Contextual influences on sources of academic self-efficacy: a validation with secondary school students of Kerala

This study investigates the theorized sources of Academic Self-Efficacy among the higher secondary school students of Kerala, India. Mastery Experience in the form of Academic Achievement, vicarious experience in the form of School Image and Social Persuasion in the form of Parental Encouragement are included as the predictor variables of Academic Self-Efficacy. Participants in the present study were 700 higher secondary school students of Kerala, selected using stratified random sampling. The findings of the study confirm the theorized correlation of Academic Self-Efficacy with previous achievement, vicarious experience (school image) and persuasory information (parental encouragement). In the total sample, the percent of variance in Academic Self-Efficacy that is predictable by the three-predictor variables is nearly one quarter (23.83?%). School Image is the best contributing variable (9.42?%) followed by Mastery Experience (8.67?%) and then by Parental Encouragement (5.74?%). The findings shows that apart from cultural differences, locale and gender difference also exist in sources of Academic Self-Efficacy. The superiority of School Image over Mastery Experience in predicting Academic Self-Efficacy is different from that found in the West, theoretically and empirically. In India, self-efficacy beliefs of youngsters continue to depend more on social and domestic factors than personal experience and mastery.     

医学基础实验示范中心的建设与探索

在医学基础实验示范中心的建设中,探索建立科学的、适于高素质医学人才培养模式的实验教学体系。进行了以内容整合为主导的课程建设,优化了教学方法和教学手段,搭建了科技创新实验平台。通过对示范中心建设的研究和成效进行归纳和总结,为推动地方高校医学基础实验教学的改革提供可资经验。     

高校实验用房改革的经验、困境和对策

实验用房是高校可持续发展的重要基础资源,也是一种稀缺资源,随着高校科研规模不断扩大,高层次人才引进增加,实验用房资源日趋紧张。推进实验用房管理改革,使有限的实验用房资源效益最大化,已成为高校决策层和管理部门所关注的热点。当前,许多高校已制定了相关的措施,实行实验用房动态管理,也取得了一定的成效。但普遍反映实施过程艰辛、阻力大、效果不显著。在收集整理国内32所高校出台的政策文件和实地调研国内部分高校做法的基础上,对现有实验用房改革的典型经验进行了全面梳理总结,深入分析了实施过程中存在的困境,并有针对性地提出相应对策,旨在为有效推进高校实验用房改革提供有益的探索。     

罗丹明B修饰树枝状聚(胺-酯)及其荧光性能研究

以乙二胺、三羟甲基丙烷三丙烯酸酯和罗丹明B为原料,合成了聚(胺-酯)-罗丹明B(RHDB)树枝状大分子(PAE-RHDB).通过正交实验讨论了反应温度、反应时间及原料配比对产物产率的影响,并用IR、1HNMR和UV表征了它的结构.研究了PAE-RHDB的荧光性能.实验结果表明,当反应温度为60℃,反应时间为3h,原料配比n(-NH2):n(-COOH)=2:1时,以氯仿为溶剂,产物产率为34.86%;当PAE-RHDB浓度为0.15mg/mL,甲醇为溶剂,溶液荧光性能最强,原料配比对产物荧光性能无影响.     

Additive effects due to biochar and endophyte application enable soybean to enhance nutrient uptake and modulate nutritional parameters

We studied the effects of hardwood-derived biochar (BC) and the phytohormone-producing endophyte Galactomyces geotrichum WLL1 in soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) with respect to basic, macro- and micronutrient uptakes and assimilations, and their subsequent effects on the regulation of functional amino acids, isoflavones, fatty acid composition, total sugar contents, total phenolic contents, and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)-scavenging activity. The assimilation of basic nutrients such as nitrogen was up-regulated, leaving carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen unaffected in BC+G. geotrichum-treated soybean plants. In comparison, the uptakes of macro- and micronutrients fluctuated in the individual or co-application of BC and G. geotrichum in soybean plant organs and rhizospheric substrate. Moreover, the same attribute was recorded for the regulation of functional amino acids, isoflavones, fatty acid composition, total sugar contents, total phenolic contents, and DPPH-scavenging activity. Collectively, these results showed that BC+G. geotrichum-treated soybean yielded better results than did the plants treated with individual applications. It was concluded that BC is an additional nutriment source and that the G. geotrichum acts as a plant biostimulating source and the effects of both are additive towards plant growth promotion. Strategies involving the incorporation of BC and endophytic symbiosis may help achieve eco-friendly agricultural production, thus reducing the excessive use of chemical agents.     

Learning environments research in English classrooms

Although learning environments research has thrived for decades in many countries and school subjects, English classroom environment research is still in its infancy. This article paves the way for expanding research on English classroom environments by (1) reviewing the limited past research in English classrooms and (2) reporting the first study of English learning environments in Singaporean primary schools. For a sample of 441 grade 6 students, past research in other subjects was replicated in that a modified version of the What Is Happening In this Class? questionnaire was cross-validated, classroom environment was found to vary with the determinants of student sex and ethnicity, and associations emerged between students’ attitudes and the nature of the classroom environment.     

Effect of seedling age and water depth on morphological and physiological aspects of transplanted rice under high temperature

INTRODUCTION Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the most im-portant crops in Pakistan. It is the third largest crop interms of area and production after wheat and cotton.Although rice in Pakistan is consuming large acreage,Pakistan is still far behind other rice producingcountries. The average yield is very low (2 t/ha) ascompared to Egypt (8.4 t/ha) and USA (6.6 t/ha).There are many reasons for this low yield. The mostimportant are high temperature (40?50 °C), low hu-midity at …     

Some reflections on education for rural development

The article stresses the significance of anti-poverty oriented rural development for developing countries and the need to identify the educational implications of such a strategy. Some of the assumptions derived from contemporary experience in development, and in particular rural development, which are vital for understanding and formulating the role of education, are presented and analysed. The indicators used in the measurement of anti-poverty rural development bring clarity to the concept of interlinking development and education in concrete terms. Some features of education for rural development are discussed and the significance of four areas of educational activities underscored, namely, primary education, functional literacy, human resources development and education related to the world of work. The article is concluded by stressing the need for establishing firm linkages between educational and developmental infrastructures with special emphasis on nonformal education and its flexibility of approach.

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Zusammenfassung Der Nachdruck in diesem Artikel liegt auf der Bedeutung, die der armutsbekämpfenden Orientierung ländlicher Entwicklungsprogramme beizumessen ist, sowie auf der Notwendigkeit festzustellen, welche Implikationen sich aus einer solchen Strategie für das Erziehungswesen ergeben. Einige für das Verständnis und die Formulierung seiner Rolle entscheidende Voraussetzungen, abgeleitet aus neueren Erfahrungen mit Entwicklungsprogrammen, insbesondere ländlichen, werden vorgestellt und analysiert. Die für die Bemessung armutsbekämpfender ländlicher Entwicklung benutzten Indikatoren bringen auch Klarheit in das Konzept einer konkreten Verbindung von Entwicklung und Erziehung. Dann bespricht der Autor einige Besonderheiten der Erziehung für ländliche Entwicklung und unterstreicht dabei die Wichtigkeit von vier Gebieten der Erziehungsarbeit: Primarerziehung, funktionelle Alphabetisierung, Entwicklung von Arbeitskräften und auf die Arbeitswelt bezogene Erziehung. Zum Schluß hebt der Verfasser die Notwendigkeit hervor, die Infrastrukturen für Erziehung und Entwicklung fest miteinander zu verbinden, mit besonderer Betonung der nicht-formalen Erziehung und ihrer Flexibilität.

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Résumé L'auteur de cet article met en évidence la signification du développement rurale envisagé comme une lutte contre la pauvreté dans les pays en développement et il souligne la nécessité de découvrir les implications de l'éducation dans une telle stratégie. Il présente et analyse quelques-unes des inductions tirées de l'expérience contemporaine du développement, en particulier du développement rurale, indispensables à la compréhension et à la formulation du rôle de l'éducation. Les indicateurs utilisés pour mesurer le développement rural anti-pauvreté apportent aussi une clarté au principe de conjugaison de l'éducation et du développement en termes concrets. Ensuite l'auteur examine quelques traits de l'éducation pour le développement rural, mettant l'accent sur l'importance de quatre zones d'activités éducatives, à voir, l'enseignement primaire, l'alphabétisation fonctionnelle, le développement des ressources humaines et l'éducation reliée au monde du travail. Enfin il souligne la nécessité d'établir des liens solides entre les infrastructures de l'éducation et celles du développement, en accentuant particulièrement l'éducation non-formelle et la flexibilité de ces moyens.

     

Design of suction foundations

Suction foundations have been deployed in the last three decades in a growing number of offshore developments, for bottom-fixed and floating structures, in shallow and deep waters, many of them successfully. Suction foundations, traditionally used as anchors and jacket foundations in the oil and gas industry, are now also used in the offshore renewable (wind) industry, e.g. for monopods, tripods, and jackets. When technically feasible, suction foundations are often cheaper than pile foundations. Additionally, their installation is relatively noise-free and, by applying overpressure, they can be removed during decommissioning. This paper focuses on the more complex design issues and some pitfalls related to suction foundation design. Additionally design practices and recommendations for suction caisson design, including installation and extraction feasibility, foundation resistance, settlements and response in sand, clay and layered soil profiles, will be presented for basic understanding.