This article analyses the complex factors contributing to rising medical expenses, focusing on the senior citizen demographic in Malaysia. With the global aging population, notably in lower and middle-income countries, the study highlights the escalating medical and health insurance costs, driven by age, income source, modern healthcare, and geographical residence. The research draws on an extensive literature review, demographic analysis, and quantitative methods to examine these determinants. It critically analyzes Malaysia’s healthcare system, which operates on a dual-tier model, and the financial burden placed on senior citizens. The findings indicate that age, source of income, and geographical residence significantly influence medical expenses, whereas modern healthcare’s impact is not statistically significant. The study calls for government intervention, insurance industry adjustments, and private sector support to mitigate the financial strain on senior citizens. Recommendations include tax relief adjustments, National Health Insurance Scheme implementation, and employment sustainability for seniors. This research provides some recommendations to policymaking, the insurance industry, and academia by providing insights into managing the healthcare needs of an aging population sustainably.

Currently, numerous companies intend to adopt digital transformation, seeking agility in their methodologies to reinvent products and services with higher quality, reduced costs and in shorter times. In the Peruvian context, the implementation of this transformation represents a significant challenge due to scarcity of resources, lack of experience and resistance to change. The objective of this research is to propose a digital transformation model that incorporates agile methodologies in order to improve production and competitiveness in manufacturing organizations. In methodological terms, the hypothetical deductive method was used, with a non-experimental cross-sectional design and a quantitative, descriptive and correlational approach. A questionnaire was applied to 110 managers in the manufacturing sector, obtaining a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.992. The results reveal that 65% of the participants consider that the level of innovation is regular, 88% think that the competition in their companies is of a regular level, and 76% perceive that the level of change is deficient. The findings highlight the importance of digital transformation in manufacturing companies, highlighting the adoption of agile methodologies as crucial to improving processes and productivity. In addition, innovation is essential to developing high-quality products and services, reducing costs and time. Digital transformation with agile methodologies redefines the value proposition, focusing on the customer and improving their digital experience, which differentiates companies in a competitive market.

With the continuous development of our society, the education community has also put forward a series of new requirements that align with the current era.  Among them, in the teaching activities of kindergarten teachers, the effective reference of information technology is conducive to teachers guiding children to participate in learning, helping teachers to create a good teaching environment by means of information technology, and helping to expand children's vision and develop children's intelligence. However, at present, some kindergarten teachers in our country do not have information technology literacy, which hinders the growth of children. Therefore, this paper focuses on the cultivation of information technology literacy among kindergarten teachers in the new era.

Virginia Woolf (1882-1941) enjoys worldwide reputation among modern writers for her art of the steam-of-consciousness in the 20th century. Mrs. Dalloway is the representative novel in which Woolf well practices her writing skills and finds her true voice, drawing many researchers’ attention. This paper stands the point -- modernism, which responds to literature and society, alternation of space and time arranged by Woolf under the influence of Einstein’s modern science theories, and the disillusionment of Septimus Warren Smith discarded by his so-called modern society after World WarⅠ.

The purpose of the current study is to examine the mediating role of intercultural communicative competence on the relationship between teaching of English language and learning at Chinese higher vocational colleges. The convenience sampling technique was used to collect data from 668 teachers, teaching English language subjects in different public and private Chinese higher vocational colleges. Smart partial least squares-structural equation modeling on SmartPLS software version 4 was used to test the hypotheses. The result revealed the direct effect of English language teaching (ELT) is not significant on English language learning (ELL). However, the intercultural communicative competences (ICC) have been tested and proved to be a potential mediator between English language teaching and learning. Because the indirect effect of ELT on ELL is positive and significant through mediator ICC. Therefore, based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that the inclusion of intercultural communication ability is a crucial component in the vocational education of college students. Policymakers should be cautious about promoting and expanding the availability of cultural teaching and learning across demographic conditions (e.g., linguistic and ethnic diversity, age, and gender) and various levels of language proficiency. In accordance with the effects of teacher education and professional development programs, the implementation of ICC content necessitates a harmonization of pedagogical approaches and assessment practices across designated levels in order to effectively achieve educational objectives. To promote ICC in English language education, there must be clear guidelines and communication to school leaders, educators, and administrators regarding the necessity and goals of cultural integration.

This study employed a qualitative approach to examine tertiary students’ perspectives on leveraging Social Studies in the fight against corruption in Ghana. A purposive sampling technique was used to select 21 students from a distance training institution. Some of the variables investigated were causes of corruption and the extent to which students perceived Social Studies as a potential force to combat corruption. The semi-structured interview guide was used to collect data from research participants while thematic analysis was adopted. Data from the study revealed that corruption in Ghana is caused by factors such as weak institutions, greed, poverty-related issues and cultural practices. The results also indicated that Social Studies could significantly help curb corruption. Beside Social Studies, other measures including strengthening institutions, meting out severe punishment to culprits and moral education can also reduce corruption. It was, therefore, recommended that the Ministry of Education through the Ghana Education Service should retool the Social Studies subject, and make it compulsory at all levels of education since it has the potential to reduce corruption.