogical approach and application which we are testing in our research.

The purpose of this work is to adapt the existing Moral Competency Index (MCI) developed by Lennick and Kiel in a sample of teachers. The validated Turkish version of MCI is based on the item pool of the original MCI with a slight adaptation of the items to fit the context of teacher leadership. The translated form was administered to 773 teachers in Gaziantep city. Exploratory factor analysis, Cronbach’s Alpha and Split-half reliability, and item analysis were performed through SPSS, while the first and second order confirmatory factor analyses were performed through AMOS. Results showed that adapted Turkish form of MCI (Ogretmen Ahlaki Yeterlik Olcegi) is reliable and valid, and the four-dimensional original factorial structure (integrity, responsibility, forgiveness, and compassion) was confirmed and maintained. Finally, multiple regression analyses were performed. Results showed that female teachers have higher levels of moral competencies in the dimensions of integrity and forgiveness. Also, as teachers’ age increases, their general moral competency scores increase in the dimensions of integrity, responsibility, and compassion.

In Turkey, as in all countries of the world, education is regarded as the sole means of modernization, progress, civilization, productivity, and sustainability of all these things. The aim of the Turkish education system is to raise students with the national, moral and cultural values of the Turkish nation, to educate them as citizens of a social law state, and solve the existing or potential problems that may arise in the future. The most important document that shows how this aim will be achieved in the country is the curriculum. The purpose of this study is to reveal the frequency of the social issues included in the current curriculum at the elementary education level. Within the scope of the study, social issues presented by sociologists were established through e-Delphi panels, coded under seven titles by researchers, those who were thought to bring solutions to these problems were counted by descriptive analysis method in the specific aims, themes and achievements of the curriculum used at elementary level. Results show that curriculum adopted at the elementary education level include mostly issues related to individual life and individualization, socialization, democratic life and democratization while economic issues, and issues related to family, environment and urbanization are emphasized less. These findings are discussed with other research results.

The purpose of this research is to examine the opinions of bodybuilding sportsmen regarding the use of doping by comparing them with the sportsmen values dimension. The research was carried out with qualitative research pattern, and interview method was used. The study group was consisted of 2 women, 10 men in total of 12 national sportsmen in bodybuilding branch from Turkey. The data were obtained through face to face interviews with bodybuilding sportsmen using the interview form. Then, the data were analyzed through content analysis method. As a result, it was determined that success without doping is difficult in bodybuilding sport, and almost all of the sportsmen use doping in this sports branch, yet doping causes health problems and unfair competition.

This study seeks to develop a learning method based on local wisdom that is developed to support the learning process. One of the pearls of wisdom used in developing learning methods is the traditional games of the Sundanese people, namely the Bebentengan game. This study aims to see the improvement of student learning outcomes by implementing the Bebentengan learning method. The mix-method, quantitative data and qualitative data are described based on the research findings. It involves as many as 298 students at various levels; Elementary School (ES), Junior High School (JHS), and Senior High School (SHS) and nine teachers. Data analysis using ANCOVA. The results showed that there was no significant increase in learning outcomes at all levels (sig. 0.020 <α). There is a significant difference in the learning of students who get Sundanese local wisdom-based learning methods at each level (ES, JHS and SHS). Based on the comparison between ES and JHS (Sig = 0.079> α), can be concluded that the learning method is not effective to be applied in junior high schools. Then, between ES and SHS (Sig = 0.006 < α) so it can be concluded that the learning method is effective to be applied in elementary schools. The last comparison is between JHS and JHS or vice versa (Sig = 0.079> 0.314> α), can be concluded that the learning method is not effective to be applied in SHS. Therefore, this method is most effective at the primary level. We find that this learning method can improve student learning outcomes at all levels. Learning methods using local wisdom are effective enough to improve student learning outcomes. Thus, this method can be implemented more broadly. Still, it needs to be developed in the future. It does not rule out the possibility of learning methods based on local wisdom can be combined with technological advances.

This research aims to develop Indonesian Language textbooks with multiculturalism and character education for traditional poetry writing learning. This research uses a research and development approach until the discovery of a proper textbook. The subjects involved in this study were 101 elementary school fourth-graders, 33 teachers, and 2 Indonesian language and literature learning experts. Data analysis techniques at the need analysis stage through interactive models, and data analysis at the product testing stage using quantitative techniques with non-independent t-test statistics. Preliminary studies found that teachers and students needed creative writing skills textbooks developed by integrating the values of multiculturalism and character education. Textbook development referred to aspects of content, language, presentation, and graphics. Limited textbook product testing using t-test showed that t-obtained= -4,265 and t-table on α = 5 % is 2,064, so H0 is rejected. Broad testing also resulted in    t-obtained= -6,426 and t-table = 2,004, so it can be decided that H0 is rejected. Students' traditional poetry writing skills after learning using textbooks are better than before learning using textbooks. Thus it is concluded that the textbooks developed are inferred worthy of use by teachers and students to improve their writing skills in elementary school.

The teaching and learning in Indonesian elementary schools focus both on students’ concept mastery and character development.  Teachers are encouraged to implement a learning model that integrates character values and yet promote learning interest.  This study was aimed at investigating the mathematics learning interest of grade three elementary school students through the integration of thematic learning with character education, referred to as the character-integrated thematic learning model. Using a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design, this study involved 70 students and employed a questionnaire to obtain data, which were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. Descriptively, the average scores of students' learning interest before and after the implementation of the character-integrated thematic learning model are respectively 117.54 and 140.69 with the gain index of 0.44 in the fair category. While score obtained for thematic learning model are 116.11 and 120.23 with the gain index of 0.07 in the low category. The results of the statistical inference analysis using the independent sample t-test were obtained t-count of 4.98 > t-table of 1,667. This indicates that there has been a significant increase in students’ learning interest scores with the implementation of character-integrated thematic learning model. Thus, this learning model can be applied to pay attention to the development of student’s character which has an impact on increasing student’s learning interest.

Character education is urgent in passing down the ethical and moral values in the cultured community life. The local cultural values are a source of ethics and moral education for elementary school students. The school keeps taking an essential role in cultivating the local values through online character education during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to analyze the effect of implementing online integrated character education and parental engagement in local cultural values cultivation outcome. The method of this study used an exploratory sequential mixed method design. Collect qualitative data using interview forms, observation, documentation, and quantitative data using questionnaires and portfolios. Qualitative data interpretation used content analysis, and inferential analysis used multiple linear regression. Results revealed that parental engagement, teachers’ performance, and online learning obstacles affect local cultural values cultivation outcome in character education partially and simultaneously for sixth-grade students in Padang City. We suggested teachers improve character education management based on local cultural values by building good synergy and collaboration between them and parents to cultivate noble character behavior among students.

The aim of this article is to highlight the history of social work in Kosovo, regarding the major political climate from 1945 to the present. Unfavorable political developments that have existed in Kosovo for a long historical period have made it impossible to develop the social work profession compared to the countries of the region. Although the Former Yugoslav Federation claimed to be a socialist country, the social differences between states and provinces within this were large. The findings of the paper show that social work did not develop in Kosovo as a profession until specific structures, such as the emergence of the University of Pristina as a legal structure of education for Kosovo Albanians, which has been offering a degree program in social work for almost a decade now. The political orientation and organizational infrastructure are highly relevant for the execution and education of social work. Literature review is the methodological framework of this paper. Education and social work have been shown to be an extraordinary opportunity for the transformation of society.

Teacher agency is a set of actions that a teacher takes beyond what is generally expected of them. The concept merits examination, as agency can bolster teachers’ ability to set and achieve professional development goals. To better understand how to study, and use, this relatively new concept in the academic literature, a systematic review of 164 publications written by researchers from 41 countries was conducted in order to document the research approaches used to study teacher agency, the participants whose agency was documented in a school setting, the methodology used and the type of analysis performed. The study found that teacher agency has been documented qualitatively in the form of case studies comprising interviews of a small number of individuals, with no consensus in terms of interview protocol. In most cases, the results are analyzed using emergent coding. The way that agency is documented varies but is most often underpinned by an ecological approach.

Several supporting factors are alleged to influence the performance of teachers. This study aimed to describe the relationship between each research variable and teachers’ performance, either directly or indirectly. This research was conducted through surveys and quantitative approaches that included correlational research types. The research subjects were Hindu religion teachers in 119 state junior high schools, consisting of 517 teachers. The sample of 256 people was determined using the Krejcie and Morgan formula and the Warwick and Lininger formula. The samples from each sub-population were determined with the proportional random sampling technique, and the personal sampling of sample members was determined with the use of lottery techniques. The data were collected using a five-point Likert scale model questionnaire with high validity and reliability. The data analysis technique used in this study was structural equation modelling. The conceptual model met the standards of comprehensive goodness-of-fit requirements. The results of the study show that the average levels of Hindu principals’ leadership, the emotional intelligence of teachers, supervision of school superintendents, school culture, teachers’ work motivation, and the performance of Hindu religion teachers are in the high category. In addition, the hypothesis testing results show there is a significant direct and indirect relationship between the variables in the state junior high school.

Under the influence of neo-liberalism and marketization, education is increasingly becoming more content-focused than character one. Ignoring the fact that money, science, and technology may take a person to the moon, these are ethical and moral values that take him/her to the even loftier heights of humanity. Recent COVID-19-driven focus on information and communication technology (ICT) and digital learning have further added to these woes by focusing more on human-machine interaction than human-human ones. Traditional models for inculcating these values through education which heavily rely on the physical presence of teachers do not seem to work in these circumstances. This demands a model for inculcating these values in learning management systems/ e-learning platforms. This study contributes in this regard by first identifying key players and factors, and then proposing a model for it. Using the Delphi model, it gathers opinions from 59 experts in two rounds. Academic institutions, society and online community members, teachers, and e-contents were identified as key factors and players. It suggests a holistic approach-based model through which all of them play their role and collaborate through an e-learning platform. That platform can be used to disseminate information, create awareness, monitor, and report the e-learners. It uses pull and push strategies to help the e-learners to develop those values.

Ursula von der Leyen identifies diverse classrooms have different knowledges and ‘epistemologies’. A typology of epistemologies for democratising knowledge ‘A Blueprint for Character Development for Evolution’ (ABCDE) is offered to mainstream policy benefits for all by Higher Education as hubs i) credentialing educational leaders by doctoral-study and ii) propelling networks of Professional Educators and Administrators Committees for Empowerment (PEACE) across professions credentialed by Higher Education and chaired by educational leaders. PEACE builds robust evidence bases to inform redesigning curriculums and culturally responsive pedagogies as policy benefits that empower students to use ABCDE with Assessment for Personal and Social Learning (APSL) to problem solve across the quadruple-helix. Education Outcomes include students’ self-management of personal and social understanding and wellbeing for resilience within sustainable circular, entrepreneurial, green and digitised economies with products and means of production regulated by professions credentialed by Higher Education. Impacts include communities developing responsible historical social consciousness to reinvigorate democratic governance, accountability, transparency, effectiveness and trustworthiness of rule-of-law based institutions and policies to expand active and inclusive citizenship empowered by safeguarding human rights. Further research, building on the powerful European Commission funded platform ‘DocEnhance’ is recommended to inform effective and efficient investment into high quality education and training.

This study investigated young children’s recognition of social rules and responses to social-conventional transgressions in Japanese preschool settings. One hundred twenty-six children aged three to six years old heard four hypothetical stories that describe typical social-conventional transgressions in Japanese preschools. They were asked about their feelings when they witnessed each transgression (emotional response), whether they thought it was better to follow social rules and act like everyone else (social convention judgment), their justification for the judgment, and their willingness to play with the transgressor (interaction judgment). Most participants in all age groups valued following social rules and judged that the transgressor should act like everyone else, but five-year-olds generated more group- and other-oriented justifications for the judgment. Although there were no significant age group differences in interaction judgment, further analysis showed that three-year-olds’ willingness to play with the transgressor was positively related to their positive emotion, whereas such relationships were not found in four- and five-year-olds. The results demonstrate that Japanese children’s responses to social-conventional transgressions become more social and complex throughout young childhood in the Japanese cultural context.

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of problem-based learning (PBL) within a teaching unit on the advancement of ethical reasoning and decision-making skills among Israeli female tertiary students. Employing a quasi-experimental design, 48 female students were distributed into three groups, with two serving as control groups receiving conventional curriculum-based instruction and one as an experimental group exposed to the PBL methodology. Both before and after implementation, all groups underwent assessments using a decision-making competency test and an ethical reasoning scale. The results unequivocally demonstrated the significant enhancement of decision-making abilities and ethical thinking through the implementation of the PBL strategy. Comparative analysis revealed substantial improvements in the experimental group compared to the control groups, emphasizing the efficacy of PBL in fostering comprehensive skill development. Furthermore, a positive correlation between ethical thinking and decision-making skills further reinforces the beneficial outcomes associated with PBL. These findings advocate for the widespread integration of PBL techniques across various academic disciplines.