The ruler’s time was fading away. He needed to train soldiers and workers and find more resources. He also had to make some donations to the neighboring villages, as he knew that the more they all helped one another, the more likely they would be to defend their territory. Jack was still happy because they had at least put up walls around the village, built barracks for people, and two camps for soldiers. He was spending four or five hours checking the village every day, because he knew the ruler had to take care of his home. Suddenly, he heard the voice coming from the old and loyal tower. It was telling news of the war. Jack gathered all his soldiers because he was the only one to command them. Strategy was so important, because bad planning would mean the end of all the villages. After a brave speech, they started to march. All the soldiers’ attention was directed to Jack, waiting for his commands.

But suddenly, Jack lost all his soldiers. He was mad and ran away from his room to check the router and saw that there was no internet connection. What was he going to do now? Jack sighed. He supposed he would do homework instead. Exams were getting closer; all his enthusiasm faded away.

It does not matter what age you are, most people find it difficult to concentrate on the task they are required to do. There are books, seminars and many activities to motivate people to finish their work. These all show that we face an important problem with handling our responsibilities.

This is also one of the key issues in education. Much research has focused on how to improve the engagement and motivation of young people towards their school work. As you have probably heard, it’s almost a cliché that most parents complain about young people’s irresponsibility regarding school work and work around the home. While this has been a problem standing in front of us for a while now, we must ask: what makes these kinds of distracting video games so appealing?

The story told above is happening every day. That video game has been downloaded more than 50 million times and is being played every day by millions of people of various ages. The first time I had heard of this game was when I conducted interviews with children using a tablet PC in school. Although my focus of the research was not about mobile games, this was brought up when I wanted to make informal conversation before initiating the interview. One boy was so enthusiastic when we started to talk about this game, that he mentioned he would stop playing the game, go to sleep, but set his alarm for five hours later – his worker would have finished the task he’d been assigned, and the boy would wake up to assign a new task Not finishing such a task would mean lagging behind his peers, for his village would not develop.

I asked him, “what is so nice about this game? You are just building and upgrading buildings and fighting against others.”

The answer was, “I don’t know; it is just fun.”

I also installed the game. I had played it for two months until I woke up at 3 a.m. with a notification. One of my workers had finished his work and I assigned him another task. Then I tried to sleep. I opened my eyes again after a couple of seconds and saw my wife’s shocked eyes. She could not believe I woke up just for this. It was the last time I played the game. But the question was still in my mind: how could we trigger our sense of responsibility by exemplifying the methods of the game in real life?

We – people in education, parents – spend a considerable amount of time and resources to nurture children in a manner so that they become aware of their responsibilities. However, schools, teachers, homework, etc. are seen as boring and something to be escaped by most children.

Gamification is a trendy jargon nowadays. It aims at transforming real life context in a manner that adopts game thinking in online platforms. From this perspective, it proposes to increase motivation, engagement, sense of enjoyment, and the positive attitudes of people towards work (Huanng and Soman, 2013). While there is much research in the sector of business, gamification is also widely recognized in education. The educational purpose of gamification is that instead of blunting the way children best learn, the way they enjoy to learn should be adapted in an educational context. This is not a new idea, as this was also expressed in other contexts. For example, Said Nursi touches on a crucial point:

One reason why preachers’ advice is ineffective nowadays is that they invite people to change their nature. They advise: “Do not be envious or ambitious, do not feel enmity or be obstinate, do not love the world,” and so on. Such advice is useless, for it is against human nature. Instead, these energies can and should be channeled into good deeds and directed toward positive aims. (The Ninth Letter, p. 53)

If we want to apply this method in education, the first thing we should consider is what children like and enjoy most. Obviously, many of them enjoy playing games and any advice like, “Don’t play games! Don’t laugh during the lesson! Don’t spend time in front of the computer! Be quiet in class!” will be counter-productive. As in Said Nursi’s statement, this is asking the impossible from a child who is created to learn in an environment that offers play, social interaction, and competition.

Jean Piaget is a well-known theorist about play and the cognitive development of children. He emphasizes the importance of play and its contribution to healthy development of children (Sutton-Smith, 1983). Vygotsky (1967) also underlines social play and peer interaction in child development. However, while Vygotsky gives the example of a child who rides an imaginary horse with a stick, today’s children’s perception of play has changed and continues to change dramatically. Therefore, it should be understood how Jack’s and my sense of responsibility were piqued. While we both cognitively focused and spent a considerable amount of time on this game, we also enjoyed doing so.

From the perspectives above, the stimulating dynamics used in games could be transformed in a suitable manner into curriculum and the classroom environment could be redesigned. This can also be adapted into work environments, as in Google whose office buildings are colorful rather than plain, and there is even a slide for their workers to use instead of stairs. Their aim is to make the environment flexible so people in the firm do not perceive what they are doing as a work.

There is also educational technology that pays attention to gamification. ClassDojo is one of them. It is a simple but effective idea to attract student’s attention and change their behavior. Each student chooses an avatar that looks like a small monster and the teacher assesses various things on behalf of the students’ avatars. Teachers can give immediate feedback to students. For example, when a student shows a negative behavior in class or solves a question, students will see the changes in his/her ClassDojo app on their mobile device. The children I interviewed showed great enthusiasm about this application and interestingly, they perceive this application as a game, although the only differences between this application and normal assessment sheets were the avatars and the template. Kahoot and Socrative are two other mobile applications that these students have experience with. These mobile applications are also perceived as joyful, competitive, and rich learning platforms.

While considering how to transfer the strategies of the game into the real life context, it should not be forgotten that there are parents and teachers who have serious reservations about games, as some of their children are addicted to these kinds of games. They are right to have these doubts and I do not think games are absolutely innocent. In fact, most strategy games, including the one that me and Jack became addicted to, have many negative messages, from stealing to killing people. But when it is impossible to avoid them completely, it is best to focus on the positive themes and actualize them for productive outcomes in schools and family life.

All in all, I am still thinking about the situation of my village and neighborhoods. The rulers of neighboring villages were sad and angry when I said that I was leaving: “Winter” was getting closer and they needed my donations and the soldiers I trained. I am now consoling myself as my wife, who is a child psychologist, assigned me to do cleaning and made me think of all the bacteria as my enemies and a big threat to our lovely village (home). As parents and educators, it is our duty to discover the way your children and students learn and produce your own real games.

Ahmet Tugra is a PhD candidate in the department of Learning, Technology and Education in the UK.

I am sorry, give me a minute.
…

You see, I easily lose my head. So, I need to use medications to balance my mood. Oh my God! That was supposed to be a secret, and it just slipped from my mouth to an admirer. Look, I suspect that once you learn my most-hidden aspects, my reputation with you will be ruined, and you won’t love me anymore. And it really distresses me to have failed your high expectations of an equation like me.

Nevertheless, it is such a heavy burden to suppress one side of mine while constantly showing the other. Yes, being an equation, I am well balanced and very clear about my views. I am one of those lucky theories that have a sound mathematical foundation, and this is why even the psychologists could not suspect a grain of problem due to my childhood. But I am telling you: I am bipolar….

Well, wait a minute! Who are you, and why would I share my secret with you? Go away with your own business, and leave me alone. I mean, I don’t want to disrespect you, but this is my private life, you know! …

No, no, wait, wait… Give me a second… Let me take my medication!

I know it sounds ridiculous if an equation complains of a disorder. How can you be an equation if you have a disorder, and how can you be in disorder if you are an equation? Well believe it or not, that’s exactly what I have been suffering from for such a long time. I am both orderly and disorderly; just like light is both wave and particle at the same time….

Hey, why are you looking at me like that? I told you to leave me alone. It was you who insisted on waiting and learning my secret. I don’t care if your designs are ruined or whatever. Actually, I’m the one who should be blamed. Why did I trust a person whom I met just a few minutes ago? I am like a fish that is eager to eat the worm on the hook. Such an idiot, I am…

Hello? Are you still there? I think I am losing my head again. Where are my pills?

Look, this is not easy for me to do, because in my routine life, people are obsessed with my equation aspect. And, they are passing this obsession from generation to generation. Every time I meet a young brain, my dream to finally meet an unconditioned mind fails. I am always too late to reach the fresh and eager minds. People always manage to find them before me, and instruct them to treat me as a well-established equation. No matter how much I want to show otherwise, they refuse to see my imperfect side, even if the experiments hit them in the face.

Why do they keep doing it? Much like a missionary, they are converting people into the belief of the Bernoulli Equation. I am telling you guys: I am bipolar, and I have imperfections, too!

What am I doing?! You are not going to believe me anyway. I am telling you my deepest secret, and making myself vulnerable as can be, but I still can’t wake you from a dream. You don’t want to wake up anyway; why would you? Do you have any other theory to believe in? Do you have another equation with which to orient yourself in an ocean of unknowns? Go on with your sleep, have nice dreams…

Unfortunately, I don’t have the same luxury as you. My continual tumbling between the two aspects of my reality never allows me to dream… Sometimes, I feel so energetic, so elated. I feel part of everything in the universe, and fall into an ecstasy by realizing that I contain everything in me. And the flow of time stops; we all become one and at peace with each other. No need to rush anywhere, no need to do anything… Just be…

But then my other side kicks in. I feel depressed under the burden of my duties and deadlines. I find myself in an ever faster pace of life, where there is no time to “just be”. There is always an action being commanded; there is always a motivation behind exchanges with others. The universe appears to be made of distinct individuals, like broken pieces of glass. Each is headed to a target of its own, unaware of any union. When life is filled with such a merciless momentum, what is more meaningful than getting rid of my life altogether?

Then, in that gloom, as my dizziness fades, my energetic side starts shining. By virtue of having been created in the same story, I focus on myself to read the universe. I realize that I carry the traits of anything and everything else around me. Once again, I start breathing the life that is gushing forth from me.

As I lose my conscience by getting high in life, I get stuck with the fact that losing my conscience defeats the purpose of being whole. You cannot hold onto the entities whose existence you fail to recognize. I start criticizing myself for disrespecting those around me. I blame myself for being such an addict and a loser; the shame of creation…

You see, there is no end to my ups and downs. As a remedy to these continuous head losses, I am using medications, but they have side effects. I am constantly growing fat, and losing my beauty. I hope one day, someone is going to be inspired with another equation that can take over my duties. Then I can retire from this bipolar life, and be mentioned in the scientific stories as a respectable grandparent…

The Bernoulli Equation given in its simplest form contains a pressure term (P) and a velocity term (1/2 (pV)^2), the sum of which is constant along a streamline:

P+1/2 pV^2=P_0

Thus, pressure and velocity work inversely with each other. As one increases, the other decreases.

The Bernoulli Equation can be derived in two independent ways. First, one can start with the conservation of energy (1st law of thermodynamics), and then follow some assumptions to end up with the Bernoulli Equation. Energy has a scale but no direction, and can be transformed from one form to another. Therefore, everything in the universe can essentially be converted into each other, just like the pressure and velocity terms in the Bernoulli Equation.

The second way to reach the Bernoulli Equation is based on the momentum equation (Newton’s second law). Again using few assumptions, one can achieve the nice and simple Bernoulli Equation. Unlike energy, momentum has both scale and direction. Any changes to this directionality require a forceful interaction between two objects.

Having its base on two fundamental laws of physics, hence reflecting both energy and momentum, makes the Bernoulli Equation one of the strongest and most beautiful equations of science, but not perfect!

The underlying theory of the Bernoulli Equation requires that the density (p) of the fluid be constant – in other words, incompressible. Therefore, the Bernoulli Equation fails to accurately explain the flow of gases at high speeds, which involves density changes. Similarly, the effects of viscosity are neglected in the foundations of the Bernoulli Equation. This means that the variation of pressure and velocity near a solid object cannot be explained by the Bernoulli Equation.

As a result of these imperfections, the Bernoulli Equation describes a fluid as a pile of metal sheets, and explains a flow as the sliding and bending of these metal sheets around each other. Clearly, this is not what a fluid is and not what happens in a real flow. Therefore, predictions of the Bernoulli Equation are inherently wrong, especially when there are sharp turns or obstructions in the way of the fluid.

In order to compensate for some of these deficiencies, a concept known as head loss (hloss) is introduced. Head loss is experimentally measured and then artificially added to the Bernoulli Equation, which then becomes:

P+1/2 pV^2+pgh_(loss,turns)+pgh_(loss,obstructions)+pgh_(loss,wall shear)=P_0

The final result is an equation that is useful but repulsively oversized, and it is certainly not well-established in theory.

Every thirty minutes, a person dies in an alcohol related car accident. Alcohol is the most common addictive substance used in the US, according to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (1). Alcoholism continues to create great burdens in societies throughout the world due to its cost or the consequences brought to families suffering from its abuse. It has a toll on people of every race, gender, age, and ethnicity. Social and moderate drinkers justify their habit by stating that a few drinks would even be good for health, yet they do not realize that their habit could lead to a destructive future addiction. In a world where alcohol is viewed as a necessity for social gatherings and environments, it is easy to overlook the risks associated with its consumption.

Research studies have shown that alcohol drinking significantly increases the risk of developing cancers throughout the body. With at least fifteen carcinogenic compounds such as ethanol, acetaldehyde, arsenic, benzene, formaldehyde, aflatoxins, (2), alcohol can have a direct carcinogenic effect on gastrointestinal cancers through indirect effects by over-expression of oncogenes in cells that trigger cancer development. In addition to a carcinogen effect, it also has a co-carcinogen effect by boosting carcinogenic properties of chemicals (3).

Upon consumption, ethanol is oxidized by bodily enzymes to form acetaldehyde, a very toxic product, during alcohol metabolism (2). High level concentrations of acetaldehyde trigger mucosal hyperproliferation when in contact with the mucosal layer of the digestive tract (4). Alcohol also causes common diseases referred directly by its name such as; alcoholic cirrhosis (alcohol is the most common causative factor of cirrhosis), alcoholic liver disease, alcoholic steatohepatitis, alcoholic cardiomyopathy, alcohol induced chronic pancreatitis, alcoholic hypoglycemia, alcoholic neuropathy, alcoholic anemia, alcoholic dementia, alcohol induced depression and seizures, etc. A beneficial effect of alcohol is that it is one of the agents which can increase the level of good cholesterol called high density lipoprotein (HDL). On the other hand it also deteriorates hypertension and leads to alcoholic cardiomyopathy with its toxicity. The question then is, “Is it safe for a person to use a toxin due to its only one beneficial effect although it is the most common factor of many diseases that are referred directly by its name?” Considering even beyond the organic effects, alcohol can also harm our relationships and cause legal problems such as driving while drunk or intoxicated.

Recently, Bagnardi et al. (5) reported a meta-analysis about alcohol drinking and cancer in a medical journal, the Annals of Oncology, showing that alcohol consumption even in small amounts increases the risk of oral cavity, pharynx, esophagus, larynx, liver, breast, and colo-rectum cancers. Most of the data derives from studies of moderate to high alcohol intake. For the first time, the researchers evaluated the association between light alcohol drinking (even 1 drink daily) and cancers by evaluating 13,814 non-unique papers identified through literature search. 222 unique papers were included in the meta-analysis, comprising ~92,000 light drinkers and 60,000 non-drinkers with cancer. Most notably, even light drinking was associated with the risk of oropharyngeal cancer, esophageal squamous cell cancer, and female breast cancer (5). These findings show that even though some findings have suggested health benefits for light alcohol consumption, risk of cancer increases with any sort of alcohol consumption.

Previously, there was some support that light consumption of alcohol – one glass for women and two glasses for men – might improve cholesterol levels, lower the risk of forming blood clots, decrease inflammation, and increase antioxidant activity. However, this mere suggestion has quickly been generalized to the overall public. Potential benefits of light drinking depends on the patients’ age, general health, lifestyle, nutrition, history of alcoholism, and many other factors. According to research evidence, any amount of alcohol consumption poses and increases the risk of alcohol linked cancer (6). Because alcohol consumption is a modifiable risk factor for cancer and many diseases, the more a person consumes alcohol products, the greater the risks are (7). These risks are also lowered by reduction in alcohol consumption; thus there is no truly “safe” level of alcohol intake (6).

Alcohol reduces the blood levels of vitamins A and E, zinc, iron and some B vitamins, including folate and thiamin, leading to vitamin deficiency, nutritional disorders, and toxicities, all of which can trigger cancer development. Alcohol suppresses the immune system and makes alcoholics more susceptible to developing cancer (8). Considering these data, drinking alcohol for older people has no potential benefits. The risk-to-benefit ratio is a little higher in younger individuals, as they have higher rates of binge drinking and acute intoxication.

The sensitive question to consider is: should individuals consciously poison themselves if they think that a toxin might have a potential beneficial effect? Can a clinician recommend a toxic drug use for its effect on nausea? For alcohol, the evidence of harmful effects is stronger than evidence of the beneficial effects (6). There are many other proven safer ways of maintaining our heart health on track, without any risk of alcohol-related hypertension, stroke, coronary artery disease, diabetes, congestive heart failure, cancer, dementia, violence, or accidents.

Then, why is alcohol so praised nowadays? The alcohol industry tries to maintain and endorse alcohol consumption. In some countries, alcohol production is very high and is an important element in the economy. Public health has a very powerful opponent known as the alcohol industry; Bagnardi et al. (5) have reported a meta-analysis published against the alcohol industry and their enormous power against public health.

Even light drinking practice may turn many vulnerable people into alcoholics. Alcoholism is a prodigious defect behind many physiological and psychological problems, not only in individuals but also within many families and societies. It can also result in drunk driving accidents, which claim thousands of lives in the US every year. One simply cannot become an alcoholic if they do not drink. It would be beneficial to have people re-think their stance about this real toxin to fight against alcohol abuse and dependence.

Tahan is a student at the College of Sciences, University of Iowa.

References

1) https://ncadd.org/for-the-media/alcohol-a-drug-information

2) Lacshenmeier DW, Przybylski MC, Rehm J. Comparative risk assessment of carcinogens in alcoholic beverages using the margin of exposure approach. Int J Cancer. 2012; 131(6):E995-1003.

3) Haas SL1, Ye W, Löhr JM. Alcohol consumption and digestive tract cancer. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2012;15(5):457-67.

4) Homann N, Kärkkäinen P, Koivisto T, Nosova T, Jokelainen K, Salaspuro M. Effects of acetaldehyde on cell regeneration and differentiation of the upper gastrointestinal tract mucosa. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1997 Nov 19; 89(22):1692-7.

5) Bagnardi V, Rota M, Botteri E, Tramacere I, Islami F, Fedirko V, Scotti L, Jenab M, Turati F, Pasquali E, Pelucchi C, Bellocco R, Negri E, Corrao G, Rehm J, Boffetta P, La Vecchia C. Light alcohol drinking and cancer: a meta-analysis. Ann Oncol. 2013; 24(2):301-8.

6) http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/824237

7) Holman DM, Grossman M, Henley SJ, Peipins LA, Tison L, White MC. Opportunities for cancer prevention during midlife: highlights from a meeting of experts. Am J Prev Med. 2014; 46(3 Suppl 1):S73-80.

8) Pericleous M1, Mandair D, Caplin ME. Diet and supplements and their impact on colorectal cancer. J Gastrointest Oncol. 2013; 4(4):409-23.

The importance of character education programs

There are some programs that are called character education for detection of problematic behavior and school violence prevention or reduction. Was, Woltz, and Drew (2006) underscored the need for character education programs through utilizing statistics concerning school violence, absence, and dropout percentages. Bohlin, Farmer, and Ryan (2001) utter that in the US, there is a rising demand in schools to provide effective character education, whose purpose is to increase moral values, respect, citizenship, social skills, etc.

One of the most significant goals of character education programs is to decrease the bullying and peer-victimization that pervade many schools (Batsche – Knoff, 1994). Hence, character education programs should be taught effectively to prevent behavior problems and help students solve their own problems, since effective character education programs can alter the climate of a school by influencing the behaviors and attitudes of the students. That is, when appropriately implemented, character education programs encourage a positive school climate, thus improve academic performance and learning (Sherblom, Marshall – Sherblom, 2006). In addition, Leming (1993) expressed that “teachers in the program classrooms reported a statistically significant two-and-one-half times reduction in problem behavior in students” (p. 68).

The need for computer-based animated vignettes

In order to cope with the aforementioned problems such as bullying, victimization, unwanted behaviors within schools, etc., character education institutions can hire more teaching staff, or teachers can work more than they have done before. However, neither hiring more staff nor working harder is an appropriate solution to help students deal with the problems encountered in schools, because students should learn to cope with the problems by themselves. Thus, they need to have the self-confidence and self-esteem to overcome inappropriate behaviors. It means that the implementation of the character education programs is crucial in terms of their effectiveness.

In this respect, there could be some efforts to facilitate social competence within the classroom and to lead to positive behavioral outcomes (Kam, Greenberg, – Kusche, 2004). Therefore, as an alternative solution, computer-based animated vignettes utilized in character education programs such as Clover, which “is a multimedia tool that empowers students to construct their own animated vignettes that meaningfully express personal experiences” (Baily, Tettegah – Bradley, 2006, p. 802) can be part of these efforts to solve students’ problems in moral and social situations by stimulating them to engage in problem solving (Bailey et al., 2006).

It is important for these programs to be computer-based, since, as Bers (2001) underscored, computers are influential tools for self-exploration. Computers are also beneficial for children in terms of socialization. Heft and Swaminathan (2002) mentioned in their study that children could interact with one another because instructors want them to work in pairs. This provokes them to ask questions to each other to solve problems. Furthermore, in the study done by Nastasi and Clements (1992), it was revealed that a computer-based program, Logo, could foster cognitive development by stimulating cognitively-based resolution of cognitive struggles.

Definitions of animated vignettes

Tettegah and Anderson (2007) describe Animated Narrative Vignettes (ANV’s) as “concrete examples of people and their behaviors, and stories about individuals, situations, and structures that can make reference to important points in the study of perceptions, beliefs, and attitudes” (p. 51). Some researchers, Zhou et al. (2003) define vignettes as ”emotion-evoking stimuli presented via audiotapes, videotapes, or realistic enactments that aim to make participants believe that the events and people involved in the stimuli are real, not hypothetical.” As understood through the definitions, animated vignettes are related to either behaviors or real visual events. Therefore, animated vignettes may be utilized in character education classes to make them more effective to reduce behavioral distortions.

Animated vignettes in character education

Bailey et al., (2006, p. 796) pointed out that when technology education is integrated within learning activities that are meaningful to students, it could be more effective. Therefore, they aimed to seek to link the delivery of technology and character education through the utilization of animated vignettes. In this process, students can gain and exercise technological skills and learn how to figure out concepts within a learning activity that is important to them while also building the vignettes via computers (Bailey et al., 2006, p. 796). Vignettes have been utilized to instruct Mathematics and Science, management skills, problem solving, and character education (Bailey et al., 2006,p. 797). In the sense of character education, Vignettes are typically used to facilitate some techniques, such as reflection, role-playing, problem solving, and ethical thinking and positive social behavior among students (Bailey et al., 2006,p. 797).

So far, this paper has discussed the importance of character education programs, the need for animated vignettes, and their definitions. Next, this paper will present the effectiveness of animated vignettes and how they can facilitate learners to recognize and reduce problem behaviors.

The effectiveness of animated vignettes

Vignettes are beneficial and effective as a teaching instrument; this is because they can provide real representations of situations, helping students solve problems (Bailey et al., 2006). In the article of Bailey et al., (2006), it is sought to link technology and character education through constructing and utilizing animated vignettes. Researchers illustrate that animated vignettes could be more beneficial when they provide three important features: meaningfulness, personal experiences, and having a dialogue.

a) Meaningfulness

Thanks to these computer-based animated vignettes, students will be able to learn via some activities that are meaningful to them. To provide effective character education, vignettes can be used as a significant tool (Bailey et al., 2006, p. 796). For example, in the study implemented by Tettegah and Anderson (2007), animated vignettes were used for gathering data. Vignettes showed an interaction between two children – “Scott, a 9-year old Caucasian boy, and Jamilah, a 9-year old African American girl; or Jamal, a 9-year old African American boy, and Erin, a 9-year old Caucasian girl) – and one teacher (Ms. Litts), and one parent (Mr. Young)” (Tettegah – Anderson, 2007, p. 52).

The vignettes were counterbalanced to determine if responses given by pre-service teachers are different from one another about the race of the victim and perpetrator. A child told the animated vignette; thus, the characters in these vignettes symbolized real people in real life. Ms. Litts (the teacher) was working with the class on a supportive learning activity, such as making paper puppets or building bridges. However, there was no difference between activities in terms of vignettes. That is, the same performances were represented in each vignette. In these processes, making paper puppets or building bridges, the teacher wanted students to work each other, like “Scott with Jamilah in the puppet making activity or Jamal with Erin in the bridge making activity, depending on the vignette” (Tettegah – Anderson, 2007, p. 52). In each scenario, the boy (Scott or Jamal) told the girl (Jamilah or Erin) that they did not want to be in the same group with the girls because of their skin color. They added that their skin color might influence them. After that, the girl’s fathers reported the event to the teacher, Ms. Litts, and the teacher was surprised, since they had talked about Martin Luther King Jr., which she believed was relevant to the topic.

After watching the vignette, participants were asked how they would respond if they were in the teacher’s position, and they wrote down their responses. In this example, participants were asked to put themselves into another person’s position through animated vignettes. As a consequence of the study, participants could place themselves into another character, and could try to consider helping their children solve the prescribed problems.

b) Personal experiences

As a solution, computer-based character education programs could be effective if animated vignettes are “based on personal experiences rather than on artificially constructed circumstances” (Bailey et al., 2006, p. 794). Students can improve both self-awareness and interpersonal skills by practicing some skills shown in vignettes. That is, they can also incorporate theory and practice in a personally related way (Barter – Renold, 2000). Thanks to this process, students are able to engage in their own ethical and social thinking. This allows students to become more engaged in their own moral and social thinking (Tappan, 1991).

To illustrate, consider this example: in the study implemented by Tettegah (2005), there was a real experience of a father, daughter, classmate, and teacher developed in the animated narrative vignettes and told by a real person. After viewing the vignettes, the educators wrote some responses for problem solving to questions like, “Who does the participant express empathy with? In whose position does the respondent imagine himself?” (Tettegah, 2005, p.383). Thanks to these questions, teachers could better understand peer conflicts related to classroom education. Responses were to involve educators and students in sharing with others to help them to be aware of conflicts that are both peer and teacher-related (Tettegah, 2005, p.383).

c) Dialogue opportunities

Through using animated narrative vignettes, it is possible to have a dialogue that will allow educators to talk over and also foster a better understanding of bullying and victimization (Tettegah, 2005). Computer-based animated vignettes are beneficial tools for discovering relationships between people (Fong – Woodruff, 2003). For instance, well-known educators are brought together to discuss issues about oppression and discrimination in their classrooms through cultural portals. In these meetings, they try to figure out how to cope with the problems in the classroom and within the school’s social environment. Using computer-based tools to find the cause of complex behaviors in the class is very useful (Tettegah, 2005). Although this seems to affect students’ problem behaviors indirectly, it may be effective in comprehending the problems and discovering some solutions to reduce problem behaviors.

Conclusion

Implementing computer-based programs to help recognize and solve problematic behaviors could be very beneficial to many schools. As emphasized above, researchers have shown that there are problematic behaviors observed in schools. Therefore, character education programs could be effective to reduce and solve these problems. Making the programs more beneficial as a means of computer-based animated vignettes helps students notice and reduce problems. They can be more effective if they are meaningful to students and if students can put themselves into the real characters in the vignettes to recognize the problems. The personal experiences underscored in the vignettes trigger students’ awareness through practicing the skills showed in the vignettes. And the vignettes can assist in generating a dialogue between educators and students to understand the issues and help develop some solutions together.

Namik Top is a PhD candidate in the Department of Educational Psychology at Texas A-M University.

References

• Algozzine, K., Christian, C., Marr, M. B., McClanahan, T., – White, R. (2008). Demography of problem behavior in elementary schools. Exceptionality, 16, 93 – 104.
• Baily, B.P., Tettegah, S.Y., – Bradley, T.J. (2006). Clover: Connecting technology and character education using personally-constructed animated vignettes. Interacting with Computers, 18, 793-819
• Barter, C., – Renold, E. (2000). I wanna tell you a story: Exploring the application of vignettes in qualitative research with children and young people. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 3(4), 307-323.
• Batsche, G.M., – Knoff, H.M., 1994. Bullies and their victims: understanding a pervasive problem in the schools. School Psychology Review 23 (2), 165-174.
• Bers, M. (2001). Identity construction environments: Developing personal and moral values through the design of a virtual city. Journal of the Learning Sciences, 10, 365-415.
• Bohlin, K.E., Farmer, D., – Ryan, K., 2001. Building Character in Schools. Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, CA.
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The question of the possibility of absolute justice is vast and needs to be explored from various angles. However, space constraints dictate that we subject this topic to no more than a general overview. Focusing on the absolute nature of justice in Nursian thought may help to sharpen our understanding of existing theories of justice at the very least; it may even force us to rethink our prejudices and give us greater understanding of the concept of justice itself.

Given the limitations of space, I aim to focus on the question of injustice in the creation of different environments for the testing of different people. In other words, is God just when he creates Leo Nikolayevich in Siberia and Rashid in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, in the same age at the same time, and holds them responsible for their actions? Say if one is born from Muslim father and mother into the Islamic environment whereas the other might have never heard of Islam and been in touch with the aforementioned environment? We can do vice-versa and apply the same theory for Christianity and other religions. Can such a God be just in any sense of justice? To this end, I will deal chiefly with the issue of absolute justice as it pertains to the issue of free will. I believe the theories that I put forward could be applicable irrespective of faith and religious differences. Of course, the issue of salvation is an even bigger issue and it is out of the subject at hand here.

Before we continue, I would like to emphasize that our focus is neither meta-ethical, nor epistemic. I am not concerned here with the question of the ontological basis of justice, nor with how we can know what is just.

Justice functions in different spheres. While seemingly obvious, this is an important point because how the absolute nature of justice is perceived may differ according to the particular sphere in which justice functions. This perception differs in accordance with whether we are talking about God’s absolute justice towards His creatures, the absolute justice reflected in human beings, or about the relative justice of man towards his fellow beings and other creatures that he shares the universe with. As Nursi states, the purpose of human existence is to manifest God’s Names and exhibit their marvels before the eyes of creatures. In this paper, we take justice as the reflection of the Divine name of Just (al-Adl) as it appears to us in free-will-related justice and we will try to understand how this is reflected in Nursi’s writings.

It is important to take into account Nursi’s terminology, in particular his categorization of the Divine names and attributes into the Glorious (Jalali), the Amiable (Jamali), and the Absolute (Kamali). Under the umbrella of the first, there is the name Compassionate (Rahman), which Nursi connects particularly to this world, where it manifests itself in its most perfect form as distributive justice; under the umbrella of the latter, there is the name Merciful (Rahim), which Nursi connects primarily to the hereafter, where it manifests itself in its most perfect form as retributive justice. Under the umbrella of the third category, there is the name Just (Adl), which Nursi connects to both worlds, where it manifests itself in its most perfect form as absolute justice.

First, I shall present an outline of my conclusions regarding free-will-related justice; we shall then see what these conclusions teach us about the unjust appearance of different environments designed for competition (imtihan). Justice is one of the key concepts in Nursi’s discourse. He states that the fundamental aims of the Quran are fourfold: divine unity (tawhid), prophethood (nubuwwa), the resurrection of the dead (hashr), and justice (adala).

Before I go any further, I would once again like to express my gratitude to the Smilansky’s article on which most of the following of this article is based. It has given me great inspiration and ideas. I have simply adapted some of his examples and arguments and applied my arguments and conclusions of the Nursian approach to them.

Mimar Sinan example

Let’s look at an example given by Similansky and adapt it here. Imagine two men who wish to be a great architect like Mimar Sinan (d. 1588), the famous chief architect of the Ottomans. One of them is from a small provincial town While he has had both the time and training to develop his architectural talents, they have never been more than mediocre. The other man is from a well-known rich family. He has, on the other hand, acquired all the great skills and qualities to turn out to be a great architect. In fact with a rich family and great chain of ancestry, he seems to have all the qualities to become famous, if not more.

These men go to Istanbul and are confronted with the wonderful arts of Mimar Sinan and are overcome with envy and a sense of injustice. The classical argument might be that there is a sense in which the differences between these men and Sinan seem unfair and unjust. Neither men are responsible for this difference, nor have they consented to it: it is an arbitrary, brute fact, not following from any ethical decision-making process. Our men feel unfortunate and the state they are in is hardly their fault, so how can we say that it is not unfair and unjust? They have not created beautiful buildings and monuments like Sinan and thus do not deserve the latter’s acclaim; therefore, may one not argue that our man does deserve to be as famous as Sinan?

There seem to be a number of options open to us in our evaluation of this issue in the classical philosophical approaches to justice. Firstly, we can discount the whole matter as not one of justice, since no human agency is responsible for the man’s comparative lack of talent or fame. According to this option, injustice occurs only when one agent has wronged another and – the issue of Divine decree apart – no one has wronged our men. So, this position blames the Divine for this seemingly unjust situation.

Another way of understanding this would be to say that the situation is neither just, nor unjust. It is not just that our men lack the fame of Sinan (they do not deserve not to; it is sheer luck, after all), but neither is it an injustice. There is simply a “limbo.”

Similarly much can happen to people that is not a result of their free choice and, hence, is not within their control and cannot be just in terms of the core conception. People who become severely ill through no fault of their own, are laid off after years of work in a massive company work-force reductions, or lose close relatives in car accidents are only a few among many possible examples.

Bediuzzaman’s cup example

Nursi offers a different solution here: God has designed life and anything related to it with a precise and just measure. As an analogy, let’s think that every individual is given a special cup, and he/she is asked to fill it. That everyone’s cups come in different sizes signifies that everyone’s test is different. It’s possible one has a small Turkish tea cup and the other has a British coffee cup and the other has an American extra large size coke cup. The test is designed with varying components, like coming from different families, in different countries, with different backgrounds and means. However, all these do not make the test or competition for salvation unjust. Since, the sizes of cups are specially designed for every individual, so that one’s effort to fill his cup would not differ from another’s effort to fill his/her different sized cup.

From the point of view of absolute justice, everyone will be tested according to their particularly designed circumstance, with some fundamental choices being same – like that of submission. Nobody, one way or another, chooses to be born either in an Islamic environment or, say, in an Inuit environment. Therefore, there is no inequality and injustice. When Nursi uses Sadi Taftazani’s definition of “iman” – or belief – he quotes, “belief is a light revealed into someone’s heart after that person’s – be it he or she – use of free will.” Wherever or whatever one was born into, depending on the size of their cups, one has to make a conscious choice of submission and use their free will, like in the story of Hay Bin Yakzan, who was on an island isolated from everything. Questioning starts from the outer world in nature; whereas in the case of a Sufi, let’s say Abd al Qadir Gilani, questioning starts from the inner world. They both need to question and act, contest and challenge, in accordance with their predesigned, mysterious competition, but eventually they will be held responsible in accordance with their cup sizes and use of free will.

Nursi believes that that all virtues and perfections are products of coming into existence and that the basis of all rebellion, calamities, and defects are of non-existence. As a result, existence is pure good, while non-existence is pure evil:

Existence is entirely good, for it generates every beauty and perfection; non-existence [which absorbs every good like black holes] is purely evil, for all sin and misfortune originate in it. Given this, whatever contains a hint of non-existence contains an element of evil. So, life, the most brilliant light of existence, becomes stronger as it is confronted with different circumstances. It is purified and perfected through contradictory events and happenings, and produces the desired results by assuming different qualities. Thus it testifies to the impresses of Names of the Giver of life. It is because of this subtle reality that living creatures pass through many states and experience pains, tribulations and hardship, through which the lights of existence are continuously renewed in their lives, and the darkness of non-existence draws distant and their lives are purified. In quality and as conditions, idleness, inertia, and monotony are aspects of nonexistence. Monotony reduces even the greatest pleasure to nothing.

[S]ince life displays the impresses of God’s All-Beautiful Names, everything occurring in it is beautiful. Consider this: A very rich and infinitely skilled clothes designer uses an ordinary model to display his works of art in return for wages. He requires the model to dress in a jeweled and artistically fashioned garment that illustrates his work’s art and his invaluable wealth. He continues to modify the garment while the model wears it. Does the model have any right to say: “Your orders to bow and stand up are causing me trouble. Your cutting and shortening of this garment, which makes me more beautiful, spoils my beauty.” Can the model accuse the designer of treating him unkindly and unfairly?

Similarly, in order to display the impresses of His All-Beautiful Names, the Maker of Majesty, the peerless All-Originating, alters within numerous circumstances the garment of existence He clothes on living creatures, bejeweled with senses, reason, intellect, and heart. Circumstances that appear to be calamitous and painful are actually rays of Divine Mercy within gleams of Wisdom and contain subtle beauties. They show the acts and impresses of the Divine All-Beautiful Names. (Twenty-Sixth Word, p. 490-1)

It is in this regard he even goes further and Nursi discuses, from the point of view of Divine Justice or adalet-i mahza, that one cannot harm his own self and body; they have been bestowed on you by God. He also goes even further to explain that you cannot abuse or misuse animals, plants, or anything else that maintains life; we neither own, nor control them. We can only use and control as little as is necessary to maintain our lives. Furthermore, we will be held responsible and questioned about the things and animals we use, abuse or misuse.

Conclusion

We see that in classical philosophical terms, things could be both just and unjust. However, in reality, nothing can be both just and unjust. It is simply that things which appear unjust to us are in reality just from the point of view of Divine decree and Justice. Philosophically, it is quite acceptable that something can be both just and unjust. However, the implications of this for our explication of the Nursian perspective are that as a believer, of course, Nursi would deny that some things can be both just and unjust: it is as meaningless as saying that something can be both black and white at the same time. However, working from Nursi’s cup analogy, we can talk about apparent or relative justice/injustice, which can exist at the same time as absolute justice. In actual fact, whatever happens is, ultimately, a manifestation of pure or absolute justice, although — and particularly in the retributive sense — it often appears as the opposite.

References

1. Nursi, Bediuzzaman Said. 2010. The Words, NJ: Tughra Books.

From another perspective, austerity is described as holding back from carnal pleasures in order to acquire piety, righteousness, and nearness to God, and to discover the hidden realities of existence and the Divine truths. It combines the following of God’s way without any deviation, making use of willpower and conscience in the best way by taking refuge in the atmosphere of spiritual life against the pressures and excessive desires of the carnal soul.

“State” and “station,” regarded as crystal-like indicators of a person’s spiritual life, are certain “pools” of indescribable spiritual pleasures mixed with the breezes from the worlds beyond that one can experience through austerity on the way to God. These are based on love of God and the attainment of His approval. Reaching these “pools” and feeling and living in the spacious world of the spirit within the love of God and His good pleasure is possible through austerity and through training the carnal soul, and can be achieved by enhancing the spirit with virtues.

A person capable of sustaining an austere life is a person of tested faith or loyalty in relationships with the Creator, the Ultimate Truth, and also in relationships with the created. This is the natural state for austerity-the ambition to become a person of truth by liberating oneself from worldly ambitions and carnal inclinations and becoming devoted to the Almighty Truth. Austerity is training the carnal soul to realize true humanity and to make the love of God the source of human feelings, thoughts and behavior. In other words, the purpose of an austere life is to think for the sake of God, to speak for the sake of God, to love for the sake of God, and to remain in the sphere of doing or not doing something only for the sake of God, to obtain His approval and good pleasure-purely because God wants us to do it or not to do it-and to always be with God.

Some see austerity as humiliating the carnal soul, which we can interpret as the annihilation of the evil-commanding soul which always pursues evils, or as being freed from selfishness and self-conceit or overcoming bodily desires in accordance with the maxim, “Die before you die!” From this perspective, austerity can be regarded as plowing the carnal soul, as one plows a field, in order to sow the seeds of goodness and virtue, and bringing them into flower by giving them the necessary water and heat in favorable weather.

The couplet,
Be soil, such fertile soil, that roses can grow in you;
For nothing other than soil can have the honor of growing roses.

describes this state of soul which has acquired perfection, humility, and self-annihilation. Sufi scholars and thinkers have also taken another approach to austerity. They distinguish two types of austerity. The first is “austerity in manners,” which means being freed from weaknesses and vices in order to acquire a second nature, while the other is “austerity in goals,” which means having the best goal and pursuing it in this world. This approach can also be summed up as disciplining the carnal soul and acquiring good, laudable virtues. The statement found in the Lujja, “The wisdom in austerities is training the reason and the soul” confirms this approach.

Some who have acquired austerity in the most approved manner have made another classification of austerity, as follows:

• The austerity followed by those who are at the beginning of the Sufi way to God consists of combining and adorning good morals or good nature with knowledge, and the practice of religion with sincerity and purity of intention, and to observe both the rights of the Creator and the rights of the created.
• The austerity followed by those who have advanced on the Sufi way to God is to become free of all considerations with respect to anything other than God and, by paying heed to the voice of the inner sense of reliance on God and of seeking help -something that everyone feels in their conscience-to remain true to the direction to which their conscience points. Furthermore, this degree of austerity also demands being oblivious of even the way one is following, because of absorption in seeking God’s good pleasure.
• The austerity followed by those who have reached the end of the way enables them to experience the Divine manifestations free from all differences and polarities. That is, it enables them to feel in the depths of their heart the unity and harmony of apparently opposed Divine Names and Attributes, with all their manifestations. It is, therefore, a way to see and experience God without seeing any difference between His being the All-Favoring and the All-Requiting or the All-Expanding and the All-Straitening or the All-Granting and the All-Preventing.

In the past, the area missing a tooth could be filled by bridge implants by eroding the enamel on neighboring teeth. In cases where there was a large gap or no teeth to use as connectors, removable implants were used. In other words, present healthy teeth would be treated to compensate for the missing teeth; if the number and health of the remaining teeth was not sufficient, removable implants would be produced that gave the “ready to fall out” feeling. The imperfections of this type of implant led scientists to pursue new ideas.

Scientists have tried to fill in missing teeth with artificial roots and with implants mounted over these by mimicking the existing tooth root. This way, there is no need to treat and erode the healthy enamel of neighboring teeth in the gap. These artificial roots, which are positioned into the jaw bone by a surgical operation, are called a “tooth implant.” Modern-day implants are generally composed of two main parts.

One of these is the fixture part which is secured into the jaw bone by screws; the other is the support part (abutment) which mimics the visible parts of the tooth in the mouth. Approximately 3-4 months of curing time is required for the fusion of bone and implant (osseointegration), which is screwed together by a surgical operation. Towards the end of this time, the implant is built over the abutment. The length of time necessary for the implant to integrate with the bone to replace a tooth which can be extracted so quickly is rather noteworthy despite ongoing studies to reduce the wait time and successful attempts to do so.

Employed materials

Even though the main logic for implants is the mimicry of the tooth and the root, the materials utilized are quite variable. The history of such implants goes back thousands of years. The employment of bamboo sticks in tooth restorations could be seen in some civilizations, such as ancient China. Mayans used sea shells, which were recently shown to be biologically suitable as implant material. Maggiolo produced a tooth root by using gold, in 1809. In the beginning of the 20th century, Lambotte prepared implants using materials such as aluminum, silver, brass, copper, and gold.

These newer implant methods have failed because of the insufficient strength of the majority of the materials and the failure to fit into biological tissues. The initial employment of titanium and its alloys in the 1950’s almost opened a new age in implantology and enabled the successful use of these materials up until today. However, these titanium implants, which are considered successful, have a very limited ability to mimic tooth roots:

• Once the implant is in place, for reasons such as aging and improper tooth brushing, tooth gum recession and resurfacing of the bright faces of the implants which mimic the root surface can take place. This leads to undesirable displays. Even though gum recession can also occur in natural teeth for similar reasons, this situation is not as disturbing as with implants. This is because the tooth root color is similar to that of the tooth surface.
• Under normal conditions, implants should be fused to integrate with the bone (osseointegration). Integrated implants are considered successful clinically. A similar case to this bondage, which is unwanted clinically, is the fusing of tooth and bone which can be seen generally in dead teeth and is called ankylosis. Many hardships can be encountered when the tooth that is fused with the jaw bone is required to be removed. The same thing also applies to the implant. If an implant is set to be extracted for a reason, even if just a small amount must be removed, the surrounding jaw bone must be removed as well. However, a natural tooth is not bonded so tightly to the jaw bone, as if the tooth is healthy, it is suspended over the jaw bone through small suspension-like structures. When a tooth is needed to be pulled as a result of trauma or tooth rotting, only these suspensions are detached; thus any damage to the jaw bone is averted. Present efforts to design similar mechanisms for implants have not been successful yet.
• When a disease develops in our natural teeth, we feel pain and take action before it is too late. However, diseases within implants are rarely encountered as pain; generally, when the pain is felt, the implant is already disconnected from the bone and it is lost. Toothache often felt as a strong pain is a blessing granted to us. If the implants were built with pain mechanisms, just like in our natural teeth, we could take action at the beginning of the disease and avoid the time and financial losses.
• Even a healthy tooth, which we think of as immobile, can move via microscopic ligaments for 0.1 mm around its root on a type of pad. The tooth root is created in a perfect fashion to resist the strong chewing power that can be generated from many directions in the mouth through these ligaments, which are wrapped around different sides and which come from different angles. However, these ligaments, which act as a suspension, do not exist in between the implant and jaw bone. Therefore, implants are almost immobile. Even though it may seem like a good thing for them to be immobile and tightly fixed, there may be intense power spots generated on the implant or jaw bone since these forces acting on the implants are transmitted to the jaw bone without being dispersed. Forces densely acting on small areas can lead to fractures of the material, including tiny screws or porcelain plating, and can damage the bone tissue. Investigators once understood that these tiny, suspension-like structures won’t form around the implant, so they engaged in mounting tiny Teflon or spring pieces inside the implant to generate suspension. However, these imitated suspensions failed to resist the chewing forces that can go up to 400 kg at times, and their use was aborted after a short time.
• Teeth can be examined by the method of tapping with small hand tools (percussion). These small impacts cause pain in case of an abscess at the tooth root. By taking necessary actions, the tooth can survive longer. It is impossible to do such determination and diagnosis with implants.

As it is seen, making less successful artificial implants as opposed to real teeth is quite a cumbersome, costly, painful, and time consuming job. Despite all of these imperfections, because of their numerous advantages over traditional implants, the popularity of dental implants continues to increase, and is preferred by dentists and patients. In addition, implants are seen as an inevitable treatment option when tooth loss occurs, and may ultimately provide patient relief in the long run.

Despite progress made in implants, it’s clear that our teeth were created in such a perfect way, down to the very smallest detail, that they cannot be replaced. Science is well aware of the fact that we will never fully be able to replicate tooth structure. Therefore, studies are shifting towards stem cell research. This way, instead of foreign substances, the missing tooth will be compensated as if by planting tooth seeds by using human’s own cells. Nonetheless, the opportunities that are discovered via all these efforts will never replace the natural teeth that were so perfectly created for us.

Educators have identified some skills that are necessary for students to succeed in their lives – these are called 21st century skills (Partnership for 21st Century Skills, 2008). In the age of innovation and information, certain skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, communication, innovation, and technological proficiency are vital for succeeding in the new workforce, yet many countries have not yet utilized their resources to teach and assess these skills. It is believed that if countries fully understood the link between students developing these skills and the future of their economies, these countries would invest and develop ways to foster the aforementioned skills in their students.

Due to this, educational researchers have proposed that it is an economic and social imperative for everybody to work towards ensuring the next generation will be eQuipped with 21st century skills (Triling – Fadel, 2009; National Research Council, 2010). In this article, I will discuss some of the 21st century skills, their importance, and whether these skills are enough for today’s students to succeed in the workforce and be happy in their social lives.

21st century skills

Due to increased globalization and access to technology, new skills are needed to succeed in the workforce. Educators, government officials, and business people were asked about what these 21st century skills” entailed. I’m going to address some of their most common answers.

Jerald (2009) justified and explained what skills our students need in this age – and why they need them. He believes we need a generation with newer skills due to changes in automation, globalization, workplace, demographics, and personal risk and responsibility. Computer technology in manufacturing has led to the automation of many jobs that humans once performed better, faster, and cheaper than machines. Technological and political changes as well as competitive forces have caused economies to be globalized. Together, these factors have changed how businesses operate. There is less hierarchy and supervision, and greater autonomy and personal responsibility for workers. Also, the global economy and ever-changing technology create a mobile population; thus, the population demographics of many countries are changing. As a result, individual risk and responsibility have increased. The skills defined as imperative for the 21st century have some commonalities, and they include reading literacy, mathematical literacy, scientific literacy, communication and collaboration, critical thinking and problem solving, and creativity (Jerald, 2009; Pacific Policy Research Center, 2010). I want to look at each of these skills in detail.

Reading literacy: Reading literacy is more about reading to learn rather than learning to read (Jerald, 2009). It is expected that employees are able to decipher many kinds of documents to carry out all kinds of tasks. This task may change from getting a driver’s license to voting in an election to learning how to run new eQuipment. There are a number of national and international assessments that examine teenage and adult literacy. For example, the PISA reading literacy assessment measures students with reading charts, graphs, tables, maps, diagrams, forms, information sheets, advertisements, political flyers, vouchers, and myriad different certificates. Research supports the importance of strong literacy. Adults with stronger literacy skills are more likely to be employed, paid higher, and to have better jobs. Therefore, both individual and organizational success is highly dependent upon a high level of literacy.

Mathematical literacy: Mathematical literacy is sometimes called Quantitative literacy or numeracy.” This implies something other than what students do in a classroom, like answering a multiple-choice Question or solving a test Question. Jerald (2009) says it’s possible that even highly educated people cannot be successful in understanding real life Quantitative information, such as understanding credit card offers or comparing the cost per ounce of food.

Lynn Steen, a professor of mathematics at St Olaf Collage, points out that the roles played by numbers and data in contemporary society are virtually endless” (in Jerald, 2009, p.39). Professor Steen summarizes why mathematics literacy is so important by saying:

Virtually every major public issue-from health care to social security, from international economics to welfare reform-depends on data, projections, inferences, and the kind of systematic thinking that is at the heart of Quantitative literacy (In Jerald, 2009, p.39).

Scientific literacy: Science is known as one of the least favorite or most difficult subjects for most students, but experts say that all adults need to understand and apply science in daily life. There are several types of knowledge necessary for scientific literacy. The first is to be familiar with important scientific topics. OECD’s PISA science literacy assessment measures 15 year old students’ knowledge of physical systems, living systems, earth and space, and technology. The second necessary knowledge is how science works and how to apply scientific methods such as observation and testing. The third piece of necessary knowledge is an understanding of how science and technology impact our society and physical world, for good or ill. Therefore, scientific literacy is one of the critical skills that people have to possess in the 21st century.

Financial literacy: This skill is particularly important for each and every citizen to make healthy economic decisions. Educational research points out that there are considerable weaknesses in financial literacy among students and adults in the United States. For instance, the Jump$tart Coalition’s 2002 biennial financial literacy test results showed that American high school seniors answered only 50 percent of the Questions correctly. Likewise, the Institute of Certified Financial Planners conducted a survey and found that making individual financial decisions is one of the major problems for participants.

Communication and collaboration: Learning is a social activity that happens either in a formal school setting or other environments. Communication and collaboration skills entail students’ ability to communicate clearly by using oral, written, and non-verbal means, and to collaborate effectively and responsibly with the people around them (Pacific Policy Research Center, 2010). The world is shrinking and becoming like a small village thanks to the Internet and new technologies. This creates new communication challenges. Although education has reQuired good communication skills, including speech, writing, and reading, the increasing diversity of the global economy demands a much more complicated and advanced set of skills for communication and collaboration (Trilling – Fadel, 2009). For example, it is expected that students and workers are able to listen effectively to superiors to decipher deeper meanings within the speaker’s speech and attitudes. An effective communicator shouldn’t just be able to listen well, but should be able to speak with diverse groups about different topics – and oftentimes in different languages. For collaboration skills, each individual has to demonstrate the ability to work productively and respectfully with diverse groups. Being flexible and helpful, and making necessary compromises are essential components of effective collaboration skills. Researchers suggest that using active learning methods, including project-based learning, problem-based learning, and game-based learning may help students develop the aforementioned skills.

Critical thinking and problem solving: Employers value critical thinking and problem solving skills the most (Jerald, 2009) because research indicates that workplace tasks demand employees doing things without having to be told or directed to do so (Levy – Mrunane, 2007). For instance, almost 60 percent of companies rate critical thinking and problem solving as very important skills which they expect high school graduates to possess. Unfortunately, 70 percent of employers report that students are mostly lacking in these areas. Mark Maddox, of Unilever Foods North America, explains why critical thinking and problem solving skills are so important and necessary in the workplace, saying, For our production and crafts staff, the hourly workers, we need self-directed people who either have problem-solving skills or can easily be trained to think on their feet and find creative solutions to some very tough, challenging problems” (In Jerald, 2009, p. 51). His company has such high expectations because they no longer employ supervisors who take control or explain things. Students or employees with such skills are good not only for the workplace, but also for their participation in solving local, national, and global problems that pose threats to everybody.

Creativity and innovation: The new Skills Commission (2007) did extensive research on the workforce and global economic indicators; they concluded that in addition to all the important above-mentioned skills, the U.S. needs a crucial new skill that will maintain its competitiveness in the global economy – a skill called creativity and innovation. Creativity is an essential skill that incorporates communication, problem solving, risk taking, curiosity, tolerance of ambiguity, and Questioning (Conference Board, 2008). The type of creativity adults need in today’s workplace is the one that enables workers to solve problems not encountered before. It also helps them cope with ill-structured tasks or problems that have no single right solution – or even any good solution.

Global awareness: This theme emphasizes the importance of working collaboratively with diverse people from different cultures, lifestyles, religions, ideologies, and backgrounds; this work must be done with an attitude of mutual respect. Also, promoting the study of other languages is very meaningful and necessary for understanding different nations and cultures. Doing this will enable students to feel closer to global issues and diverse learning communities; thus, they will create a new world where everybody respects each other, accepts others in their positions, and seeks ways to solve problems rather than fighting and killing innocent people and destroying valuable land.

Conclusion

I believe that these are all important skills for an individual’s success in life and countries’ success in the global economy. But today, it is not only the economy that reQuires a different set of skills. Rapidly changing technology and the internet have changed both personal and international affairs, from relationships to trade. The only meaningful way to make each and every country’s future bright and promising is to develop a generation of citizens who are aware of their responsibilities to preserve and strengthen diversity and democracy. This will ensure our world is a better place. Thus, we want our schools, regardless of culture and location, to prepare students eQuipped with the aforementioned skills to face a changing world.

Sahin, PhD, is a Research Scientist at Aggie STEM.

References

• Jerald, C. D. (2009). Defining a 21st century education. Retrieved from http://www.cfsd16.org/public/_century/pdf/Defininga21stCenturyEducation_Jerald_2009.pdf
• Levy, F. – Murnane, R. J. (2007). How computerized work and globalization shape human skill demands. In Suarez-Orozco, M. M. (Ed.), Learning in the global era: International perspectives on globalization and education (pp. 158-176). Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
• Nelson, C. (2005). Fethullah Gulen: A vision of transcendent education. Retrieved from http://fethullahgulenconference.org/houston/read.php?p=fethullah-gulen-vision-transcendent-education
• National Center on Education and the Economy. (2007). Tough choices or tough times: The report of the New Commission on the Skills of the American workforce. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. (p. 19)
• National Research Council. (2010). Exploring the intersection of science education and 21st century skills: A workshop summary. Margaret Hilton, Rapporteur. Board on Science Education, Center for Education, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
• NCREL – Metiri Group. (2003). enGauge 21st century skills: literacy in the digital age.Partnership for 21st Century Skills. (2008). 21st century skills, education – competitiveness: A resource and policy guide. Retrieved from http://www.pkwy.k12.mo.us/projectParkway/File/21st_century_skills_education_and_competitiveness_guide.pdf
• Pacific Policy Research Center. (2010). 21st century skills for students and teachers. Retrieved from http://www.ksbe.edu/spi/PDFS/21%20century%20skills%20full.pdf
• Trilling, B. – Fadel, C. (2009). Q – A on 21st century skills. Retrieved from http://21stcenturyskillsbook.com/blog/Q-a/

Love is the bond between all things – the light and life of existence. We love ourselves, our families, the place we live, our nation, living things, the world, and the whole universe. We feel pleasure when people we love are happy, and we feel pain at their pain. Sometimes it is hard to see something as so valuable or wonderful, particularly when there is plenty of it to go around or when it happens all the time. We forget that every healthy baby born is a miracle. We are surprised by one that has seven toes, not the ones who are perfect. How many of us are grateful every time we swallow something, take a breath, sleep or even go to the bathroom? If somebody loses sleep, or loses a kidney, then they know how good it was when they had it. Maybe sometimes we should think in the negative to see how it is right now.

For instance, let’s assume there wasn’t love in the world. Just think: nobody loved their spouses, their kids, their jobs, their country, employees, students, or friends. The trees feed themselves with muddy water, but feed their kids (fruit) with sugar, milk, and honey. What if they didn’t? What if they just became selfish? What if God didn’t love us? Didn’t listen to our prayers, and punished us with every little mistake we made? Would the sun still come up and smile at us in the morning? Would rain fall to give life to soil? Maybe not… The sun loves the plants, the plants love the sun. Animals like plants, and we love all of them. Love connects everything and everybody together. It forms families, turns a job or a class into fun, and makes labor pains bearable. It makes this big, scary, dark world, a home.

Whose faults do you see more clearly – those you love or those you don’t love? Doesn’t love hide all flaws and even turn flaws into something you might love later?

If I had to make a recipe for love, I would add more compassion than passion. Lots of relationships start with passionate love, but they will last longer when there is compassion. Love is not always looking at each other; sometimes it is simply looking in the same direction.

Our nature consists of a body and a soul. The body is to the soul what a purse is to the gold it holds. It is the spirit that matters, not the body. When the soul leaves the body, they do not let it stay at home. They bury it quickly. Our bodies are like a torch. Our reason, knowledge, and love are the light coming out of it. They light up our way. Remember that the two containers in us, the mind and the heart, never fill up. The more you learn, the more you can learn; the more you love, the more you can love. Our souls can also be compared to a pool. Our behaviors, habits, our five senses, and what we see, hear, and feel with them are like taps filling it up. What is in the pool depends on what flows from the taps. What do you want to fill it with? Love, hate, gossip, prayer, nice words, apps? You pick…

Love is the greatest motivator of all time. The wind and the sun argue about who is the strongest. The wind points to a guy on the street and says it will make the man lose his jacket. However, the mightier it blows, the harder the guy holds on to his jacket. When the sun shows its face, he takes it off willingly. Love and fear are two very strong feelings. You can make your kids eat healthy and you can make your students study; you can make your employees work hard and, in general, you can make people do things by intimidating them with harsh words, but this motivation is temporary. When you are not looking, they will go back to their old ways. But if it is in their heart, if they love it, you don’t have to be watching them all the time.

It is impossible to for me to not remember Rumi, the heart of the circle of guidance of his time, when thinking about love. People from all religions were drawn to him like spiritual butterflies drawn to light. He has been titled, “The Sultan of Lovers.” His is divine love, a fiery one with constant longing. During separation, he burns with fire. He shows no discontent though, because of the requirement for passion. Refraining from complaint is a sign of loyalty towards the beloved. For him, death is like a festival; it is a means for unity with the loved one. Rumi unifies the love of God with the love of humanity. He came to the conclusion that to love humans is to love God. A Turkish saying – we love all creation for we love the Creator – works in parallel with this.

Even if I don’t know what to say about love, I hope I can at least feel it and spread it. I hope all of us have lives filled with infinite love. Love that will make us love more, that will help us to be better people, and to really feel that we are alive. As Rumi says, “Every mortal will taste death, but only some will taste life.”

Balci holds M.S. in Microbiology and Molecular Biology. She is currently a Science teacher at Pinnacle Academy, VA.

Let me back up here a little. About two years ago, just before I received my doctoral degree, I had started looking for jobs. My wife and I had already spent about six years in the same Midwestern city, and we wanted to move to another region of the country. I sent about 100 job applications to various universities and companies, regardless of location. However, nothing came out of those applications, save for two interviews. Eventually, I ended up receiving a job offer from an academic institution to which I never applied. This college happened to be in the same city we already lived.

Interestingly, we had changed my wife’s doctor just a few months before the delivery. Our previous physician worked at a different hospital system, which had a neo-natal intensive care unit but not nearly as good as the one that admitted my daughter. My wife and I, without knowing what was going to happen, were apparently guided by someone Who knew what was going to happen. Our seemingly unintentional choices – including having only a single job option – eventually led to my daughter receiving care at the best medical facility possible.

“We will try and delay the delivery as much as possible,” said one of the high-risk pregnancy doctors, and then added, “each minute in the mother’s womb is gold for the further development of organs.” They admitted that there is no technology in the world that can provide the same ideal conditions as exist in the mother’s womb. These conditions include breathing (oxygen intake), feeding, and even the comfort of the baby. My wife and I could do nothing but pray and wait. In the meanwhile, we decided to name our daughter Meryem, which is the Turkish version of Mary.

About 48 hours after hospital admission, we were told that delivery could no longer be delayed. I did not want to leave my wife alone in the delivery room, even though I suffer from mild blood phobia (hemophobia). I tried to condition myself to the sight of some blood and a baby that would weigh only around a pound. However, the first look at our baby was quite a shock to me! Her skin was purplish red and quite transparent, revealing blood vessels. Later, we learnt that keratinization of the skin is not usually complete until the 25th week of gestation. Also, fat layers under the skin usually do not develop until this stage. The combination of these two factors not only made Meryem’s skin translucent, but also meant that she did not have a strong skin that would protect her from hot or cold, and high or low moisture levels. She would need to be kept in an incubator. As soon as Meryem was born, she was immediately taken to the adjacent room where a crew of about ten started working on her. She was first weighed and then intubated. This last procedure involved inserting a tube into her lungs, which would deliver oxygen and move out carbon dioxide with the help of a ventilator.

That is how our one pound and one ounce (480 grams) baby was born. According to our doctors, Meryem tried to breathe on her own, which was a rather surprising development. They also did not forget to reiterate that anything could happen at any time. My wife fell asleep after the stressful delivery, so I decided to visit Meryem as soon as possible, considering that I might not see her again. She was taken to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of the hospital in her incubator.

I was in a different world when I entered Meryem’s NICU room. I was greeted by different alarm sounds, numerous screens displaying different graphs and numbers, and different equipment generating a lot of noise. Little Meryem was wiggling in her incubator, as if she wanted to tell us she was not comfortable, but she was not complaining. I was allowed to touch her, but only through the small window of her incubator, which was protecting her from infections and other environmental factors. I also whispered the call the prayer (adhan and iqama) to her ears, and then her name, which is a tradition in Islam. The latest technology and a number of well-trained healthcare personnel were serving her in lieu of the perfectly designed amniotic sac and placenta. Yet again, I was warned to prepare for the worst outcome. Under these thoughts, I said good-bye to Meryem and went to my wife’s room. This is how our six-month adventure in the hospital started.

Our initial days at the hospital were quite challenging. We were given a list of complications that Meryem could endure, some of which could be fatal. A few of these possible complications were: various bacterial and viral infections, lung and breathing problems, intraventricular hemorrhage (bleeding in the brain), periventricular leukomalacia (white matter brain injury), patent ductus arteriosus (a blood vessel failing to close), necrotizing enterocolitis (tissue death in the bowels), chronic lung disease, retinopathy of prematurity (blindness), and deafness. Moreover, some of these complications could lead to other complications such as cerebral palsy, impairments in ambulation, speech problems, cognitive problems, physical and mental disabilities, and even death.

Meryem had a tube inserted from her mouth going deep into her lungs; this tube was connected to a breathing machine (oscillator or ventilator). The effectiveness of her breathing was periodically checked. Since she could not be fed at this stage, an IV line was providing her fluids and a little bit of nutrition. She also needed blood transfusions to replace the blood that was lost during various tests. Due to various infiltrations in her body and her immature immune system, she was vulnerable to infections, which would rarely happen in the mother’s womb. As a matter of fact, Meryem would have to deal with a number of bacterial and fungal infections, including pneumonia, in the hospital. A couple of these infections were quite severe and would lead us to think that we were losing her.

In order to accelerate lung growth, Meryem was administered steroids. However, steroid treatment caused a steep increase in her blood sugar levels. Meryem’s doctors told us that they would have to stop feeding her because of elevated blood sugar. That would mean Meryem would not be able to gain weight and thus her lungs would not develop. In fact, Meryem lost about two ounces (60 grams) during this period and ended up weighing only 11 ounces (420 grams). This vicious cycle reminded us of the extraordinarily ordinary system in the mother’s womb, where everything functions perfectly in order. A number of the brightest neonatologists in the country were using the latest technology and doing their best to treat Meryem. And they were admitting that a procedure they would perform to correct a dysfunction would lead to a dysfunction in another organ or system. All these developments made us marvel even further at what a perfect environment for child development a mother’s womb is!

Another distinctive example of this magnificent design is the closing of the ductus artery in newborns. Since oxygen is provided to babies through the umbilical cord in the uterus, babies do not really breathe, and do not, hence, use their lungs. It would be inefficient for the blood to go through the lungs in unborn children. As such, a blood vessel, called the ductus channel, carries the blood towards the aorta, bypassing the lungs in the unborn. However, since babies have to start breathing and use their lungs right after delivery, an open ductus channel would be problematic, as blood needs to be oxygenated in the lungs before being sent to the aorta. Hence, after a short period following delivery, the ductus channel closes “on its own.” In premature babies, medication or surgical treatment is required to close the ductus. If not closed in time, edema (fluid accumulation) can occur in the lungs and other organs.

Meryem had a severe edema problem. In order to address the unclosed ductus and edema issues, Meryem’s doctors gave her medication as soon as possible. We were told that if the drug did not work, they would have to take route B and surgically close the ductus. Even though the surgery per se did not bear significant risk to Meryem, we were concerned about the side effects of anesthesia. I read articles which suggested that the use of anesthesia agents in such little babies could cause heart and brain problems. We continued praying right away for a successful drug treatment. Unfortunately, the medication did not work. Meryem’s doctors sought our permission to perform the surgery, as they did not want to lose time. They also explained to us that a second drug treatment could be tried, which would have a very low success rate. Weighing our options and considering the risks of anesthesia, we asked the doctors to administer the medication for a second time and asked our friends to join us in praying for Meryem. The next day, our doctors were quite surprised; Meryem’s ductus was closed.

During the long days at the hospital, we read about prematurity, how a preterm baby was different from a term baby, and discussed all of this with my wife. We were simply amazed by the new information we have acquired on the splendidly designed development of a baby. We always looked at newborns and deliveries as something relatively ordinary. We never felt the need to think in depth about these issues before. After elaborating for hours on the perfection of the development of a baby, we came to an agreement that it would be impossible for us to accept speculations about how this all would happen “on its own.” We felt the great urge to seek refuge in the Owner of this magnificent system, and send our prayers to Him. We also asked for prayers from friends, relatives and spiritual individuals, who in our opinion had a closer relationship with the All-Knowing. We believed that, because of these prayers, Meryem would remain immune to major complications that I mentioned before, despite the pessimistic predictions of our doctors. Many times, we saw the surprise in our doctors’ eyes after an unpredicted positive outcome.

One of these surprising developments was about Meryem’s sight. Devices that made Meryem breathe had to use air that contained up to 80% oxygen. As you may know, the air we breathe has 21% oxygen. The high levels of oxygen premature babies need to inhale, due to their immature lungs, usually cause complications in the eyes. We were informed that Meryem had a very high chance of needing an eye surgery to prevent blindness (retinopathy of prematurity). In fact, one of our doctors (let’s call her Dr. Smith) would explain this likelihood by saying that, “I will eat my hat if Meryem is discharged from the hospital without an eye surgery!” Dr. Smith was actually a devout believer. Hoping that she would understand, we told Dr. Smith that we would maintain our trust in God, and keep praying. She reminded us about her strong belief in God, but also told us not to be hopeful. Just before Meryem was discharged from the hospital, we had a big cookie made in the shape of a hat, since we thought that Dr. Smith would have a hard time chewing on a leather hat. Yes, Meryem did not require an eye surgery! Dr. Smith approached this gesture quite humbly and thanked us for the reminder. She went on to say that she would keep the cookie as long as possible as it would remind her of the power of prayers.

After about a six-month stay at the hospital, Meryem was discharged on a cold day in March. These months had been a really tough period where we had to face many unknowns. The concern of losing Meryem, not being able to hold her for a long time, the risks of many complications, driving back and forth between home and the hospital countless times, receiving a call from the hospital in the middle of the night – all these tested our faith.

“Then, surely, with hardship comes ease
Surely with hardship comes ease”

We remembered and prayed this word of God, as many times as possible during this entire ordeal. We felt that having faith helped us a great deal to stay calm and conscious, especially when we had to make difficult decisions.

Meryem is about four years old now. Except a few minor issues, she is quite healthy. Pediatric specialty doctors who saw her, especially right after the discharge, would be surprised to see her so healthy. In particular, Meryem’s neurologist, after telling her that we believed the prayers were the primary reason she survived, would say, “I agree, as we cannot really explain her good condition only with science and medicine.”

Many immature babies cannot survive even though all necessary treatments are applied and heartfelt prayers are made. This does not mean their prayers are not heard, nor would we think otherwise if we were to lose Meryem. Prayer is a duty upon all of us to show our thanks for all the blessings we have been granted. The fruit of these prayers (in addition to doing fully what must be done) can either be an immediate one in this world or a postponed one in the life to come, and we may not know what good may come out of what seems ugly on the outside. The poet Nimah Nawwab puts it so well:

“God gives answers in three ways: He says YES and gives you whatever you Want. He says NO and gives you something Better. He says WAIT and gives you the Best.”