The paper considers Percival Everett’s novel James (2024) and its peculiar technique as an example of resignification and a contemporary reworking of Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and American minstrel shows. The theoretical framework is based on Judith Butler’s idea of resignification and Eric Lott’s considerations of the notion of minstrelsy, highlighting the connections between the two. As the key aspect of both Everett’s novel and a minstrel show is performativity/performance, this notion is discussed in detail with a special emphasis on its use in the novel. We argue that Everett’s innovative and subversive use of language, and his decision to tell the story of the birth of a hero from the point of view of Jim/James, the (in)famous stereotypical slave character of Twain’s narrative, represents an instance of anti-minstrel fiction and thus sets new standards in contemporary (African) American literature. We argue that Jim’s/James’ journey from a runaway slave and a comic relief in Twain’s classic to a hero of his own narrative can be interpreted as an example of resignification, i.e., ‘enacted critique’, a deliberate, deviant, mis-performance (Loxley, 2006, 127) which paves the way for new roles and meanings in contemporary (African) American literature.
This study aims to overcome the limitations of junior college liberal arts education, which has struggled to establish its identity within a dual structure dominated by vocational training, by exploring a practical liberal arts education model connected to the local community. To accomplish this, it analyzes the development process and implementation outcomes of two courses— “Local Creative Tour” and “Local Creator Startup”—which were designed with the goal of fostering local creators. The two courses are structured around learning themes that progress from understanding local resources and society, to field visits regarding the utilization and industrialization of those resources, and further to the development of business ideas using local resources. The courses are implemented through team-teaching by local creators, local tours, and team projects aimed at local revitalization. As a result, a pre- and post-test analysis on students enrolled in 2024 revealed statistically significant improvements at the p<.001 level in three core competencies: sense of community, problem-solving ability, and convergence competency. Through these courses, students reported enhanced understanding of the local community, participated in field visits, engaged in team projects, and interacted with local experts, which enabled them to understand learning materials within the real context of the local community. This created a learning ecosystem that allowed for authentic experiential problem-solving. In particular, experiences using Daegu’s cultural, historical, and industrial resources provided students with opportunities to rediscover the meaning of the region and to explore their roles as members of the local community.
This study aims to propose effective design and operation strategies for liberal arts courses utilizing public broadcasting content, based on actual operational cases over three academic semesters. To this end, a case analysis was conducted on 30 public broadcasting content-based liberal arts courses developed and implemented at University A from the first semester of 2024 to the first semester of 2025.</br>In the development process, a cyclical improvement-based, iterative, and incremental development model was applied. A total of 764 items were selected from the 8,330 educational contents provided by EBS, and a systematic course design framework was established. In the implementation process, the model evolved through a three-stage cycle—content-centered → interaction-enhanced → integrated self-directed learning facilitation—fostering active learner participation and self-directed learning as an innovative liberal arts education model.</br>The results showed that, compared to the first semester of 2024, the number of enrolled students in the first semester of 2025 increased by approximately 2.2 times, and student satisfaction improved significantly across all categories. Detailed case analysis confirmed qualitative improvements in instructional design, including inquiry-centered composition, linkage between curricular and extracurricular activities, and reinforcement of multi-layered interactions.</br>These achievements empirically demonstrate the potential of public broadcasting content-based liberal arts education as a practical alternative for delivering high-quality education even in resource-constrained environments, and propose a blended learning-centered innovative education model that differentiates itself from existing distance universities.
The purpose of this study is to explore to what extent EFL learners enrolled at a Korean university are using ChatGPT to assist with homework assignments in courses taught in English. Preferences on the role this technology has in the future were also explored. 261 students completed a 20-item survey questionnaire from which data was subsequently analyzed using general qualitative analysis for open ended questions and descriptive statistics for multiple choice and Likert scale questions. If permission was granted, respondents were then contacted to discuss responses in greater detail through the use of email and video calls. Overall, the prevalence of ChatGPT was high; however, students placed in intermediate level English classes appear to rely on it more often than those placed in other levels. Despite this high prevalence, some respondents indicated they chose not to use ChatGPT due to factors such as ownership of the language learning process, distrust of this technology, and reluctance to rely on AI based technology. Moving forward, there are clear indications that changes need to be made in how ChatGPT is integrated into academic settings. Respondents from this context appear to desire a greater level of flexibility from their English instructors on how they are allowed to use it. Furthermore, there is a space for more robust guidelines from university administration on how students can use ChatGPT for homework assignments in an ethical manner. Administrational and educational implications of such findings are also discussed.
Diederik Aerts, Suzette Geriente, Roberto Leporini
et al.
We analyze the results of three information retrieval tests on conceptual combinations that we have recently performed using corpora of Italian language. The tests have the form of a 'Bell-type test' and were aimed at identifying 'quantum entanglement' in the combination, or composition, of two concepts. In the first two tests, we studied the Italian translation of the combination 'The Animal Acts', while in the third test, we studied the Italian translation of the combination 'The Animal eats the Food'. We found a significant violation of Bell's inequalities in all tests. Empirical patterns confirm the results obtained with corpora of English language, which indicates the existence of deep structures in concept formation that are language-independent. The systematic violation of Bell's inequalities suggests the presence of entanglement and, indeed, we elaborate here a 'quantum model in Hilbert space' for the collected data. This investigation supports our theoretical hypothesis about entanglement as a phenomenon of 'contextual updating', independently of the nature, micro-physical or conceptual linguistic, of the entities involved. Finally, these findings allow us to further clarify the mutual relationships between entanglement, Cirel'son's bound, and no-signaling in Bell-type situations.
Generative art merges creativity with computation, using algorithms to produce aesthetic works. This paper introduces Samila, a Python-based generative art library that employs mathematical functions and randomness to create visually compelling compositions. The system allows users to control the generation process through random seeds, function selections, and projection modes, enabling the exploration of randomness and artistic expression. By adjusting these parameters, artists can create diverse compositions that reflect intentionality and unpredictability. We demonstrate that Samila's outputs are uniquely determined by two random generation seeds, making regeneration nearly impossible without both. Additionally, altering the point generation functions while preserving the seed produces artworks with distinct graphical characteristics, forming a visual family. Samila serves as both a creative tool for artists and an educational resource for teaching mathematical and programming concepts. It also provides a platform for research in generative design and computational aesthetics. Future developments could include AI-driven generation and aesthetic evaluation metrics to enhance creative control and accessibility.
This study aims to diagnose and analyze the effects of competency-based liberal arts British-American classical literature classes through learners’ competency achievement and its relationship to class satisfaction. This study also suggests a direction for integrated achievement of competency through classical education. To this end, pre- and post- competency diagnostic tests and a satisfaction questionnaire was collected from 78 students in this elective liberal arts classical literature class at H University. Independent samples t-tests, correlation analyses, and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted. As a result, first, the learners' communication skills, creativity, and problem-solving efficacy were improved. Second, learners were highly satisfied with developing interaction and collaboration skills among team members, and with improving their debate and discussion skills, suggesting that team-based instruction can be an effective teaching method in liberal arts education where learners are relatively less intimate. In addition, regarding the method of assessment, learners were most satisfied with an approach that put less pressure on paper-based exams, and perceived the increase in the amount of learning, the burden of preparation for performance activities, and the inability to check the visible evaluation results as the most difficult points. These results demonstrate the need for professional evaluation criteria and prior guidance regarding the class rubric. Finally, this study found that the improvement of the problem-solving efficacy of the participants did not affect class satisfaction, indicating that the instructor’s active role is needed, particularly when it comes to controlling the difficulty of competency performance activities, and when intervening on behalf of the student’s regarding their difficulties in learning. This study is meaningful in that it has confirmed that liberal arts classical literature education can play an important role in cultivating the competencies necessary for learners while maintaining the intrinsic value of the classics.
طریقۀ نیل معرفت و حقیقت عرفا با آنچه اهل علم و قال میجویند یکسر متفاوت است. روش عرفا، بر کشف و شهود است. در این مسیر، هرچقدر عارف جد و جهد بلیغ نماید تا رجس و ناپاکی را از خویش بزداید، قلب او آمادگی بیشتری جهت جذب انوار حقیقت پیدا خواهد نمود. هرچند که اهل علم و فلسفه مناقشهای دائمی با آنان داشته باشند. عرفا تأکید دارند یگانه سلوکی که به شهود منتج میشود سلوک عاشقی است. هرچه عاشق از درون کارگاه هستی پیجوی حقیقت گردد، راه را از میانه درنوردیده است. درونبینی عرفانی چنان اهمیتی داشت که فیلسوفان، چندی نیز بر آن تأکید ورزیدهاند. صوفیه با ذوق به صنع خداوند مینگرند و تسلیم دل ملاک همیشگی آنهاست و با استدلال و چون و چرا کاری ندارند؛ چراکه پای استدلالیان را چوبی میبینند. که عارف در پی نظرکردن است نه دانستن. عارف میداند در مسیر کسب حقیقت نصیبی از دفتر و مدرسه نمیبیند او رهپوی علم عشق است. ناگفته نماند که عارف درحالی به یقین میرسد که «حق مطلق شناختهشدنی نیست و حتی با کشف و ذوق هم بهصورت معمایی غامض باقی خواهد ماند. در شرایط عادی حق تنها از راه تجلّی ذاتی شناختهشدنی است. داستانهای پیامبر اکرم (ص) در نگارگری اسلای بهخصوص نگارگری مکتب قزوین نیز نمود واضحی دارد.اهداف پژوهش: بررسی استفاده شاعران و عارفان بزرگی مانند سنایی، عطار و مولانا از شریعت، حکایات و داستانهای پیامبر اکرم در آثارشان.بررسی داستانهای پیامبر اکرم (ص) در مکتب نگارگری قزوین.سؤالات پژوهش:آیا شاعران و عارفان بزرگی مانند سنایی، عطار و مولانا از شریعت، حکایات و داستانهای پیامبر اکرم در آثارشان بهره گرفتهاند؟داستانهای پیامبر اکرم (ص) چگونه در مکتب نگارگری قزوین بازتاب یافته است؟
Guided by the Einstein equivalence principle that identifies the phenomenon of gravitation as a manifestation of the dynamics of spacetime in contrast to a localizable force, we review and explore its consequences on formulating a theory of gravity. The resulting space of metric theories of gravity may address open conceptual and observational puzzles through a wealth of effects beyond general relativity, whose traces can be searched for within today's and tomorrow's gravitational testing grounds. Above all, we offer a generic metric theory generalization of Isaacson's approach to the leading-order field equations of physical perturbations with a well-defined notion of energy-momentum carried by the gravitational waves. Within this framework, we identify the backreaction of the Isaacson energy-momentum flux onto the background spacetime with the displacement memory effect that induces a permanent distortion of space after the passage of a gravitational wave. This effect is a well-known prediction of GR whose dominant contribution captures its inherent non-linear nature, manifest in the ability of gravity to gravitate. However, the novel interpretation of memory as naturally arising within the Isaacson approach to gravitational waves comes with two main advantages. Firstly, it allows for a unified understanding of both the null and the ordinary memory effect, which are respectively sourced by unbound energy fluxes that do and do not reach asymptotic null infinity. Secondly, and most importantly, this approach allows for a consistent derivation of the memory formula for a large class of metric theories with considerable lessons to be learned for upcoming future measurements of the memory effect.
Music and the arts are of growing interest in promoting success in school and psychological development of young people in general. However, there are few studies focused on the relationship between music and, more specifically on school engagement of vulnerable students. Thus, this exploratory study aims to understand the perceived impact of student participation in a school percussion group on school engagement. The research followed a qualitative methodology through individual semi-structured interviews. Six pupils aged between eleven and fifteen, two teachers of these pupils and two of the percussion group facilitators took part in the study. The results reveal a positive impact perceived by the participants arising from participation in the percussion group, with emphasis on the behavioural dimension of school engagement. Considering the relation between school engagement and learning processes, promoting school engagement through musical activities could be an innovative strategy to promote school success.
The purpose of this study is to explore the direction of reorganization of S University's liberal arts core curriculum by analyzing the educational needs assessment and perceptions of members inside and outside S University to foster “H+ future talents” with future capabilities to lead a diversifying society. To this end, a total of 234 internal and external members (teachers, students, graduates, and industries) of S University were surveyed on the educational needs assessment and perceptions of S University's liberal arts core curriculum. After combining the collected data with t-verification, Borich education needs, the Locus for Focus model, and frequency analysis, the current liberal arts core curriculum was reorganized in the order of ｢Computing Thinking and Coding｣, ｢Critical Reading and Writing｣, ｢EnglishⅠ(Listening & Speaking)｣, and ｢English II (Reading & Writing)｣. In addition, through a survey on the perception of the liberal arts core curriculum, the need for class options for Christian liberal arts subjects and classes by English level were confirmed. This study is meaningful in that it can be used as useful basic data for the reorganization of the liberal arts core curriculum of S University and can be a basis for the return of the direction of liberal arts education and the development of liberal arts subjects in the future.
The purpose of this paper is to study the self-directed learning experiences of mature students in liberal arts courses at universities. In this study, the above mentioned experiences were analyzed through focus group interviews, as a qualitative research method, targeting five mature students enrolled a B liberal arts course at university. The results of this study are as follows. First, at the time of entering university, the research showed that mature students attempted learning at university with high school friends, attempted learning at university immediately after completing high school courses, attempted learning at university as a driving force for life, and attempted learning at university for the purpose of acquiring qualifications. Second, at the time of their application for liberal arts courses, the mature students chose liberal arts courses based on the department's collective timetable and the liberal arts policy in relation to the distance education provided by the university. Third, during the liberal arts courses, the mature students learned with classmates through competition and cooperation, through effort of repetition, through joyful participation, and through empathy understanding. Fourth, at the time of evaluation of liberal arts courses, the mature students grew through a belief in themselves, through the realization of the value of learning, and through their sastifactions with life as it pertained to their communication with their families. Fifth, in the preparation period for the next semester of university, the mature students challenged themselves by auditing other university classes and by engaging in extracurricular activities. The suggestions based on the results of this study are as follows. First, it is necessary to overcome the restrictiveness and rigidity of the existing university liberal arts courses by linking them with lifelong education. Second, it is necessary to provide continuous learning opportunities for mature students through advanced programs and in-depth programs in liberal arts courses. Third, it is necessary to promote learning motivation for mature students by strengthening the relevance of university courses with the real lives of their learners, as well by strengthening the interactions of students in liberal arts courses. Fourth, it is necessary to build a learning environment in which mature students can learn autonomously.
The Relationship Between the Online Advertising and the Growth of Narcissistic Behaviours in Youth
Cyberpsychology analyzed, since the beginning of the 90s, human behaviour in the digital environment and emphasized a few defining effects of this behaviour, such as the online anonymity effect, related to the online uninhibited effect or the online escalation effect. (Aiken 2019, 13) Analyzed from this perspective, online narcissism, exacerbated by the intense social media usage during the Covid-19 pandemic, is a behaviour amplified in the digital environment, compared to its dimensions in the real life. The specialists underline that individuals who use social media excessively develop narcissistic tendencies, and the young manifest oppositional behaviours, aggressive and anxious tendencies, being the most vulnerable category of the online public. The article analyses the relationship between online publicity and the amplification of narcissistic behaviours in young users, using as a case study the campaign #TheSelfieTalk, launched by the brand DOVE in the spring of 2021, as a communication programme meant to fight the young girls’ vulnerability in social media.
After the recent ground-breaking advances in protein structure prediction, one of the remaining challenges in protein machine learning is to reliably predict distributions of structural states. Parametric models of fluctuations are difficult to fit due to complex covariance structures between degrees of freedom in the protein chain, often causing models to either violate local or global structural constraints. In this paper, we present a new strategy for modelling protein densities in internal coordinates, which uses constraints in 3D space to induce covariance structure between the internal degrees of freedom. We illustrate the potential of the procedure by constructing a variational autoencoder with full covariance output induced by the constraints implied by the conditional mean in 3D, and demonstrate that our approach makes it possible to scale density models of internal coordinates to full protein backbones in two settings: 1) a unimodal setting for proteins exhibiting small fluctuations and limited amounts of available data, and 2) a multimodal setting for larger conformational changes in a high data regime.
Joerg Fingerhut, Javier Gomez-Lavin, Claudia Winklmayr
et al.
To what extent do aesthetic taste and our interest in the arts constitute who we are? In this paper, we present a series of empirical findings that suggest an Aesthetic Self Effect supporting the claim that our aesthetic engagements are a central component of our identity. Counterfactual changes in aesthetic preferences, for example, moving from liking classical music to liking pop, are perceived as altering us as a person. The Aesthetic Self Effect is as strong as the impact of moral changes, such as altering political partisanship or religious orientation, and significantly stronger than for other categories of taste, such as food preferences (Study 1). Using a multidimensional scaling technique to map perceived aesthetic similarities among musical genres, we determined that aesthetic distances between genres correlate highly with the perceived difference in identity (Study 2). Further studies generalize the Aesthetic Self Effect beyond the musical domain: general changes in visual art preferences, for example from more traditional to abstract art, also elicited a strong Self Effect (Study 3). Exploring the breadth of this effect we also found an Anaesthetic Self Effect. That is, hypothetical changes from aesthetic indifference to caring about music, art, or beauty are judged to have a significant impact on identity. This effect on identity is stronger for aesthetic fields compared to leisure activities, such as hiking or playing video games (Study 4). Across our studies, the Anaesthetic Self Effect turns out to be stronger than the Aesthetic Self Effect. Taken together, we found evidence for a link between aesthetics and identity: we are aesthetic selves. When our tastes in music and the arts or our aesthetic interests change we take these to be transformative changes.
This publication provides an editorial introduction to a special issue of Computer Applications in Engineering Education journal entitled Computational Thinking for STEM and Engineering Education. It provides introductory remarks to the issue and a commentary on the published material, as well as presents the views of the special issue editors in the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education and research. This special issue is structured as follows. It contains articles related to the topics of computational thinking (CT), STEM, and engineering education. It starts with three overview articles based on systematic reviews, giving a structured overview of CT concepts in terms of practical educational approaches in introductory science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) education. Subsequent articles present practical approaches to CT and STEAM education in such educational areas as general engineering, programming and software engineering, physical computing, robotics, electronics, mechanical, and power engineering.
This study analyzes the experiences of instructors and learners who were using micro-learning content, and suggests the development and operation plan of micro-learning to apply it to actual classes. In order to achieve the research purpose, K-MOOC courses operated by S University in Gyeonggi-do were developed and operated as micro-learning content. Of the 213 students who were enrolled in the lecture, 107 students participated in the survey. The research results covered learner perception of existing online learning, their experience of micro-learning content, and their course satisfaction.Learners perceived that the micro-learning content was short and focused only on the core material, improving their concentration compared to existing online lectures, and that repetitive classes were not burdensome. Thus, they were generally satisfied with the program. However, the instructors expressed regret over time constraints and the lack of environmental support for designing courses and developing content through micro-learning. On the other hand, instructors said that they would continue to develop micro-learning content in consideration of the high satisfaction of the learners and that they would consider various ways to better utilize the content. Based on these results, examples of how to develop and operate micro-learning content in universities and/or standardized classes were presented and the implications were discussed.
By examining a series of classes engaged in the reading of <i>Kuunmong: The Cloud Dream of the Nine</i> with the concept of the metaverse in mind, this study aims at developing a method of how to instruct students when it comes to reading the classics. This study also aims at getting students to rediscover the value of <i>Kuunmong</i> as a liberal arts education text.In order to ensure that students read difficult classical literature properly, an instructor needs to choose a proper work carefully and to consider how best to let the students read it. In our classes, reading <i>Kuunmong</i> was connected to the concept of the metaverse, taking into consideration the times in which we live, along with the interests of the students. In the reading part, the importance of actually finishing the reading, reading from the view point of the present world, autobiographical reading, reading together with related works, and so forth, were emphasized. Reinforcing group discussion and peer feedback increased the students’ participation and interests.Through the explanation of the similarities between the dream world of <i>Kuunmong</i> and the virtual world of the metaverse, the students approached <i>Kuunmong</i> with more interest and understood the themes better. In addition, in essays they wrote after reading <i>Kuunmong</i>, they dealt with many related topics, such as the methods of love and communication, the attitudes toward desires, the importance of experiences and actions, the problems of losing one’s sense of reality, and the importance of integrated thinking. They also explored the solutions to these problems. These topics are not very different from the goals of liberal arts education and the themes of <i>Kuunmong</i>. In this regard, we can confirm that reading <i>Kuunmong</i> using the concept of the metaverse can contribute to the achievement of such goals and to improving the understanding of <i>Kuunmong</i> as a text.
Admirer of troubadour poetry, Arcadie Suceveanu (b. November 16, 1952, Suceveni, Chernivtsi region, Ukraine) pays close attention to the image of the woman. The feminine includes admiration and fear, desire and meaning. The woman is delicate in his creation, a beauty without body in which the realities of imagination and the everyday are transparent. The lyrical self takes on the role of Pygmalion with a few differences: it does not turn the statue into a woman, but turns Galatea into poetry; love does not perfect, but constitutes the game of acceptance without external transformations, it has the power to give essence to creation itself. Respectively, the transformations are supported by the artist. In this article we have analyzed the aesthetic concepts that also have tangents with ancient myths