No.1 / 2024

According to the provisions set out in Objective 4 of the Agenda for Sustainable Development set up by the United Nations in September 2015 for the implementation of a fair and quality education, boundless by borders as a result of the adhesion of the states fully assumed for these objectives, the action plans must be vitalized and contextualized by the information crisis created by the pandemic, war, and artificial intelligence. These circumstances have instituted a global tension in education. While some companies are cushioning this tension through their investments in the specialization of employees, the solution to neutralize the global educational risk is the development of the public educational process per the worldwide objective. For future generations of professionals, educational practices must establish and develop contextualization and practice to meet the competence requirements required by AGI (artificial general intelligence) within enterprises. In AGI companies people use LLM (large language model) for evaluation and analysis and specialization involves competence for the profession's deontology and appropriate technical professional training. Thus, there is an established need for an educational program that develops upskilling, a program with a double significance: the establishment of professional skills and the foundation of personality attributes for safe, ethical, and responsible professional practice. The UN together with the OIM calls for a unitary educational system in principles and the implementation of an educational process based on scientific thinking and developed socio-emotional skills. The general subject of this article examines to what extent education impacts social well-being and financial performance. The research aims to study the circumstantial conditional association between education, well-being, and economics and to highlight the impact of education on social welfare and the economy. The research is based on information capitalized in Eurostat, IMF, and OECD databases and starts from the status quo of the last 20 years, the analysis of this period notes an increasing rate of completion of the higher education cycle, but UNESCO statistics on skills acquired in reading and calculation affirms a decreasing rate of these. Going forward with the research, we observe the consequence in the employment rate for people who have graduated from an institution of higher education, much higher than the employment rate of primary or secondary education graduates, the Nordic countries being at the top of this ranking. This situation, however, generated an increasing unemployment rate in the analyzed period. This study researches how extent programs combat unemployment among young people aim to increase practical and social-emotional skills, analyzes the impact of investments in education and their effect on the economy, and the incidence of integrity and quality control of the educational process. Graphical representations and data analysis are performed in Microsoft Office.

The article explores the complexity of education and the profound significance of moral values in the development of young people's personalities and character, emphasizing the fundamental role of education in shaping society and promoting the good. It highlights the transition from cognitive to pragmatic values and their impact on education in the modern and postmodern eras. The article discusses the value crisis in the context of moral values and emphasizes the importance of moral education for navigating the complexities of a multicultural society, promoting universal moral values such as honesty, kindness, and tolerance. The results of a survey conducted among 120 students at the State University of Medicine and Pharmacy „Nicolae Testemițanu” reflect the recognition of the positive impact of moral values, but also a certain reluctance in accepting interethnic dialogue, thus illustrating the challenges and opportunities of moral education in a culturally diverse environment.

The aim of this research paper is to present how education is impacted by the development of new technologies, especially artificial intelligence. Because of its capacity to generate content based on prior experiences, artificial intelligence has immense impact and potential. The educational system has to adapt to the changing needs of society by incorporating new technologies into the lessons taught. Artificial intelligence has the ability to improve learning for students in a number of ways, one of which is by giving teachers precise feedback and by offering students with learning experiences that are tailored and adaptable. Artificial intelligence can be used to boost student engagement and motivation, which may be used to inspire students to take responsibility for their education and to be committed to achieving academic success. Also, students need to acquire the abilities employers will be looking for in the workers of tomorrow in an increasingly algorithmic and digital environment. Many companies already employ artificial intelligence for tasks such as writing product descriptions, developing customized products, customer support, and targeted, tailored content for their consumers. The education system will have to teach students to co-create together with artificial intelligence as it becomes more integrated into business, products, and service

The study aims to analyze the positive effects, deriving from the pandemic situation, on the marine higher education in “Mircea cel Bătrân” Naval Academy, by examining the degree of satisfaction of students and teachers on the educational process carried out during the two pandemic academic years. The analysis was carried out in three main directions: the use of ICT technologies and didactic resources in the education process, the qualitative evaluation of teaching and evaluation methods in e-learning, and the communication and relationship methods between students, teachers, and institutional management. The results allow the identification of new development directions and trends in marine higher education, which respond to current and future challenges, to improve the quality of marine education.

The growing complexity and globalization of industries highlight the crucial role of standardization in ensuring quality, interoperability, and innovation across sectors. Europe needs the best standardization experts to pursue its global standard-setting ambitions to safeguard a digital, green and resilient single market. As industries evolve, the demand for experts well-versed in standards and their implementation becomes increasingly urgent. The strategic importance of standards requires more attention and promotion. Students do not often get the value of learning about standardization until a later stage of their career. At the same time, the industry, public authorities, and societal stakeholders need experts to assist them in the standardization process. Increasing the incentives for students and universities to engage in standardization depends on market attractiveness and societal perspective on standardization This paper presents an example of best practice of collaboration between national standardization bodies of Romania, Bulgaria, Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain and University of Life Sciences "King Mihai I" from Timisoara, Romania in developing micro-credential courses. This paper investigates whether the integration of standardization into educational frameworks represents a new and necessary vision for developing the next generation of experts.

Everyone on the planet knows what stress means. The purpose of this related study was to explore the relationship between adolescents' perceptions of their own worth and their acceptance of irrational thinkings and stress. 310 high school students in the Baghdad area participated in the study and provided data for this analysis. There were 177 females (57.1% of the sample) and 133 males (42.9% of the sample). The mean age of participants was 16.43 (SD = 1.20) years. We collected information from the Rosenberg Self-Efficacy Scale, the Perceived Stress Scale, and the Adolescent Irrational Thinking Scale. The data were tested using Bootstrap method, ordinary least squares regression, Pearson correlation analysis and descriptive statistics. The results show that self-efficacy has a strong mediating effect between irrational thinking and feelings of stress. Previous research findings are considered and recommendations are made for future mental health researchers and practitioners.

Hardly employable categories in rural areas (young people without university degrees or a high school diploma), are enabled to start new jobs using IT technologies and market skills. The objective of the study was to identify and create a pilot program in a cross-border Romanian-Serbian region by following the labour market needs. Nevertheless, the research underlines the importance of improving the quality of teaching and developing digital and marketing skills for youngsters by creating extracurricular programs in partnership. We applied 80 online surveys in two high schools Timis and Vrsac and conducted five semi-structured interviews with companies. The main result of the research is an extracurricular program “Digital U” which was created in accordance with the needs identified. The program will provide employment opportunities in the rural area of the cross-border region Timis-Vrsac by setting up personalized activities to promote employment by the market trends, implementing vocational training in digital and marketing skills, raising awareness regarding the importance of soft skills (teamwork, self-esteem, critical thinking) for youngsters with ages of 16-24 years from vulnerable groups to stay in their birthplaces, establish their businesses, and have families there.

In the ever-evolving realm of education, staying attuned to current trends is imperative for stakeholders to navigate the complexities of modern pedagogy effectively. This article aims to present a comprehensive review of original works that delve into the latest developments in education. Through an analysis of recent literature and empirical research findings, it illuminates key trends shaping educational practices, policies, and discourse. From the integration of technology to the promotion of diversity and inclusion, and the challenges posed by remote learning, this abstract synthesizes diverse perspectives to offer a nuanced understanding of contemporary educational paradigms. By examining the implications of these trends on teaching, learning, and educational outcomes, this abstract aims to inform educators, policymakers, and researchers seeking to innovate and adapt in response to the evolving needs of learners in the 21st century.

One of the big challenges of social psychologists is how to contribute to solving existing intergroup conflicts. The present experiment (N = 178) was conducted in the context of a severe intergroup conflict between Romanians (the privileged group) and Romas (the underprivileged group) and investigated the effects of intergroup apologies, intergroup contact and their interaction on intergroup forgiveness and trust. Perceived sincerity of the apology and perceived typicality of apologizing representatives were studied as moderators of apology’s effects. Results show that intergroup contact was positively associated with forgiveness and trust in the perpetrator group, while intergroup apologies had a direct effect only on trust. Apology’s effect on trust was moderated by both perceived sincerity of the apology and perceived typicality of the apologizing representative, while its effect on forgiveness was moderated only by perceived sincerity. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Digitalization and digital transformation have significantly influenced various sectors, reshaping the way organizations function, deliver services, create value and engage with stakeholders. Public institutions, including educational ones, such as universities, are increasingly being influenced by digital transformation. As technology continues to evolve, universities are at a critical crossroad where the adoption of digital tools and platforms is no longer optional, but a fundamental aspect of their operations. Digitalization offers an unprecedented opportunity to enhance administrative efficiency, improve the quality and accessibility of education, and facilitate more dynamic interactions between universities and their stakeholders, including students, businesses, local government and the broader community. By leveraging digital technologies, educational institutions have the potential to innovate and redefine the value they offer to their stakeholders. Using the existing literature on digital transformation within public institutions, specifically universities, this article explores how digitalization can serve as a catalyst for innovation in the value offered by public educational institutions to their stakeholders.

This article investigates how discursive genres shape the propagation of fake news across social media platforms, focusing on persuasive and manipulative discourse mechanisms. By examining the role of polyphonic discourse, intertextuality, cognitive biases, and visual rhetoric (including memes and deep fakes), the paper explores how genre conventions adapt to different platforms, amplifying the reach and believability of misinformation. Case studies, including the “Plandemic” meme series and the deepfake of Mark Zuckerberg, highlight the powerful influence of emotionally charged and visually persuasive content. The analysis also addresses the cross-platform dissemination of narratives, illustrating how different genres contribute to creating a networked ecosystem of misinformation. By combining insights from Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), intertextuality theory, and media studies, the article sheds light on the sophisticated tactics used to manipulate audiences and spread misinformation.

The present qualitative study, part of a wider research, aims to investigate the ways in which self-analysis of teaching activity is used among primary school teachers in Romania and the relevance of this approach on the self-perceived professional progress of teachers. Data collection was carried out by applying the focus-group method for a sample of 51 participants. The focus-group grid consisted of several preliminary questions, six open questions that allowed the formative valences of the self-analysis of the teaching activity to be outlined, and a concluding question. In this paper, we have focused on the ways in which self-analysis of teaching activity can be used and the contribution of this process to teachers' self-perceived professional progress. Following the recording of the answers, their analysis and coding, aspects such as: the permanent reporting of teachers to students, the achievement of educational goals, the optimal and prompt change of teaching strategies, the use of self-reflective questions, didactic self-regulation and the efficiency of the instructional-educational approach, considered as prerequisites for the practice of self-analysis of teaching activity, were highlighted. On the other hand, we found that all 51 primary school teachers claim that self-analysis of teaching activity contributes significantly to their self-perceived professional progress.

Inclusive teacher training should respond to different factors, such as educational policies and theoretical perspectives. As the importance of inclusion in education increases, it is expected that training programs in this perspective should increase at least in number, as recommended by existing studies in the last decade in Romania. Based on this finding, the present research aims to identify whether there was a change in the number, forms, and contents of inclusive training programs between 2017 and 2022 in Romania, by comparing the names, categories of training programs, and future training offers. This research examines how many training programs have been carried out in the teacher's training centers, synthesizes information about training topics and trainers, and identifies potential training programs for the 2022–2023 school year.

This study evaluates various problem-solving methods and their contribution to the development of creative thinking in young schoolchildren and as a specific objective the identification of the most effective methods in the development of creative thinking. Twenty-eight second-grade students participated in the study, which was divided into four groups, depending on the methods used to solve mathematical problems. Each group used different problem-solving techniques to solve mathematical problems: the method of mathematical logic, the method of visual representations, a teamwork method of decomposition and reassembly (used by computer scientists when developing new software), and a teamwork method of solving problems through games. The Torrance test (Technical and Normative Manual) was used to evaluate creative thinking - verbal form A (for testing) and form B (for retesting). After obtaining the scores, they were entered into the SPSS program - Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Results show that the methods used to solve mathematical problems play a significant role in the development of creative thinking in young schoolchildren and that mathematical games have the greatest impact on the development of creative thinking in young schoolchildren.

Organizational incivility is a type of behavior that can be frequently encountered in the workplace environment. Even if it can have a low intensity and is vaguely perceptible, studies in recent years find that these manifestations can be contagious and over time can become part of the organizational culture. It usually manifests itself through behaviors such as: taking credit for someone else's work, unpleasant emails, compliments with ambiguous meaning, which cumulatively affect the well-being of employees at work. Distinct characteristics of the target (victim), the instigator and the witness were noted, taking into account criteria such as: position in the organizational hierarchy, certain personality traits and behavioral reactions. The teaching staff have not been speared of manifestations of workplace incivility as it can be seen through the interviews that it is a frequent occurrence.

The use of technology in teaching practice is contemplated as a necessity facing the adaptation to the current needs of society. The purpose of this research highlights the benefits of using technology in education and to optimize students' learning in the classroom. The study emphasizes the results of a recent research accomplished survey Likert-scale. The participants in the research are 150 students from the secondary education institution in Buzau. The results obtained by analyzing the responses of the subjects included in our sample have shown that a group of students have the same opinions regarding the benefits of using technology in the classroom.