Scholarly

Emergency Health Management and Student Hygiene at a South African University

Year: 2013 Volume: 7 Issue: 6 1498 - 1506 Pages

Abstract: Risk of infectious disease outbreaks is related to the hygiene among the population. To assess the actual risks and modify the relevant emergency procedures if necessary, a hygiene survey was conducted among undergraduate students on the Rhodes University campus. Soap was available to 10.5% and only 26.8% of the study participants followed proper hygiene in relation to food consumption. This combination increases the risk of infectious disease outbreaks at the campus. Around 83.6% were willing to wash their hands if soap was provided. Procurement and availability of soap in undergraduate residences on campus should be improved, as the total cost is estimated at only 2000 USD per annum. Awareness campaigns about food-related hygiene and the need for regular handwashing with soap should be run among Rhodes University students. If successful, rates of respiratory and hygiene-related diseases will be decreased and emergency health management simplified.

Pathogenetic Mechanism of Alcohol's Effect on Academic Performance

Year: 2010 Volume: 4 Issue: 9 421 - 427 Pages

Abstract: The regulatory competence of blood glucose homeostasis might determine the degree of academic performance. The aim of this study was to produce a model of students' alcohol use based on glucose homeostasis control and cognitive functions that might define the pathogenetic mechanism of alcohol's effect on academic performance. The study took six hours and thirty minutes on fasting, involving thirteen male students. Disturbances in cognitive functions, precisely a decrease in the effectiveness of active attention and a faster development of fatigue after four to six hours of mental work in alcohol users, compared to abstainers was statistically proven. These disturbances in alcohol users were retained even after seven to ten days of moderate alcohol use and might be the reason for the low academic performances among students who use alcoholic beverages.

Students' Acceptance of Incorporating Emerging Communication Technologies in Higher Education in Kuwait

Year: 2012 Volume: 6 Issue: 4 460 - 463 Pages

Authors:
Bashaiar Alsanaa

Abstract: Never has a revolution affected all aspects of humanity as the communication revolution during the past two decades. This revolution, with all its advances and utilities, swept the world thus becoming an integral part of our lives, hence giving way to emerging applications at the social, economic, political, and educational levels. More specifically, such applications have changed the delivery system through which learning is acquired by students. Interaction with educators, accessibility to content, and creative delivery options are but a few facets of the new learning experience now being offered through the use of technology in the educational field. With different success rates, third world countries have tried to pace themselves with use of educational technology in advanced parts of the world. One such country is the small rich-oil state of Kuwait which has tried to adopt the e-educational model, however, an evaluation of such trial is yet to be done. This study aimed to fill the void of research conducted around that topic. The study explored students' acceptance of incorporating communication technologies in higher education in Kuwait. Students' responses to survey questions presented an overview of the e-learning experience in this country, and drew a framework through which implications and suggestions for future research were discussed to better serve the advancement of e-education in developing countries.

Active Learning Strategies and Academic Achievement among Some Psychology Undergraduates in Barbados

Year: 2013 Volume: 7 Issue: 7 1974 - 1978 Pages

Authors:
Grace Adebisi Fayombo

Abstract: This study investigated the relationships between the active learning strategies (discussion, video clips, game show, role– play, five minute paper, clarification pauses, and small group) and academic achievement among a sample of 158 undergraduate psychology students in The University of the West Indies (UWI), Barbados. Results revealed statistically significant positive correlations between active learning strategies and students’ academic achievement; so also the active learning strategies contributed 22% (Rsq=0.222) to the variance being accounted for in academic achievement and this was found to be statistically significant (F(7,150) = 6.12, p < .05). Additionally, group work emerged as the best active learning strategy and had the highest correlation with the students’ academic achievement. These results were discussed in the light of the importance of the active learning strategies promoting academic achievement among the university students.

The Effect of Combining Real Experimentation With Virtual Experimentation on Students-Success

Year: 2009 Volume: 3 Issue: 6 753 - 758 Pages

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of combining Real Experimentation (RE) With Virtual Experimentation (VE) on students- conceptual understanding of photo electric effect. To achieve this, a pre–post comparison study design was used that involved 46 undergraduate students. Two groups were set up for this study. Participants in the control group used RE to learn photo electric effect, whereas, participants in the experimental group used RE in the first part of the curriculum and VE in another part. Achievement test was given to the groups before and after the application as pre-test and post test. The independent samples t- test, one way Anova and Tukey HSD test were used for testing the data obtained from the study. According to the results of analyzes, the experimental group was found more successful than the control group.

Using the Students-as-Customers Concept in Technology Disciplines: Students- Perspectives

Year: 2009 Volume: 3 Issue: 3 207 - 211 Pages

Authors:
Boonlert Watjatrakul

Abstract: Educational institutions increasingly adopt the students-as-customers concept to satisfy their students. Understanding students- perspectives on the use of this business concept in educational institutions is necessary for the institutions to effectively align these perspectives with their management practice. The study investigates whether students in technology and business disciplines have significantly different attitudes toward using the students-as-customers concept in educational institutions and explores the impact of treating students as customers in technology disciplines under students- perspectives. The results from quantitative and qualitative data analyses show that technology students, in contrast to business students, fairly disagree with educational institutions to treat students as customers. Treating students as customers in technology disciplines will have a negative influence on teaching performance, instructor-student relationships and educational institutions- aim, but a positive influence on service quality in educational institutions. The paper discusses the findings and concludes with implications and limitations of the study.

The Effect of Facial Expressions on Students in Virtual Educational Environments

Year: 2007 Volume: 1 Issue: 11 603 - 610 Pages

Abstract: The scope of this research was to study the relation between the facial expressions of three lecturers in a real academic lecture theatre and the reactions of the students to those expressions. The first experiment aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a virtual lecturer-s expressions on the students- learning outcome in a virtual pedagogical environment. The second experiment studied the effectiveness of a single facial expression, i.e. the smile, on the students- performance. Both experiments involved virtual lectures, with virtual lecturers teaching real students. The results suggest that the students performed better by 86%, in the lectures where the lecturer performed facial expressions compared to the results of the lectures that did not use facial expressions. However, when simple or basic information was used, the facial expressions of the virtual lecturer had no substantial effect on the students- learning outcome. Finally, the appropriate use of smiles increased the interest of the students and consequently their performance.

Objectivity, Reliability and Validity of the 90º Push-Ups Test Protocol Among Male and Female Students of Sports Science Program

Year: 2012 Volume: 6 Issue: 6 1164 - 1167 Pages

Abstract: This study was conducted to determine the objectivity, reliability and validity of the 90º push-ups test protocol among male and female students of Sports Science Program, Faculty of Sports Science and Coaching Sultan Idris University of Education. Samples (n = 300), consisted of males (n = 168) and females (n = 132) students were randomly selected for this study. Researchers tested the 90º push-ups on the sample twice in a single trial, test and re-test protocol in the bench press test. Pearson-Product Moment Correlation method's was used to determine the value of objectivity, reliability and validity testing. The findings showed that the 900 pushups test protocol showed high consistency between the two testers with a value of r = .99. Likewise, The reliability value between test and re-test for the 90º push-ups test for the male (r=.93) and female (r=.93) students was also high. The results showed a correlation between 90º push-ups test and bench press test for boys was r = .64 and girls was r = .28. This finding indicates that the use of the 90º push-ups to test muscular strength and endurance in the upper body of males has a higher validity values than female students.

Keywords:
Arm and shoulder girdle strength and endurance
900 push-ups
bench press

Parental Attitudes as a Predictor of Cyber Bullying among Primary School Children

Year: 2010 Volume: 4 Issue: 7 1602 - 1606 Pages

Abstract: Problem Statement:Rapid technological developments of the 21st century have advanced our daily lives in various ways. Particularly in education, students frequently utilize technological resources to aid their homework and to access information. listen to radio or watch television (26.9 %) and e-mails (34.2 %) [26]. Not surprisingly, the increase in the use of technologies also resulted in an increase in the use of e-mail, instant messaging, chat rooms, mobile phones, mobile phone cameras and web sites by adolescents to bully peers. As cyber bullying occurs in the cyber space, lesser access to technologies would mean lesser cyber-harm. Therefore, the frequency of technology use is a significant predictor of cyber bullying and cyber victims. Cyber bullies try to harm the victim using various media. These tools include sending derogatory texts via mobile phones, sending threatening e-mails and forwarding confidential emails to everyone on the contacts list. Another way of cyber bullying is to set up a humiliating website and invite others to post comments. In other words, cyber bullies use e-mail, chat rooms, instant messaging, pagers, mobile texts and online voting tools to humiliate and frighten others and to create a sense of helplessness. No matter what type of bullying it is, it negatively affects its victims. Children who bully exhibit more emotional inhibition and attribute themselves more negative self-statements compared to non-bullies. Students whose families are not sympathetic and who receive lower emotional support are more prone to bully their peers. Bullies have authoritarian families and do not get along well with them. The family is the place where the children-s physical, social and psychological needs are satisfied and where their personalities develop. As the use of the internet became prevalent so did parents- restrictions on their children-s internet use. However, parents are unaware of the real harm. Studies that explain the relationship between parental attitudes and cyber bullying are scarce in literature. Thus, this study aims to investigate the relationship between cyber bullying and parental attitudes in the primary school. Purpose of Study: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between cyber bullying and parental attitudes. A second aim was to determine whether parental attitudes could predict cyber bullying and if so which variables could predict it significantly. Methods:The study had a cross-sectional and relational survey model. A demographics information form, questions about cyber bullying and a Parental Attitudes Inventory were conducted with a total of 346 students (189 females and 157 males) registered at various primary schools. Data was analysed by multiple regression analysis using the software package SPSS 16.

Behavior of Media Exposure and Participation in Environmental Activities of King Mongkut-s University of Technology Thonburi Dormitory Students

Year: 2012 Volume: 6 Issue: 1 37 - 41 Pages

Abstract: The purposes of this research were 1) to investigate behavior of media exposure and participation in environmental activities of King Mongkut-s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT) dormitory students, 2) to compare the correlation between faculties and participation in environmental activities of KMUTT dormitory students, and 3) to compare the correlation between media exposure and participation in environmental activities of KMUTT dormitory students. The tool used for collecting data was questionnaire. The research findings revealed that dormitory students were mostly exposed to the environmental media via public relations boards for general media and KMUTT dormitory media. Dormitory students were daily exposed to media via websites on the internet and weekly for other media. Dormitory students participation in the environmental activities was at high level (x = 3.65) on an individual basis and was at medium level (x = 2.76) on a collective basis. Faculties did not correlate with the participation in environmental activities of dormitory students at the .01 statistical level and media exposure via various media correlated with participation in environmental activities of dormitory students at the .01 statistical level.

Courses Pre-Required Visualization Using Force Directed Placement Technique

Year: 2013 Volume: 7 Issue: 4 471 - 475 Pages

Abstract: Visualizing “Courses – Pre – Required - Architecture" on the screen has proven to be useful and helpful for university actors and specially for students. In fact, these students can easily identify courses and their pre required, perceive the courses to follow in the future, and then can choose rapidly the appropriate course to register in. Given a set of courses and their prerequired, we present an algorithm for visualization a graph entitled “Courses-Pre-Required-Graph" that present courses and their prerequired in order to help students to recognize, lonely, what courses to take in the future and perceive the contain of all courses that they will study. Our algorithm using “Force Directed Placement" technique visualizes the “Courses-Pre-Required-Graph" in such way that courses are easily identifiable. The time complexity of our drawing algorithm is O (n2), where n is the number of courses in the “Courses-Pre-Required-Graph".

The Interaction between Accounting Students- Preference, Teaching Methodology and Performance

Year: 2012 Volume: 6 Issue: 6 1143 - 1149 Pages

Abstract: This paper examined the influence of matching students- learning preferences with the teaching methodology adopted, on their academic performance in an accounting course in two types of learning environment in one university in Lebanon: classes with PowerPoint (PPT) vs. conventional classes. Learning preferences were either for PPT or for Conventional methodology. A statistically significant increase in academic achievement is found in the conventionally instructed group as compared to the group taught with PPT. This low effectiveness of PPT might be attributed to the learning preferences of Lebanese students. In the PPT group, better academic performance was found among students with learning/teaching match as compared with students with learning/teaching mismatch. Since the majority of students display a preference for the conventional methodology, the result might suggest that Lebanese students- performance is not optimized by PPT in the accounting classrooms, not because of PPT itself, but because it is not matching the Lebanese students- learning preferences in such a quantitative course.

Possible Futures for Doctoral Research Training in Design

Year: 2012 Volume: 6 Issue: 6 1139 - 1142 Pages

Abstract: In this paper, we argue that Design research is basic to countries- national productivity and competition agendas at the same time that vagaries of research training presents as one of the barriers faced by Design Higher Degree by Research students in engaging those agendas. We argue that, given industry requirements for research-trained recruits, students have the right to expect that research training will provide the foundations of a successful career on an academic or research pathway or a professional pathway, but that universities have yet to address problems in their provision of research training for Design doctoral students. We suggest that to facilitate this, rigorous research conducted on the provision of Doctoral programs in Design would serve to inform future activities in Design research in productive ways.

Classifying Students for E-Learning in Information Technology Course Using ANN

Year: 2014 Volume: 8 Issue: 8 2401 - 2404 Pages

Abstract: This research’s objective is to select the model with most accurate value by using Neural Network Technique as a way to filter potential students who enroll in IT course by Electronic learning at Suan Suanadha Rajabhat University. It is designed to help students selecting the appropriate courses by themselves. The result showed that the most accurate model was 100 Folds Cross-validation which had 73.58% points of accuracy.

A Proposed Framework for Visualization to Teach Computer Science

Year: 2007 Volume: 1 Issue: 12 799 - 802 Pages

Abstract: Computer programming is considered a very difficult course by many computer science students. The reasons for the difficulties include cognitive load involved in programming, different learning styles of students, instructional methodology and the choice of the programming languages. To reduce the difficulties the following have been tried: pair programming, program visualization, different learning styles etc. However, these efforts have produced limited success. This paper reviews the problem and proposes a framework to help students overcome the difficulties involved.

A Multilingual Virtual Simulated Patient Framework for Training Primary Health Care Students

Year: 2010 Volume: 4 Issue: 8 1210 - 1215 Pages

Abstract: This paper describes the Multilingual Virtual Simulated Patient framework. It has been created to train the social skills and testing the knowledge of primary health care medical students. The framework generates conversational agents which perform in serveral languages as virtual simulated patients that help to improve the communication and diagnosis skills of the students complementing their training process.

The Impact of Video Games in Children-s Learning of Mathematics

Year: 2012 Volume: 6 Issue: 4 422 - 428 Pages

Abstract: This paper describes a research project on Year 3 primary school students in Malaysia in their use of computer-based video game to enhance learning of multiplication facts (tables) in the Mathematics subject. This study attempts to investigate whether video games could actually contribute to positive effect on children-s learning or otherwise. In conducting this study, the researchers assume a neutral stand in the investigation as an unbiased outcome of the study would render reliable response to the impact of video games in education which would contribute to the literature of technology-based education as well as impact to the pedagogical aspect of formal education. In order to conduct the study, a subject (Mathematics) with a specific topic area in the subject (multiplication facts) is chosen. The study adopts a causal-comparative research to investigate the impact of the inclusion of a computer-based video game designed to teach multiplication facts to primary level students. Sample size is 100 students divided into two i.e., A: conventional group and B conventional group aided by video games. The conventional group (A) would be taught multiplication facts (timetables) and skills conventionally. The other group (B) underwent the same lessons but with supplementary activity: a computer-based video game on multiplication which is called Timez-Attack. Analysis of marks accrued from pre-test will be compared to post- test using comparisons of means, t tests, and ANOVA tests to investigate the impact of computer games as an added learning activity. The findings revealed that video games as a supplementary activity to classroom learning brings significant and positive effect on students- retention and mastery of multiplication tables as compared to students who rely only upon formal classroom instructions.

Self-Efficacy, Anxiety, and Performance in the English Language among Middle-School Students in English Language Program in Satri Si Suriyothai School, Bangkok

Year: 2010 Volume: 4 Issue: 3 163 - 168 Pages

Authors:
Christopher C. Anyadubalu

Abstract: This study investigated students- perception of self efficacy and anxiety in acquiring English language, and consequently examined the relationship existing among the independent variables, confounding variables and students- performances in the English language. The researcher tested the research hypotheses using a sample group of 318 respondents out of the population size of 400 students. The results obtained revealed that there was a significant moderate negative relationship between English language anxiety and performance in English language, but no significant relationship between self-efficacy and English language performance, among the middle-school students. There was a significant moderate negative relationship between English language anxiety and self-efficacy. It was discovered that general self-efficacy and English language anxiety represented a significantly more powerful set of predictors than the set of confounding variables. Thus, the study concluded that English language anxiety and general self-efficacy were significant predictors of English language performance among middle-school students in Satri Si Suriyothai School.

Fuzzy Voting in Internal Elections of Educational and Party Organizations

Year: 2010 Volume: 4 Issue: 6 646 - 652 Pages

Authors:
R. Hosseingholizadeh

Abstract: This article presents a method for elections between the members of a group that is founded by fuzzy logic. Linguistic variables are objects for decision on election cards and deduction is based on t-norms and s-norms. In this election-s method election cards are questionnaire. The questionnaires are comprised of some questions with some choices. The choices are words from natural language. Presented method is accompanied by center of gravity (COG) defuzzification added up to a computer program by MATLAB. Finally the method is illustrated by solving two examples; choose a head for a research group-s members and a representative for students.

Analysis of Secondary School Students’ Perceptions about Information Technologies through a Word Association Test

Year: 2014 Volume: 8 Issue: 8 2391 - 2394 Pages

Abstract: The aim of this study is to discover secondary school students’ perceptions related to information technologies and the connections between concepts in their cognitive structures. A word association test consisting of six concepts related to information technologies is used to collect data from 244 secondary school students. Concept maps that present students’ cognitive structures are drawn with the help of frequency data. Data are analyzed and interpreted according to the connections obtained as a result of the concept maps. It is determined students associate most with these concepts—computer, Internet, and communication of the given concepts, and associate least with these concepts—computer-assisted education and information technologies. These results show the concepts, Internet, communication, and computer, are an important part of students’ cognitive structures. In addition, students mostly answer computer, phone, game, Internet and Facebook as the key concepts. These answers show students regard information technologies as a means for entertainment and free time activity, not as a means for education.

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