Similarities and differences of learning approaches of student in statistics and mathematics : a case study from Turkey

Mathematics has been the language of science. In many degree programs such as business and engineering, there is at least one or more Mathematics unit(s). Similarly, with the increased emphasis on data analysis, statistics finds its place in many degree programs too. Mathematics and statistics departments around the world are offering, usually, first year mathematics and/or statistics units to their students. It is common to hear from academics that students are not engaged in such service units. In this study, we investigated students’ learning approaches in statistics and mathematics units and identified the similarities and differences between two groups. The results of this study might shed light into curriculum development for such statistics and mathematics units and enable students to choose deeper learning approaches

The Dangers of Romanticising Local Knowledge in the Context of Disaster Studies and Practice

This chapter focuses on local knowledge, which disaster studies and policy are increasingly drawing from, to understand what local knowledge can realistically achieve within the context of disaster risk studies, how it interacts with ‘Western’ or ‘scientific’ knowledge, and how this interaction ultimately affects local communities coping with frequent hazards and disasters. Starting from the premise that an uncritical engagement with local knowledges leads to the further marginalisation of these types of knowledge and its holders, the chapter unpacks misleading assumptions around what these knowledges are and what they can realistically achieve regarding disaster risk reduction at the local level. Recognising the urgent need for a balanced engagement with local knowledge in disaster studies that acknowledges the plurality of knowledges, and its strengths as well as limitations, this chapter highlights the often unequal power dynamics between local knowledge and other types of knowledge. The chapter ultimately argues that local knowledges cannot be imagined separately from social, cultural, economic, and environmental factors as well as the relations of power that lead to their emergence and continued existence, meaning that unrealistic assumptions around the ‘integration’ of local knowledges into scientific knowledge need to be critically questioned in relation to concepts such as ‘resilience’ and ‘vulnerability’. An important step towards a true recognition of local knowledges is, therefore, an in-depth rethinking of the conventional knowledge production apparatus and our research methods

Ferromagnetic resonance in double perovskite epitaxial thin films of La2NiMnO6 on SrTiO3 and NdGaO3 substrates

Rameev, Bulat Z/0000-0003-0828-8312; Rameev, Bulat/0000-0003-0828-8312WOS: 000281153600057Ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) studies of epitaxial La2NiMnO6 (LNMO) thin films on (100) oriented SrTiO3 and (110) oriented NdGaO3 substrates at room temperature are presented. Observation of FMR spectra above the Curie temperature of this compound confirms the presence of magnetic ordering in LNMO thin films at room temperature. Best fitting of FMR spectra has been made on the assumption of the coexistence of two magnetic phases with different easy and hard axis periodicities in the film plane of LNMO. The spectra of the films on various substrates are characterized by different in-plane and out-of-plane symmetries, which indicates the existence of different epitaxial growth on the substrates with different crystal symmetries and orientations. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3481678]State Planning Organization of TurkeyTurkiye Cumhuriyeti Kalkinma Bakanligi [2009K120730]; Research Projects Commission of Gebze Institute of TechnologyGebze Teknik University [2009-A11]This work was supported by State Planning Organization of Turkey through the Project No. 2009K120730. F.M. is indebted to Research Projects Commission of Gebze Institute of Technology for supporting this work by the Grant No. 2009-A11

Magnetic Resonance Studies of Half-Metallic Epitaxial CrO2 Thin Films Grown on Differently Oriented TiO2 Substrates

International Conference on Nanoscale Magnetism (ICNM) -- SEP 28-OCT 02, 2010 -- Gebze-Istanbul, TURKEYWOS: 000311297700017The results of structural and ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) investigations of epitaxial half- metallic chromium dioxide (CrO2) thin films of thicknesses between 58 nm and 540 nm grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) on (100) and (110)-oriented TiO2 single crystal substrates are presented. The angular dependences of the FMR spectra in different experimental geometries were obtained. Effective magnetic anisotropies of epitaxially grown CrO2 films of different thicknesses on strain and strain-free surfaces of TiO2 substrates were estimated. The results indicate that the magnetic behavior of the CrO2 films results from a competition between the magnetocrystalline and strain anisotropies. It has been revealed that the strain anisotropy dominates in the films grown onto (100)-oriented TiO2 substrates. On the contrary, the films grown onto (110)-oriented substrates demonstrate strain-free magnetic anisotropy behavior.Scientific & Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK)Turkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Arastirma Kurumu (TUBITAK) [209T061]; Research Projects Commission of Gebze Institute of TechnologyGebze Teknik University [2009-A11]; DPT (State Planning Organization of Turkey) [2009K120730]The authors thank Dr. Bulat Rameev for fruitful discussion. The financial supports of The Scientific & Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) (Project. No. 209T061) and Research Projects Commission of Gebze Institute of Technology (Grant No. 2009-A11) are greatly acknowledged. This work was partially supported by DPT (State Planning Organization of Turkey) through the Project No. 2009K120730

Methyl palmitate attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury in mice

Aim: The study is aimed to determine the beneficial effects of methyl palmitate (MP) which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects demonstrated on murine model of acute lung injury induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)