International Journal of Social Research & Innovation
International Journal of Social Research and Innovation (IJSRI) is an open access, peer reviewed journal of scholarly research. It was first published in 2017. We publish original and high-quality articles covering a wide range of topics in multidisciplinary research-based areas such as business, education, health, public policy, law, language, arts, and culture. All papers in the journal are published after a rigorous peer-review process and stringent editorial scrutiny. This journal provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge. We are indexed in CrossRef, CNKI Scholar and Google Scholar. This journal has no submission or article processing charges.
Emotional Intelligence Training as a Buffer Against Teacher Burnout: A Review of Evidence-Based Interventions
This systematic review synthesises evidence from empirical studies on emotional intelligence (EI) training interventions for teachers, identifies key trends in intervention design and outcomes, and highlights methodological and contextual gaps to inform future research and practice. Peer-reviewed journal articles published between 2015 and 2025 were systematically retrieved from the ProQuest and Emerald databases. Fifteen empirical studies met the inclusion criteria and were subjected to narrative thematic synthesis. The findings indicate that EI training interventions significantly enhance emotional regulation, resilience, coping strategies, and self-efficacy, contributing to measurable reductions in burnout symptoms, particularly emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation. Interventions that are continuous, context-specific, and integrate both intrapersonal and interpersonal competencies demonstrate the greatest effectiveness. Integrating emotional intelligence training into teacher professional development and institutional well-being policies offers a sustainable strategy for mitigating burnout and enhancing educational quality and inclusive practice aligned with SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being) and SDG 4 (Quality Education). The review highlights the need for inclusion of culturally responsive EI training in both pre-service and in-service training of teachers, especially in under-researched contexts such as small island developing states, and provides examples of intervention design, implementation, and research.
Copyright (c) 2026 International Journal of Social Research & Innovation https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Feasibility Study of Organic Waste for Biobag Production in the Maldives
The widespread use of non-degradable plastic bags contributes significantly to long-term pollution and contamination of oceans and landfills, highlighting the need for biodegradable alternatives. Biobags from starch-based bioplastics are one such alternative for plastic bags. Using a quantitative survey approach, this study aimed to assess the feasibility of sourcing organic food and agricultural waste for biobag production in Haa Dhaalu Hanimaadhoo, a small island in the north of the Maldives. Currently, biobags are manufactured from engineered corn-starch biopolymer pellets that behave like conventional plastics and are classified as plastic biopolymeric materials designed to be compostable under industrial conditions in compliance with EN 13432. The study objectives included surveying plastic bag usage, alternative habits, usage patterns of starch sources such as banana and potato peels, cassava, and leftover rice, along with participants' willingness to provide these raw materials for biobag production. Of the 121 households surveyed, 91% used plastic bags, primarily shopping bags from supermarkets and convenience stores (97%). Most households reused plastic bags as trash bin liners (68%) and for shopping (59%). Eighty seven percent of participants used non-woven bags, and 31% used biodegradable bags. Most households used rice (103 households), potatoes (65 households), and bananas (50 households) daily, with under 1 kg of organic waste discarded. Over 85% of households, along with farmers and cafés/restaurants, were willing to provide their waste for biobag production, although concerns about refrigerating the waste until collection were raised. Based on this willingness, for a monthly input demand, our estimates deduced that all three raw materials can be feasibly obtained from the island for the pilot phase. The study hence contributes by demonstrating the feasibility of collecting organic waste for biobag production on the selected island, for the pilot production phase, while highlighting the need for an efficient collection system, incentivisation and targeted awareness campaigns.
Family Systems and Psychoeducation in Chronic Illness Care: A Quasi- Experimental Comparative Study of Diabetes and Dementia in India
This study investigates the role of family systems and psychoeducational interventions in supporting the management of diabetes and dementia—two chronic conditions with distinct implications. A quasi-experimental, pre-post comparative research design was employed. Sixty primary caregivers (thirty per condition) completed validated measures—the Family Assessment Device (FAD), Coping Strategies Inventory (CSI), and Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI)—before and after six psychoeducational sessions conducted over a 3-month period. Dementia caregivers reported significantly higher baseline emotional and physical strain (CBI mean difference: -7.3, p=.002) than diabetes caregivers, who focused more on routine compliance. Psychoeducation significantly improved coping scores in both groups, with a larger effect in the dementia cohort (CSI mean difference: +10.9, p=.001). The analysis revealed notable between-group differences in family functioning, particularly in communication (FAD: 2.9 vs. 3.8, p=.003) and affective involvement (FAD: 2.7 vs. 4.1, p=.001). These findings highlight the need for condition-specific, family-centred interventions to address the multidimensional demands of chronic disease care and improve quality of life.
Effects of Encouragement on Cognitive Performance of an Abstract Reasoning Task
Encouragement is a widely acknowledged motivational strategy with significant potential across various life domains. However, its specific impact within organisational contexts, particularly in culturally distinct settings such as the Maldives, remains relatively unexplored. This study aims to address this gap by investigating the varying effects of verbal and non-verbal encouragement on cognitive performance in the workplace. Drawing on Albert Bandura’s self-efficacy theory and other foundational motivation theories, this research seeks to elucidate how different forms of encouragement interact with individual cognitive processes to enhance performance outcomes. Participants were recruited from a public limited company in the Maldives through convenient sampling, with all employees invited to register voluntarily. They were then randomly assigned to one of three experimental conditions: verbal encouragement, non-verbal encouragement, or no encouragement. Cognitive performance was assessed using the Raven’s Progressive Matrices test, a standardised tool for measuring non-verbal reasoning and abstract thinking, administered under controlled conditions with a uniform 10-minute time constraint. The study found that both verbal encouragement and non-verbal encouragement significantly improved performance when compared to no encouragement conditions in the reasoning task. Interestingly, there was no significant difference in performance scores between the verbal and non-verbal encouragement groups, although both outperformed the control group. Additionally, gender did not seem to influence performance scores. While the study’s theoretical contextualization could have been more explicit, its empirical findings offer valuable insights into the practical implications of encouragement in organisational settings. By highlighting the differing effects of verbal and non-verbal encouragement on cognitive performance, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of motivational dynamics in the workplace. Moreover, it underscores the potential for leveraging encouragement as a tool to enhance employee performance and well-being. The study also emphasises the need for further research to develop measurement tools for encouragement and raise awareness on its significance in organisational contexts.
Copyright (c) 2025 International Journal of Social Research & Innovation https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
A Critical Analysis of Environmental Education Provision in Five Private Preschools in Malaysia, Using Palmer’s Model of Environmental Education
This study explores the holistic implementation and practice of Environmental Education (EE) in five private preschools in Malaysia. A qualitative research approach was employed, utilising semi-structured interviews and document analysis. Data were collected from 16 teachers across the five preschools through purposive sampling of both participants and institutions. Thematic analysis, supported by NVivo software, was conducted using both within-case and cross-case analysis methods. The findings indicate that EE was delivered through a combination of theoretical instruction and practical activities, with teachers demonstrating strong commitment despite various challenges. However, factors such as limited access to outdoor spaces, inadequate resources, and the shift to online learning during the Movement Control Order (MCO) significantly hindered experiential learning and the comprehensive integration of EE. The study underscores the need for Malaysian policymakers to adopt strategies in line with Palmer’s model for holistic Environmental Education to strengthen the effective implementation of EE in private preschools. The findings offer valuable insights for educators and students in the participating institutions, as well as for researchers, educational bodies, and policymakers—particularly in relation to teacher training and the broader incorporation of EE into school curricula.
Lived Experiences of Ageing and Wellbeing Among Older Adults Living in the Rural Maldives: A Phenomenological Study
Ageing in place is integral to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing) and aligns with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles. This phenomenological study explores the lived experiences of fifteen older adults, aged sixty-five to eighty-one, residing in a small rural island community in the northern region of the Maldives. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, and a thematic analysis was conducted to identify the enablers, barriers, and concerns associated with ageing in place. Key enablers for ageing well in place included a sense of autonomy and competence, as well as strong connections to the island, the community, family, and the natural environment. Conversely, barriers identified were inadequate housing, poor nutrition, challenges related to functional and sensory disabilities, and the presence of multiple chronic health conditions. Difficulties in accessing transport and health infrastructure—both within the island and the atoll—and the necessity of travelling to Malé for tertiary healthcare further hindered the ability to age in place. Recurring concerns included the lack of respite care to ease spousal caregiver burden, fear of becoming a burden on others, and anxieties related to medication management. The psychological needs of older adults, particularly those experiencing social isolation and loneliness, require attention through sustainable development strategies tailored to island communities. This study also challenges the prevailing socio-cultural expectation that elderly individuals will be cared for by family members—particularly offspring and spouses. Notably, two of the fifteen interviewees had no immediate family caregivers, and one was a disabled elderly person. As life expectancy continues to rise, the need for proximal residential care facilities integrated with healthcare infrastructure will become increasingly critical in island settings to ensure the provision of long-term care. The findings of this study are relevant to older adults, their families, and island communities, as well as to policymakers, healthcare and social service professionals, and civil society organisations. They highlight the importance of promoting health, wellbeing, and dignity for older individuals residing in remote rural islands.
Factors Influencing STEM Career Interests of Maldivian Secondary School Students
Despite a growing national demand for professionals in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), limited research has been conducted on STEM careers within the Maldivian context. This study addresses this gap by applying the Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) to examine the factors influencing lower secondary school students’ interest in STEM careers. Employing a convergent parallel mixed-methods approach, the study integrated findings from a STEM-Career Interest Survey administered to 257 Grade Seven and Grade Eight students in Malé City with insights from five focus group discussions involving thirty-one students. The results revealed that gender did not significantly influence students’ interest in science; however, gender differences emerged in other STEM subjects. Girls reported reluctance to pursue careers in engineering and technology, citing a lack of female role models within their families, and concerns about entering male-dominated fields. While boys demonstrated the lowest interest in mathematics careers among the four STEM subjects, girls exhibited even lower interest in mathematics and engineeringrelated careers. These findings underscore the need to address sociocultural and economic barriers to promote gender equity in STEM. Educational interventions should aim to expand students’ opportunities and capabilities in mathematics and engineering, thereby enhancing their engagement and confidence in these areas. The study offers valuable insights for educational institutions to develop targeted strategies that foster student motivation and aspiration towards STEM careers, contributing to the fulfilment of future workforce demands in this vital sector. Beyond addressing a critical knowledge gap in the Maldivian context, the study holds broader relevance for small island developing states and least deveoped countries. It supports initiatives aimed at raising awareness and providing structured guidance on STEM education and career pathways. Ultimately, these findings can inform policies and programmes designed to meet the global demand for STEM professionals while advancing educational equity and inclusion.
Global Evolution of Environmental Justice Movements and Its significance in Environmental Jurisprudence
Environmental justice movements are multifaceted with interconnectivity between legal, political, academic, administrative, technological, economic and civic actors and the actions taken by them to prevent harm to humans and to the environment from extensive utilization of natural resources for capitalist development. The modern global environmental movements that gave birth to the concept of environmental justice grew in reaction to social and economic injustice stemming from human activity. Hence, the judiciary plays a key role in many countries in enunciating environmental principles and facilitating the development of environmental jurisprudence. The article focusses on the international and regional growth of environmental jurisprudence and green tribunals, mainly using developments in United States of America, and in India to address the issues of access to environmental justice. The review concludes with the view that the key stakeholders in environmental justice movements need to consider the historical roots of environmental injustice and continue to bring reforms in national and international environmental legislations.
Copyright (c) 2024 International Journal of Social Research & Innovation https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Qualitative Analysis of the E-Waste Management Practices and Policy Frameworks in Bangladesh and other South Asian Countries
Instantaneous shifts in the electronics industry are leading many electronic items to become obsolete early, creating huge volumes of waste electric and electronic equipment (WEEE/e-waste). The environmental and health effects of e-waste generated in developing countries are feared to be exacerbating, particularly in South Asia. Additional to issues with proper disposal and treatment of domestic waste, emerging market economies like Bangladesh are importing large amounts of e-waste from developed countries, to recover and re-use as raw materials, whilst handling their own increasing e-waste production. The scenario of e-waste generation, current policies and management practices are analysed and evaluated using comparative analysis of policies from four South Asian countries, document analysis and key informant interviews in Bangladesh. Findings show that even in countries like Sri Lanka and India where current policy framework is comprehensive enough to ensure sustainable e-waste management, implementation lags behind. Finally, recommendations are given for developing a sustainable e-waste management system focusing on the Bangladeshi context.
Copyright (c) 2024 International Journal of Social Research & Innovation https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Barriers to Implementing Evidence-Based Practice in the Nursing Profession – A Systematic Review
Evidence-based practice (EBP) is central to the quality, safety, and efficiency of healthcare delivery. By integrating clinical expertise, patient values, and the best available evidence, EBP ensures informed decision-making and optimised patient outcomes. Despite its proven benefits, global evidence shows that nurses encounter persistent challenges in adopting EBP within clinical environments. This systematic review, guided by PRISMA framework, identifies and synthesises the barriers hindering nurses from implementing EBP in clinical settings and highlights strategies to strengthen EBP culture in nursing. Primary, peer-reviewed empirical research in English, published in CINAHL, PubMed, Medline, and the British Nursing Database between 2018 and 2024, was used for this review. The JBI critical appraisal tool was used to assess methodological quality. Fifteen studies (n = 4,641 participants) from twelve countries met the inclusion criteria. Inductive thematic synthesis revealed four overarching themes: (1) lack of time and resources, (2) insufficient managerial and leadership support, (3) limited authority to change practice, and (4) inadequate awareness, knowledge, and skills regarding EBP. These barriers reflect both individual-level and system-level constraints that undermine nurses’ ability to translate evidence into practice. Barriers to EBP are multifactorial and interlinked. Sustainable EBP integration requires leadership commitment, organisational readiness, protected time for research activities, and continuous capacity-building through education and mentorship. Embedding EBP into policy and nursing curricula is crucial for fostering a culture of evidence-informed decision-making.
Impact of Long-Term Care Burden on Working Age Carers: A Scoping Review
Caregivers of chronically ill, disabled, or elderly family members encounter substantial physical, social, emotional, and financial difficulties. This study aims to identify how the stresses and strains associated with caregiving for family members impact caregivers’ perceptions of health, well-being, and quality of life. Method: A systematic scoping review was done using PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, JSTOR, EBSCO and Google Scholar, to search for primary research on caregiver burden, published between 2019 and 2023, and in English. Fifteen quantitative research studies were selected for the study. Results: Thematic analysis on characteristics that impact the health, well-being and quality of life of caregivers, most of whom are women, showed that women self-perceived the negative impact of care burden more than men did while increasing the range of type of care provided increase women’s self-perceptions of their abilities. In developing country contexts, caregiving for elderly family members can begin earlier in the lifespan, thus increasing the care burden. Perception of lack of competence to provide care, doing more than 20 hours of unpaid caregiving per week, and caring for prolonged periods of time over years impacted the mental health of caregivers. Physical and mental health burden also depended on the level of physical, behavioural, and intellectual impairment of the care recipients. Providing low intensity unpaid care of less than ten hours per week appeared to boost carers’ self-perception of physical well-being. The perceived quality of available social support and work supervisor support was significant in reducing depressive symptoms and improved perceptions of wellbeing. Conclusion: To improve the well-being of caregivers, it is essential to provide respite care, palliative care, and end of life care facilities to reduce the number of care work hours per week the family carers provide, to reduce the duration of care, and to alleviate significant care burden. Social insurance based paid leave, means-based financial support for caregivers, with capacity development, and social support networks, can be implemented to reduce the disproportionate health and wealth penalties on those caring for ill, disabled, and elderly family members.
A Comparative Review of Culturally Nuanced School Leadership in the Maldives and China
The manner in which teachers respond to children’s learning needs to ensure quality and equitable learning is directly linked to the organisation of the school. School leaders are not merely managers; they are responsible for transforming education to meet the evolving needs of individual communities while considering the role of schools in transmitting culture and community values to future generations. This literature review explores how school leadership is shaped and influenced by socio-cultural, economic, and geographical factors within two distinct Asian cultural contexts: the Maldives and China. By examining the existing gap in understanding and identifying culturally responsive and contextually relevant strategies for principal development, this review provides a culturally nuanced perspective of school leadership that can contribute to advancing the field of school leadership in Asia. The review outlines key themes in existing research on cultural context, roles and responsibilities, leadership styles, curriculum implementation, and cultural nuances in school leadership in the two contexts studied.
Copyright (c) 2023 International Journal of Social Research & Innovation https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Maldivian Women’s Entrepreneurship: Drivers and Barriers to Sustainable Practice
Entrepreneurial activity among women is achieving parity globally with those by men. However, critical factors which enable them to succeed, and barriers to women’s entrepreneurship from a developing world context, often remain unknown and unaddressed. Five successful Maldivian women entrepreneurs participated in the narrative research, using semi-structured interviews, which explored their entrepreneurial journeys from inception to the current situation. Their stories demonstrate women entrepreneurs’ resilience, vision for growth, and willingness to contribute to society through innovation, training, mentoring, and sharing of resources. Lack of effective financial and entrepreneurial exposure, limited awareness of business planning and management, limited government support for women’s entrepreneurship, gender discrimination at multiple levels, and lack of political and technological savviness were barriers to sustainability of their entrepreneurship and for increased impact. These entrepreneurs’ candid conversations can be beneficial to address structural barriers and to develop women entrepreneur-friendly policy and programs. Future research could be to investigate similarities and differences between Maldivian men’s and women’s entrepreneurship skills, qualities, and attributes. Youth perspectives and research on emerging concepts of entrepreneurship is also needed.
Sustainable Travel for Wellbeing: Tourist Experiences in Chinese Destinations
Immersion in nature, culture and connection, physical and mental wellbeing are travel drivers which are intertwined with one another in wellness tourism. The purpose of this study was to explore and understand this phenomenon by analysing the positive health experiences of tourists in different types of naturebased wellness tourism destinations in China. Guided by grounded theory, and netnographic approach, this research used over 600,000 words of travelogue content on Mafengwo travel platform, for the past five years up to March 2023. A three-level coding approach was used to compare the impact of five different types of wellness tourism destinations on tourists’ health experiences. The results show that tourists’ mental health experiences are more notable in water-based destinations and traditional wellness culture destinations, while physical health experiences are more notable in forest, mountain, and hot spring destinations. The findings show that Chinese tourists highly value connection to nature as a source of holistic wellbeing, while wellbeing is further enhanced through availability of resources and activities targeted to meet physical, emotional, social, cognitive, and spiritual wellbeing of tourists. Suggestions are made to help enhance the health experience of tourists. The results are notable for constructing wellness tourism destinations in practice and provide theoretical references for future research on wellness tourism destinations.
Entrepreneurship Intention among Nepalese MBA Graduates: Impact of Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Factors
The purpose of the research presented in this paper is to examine the effects of seven entrepreneurial ecosystem factors on entrepreneurship intention among Nepalese MBA students, in Kathmandu Valley. The research employed structural equation modelling (SEM) to interpret the perception-based survey data collected from 343 respondents. The empirical results indicate a strong positive correlation between individual capabilities and entrepreneurial intention. Students’ perception of an informal support system has a significant positive effect on entrepreneurial intention. The study suggested that an elevated level of entrepreneurial ecosystem development is not required to influence entrepreneurial intention; improvement on some factors like family and social support, skill-building education, and training might increase entrepreneurial intentions. This research offers educators and policymakers with the opportunity to develop entrepreneurial skills among students, and to provide the infrastructure support which can serve as a basis for translating intentions into actions to address significant employment gaps present in developing economies like Nepal.
Job Motivation and Job Performance: A Case Study of the Maldives’ Energy Sector Employees
Organizations maintain employee motivation in order to increase output and performance. When there is a lack of employee motivation within a company, employees’ potential and skills are underutilized and the employees are unable to accomplish organizational goals. The purpose of this study was to determine the level of motivation among staff of an urban electricity company in the Maldives, and to explore the relationship between the job performance and their motivation. A survey questionnaire was used for data collection. The results showed that there is a significant and favorable relationship between employee motivation and performance. However, with a correlation rs (125) =.38, p<.001, these two variables do not appear to be strongly correlated. Further analysis indicates that women had lower motivation than men. This is concerning since women are severely under-represented in the energy sector. Factors which may negatively influence the culture of reciprocity to work beyond work contracts for the benefit of the company, also need to be investigated further.
Parental Alienation and Mental Health Issues Among Divorced Maldivian Parents
Parental alienation primarily occurs following a high conflict divorce or separation, where one parent actively instills hatred in the child towards the other parent, so that the child rejects the other parent unjustifiably. The Maldives has the highest divorce rate worldwide, subsequently, the detrimental effects of purposeful alienation of a parent need to be understood and addressed. This quantitative study aimed to determine the correlation between parental alienation and mental health issues (depression, anxiety, and stress) among divorced Maldivian parents who have very little psychological or physical contact with their child or children. Using an online questionnaire, 93 alienated parents (35 mothers and 58 fathers) voluntarily self-reported their experiences of parental alienation and current mental health status. Results indicated a significant relationship between parental alienation and mental health issues among the participants. These findings have positive social change implications for policy makers, mental health professionals and court personnel. The findings could be used to help individuals better understand children’s rejecting behaviours, the process of parental alienation, and tactics commonly used by Maldivian parents. This can help to identify next steps for healing the parent-child relationship through parent education and early therapeutic and legal interventions so that the child can keep in contact with both parents.
Perceived Parenting Styles and Adult Depression Severity in the Maldives
Parental practices, including parental warmth and strictness, contribute to child outcomes including child psychopathology. This study aimed to determine if there is a significant correlation between the perceived parenting styles (authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive) and adult depression severity in the Maldives. A total sample of one hundred and eight participants completed the Parental Authority Questionnaire (PAQ), including 75 females and 33 males, and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-SF). Results of the study show that authoritarian parenting style was the most prevalent, followed by the permissive style, as perceived by the participants. Analysis revealed that authoritative and permissive parenting styles had a weak negative correlation with adult depression severity, while the authoritarian parenting style had a weak positive correlation to increased severity of depression in adults. 75% of the participants self-reported depression, with 31% identifying with severe depression, indicating that parenting style may be one of several factors contributing to a high prevalence of perceived depression in adults living in Greater Male’ Area.
Relationship Between Helicopter Parenting and Psychological Wellbeing in College Students
Several international studies suggest that helicopter parenting, a type of parenting with psychological control and excessive parental involvement, has a negative impact on emerging adults’ psychological wellbeing. Hence, this study aimed to determine whether Maldivian college students perceive over involvement by their parents and if this impacts the students’ psychological wellbeing negatively. Seventy-One college students, aged 18 to 25, completed two survey questionnaires: The Helicopter Parenting Scale (LeMoyne & Buchanan, 2011) and the Psychological Wellbeing Scale (Ryff, 2014), the findings of which showed a medium negative correlation between helicopter parenting and overall psychological wellbeing, and stronger negative correlations with environmental mastery and autonomy. Hence, future research needs to explore the impact of over parenting, such as difficulty attaining autonomy and self-efficacy in Maldivian young adults.
Investigating the Relationship between Frequent use of Instagram and Body Image Issues in Young Women
Body image is a subjective mental representation that an individual creates about themselves. It may be an unlikely representation of reality. The study aimed to investigate if there is a relationship between frequent use of Instagram and body image issues among young Maldivian women. An online survey questionnaire was shared with 100 Maldivian women aged 19 to 25 who used Instagram. The findings revealed a strong relationship between the use of Instagram and Body image issues r (98) = .765, p<001. Additionally, analysis of Body Checking Questionnaire subscales: idiosyncratic checking rituals, checking specific body parts, comparing overall appearance and frequency of Instagram use showed a positive relationship between all three variables and frequency of Instagram use. The study’s findings suggest that frequent use of Instagram negatively impacts the body image of young Maldivian women. Data also showed that usage of Instagram at an addictive level was exceedingly high, at 57%. The study findings have serious implications since international research demonstrates that viewing and uploading edited photos on Instagram can harm young people’s perceptions of their body image. Once beauty ideals have been internalised, women self-objectify themselves, focusing on the aesthetics of their body image, for an outside observer, instead of attending to the functionality of their body. The study also highlights the need for understanding the pervasive and complex ways social media influences emerging adults’ health and wellbeing and identifies the need for policy intervention to develop young people’s awareness of the impact of social media posting habits on self-image.
Soft Skills Development through Active Learning in Postgraduate Studies: An Action Research Study
The objective of the action research study presented in this paper was to teach postgraduate students the soft skills they find valuable and believe are challenging for them to learn, and to gain knowledge of their learning experience. Convenience sampling was used to recruit fifteen Master of Science in Accounting and Finance (MScAFM) students, who voluntarily enrolled in a stand-alone, soft skills education module offered to them, which was delivered through collaborative learning and case method. The learning approaches and content were designed based on a pre-assessment task where students identified their existing knowledge and learning needs. Data was collected using a survey questionnaire, field observations and semi structured interviews. The findings show that the students in this study most highly valued leadership skills, time management, and communication skills and believed that having these traits will make it easier for them to achieve their goals in both their professional and personal lives. Students found it difficult to use critical thinking skills, and to work collaboratively. They are also unable to transfer their knowledge and skills effectively in work-related situations. Hence, soft skill qualities, such as creativity, adaptability, and collaboration should be developed as part of educational activities that strongly emphasize their practical application in different contexts. Engaging in this action research project gave the students the confidence to have a voice, as was described by the students. Students’ voluntary completion rates for the module indicate the high value students place on gaining soft skills.
Copyright (c) 2022 International Journal of Social Research & Innovation https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Towards Human Rights Due Diligence: A Review of the Legal Framework and Compliance Mechanisms for Corporate Human Rights Responsibilities in the Maldives
The Constitution of the Maldives devotes a separate chapter setting out the fundamental human rights and freedoms. The Maldives is also a signatory to six of the eight core international human rights treaties that recognises fundamental human rights and outlines the responsibility of the state to respect, protect and fulfill those rights. The Constitution also mandates the state to take measures to prevent human rights violations perpetrated by non-state actors. Despite these safeguards, human rights abuses committed by business corporations remains a common occurrence in the country, and the institutional structures to address such abuses continue to be weak. The purpose of this research is to analyse the current legal framework of the Maldives to identify human rights obligations, such as the human rights due diligence (HRDD) mechanisms placed on business corporations. Using a doctrinal approach, we reviewed legal texts including applicable legislations and judicial decisions, and critically analysed them by comparing to international human rights standards. The analysis concludes that the current legal framework of the Maldives addressing human rights dimensions of corporate action comply with the global minimum standards, albeit with some significant gaps. Some of these laws contain provisions for HRDD mechanisms that need further strengthening through additional legal reforms and strong policy directions. This paper brings to light several weaknesses of the current legal framework in terms of having an HRDD mechanism to address, prevent, and remedy human rights violations caused by business conduct. Based on the findings of the legal framework analysis, this paper recommends that a state-initiated business and human rights national framework, such as a National Action Plan for Business and Human Rights (NAP-BHR), would strengthen the existing protection mechanisms for human rights and help address corporate abuses of human rights in the Maldives.
Student Perspectives of Engagement in a 5E Instructional Model Applied in a Virtual Learning Environment
As an effort to retain the continuity of students' learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, a subject called “Multimedia Technologies for Teachers (CPT237)”, offered to students studying for Bachelor of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (BATEFL), at the Maldives National University, was re-designed, to be delivered using a 5E instructional model in a virtual learning environment. The re-designed subject was then taught, during the first term of 2020. A mix of asynchronous activities through Google Classroom and synchronous virtual sessions through Google Meet were conducted to achieve the learning outcomes of the course. The ASPECT instrument which assesses student perspective of engagement in an active learning classroom was administered at the end of the semester. The results of the response from the class of 10 students show that they were highly engaged within such a learning environment. This suggests that the 5E instructional approach can be an effective strategy to improve students learning experience, in online learning environments.
Challenges and Affordances of Hybrid Learning: A Pilot Study from the Perspective of Teachers and Students at College Foundation Level
The experience of hybrid teaching presented in this paper was shaped by the emergency remote teaching during the Covid-19 pandemic, the affordances of which allowed us to redesign our program to a hybrid mode. In particular, the study highlights strengths, and weaknesses which need to be addressed in curriculum, pedagogy, and technology; to ensure students become successful learners, in hybrid learning contexts. An online survey questionnaire was administered to collect both numerical and written data. Fourteen lecturers who taught in hybrid modality in September 2021 semester at Centre for Foundation Studies at Villa College, and 132 randomly chosen out of the 508 enrolled students participated in this study. The findings of the survey highlighted various challenges faced by the lecturers such as difficulty in engaging with the students, technical issues, and poor student engagement. Similarly, the students noted that they faced various difficulties such as unaffordability of the internet and lack of confidence to interact. Thus, the results prompted a need to further train the lecturers and students on hybrid teaching and learning. Further, the institution needs to establish a mechanism to provide better internet access such as introducing affordable internet packages for the students and develop strategies to support remote students more effectively. The significance of this research is that following the suggested recommendations may aid in enhancing the current hybrid modality experience for both the lecturers and students.
synchronous hybrid teaching and learning
Relationship between the Existing and Ideal Academic Leadership Styles in Maldivian Higher Education Institutes
This current study identified whether there is significant relationship between academic leaders existing leadership styles and ideal leadership style as perceived by academic leaders and lecturers in Maldivian Higher Education Institutes (HEIs). A total population sampling was used to collect survey data from deans (N=20) and lecturers (N=170) from nine different HEIs. SPSS version 23 was used to analyze the data using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. The relationship between practiced leadership styles and idealised leadership style was investigated using Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient. It was found that there is a strong, positive correlation between the existing and ideal leadership styles, with high scores of existing leadership styles associated with high scores of ideal leadership styles. Hence, this study calls for academic deans to maintain the humanistic and collaborative leadership with their subordinates. Likewise, this study recommends autocratic and laissez- faire leaders to adjust their leadership approach to a more transformative and distributed approach, so that the subordinates can strive for something better, enabling them to translate vision and moral values into action, through strategic capability development and setting direction for subordinates.