Student-Teachers’ Beliefs towards Learning Mathematics and Beliefs of Mathematics Teaching Efficacy and their Relation to their Perception of the Development of Pupils’ Understanding of Mathematics

The present study aimed at investigating the student-teachers’ beliefs towards learning mathematics, and beliefs of mathematics teaching efficacy and their relation to their perception of the development of pupils’ understanding of mathematics. Three measures were used in this study: The beliefs towards learning mathematics, the mathematics teaching efficacy beliefs, and the mathematics teacher's perception of the development of pupils’ understanding. Validity and reliability were established. A sample of student-teachers participated in the study. The results of the study showed that the more the positive student-teachers’ beliefs towards learning mathematics, the greater their mathematics teaching-efficacy was. Similarly, the greater the positive student-teachers’ belief towards learning mathematics, the more they become aware of the development of pupils’ understanding of mathematics. Finally, increasing the teaching efficacy of mathematics student-teachers was associated with an increase in their perception of the development of pupils’ understanding of mathematics. Both beliefs and teaching efficacy explained significant variance in the perception of their pupils’ understanding of mathematics

Teaching in the light of mathematical proficiency competencies and its impact on achievement and mathematical self-concept of 8th grade Omani students

هدفت الدراسة إلى تعرّف أثر التدريس في ضوء كفايات البراعة الرياضية وأثره في التحصيل وفي مفهوم الذات الرياضي لدى طلبة الصف الثامن. وللتحقق من ذلك أعدَّ دليل للمعلم في وحدة الدوال والمعادلات في ضوء كفايات البراعة الرياضية. وتمّ إعداد اختبار للتحصيل الدراسي، وقياس الصدق والثبات له على عينة استطلاعية. وتشكّلت عينة الدراسة من (58) طالبًا من طلاب الصف الثامن الأساسي بمحافظة جنوب الباطنة في سلطنة عُمان، ووزّعت في مجموعتين إحداهما تجريبية، درست وحدة الدوال والمعادلات في ضوء كفايات البراعة الرياضية، والأخرى هي المجموعة الضابطة، ودرست الوحدة نفسها بالطريقة المعتادة. وقد توصلت الدراسة إلى وجود فرق ذي دلالة إحصائية عند مستوى الدلالة (0.05=α) بين متوسطي درجات طلبة المجموعة التجريبية ودرجات طلبة المجموعة الضابطة في التطبيق البعدي لاختبار التحصيل الدراسي لصالح متوسط درجات المجموعة التجريبية. ودلت النتائج على وجود فرق ذي دلالة إحصائية عند مستوى الدلالة (0.05=α) بين متوسطي درجات طلبة المجموعة الضابطة ودرجات طلبة المجموعة التجريبية في تطبيق مقياس مفهوم الذات الرياضي بعديًّا، وذلك لصالح متوسط درجات المجموعة التجريبية. وفيما توصلت إليه الدراسة من نتائج، فقد أوصت بتوظيف استخدام التدريس في ضوء كفايات البراعة الرياضية في تدريس موضوعات أخرى.

Effetiveness of Zahorik Model in the Acquisition of Listening and Speaking Skills in the Light of the Motivation toward Learning Arabic among the Seventh Grade Students in Jordan

This study aimed at measuring the effectiveness of Zahorik Model in the acquisition of listening and speaking skills in the light of the motivation toward learning Arabic, among the seventh grade students in Jordan. The subjects of this study were selected purposely from the seventh grade students of a high school in Amman-Jordan. Two classes were selected randomly, one with (26) students, was assigned as an experimental group, where the other of (26) students, was assigned as a control group. Two tests were developed, one for the listening skill, and the other one for the speaking skill. A scale to measure the motivation toward learning Arabic was also developed. All validity and reliability indicators were obtained for these instruments. The results showed statistical differences in listening and speaking skills, for seventh graders, attributed to the method of teaching in favor of the experimental groups. The result also showed statistical differences in the speaking skill attributed to the interaction between the method and motivation toward learning Arabic, but showed no statistical differences in listening skill attributed to the interaction between the method and motivation toward learning Arabic. A set of recommendations were concluded in the light of these findings

The Effectiveness of a Training Program Based on Creative Problem Solving Model (CPS) in Developing Mathematical Power for 8th Grade Students in Light of their Mathematics Achievement

This study aimed to reveal the effectiveness of a training program based on a creative problem solving model (CPS) in developing mathematical power for 8th grade students in light of their mathematics achievement. To achieve this goal, a training program was designed to focus on a set of mathematical ideas and skills in an algebra quantities unit using creative problem solving strategies. The researcher designed a test to measure mathematics power. The sample of the study consisted of 135 female eight grade students randomly selected from Dhahra governorate, which was divided into experimental and control groups. For testing the study hypothesis, data were  analyzed by analysis of covariance (ANCOVA 2X3) in which eta squared was obtained. The study revealed a significant difference (α=0.05) in the means between the experimental and control groups in the mathematical power test in favor of the experimental group

Indications of Validity and Reliability of TIMSS Standards List with the Fourth Grade Cambridge Mathematics Curriculum from Mathematics Teachers and Supervisors Point of View in the Sultanate of Oman

هدفت الدراسة لتوفير قائمة موثوقة تتمتع بدلالات صدق وثبات مرتفعة، لموائمة معايير الدراسة الدولية للعلوم والرياضيات TIMSS مع منهاج الرياضيات كامبريدج للصف الرابع في سلطنة عمان، وتكوّنت القائمة من 39 معيارا، توزعت على خمسة محاور(الأعداد الكاملة، العبارات الجبرية، القياس، الكسور والأعداد الكسرية، الهندسة). طبقت القائمة على عينة تكونت من 616 (584 معلمًا، 32 مشرفًا). توصّلت الدراسة إلى أن المعايير كانت فعّالة لقياس محاور القائمة، وكذلك توصّلت إلى عدة دلالات للصدق تمثلت في الصدق الظاهري وصدق البناء، وتوصلت أيضًا إلى دلالات مناسبة ومرتفعة لثبات القائمة. وأوصت الدراسة باستخدام القائمة لمراجعة منهاج الرياضيات كامبريدج للصف الرابع في سلطنة عمان للحكم على مواءمته لمعايير الدراسة الدولية للعلوم والرياضيات TIMSS

Effects of hospital facilities on patient outcomes after cancer surgery: an international, prospective, observational study

Background Early death after cancer surgery is higher in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) compared with in high-income countries, yet the impact of facility characteristics on early postoperative outcomes is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the association between hospital infrastructure, resource availability, and processes on early outcomes after cancer surgery worldwide.Methods A multimethods analysis was performed as part of the GlobalSurg 3 study-a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study of patients who had surgery for breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer. The primary outcomes were 30-day mortality and 30-day major complication rates. Potentially beneficial hospital facilities were identified by variable selection to select those associated with 30-day mortality. Adjusted outcomes were determined using generalised estimating equations to account for patient characteristics and country-income group, with population stratification by hospital.Findings Between April 1, 2018, and April 23, 2019, facility-level data were collected for 9685 patients across 238 hospitals in 66 countries (91 hospitals in 20 high-income countries; 57 hospitals in 19 upper-middle-income countries; and 90 hospitals in 27 low-income to lower-middle-income countries). The availability of five hospital facilities was inversely associated with mortality: ultrasound, CT scanner, critical care unit, opioid analgesia, and oncologist. After adjustment for case-mix and country income group, hospitals with three or fewer of these facilities (62 hospitals, 1294 patients) had higher mortality compared with those with four or five (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3.85 [95% CI 2.58-5.75]; p<0.0001), with excess mortality predominantly explained by a limited capacity to rescue following the development of major complications (63.0% vs 82.7%; OR 0.35 [0.23-0.53]; p<0.0001). Across LMICs, improvements in hospital facilities would prevent one to three deaths for every 100 patients undergoing surgery for cancer.Interpretation Hospitals with higher levels of infrastructure and resources have better outcomes after cancer surgery, independent of country income. Without urgent strengthening of hospital infrastructure and resources, the reductions in cancer-associated mortality associated with improved access will not be realised

The development and validation of a scoring tool to predict the operative duration of elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Background: The ability to accurately predict operative duration has the potential to optimise theatre efficiency and utilisation, thus reducing costs and increasing staff and patient satisfaction. With laparoscopic cholecystectomy being one of the most commonly performed procedures worldwide, a tool to predict operative duration could be extremely beneficial to healthcare organisations. Methods: Data collected from the CholeS study on patients undergoing cholecystectomy in UK and Irish hospitals between 04/2014 and 05/2014 were used to study operative duration. A multivariable binary logistic regression model was produced in order to identify significant independent predictors of long (> 90 min) operations. The resulting model was converted to a risk score, which was subsequently validated on second cohort of patients using ROC curves. Results: After exclusions, data were available for 7227 patients in the derivation (CholeS) cohort. The median operative duration was 60 min (interquartile range 45–85), with 17.7% of operations lasting longer than 90 min. Ten factors were found to be significant independent predictors of operative durations > 90 min, including ASA, age, previous surgical admissions, BMI, gallbladder wall thickness and CBD diameter. A risk score was then produced from these factors, and applied to a cohort of 2405 patients from a tertiary centre for external validation. This returned an area under the ROC curve of 0.708 (SE = 0.013, p  90 min increasing more than eightfold from 5.1 to 41.8% in the extremes of the score. Conclusion: The scoring tool produced in this study was found to be significantly predictive of long operative durations on validation in an external cohort. As such, the tool may have the potential to enable organisations to better organise theatre lists and deliver greater efficiencies in care

Impact of opioid-free analgesia on pain severity and patient satisfaction after discharge from surgery: multispecialty, prospective cohort study in 25 countries

Background: Balancing opioid stewardship and the need for adequate analgesia following discharge after surgery is challenging. This study aimed to compare the outcomes for patients discharged with opioid versus opioid-free analgesia after common surgical procedures.Methods: This international, multicentre, prospective cohort study collected data from patients undergoing common acute and elective general surgical, urological, gynaecological, and orthopaedic procedures. The primary outcomes were patient-reported time in severe pain measured on a numerical analogue scale from 0 to 100% and patient-reported satisfaction with pain relief during the first week following discharge. Data were collected by in-hospital chart review and patient telephone interview 1 week after discharge.Results: The study recruited 4273 patients from 144 centres in 25 countries; 1311 patients (30.7%) were prescribed opioid analgesia at discharge. Patients reported being in severe pain for 10 (i.q.r. 1-30)% of the first week after discharge and rated satisfaction with analgesia as 90 (i.q.r. 80-100) of 100. After adjustment for confounders, opioid analgesia on discharge was independently associated with increased pain severity (risk ratio 1.52, 95% c.i. 1.31 to 1.76; P < 0.001) and re-presentation to healthcare providers owing to side-effects of medication (OR 2.38, 95% c.i. 1.36 to 4.17; P = 0.004), but not with satisfaction with analgesia (beta coefficient 0.92, 95% c.i. -1.52 to 3.36; P = 0.468) compared with opioid-free analgesia. Although opioid prescribing varied greatly between high-income and low- and middle-income countries, patient-reported outcomes did not.Conclusion: Opioid analgesia prescription on surgical discharge is associated with a higher risk of re-presentation owing to side-effects of medication and increased patient-reported pain, but not with changes in patient-reported satisfaction. Opioid-free discharge analgesia should be adopted routinely

Convalescent plasma in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 (RECOVERY): a randomised controlled, open-label, platform trial

Background: Many patients with COVID-19 have been treated with plasma containing anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. We aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of convalescent plasma therapy in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19. Methods: This randomised, controlled, open-label, platform trial (Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy [RECOVERY]) is assessing several possible treatments in patients hospitalised with COVID-19 in the UK. The trial is underway at 177 NHS hospitals from across the UK. Eligible and consenting patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either usual care alone (usual care group) or usual care plus high-titre convalescent plasma (convalescent plasma group). The primary outcome was 28-day mortality, analysed on an intention-to-treat basis. The trial is registered with ISRCTN, 50189673, and ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04381936. Findings: Between May 28, 2020, and Jan 15, 2021, 11558 (71%) of 16287 patients enrolled in RECOVERY were eligible to receive convalescent plasma and were assigned to either the convalescent plasma group or the usual care group. There was no significant difference in 28-day mortality between the two groups: 1399 (24%) of 5795 patients in the convalescent plasma group and 1408 (24%) of 5763 patients in the usual care group died within 28 days (rate ratio 1·00, 95% CI 0·93–1·07; p=0·95). The 28-day mortality rate ratio was similar in all prespecified subgroups of patients, including in those patients without detectable SARS-CoV-2 antibodies at randomisation. Allocation to convalescent plasma had no significant effect on the proportion of patients discharged from hospital within 28 days (3832 [66%] patients in the convalescent plasma group vs 3822 [66%] patients in the usual care group; rate ratio 0·99, 95% CI 0·94–1·03; p=0·57). Among those not on invasive mechanical ventilation at randomisation, there was no significant difference in the proportion of patients meeting the composite endpoint of progression to invasive mechanical ventilation or death (1568 [29%] of 5493 patients in the convalescent plasma group vs 1568 [29%] of 5448 patients in the usual care group; rate ratio 0·99, 95% CI 0·93–1·05; p=0·79). Interpretation: In patients hospitalised with COVID-19, high-titre convalescent plasma did not improve survival or other prespecified clinical outcomes. Funding: UK Research and Innovation (Medical Research Council) and National Institute of Health Research