American Research Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Qiao Chen*, Zhu Bing, Wang Amos, Li Zao

The increasing use of digital technologies in higher education has created new opportunities for moving students beyond passive consumption of instructional content toward more active forms of learning. This study examines an interactive video teaching model designed to support self-directed learning, inquiry, and collaboration among university students. The model is considered as a learning environment in which students, instructors, digital devices, and instructional activities interact continuously rather than functioning as separate elements. Attention is given to the ways interactive video resources can be incorporated into instructional design, classroom activities, assessment, and post-class learning.

The study explores the pedagogical value of interactive video resources in developing meaningful teaching scenarios, encouraging student participation, supporting inquiry-oriented activities, and introducing greater flexibility into conventional teaching practices. It also considers the role of interactive functions in modifying assessment approaches and maintaining digital learning resources that students can revisit according to their individual learning needs. In addition to classroom practice, the study examines the broader conditions required for successful implementation, including curriculum planning, assessment systems, technological infrastructure, teacher preparedness, and institutional supervision.

The findings and discussion highlight the importance of designing interactive video activities around clearly defined learning objectives rather than treating technology as an end. Teachers can use interactive features to accommodate differences in students’ learning preferences, encourage participation, and create a more supportive learning environment. The availability of recorded and reusable learning materials can also extend learning beyond classroom hours by allowing students to review difficult concepts and consolidate previously acquired knowledge. At the institutional level, regular professional development, adequate technical support, and collaborative teaching and research initiatives are recommended to strengthen the effective use of interactive video in higher education. The study suggests that thoughtfully designed interactive video instruction can provide a practical pathway for shifting university teaching from passive viewing toward more active, reflective, and student-centred learning.

Keywords: Interactive Video Teaching; Higher Education; Student-Centred Learning; Active Learning; Self-Directed Learning; Inquiry-Based Learning; Collaborative Learning; Digital Learning Resources; Instructional Innovation; Student Engagement; Educational Technology; University Teaching.

Moren Wilson*

Human history has a discernible meaning is a question that has attracted philosophers, historians, and social scientists for centuries. It is less clear whether such meaning can be identified through evidence and examined systematically. This considers that question from a quantitative perspective. A focused review of discussions on meaning in history suggests that relatively little attention has been given to developing datasets capable of examining historical meaning at a fine level of resolution. One reason may be the continued emphasis on conventional event-based history, which records wars, political changes, discoveries, and other prominent events but does not always capture the deeper processes connecting them. This paper therefore turns to the idea of deep-level history, understood as the underlying changes and cumulative developments that shape human societies over extended periods. It outlines how these deeper historical processes can be organized into a manageable dataset and examined quantitatively. Attention is given to super-inventions and their possible classification as a way of tracing major changes in human capabilities and collective development. The approach does not claim that history follows a predetermined purpose. Instead, it suggests that meaning may become visible through recurring relationships, patterns, and directions that emerge when human history is examined as a connected whole. Further empirical work is needed to determine whether this approach can produce consistent and independently verified.

Keywords: Meaning of History; Human History; Deep-Level History; Historical Change; Super-Inventions; Quantitative History; Historical Patterns; Human Development.

Andreas Fontalis*, Luca Lorioa

The U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization fundamentally altered the constitutional framework governing reproductive rights by overturning Roe v. Wade. Beyond its legal consequences, the ruling has generated important questions about democratic governance, civic equality, and educational policy. This study critically examines how the post-Dobbs legal environment influences democratic education, with particular attention to comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) and reproductive health literacy in the United States. Drawing on legal scholarship, educational policy, and democratic theory, the paper argues that unequal access to scientifically accurate sexuality education and reproductive healthcare may weaken informed citizenship and reduce opportunities for meaningful democratic participation. The analysis further considers the uneven implementation of state policies following the Dobbs decision and their implications for educational equity, public health, and the civic development of young people, especially those from historically marginalized communities. The article concludes that strengthening evidence-based sexuality education, safeguarding access to reproductive health information, and promoting educational policies grounded in constitutional principles and human rights can contribute to a more informed, equitable, and participatory democracy.

Keywords: Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization; Roe v. Wade; Reproductive Rights; Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE); Democratic Education.

Trinh Shevrin*

News reporting is shaped not only by journalistic practices but also by the institutional and ideological environments in which media organisations operate. While earlier scholarships have examined news sources in relation to media use, cultural practices, political influence, and specific cases, comparatively less attention has been given to how ownership structures affect the selection and representation of news sources. This study addresses this gap by examining the relationship between media ownership, ideological orientation, and source selection through a comparative analysis of Marxist and libertarian media systems. Mongolia and China offer a valuable comparative setting because of their contrasting political structures and media environments. The study examines a selected daily newspaper from Mongolia, representing a comparatively liberal and market-oriented press environment, alongside a Chinese daily newspaper operating within a state-oriented Marxist media framework. The comparison focuses on the diversity, prominence, and orientation of sources used in news coverage. The findings indicate clear differences in sourcing practices between the two media systems. The Mongolian newspaper demonstrates greater diversity of sources, with comparatively broader representation of public, institutional, and independent voices. In contrast, the Chinese newspaper relies more heavily on government officials, state institutions, and other authorised sources, resulting in a narrower source structure. Overall, the study suggests that media ownership and ideological frameworks play an important role in determining whose perspectives enter news discourse and how information is presented to audiences.

Keywords: Media Ownership; News Source Selection; Libertarian Press; Marxist Media; Ideological Orientation; Government Sources; News Discourse; Media Systems.

Aryn Ryu

Leo Kihoon Yeo

For centuries, the question of free will and determinism has sparked deep debate among philosophers, scientists, and scholars from various fields. This discussion is driven not only by the apparent conflict between the two concepts but also by the complex relationship they share. Free will refers to the ability of individuals to make choices without being constrained by external forces, while determinism is the belief that events, including human actions, are shaped by preceding causes according to the laws of nature. Some philosophers, including Hobbes and Spinoza, have defended determinism throughout the course of its history by arguing that human decisions are governed by natural law and shaped by past experience. Kant, on the other hand, introduces a concept of autonomy grounded not in desire but in the principles of moral duty, which becomes the foundation of his idea of the natural man as someone who affirms a kind of freedom. More recently, neuroscience has joined this conversation by examining whether our decisions arise from conscious intention or are determined by unconscious brain activity, further complicating how we define free will.In neuroscience, researchers study whether our decisions are the result of conscious intent or unconscious brain activity, raising new questions about the reality of free will. These issues are also central to current discussions on artificial intelligence, where predictive models may influence or even override human judgment. As technology grows more capable of anticipating and shaping behavior, understanding how free will, determinism, and autonomy interact becomes more important.In the following analysis of these scientific and philosophical viewpoints, we will seek to show that, while the existence of free will may remain open to debate, the idea of autonomy is an important consideration that we should take into account in our understanding of determinism as it relates to the nature of responsibility, especially in relation to the advent of technology and AI

Edward Lee

This paper investigates redlining’s lasting impact on educational opportunity in Newark, Camden, and Paterson, New Jersey. Redlining, implemented by the Home Owners’ Loan Corporation in the 1930s, systematically denied mortgage financing to predominantly Black and immigrant neighborhoods, creating patterns of segregation that persist today. Although outlawed in 1968, its consequences remain embedded in New Jersey’s educational landscape through property tax-dependent funding, municipal fragmentation, and intergenerational wealth disparities. Analysis reveals educational disadvantages in all three cities: academic performance rates lag significantly behind state averages, districts face persistent teacher shortages, and per-pupil funding gaps persist. Despite increased state aid, urban districts allocate disproportionate resources to social challenges that suburban schools rarely encounter, limiting enrichment investments. New Jersey remains among the most educationally segregated states, with municipal and district boundaries reinforcing geographic and racial isolation. Examining integration models from Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Maryland demonstrates that voluntary transfer programs, state financial incentives, and housing integration policies offer viable pathways toward educational equity. The study concludes that overcoming the legacy of redlining requires comprehensive reforms, including regional governance models, equitable funding systems, and the removal of exclusionary housing and district boundaries, to ensure equal educational opportunity for all children.

Dr. Tabitha Harriet Deh, Rev. Fr. Dr. Aaron Yeboah Annan, Dr. Felicia Owusu-Ansah

Drama in education, as a classroom-based methodology, fundamentally helps to expound on problematic subjects and to make learning delightful. The dramatic processes are aimed at developing skills of imagination, spontaneity, and mental flexibility. These skills are geared towards personal development; self-discovery and self-esteem. Autism on the other hand is a condition or a developmental disability that affects communication, social interacting and repetitive behavior.
According to Stuart Duncan, “Autism is not a disability, it is a different ability. (Stuart 2023). Scientists believe there are multiple causes of autism spectrum disorder that acts together to change the most common ways people develop. Diagnosing ASD can be very difficult since there is no medical test like a blood test to diagnose the disorder. ASD can sometimes be detected at 18 months after birth or even younger. However, many children do not receive a final diagnosis until they are much older.
Drama therapy, psychodrama and the expressive arts therapies are all creative devices explored primarily to achieve healing. The tentacles of these strategies encompass other jurisdictions to include Clinical Psychology and Neuroscience. Clinical Psychology came into existence with the outstanding contributions and efforts to respect and treat all humankind with dignity and respect to ensure healthy human development. Neuroscience has also made us aware of the two hemispheres; and how the right hemisphere or the right brain is more inclined to artistic or visual imagery, and processes more intuitively, holistically and randomly. Drama therapy is a developmental model that places increasing demand on participants to demonstrate great spontaneity, flexibility, intuition and interactive capabilities in creative processes to achieve healing. My students are encouraged to do their volunteer work, and extension works in various regular and special needs schools to help others.