Literacidad crítica y enseñanza de las ciencias sociales en primaria: “Profe, las bolsas de plástico no son medusas”

Esta investigación educativa intenta responder a la pregunta sobre cómo los estudiantes de sexto de primaria interpretan cualquier tipo de texto relativo a las ciencias sociales, para, a través de la reflexión y el estudio del conocimiento de lo social, llegar a formar una conciencia crítica, tomar decisiones y participar de forma responsable. En este estudio de caso, se observan los usos de las literacidades de un total de 286 alumnos de sexto de primaria (de once a doce años), de siete escuelas de primaria de las ciudades de Barcelona, Terrassa y Rubí, al largo de un trimestre. Se parte de la interpretación de diferentes tipos de textos (multimodales, visuales, etc.) sobre el problema de la contaminación marina y el ecologismo: ¿qué hacemos con las bolsas de plástico? Los datos se analizan desde una perspectiva crítica e interpretativa, a partir de la triangulación de los resultados de un cuestionario y de las entrevistas grupales, y subrayan la importancia de las nuevas alfabetizaciones, por un lado, como línea de investigación en didáctica de las ciencias sociales, y por el otro, como manera de entender la enseñanza de las ciencias sociales. Se explora, en definitiva, el fenómeno de la capacidad crítica de los niños y las niñas de último curso de primaria para aprender a interpretar textos y promover acciones sociales responsables y democráticas, desde el marco crítico de las nuevas alfabetizaciones

Victimisation, violence perpetration, and attitudes towards violence among boys and girls from Barbados and Grenada

Interpersonal violence is widespread in the Eastern Caribbean, which may be a remnant of the violent colonisation history noted in the region. Although official statistics on the occurrence of interpersonal violence are collected in Barbados and Grenada, such acts tend to be under-reported. As such, the aim of this project was to gain a better insight into the prevalence of violence victimisation and violence perpetration, as well as the level of acceptance of interpersonal violence, including gender-based violence (GBV), among girls and boys from Barbados and Grenada. To overcome the problem of under-reporting and to understand how violence is perceived from the children’s perspective, the current study used self-report, anonymous survey methodology

Twenty-one lessons: preventing domestic violence in the Caribbean

Domestic violence infringes the basic right to security of the individual and affects society as a whole – it impacts on demography, education and health systems, the economy, political participation and the overall security of a country. Domestic violence is a universal problem which affects all parts of the social fabric; it transcends ethnic, gender, religious, generational and economic lines. In Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, beyond the ratification of a number of international instruments, domestic violence is widely recognised as a persistent challenge. On average, more than one in three women in the Caribbean experience gender-based violence in their lifetime; child sexual abuse is also a concern. The causes behind domestic violence in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean are complex and deeply entrenched in cultural and behavioural norms. The prevention of domestic violence is vital if protection rights are to be effectively safeguarded. To this end, a sustainable and community driven approach -involving civil society and the various stakeholders - is crucial in effecting changes in cultural attitudes towards domestic violence. Early and continuous education about gender based violence and a focus on the prosecution and rehabilitation of perpetrators are both necessary to address the problem at its root. In addition, it is important that the relevant legal framework - and accompanying measures - is fortified and effectively enforced, so that the safety of victims and their families is adequately provided for. A co-ordinated approach between the various stakeholders is important to allow public and private mitigation and response mechanisms toward both protective and restorative safety nets (European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR), ‘Towards a Future Free from Domestic Violence’, Guidelines for grant applicants 2014)

Prosocial video game as an intimate partner violence prevention tool among youth: A randomised controlled trial

Evidence demonstrates that exposure to prosocial video games can increase players’ prosocial behaviour, prosocial thoughts, and empathic responses. Prosocial gaming has also been used to reduce gender-based violence among young people, but the use of video games to this end as well as evaluations of their effectiveness are rare. The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a context-specific, prosocial video game, Jesse, in increasing affective and cognitive responsiveness (empathy) towards victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) among children and adolescents (N = 172, age range 9 – 17 years, M = 12.27, SD = 2.26). A randomised controlled trial was conducted in seven schools in Barbados. Participants were randomly assigned to an experimental (prosocial video game) or control (standard school curriculum) condition. Experimental and control group enrolled 86 participants each. Girls and boys in the experimental condition, but not their counterparts in the control condition, recorded a significant increase in affective responsiveness after intervention. This change was sustained one week after game exposure. No significant effects were recorded for cognitive responsiveness. Findings suggest that Jesse is a promising new IPV prevention tool among girls and boys, which can be used in educational settings

Sustainable Energy Plan for a Small Island Economy: St. Vincent & the Grenadines

This paper defines a sustainable energy plan to provide the basis for renewable energy initiatives that will increase energy security, reduce negative economic impacts and provide a cleaner environment. The hotel, agriculture, transportation, construction, utility, government and private sectors will play pivotal roles in achieving targets and will see significant gains. Government policies, educational campaigns and financial incentives will be required to facilitate and encourage renewable energy development and entrepreneurship. Utilization of solar energy, energy conservation measures and the use of efficient and alternative fuel vehicles by the commercial/industrial and private sectors will be crucial in meeting targets. The utility company will be charged with developing large scale renewable energy applications and with improving efficiency of the electrical system