The presented study deals with the topic of a now almost forgotten population group called handelci. This specific ethnographic group, which in the past belonged to the German-speaking minority, came to the territory of present-day central Slovakia in the 16th century. In ethnographic works is most often emphasized the Alpine origin of the handelci, who were professionally focused on work in forestry. The central goal of my paper is to give a brief description of the historical development of the studied population through the analysis of available written materials, such as work of Czech author Božena Němcová.
Keywords: German-speaking minority, central Slovakia, forestry, ethnographic group, handelci

This article focuses on the field of reception aesthetics and reading theories, which are closely linked to postmodern narratology, in that it examines the reader as an entity embedded within the narrative unfolding- one who collaborates both with the mohodiegetic narrator using « i » and with the protagonists of the work under study. Indeed, this co-constructing reader functions as a reception instance, actively participating in the development of the narrative economy, and experiences, along with the characters, the emotions arising from the communicative intentions left in the interlocutors’ and narrator’s illocutions. This cooperation between the productive instance and the receptive instance illustrates how the reading pact and all reading-related activities are carried out by the reader during acts of enunciation.
Keywords: Functioning- reader.

Students’ academic achievement in secondary schools has continued to decline not only in national examinations but also in end term exams in secondary schools in Nakuru Town East Sub-County, Nakuru County. Education stakeholders in the area have scrutinized the factors associated with the declining academic achievement. However, inadequate research attention has been directed to perceived school support as a predictor of students’ academic achievement. Hence, the paper examined perceived school support as predictorof academic achievement among form two students in secondary schools in Nakuru Town East Sub-County. Covington’s Self-Worth Theory of Achievement Motivation formed the theoretical foundation and based on the correlational research design,a questionnaire was utilized to collect data. The correlation and regression analysis were used to determine whether perceived school support predicted form two students’ academic achievement. The results showed that perceived school support was positively correlated to academic achievement (r(335)=.698, p<.05). Hence, perceived school support was a significant predictor of academic achievement((R=0.738, F(1, 334)=159.105, p<.05)). The study has highlighted the need for the school management to create a conducive learning environment that promotes students’ academic achievement.
Keywords: academic achievement, perceived school support, form two students, public secondary schools, Nakuru County, Kenya

The subject of research in this paper is the phenomenon of remote working as a form of work that involves performing work tasks outside the premises of the employer's headquarters, and it emerged as a new form of work in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the coronavirus pandemic. The aim of this paper is to explain the relationship between work demands, work resources and personal resources in relation to the effects of remote working: employee satisfaction, productivity, work engagement and stress. This topic has been very relevant in the last few years, and has been the subject of numerous studies. The paper describes the role, importance and effects of remote working for employees. The data collected using an online questionnaire as an instrument for data collection were analyzed. The sample consisted of legal entities from the information and communication technology sector from the northeastern Bosnia and Herzegovina. SPSS software was used for statistical data processing. The results showed that there is a correlation between the balance between private and work life of employees and their productivity, and stress. Furthermore, there is a connection between the social isolation of employees during remote working and their productivity and job satisfaction, and the connection between the physical environment and productivity. The results can be used to improve remote work in all sectors, and the recommendation for further research is reflected in conducting research on a larger sample and expanding the geographical scope of the research. The work's contribution is reflected in improving the understanding of the effects of remote work for employees.
Keywords: remote work, productivity, employee satisfaction, stress.

This paper examines how integrating arts and multimedia, especially photography and video, enhances the teaching of geometric shapes in early childhood education. Using a constructivist approach, it shows how creative, play-based activities support children’s understanding of mathematical concepts while also developing critical thinking, communication, and social-emotional skills.
Keywords: early childhood, multimedia, arts, skill development

Vocational education and training aim to create the best possible link between education and the labor market. Through vocational education and training, individuals acquire skills, knowledge and develop their self-confidence. Particularly, people with disabilities (PWD) manage through vocational training to free themselves from marginalization and become active members of society. In our study, we first present the structures in which vocational education is provided to people with disabilities and then a vocational orientation program aimed at developing social and pre-vocational skills which was applied to students with mild intellectual disability.
Keywords: disabilities, pre-vocational skills, case study, vocational education

Climate variability, characterized by erratic weather patterns and extreme events, is a serious threat to subsistence farming in Kenya, particularly in the arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) including Voi sub-county. It leads to lower crop yields and food insecurity. To counter this, subsistence farmers in the study area had adopted various transformative adaptation measures. This study examined the adoption of transformative adaptation strategies against climate variability among the subsistence farmers in Voi Sub County, Kenya. The specific objectives of the study were to: Examine the effects of rainfall and temperature variability on subsistence farmers in Voi Sub County, establish the transformative adaptation strategies adopted by subsistence farmers in Voi Sub County from 2019-2023. This study employed a mixed method approach to analyze the impacts of changing climatic conditions on subsistence crop farming and associated adaptation strategies. Qualitative and quantitative data was collected from a total of 322 subsistence farmers who were selected through simple random sampling. Calculation of percentages was done to determine the frequency of impacts of climate variability which had resulted to erratic weather patterns and increased intensity of rainfall events for the last three decades leading to poor agricultural yields and consequently food insecurity among the subsistence farmers. Subsistence farmers in Voi Sub County had adopted various adaptation measures including adjusting planting dates 85%, growing of early maturing varieties 75%, and growing of drought resistant seeds 65%. Other adaptation strategies employed included, irrigation 8%, agroforestry 3%, and beekeeping 4% to enhance their resilience and sustain agricultural productivity. This study found out that nongovernmental organizations and government programs are all significant drivers for promoting proper adaptation. This study highlights the significance of transformative adaptation in ensuring resilient livelihood in relation to the changing climatic patterns. Adoption however, is hampered by economic constraints, technical knowledge and irrigation infrastructure. To empower farmers in Voi Sub County, this study emphasizes the urgent need for focused interventions, including community support and training initiatives.
Keywords: Climate variability; Subsistence farming; Transformative adaptation strategies, Droughts, Late onset

The present study was designed to explore the effect of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) on psychological hardiness among male secondaryschool students in Isfahan. This research examined the relationship between DBT and various dimensions of psychological hardiness, including commitment, control, and challenge. The study employed a quasi-experimental design with a pretest, posttest, control group, and experimental group. The statistical population consisted of all male middle school students in Isfahan during the 2023–2024 academic year. A total of 30 students were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group. The experimental group participated in eight DBT sessions, while the control group did not receive any intervention. Data were collected using the Long and Goultpsychological hardiness questionnaire. Multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was conducted using SPSS version 23 to analyze the data. The results demonstrated that DBT had a significant positive effect on the dimensions of psychological hardiness—commitment, control, and challenge (p<0.05). These findings underscore the effectiveness of dialectical behavior therapy in enhancing psychological hardiness among adolescents and suggest its potential application as a therapeutic strategy in clinical psychology.
Keywords: Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Psychological Hardiness, Adolescents, Control, Commitment, Challenge

The Feast of Merit formed a central feature of the tradition and culture of Moyon practice, which conferred social status to a person. The practice, which took years to culminate or almost a lifetime to complete, was a series of feasts, each more lavish and socially important. It is said to assure honor for the promoter in this lifetime and the afterworld. The philosophy behind the performance of the Feast of Merit is that the performer is honored when alive and remembered after death. Today, they no longer practice the feast of merits. Though the practice has become a thing of the past, the families of those who have completed the series of feasts in any Moyon village still command respect. Many changes have taken place in their cultural lifeways. Christianity brought tremendous change in the mental attitude of the Moyon. This paper explores the feast of merits; the study is purely qualitative, employing both primary and secondary sources of data collection. An active participant observation was employed to interact with the informants to construct the social realities.
Keywords: change, honour, lifetime, Christianity, feast of merit.

The strengthened bilateral ties between Kenya and China from 2013 had been as a result of the implementation of China foreign policies such as BRI which had been utilized by China as a key drive for its influence, trade growth and sustainability of economic prosperity for itself and partner states particularly African countries.It is beyond doubt that Kenya had experienced massive growth in terms of trade development since it shifted its relations to the East where China has become its largest trade partner. Nevertheless, China’s involvement with Kenya primarily in trade has delivered mixed outcomes inconsistent with the assumption that bilateral relation connecting two states are contingent on mutual exchanges, equally beneficial agreements and certainty. This forms the rationale for the study to interrogate on the recent escalation of Kenya and China bilateral relations by assessing China bilateral relations on trade development in Kenya as its general objective. The study utilized explanatory research design to provide in-depth details on the problem being studied. The study established that it has been difficult to achieve the mutual beneficial ties in regards to Kenya-China bilateral relations due to the unbalanced trade that has long been inclined to favor China more than Kenya. Gains accumulated by Kenya had been short-lived compared to the long-term effects such as trade deficit and debt distress as result of China bilateral relations. The study on that account recommended a critical review of Kenya and China bilateral relations to embrace mutuality and equality.
Keywords: Bilateral Relations: established diplomatic relations between two sovereign states whose purpose is to enable cooperation in political, cultural, social and economic sphere
Trade development: is the expansion and advancement in trade networks in order to increase to open more doors for the exchange of goods and services.

The study determined the relationship between parental involvement to the reading performance of learnersamong the Grade 6 elementary pupils of lower Calanasan district in Apayao province. This research utilizedquantitative methods employing descriptive-correlation design.It made use of standardized reading test to assess the reading performance of the pupils. Results tell that the respondents‟ parents have a low extent of involvement in the learners‟ reading activities, though looking at each school, the extent of parents‟ involvement varyfrom moderate to low extent.Corollary, the overall reading performance of the Grade 6 pupilsis satisfactory. It was found out that ethnicity, mother‟s educational attainment, mother‟s occupation, and availability of internet connectivity affect the reading performanceof the pupils. The higher the extent of parental involvement in the reading activities of their children, the higher also is their reading performance.
Keywords: Calanasan Apayao, parental involvement, Phil-IRI, reading performance, remediation plan

As businesses increasingly integrate technology into their operations, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems like SAP (Systems, Applications, and Products) play a crucial role in enhancing efficiency, streamlining workflows, and improving decision-making. This study assessed the satisfaction levels of employees and customers with the SAP system in Motortrade Nationwide Corporation, focusing on system quality, information quality, and overall satisfaction as well as on the accuracy, reliability, and speed of the system. A quantitative research design was used, and data were collected using a structured questionnaire from 20 employees and 26 customers of the four Motortrade branches in northern Cagayan, Philippines. Statistical tools, including descriptive analysis, t-tests, and ANOVA, were applied to analyze the data. Findings revealed that employees reported a very high level of satisfaction with SAP, particularly on the system quality, information quality, and overall system performance. Similarly, customers expressed very high satisfaction on the system's accuracy, reliability, and speed. Analysis showed that system quality, information quality, and overall satisfaction significantly influenced employees across different age groups, while accuracy, reliability, and speed had a significant impact on customer satisfaction based on sex. The study concludes that SAP plays a key role in improving business operations and enhancing the experience of both employees and customers. However, satisfaction levels vary across different user groups, suggesting that some employees and customers may interact with the system differently. These differences highlight the importance of further evaluating SAP’s usability to ensure that it meets the needs of all users effectively.
Keywords: Customer-Employee Satisfaction, Information Quality, Motortrade Philippines, Quality System , System Application and Product (SAP)

This study explores the impact of social media on English language learning among school and college students. It examines students' perceptions of social media as a tool for developing their language skills. The research aims to examine how social media contributes to improve their listening, speaking, grammar, and vocabulary skills. Most learners found the platforms useful in enhancing their skills. The data of this research was collected through questionnaire as only tool, and the sample was randomly selected fifteen students. The study concludes that combining traditional and modern learning approaches may lead to the most effective outcomes in English language learning.