Keyword: well-being

ABSTRACT: Immigrant and foreign-born students are one of the fastest-growing populations in higher education across the US, and yet there is a dearth of research around their sense of belonging on campus and in the classroom. Therefore, this paper will cover the development and evaluation process for a scale designed to evaluate the perception of college welcome provided to immigrant students. Data from 94 college students were used to conduct a series of factor analyses to assess the survey questions and their utility for measuring college welcome. The scale is made up of four factors. The Cognitive awareness of college welcome factor showed a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.72, the Emotional college welcome factor showed a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.732, Behaviors of college welcome showed a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.75, and the Relational college welcome showed a Cronbach’s alpha 0.767. Overall, Cronbach’s alpha is 0.864 for the perception of college welcome which is excellent. While the results are promising that this scale could indeed be measuring college welcome, it is important that more data be collected, reflect a higher percentage of immigrant students, and that future research be done to continue to assess the reliability and validity of this scale. This scale is the first step in better understanding the perception of welcome provided to foreign-born students, which is critical so that social workers can intervene and help improve the social and emotional well-being of students.

ABSTRACT: This study highlights the drawbacks of monolingual instruction in university disciplines and its adverse effects on students’ knowledge acquisition, mental, emotional, and academic well-being. Incorporating Afrofuturism, the research positions translanguaging
as an innovative component to explore the advantages of employing multilingual strategies. The goal is to mitigate limitations posed by monolingual approaches and contribute to safeguarding students’ comprehensive well-being in academic contexts. Methodologically, this study utilizes textual analysis with the researcher as a research instrument. It analyzes how multilingual teaching not only addresses limitations associated with monolingual instruction but also developmentally enhances African students’ well-being. Innovative case studies on translanguaging practices are highlighted, offering multilayered insights into the dynamic interplay of languages and knowledge in disciplines. By introducing Afrofuturist-aligned translanguaging practices, the research illuminates innovative pathways that surpass monolingual limitations, demonstrating the advantages of embracing multilingualism in disciplines. This Afrofuturistinspired method promotes an inclusive understanding of linguistic diversity, nurturing belonging and resilience among students. Recognizing the detrimental effects of monolingual instruction on holistic growth in Africa’s universities, this study champions a transformative transition toward multilingualism.

ABSTRACT: This quantitative research explores the resource needs, challenges, and strengths of teachers and their influence on teacher wellbeing. Adopting a descriptive design with surveys as the primary instrument, the study aims to shed light on teacher well-being from a strengths-based perspective, a departure from the prevailing focus on stress and burnout in existing literature. Teachers operate in environments characterized by high stress and potential burnout, stemming from the demanding nature of their profession and
encountering stressors across interpersonal, organizational, and institutional levels. Despite these challenges, most teachers demonstrate resilience and commitment to their work. However, there is a noticeable gap in research focusing on how teachers thrive and experience positivity within their school environments. Utilizing the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model as a theoretical framework, this study examines the relationship between resources and teacher well-being. The findings offer valuable insights into teacher resource needs and their overall well-being, which have practical implications for teacher training, professional development programs, and policy-making. These implications are aimed at mitigating teacher attrition, stress, and burnout while fostering resilience and well-being among educators. Furthermore, the study contributes to the refinement of the JD-R model and the broader understanding of teacher well-being. By providing a deeper insight into the mechanisms underlying teacher resilience, the findings serve as a foundational basis for future research in this critical domain.