In higher education, academic achievement is closely linked to learners’ cognitive engagement and their ability to process, organize, and retain complex disciplinary knowledge. This study examines the role of memory-based cognitive strategies in enhancing academic achievement among university students of heritage studies, a field whose curricula are inherently grounded in cumulative historical knowledge, cultural memory, and the interpretation of material and immaterial heritage.

Adopting a descriptive and analytical educational approach, the study draws on cognitive learning theory to explain how fundamental memory processes—such as encoding, organization, storage, and retrieval—support effective learning in heritage education. Given that heritage studies require students to connect historical contexts, cultural meanings, and symbolic representations across time, instructional strategies such as elaborative encoding, meaningful association, structured content organization, and retrieval practice are particularly relevant for fostering deep understanding.

The analysis demonstrates that teaching practices aligned with learners’ cognitive capacities play a significant role in improving comprehension and academic performance in heritage-related disciplines. Moreover, activating prior knowledge and encouraging reflective learning are shown to enhance students’ engagement with heritage curricula by facilitating the integration of new information into existing cognitive and cultural frameworks.

The findings highlight the pedagogical value of integrating memory-based cognitive strategies into heritage education curricula and teacher training programs, contributing to more effective, cognitively informed, and learner-centered approaches to teaching heritage studies in higher education.

Introduction:

Media plays a essential role in defining social affectation and clustered individuality in any society. In a doctrine and multi-religious state such as Pakistan, media representation of minority communities, especially religious minorities, is of momentous value. Accurate and fair representation of minorities, as well as communication of their rights and questioning, is testimony to social compatibility and inclusion. This study focuses on the role and representation of minorities in Pakistani electronic, print, and digital media, and examines the state of freedom and clearness of minority content within these media platforms.

Methods:

This research adopts a qualitative formulation based on a review of the existent academic literature, relative analysis of accessible media content, and interrogation of public views and people perceptions. Secondary data from previous research studies, media reports, and relevant materials were analyzed to measure existing process, structure, and clarity in the representation of minorities in Pakistan.

Results:

The aggregation shows that minority representation in Pakistani media is frequently limited and contradictory. While minorities are not totally absent from media communicative, their existence is often restricted, minimal, or subject to critical analysis. In many cases, minority sounds receive low attention, and their issues are not bestowed proportionately or comprehensively across different media platforms.

Conclusions:

This study concludes that there is a need for developed media pattern to guarantee fair, balanced, and exclusive representation of minority communities in Pakistan. It proposes applicable measures to code existent faults in media representation and emphasizes the value of orienting media policies and exercise with global modular. This paper also presents a theoretical account and methodology aimed at raising transparency, freedom, and relative representation of minorities in Pakistani media.

Understanding how people assess their subjective well-being (SWB) and health throughout their lives is important for evaluating their overall well-being and shaping social and health policy. Although SWB has been widely studied in Western Europe, research in Central and Eastern Europe remains less consistent and relatively limited. Existing studies often focus on individual countries, groups of countries, or specific population groups; there is a lack of comparative analyses examining how SWB and subjective health (SH) differ across age groups in neighbouring countries, such as Lithuania and Poland. The aim of this study is to analyse age-related differences in SWB and SH in Lithuania and Poland and to compare patterns between these two neighbouring countries using European Social Survey (ESS) data. The study uses data from the ESS according to selected survey rounds. SWB is measured according to respondents' self-reported happiness, and SH is assessed according to individuals' assessment of their general health. The analysis compares different age groups in order to identify trends in perceived well-being and health throughout life. In addition, the study examines possible changes over time. The study is based on a quantitative comparative research design, employing descriptive statistical methods and conducting a cross-national (Lithuania and Poland) and cross-age-group comparative analysis, while also assessing changes in the indicators under study over time. The results reveal clear differences in both SWB and SH, both when comparing age groups and countries. By examining the relationship between age, SWB and SH, this study contributes to the broader literature on well-being, aging, and subjective health in Central and Eastern Europe. Moreover, these results may also be important for policymakers seeking to improve the well-being and health indicators of different age groups.

Background and Purpose: Technology-Facilitated Intimate Partner Violence (TFIPV) represents a rapidly rising form of abuse in India, where digital platforms are weaponized to exert control, monitor, coerce, and sexually exploit individuals within intimate relationships. This study aims to empirically examine the socio-technical patterns of such abuse, investigate its psychological and social impacts on survivors, and explore rural–urban variations in experience and access to support.

Methods: Adopting a mixed-methods approach, the study analysed 231 survivor-generated social media posts and conducted semi-structured telephonic interviews with 48 survivors of TFIPV across diverse socio-demographic backgrounds. Data were subjected to thematic and comparative analysis to identify recurring patterns and contextual disparities.

Findings: The research reveals two emergent frameworks: the “Digital Abuse Cycle,” where abusers oscillate between public humiliation and private surveillance, and the “Digital Helplessness Spiral,” characterizing victims’ emotional erosion and social isolation. Rural survivors reported heightened vulnerabilities due to poor digital literacy and lack of legal awareness, while urban survivors faced reputational threats and professional sabotage.

Conclusions and Implications: TFIPV is deeply rooted in structural patriarchy and normalized digital control. The study proposes a TRUST Framework to inform professional practice, policy reform, and future interdisciplinary research aimed at addressing this under-recognized yet urgent form of violence.

The cultivation of young people who actively participate in global affairs is one of the most important goals within contemporary liberal democratic societies. In the Eastern context, existing discourse suggests that the presence of Asian values represents a unique challenge to the promotion of global citizenship. The values and qualities it promotes may stand in contrast to those required for global citizenship, such as obedience and harmony (in contrast to critical thinking and social change) and the primacy of the nation-state (in contrast to global orientation). This study examines what values and citizenship attributes are promoted in Social Studies in South Korea and Taiwan, two Asian-Confucian democracies that were formerly Japanese colonies and democratized in the late 1980s and 1990s. It seeks to understand (1) the extent to which globality, human rights, peace, and sustainability are promoted; (2) whether obligations are prioritized over rights; and (3) how these contents are framed or shaped by geopolitical contexts. This study employs discourse analysis of the latest national Social Studies curricula in Taiwan (2019) and South Korea (2022), comprising over 320,000 words, and integrates both quantitative and qualitative analytical methods. Social Studies was chosen based on its central role in fostering future citizens in both countries. The findings indicate that both curricula emphasize global citizenship values and do not privilege Asian Values. However, clear differences remain between the countries: the Taiwanese curriculum foregrounds “rights” more frequently, whereas the Korean curriculum places greater emphasis on “peace” and “democracy". Notably, while both curricula frequently mention “global”/“international”, the Taiwanese curriculum places greater emphasis on the “country” compared to Korea. This study contributes to the understanding of Asian values in contemporary contexts and in relation to global citizenship, and calls for further research on how geopolitics shape formal citizenship education in fostering young citizens.

Climate change presents serious challenges, especially in dry and semi-dry areas, and this is most severe in sub-Saharan Africa, where people are dependent on rain-fed agriculture. To address this issue, a new type of reinforcement learning (RL) mechanism that can be used to simulate and
optimize climate adaptation policies in Kitui County, Kenya, was developed. In this study, combined geospatial data encompassing several variables, such as precipitation, the health of vegetation, the number of people, and economic indicators, was used to create a custom reinforcement learning environment. A Deep Q-Network (DQN) agent was developed to distribute restricted financial resources amongst nine climate adaptation policies over a 25-year period simulation. The findings clearly show that the artificial intelligence agent targeted the long-term sustainability of the ecosystem. In connection to this, it made the choice of agroforestry in 76.0% of its decision cycles, and at the same time, it tactically bypassed high-capital, high-latency infrastructure such as dams and opted for distributed adaptive measures. This framework provides a powerful tool to support policymakers in a data-driven manner to analyze the interdependence of urgent aid and sustainable development. The study demonstrates the possibilities of using AI-powered decision support systems in the field of climate policy planning for the most affected areas.

The rapid development of immersive digital technologies has intensified scholarly debates regarding the societal implications of virtual environments. Beyond organizational and commercial applications, the metaverse represents a socio-technical space capable of reshaping social interaction, identity formation, and perceived inclusion within digital societies. However, empirical research examining how immersive digital experiences influence social integration and perceived digital inequality remains limited. Addressing this gap, the present study investigates the relationships among immersive engagement, perceived social connectedness, digital inclusion, and individual well-being within metaverse-like environments. Using a quantitative social science research design, survey data were collected from 386 adult users with prior exposure to immersive digital platforms, including virtual reality applications and avatar-based social spaces. To enhance contextual understanding, respondents were first presented with a brief scenario describing participation in a shared virtual social environment before completing the questionnaire. Measurement items were adapted from established scales in social psychology and digital sociology, and the proposed relationships were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results reveal that immersive engagement significantly enhances perceived social connectedness and feelings of digital inclusion. Perceived social connectedness, in turn, positively predicts psychological well-being and perceived social participation. Conversely, perceptions of digital inequality negatively moderate the relationship between immersive engagement and social inclusion, indicating that unequal access, digital skills, and technological confidence constrain the social benefits of virtual environments. The model explains a substantial proportion of variance in perceived social integration and well-being outcomes. This study contributes to social science literature by advancing understanding of the metaverse as a socio-technical phenomenon rather than solely a technological innovation. The findings offer insights for policymakers, platform designers, and social institutions seeking to promote inclusive and socially sustainable digital environments while mitigating emerging forms of digital inequality.

This study examines how contemporary Pakistani television dramas function as culturally influential texts that shape public understanding of women’s dignity, autonomy, and social justice. Focusing on Pamal, Jama Taqseem, and Case No. 9, the research argues that these serials operate beyond entertainment by challenging normalised cultural pressures that restrict women’s lives—particularly the moralisation of forced joint-family living, the social acceptance of women’s economic dependence, and the tendency to protect “reputation” at the expense of truth in cases of gendered harm. The objective is to investigate how Pakistani viewers interpret these narratives, what meanings they attach to the dramas’ moral claims, and whether such representations influence attitudes toward family structures, women’s work, and accountability.

Methodologically, the study employs a qualitative audience-reception approach using semi-structured interviews with Pakistani viewers (anticipated n=24–30). Purposive sampling will recruit participants across age groups (Gen Z, millennials, and parents) and household arrangements (joint vs. nuclear), with women comprising at least 70% of the sample to centre gendered lived experience. Interviews (35–50 minutes) will explore three thematic blocks: (i) joint-family expectations and marital autonomy, (ii) women’s independence as safety and survival, and (iii) truth, silence, and social responses to harassment and victim-blaming. Data will be transcribed and analysed through reflexive thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns, contradictions, and perceived possibilities for change within Pakistani society.

By grounding the discussion in viewers’ interpretations, this research contributes empirically to debates on media, gender, and cultural transformation, demonstrating how televised storytelling can become a site of ethical reflection and social critique in Pakistan.

Introduction

The study analyses how early childhood education teachers in Spain perceive bullying among children aged 3 to 6, taking into account their training, their assessment of the school environment, and possible risk factors that trigger aggressive behavior. Although there is uncertainty about how to address bullying at this stage of education (3-6 years), it is clear that this problem exists and that many children are affected by the way their peers treat them at this age. This study aims to shed light on this issue.

Methods

The research was conducted with 70 early childhood education teachers aged 39-40. It should be noted that, in Spain, this profession is almost exclusively practiced by women at this stage of education. Variables related to the training received, the perception of coexistence in the educational center, the influence of risk factors, and knowledge of cases of bullying in their own center or in others were analyzed. To this end, non-parametric statistical tests were applied to identify differences by center ownership and the presence of specific plans against bullying.

Results

The results indicate that participants consider themselves insufficiently prepared to deal with bullying (2.66/5), while they rate coexistence in their schools very positively (4.29/5). They mainly attribute aggressive behavior to technology and television, placing less importance on the family and almost none on teachers' responsibility. Furthermore, teachers detect bullying more frequently in other schools than in their own. In addition, the presence of anti-bullying plans is associated with a better perception of the phenomenon and the school climate.

Conclusions

The lack of training and the externalization of the causes of bullying highlight the need to strengthen teacher training and implement prevention protocols from an early age.

Domestic violence is a widespread problem across the world. Unlike the USA and UK, domestic violence in India, as defined in the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, is not gender-neutral. Even in the Indian criminal code, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, it is defined as cruelty committed against the woman by her husband or relatives. The historical patriarchal system still dominates the domestic violence discourses in India. According to the latest crime statistics (Crime in India, 2023), one-third (33%) of the cases of crimes against women involve domestic violence (1,49,165 cases of 4,48,211 cases). This indicates the extent to which domestic violence is deep-rooted. The historical patriarchal system dominates the domestic violence discourses in India. In recent years, domestic violence has started to be recognized as a social problem. This violence at home not only affects the victim (women), but also has consequences on other individuals, especially the children. The present research aimed to understandchildren’s experiences of domestic violence and identify the risks associated with exposure to domestic violence. A comprehensive interview schedule was prepared to collect data from the children. The self-esteem of the children was also assessed using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. The respondents of the research were children of age 16-18 years of age, who were directly or indirectly exposed to domestic violence between their parents, identified through a pre-survey conducted at their educational institutions. The findings revealed that more than half of the respondents witnessed their parents fighting for as long as they could remember. More than three-fourths of the respondents had only a moderate level of self-esteem. The other key findings of the research such as levels of physical abuse, involvement of children during violence, and impact of violence on the well-being and self-esteem of children, are discussed in detail in the paper.