Influential factors and faculty members’ practices in technology integration using ISTE standards for teacher preparation at Taibah University- Saudi Arabia

Doctor of PhilosophyCurriculum and Instruction ProgramsDavid S. AllenHaijun KangUsing technology effectively has been proven to enhance education. The status quo in Saudi Arabia reflects low-level usage of technology in K-12 classrooms. Preparing 21st Century teachers to integrate technology in their future classrooms for meaningful learning requires College of Education faculty to model using technology effectively. This study investigated the technology integration practices of faculty members in the College of Education at Taibah University, particularly to what extent these practices are aligned with ISTE NETS-T standards and what factors predict these practices. Based on the literature, the factors examined include attitudes towards technology use, pedagogical beliefs, technical skills, workload, professional development, technology access, technical support, and leadership support. The population of the study was the 257 faculty in the College of Education at Taibah University. The study used a web-based survey containing 66 closed-ended items to collect data, and 170 valid responses were obtained (66% response rate). Descriptive and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to analyze data. Findings from the first research question revealed that faculty members’ technology integration practices were well-matched with ISTE NETS-T standards since the overall mean of these items was (M= 4.25, SD= .64). This indicates that faculty members had awareness of using technology effectively based on these standards to engage students in meaningful learning. Results from the multiple linear regression analysis revealed that the overall model was significant as it explains 43% of the variability in faculty members’ technology integration practices. Three significant factors statistically predicted faculty members’ technology integration practices based on ISTE NETS standards. Faculty members’ attitude toward technology had a positive relationship with faculty members’ technology integration practices [β=.35, p=.00]. Faculty technical skills had also a statistically significant positive relationship with faculty members’ technology integration practices [β=.19, p=.00]. However, leadership support was found to have a statistically significant negative relationship with faculty members’ technology integration practices in teaching based on ISTE NETS-T standards [β=-.23, p=.00]. These results, in addition to the means of the independent variables, showed that the highly rated technology integration factors, including technology attitudes and technical skills, predict their high technology integration practices based on ISTE NET-T standards. However, faculty members still need more support in several technology integration factors including professional development, technology access, workload, and leadership support. The study recommends education faculty members to model the effective use of technology for pre-service teachers through providing them with opportunities to observe it in a variety of instructional models and practice the constructivist use of technology in lesson plan assignments and projects during the program, which helps in developing positive attitudes toward technology use among pre-service teachers. College of Education leaders are recommended to have a clear shared technology vision and offer the resources and support needed to make instructional technology integration successful. Recommendations for future studies are also discussed

Water resources of wadi systems of Southern Saudi Arabia

This study is a water resources assessment of two wadi systems in the southern Arabian Shield using seismic refraction, electrical resistivity (VES) and borehole geophysical techniques, pumping tests and ground water quality data and an examination of artificial recharge. Wadi Baysh (flowing southwest to the Red Sea) and Wadi Habawnah (flowing east to the Rub Al Khali) have similar catchment areas (approximately 10000 km2) and are underlain by igneous and metamorphic rocks but contrast in their hydrological cycles. The mean annual rainfall of Wadi Baysh is 350 mm while Wadi Habawnah receives 150 mm. The mean annual water discharges of Wadi Baysh and Wadi Habawnah are 75 and 10 mcm respectively. Hydrochemical classification, evolution of groundwater and its suitability for agricultural and domestic usage were studied in both wadis. In the upper and middle parts of both wadis the solute concentrations reach 1200 mg/l whereas in the lower parts solute concentrations range between 2000 and 3500 mg/l. Both wadis show high average values of transmissivity and storativity determined from pumping tests and grain size analysis. The geophysical surveys confirmed that the unconfined aquifer thickness is less than 42 m in both wadis. The seismic velocities of the aquifers range between 536 and 1817 ms-1 while the resistivities range between 23 and 125 ohm-m in both wadis. The igneous and metamorphic bedrock resistivity range between 3400 and 10260 ohm-m. The sediment has a high potential for water supply in the middle and lower parts of both wadis. The transverse resistance of the saturated part of the aquifers is used for correlation with the hydraulic transmissivity in which a computed empirical function may be applicable to similar aquifers in other Arabian Shield wadis. This study introduces a plan for the surface and subsurface storage that should help to manage the perennial yield and minimise the mining yield. The analysis reveals that building small reservoirs in both wadis is economically justifiable

The use of watershed geomorphic data in flash flood susceptibility zoning: a case study of the Karnaphuli and Sangu river basins of Bangladesh

The occurrence of heavy rainfall in the south-eastern hilly region of Bangladesh makes this area highly susceptible to recurrent flash flooding. As the region is the commercial capital of Bangladesh, these flash floods pose a significant threat to the national economy. Predicting this type of flooding is a complex task which requires a detailed understanding of the river basin characteristics. This study evaluated the susceptibility of the region to flash floods emanating from within the Karnaphuli and Sangu river basins. Twenty-two morphometric parameters were used. The occurrence and impact of flash floods within these basins are mainly associated with the volume of runoff, runoff velocity, and the surface infiltration capacity of the various watersheds. Analysis showed that major parts of the basin were susceptible to flash flooding events of a ‘moderate’-to-‘very high’ level of severity. The degree of susceptibility of ten of the watersheds was rated as ‘high’, and one was ‘very high’. The flash flood susceptibility map drawn from the analysis was used at the sub-district level to identify populated areas at risk. More than 80% of the total area of the 16 sub-districts were determined to have a ‘high’-to-‘very-high’-level flood susceptibility. The analysis noted that around 3.4 million people reside in flash flood-prone areas, therefore indicating the potential for loss of life and property. The study identified significant flash flood potential zones within a region of national importance, and exposure of the population to these events. Detailed analysis and display of flash flood susceptibility data at the sub-district level can enable the relevant organizations to improve watershed management practices and, as a consequence, alleviate future flood risk

Stochastic analyses of maximum daily rainfall series recorded at two stations across the Mediterranean Sea

Independence, stationarity, homogeneity, trend, and periodicity tests are applied on 48-year-long complete and 79-year-long incomplete maximum daily rainfall series recorded at Alexandria, Egypt, and on 61-year-long maximum daily rainfall series recorded at Antalya, Turkey, which are located at the southeastern and northeastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea. The results indicate no significant trend and no periodicity in mean, and both series are independent and homogeneous. Linear regression trend test applied to the 10 % highest part of the Alexandria series indicated a significant increasing trend. Next, frequency analysis is applied on each of these series by the probability distributions of Gumbel, general extreme-values, three-parameter log-normal, Pearson-3, log-Pearson-3, log-logistic, generalized Pareto, and Wakeby. The distributions, except for the generalized Pareto and Wakeby, pass the chi (2) and Kolmogorov-Smirnov goodness-of-fit tests at 90 % probability. By visual inspection of the plots of histograms together with the probability density functions, and by the results of the chi (2), Kolmogorov-Smirnov, and probability plot correlation coefficient tests, the general extreme-value distribution whose parameters are computed by the method of probability-weighted moments is deemed to be suitable for these two maximum daily rainfall series