Search results for: coping practices

Authors: Ulemu Maseko

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This research is a critical assessment of the empowerment of Muslim women in Malawi. The study assessed, evaluated, and analyzed how the Muslim Women Organization (MWO) has influenced gender equality and women empowerment in different Islamic communities. In analyzing the data collected for this research, the study has examined the following topics: The way MWO has interpreted Islamic women’s rights, the various stereotypes Muslim women face, and lastly, the factors contributing to the limitation of Muslim women’s rights in Malawi. Towards this analysis, the study revealed that women groups such as MWO are crucial in understanding Muslim women and the different dynamics related to their empowerment. Therefore, it is necessary to understand how Muslim women comprehend various Islamic sources and how they link religion to their position and participation in society. To achieve the scope of this study, relevant works of literature that best described Islam in Malawi, Muslim women groups, and women empowerment in Malawi were used, coupled with a qualitative research approach that involved interviews, focus group discussions, and participant observations. In addition, phenomenology and feminist theoretical frameworks were used to examine and analyze the findings. Based on the findings, it can be concluded that MWO is a significant body for gender equality and women empowerment initiatives in the Malawian Islamic community. Since its establishment in 1985 till the time of this study, MWO has been an imperative driving force towards an Islamic women’s discourse that uses Islamic teachings, faith, policies, and practices to justify the role of the Muslim woman in society. This has been enlightening for their platform and has given them more confidence to justify the empowerment of Muslim women and support different initiatives towards social change.

Keywords: Islam, women, empowerment, Malawi

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Authors: Naziema B. Jappie

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The objective of this study is to examine the relationship between college readiness characteristics and learning outcome assessment scores. About this, it is important to examine the first-year retention and success rate. In order to undertake this study, it will be necessary to look at proficiency levels on general and domain-specific knowledge and skills reflected on national benchmark test scores (NBT), in-college interventions and course-taking patterns. Preliminary results based on data from more than 1000 students suggest that there is a positive association between NBT scores and students’ 1st-year college GPA and their retention status. For example, 63% of students with a proficient level of math skills in the NBT had the highest level of GPA at the end of 1st-year of college in comparison to 56% of those who started with a primary or intermediate level, respectively. The retention rates among those with proficiency levels were also higher than those with basic or intermediate levels (98% vs. 93% and 88%, respectively). By the end of 3rd year in college, students with intermediate or proficient entering NBT math skills had 7% and 8% of dropout rate, compared to 14% for those started at primary level; a greater percentage of students qualified by the end of 3rd-year qualified among proficient students than that among intermediate or basic level students (50% vs. 44% and 27% respectively). The findings of this study added knowledge to the field in South Africa and are expected to help stakeholders and policymakers to better understand college learning and challenges for students with disadvantaged backgrounds and provide empirical evidence in support of related practices and policies.

Keywords: assessment, data analysis, performance, proficiency, policy, student success

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Authors: Drew Fockler

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This research examines how to improve an employee’s experience when transferring between departments within an organization. This research includes a historical review of a Canadian retail organization. Based on this historical review, gaps are identified between current and future visions to show where problems with existing training and development practices need to be resolved to reduce front-line employee turnover within an organization. The strategies within this paper support leaders through the LEAD: Listen, Explore, Act and Develop, Change Management Model. The LEAD Change Management Model supports the change process. This research proposes three possible solutions to improve an employee who is transferring between departments. The best solution to resolve the problem of improving an employee moving between departments experience is creating a Training Manager position within the retail store. A Training Manager position could support both employees and leadership with training and development of staff who are moving between departments. Within this research, an implementation plan using the TransX Model was created. The TransX Model is a hybrid of Leader-Member Exchange Theory and Transformational Leadership Theory to facilitate this organizational change within an organization by creating a common vision. Finally, this research provides the next steps as well as future considerations to enhance the training manager role within an organization.

Keywords: employee transfers, employee engagement, human resources, employee induction, TransX model, lead change management model

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Authors: Nada Hamed, Mariam Aldhaheri, Sonia Abdennadher

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Islamic Finance is not a new term that emerging in the global market, but it is still under scope by many countries. Its characteristics and regulation are not widely clear and implemented. In 2015, The United Nation announced a plan about potential benefits of using Islamic Finance as a sustainable development approach. Enhancing its application in financial markets could protect from unexpected crisis that might be created from the traditional tools of finance. This paper focuses on this area to test if Islamic finance could be used for maintaining sustainable development and if the term of 'Green Islamic Finance' could be implemented to minimize the deficiencies and 'pollution’ generated from traditional techniques and tools of finance. This paper intends to measure the impact on financial performance and sustainability when financial institutions use Islamic finance or better practice it. The objective of this explanatory research is to measure the performance of Islamic Finance with using a case study of an Islamic bank. The paper would analyze and compare the behavior of financial institutions that used traditional financing tools and converted to Islamic banking system. The methodology used is based on a case study of an Islamic bank in Dubai with comparing its performance before implementing Islamic Finance and after. The selected case study represents the first national bank in Emirates Arab Unis who adopt the Islamic finance approach. Based on a time series analysis, a quantitative analysis would be also used through looking at various set of ratios that are routinely used to measure bank performance.

Keywords: Islamic finance, financial stability, green finance, Islamic finance practices, financial ratios

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Authors: Saksham

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Concrete's versatility and affordability make it a highly competitive building material capable of meeting diverse requirements. However, the increasing demands placed on structures and the need for enhanced durability and performance have driven the development of distinct cementitious materials and concrete composites. One significant aspect of this advancement is the utilization of waste materials from industries, such as fly ash, to improve concrete's properties. Fly ash, a byproduct of coal combustion can enhance concrete's strength and durability while reducing environmental impact. Additionally, steel fibers can enhance concrete's toughness and crack resistance, contributing to improved structural performance. The experimental study aims to optimize the proportion of ingredients in M30-grade concrete, incorporating fly ash and steel fibers. By varying fly ash content (10% to 30%) and steel fiber dosage (0% to 1.5%), the research seeks to determine the optimal combination for achieving the desired compressive strength. Two sets of experiments are conducted: one focusing on varying fly ash content while keeping steel fiber dosage constant, and the other focusing on varying steel fiber dosage while keeping other parameters fixed. Through systematic testing, molding, curing, and evaluation according to specified standards, the research aims to analyze the impact of fly ash and steel fibers on concrete's compressive strength. The findings have the potential to inform engineers about optimized concrete mix designs that balance performance, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability, advancing toward more resilient and environmentally friendly building practices.

Keywords: concrete, sustainability, durability, compressive strength

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Authors: Aline Giardin

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Introduction: This review addresses the relationship between physical education and mental health and its main objective is to discuss the meanings that circulate in Psychiatric Hospitalization Units and Psychosocial Care Centers (CAPS) about the presence of physical education teachers and the practices developed by Them within these services. Material and methods: It is based on the theoretical contribution of the Psychiatric Reform and is methodologically inspired by the Bibliographic Review. Objectives: The objective of this review was to identify the main scientific evidence on the effects of physical activity on the main psychological aspects associated with mental health during the hospitalization process. Results: It was observed that physical activity has beneficial effects in the psychological, social and cognitive aspects, being thus a fundamental aspect of the lifestyle in promoting a healthy and successful treatment. In studies evaluating the effects of physical activity on mental health, the most frequently evaluated outcomes include anxiety, depression, and health-related quality of life (eg, self-esteem and self-efficacy). Evidence from epistemological studies indicates that the level of physical activity is positively associated with good mental health, when mental health is defined as good mood, general well-being and decreased symptoms. Conclusion: It is necessary to intervene and a greater interest of the professionals of physical education in the treatment with the people with mental disorders so that the negative symptoms are modified, through the aid of the physical activity, by better quality of life, physical condition, nutritional state and A healthy emotional appearance.

Keywords: health mental, physical activity, benefits, treatment

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Authors: Gokul Gaudel, Zhang Wen Hui, Dang Quang Hung, Le Thi Hien, Liang Xiao

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The community forests of Nepal serve as a major source of medicinal plants for majority of local people who are dependent on traditional health care system. This study aims to explore the ethnobotanical information of the medicinal plants used by five different community forest user groups of Parbat district of Nepal. The research was conducted during different periods of the year 2015, using semi-structured, open-ended questionnaires, formal and informal interviews, and group discussions. In total 145 different plant species within 77 families were documented, the majority of them being herb were found to be used to treat 84 different ailments. In terms of plant parts use: whole plants, barks, fruits, leaves were found to be in top priorities. Oral administration was the dominant route (57%), followed by both oral and dermal route (29%) and dermal only (14%). Females were found to have 24% more ethnobotanical knowledge than male. The knowledge of ethnobotanical medicinal plants was found excellent on age group 65-75. This study showed that community forests of Parbat district are rich in medicinal plants but the new generation was found less interested in using them. Easy access to modern medicines, lack of documentation and knowledge transfer to young generations are the major causes of diminishing utility of traditional medicinal practices.

Keywords: ailments, community forest, ethnobotany, medicinal plants, Parbat

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Authors: Elisa Monteiro, Kiiko Ikegami

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The inclusion of children with diverse learning needs and/or disabilities in regular classrooms has been identified as crucial to the provision of educational equity and quality for all students. In this, teachers play an essential role, as they have a strong impact on student attainment. Whilst the adoption of inclusive practice is increasing, with potential benefits for the teaching profession, there is also a rise in the level of its challenges in Macao as many more students with learning disabilities are now being included in general education classes. Consequently, there has been a significant focus on teacher professional development to ensure that teachers are adequately prepared to teach in inclusive classrooms that give access to diverse students. Major changes in teacher education will need to take place to include more inclusive education content and to equip teachers with the necessary skills in the area of inclusive practice. This paper draws on data from in-depth interviews with 20 teachers to examine teachers’ views of support, challenges, and barriers to inclusive practices at the school and classroom levels. Thematic analysis was utilised to determine major themes within the data. Several themes emerged and serve to illustrate the identified barriers and the potential value of effective teacher education. Suggestions for increased professional development opportunities for inclusive education specific to higher education institutions are presented and the implications for practice and teacher education are discussed.

Keywords: inclusion, inclusive practice, teacher education, higher education

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Authors: Badran Leena, Rimmerman Arie

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Arab society in Israel is undergoing modernization and secularization. However, its approach to disability and mental illness is still dominated by religious and traditional stereotypes, as well as folk remedies and community practices. The present study examines differences in Muslim social workers' and Imams' recommendations in marriage/divorce and child custody cases of persons with intellectual disabilities (ID) or mental illness. The study has two goals: (1) To examine differences in recommendations between Imams and Muslim social workers; (2) To explore variables related to their differential recommendations as observed in their responses to vignettes—a quantitative study using vignettes resembling existing Muslim religious (Sharia) court cases. Muslim social workers (138) and Imams (48) completed a background questionnaire, a religiosity questionnaire, and a questionnaire that included 25 vignettes constructed by the researcher based on court rulings adapted for the study. Muslim social workers tended to consider the religious recommendation when the family of a person with ID or mental illness was portrayed in the vignette as religious. The same applied to Imams, albeit to a greater extent. The findings call for raising awareness among social workers and academics regarding the importance of religion and tradition in formulating professional recommendations.

Keywords: child custody, intellectual and developmental disability, marriage/divorce, mental illness, sharia court, social workers

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Authors: Yen-Sheng Ho

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It is important to actively adjust the legal system of land use in archaeological sites and the reward system to meet the needs of modern society and to solve the dilemma of government management. Under the principle of administration according to law and the principle of the clarity of law, human rights, legal orders and legitimate expectation shall be regulated. The Cultural Heritage Preservation Act has many norms related to archaeological sites in Taiwan. However, in practice, the preservation of archaeological sites still encounters many challenges. For instance, some archaeological sites have ‘management and maintenance plans’. The restrictions of land uses are not clearly defined making it difficult to determine how planting types and cultivation methods will impact the underground relics. In addition, there are questions as follows. How to coordinate the ‘site preservation plan’ with the Regional Planning Act and the Urban Planning Act? How to define preservation of land, preservation area and other uses of land or area? How to define land use in practice? How to control land use? After selecting three sites for the case investigation, this study will analyze the site’s land use status and propose the direction of land use and control methods. This study suggests that the prerequisite to limit the use of land is to determine the public interest in the preservation of the site. Another prerequisite is to establish a mechanism for permitting the use of the site and for setting the site preservation and zoning maintenance practices according to the Regional Planning Act, Urban Planning Act and other relevant rules, such as, land use zoning, land use control, land management, land maintenance, regional development and management and etc.

Keywords: archaeological site, land use and site preservation plan, regional planning, urban planning

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Authors: Samanta Tiague, Igor Michel Gachig

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The practice of inclusive education within general education classrooms is becoming more prevalent in Cameroon. In this context, quality Education is an important driver of the development agenda in this era of global sustainable development. This requires that the Cameroon’s educational system be strategically restructured to provide every citizen with the needed quality education for sustainable development. This study thus examined the need for the restructuring of the Cameroon educational system towards inclusive education as a target of the Sustainable Development Goal #4 (Ensure Quality Education), from a critical disability theory perspective. Special focus was on the education of children with visual impairment in the early childhood classroom. This study is suggesting a model design of responsive and contextual inclusive education policies, and the provision of quality human, material and financial educational resources to support the improvement of curriculums and inclusive instructional strategies. This paper is therefore designed as a basic starting point for early childhood educators with limited to no experience in working with students having visual impairments. Ultimately, this work represents a contribution to early childhood educators toward understanding visual impairment challenges and innovative practices to approach accessibility in a meaningful way to students in Cameroon. This is important to achieve quality education due to the peculiar nature of the educational needs of children with visual impairment, toward attainment of the global sustainable development agenda.

Keywords: early childhood educators, inclusive education, sustainable development, visual impairment

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Authors: Naruemon Phongaksorn

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The biofuel consumption has increased significantly over the decade resulting in the increasing request on agricultural land for biofuel feedstocks. However, the biofuel feedstocks are already stressed of having low productivity owing to inappropriate agricultural practices without considering suitability of crop land. This research evaluates the land suitability using GIS-integrated Analytic Hierarchy Processing (AHP) of biofuel crops: cassava, at Chachoengsao province, in Thailand. AHP method that has been widely accepted for land use planning. The objective of this study is compared between AHP method and the most limiting group of land characteristics method (classical approach). The reliable results of the land evaluation were tested against the crop performance assessed by the field investigation in 2015. In addition to the socio-economic land suitability, the expected availability of raw materials for biofuel production to meet the local biofuel demand, are also estimated. The results showed that the AHP could classify and map the physical land suitability with 10% higher overall accuracy than the classical approach. The Chachoengsao province showed high and moderate socio-economic land suitability for cassava. Conditions in the Chachoengsao province were also favorable for cassava plantation, as the expected raw material needed to support ethanol production matched that of ethanol plant capacity of this province. The GIS integrated AHP for biofuel crops land suitability evaluation appears to be a practical way of sustainably meeting biofuel production demand.

Keywords: Analytic Hierarchy Processing (AHP), Cassava, Geographic Information Systems, Land suitability

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Authors: Chuencheewin Yimfuang

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The WIPO copyright treaty (WCT) was established by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). This agreement required the contracting nations to provide adequate protection to technological measures to prevent massive copyright infringement in the internet system. Thailand had to implement the anti-circumvention rules into domestic legislation to comply with this international obligation. The purpose of this paper is to critically discuss the legislative standard under the WCT. It also aims to examine the legal development of technological protection measures in Thailand and demonstrate that the scope of prohibitions under the copyright Act 2022 (NO.5) is similar to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act 1998 (DMCA) of the United States (US). It could be found that the anti-circumvention laws of Thailand prohibit the circumvention of access-control technologies, and the regulation on trafficking circumvention devices has been added to the latest version of the Thai Copyright Act. These legislative evolutions have revealed the attempt to reinforce the legal protection of technological measures and copyright holders in order to be in line with global practices. However, the amendment has problems concerning the legal definitions of effective technological measure and the prohibited act of circumvention. The vagueness might affect the scope of protection and the boundary of prohibition. With this aspect, the DMCA will be evaluated and compared to gain guidelines for interpretation and enforcement in Thailand. The lessons and experiences learned from this study might be useful to correct the flaws or at least clarify the ambiguities embodied in Thai copyright legislation.

Keywords: legal development, technological protection measure, circumvention, Thailand

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Authors: Yilin Liao, Hewen Li, Paula McConvey

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Speed skaters often face a risk of concussion when they fall on the ice floor and impact crash mats during practices and competitive races. Several variables, including those related to the skater, the crash mat, and the impact position (body side/head/feet impact), are believed to influence the severity of the skater's concussion. While computer simulation modeling can be employed to analyze these accidents, the simulation process is time-consuming and does not provide rapid information for coaches and teams to assess the skater's injury risk in competitive events. This research paper promotes the exploration of the feasibility of using AI techniques for evaluating skater’s potential concussion severity, and to develop a fast concussion prediction tool using artificial neural networks to reduce the risk of treatment delays for injured skaters. The primary data is collected through virtual tests and physical experiments designed to simulate skater-mat impact. It is then analyzed to identify patterns and correlations; finally, it is used to train and fine-tune the artificial neural networks for accurate prediction. The development of the prediction tool by employing machine learning strategies contributes to the application of AI methods in sports science and has theoretical involvements for using AI techniques in predicting and preventing sports-related injuries.

Keywords: artificial neural networks, concussion, machine learning, impact, speed skater

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Authors: Mohammad Mirzaei

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The term "modernism" is at the heart of debates about 20th-century literature and critical theory. Astradur Eysteinsson argues here that the notion of modernity does not emerge directly from the literature it encompasses but is actually a product of critical practices related to non-traditional literature. By intervening in and relating them to modernist works and contemporary literary theories, Esteinsson takes a comprehensive look at the idea of modernity. Eysteinsson critically examines various expressions of modernism in the rich spectrum of American, British, and European literature, criticism, and theory. He first explored a number of modernist paradigms and found a conflict between modernism's potential for cultural subversion and its relatively conservative status as a formalist project. In turn, he sees these paradigms as interpretations and inventions of literary history. Seen in this way, modernism presents both a historical change in the literary scene and the context of this change. Imbued with the connotations of tradition and modernity, modernity fulfills its primary function. Highlights and defines the complex relationship between history and post-realist literature. Eysteinsson focuses on how concepts of modernism guide our understanding of literature and literary history and how they influence the evaluation of experimental and 3post realist works in literature and art. He discusses in detail the relationship between modernism and the key terms postmodernism, avant-garde, and realism. In staging a crisis of subject and reference, modernity is not a form of discourse but its subversion, the "other" that may reveal important aspects of our social and linguistic experience in Western culture.

Keywords: literature, modernism, western cultures, postmodernism

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Authors: Md. Shafiullah

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This study delves into the evolving landscape of urban childcare in Bangladesh, focusing on the experiences and challenges faced by parents in Dhaka city. This paper argues that the traditional childcare arrangement of city families is inadequate to meet the development needs of children. The study aims to explore the childcare challenges faced by urban parents as they transition from traditional family-based childcare networks to alternative caregiving arrangements amidst urbanization, economic shifts, and social transformations. Utilizing a mixed-method research approach, combining quantitative surveys (n = 200) and four qualitative interviews, the research examines the parental viewpoints on childcare practices and the role of societal norms and values. The study finds childcare crises in both the family and daycare settings. In family care, caregiving suffers from the less availability of grandparents, a lack of skills of caregivers, and a lack of child interaction. As for the daycare, it is affected by the absence of appropriate policies, a lack of quality, health and safety concerns, affordability issues, and cultural concerns. Additionally, the study highlights inadequacies in childcare policies and regulatory frameworks, calling for comprehensive reforms to address the childcare vacuum in urban areas. By shifting the focus from developed to developing countries, this study contributes to the literature and suggests policy implications for Bangladesh and beyond.

Keywords: childcare, child development, childcare policy, daycare, Bangladesh

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Authors: Haruna Abdu Usman, Bashir Usman Mohammed, Mohammed Umar Jamil

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Municipal solid waste management constitutes a serious problem bedeviling environmental protection agencies in many cities of developing countries. Most agencies do not collect the totality of the waste generated in their cities. This study presents the current solid waste management practices and problems in Bauchi metropolis, Bauchi state Nigeria. The general feature is characterized by inefficient, insufficient and irrational collection and improper disposal alternatives. The consequent environmental effects of these problems depict clogged city drains, uncollected heap of waste on road sides of residential areas, vacant plots and uncompleted buildings and highways. This contributes immensely to flooding in the city. The major challenges facing the state environmental protection agency includes; lack of collection and disposal points, technical and institutional arrangements, financial resources and general attitude of the serving public among others. The study suggested a comprehensive and integrated approach to the solid waste management which recognizes and incorporates the interventionist role of the state government, the private formal and informal waste management operators and the serving public.

Keywords: municipal solid waste, bauchi metropolitan area, environmental protection agency, solid waste management, waste disposal

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Authors: Dike Felix Okechukwu

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Studies and reports from authoritative sources such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) have stated that to effectively solve environmental sustainability challenges such as pollution, inappropriate waste disposal, and unsustainable consumption, there is a need for more research to seek solutions towards environmentally sustainable behavior. However, literature thus far reports only sporadic developments of TL in Environmental Sustainability because there are scarce reports showing the reliable process(es) to produce TL - for sustainability projects or otherwise. Nonetheless, a recently published article demonstrates how TL can be used to help young adults gain transformed mindsets and habits toward environmental sustainability behaviors and practices. This study, however, does not demonstrate, on a repeated basis, the dependability of the method or reliability of the procedures in using its proposed methodology to help young adults achieve transformed habits towards environmental sustainability behaviors, especially in diverse contexts. In this study, it is demonstrated, through repeated measures, a reliable process that can be used to achieve transformations in habits and mindsets toward environmental sustainability behaviors. To achieve this, the design adopted is multiple case studies and a thematic analysis techniques. Five cases in diverse contexts were used to analyze pieces of evidence of Transformative Learning Outcomes toward environmentally sustainable behaviors. Results from the study offer fresh perspectives on a reliable methodology that can be adopted to achieve Transformations in Habits and mindsets toward environmental sustainability behaviors.

Keywords: environmental sustainability, transformative learning, behaviour, learning, education

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Authors: Bolanle Deborah Motilewa, E.K. Rowland Worlu, Gbenga Mayowa Agboola, Marvellous Aghogho Chidinma Gberevbie

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Businesses operating in the modern business world are faced with varying challenges; amongst which is the need to ensure that they are performing their societal function of being responsible in the society in which they operate. This responsibility to society is generally termed as corporate social responsibility. For many years, the practice of corporate social responsibility (CSR) was solely philanthropic, where organizations gave ‘charity’ or ‘alms’ to society, without any link to the organization’s mission and objectives. However, there has arisen a shift in the application of CSR from an act of philanthropy to a strategy with a business model engaged in by organizations to create a win-win situation of performing their societal obligation, whilst simultaneously performing their economic obligation. In more recent times, the term has moved from CSR to creating shared value, which is simply corporate policies and practices that enhance the competitiveness of a business organization while simultaneously advancing social and economic conditions in the communities in which the company operates. Creating shared value has in more recent light found more meaning in underdeveloped countries, faced with deep societal challenges that businesses can solve whilst creating economic value. This study thus reviews literature on CSR, conceptualizing the shift to creating shared value and finally viewing its potential significance in Africa’s development.

Keywords: africapitalism, corporate social responsibility, development, shared value

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Authors: Isabella Jabbour

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The world's population is expected to reach over 10 billion by 2050, creating a significant demand for food production, particularly in the agricultural industry. Cellular agriculture presents a solution to this challenge by producing meat that resembles traditionally produced meat, but with significantly less land use. Decellularized plant scaffolds, such as spinach leaves, have been shown to be a suitable edible scaffold for growing animal muscle, enabling cultured cells to grow and organize into three-dimensional structures that mimic the texture and flavor of conventionally produced meat. However, the use of freshwater to remove the intact extracellular material from these plants remains a concern, particularly when considering scaling up the production process. In this study, two protocols were used, 1X SDS and Boom Sauce, to decellularize spinach leaves with both distilled water and ocean water. The decellularization process was confirmed by histology, which showed an absence of cell nuclei, DNA and protein quantification. Results showed that spinach decellularized with ocean water contained 9.9 ± 1.4 ng DNA/mg tissue, which is comparable to the 9.2 ± 1.1 ng DNA/mg tissue obtained with DI water. These findings suggest that decellularized spinach leaves using ocean water hold promise as an eco-friendly and cost-effective scaffold for laboratory-grown meat production, which could ultimately transform the meat industry by providing a sustainable alternative to traditional animal farming practices while reducing freshwater use.

Keywords: cellular agriculture, plant scaffold, decellularization, ocean water usage

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Authors: Akbar Darouie, Mamak Joulaie

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In regard of phonological skills development importance and its influence on other aspects of language, this study has been performed. Determination of some phonological indexes in children with hearing impairment and comparison with hearing children was the objective. A sample of convenience was selected from a rehabilitation center and a kindergarten in Karaj, Iran. Participants consisted of 12 hearing impaired and 12 hearing children (age range: 5 years and 6 months to 6 years and 6 months old). Hearing impaired children suffered from severe to profound hearing loss while three of them were cochlear implanted and the others were wearing hearing aids. Conversational speech of these children was recorded and 50 first utterances were selected to analyze. Percentage of consonant correct (PCC) and vowel correct (PVC), initial and final consonant omission error, cluster consonant omission error and syllabic structure variety were compared in two groups. Data were analyzed with t test (version 16th SPSS). Comparison between PCC and PVC averages in two groups showed a significant difference (P< 0/01). There was a significant difference about final consonant emission error (P<0/001) and initial consonant emission error (P<0/01) too. Also, the differences between two groups on cluster consonant omission were significant (P<0/001). Therefore, some changes were seen in syllabic structures in children with hearing impairment compared to typical group. This study demonstrates some phonological differences in Farsi language between two groups of children. Therefore, it seems, in clinical practices we must notice this issue.

Keywords: hearing impairment, phonology, vowel, consonant

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Authors: Sanpetchuda Krutkrua, Suphawatchara Malanond

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Throughout the history of Antitrust regimes in Thailand, Thailand has been trying to prevent collusive practices in the market through the amendments of the Trade Competition Act, and Thailand just passed the current Trade Competition Act of B.E. 2560 in 2017 of which several aspects of the law were amended in order to enhance the prevention of collusive outcome through both vertical trade restraints and horizontal trade restraints. An agreement is vertical when it involves arrangements that are in a complementary relationship. In Section 55 of the Act, any agreements to reduce the price, quantity, or quality of the goods, agreements to assign a sole retailer for the goods, and the agreement to impose conditions on the retailers are not allowed. However, Section 56 provides exemptions for the vertical relationship between the business operators, the franchise agreement, and the licensing agreement as long as such agreements do not surpass the necessity to do so, create monopolization, or affect the consumers in terms of price, quality, quantity, or options. The paper aims to explore the extent of the exemption under Section 56 and sequential regulations in terms of the vertical trade restraints regarding intellectual property licensing, and, at the same time, compare with the exemptions under the European Union competition law, and Singapore competition law. Comparative legal analysis with leading jurisdiction will illustrate the application of the newly enacted Thai Competition Act in terms of its enforcement in the global impact of IP rights, which, by nature are de jure or de facto international protection.

Keywords: antitrust, competition law, vertical restraint, intellectual property, IP licensing

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Authors: Gina L. Solano

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This project endeavors to enhance learning experiences for undergraduate pre-service teachers and graduate K-12 educators by leveraging artificial intelligence (AI). Firstly, the initiative delves into integrating AI within undergraduate education courses, fostering traditional literacy skills essential for academic success and extending their applicability beyond the classroom. Education students will explore AI tools to design literacy-focused activities aligned with their curriculum. Secondly, the project investigates the utilization of AI to craft instructional materials employing gamification strategies (e.g., digital and classic games, badges, quests) to amplify student engagement and motivation in mastering course content. Lastly, it aims to create a professional repertoire that can be applied by pre-service and current teachers in P-12 classrooms, promoting seamless integration for those already in teaching positions. The project's impact extends to benefiting college students, including pre-service and graduate teachers, as they enhance literacy and digital skills through AI. It also benefits current P-12 educators who can integrate AI into their classrooms, fostering innovative teaching practices. Moreover, the project contributes to faculty development, allowing them to cultivate low-risk and engaging classroom environments, ultimately enriching the learning journey. The insights gained from this project can be shared within and beyond the discipline to advance the broader field of study.

Keywords: artificial intelligence, gamification, learning experiences, literacy skills, engagement

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Authors: S. K. Ashiquer Rahman

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The innovative knowledge threshold significantly shifted education from traditional to an online version which was an emergent state of arts for academic programs of any higher education institutions; the substantive situation thus raises the importance of deliberative integration of education, Knowledge, technology and sustainability as well as knowledge platforms, e.g., ePLANETe. In fact, the concept of 'ePLANETe' an innovative knowledge platform and its functionalities as an experimental digitized platform for contributing sustainable assessment of academic programs of higher education institution(HEI). Besides, this paper assessed and define the common sustainable development challenges of higher education(HE) and identified effective approach and tools of 'ePLANETe’ that is enable to practices sustainability assessment of academic programs through the deliberation methodologies. To investigate the effectiveness of knowledge tools and approach of 'ePLANETe’, I have studied sustainable challenges digitized pedagogical content as well as evaluation of academic programs of two public universities in France through the 'ePLANETe’ evaluation space. The investigation indicated that the effectiveness of 'ePLANETe’s tools and approach perfectly fit for the quality assessment of academic programs, implementation of sustainable challenges, and dynamic balance of ecosystem within the university communities and academic programs through 'ePLANETe’ evaluation process and space. The study suggests to the relevant higher educational institution’s authorities and policymakers could use this approach and tools for assessing sustainability and enhancing the sustainability competencies of academic programs for quality education

Keywords: ePLANETe, deliberation, evaluation, competencies

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Authors: Emily Toon

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Nurses play a critical role in the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia through the maintenance of endotracheal tubes and use of subglottic secretion drainage via subglottic suctioning endotracheal tubes. The purpose of this evidence based practice project is to develop a staff education program on subglottic suctioning endotracheal tubes for critical care nurses at Middlesex Health with the aim of determining and documenting increased knowledge and/or practice change. The setting included registered nurses within Middlesex Health’s critical care unit who were recruited to complete a pre-test (n=14), view a presentation, and complete a post-test (n=10). Average pre-test scores were compared to average post-test scores to determine an increase in knowledge and/or practice change. The overall mean pre-test score was 59.7 percent, compared with the mean post-test score of 88.1 percent. Pre- and post-test scores were unmatched, so statistical significance could not be determined. The hypothesis that a staff education program on subglottic suctioning endotracheal tubes would demonstrate an increase in knowledge was supported, but not statistically. By integrating a pre-test/post-test design into educational presentations to evaluate increased knowledge, data generated may be used to improve methods and practices of delivering education and enhance staff learning.

Keywords: endotracheal tubes, staff education, subglottic secretion drainage, ventilator-associated pneumonia

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Authors: Giselle Maggie-Fer Castañeda Lozano

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The main objective of this research was to explore the role of neural network architectures in simulating behavioral phenomena as a potential explanation for selective associations, specifically related to biological constraints on learning. Biological constraints on learning refer to the limitations observed in conditioning procedures, where learning is expected to occur. The study involved simulations of five different experiments exploring various phenomena and sources of biological constraints in learning. These simulations included the interaction between response and reinforcer, stimulus and reinforcer, specificity of stimulus-reinforcer associations, species differences, neuroanatomical constraints, and learning in uncontrolled conditions. The overall results demonstrated that by manipulating neural network architectures, conditions can be created to model and explain diverse biological constraints frequently reported in comparative psychology literature as learning typicities. Additionally, the simulations offer predictive content worthy of experimental testing in the pursuit of new discoveries regarding the specificity of learning. The implications and limitations of these findings are discussed. Finally, it is suggested that this research could inaugurate a line of inquiry involving the use of neural networks to study biological factors in behavior, fostering the development of more ethical and precise research practices.

Keywords: comparative psychology, connectionism, conditioning, experimental analysis of behavior, neural networks

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Authors: Louis Botha

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Since the presentation of South Africa’s inclusive education strategy in Education White Paper 6 in 2001, very little has been accomplished in terms of its implementation. The failure to achieve the goals set by this policy document is related to teachers lacking confidence and knowledge about how to enact inclusive education, as well as challenges of inflexible curricula, limited resources in overcrowded classrooms, and so forth. This paper presents a socio-cultural approach to addressing these challenges of implementing inclusive education in the South African context. It takes its departure from the view that inclusive education has been adequately theorized and conceptualized in terms of its philosophical and ethical principles, especially in South African policy and debates. What is missing, however, are carefully theorized, practically implementable research interventions which can address the concerns mentioned above. Drawing on socio-cultural principles of learning and development and on cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) in particular, this paper argues for the use of formative interventions which introduce appropriately constructed mediational artifacts that have the potential to initiate inclusive practices and pedagogies within South African schools and classrooms. It makes use of Vygotsky’s concept of double stimulation to show how the proposed artifacts could instigate forms of transformative agency which promote the adoption of inclusive cultures of learning and teaching.

Keywords: cultural-historical activity theory, double stimulation, formative interventions, transformative agency

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Authors: Bachir Nora

Abstract:

Integrating vegetation into urban environments is crucial for enhancing quality of life, particularly through microclimate regulation and the reduction of urban heat islands. This study investigates the impact of different street tree species on the urban microclimate in the El-Houria neighborhood of Mostaganem, Algeria, using the ENVI-met software for advanced environmental simulations. it focused on three tree species—Robinia pseudo-acacia, Populus alba, and Jacaranda mimosifolia—to evaluate their effectiveness in influencing key meteorological parameters, including air temperature, mean radiant temperature, surface temperature, and the predicted percentage of dissatisfied (PPD) thermal comfort index. Statistical analyses were conducted to compare these parameters across different tree species, ensuring the robustness of our findings. Our results indicate that Robinia pseudo-acacia is the most effective species, capable of reducing air temperature by up to 1°C and surface temperature by up to 12°C. These findings underscore the importance of strategically selecting tree species to mitigate the effects of climate change, improve thermal comfort, and reduce energy consumption in urban settings. The study offers valuable insights for urban planners and policymakers, providing practical guidance for sustainable urban design practices tailored to the Algerian context.

Keywords: heat islands, microclimate simulation, street tree alignment, sustainable urban design, thermal comfort.

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Authors: Manveen Singh

Abstract:

Since the very advent of law enforcement, eyewitness testimony has played a pivotal role in identifying, arresting and convicting suspects. Reliant heavily on the accuracy of human memory, nothing seems to carry more weight with the judiciary than the testimony of an actual witness. The acceptance of eyewitness testimony as a substantive piece of evidence lies embedded in the assumption that the human mind is adept at recording and storing events. Research though, has proven otherwise. Having carried out extensive study in the field of eyewitness testimony for the past 40 years, psychologists have concluded that human memory is fragile and needs to be treated carefully. The question that arises then, is how reliable is eyewitness testimony? The credibility of eyewitness testimony, simply put, depends on several factors leaving it reliable at times while not so much at others. This is further substantiated by the fact that as per scientific research, over 75 percent of all eyewitness testimonies may stand in error; quite a few of these cases resulting in life sentences. Although the advancement of scientific techniques, especially DNA testing, helped overturn many of these eyewitness testimony-based convictions, yet eyewitness identifications continue to form the backbone of most police investigations and courtroom decisions till date. What then is the solution to this long standing concern regarding the accuracy of eyewitness accounts? The present paper shall analyze the linkage between human memory and eyewitness identification as well as look at the various factors governing the credibility of eyewitness testimonies. Furthermore, it shall elaborate upon some best practices developed over the years to help reduce mistaken identifications. Thus, in the process, trace out the changing landscape of eyewitness testimony amidst the evolution of DNA and trace evidence.

Keywords: DNA, eyewitness, identification, testimony, evidence

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Authors: Orla McConnell, Cormac MacMahon, Jen Harvey

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Ireland’s national professional development framework for those who teach in higher education, aims to provide guidance and leadership in the planning, developing and engaging in professional development practices. A series of pilot projects have been initiated to help explore the framework’s likely utility and acceptance by educators and their institutions. These projects require engagement with staff in the interpretation and adaption of the framework within their working contexts. The purpose of this paper is to outline the development of one such project with engineering educators at three Institutes of Technology seeking designation as a technological university. The initiative aims to gain traction in the acceptance of the framework with the engineering education community by linking core and discipline-specific teaching and learning competencies with professional development activities most valued by engineering educators. Informed by three strands of literature: professional development in higher education; engineering education; and teaching and learning training provisions, the project begins with a survey of all those involved in teaching and learning in engineering across the three institutes. Based on engagement with key stakeholders, subsequent qualitative research informs the contextualization of the national framework for discipline-specific and institutional piloting. The paper concludes by exploring engineering educator perceptions of the national framework’s utility based on their engagement with the pilot process. Feedback from the pilot indicates that there is a significant gap between the professional development needs of engineering educators and the current professional development provision in teaching and learning.

Keywords: engineering education, pilot, professional development, teaching and learning

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