Principals' instructional leadership practices in Pakistan elementary schools: perceptions and implications

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to outline the findings of an empirical study, ‘Principals' instructional leadership practices in Pakistan Elementary schools'. This study aims to explore the instructional leadership practices in elementary schools in Pakistan. This study also intends to examine the conceptualization of instructional leadership within the context of Pakistan. This study categorizes the confines of the existing knowledge established on instructional leadership practices and also for enlightening a preliminary empirical understanding of how principals perceive and ratify their role as instructional leaders in Pakistan. Qualitative research design was used and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 42 elementary school principals in Pakistan. The sample included principals from 14 Government Rural Schools, 14 Government Schools in towns and 14 Government Schools in Urban areas. Initially qualitative data was analyzed inductively and successively coded to generate the findings and conclusions. Outcomes of the study indicated that Pakistani principals overall understood and defined tasks concerning to cultivate instructional practice. Specifically regarding supervision of teachers, how they monitored and evaluated the excellence of teaching and knowledge in their institutions. Data uncovered that more or less obligations and accomplishments related with being principal in Pakistan are mostly compatible with instructional leadership practices even without having the knowledge and recognition of the name of instructional leadership. Above all, monitoring and supervision of teaching and learning combined with leading professional learning were intensely signified in data. There is strong policy desire, delineated in the Pakistan National Education Policy that principals are responsible and answerable for overall improvement in the schools and supposed to be instructional leaders. Evidence indicates principals are ratifying some of the functions related to being an instructional leader but not others. The findings of this study offer some understandings into principals' instructional leadership practices in Pakistan. It also offers a base for morein-depth investigations that can further increase the knowledge regarding principals' instructional leadership practices in Pakistan

Nanotechnology Based Therapeutic Approach in Alzheimer\u27s

Alzheimer\u27s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that ultimately results from the accumulation of beta-amyloid plaques in the brain. The Alzheimer\u27s disease cannot be prevented or cured at this time, and there is no recognised alternative. The medicinal solutions that are currently available can merely slow down its development. However, nanotechnology has demonstrated its applications in the medical field, and it demonstrates a great deal of promise in the treatment of Alzheimer\u27s disease. In particular, it has shown significant promise in the detection of the condition and the development of an alternative technique to cure it. It is necessary for the medication delivery system to have the capability of penetrating and crossing the blood-brain barrier in order to accomplish this need. On the other hand, greater research is necessary in order to discover and overcome these limitations, which have the potential to improve drug absorption while simultaneously reducing toxicity and adverse effects. Certain nanotechnology-based techniques to treating Alzheimer\u27s disease include regenerative medicine, neuroprotection, and stem cell regeneration. These are just few of the emerging approaches. This article\u27s goal is to take a look at nanotechnology from every angle, including its advantages and disadvantages and how it\u27s helping with neurodegenerative disease research and therapy

Diversity in conception of COVID-19 in pastoral and metropolis areas of Pakistan

Background: SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) COV-2 has become a global problem since its emergence in 2019 from Wuhan, China as it is most deadly pandemic since Spanish flu in 1918. Primary Study Objective: This study analyzed the people ‘s perception regarding COVID-19 and precautionary measures taken by them during COVID- 19 peak time. Methods/Design: An observational concurrent study was performed in which data was collected from population in rural and urban areas of Punjab and Azad Kashmir using questionnaires. Setting: This survey was carried out in rural and urban areas of Punjab and Azad Jammu and Kashmir Participants: 305 participants were included in the study Intervention: Data was collected from the educated participants of different age groups belongs to different profession. Primary Outcome Measures: Purpose of the study is to know about that conception of COVID -19 in both rural and urban areas of Pakistan so that effective therapy can be given to the nation. Results: It was found that people from both populations had adequate knowledge about COVID-19 and followed restriction imposed by the government during lockdown period. Moreover, population in rural areas was more likely to believe in the myths and rumors about COVID-19 existence. Conclusion: It was concluded that there is need of generating awareness among general population through adequate means which provide authentic information to people and lockdown is not a solution. Everyone should take of his own life by wearing masks and following protocols

Pharmacological Activities, Phytochemistry and Traditional Uses of Moringa oleifera

Moringa oleifera Lam., more commonly referred to as munga, is a plant that is widely cultivated in India and is used for medicinal purposes. In the family Moringaceae, it is classified as a member. The fact that this plant possesses a multitude of advantageous pharmacological effects, including as anti-diabetic, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, anti-fertility, anti-cancer, anti-microbial, and antioxidant qualities, makes it an appealing nutritional herb. Different names for this species include the horse radish tree and the drumstick tree, to mention only two of them. Each and every part of this plant contains a component that can be utilised for medical purposes. Milk protein, vitamin A, and vitamin C are all found in high concentrations in this food. There are many different chemicals that are considered to be active phytoconstituents. These substances include proteins, quinine, saponins, flavonoids, tannin, steroids, glycosides, fixed oils, and lipids. This plant also has a home in the tropical regions of the world. These are some extra components that are included: both niazinin A and niazinin B, as well as niazimicin A and niaziminin B. In the fight against malnutrition, the plant\u27s high phytonutrient concentration makes it an effective natural integrator that complements other natural remedies. The findings of studies that investigated the phytochemistry of different plant parts have shown that plants contain a large quantity of organic molecules, which include both primary and secondary metabolites. After doing research on the pharmacological and nutraceutical properties of the plant, it has been determined that it can be utilised in the treatment of a variety of ailments. Through this review, the phytochemical composition of the plant, as well as its therapeutic applications and pharmacological effects, are discussed in depth

Instructional leadership and students academic performance: mediating effects of teacher’s organizational commitment

This study investigates the mediating effects of teacher organizational commitment on the relationship between principal's instructional leadership and students' academic performance. Principals' effective leadership performance is assumed to be responsible for students' academic performance. However, many findings from the literature indicate no significant direct effect between instructional leadership and students' academic performance. Therefore, the current study hypothesized that principals' instructional leadership indirectly enhances students' academic performances through teacher organizational commitment. Data obtained from 440 primary school teachers from the state of Azad Jammu & Kashmir of Pakistan and pre-existing school academic performance data obtained from each school participated. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling, employing AMOS. The study's findings indicate that there is an indirect positive effect of principals' instructional leadership and students' academic performance through teacher's organizational commitment. Hence, schools with higher instructional leadership levels had better teachers, commitment to school, teaching work, teaching occupation, workgroup, and higher student's academic performances. Therefore, increasing the instructional leadership practices in schools through teacher organizational commitment contributes to Pakistan's overall student academic performances. Therefore, it is recommended to use instructional leadership components in the curriculum that effectively train new principals