The inculcation of generic skills among juveniles through Technical and Vocational Education

Generic skills are skills which contribute towards individual＇s effective and successful participation in the workplace. For juveniles, Technical and Vocational Education （TVE） is one of the platforms that provide them generic skills which enable them to compete for job market. The purpose of this study is to investigate the level of generic skills that has been inculcated through TVE on juveniles in one of the juvenile schools in Malaysia, the time the teachers spent on inculcating the skills, and the challenges the instructors face in the process. There are four focuses of the generic skills that are of interest in this study： communication, teamwork, problem solving and technology. Eight teachers and 119 juveniles were chosen as the respondents from the Juvenile School （JS）. The data collected was through a set of questionnaires from the respondents, and these were analyzed by using frequency, percentage and mean score. The findings from this research show that the level of generic skills inculcated as perceived by the juveniles is at a moderate level. The perceived moderate level of skill acquire of the juveniles is justified by the moderate amount of time that the teachers believed they spend in instilling the generic skills. The teachers also suggested that the lack of understanding on what generic skills are is the main reason for not inculcating generic skills at its highest level. In conclusion, generic skills inculcation on juveniles through TVE in Juvenile School is at an average level. Measures have to be taken so that inculcation of generic skills can be increase to a higher level, as these generic skills will benefit juveniles in the labor force market.     

Using cloud computing services in e-learning process: Benefits and challenges

During the recent years, Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) play a significant role in the field of education and e-learning has become a very popular trend of the education technology. However, with the huge growth of the number of users, data and educational resources generated, e-learning systems have become more and more expansive in terms of hardware and software resources, and many educational institutions cannot afford such ICT investments. Due to its tremendous advantages, cloud computing technology rises swiftly as a natural platform to provide support to e-learning systems. This paper focuses on the research on the application of cloud computing in e-learning. The aim of this paper is to give an overview of the current state and the impact of the use of cloud computing for e-learning. Thus, at first the paper introduces concepts of e-learning and cloud computing infrastructure with their key characteristics. The paper analyzes also challenges facing e-learning systems deployment. In follow the paper considers cloud-based e-learning solutions by focusing on the raisons of the convenience of cloud computing for e-learning. Therefore cloud computing benefits are introduced as a solution for these challenges. Finally, the paper presents some solutions of cloud computing in e-learning and describes the most common architecture adopted. Issues in implementing cloud-based e-learning systems and some potential ways to overcome them are also discussed.     

Transforming Growth Factor-β1/Smad3 Signaling and Redox Status in Experimentally Induced Nephrotoxicity: Impact of Carnosine

Exposure to various organic compounds including drugs and environmental toxins causes cellular damage through generation of free radicals. Carnosine a dipeptide was used in this study to evaluate its effect against CCl4-induced nephrotoxicity. Sixty male albino rats were involved in this study and were equally divided into four groups. CCl4 (3 ml/kg body weight; biweekly for 4 weeks) was given to group II and III. Carnosine (10 mg/kg body weight; once daily for 4 weeks) was given to group III and VI. Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) level by immunoassay and Smad3 mRNA level by real-time PCR were estimated in addition to cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) activity, renal functions, redox status assessment and histopathological examination of the kidney. Carnosine significantly improved kidney function, renal redox status, decreased renal CYP2E1 activity, TGF-β1 level and Smad3 gene expression when compared to CCL4-intoxicated group. The protective effect of carnosine was confirmed by histopathological study. In conclusion: carnosine has the ability to protect against CCl4-induced nephrotoxicity possibly by alleviating oxidative stress, normalizing kidney histopathological architecture in addition to the disruption of the inflammatory and fibrotic response induced by CCl4.     

Knowledge heterogeneity and social network analysis – Towards conceptual and measurement clarifications

This literature review highlights some Social Network Analysis (SNA) concepts applicable to the study of organizational knowledge and, more particularly, to knowledge heterogeneity. Knowledge being all at the same time decentralized and distributed, knowing up to what point knowledge can be heterogeneous or homogeneous across organizational units becomes as important as the question of knowing how to structure the organization. SNA applied to knowledge management thus seems a stimulant for future research in the fields of management.     

“To be or not to be”: the double consciousness of the Tamil Muslims during the early 20th century

When the nation building process was gaining momentum during the early 20th century, all the communities in British India had to participate in the process and the Muslims were no exception. Although the Muslim community in British India was as diverse as any other community, there was an attempt to unite its members under the identity of “Muslims” during the first half of the 20th century. But the Tamil Muslims remained aloof from the idea of an “Indian Muslim Community.” They had a double consciousness of being a Tamil as well as a Muslim. They highlighted their “Tamilness” more than their “Muslimness.” More than the Muslim League, their involvement with the Dravidian Movement was substantial. They supported both the movement for Dravidasthan as well as Pakistan. This paper will look into the process of “nation making,” particularly a “Muslim nation” and the anxiety of the Tamil Muslims during these processes. It will analyse the reasons behind the Tamil Muslims being alienated from the other Muslims, the British colonialist denying the identity of “pure” Muslims to the Tamil Muslims and their involvement in the Dravidian Movement.     

A diagnostic dilemma in Jordan: two child abuse case studies

Child abuse was diagnosed in two Jordanian children. The first was a 15-month-old female infant admitted with a history of convulsions and loss of consciousness. The child had previous head and limb injuries resulting in bilateral subdural hematomas and fractures at different stages of healing of femur and pelvis. The second was a 3-year-old male admitted with history of head injury due to an alleged fall. Examination revealed fractured ribs, bruised eye and face, hemothorax, subperiosteal and subdural hematomas. Both children have sustained physical and mental handicaps. This is the first report of child abuse in Jordan. In Jordan, as in the rest of the world, a high index of suspicion is needed to diagnose child abuse early enough to save the affected child its serious sequelae.     

Problems of drinking water treatment along Ismailia Canal Province, Egypt

The present drinking water purification system in Egypt Uses surface water as a raw water supply without a pre-liminary filtration process.On the other hand,chlorine gas iS added as a disinfectant agent in two steps,pre- and post.chlorination.Due to these reasons most of water treatment plants suffer low fltering effectiveness and produce the trihalomethane (THM) species as a chlorination by-product.The Ismailia Canal represents the most distal downstream of the main Nile Rivet.ThUS its water contains all the proceeded pollutants discharged into the Nile.In addition.the downstream reaches of the canal act as an agricultural drain during the closing period of the High Dam gates in January and February every year.Moreover,the wide in-dustrial zone along the upstream course of the carlal enriches the canal water with high concentrations of heavy metals.The obtained results indicate that the canal gains up to 24.06×106m3 of water from the surrounding shallow aquifer during the closing period ofthe High Dam gates,while during the rest ofthe year,the callal acts as an influent stream losing about 99.6×106m3 of its water budget.The reduction oftotaI organic carbon(TOC) and suspended particulate mattes(SPMs)should be one of the central goals of any treatment plan to avoid the disinfectants by-products.The combination of sedimentation basins.gravel pre-filtration and slow sand filtration,and underground passage with microbiological oxidation-reduction and adsorption criteria showed good removal of parasites and bacteria and complete elimination of TOC.SPM and heavy metals.Moreover,it reduces the use of disinfectants chemicals and lowers the treatment costs.However,this purification system under the arid climate prevailing in Egypt should be tested and modified prior to application.     

Assessment of counselling needs: A comparative study of the perceptions of primary school teachers in Lesotho and Malaysia

In this paper the results of a study conducted to determine the perception of counselling needs by primary school teachers in Malaysia and Lesotho are reported. To this end, teachers were asked about the special needs of students they teach, how they cope with these students, what assistance they would like to have in teaching, and the best approach for dealing with student concerns. Teachers in Lesotho are dealing with larger numbers of special needs students and thus are having more difficulties than Malaysian teachers. Malaysian teachers appeared to be more interested in improving their teaching effectiveness. There was some variation in the perceptions of how to best deal with student concerns.     

Factors Related to Teacher-Directed Play Between Preschool-Age Children With Special Needs and Their Typical Peers

This study investigated the relations among child factors, classroom factors, and the percentage of observations that preschoolers with and without special needs spent in teacher-directed group play. Differences in the number of observations for other types of play (e.g., playing with a teacher or playing cooperatively with peers) between children with and without special needs also was examined. Additionally, the percentage of observations spent by children with and without special needs in different classroom activities and centers was examined. Participants were 48 typically developing children and 22 children with special needs. A scanning method was used to assess play types for the children. Results indicated that girls were more likely to play cooperatively in teacher-directed groups than boys. And, children with special needs were more likely to play with a teacher and less likely to play cooperatively with peers than their typically developing classmates. Children with and without special needs frequently engaged in play in the following areas: art, blocks, science, making food, talking with classmates. In future studies, investigators should observe the different types of child and teacher behaviors related to increased interactions between children who have special needs and their typically developing classmates.     

Attitudes of special education teachers towards using technology in inclusive classrooms: a mixed‐methods study

The purpose of this mixed‐methods study was to explore special education teachers’ attitudes towards using technology in inclusive classrooms in Oman. The sample consisted of 428 special education teachers working in Omani public schools (250 teachers of students with learning disabilities (LD), 90 teachers of students with intellectual disability and 88 teachers of students with hearing impairment). Participants responded to the attitudes towards computers questionnaire. For the qualitative section of this study, three semi‐structured group interviews were conducted with a group of special education teachers: 15 teachers of students with hearing impairment, 15 teachers of students with intellectual disabilities and 15 teachers of students with LD). Also, the teachers responded to a survey of educational technology which encompassed seven questions about computer technology. Results of the study indicated that the special education teachers’ attitudes towards using computers were generally positive. The most notable positive attitudes were in the following subscales: special education considerations, staff development considerations, computers use in society, and computers and quality of instruction issues. The analysis of variance results showed that experience and type of disability did not have a significant effect on teachers’ attitudes towards technology.