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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol. 8, No. 11
Publication Date: November 25, 2021
DOI:10.14738/assrj.811.11213. Ghamrawi, N. (2021). Teachers’ Talk of a Walk they Don’t Stride: A Case Study of Education Student Teachers’ Perspectives on
Hookah Smoking. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 8(11). 231-245.
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
Teachers’ Talk of a Walk they Don’t Stride: A Case Study of
Education Student Teachers’ Perspectives on Hookah Smoking
Najah Ghamrawi
Professor of educational psychology at the
Faculty of Education of the Lebanese Universiy
ABSTRACT
Hookah smoking is widely spreading among Lebanese adolescence. The aim of this
study was to investigate the perspectives of prospective student teachers
pertaining to hookah smoking to determine their readiness to educate their future
students in what relates to the dangers of smoking. The sample consisted of
education sophomore student teachers (N=53), at the Education Faculty of one
university in Lebanon. Participants constituted of the students enrolled in two
educational psychology classes taught by the researcher. The topic was not part of
what is being taught to students at the university. The e-survey obtained
information on participants’ demographics, hookah smoking awareness, and their
educative perspectives on hookah smoking. The study used mixed methods
employing an 18-item survey on hookah smoking, alongside a semi structured
heterogeneous focus group interview with six student teachers; two who were
identified respectively as: hookah smokers, non-smokers, semi-smokers, and all
were selected randomly from the pool of participants. Findings suggest that
education student teachers have dispersed and unbalanced educative perceptions
on hookah smoking. The study recommends that an efficient Lebanese anti- smoking awareness program should highly emphasize targeting the college student
teachers, who are at the future front line with the youthful upcoming generation,
and thus can highly affect their awareness pertaining to smoking in general, and
hookah smoking in specific.
Keywords: health education, education psychology, social cognitive learning theory,
teacher education.
INTRODUCTION
Tobacco addiction is a serious health problem, and it is a habit that is usually established during
adolescence and early adulthood (Everett et al.,1999). Hookah tobacco smoking is widely
spreading among the Lebanese youth and consequently increasing the frequency of tobacco
addiction in the Lebanese community (El-Roueiheb et al., 2008; Chidiac et al., 2016, Akel et al.,
2020).
The objective of education is learning, not teaching (Ackoff, 2008). Learning, as emphasized in
its literature review, is the change of behavior through experience. According to the social
cognitive learning theory, a change towards or away from the smoking behavior is influenced
by different social contexts, including teachers, who might provide adolescents with important
role models (Bandura, 1972).
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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol. 8, Issue 11, November-2021
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
The risks of hookah smoking have not been researched and documented as compared to
traditional cigarette smoking (Chidiac et al., 2016). As a result, the choice of smoking hookah is
widely spreading in the Lebanese community in general and among the youthful generation in
specific (Akel et al., 2020).
Confronting a wide spreading toxic social habit requires national and school programs where
teachers have a responsibility to address the health risks of hookah especially at educational
institutions such as schools and colleges (Rayens, 2017). Teachers are primary are considered
as significant role models for their students (Bandura, 1997).
This study is exploratory in nature aiming at identifying the beliefs of student teachers
pertaining to hookah smoking. It constitutes an attempt to envisioning the role of future
teachers in tackling a growing harmful social phenomenon, which is hookah smoking.
Purpose of the Study
A change towards or away from the hookah smoking behavior is influenced by different social
contexts, including teachers, who might serve as role models for adolescents (Bandura, 1972).
The purpose of the study was to explore the beliefs of student teachers pertaining to hookah
smoking so as to determine their readiness in terms of anti-smoking education programs.
Particularly, this study was guided by the following research questions:
General Question:To what extent are student teachers aware of their educative role in terms of
hookah smoking?
Secondary Questions:
(1) Do education student teachers embrace self-awareness behavior on hookah smoking?
(2) What are student teachers’ perspectives on the motives underlying hookah smoking?
(3) What are the student teachers’ beliefs pertaining to their role in educating against hookah
smoking?
(4) What are the student teachers’ perspectives on the interventional solutions against hookah
smoking?
Importance of the Study
According to Bandura’s social cognitive learning theory, previous studies confirmed that, at
least partly, many behaviors could be learned through modeling (Bandura, 1978). When
building awareness against addictive behavior of smoking in general and hookah smoking in
specific in a certain society, teachers are at the core of any educational reform or initiative
(Ghamrawi, 2010). This is especially when the initiative requires cognitive reconstruction
awareness approach against youth’s beliefs on hookah smoking. The study targets the future
teachers majoring in education to explore to what extent they are aware of their educative role
against hookah smoking.
Any smoking awareness program that ignores the role of teachers as role models is definitely
missing a key stone for yielding effective results. If the teacher is modeling a behavior that is
appropriate, responsible and overall positive on counteracting hookah smoking; students are
more likely to mimic that positive behavior. So, as future educators, teachers need to be
constantly aware of their key role in modeling desirable behaviors.
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Ghamrawi, N. (2021). Teachers’ Talk of a Walk they Don’t Stride: A Case Study of Education Student Teachers’ Perspectives on Hookah Smoking.
Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 8(11). 231-245.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.811.11213
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
The American Lung Association describes hookahs as the new tobacco trend of the 21st century
(Chidiac et al., 2017). Hookahs are water pipes of four main parts; the bowl where tobacco is
heated usually with burning charcoal after which the smoke passes through the water at the
base, and is then drawn through the hose to the mouthpiece. Hookah’s tobacco comes in various
flavors such as mint, chocolate, strawberry, cappuccino and typically used in social settings,
with many lounges located near university campuses (Rayens. et al, 2017).
Among the youth, the negative health side effects of traditional cigarette smoking are widely
known, but the same level of perceived risk has not been documented for Hookah (Akel, 2020).
While many people underestimate the dangers of hookah, research has shown that it is
associated with short and long-term health risks, including carbon monoxide toxicity, infectious
disease transmission, reduced lung function and cancer (Ling et al. , 2017). One session of
hookah smoking exposes individuals to a variety of chemicals (e.g. nicotine, carbon monoxide,
arsenic, lead), as well as known carcinogens (Hadidi, 2002, Akel et al., 2020.). Also, hookah
smoking has lately proven to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease (Chami, el al, 2021).
Most hookah smoking sessions ranges from 40 to 45 minutes, so a hookah smoker may inhale
as much smoke during a single session as consuming 100 or more cigarettes (WHO, 2005). More
over, as of 2016, hookah is subject to action by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
for false or misleading information and claims of modified risk. These findings reinforce the
risk and toxicity of smoking hookah.
Despite of its toxicity, hookah smoking is widely increasing among the youth, because it is
perceived to be more socially acceptable and falsely viewed as less risky (Rayens, et al., 2017).
While parents have a role in adolescent smoking behaviors if done in a favorable manner
(Huver, et al., 2006), yet they are not efficient alone. Health professionals and education leaders
have a responsibility to address the health risks of hookah especially at educative institutions
such as schools and colleges (Rayens, 2017).
Several studies suggest that the major agents predicting onset of smoking are smoker role
models in family, peer and school settings, and the perception that tobacco use is the norm
(Wakefield et al., 2000; Akel et al., 2020). Teachers, who are primary socializing members, are
considered as significant role models (Oetting and Donnermeyer, 1998), thus teachers who
smoke hookah may therefore influence adolescents to adopt smoking through direct modeling.
Teachers act as exemplars for the students and studies have shown that teachers, including
teachers who smoke, agree that school staff should set a good example by not smoking (Galaif
et al., 1996).
The restrictive smoking policies at both, the national and school levels, have limited research
regarding hookah smoking, and the need for developing policies, in collaboration with teachers'
organizational unions (Wold, 2004). An indicator of the success of the implementation of
national and school policies on restricting hookah smoking, could be the extent to which
students are exposed to teachers who smoke at school (Ryan, 2017; Akel et al., 2020). Thus,
restricting adolescents' exposure to models of adult hookah smokers may prove to be an
effective means of smoking prevention (Chidiac, et al., 2017).