Learner-centric MOOC model: a pedagogical design model towards active learner participation and higher completion rates

Educational technology research and development - MOOCs support the global need of learning resources with large impact through online access and no geographical boundaries. However, pedagogical...     

Religious Differences: Psychological and Sociopolitical Aspects of Counseling

The author, reflecting on her Hindu socialization in India and her work in graduate training in diversity issues in the United States (U.S.), discusses reasons why therapists should develop an understanding of Islam. U.S. therapists' potential biases against Muslims may parallel the sociopolitical relations between the U.S. and the Middle East, as well as their religious and cultural differences; critical factors in these biases are discussed. Relevant recommendations are accompanied by training vignettes to provide suggestions for working with Muslim immigrants in the U.S. The author also discusses political events related to Muslim populations, such as the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the U.S.; the U.S. War Against Terrorism; and the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This discussion is placed within the framework of intractable conflict. Suggestions are given for therapists' resolutions to disaster events, these being framed within existential psychotherapy and an analysis of societal contexts. This information is useful to therapists in any nation that is struggling with increasingly diverse populations and the effects of international relations.