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Research Article
Public Qualities of National Sports Coaches - Scope of Qualification in Japan
Issue:
Volume 14, Issue 3, June 2025
Pages:
191-201
Received:
4 April 2025
Accepted:
17 April 2025
Published:
14 May 2025
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the factors that make "national coaches" who participate in the Olympic Games have official recognition (qualifications). The qualification of coaches has not been institutionalized by Japan's traditional volunteer thinking, despite its public value. It would be a problem of education and employment society in Japan, which encompasses everyone from local coaches to professional coaches. As a study method, semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight former national coaches, either face-to-face or online (Zoom). In the interview, we asked about (1) planning and execution of international competition, (2) use medical and sport science, (3) international collaboration, (4) expansion of job opportunities, and (5) sports promotion. The results were organized by a co-occurrence network analysis using KH Coder. Results showed the following three points. First is that the importance of "management" and "communication" is pointed out in all the questions. Second is that the improvement of international competitiveness would affect not only the spread of the sport high performance but also the public value of expanding the job opportunity in the society. Third is the fragility of the "job" of the national coach. In this interview, coaches talked about the job of national coach as a "one-way ticket", and this is a long-standing issue. These three points are important when considering the qualification of national coaches. The value of sports could be reaffirmed in times of social unrest. Coaches should always have a range of values about social contribution, so that society might see as a public presence. More specific recommendations for policymakers should include the definition of an evaluation body that identifies eligibility criteria, what kind of career paths are specifically proposed, and the identification of policy organizations for parliamentary legislation.
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the factors that make "national coaches" who participate in the Olympic Games have official recognition (qualifications). The qualification of coaches has not been institutionalized by Japan's traditional volunteer thinking, despite its public value. It would be a problem of education and employment society ...
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Research Article
Exploring Families' Perception of Adolescent Mental Health: Using AI to Strengthen Government Social Risk Resilience
Issue:
Volume 14, Issue 3, June 2025
Pages:
202-212
Received:
11 March 2025
Accepted:
21 April 2025
Published:
14 May 2025
Abstract: This study explores the current state of family mental health awareness among adolescents and its promotion pathways, proposing optimization strategies by integrating artificial intelligence (AI) technology. Based on literature analysis, the research highlights the growing severity of adolescent mental health issues and the critical role of family factors in prevention and intervention. However, existing studies primarily focus on psychological perspectives, lacking economic and management viewpoints, while AI applications mainly target post-hoc interventions rather than daily prevention. Using a mixed-methods design, the study developed the Family Adolescent Mental Health Awareness Questionnaire covering three dimensions: emotional management, behavioral support, and social relationships. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses validated its reliability and validity. An empirical survey of 295 parents in Beijing revealed that most possess basic awareness in emotional management and behavioral support but struggle with complex emotion recognition and sudden emotion coping. Notably, 30% of parents did not consider seeking professional help for adolescent depressive symptoms. Gender difference analysis showed significantly higher support willingness among female parents. The research further proposes a three-stage AI application framework: 1) privacy-protected multi-source data collection via blockchain encryption; 2) development of natural language processing-based intelligent chatbots for personalized mental health support; 3) establishment of an online education and early-warning system integrating families, schools, and governments to strengthen early intervention. The marginal contribution lies in optimizing mental health service systems through digital technology, providing data-driven policy recommendations for policymakers, and offering actionable solutions for family awareness improvement. Future research should expand sample geographical representation and explore technological adaptability across diverse scenarios.
Abstract: This study explores the current state of family mental health awareness among adolescents and its promotion pathways, proposing optimization strategies by integrating artificial intelligence (AI) technology. Based on literature analysis, the research highlights the growing severity of adolescent mental health issues and the critical role of family ...
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Research Article
International Students’ Experiences of Assessment Practices in Chinese Higher Education: A Case-Study
Issue:
Volume 14, Issue 3, June 2025
Pages:
213-219
Received:
25 March 2025
Accepted:
27 April 2025
Published:
14 May 2025
Abstract: Assessment is part of teaching and learning at all levels of education and when it's taken into consideration it impacts students’ academic performance. At different levels of education, assessment takes different trajectories. From summative, formative, diagnostic and learning analytics, assessment for learning plays a major role in assisting instructor to provide best experiences to their students. In higher education, performance-based assessments for learning are most likely to dominate. This study sought to investigate the experiences of students in higher education as far as assessment is concerned. To explore their experiences, researchers applied a qualitative research method, a case-study research design. A purposive sampling technique was employed to lure students’ participation in this study. The total eligible sample for participation was N=7. Data collection was in two phases: there was an in-depth interview with the participants at their convenience place and time with all ethical approvals and consent attended to. Secondly, document analysis which included students’ modules’ outlines were considered. Data was analyzed thematically through coding, clustering and theme development based on the patterns it showed. The findings show that almost all the instructors instruct students to complete the course papers as the main parts of the assessment for their course at the end of each course. In additions, students complete at least one or two presentations during the semester per module and one academic saloon as part of their assessment. Furthermore, instructors’ criterion for communication of what is expected from students from the course influences students’ experiences both positively and negatively. Teachers’ feedback and support also influence how students conduct themselves towards their courses. Students also plea for higher active, engaging interactive dialogues and peer collaboration among themselves. This study recommends consistent robust communication between learners and instructors regarding course demands and implementation of measures that encourage students’ active engagements throughout their course.
Abstract: Assessment is part of teaching and learning at all levels of education and when it's taken into consideration it impacts students’ academic performance. At different levels of education, assessment takes different trajectories. From summative, formative, diagnostic and learning analytics, assessment for learning plays a major role in assisting inst...
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Research Article
Unveiling AI Ethics in Digital Marketing: A Study on Accountability and Fairness among Social Media Users in Palestine
Najwan Ibrahim Jadallah*
Issue:
Volume 14, Issue 3, June 2025
Pages:
220-232
Received:
7 April 2025
Accepted:
21 April 2025
Published:
22 May 2025
Abstract: This study critically explores the ethical dimensions of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in digital marketing, with a particular emphasis on AI accountability and fairness among online consumers in Palestine. Employing a quantitative research design, the study utilizes Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to analyze data collected from 385 participants. The primary aim is to examine how AI-driven marketing strategies shape perceptions of fairness, with accountability acting as a mediating variable. The results demonstrate that AI accountability significantly mediates the relationship between AI-generated marketing content and consumer perceptions of fairness, highlighting the critical role of accountability in promoting ethical AI practices. This research underscores the pressing need for transparency in AI systems, as well as the importance of mitigating algorithmic biases that may adversely affect consumer experiences. The findings offer actionable insights for businesses and policymakers, advocating for the development of comprehensive regulatory frameworks that ensure the ethical application of AI technologies in marketing while fostering consumer trust. By contributing to the ongoing discourse on AI ethics, this study provides a robust foundation for understanding the complex interplay between AI technologies, fairness, and accountability in digital marketing. These insights are particularly pertinent to industries leveraging AI for content creation, as they navigate the ethical challenges associated with consumer engagement in an increasingly digitalized environment.
Abstract: This study critically explores the ethical dimensions of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in digital marketing, with a particular emphasis on AI accountability and fairness among online consumers in Palestine. Employing a quantitative research design, the study utilizes Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to analyze data collected from 385 participants....
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Research Article
Constituency Development Fund (CDF) as Tool for Infrastructure Development in the Context of Decentralization and Devolution in Zambia: A Case Study of Kabwe Central Constituency
Jackson Masozi Thole Kaira*,
Gear Mumena Kajoba
Issue:
Volume 14, Issue 3, June 2025
Pages:
233-251
Received:
3 March 2025
Accepted:
18 March 2025
Published:
24 May 2025
Abstract: This study, titled "Constituency Development Fund (CDF) as Tool for Infrastructure Development in the Context of Decentralization and Devolution in Zambia: A Case Study of Kabwe Central Constituency," was conducted in Kabwe Central Constituency. Its primary objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of the CDF as a mechanism for infrastructure development within the framework of decentralization and devolution, which involves transferring responsibilities from the central government to local authorities. The study aimed to analyse the CDF’s contribution to decentralization and devolution, its role in infrastructure development, the challenges associated with accessing the fund, and the measures implemented to enhance accessibility. A mixed-methods research approach was adopted, integrating both quantitative and qualitative techniques, though the study was largely qualitative to capture stakeholder perspectives on the CDF’s role in infrastructure development. The target population consisted of 171 respondents, including 14 councillors, 10 senior local government officials, and various community stakeholders. Data collection methods involved semi-structured interviews with key informants responsible for CDF management, focus group discussions guided by structured interview protocols, and questionnaires for descriptive statistical analysis. An experimental study was conducted to ensure the reliability of the research instruments. Both primary and secondary data sources were utilized for analysis. The study examined the impact of independent variables on the dependent variable using thematic analysis and descriptive statistics, employing SPSS (version 20) and MS Excel for data processing. While CDF funds are allocated to local governments, infrastructure development levels vary across different areas some progressing significantly while others lag behind. Therefore, this study seeks to determine whether the CDF serves as an effective tool for infrastructure development in Kabwe Central Constituency. The findings indicated that key factors such as decentralization, devolution, project planning, stakeholder involvement, fund allocation, and monitoring and evaluation contribute to the effective utilization of CDF for infrastructure development. The study provides evidence that the CDF facilitates infrastructure development, as demonstrated by completed projects such as the Magandanyama Clinic, Katondo Local Court, road grading in Kalonga, Lwansanse, and Nakoli Wards, the construction of a police post in Katondo, and the development of markets like Njanji and Kamushanga, among others. The study recommends that the central government, in collaboration with local authorities, enhance governance and oversight mechanisms, encourage community participation, expand project coverage equitably, and ensure the timely and high-quality completion of CDF-funded projects to maximize community benefits.
Abstract: This study, titled "Constituency Development Fund (CDF) as Tool for Infrastructure Development in the Context of Decentralization and Devolution in Zambia: A Case Study of Kabwe Central Constituency," was conducted in Kabwe Central Constituency. Its primary objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of the CDF as a mechanism for infrastructure dev...
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Research Article
Thought-forms and Primary Mental Cognitions as a Basis for the Formation of the Way Culture Knows the World
Oksana Leontyeva*,
Marina Teplenko
Issue:
Volume 14, Issue 3, June 2025
Pages:
252-265
Received:
12 May 2025
Accepted:
12 June 2025
Published:
22 June 2025
DOI:
10.11648/j.ss.20251403.16
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Abstract: The study puts forward a number of hypotheses that can explain the nature and formation of thought-forms and mental cognitions as the basis on which a culture creates its unique way of knowing the world. The hypotheses were derived from a comparison of metaphysical and natural science (evidence-based) approaches. These scientific approaches identified three chronological types of civilisations that exist today. These civilisations still today use three different generalised ways of knowing the world. The way of knowing the world is determined by thought-forms, which are filled with basic (primary) cognitions. Thought-forms are universal for all mankind, but their cognitive content is unique for each culture. Thought-forms are organised in human psychic matter. They are filled with basic cognitions due to the matrix structure of psychic matter. Cultures develop around the way of knowing the world formed at the dawn of their birth. Cognitions that arise in the mental field as a functional of psychic matter are built exceptionally according to the already existing template, which is the way of knowing the world.
Abstract: The study puts forward a number of hypotheses that can explain the nature and formation of thought-forms and mental cognitions as the basis on which a culture creates its unique way of knowing the world. The hypotheses were derived from a comparison of metaphysical and natural science (evidence-based) approaches. These scientific approaches identif...
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Research Article
Access to Social Work Support for Survivors of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in Sierra Leone: A Case Study of Freetown
Moses Abdul Fullah,
Abdul Sorie Kamara,
Mangenda Kamara*
Issue:
Volume 14, Issue 3, June 2025
Pages:
266-273
Received:
22 April 2025
Accepted:
6 May 2025
Published:
25 June 2025
DOI:
10.11648/j.ss.20251403.17
Downloads:
Views:
Abstract: This study examines the accessibility, quality, and effectiveness of social work support services for survivors of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Despite the existence of legal frameworks such as the Domestic Violence Act (2007) and the Sexual Offences Act (2012, amended 2019), survivors continue to face significant barriers in accessing psychosocial support due to weak institutional coordination, limited integration of social workers into national SGBV response mechanisms, and entrenched socio-cultural norms. Using a qualitative research design grounded in feminist and critical social work theory, the study draws on in-depth interviews with survivors and key informants from government and non-governmental institutions. Findings reveal widespread mistrust in formal systems, fragmentation among service providers, and a lack of awareness about the role of social workers. The paper identifies the urgent need to professionalize and institutionalize social work within SGBV frameworks through national policy reforms, survivor-centered approaches, community engagement, and inclusive practices that address the intersecting identities of survivors. Recommendations include the establishment of a national regulatory body for social work, improved stakeholder coordination, and targeted training for trauma-informed, gender-sensitive service delivery. The study contributes to the discourse on localized and professionalized responses to gender-based violence in post-conflict Sierra Leone.
Abstract: This study examines the accessibility, quality, and effectiveness of social work support services for survivors of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Despite the existence of legal frameworks such as the Domestic Violence Act (2007) and the Sexual Offences Act (2012, amended 2019), survivors continue to face signific...
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Research Article
Geometric Voting Vector Analysis of Strategic Candidate Nomination and Voter Retaliation in Positional Voting
Peter Charles Mendenhall*
Issue:
Volume 14, Issue 3, June 2025
Pages:
274-294
Received:
25 May 2025
Accepted:
10 June 2025
Published:
25 June 2025
DOI:
10.11648/j.ss.20251403.18
Downloads:
Views:
Abstract: Positional voting fails both the Independence of Irrelevant Alternatives and the Independence of Clones criteria. It is therefore vulnerable to the strategic nomination of insincere candidates that may adversely affect election outcomes. By introducing identical clones, other candidates may be either promoted or demoted in the resultant collective ranking. The analysis of the ramifications of cloning is restricted here to ‘geometric voting’ vectors where preference weightings form a geometric progression. With the common ratio of the weightings as the sole variable, a full continuous spectrum of vectors from plurality through the Borda count to anti-plurality can be simultaneously analyzed. This universal vector may handle any given number of candidates. Starting with an example three-candidate election, the effect of varying the common ratio and the margin between the clone and non-clone candidates is analyzed. It is then extended to include additional such candidates. Cloning maps that display all possible election outcomes for the example elections are introduced. They exhibit regions where teaming attempts either succeed or fail; the latter due to vote-splitting. The geometric voting vector that represents all those from the Borda count to anti-plurality is highly vulnerable to teaming while the one equivalent to plurality is instead vulnerable to vote-splitting. The intermediate vector with a common ratio of one-half – called the consecutively halved positional voting vector – is a balanced one with no net bias towards either polarizing or consensus candidates. The research here establishes that this vector exactly counterbalances the possibilities for teaming against those for vote-splitting when a non-cloned candidate and a pre-cloned one are tied. Also, it inherently thwarts teaming attempts where identical clones are undifferentiated, and is the most consensual vector to exhibit this property. Further, it enables opposition voters to retaliate successfully using a tit-for-tat clone-reversal strategy even when one clone is consistently promoted by clone supporters over the others. Unlike the Borda count, it possesses such disincentives to clone candidates. This balanced vector hence offers an optimal compromise between maximizing the consensus index of a geometric voting vector and minimizing its vulnerability to teaming attempts through strategic nominations.
Abstract: Positional voting fails both the Independence of Irrelevant Alternatives and the Independence of Clones criteria. It is therefore vulnerable to the strategic nomination of insincere candidates that may adversely affect election outcomes. By introducing identical clones, other candidates may be either promoted or demoted in the resultant collective ...
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