The Intercultural Communication Experiences of Arab Muslims Studying in New Zealand: Academic and Social Perspectives

The number of Arab Muslim students in New Zealand has increased significantly in recent years, yet there is a lack of New Zealand studies that investigate this phenomenon. Studies that have examined the experiences of these students in Western academic contexts suggest, however, that there is a need for further investigation to understand the extent to which these students (re)construct and (re)ne¬go¬tiate their identities as a result of their intercultural communication experiences. The purpose of this study is to examine how universities’ communication practices influence the negotiation process of these students’ cultural and religious identities. In addition, the study investigates which communication practices adopted by students facilitate, or inhibit, good communication with New Zealanders. Cultural identity theory and structuration theory were used as the theoretical framework to understand the reconstruction and renegotiation of students’ cultural and religious identities. In-depth phenomenological interviews were conducted with 45 male and female participants to elicit their personal stories. Eight university administrators were also interviewed, and university documents were analysed to explore the organisational perspectives in dealing with the presence of these students. Thematic, content, and structuration analyses were conducted with the assistance of NVivo software. Given that the researcher is also an Arab Muslim student, methodological and ethical challenges (e.g., recruiting and engaging with participants, and conducting semistructured face-to-face interviews) were explored reflexively. Analysis of the data for this study suggested three main findings. First, both Islamic and cultural values guided the direction of Arab Muslim students’ daily lives. Participants noted a number of issues that reflected their emphatic, forthright identification with their own cultural and religious heritage. These issues involved insisting on the role of social networks to protect feminine identity and the integrity of people’s social reputation; the importance of consuming halal food and securing a space to perform daily prayers; the avoidance of working with the opposite sex, and avoid any university and community activities that include practices contrary to their own values. Second, the negotiation of power between universities and participants was observed. As New Zealand universities used human and nonhuman resources, they were able to wield power over participants and influence them to negotiate and reflect on their own values and norms. Participants appealed to the concept of the purification of Islam to rationalise their motivation for reflecting on and questioning their own values and norms. This reflection resulted in the adoption by students of guidelines and strategies for interaction, avoidance, and normalisation. Third, the students’ length of residence appeared to be an indicator of disiden¬ti¬fi¬cation with their own values and identification with the dominant values in matters relating to the segregation of the sexes and modesty. A redefining of concepts of gender roles, being alone, freedom, and others was observed over time. The experience of negotiating cultural and religious identities affirmed that cultural identity is constructed in the intercultural communication context as participants worked out a sort of two identities which combines elements from the old and the new. The study contributes significantly to existing research on intercultural communication by hearing Arab Muslim students’ voices on issues that arise as they encounter new cultural values, seek to maintain their cultural and religious identities, and navigate between home and host values. Among significant contributions to theoretical knowledge, we can include conceptualising the gender roles, being alone in a Western country, gender relations, segregation of the sexes, modesty, freedom, hijab, and personal freedom. In particular, the study enriches the extant literature examining the negotiation process of individual identity from the structuration and cultural identity point of view. In addition to these contributions, implications were drawn for educational institutions, government policies, and future Arab Muslim students to help them obtain constructive intercultural communication experiences in a dominant culture. The suggestion for future studies was made to further explore the role of female gender and length of residency in the reconstruction and renegotiation of cultural identity

Perceptions of teachers and students participating in the stem Oman program in light of some variables

This study aimed to identify the perceptions of teachers and students about STEM OMAN program in light of some variables. The study used a descriptive research approach. The sample of the study consisted of (51) male and female teachers and (1012) students from grade 10 selected from those who participated in the program. They were selected using a convenience sampling method during the academic year 2019/2020. To achieve the aims of the study, two questionnaires were developed: one for teachers and the other for students. Also, individual interviews were conducted for a sample of teachers and a focus group interview for a sample of students. The validity of the questionnaires and the interviews were verified by a group of specialized judges. The reliability of the two questionnaires was examined through the internal consistency (Alpha Cronbach), which was found to be (0.86) for the teachers\u27 questionnaire as a whole and (0.77) for the students\u27 questionnaire as a whole. The results of the study showed that the teachers and the students had positive perceptions about the design of the STEM OMAN program as well as its implementation and impact. Also, the results revealed that the participants perceived moderate difficulties in the implementation of the program, most notably the weakness of the Internet in the school and the insufficient time allocated to implement the activities of the program. The results also indicated that there were no statistically significant differences in teachers\u27 perceptions about the program due to gender, years of teaching experience and years of supervision. However, there were statistically significant gender differences in students\u27 perceptions about the design and implementation of the program favoring females as well as in the difficulties in implementing the program favoring males. In light of the previous results, the study propose several recommendations such as allocating fixed lesson in the school timetable for the program and preparing an assessment form to follow the student\u27s progress in the program. The study suggests conducting a comparative study between students participating in the program and non-participants, in terms of possessing the skills of the twenty-first century, skills of science operations and students ’attitudes toward science

Emotional Intelligence Among School Teachers in Oman

This paper sheds light into the role of emotional intelligence in school teaching. It reports the findings of a study that sought to investigate the emotional intelligence of 4,098 school teachers in the Sultanate of Oman in five dimensions using the Schutte Emotional Intelligence Scale (SEIS). The study also measured the relationship between teachers’ emotional intelligence and a number of demographic teacher and school variables. The results showed that teachers’ emotional intelligence was high in all five dimensions. There were variations in teachers’ emotional intelligence based on certain teacher and school variables. Key words: job satisfaction, Sultanate of Oman, teachers’ emotional intelligence. Cet article fait la lumière sur le rôle de l’intelligence émotionnelle dans l’enseignement. L’article fait rapport des résultats d’une étude ayant porté sur l’intelligence émotionnelle, selon cinq dimensions, de 4 098 enseignants dans le Sultanat d’Oman en employant l’échelle de Schutte sur l’intelligence émotionnelle. L’étude a également mesuré le rapport entre l’intelligence émotionnelle des enseignants et un certain nombre de variables démographiques liées aux enseignants et aux écoles. Les résultats indiquent que l’intelligence émotionnelle des enseignants étaient élevée pour toutes les dimensions. Des variations dans l’intelligence émotionnelle des enseignants se sont révélées selon les variables liées aux enseignants et aux écoles. Mots clés : satisfaction professionnelle; Sultanat d’Oman; intelligence émotionnelle chez les enseignants   Saleh Al-Busaidi1, Said Aldhafri12, Marwa Alrajhi1, Hussain Alkharusi1,, Bader Alkharusi3,, Abdullah Ambusaidi1, Khoula Alhosni

Incidence of Optic Neuritis Among Omani Patients with Multiple Sclerosis at the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman

Objectives: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, multifaceted, heterogeneous autoimmune disease, with optic neuritis (ON) being a common early manifestation. This study aimed to estimate the incidence of ON among Omani patients with MS. Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study included all Omani patients diagnosed with MS at the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman, between January 1991 and December 2019. Data were collected from the neurology registry and electronic medical records. The data was analysed descriptively using univariant and multivariant statistical techniques. Results: Of the 185 patients diagnosed with MS during the study period, 170 were included in the analysis. The male-to-female ratio was 1:3 and the mean age was 28 years. The incidence of ON in the population was 28.8%, with 83.7% of ON patients presenting with relapse-remitting MS (RRMS). Overall, 28.6% presented with ON as an initial manifestation of MS, while 42.8% developed ON at a later stage. Most patients (49.4%) were from higher-latitude regions of Oman, like Muscat and Al Batinah. Conclusion: The incidence of both MS and ON increased over the study period. While the overall incidence was low in comparison with Western data, it was similar to rates reported elsewhere in the Arabian Peninsula. Overall, ON was the most common manifestation of MS in the cohort, with younger female patients more frequently presenting with both MS and ON. There was a significant association between the RRMS subtype and ON presentation. Keywords: Demyelinating Diseases; Optic Neuritis; Multiple Sclerosis; Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting; Incidence; Epidemiology; Oman

Cohen’s criteria for interpreting practical significance indicators: A critical study

The present study aimed at clarifying the various shortcomings of the Cohen’s criteria for the interpretation of the values of the practical significance indicators. The hypothetical data were used for two experimental and control groups and calculating the paired-samples t-test. To clarify the inadequacy of Cohen’s criteria in interpreting practical significance indicators, it was compared with another criterion which is Black’s Modified Gain Ratio. Through the compatibility of mathematical equations to calculate the practical significance and the values of the interpretations of the correlation coefficient, the present study suggested that a criterion for the practical significance should be as follows: small when the values of the index (d) are less than (0.631), medium when the values are between 0.631 and 1.50 and large when the values are equal to or greater than (1.51). The study showed the justifications that distinguish this criterion from the Cohen criterion

Conditions associated with increased growth hormone and prolactin sensitivity

Growth Hormone (GH) and Prolactin (PRL) are critical regulators of body growth and metabolism. Secretion and actions of GH and PRL are regulated at several levels and by different factors. The biological actions of these hormones are initiated by their binding to the respective membrane bound receptors of GH and PRL (GHR and PRLR). Several hormone systems are characterized by changes in target tissue sensitivity. Key factors in hormone sensitivity include the number of particular receptors and the duration of receptor activated intracellular signals. A common theme concerning this is e.g. that tyrosine phosphorylated intracellular proteins become inactivated by tyrosine phosphatases or by proteasomal breakdown. In this thesis a particular focus is put on two different proteins, Suppressors of Cytokine Signaling2 (SOCS2) and Tuberous Sclerosis Complex2 (TSC2) that uniquely impinge on JAK-STAT activation and on mTOR activation. Study I. We explored the influence of SOCS2 on glucose metabolism by using a mouse model of diabetes induced by multiple low dose streptozotocin (MLDSTZ). Pancreatic islets from untreated SOCS2-/- mice appeared larger than in wild-type (WT) controls, which could explain the augmented serum insulin levels observed in SOCS2-/- mice. Pancreatic islets, derived from SOCS2-/- mice showed increased GHR and PRLR staining, which suggest a higher sensitivity to GH/PRL-STAT5 signals in SOCS2-/- than in WT-derived β-cells. Our results suggest that SOCS2 ablation can partly overcome β-cell destruction induced by MLDSTZ. Study II and III. In these studies we aimed to investigate the relevance of PRL in two different human tumors, i.e. lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) and glioblastoma (GBM), by analyzing features of the PRLR and the effect of a novel PRLR antagonist (PRLRA) in such tumors. Reduction of TSC2 (the disease causing gene in LAM) increased PRLR levels in LAM cells and PRL stimulated LAM cell proliferation; an effect that could be blocked with the PRLRA. In GBM, PRLR was detectable in cultured GBM cells as well as in tissue sections from patients with GBM. In cell culture GBM studies, PRL treatment increased STAT5 phosphorylation as well as cell invasion and both effects could be blocked by the PRLRA. In summary, our studies indicate that the tissue sensitivity to GH/PRL is regulated by SOCS2 and TSC2 proteins. Since both SOCS2 and TSC2 have links to different disorders, an increased GH/PRL sensitivity in such conditions could play a functional role. To block an increased PRL sensitivity we have developed a novel PRLRA and demonstrated its efficacy in cell cultures

Students\u27 perceptions about electronic assessment and their relationships to learning styles and academic self-efficacy

The present study aimed to identify students\u27 perceptions about electronic assessment and their relationships to learning styles and academic self-efficacy. The sample of the study consisted of 342 male and female students enrolled in the baccalaureate programs at Sultan Qaboos University for the second semester of the academic year 2019/2020. To achieve the goals of the study, three instruments were used after establishing their validity and reliability: Students\u27 Perceptions about Electronic Assessment Questionnaire, Academic Self-Efficacy Beliefs Scale, and Preferred Learning Styles Scale. The results of the study showed that students had a neutral perception about electronic assessment and medium level of academic self-efficacy. Also, the results showed that the most preferred learning styles for students were in order: the participatory, competitive, and independent; whereas the least preferred learning styles for students were in order: the cooperative, dependent, and avoidant. Further, the results showed a mediating effect of academic self-efficacy in the relationship between some of the students\u27 preferred learning styles and perceptions about electronic assessment, as well as a direct positive effect of the cooperative learning style on the perception of electronic assessment. The study came out with a set of recommendations and suggestions to enhance students\u27 perceptions of electronic assessment

Characterisation of soiling on glass surfaces and their impact on optical and solar photovoltaic performance

Photovoltaic (PV) module soiling, i.e., the accumulation of soil deposits on the surface of a PV module, directly affects the amount of solar energy received by the PV cells in that module and can also give rise to additional heating, leading to significant power generation losses. In this work, we present results from an extensive outdoor experimental testing campaign of soiling, apply detailed characterisation techniques, and consider the resulting losses. Soil from sixty low-iron glass coupons was collected at various tilt angles over a study period of 12 months to capture monthly, seasonal and annual variations. Transmittance measurements showed that the horizontal coupons experienced the highest degree of soiling. The horizontal wet-season, dry-season and full-year samples experienced a relative transmittance decrease of 65 %, 68 %, and 64 %, respectively, which corresponds to a predicted relative decrease of 67 %, 70 %, and 66 % in electrical power generation. An analysis of the soiling matter using an X-ray diffractometer and a scanning electron microscope showed the presence of particulate matter with diameters <10 μm (PM10), which was the most prevalent in the studied region