The use of modern standard and spoken Arabic in mathematics lessons: the case of a diglossic language / El uso del árabe estándar moderno y del árabe hablado en las clases de matemáticas: el caso de una lengua diglósica

Abstract

Researchers have shown an increased interest in the way teachers use their knowledge about language (KAL) to enhance student understanding and learning. This qualitative case study investigated first- and second-grade teachers’ use of KAL in Arabic. We investigated the linguistic transitions from standard Arabic to spoken Arabic made by the teachers during mathematics lessons. The results suggested that Arab-speaking mathematics teachers were aware of the gap between home language (Spoken Arabic) and school language (Modern Standard Arabic) and used linguistic transition as a teaching strategy to develop academic thinking and behaviour among their students. The results suggested that Arab teachers built a non-formal bilingual education programme where the two languages were used to teach mathematics. Despite the requirement to use Modern Standard Arabic, participants bridged the gap between the languages, which suggests an inherent understanding that ‘language and identity are ultimately inseparable’.     

Politicization of bilateral aid and educational development in Pakistan

Increasing international cooperation and interdependence are important features of the contemporary globalized world. In the present age, foreign aid is a very peculiar type of transaction in the sense that its focus is to satisfy the objectives of the donor and the recipient, which are not always the same. This paper attempts to analyse the situation of US and British aid to Pakistan’s education sector. The role of international donors in the development of the education sector in Pakistan cannot be underestimated. They have been even more important for this developing country which has faced financial crises, particularly during the 1990s. These financial hardships faced by the country were mainly the outcome of the changed regional, political, as well as the geostrategic situation which also caused the change in the behaviour of international donors. It is especially true in the case of the USA and the UK where the aid to Pakistan was seriously affected by the changed situation in Afghanistan, political changes within the country, its nuclear programme and more recently the events of 9/11. This discussion reflects that the potential benefits of the aid were not reaped adequately due mainly to disruption and resumption of aid on the grounds of the geo‐political situation and strategic interests of donors.     

Islamized Ideologies in the Pakistani Education System: The Need for Religious Literacy

This article focuses on the critical ideologies of the curriculum behind the religious education (Madrassa system) and modern education systems (public and private schools) in Pakistan. These systems use different types of curriculum and have faced many challenges in the past, particularly with regard to the curriculum itself. Both systems of education teach students to develop their personalities in favor of their own system and against the other system. Religion plays a central role in the formation of the students' personality through both systems. Thus, both systems need religious literacy for the better use of religion in Pakistani society.     

Somatic embryogenesis in wild relatives of cotton （Gossypium Spp.）

Wild cotton species can contribute a valuable gene pool for agronomically desirable cultivated tetraploid cultivars. In order to exploit diploid cotton a regeneration system is required to achieve transformation based goals. The present studies aimed at optimizing the conditions for regeneration of local varieties as well as wild species of cotton. Different callus induction media were tested with varying concentrations of hormones in which sucrose was used as nutritional source. Different explants （hypocotyls, cotyledon, root） were used to check the regeneration of both local cotton plants and wild relatives using T ＆ G medium, BAP medium, CIM medium, EMMS medium, and cell suspension medium. Different stages of embryogenicity such as early torpedo stage, late torpedo stage, heart stage, globular stage and cotyledonary stage were observed in wild relatives of cotton. The results of this study pave the way for establishing future transformation methods.     

Information ethics in Pakistani librarianship: The role of online mailing groups

This study examines the practice of information ethics of the members of the mailing group of the Pakistan Library Automation Group, called PAKLAGPK who participate frequently in the discussions on a variety of LIS ethical issues. The research uses both qualitative and quantitative methods, including a survey questionnaire to measure subscribers' prior knowledge about certain issues in Information Ethics (IE). The research also uses the content analysis method to investigate the information communication behavior of the subscribers over this mailing group.     

Electronic resources and services in Pakistani university libraries: A survey of users' satisfaction

This study is an attempt to evaluate the effectiveness of electronic resources and services in Pakistani university libraries on the basis of users' satisfaction. A survey method was employed to conduct the research. Using convenience sampling, eight university libraries; four each from Islamabad and Lahore including two from the public sector and two from the private sector having IT applications, were included in the users survey. The total population (i.e., 40,236) of library users was very large; therefore, a reasonable, manageable and convenient sample of 800 library users, including 100 users each from the eight libraries was selected. A semi structured questionnaire was designed to collect data, while a five-point Likert Scale from 1 (Dissatisfied) to 5 (Extremely satisfied) was used to measure the satisfaction level of the respondent. The study concluded that Pakistani university libraries are offering effective electronic resources and services to their users.     

Quantitative estimation of dust fall and smoke particles in Quetta Valley

INTRODUCTION Over the recent decades extensive research on atmospheric particles in urban environments was carried out. Most of the following papers refer to their authors’ contribution to air pollution and the effects on human health (Dzubay and Mamane, 1989; van Borm et al., 1989; 1990; Rojas et al., 1990; Paoletti et al., 1991; 1999; Al-Rajhi et al., 1996; McMurry et al., 1996; Querol et al., 1996; BéruBé et al., 1997; Esteve et al., 1997; Harrison et al., 1997; Zou and Hooper…