The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Modes of Teaching Science in UAE Schools

The pandemic of COVID-19 has affected most of the education systems around the world and changed the way schools conduct their daily activities. As a result, the learning activities changed to an online mode of delivery. This study explores the impact of Corona-virus pandemic on modes of teaching science in UAE schools. The qualitative method was conducted with a sample size of 62 science teachers. Questionnaires were deployed through an online platform.The study found that COVID-19 pandemic requires a different type of practice and competencies in teaching science in order to optimize the use of available resources and learning technologies. It also came up with a list of digital tools and applications that might help support teaching science, for instance: LMS “Smart Learning Gate”, Microsoft Teams, PhET Interactive Simulations. The result also showed that the main challenges for science teachers during the COVID-19 was the absence of hands-on activities, conducting experiments in wet labs, fostering interaction in the online classroom, and managing students' behavior. The results of this study found that most of the science teachers preferred teaching via the traditional classroom. Following the necessity to switch to a blended classroom, they now prefer it to the traditional classroom. According to these findings, it is recommended that MoE provide science teachers with specific training on using ICT in teaching science.Keywords: COVID-19, Online learning, Virtual classroom, Traditional classroom, Science teaching.DOI: 10.7176/JEP/11-20-13Publication date:July 31st 202

Investigating Cycle Two English Language Teachers\u27 Perceptions about Reading Strategies and Limitation Factors Hindering the Use of Strategies

This study investigated the perceptions of the English teachers concerning their use of various reading strategies and identified the possible factors that limit them in applying the concerned strategies in the UAE Cycle 2 Grades (6-9). The study focused also on obtaining any significant conflict that may be appreciable between English non-native teachers (i.e., Arab) and English native teachers view with respect to their usage of reading strategies. The participants were drawn from Cycle 2 EFL English teachers (n=211). Two questionnaires were incorporated in collecting the required data; the first questionnaire aimed at gleaning the perceptions of the English teachers regarding their usage of reading strategies. The second questionnaire is concerned with screening the potential elements that may hinder them from applying these strategies. The Collected data analyzed quantitatively using a t-test to carry out a comparison between the perceptions expressed by English Non Native teachers and English Native teachers. The answers from the first questionnaire revealed that the responses of all English teachers concerning the role of various reading strategies were found to be a mean of (M =4.08), which considered a high mean score in this regards. The results of the second questionnaire revealed that the responses of the English teachers concerning the possible factors limiting the use of some of the reading strategies were found to be a mean of (M=3.94), which considered a significant mean score. However the differences in using various reading strategies among the native and non-native English teachers were found to be six reading strategies; Non Native teacher preferred to set a purpose before reading and ask students to read silently and respond to questions, whereas Native teachers preferred to teach new vocabulary before reading, encourage students to use dictionaries during reading, rephrase difficult sentences or concepts found in the text, and ask students to write reflections about the text. Nevertheless, there were five significant limitations facing both English teaching groups, namely, lack of reading habit, student English language proficiency, large class size, student Misbehavior and L1 interference

THE MODERATING ROLE OF TRAINING ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STRATEGY MANAGEMENT, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE OF SHARJAH POLICE

This study’s primary objective is to examine the role of training on the relationship between strategy management, information technology (IT) management, and organizational performance. The study proposed the study model based on theoretical basis and a review of literature with the underpinning model being the Resource-Based View of the Firm (RBV), Knowledge–Based View (KBV) and innovation theories. The analysis of data was conducted on the effects of IT management and strategy management on the organizational performance of three hundred and forty-one (341) Sharjah Police in Emirate of Sharjah, UAE, to which the questionnaire survey copies were distributed to. A total of two hundred and forty-five (245) questionnaires were retrieved and tested with the help of SPSS. The analysis results indicated the positive and significant effects of both IT management and strategy management on the performance of Sharjah Police departments. The study enumerated recommendations for the effective IT management and strategy management implementation in the Sharjah Police and confirmed the underpinning theories applicability to the context.&nbsp

TiSEFE: Time Series Evolving Fuzzy Engine for Network Traffic Classification

Monitoring and analyzing network traffic are very crucial in discriminating the malicious attack. As the network traffic is becoming big, heterogeneous, and very fast, traffic analysis could be considered as big data analytic task. Recent research in big data analytic filed has produces several novel large-scale data processing systems. However, there is a need for a comprehensive data processing system to extract valuable insights from network traffic big data and learn the normal and attack network situations. This paper proposes a novel evolving fuzzy system to discriminate anomalies by inspecting the network traffic. After capturing traffic data, the system analyzes it to establish a model of normal network situation. The normal situation is a time series data of an ordered sequence of traffic information variable values at equally spaced time intervals. The performance has been analyzed by carrying out several experiments on real-world traffic dataset and under extreme difficult situation of high-speed networks. The results have proved the appropriateness of time series evolving fuzzy engine for network classification

Chemical Safety Board and Qatar Proposed Chapter

The Chemical Safety Board (CSB) is a board responsible for carrying out investigations on chemical hazards and accidents that take place in the chemical industry in the United States of America. The Board consists of five appointed members by the President and confirmed by the Senate, and its members reached 35 professional staff in 2008. The mission of CSB is given to it by the Congress and no other agencies can influence or affect the Board’s activities as stated in the law. Its main purpose is to maintain the safety of the people and work environment in chemical plants. Once an accident has been selected for investigation, the CSB members follow a set of procedures to find out the causes of the accident and give recommendations to the industry and also to the regulatory agencies about what should be done to avoid such accidents. The completed investigations, as well as the current ones, are made available to the public in order to limit the number of accidents that take place in the chemical industry in the U.S. In this paper, a Qatar chapter of CSB, Qatar Safety Board (QSB), is proposed. Unlike CSB in the U.S., QSB will cover not only the accidents in the chemical industry, but also accidents that take place in the medical, industrial, sea and transportation sectors in Qatar. QSB will give recommendations to the industries on how to avoid the accidents. It will also try to raise awareness among everyone in the work environment in Qatar by making its reports on the accidents available, free-of-charge to the public. QSB will ensure a safer and healthier work environment in Qatar

Chemical Safety Board and Qatar Proposed Chapter

The Chemical Safety Board (CSB) is a board responsible for carrying out investigations on chemical hazards and accidents that take place in the chemical industry in the United States of America. The Board consists of five appointed members by the President and confirmed by the Senate, and its members reached 35 professional staff in 2008. The mission of CSB is given to it by the Congress and no other agencies can influence or affect the Board’s activities as stated in the law. Its main purpose is to maintain the safety of the people and work environment in chemical plants. Once an accident has been selected for investigation, the CSB members follow a set of procedures to find out the causes of the accident and give recommendations to the industry and also to the regulatory agencies about what should be done to avoid such accidents. The completed investigations, as well as the current ones, are made available to the public in order to limit the number of accidents that take place in the chemical industry in the U.S. In this paper, a Qatar chapter of CSB, Qatar Safety Board (QSB), is proposed. Unlike CSB in the U.S., QSB will cover not only the accidents in the chemical industry, but also accidents that take place in the medical, industrial, sea and transportation sectors in Qatar. QSB will give recommendations to the industries on how to avoid the accidents. It will also try to raise awareness among everyone in the work environment in Qatar by making its reports on the accidents available, free-of-charge to the public. QSB will ensure a safer and healthier work environment in Qatar

Prevalence of gestational diabetes and associated maternal and neonatal complications in a fast-developing community: global comparisons

Abdulbari Bener1,2, Najah M Saleh3, Abdulla Al-Hamaq41Department of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Hamad General Hospital, Department of Public Health and Medical Education, Weill Cornell Medical College, Qatar; 2Department of Evidence for Population Health Unit, School of Epidemiology and Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK; 3Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women's Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar; 4Qatar Diabetes Association and Qatar Foundation, QatarBackground: The prevalence of gestational diabetes (GDM) is increasing all over the world. Hence, the impact of GDM on maternal and infant health is an important topic of research. No study has been conducted in Qatar to evaluate the outcome of pregnancies complicated by diabetes mellitus.Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of GDM, compare the maternal–neonatal complications among women with GDM and non-GDM pregnant women, and investigate the risk factors and potential outcomes associated with GDM.Design: This is a prospective cohort study.Setting: The survey was carried out at the antenatal clinics of the Women's Hospital, Qatar.Subjects and methods: A representative sample of 2056 pregnant women who attended the antenatal clinics of the Women's Hospital were surveyed during the period from the first week of January 2010 to April 2011. From this sample, 1608 women (78.2%) expressed their consent to participate in the study. Questionnaires were administered to pregnant women who were seeking antenatal care at this urban hospital. The questionnaire covered variables related to sociodemographic factors, family history, medical history, maternal complications, and neonatal outcome.Results: The prevalence of GDM in Qatar was 16.3%. Women with GDM were significantly higher in the age group of 35–45 years (45%; P = 0.001). Family history of diabetes (31.7%; P < 0.001), increased parity (55.3%; P = 0.004), and obesity (59.2%; P < 0.001) were determinants of GDM in pregnant women. Maternal complications like pregnancy-induced hypertension (19.1% vs 10.3%; P <0.001), pre-eclampsia (7.3% vs 3.8%; P = 0.012), antepartum hemorrhage (19.2% vs 14.6%; P = 0.05), and cesarean (27.9% vs 12.4%; P < 0.001) were significantly higher in GDM women. Neonates were at increased risk of preterm birth (12.6% vs 8.3%; P = 0.03), macrosomia (10.3% vs 5.9%; P = 0.01), and birth trauma (8% vs 3%; P < 0.001).Conclusion: The study findings revealed that GDM was higher in women in Qatar and that they were at increased risk of developing maternal and neonatal complications. Obesity emerged as an essential risk factor for subsequent GDM. The advanced maternal age, low monthly income, family history of diabetes, and obesity were the main significant risk factors for GDM.Keywords: gestational diabetes, obstetric risks, macrosomic, Qata

ASSESSING OF UAE STUDENTS’ INVOLVEMENT IN SCIENCE TEXTBOOK FOR THE 8TH GRADE

The purpose of this research is to identify the level of UAE student involvement in the 8th grade science textbook by reviewing the educational content, graphics, and activities. It was calculated using Romey's Involvement Index, which measures the book involvement factor for the student using a random selection of textbook pages. The findings showed that students’ involvement in the content of science textbook around the minimum value of the acceptable range identified by Romy. The value was at the (0.4) highlighting poor involvement in content that might not allow students to analyse, brainstorm, and draw their own conclusions. A decrease was noticed in students’ involvement in graphics and image and illustrations, (0.14), indicating its poor effect on encouraging students to perform science investigations. It also showed student involvement in activities was (0.31), which is less than the range identified by Romey. Thus, the researchers recommended reviewing the original version of the textbook by the publisher and rewriting the scientific context in an educational format. They also recommended enriching the book with effective content materials, with more attention to image and illustrations and figures, to enhance student opportunities to participate and interact in lessons.  Article visualizations

Structural relationship model of causes and effects of construction changes in UAE construction industry

Studies have shown that changes happened in late construction project phases contributed in major failure of a project. Hence, this study is intended to develop structural relationship model of causes and effects for construction changes from the perspective of the UAE construction practitioners. This study was carried out using a quantitative approach with the respondents coming from managerial level working that are working on mega construction projects. The questionnaire was validated using pilot study by 28 construction experts with the outcome that shown that all the 58 causes were categorised into 3 groups (client, contractor, and consultant) and 48 effects were categorised into 3 groups (time overrun, cost overrun, and quality assurance). Next, the actual survey came with 100 valid responses and the data collected from the survey were analysed descriptively. The results found that the most influential construction change causes affecting a project’s performance is the lack of coordination, while the most challenging construction changes effects were the delay in completion. The collected data were further tested by using PLS-SEM relationship model and found that the model has achieved all the assessment criteria with goodness-of-fit index of 0.404 which validated the model. It also found that the relationship of construction changes triggered by contractor has significant effect on time, cost and quality of the project. To ensure that the model is applicable to the UAE construction industry, face validation by selected construction experts was conducted and found that all experts agreed on the model. Hence, this study has shown the importance of identifying construction change causes and effects that it could be useful being practiced by the UAE construction industry