Determinants of library's effectiveness and efficiency: A study of collection development, organization and services of Maulana Azad Library, AMU (India)

The study is focused on users' opinion as regards the adequacy of library collection and analyzes the level of users' satisfaction about library collection, organization, facilities and services both traditional as well as, IT enabled services. A well structured questionnaire was administered to faculty members, research scholars and students of the AMU to collect data regarding the adequacy of library collection and analyze the level of users' satisfaction. The survey reveals that the library collection in the AMU library is adequate enough for their users. AMU library users were also satisfied with the existing infrastructure of library and organization of their collections. The researcher observed that the overall satisfaction levels of the users regarding the AMU library is good.     

Project DyAdd: Implicit learning in adult dyslexia and ADHD

In this study of the project DyAdd, implicit learning was investigated through two paradigms in adults (18–55 years) with dyslexia (n?=?36) or with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD, n?=?22) and in controls (n?=?35). In the serial reaction time (SRT) task, there were no group differences in learning. However, those with ADHD exhibited faster RTs compared to other groups. In the artificial grammar learning (AGL) task, the groups did not differ from each other in their learning (i.e., grammaticality accuracy or similarity choices). Further, all three groups were sensitive to fragment overlap between learning and test-phase items (i.e., similarity choices were above chance). Grammaticality performance of control participants was above chance, but that of participants with dyslexia and participants with ADHD failed to differ from chance, indicating impaired grammaticality learning in these groups. While the main indices of AGL performance, grammaticality accuracy and similarity choices did not correlate with the neuropsychological variables that reflected dyslexia-related (phonological processing, reading, spelling, arithmetic) or ADHD-related characteristics (executive functions, attention), or intelligence, the explicit knowledge for the AGL grammar (i.e., ability to freely generate grammatical strings) correlated positively with the variables of phonological processing and reading. Further, SRT reaction times correlated positively with full scale intelligence quotient (FIQ). We conclude that, in AGL, learning difficulties of the underlying rule structure (as measured by grammaticality) are associated with dyslexia and ADHD. However, learning in AGL is not related to the defining neuropsychological features of dyslexia or ADHD. Instead, the resulting explicit knowledge relates to characteristics of dyslexia.     

Preservice teachers’ teacher efficacy beliefs and constructivist-based teaching practice

The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between preservice teachers’ (PTs) teacher efficacy beliefs and their constructivist-based teaching practices. Data were gathered through the questionnaire (Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale) and the observation protocol (Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol) administered to the participants. A total number of 101 PTs (53.5 % from science education and 46.5 % from mathematics education) from a university in eastern part of Turkey participated in the study. Also, qualitative data were also used in order to clarify quantitative data. The semistructured interviews were conducted with 20 PTs who voluntarily participated in these interviews. Results showed that PTs’ constructivist-based teaching practice was positively correlated with their teacher efficacy beliefs. Also, qualitative findings confirmed that finding. To conclude, PTs with high teacher efficacy tend to employ constructivist approach in their teaching while PTs with low teacher efficacy tend to use traditional approach, lecturing in their teaching.     

From the Past to the Present: Imam and Preacher Schools in Turkey—An Ongoing Quarrel

One of the most controversial issues in Turkey since the establishment of the Republic in 1923 has been the question of religious education in general, with a focus on the Imam and Preacher Schools (IPS) in particular. This continues to be a serious problem even today. This article touches on this important matter. The article begins with a history of the opening of IPSs and tries to indicate the development of this institution throughout the history of the Republic. It provides answers as to why, while some people oppose these schools, others support the very same institution. In this article it is claimed that these schools not only act as good models for the Turkish educational system, but also for education in other Muslim countries. In addition, the article examines how the people who have graduated from these schools have served Turkish people in various fields, from the conception of the schools to the present day.     

The associations among fundamental movement skills,self-reported physical activity and academic performance during junior high school in Finland

The purpose of this study was to analyse the longitudinal associations between (1) fundamental movement skills (FMSs) and academic performance, and (2) self-reported physical activity and academic performance through junior high school in Finland. The participants of the study were 325 Finnish students (162 girls and 163 boys), who were 13 years old at the beginning of the study at Grade 7. Students performed three FMS tests and responded to a self-reported physical activity questionnaire at Grades 7 and 8. Marks in Finnish language, mathematics and history from Grades 7, 8 and 9 were collected. Structural equation modelling with multigroup method demonstrated that in the boys’ group, a correlation (0.17) appeared between FMS and academic performance measured at Grade 7. The results also indicated that FMS collected at Grade 8 were significantly but weakly (path coefficient 0.14) associated with academic performance at Grade 9 for both gender groups. Finally, the results of this study demonstrated that self-reported physical activity was not significantly related to academic performance during junior high school. The findings of this study suggest that mastery of FMS may contribute to better student achievement during junior high school.     

Attitudes of Kuwaiti parents toward physical punishment of children

Objective: The major aim was to describe parental attitudes to physical punishments and examine their sociodemographic correlates. A related aim was to assess the association of parents’ own experience of physical punishment with attitudes to punishment of children.Method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted during the second week of December, 1996 in five general clinics covering the major administrative areas of Kuwait: 337 Kuwaiti mothers and fathers with at least one living child were contacted; 95% were successfully interviewed using a structured questionnaire.Results: Eighty-six percent of parents agreed with physical punishment as a means of child disciplining. Agreement with punishment was higher in case of serious misbehaviors such as stealing (63%), sniffing glue and using drugs (77%). Multiple regression results showed that parent’s lower level of education and Bedouin ethnicity were positively associated with agreement on physical punishment. Larger percentages of parents who had experienced physical punishments themselves agreed with such punishment to discipline their children, but this was not statistically significant.Conclusions: In recent years education has become widespread for both sexes. An inverse association between educational level and agreement on physical beating suggest that attitudes to this form of child disciplining are changing. Those with a Bedouin ethnic background still adhere more strictly to the traditional forms of child disciplining including physical beating. There is a need for conducting research on the possible negative psychosocial impacts of physical punishment in view of findings from other countries.     

Prospective Turkish primary teachers’ views about the use of computers in mathematics education

The use of computers and technology in mathematics education affects students’ learning, achievements, and affective dimensions. This study explores prospective Turkish primary mathematics teachers’ views about the use of computers in mathematics education. The sample comprised of 129 fourth-year prospective primary mathematics teachers from two different universities in Turkey. Data consisting of participants’ written responses were qualitatively analyzed and categorized according to TPACK. Results show that the prospective teachers’ views about computers and their use in mathematics are usually positive. They enjoy working with computers, even though they are only able to perform relatively minor calculations with computers. They stated that improved use of computers can help them to learn and teach mathematics more effectively. However, they did not feel confident about their ability to teach mathematics using computers.     

An Application of Context- and Problem-Based Learning (C-PBL) into Teaching Thermodynamics

This study aims to investigate the applicability of context- and problem-based learning (C-PBL) into teaching thermodynamics and to examine its influence on the students’ achievements in chemistry, retention of knowledge, students’ attitudes, motivation and interest towards chemistry. The embedded mixed method design was utilized with a group of 13 chemistry students in a 2-year program of “Medical Laboratory and Techniques” at a state university in an underdeveloped city at the southeastern region of Turkey. The research data were collected via questionnaires regarding the students’ attitudes, motivation and interest in chemistry, an achievement test on “thermodynamics” and interviews utilized to find out the applicability of C-PBL into thermodynamics. The findings demonstrated that C-PBL led a statistically significant increase in the students’ achievement in thermodynamics and their interest in chemistry, while no statistically significant difference was observed in the students’ attitudes and motivation towards chemistry before and after the intervention. The interviews revealed that C-PBL developed not only the students’ communication skills but also their skills in using time effectively, making presentations, reporting research results and using technology. It was also found to increase their self-confidence together with the positive attitudes towards C-PBL and being able to associate chemistry with daily life. In light of these findings, it could be stated that it will be beneficial to increase the use of C-PBL in teaching chemistry.     

Maternal Socialization and Kindergarten Children’s Behaviors from Jordanian Mothers’ and Teachers’ Perspectives

This study investigated whether Jordanian mothers’ self-reported parenting practices were associated with their kindergarten children’s prosocial or anti-social behavior based on three parental patterns: nurturance, respect, and power assertion. The participants were 95 mothers with children in the kindergarten level in Jordan. Additionally, 13 teachers of these 95 kindergarten children were also participants. This Parenting Styles Inventory Scale, and the Prosocial and Anti-Social Behavior Rating Scale, developed by Lin (Influences of parenting and teaching styles on young children’s prosocial and anti-social development in Taiwan. Unpublished dissertation, Arizona State University, USA, 1995), were used as instruments. Results indicated that nurturance was the most frequent and preferred parenting pattern of participants. Mothers who are warm and nurturing were more strongly associated with prosocial behavior in their children. An unexpected finding was that mothers with more children were more assertive and strict towards them.