Journal of Culture and Values in Education Volume 2 Issue 2, 2019 Tarman, B., Editorial: 2019 (2)2, i-iii Editorial: 2019 (2) 2 Bulent Tarman, Editor-in-Chief Dear Journal of Culture and Values in Education readers and contributors, As the Journal of Culture and Values in Education (JCVE), we are excited to be with you through the second issue of 2019. We would like to extend our appreciations to all who contributes by submitting or reviewing manuscripts or have been readers of JCVE. This is an international, peer-reviewed, open-access academic e-journal for cultural and educational research. The journal is published regular issues twice a year (June & December) in online versions. The overarching goal of the journal is to disseminate origianl research findings that make significant contributions to different areas of education, culture and values of different societies. The aim of the journal is to promote the work of academic researchers in the humanities, cultural studies and education. In addition to our goal of providing free on-line access to the new journal, we also feel strongly about the necessity of its being very high quality. In this current issue, you will find six articles on various topics of education, culture and values of different societies. The first article written by Adaobiagu Nnemdi Obiagu as titled “Influence of Teacher's Characteristics on Civic Education Implementation in Nigeria.” This study is to investigate the influence of teacher's gender and educational background on teacher's implementation of civic education in Nigeria. The findings reveal that a high number of civic teachers did not receive prior training in civic education as well as do not engage in lifelong learning or continuous training in civic education and teaching practice. Civic teachers do not also actively engage students in civic instructions. A positive relationship exists between teacher’s training in civic education and teacher’s implementation of civic education. The findings of this study were linked to a number of factors including lack of cognition of the power of civic education in constructing, reconstructing and transforming (dys)functional societal ideologies. Promotion of lifelong learning among teachers, training of teachers in civic contents and methods, and utilization of ICT for instructional purposes were recommended. Michael E. Houdyshell is the author of the second article entitled as “Teaching As a Career Choice: A Case Study on The Perceptions of Emerging Teachers”. This research is a case study describes the perceptions and beliefs of undergraduate students enrolled in an introductory course on teaching. The author indicates that data from this study is expected to confirm prior research on the reasons why students choose teaching as a profession, and help teacher preparation programs investigate if students’ perceptions about becoming a teacher have changed. Results from this study support prior research on why students choose to become teachers, but also explores students views on how society views teaching, the continued salary gap with other professions, and the future of teaching. With the title of “The Impact of Demographic Factors on Pre-Service Teachers’ Perception of Educational Research: Findings from a Private University” in the third article, Jacob Manu and Christopher M. Owusu-Ansah examine the effects of demographic factors on the perception of pre-service teachers (with diploma as their highest level of education) on the teaching and learning of the Educational Research course during the fall 2017 semester in Journal of Culture and Values in Education Volume 2 Issue 2, 2019 Tarman, B., Editorial: 2019 (2)2, i-iii one of the private universities in Ghana. The research is concluded that there were significant correlations among age, years of teaching, and statistics anxiety. In the fourth article with the title of “Historical Fiction Picture Books: The Tensions Between Genre and Format.” Rachel Lynn Wadham, Andrew P. Garrett Garrett and Emily N. Garrett gathered and analyzed a sampling of 126 titles of historical fiction picture books to assess trends in the genre. The authors found that there were multiple conflicts between the genre and format. There were many books in the sample that struggled with directing the content to a young audience, giving accurate portrayal of race issues, and maintaining general authenticity and accuracy in the writing. There were also some notable examples of historical picture books that did not display these faults, showing that with the right content and approach, historical fiction picture books have the potential to be invaluable tools for teaching children. The last two articles of this current issue are the book reviews: 1- Ali Muhammad Bhat reviewed the book written by Prof. K. Mohammad Ayirur: Islamic Philosophy of Education. 2- Gonca Feyza Soyer reviewed the book written by Urie Bronfenbrenner: The Ecology of Human Development. I would like to thank everyone and express my special appreciation to the people who contributed to make this issues ready for you. I especially would like to thank all authors and reviewers for their contribution to JCVE. I hope you will both enjoy and be challenged by the articles in this issue of JCVE. I also look forward to seeing your contribution to the development of JCVE in the future. Per say the future, we have already gratefully announced on our website and relevant platforms that the last issue of 2019 will be guest edited by Christopher G. Robbins and Joe Bishop with the special theme issue entitled with “Opposing Exclusionary Democracy: Culture and Values beyond Reactionary Populism”. Dr. Robbins and Dr. Bishop point out that social and political trends in all around the world raise new questions about education, formal and informal, and the pedagogies requisite of a vital, participatory, and inclusionary democracy. With rare exception, analyses of the new populisms largely overlook educational concerns and questions. The co-guest editors are planning to address very imperative following questions through this special theme issue:  What specific events have led to the current, fragmented situation as it plays out in education?  How have reactions against reactionary populism been stifled in educational and other institutions?  What role does one’s economic situation play in the rise of the new populism?  How can a progressive education counter current exclusionary practices in a context of increasing standardization?  How are various circulating values disseminated and countered? Journal of Culture and Values in Education Volume 2 Issue 2, 2019 Tarman, B., Editorial: 2019 (2)2, i-iii  Why have identity politics superseded every other form of political grievance, and what might be essential pedagogical considerations to make in broadening and linking related but seemingly disparate interests around values and relationships essential to inclusive and participatory democracy?  Reactionary populisms make appeals, as the New Right in the 1970s and 1980s did, to “values” and a social order on which those values allegedly rested. How can progressive pedagogies reenter values debates and make values claims? What values?  How might progressive pedagogies and analyses consider the ways in which new populisms have co-opted and manipulated left critiques of Truth (e.g., alternative facts, fake news)? Looking forward to being with you in 2019 issues... Sincerely, Bulent TARMAN, (Ph.D) Editor-in-Chief, JCVE