The Gendered Pathways Into Giving and Volunteering: Similar or Different Across Countries?

There has been a steady increase in research studying the role of gender in prosocial behavior, such as charitable giving and volunteering. We provide an extensive review of the interdisciplinary literature and derive hypotheses about three different pathways that lead men and women to differ in their display of giving and volunteering: pathways through social capital, motivations, and resources. We test these hypotheses across 19 countries by analyzing 28,410 individuals, using generalized structural equation models. Our results support previous research, conducted in single countries, that there are distinct different pathways that lead men and women to engage in giving and volunteering: Women report stronger motivations to help others, but men report more of the financial resources that make giving and volunteering possible. The gendered pathways to giving and volunteering that lead through social capital, educational achievement, and financial security vary by country.

As long as (I think) my husband agrees…: role of perceived partner approval in contraceptive use among couples living in military camps in Kinshasa, DRC

Background Male partner’s approval is a key determinant of contraceptive use for women living in Sub-Saharan Africa and improving men’s support and couple communication is a cornerstone of family planning programs. However, approval is often only measured through the women’s perception of their partner’s opinion. Methods This study conducted in Kinshasa compares contraceptive approval variables from matched male and female partners (n = 252 couples) to establish the frequency of (in)accurate perceptions by the woman, then test their association with modern contraceptive use. Additional regressions estimate individual and couple variables associated with (in)correct perceptions. Results Results confirm women are poorly aware of their partner’s opinion but indicate that perceived approval or disapproval by the woman is a much stronger determinant of modern contraceptive use than her partner’s actual opinion. Higher educational achievement from the woman is the strongest driver of misunderstanding her partner’s approval. Conclusions Women’s perceptions of partner’s approval are much stronger determinant of contraceptive use than the latter’s actual opinion, and stereotyping men’s opinion of family planning is a common error of appreciation. However, findings also suggest these misunderstandings might serve women’s capacity to negotiate contraceptive use.

The Impact of Using Real Life Situation in Solving Linear Equations by Seventh Graders

The study aims to examine the impact of using real life situation in solving linear equations by seventh graders. In order to achieve the designated aim of the study, the study was conducted in one of the Arab schools in Israel. A sample of 20 average students was deliberately chosen depending on their educational achievement. Two approached were employed within the study; the qualitative approach and its quantitative counterpart. Results of the study clearly exhibit that student have undergone three stages: in the first stage, a development in the concept of “similar terms” was noticed. The second stage showed a development in the concept of “quantity comparison.” In the final stage of the study, the students became familiar with the concept of parity in the linear equations. In light of the researchers’ findings, the study could be concluded with some important recommendations and suggestions. Namely, to review the mathematics curriculum for the middle school students and recreating one that seriously tackles real life situations. Implementation of advanced technology and software within the mathematics class, and working on further research on the topic of the study are also highly encouraged. Received: 23 September 2021 / Accepted: 16 November 2021 / Published: 3 January 2022

A proposed electronic tool for managing educational procedures, following-up teachers' performance in the classroom, and measuring their attitudes

The educational process depends on many procedures, which lead to positive educational outcomes. The research depends on modern technology in the design and development of an electronic tool that manages the teaching process in the classroom from beginning to end. The purpose of the research is to monitor the teacher's procedures by following up on all teaching procedures using an electronic tool for managing the educational process. The teacher implemented all educational lesson procedures in the classroom through the proposed electronic tool according to its prior preparation. The researcher designed a cognitive achievement test for students of the experimental and control groups to measure the effectiveness of the electronic tool. An attitude scale was applied to teachers to identify their attitude toward using the tool in monitoring procedures in the classroom to ensure the effectiveness of the proposed electronic tool in developing the educational process and enriching the academic situation. The research's results indicated that using the proposed electronic tool improved students' educational achievement by comparing the students' results in the experimental and control groups. The teachers' attitude toward using the tool was also characterized as favorable and desired. The research recommended applying the proposed electronic tool to a more significant number of teachers in different specializations, using the tool reports in overcoming problems in the classroom, and conducting more studies related to performance follow-up and observation in the classroom.

Analisis Prestasi Pendidikan Anak Penerima Bantuan Program Keluarga Harapan Di Kecamatan Peranap Kabupaten Indragiri Hulu

This study aims to analyze the educational achievements of children who receive assistance from the Hope Family Program in the Peranap District, Indragiri Hulu Regency and to find out the factors that influence it. This research is a primary research that collects data using a research questionnaire. The total population of the study was all families receiving the family hope program assistance in the role of the role of the Indragiri Hulu Regency, namely as many as 446 families, then based on the Slovin formula with a level of 10%, the total sample size was 82 respondents in which the respondents were divided into families who have selected school children, namely the highest PKH recipient child education. The analytical method used is descriptive quantitative using multiple linear regression analysis. Based on the results of the study, it is known that the Family Hope Program (PKH) assistance has a significant positive effect on the educational achievement of children receiving the Hope Family Program (PKH) in Peranap District, Indragiri Hulu Regency. The level of attendance of children has a significant positive effect on the educational achievement of children receiving the Hope Family Program (PKH) in the Peranap District, Indragiri Hulu Regency. Parents' income has a significant positive effect on the educational achievement of children receiving the Hope Family Program (PKH) in the Peranap District, Indragiri Hulu Regency. If the parents' income increases, it will increase the educational achievement of children who receive the Hope Family Program (PKH) in Peranap District, Indragiri Hulu Regency. And the level of parental education has a significant positive effect on the educational achievement of children receiving the Hope Family Program (PKH) in the Peranap District, Indragiri Hulu Regency.

Recalibrating Our Levels of Analysis: Working towards Islamic Democracy from the Ground-Up

This review article aims to challenge Andrew March’s pessimism regarding the possibility of Islamic democracy in the modern world. It will argue that instead of conceptualizing the possibilities for Islamic democracy in a top-down manner, rooted in the language and imaginary of sovereignty, discussions about Islamic democracy ought to first focus on more empirically measurable and less theologically controversial things such as economic development, educational achievement, institutional functionality, and good governance. Such an approach removes the need for future Islamic political theorizing to be post-sovereigntist and/or post-statist as March contends. Instead, the future of Islamic political theorizing needs to actually be ‘political,’ addressing the same policy and administrative issues that any other form of contemporary democratic political thought aims to address.

The Impact of National and School Contextual Factors on the Academic Performance of Immigrant Students

The issue of immigration has become central to the politics of nations across the world, impacting many aspects of life over the last decade. Researches investigating educational achievement through a cross-national lens have found that immigrant children tend to exhibit lower academic achievement than their native born peers, and that these differences are exacerbated by both family level variables (e.g., socioeconomic status) as well as the school climate. The goal of the current study was to build on earlier work in this area by investigating the nature and degree to which national attitudes towards immigration have changed over time, and whether any such changes were associated with academic achievement for immigrant and native born students. In particular, the relationship between changing attitudes towards immigration and the achievement gap between native and immigrant students. Results of the study demonstrated that nations with more negative attitudes towards refugees in general, and those for which these attitudes became more negative over time had greater achievement gaps than did those nations with more positive attitudes. In addition, these change trajectories moderated relationships between teacher attitudes towards multiculturalism and academic achievement.

The Impact of Using zSpace System as a Virtual Learning Environment in Saudi Arabia: A Case Study

The use of virtual reality (VR) has increased in many different areas, especially in the learning process. One of the most important VR tools is zSpace platform, which can be used as a virtual learning environment. This paper aims to increase the awareness of applying VR technology in Saudi Arabia through using zSpace as a virtual learning environment in all Saudi schools rather than using traditional learning methods. As a case study, we chose Al-Hamra School in Jeddah. By analyzing tests and questionnaires with students and teachers, we examined the effect of using zSpace on students’ grades, educational achievement, and learning skills. We have demonstrated that using zSpace instead of traditional learning methods in the learning process had better effect students, which is considered to be a largely positive effect in the learning environment.