Does online technology provide sustainable HE or aggravate diploma disease? Evidence from Bangladesh—a comparison of conditions before and during COVID-19

Higher education (HE) serves to produce well trained and job-ready graduates. Despite this belief, whether HE produces certificates/qualifications or job-ready graduates—this debate remains unsettled. To date, the current COVID-19 pandemic which erupted in late 2019 continues to create much economic, social and political dislocation throughout the world. Consequently, one outcome for HE during this crisis is the much greater dependence on online/digital technology to deliver courses and programs. Although it is not considered to be a complete substitute, critics argue that education delivered through online technology has expended the ‘diploma disease’ crisis and subsequently may pose a threat to the viability of producing HE graduates. It has been suggested that this can result in significant long-term problems that may be impossible to recover from. This study was based on a ‘empirical survey’ where the sample incorporated 240 people in two groups (before and during COVID-19, for a total of 120 in each), and the objective was to examine academic and job-readiness of graduates in greater depth. Findings demonstrate that pre-pandemic students scored poorly academically compared to their post-pandemic classmates. Pre-pandemic graduates, on the other hand, had higher work readiness scores in terms of both aptitude and practical aspects. Furthermore, both groups outperformed their job-readiness scores in terms of learning performance. This raises the question: is it the job of higher education to promote sustainable production of graduates or deliver certificates and degrees? COVID-19 appears to have been utilised by the HE system as an excuse to exacerbate the “diploma disease crisis,” a scenario that must be resolved by developing a proper policy framework that allows HE to play the necessary role in an emergency. Meaningful measures should be taken so that online technology is employed properly in this situation

Dynamic performance of heavy vehicles using finite element method

In this study, a finite element model of a typical highway bus is developed with ANSYS, and is used to demonstrate its effectiveness in evaluating its dynamic performance in ride, handling and longitudinal modes. The number of degrees of freedom (DOF) of the developed highway bus model is 1848, and the model is validated by static weight balance check and frequency analysis. The major challenge and effort in this investigation was in the implementation of tire mechanics. Both linear and nonlinear tire models are incorporated in the FEM model in this study. Transient analyses have been carried out using mode superposition method. As such, determination of frequency range is essential, and the first twenty-two natural modes of the given bus are identified to be important in which the highest natural frequency is found to be 20.976 Hz. Ride quality of the bus model has been evaluated under two road surface irregularities (half sinusoidal and random input). The effects of the nonlinear tire model and the corresponding linear tire model on simulation results are investigated using different amplitudes of half sinusoidal input

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: The Future Frontier of Hepatology for South Asia

This review is to know the magnitude of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) among general population and risk group populations of the South Asian countries. A thorough search of evidence-based literature was conducted using the PubMed database with key words. Databases searched from inception to February 2017. Systematic search of the literature was conducted for studies pertaining. Prevalence of NAFLD in South Asia varies from 13 to 34%. The Highest rate is in Bangladesh (34.34%) and lowest in Pakistan (13.5%). Prevalence of NAFLD is 15–80% among obese people, 25–60% with dyslipidemia and 33–55% in pre diabetics and diabetics. Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is present in about 50% of the NAFLD cases that can lead to fibrosis, cirrhosis or even hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). NAFLD is not the disease for only obese people, but it is also common in nonobese in this region. About 11.11% hepatocellular carcinoma developed from NASH. Incidence rate of diabetes and coronary artery disease is high among NAFLD patients. NAFLD is becoming a future challenge for South Asia region. Prevalence and severity has been remarkably increasing for last few years. The health system should get ready to confront burden of NAFLD in future for South Asia

Remote Sensing of 1998 and 2000 Floods in Greater Dhaka, Bangladesh: Experiences from Catastrophic and Normal events

This paper is an attempt to develop a series of maps that precisely depict flood prone areas in Greater Dhaka, Bangladesh using remote sensing techniques. Multi-temporal RADARSAT SAR data were acquired and employed to delineate open water flood boundary during the floods of 1998 and 2000. Using a threshold algorithm, SAR data is segregated into water and non-water areas. The empirical threshold value was obtained by using visual interpretation technique, local knowledge of the study site and by deriving corresponding pixel values to land/water from each image. The result demonstrated that 53 percent of the study area was heavily inundated in 1998 flood which is the largest submerged area during a catastrophic scenario. In contrast, 35.32 percent area was flooded during the year 2000 which represents the area under water for a normal event. Using the reference data acquired from field visit, derived flood maps were further validated. Moderate accuracy is obtained for all flood maps, however, July 1998 image attained the highest overall accuracy (86%) in the dataset. The derived flood maps are expected to be useful to mitigate losses of lives and property from river water flooding in Greater Dhaka. Furthermore, this information would be worthwhile to develop an efficient flood disaster management system

Evaluating Flood Damage using GIS and RADARSAT data-A case of the 1998 Catastrophe in Greater Dhaka, Bangladesh

The objective of this paper is to delineate flood prone areas and estimate damage in Greater Dhaka during the 1998 catastrophic flood using an integrated approach of GIS and remote sensing. Time series RADARSAT SAR data is acquired and used to demarcate flood boundaries for the 1998 flood event. This was accomplished by thresholding linear SAR imageries. Flood estimation demonstrated that flood areas steadily increased from early July 1998 and peaked on 25 August 1998 inundating 53% lands due to heavy monsoonal downpour and discharge from upstream points. Different thematic layers were combined with a derived flood map in order to assess flood damage for the same event. Flood damage analysis revealed that substantial damage has occurred in Greater Dhaka during the 1998 flood

Impact of teachers’ professional development on school improvement—an analysis at Bangladesh standpoint

This study seeks to describe the teachers’ professional development activities in Bangladesh and explores the hypotheses about the relationship between teachers’ traditional professional development activities and school improvement. Data from a representative sample of City secondary schools from Bangladesh (n = 127) were gathered through questionnaires from 127 principals and 694 teachers. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used in this research. This study found significant impacts of some of teachers’ professional development activities on school improvement. Also found that the maximum school improvement can be achieved if schools put more emphasis on teachers’ collaboration, in-service training and classroom observation and less emphasis on individual action enquiry. The findings of this study provide important information for the policy makers, educational managers and especially for the headmasters and teachers concerned with the improvement of teachers’ quality in secondary schools of Bangladesh. This study adopts a concurrent approach of data collection and analysis

Future business trends and higher secondary school business studies curriculum

In the business world, business is about creating value for stakeholders. Stakeholders want business professionals who are responsible towards the business community and society. The curriculum of Business Studies (BS) is responsible to mould high school leavers into entrepreneurs or continue to institutions of higher learning. BS of Malaysia is a decade old but not moderated or revised. There is a need to know whether the present curriculum is catering to future business needs. This is a preliminary and ongoing study. This study explores future business trends, business competencies needed of school leavers, and the content of BS curriculum of the future. A qualitative approach is used, whereby stakeholders were interviewed and review of literature was carried out. Generic skills and apprenticeship are advocated in the future BS curriculum