PRACTICE TEACHING PROBLEMS AND THEIR SOURCES: REFLECTION OF YEMENI EFL STUDENT TEACHERS

The aim of this study is to investigate the major sources of EFL student teacher’s (STs’) problems of teaching practice (PT) and the main problems associated to the major sources. The target group consists of 50 STs majoring in English from the College of Education of Seiyun University, Yemen. The data of the study is collected using writing journals, questionnaire, and semi-structured interview. The problems included in the questionnaire are extracted from the entries of the writing journals and then classified into seven sources: 1) Student teachers, 2) pupils, 3) textbook, 4) school principal, 5) cooperating teacher, 6) school environment, and 7) gap between theory and practice. Results reveal that the first major source of the STs’ problems is the school environment, followed by gap between theory and practice. The third source of the problems is the pupils. The school environment, as revealed by the study, causes problems such as lack of teaching aids, large number of students, frequent cutoffs of electricity supply, and difficulty of arranging various activities in the classroom. On the other hand, the main problems related to the source of gap between theory and practice include difficulty of applying theories taught at the college, uselessness of literature courses taught at the college and feeling shock about the reality of teaching. Under the third source which is the pupils, the study asserts several main problems such as pupils’ heavy dependence on their teacher, their negative attitudes towards learning English, their weakness in English, and their habit of coming to the class unprepared.

Marketing strategy and product performance: a study of selected firms in Nigeria

This study was conducted to investigate the nature of relationship between marketing strategy and product performance with a special focus on the food and beverage industry in Nigeria. The study used primary data gathered from 284 randomly selected staff of ten selected companies. These companies are quoted on the Nigerian stock exchange. To do this, a questionnaire was adopted as research instrument. The data gathered was subjected to factor analysis and regression analysis.  The results show that indeed marketing strategy impacts product performance of the observed firms. More so, of all the factors considered (promotion strategy, Product strategy, Distribution strategy, General marketing strategy and Pricing Strategy) promotional factors were found to be most important, then product strategy while pricing mix account for the least variation. This paper therefore recommends that business organisations should accord necessary attention to the element of marketing strategy by designing  market strategies driven by a sound marketing management, targeting and strategic positioning.         Key Words: Marketing Strategies, Product performance, Marketing mix, Marketing management, Consumer patronage, Advertising, Marketing, Market Shar

The effect of transportation in logistics operation on an entrepreneurial performance

The need for transportation in logistic operation cannot be undermined if a business is to stay competitive in a globalised economy. Improvements in customer awareness have made industries to use logistics as an important tool to increase returns, improve operational efficiency and performance. This study examined the effect of transportation in logistics operation on an entrepreneurial performance. The research employed a survey research with a self-structured questionnaire using a multistage sampling techniques and a simple random selection. A sample of 150 staff from 10 selected entrepreneurial firms in Lagos and Ogun state distributing 15 questionnaires each to them to form the basis of the data. The data gathered for the study after being hypothesized were analysed using descriptive statistic, T-test and regression analysis. The result of the findings showed that there is a strong and significant relationship (r = 0.784) between transportation in logistics operation and entrepreneur performance and also that transportation in logistics operation has significant effect on entrepreneurial performance with a T-test value of value 0.00. Thus, it is concluded that transportation in logistics operation is an effective tool entrepreneurs can employ in the quest to remain competitive and effective in their operations.Keywords: Transportation, Logistics Operation, Entrepreneur, Performanc

L’Afrique minée par les conflits : les véritables enjeux de l’action humanitaire

L’Afrique connaît aujourd’hui des guerres et des conflits qui ont des conséquences humanitaires catastrophiques, notamment pour les couches les plus vulnérables de la société : femmes, enfants, minorités ethniques, religieuses ou culturelles. Ces crises occasionnent aussi des mouvements massifs de populations réfugiées et déplacées (Rwanda, Burundi, République démocratique du Congo, Sierra Leone, Angola.) Cette nouvelle situation n’a pas manqué d’interpeller la communauté internationale qui, ..

L’Afrique minée par les conflits : les véritables enjeux de l’action humanitaire

L’Afrique connaît aujourd’hui des guerres et des conflits qui ont des conséquences humanitaires catastrophiques, notamment pour les couches les plus vulnérables de la société : femmes, enfants, minorités ethniques, religieuses ou culturelles. Ces crises occasionnent aussi des mouvements massifs de populations réfugiées et déplacées (Rwanda, Burundi, République démocratique du Congo, Sierra Leone, Angola.) Cette nouvelle situation n’a pas manqué d’interpeller la communauté internationale qui, ..

Das von Konflikten zerrüttete Afrika : was bei der humanitären Aktion wirklich auf dem Spiel steht

Afrika wird heute von Kriegen und Konflikten erschüttert, welche katastrophale humanitäre Folgen, besonders für die anfälligsten Schichten der Gesellschaft haben : Frauen, Kinder, ethnische, religiöse oder kulturelle Minderheiten. Diese Krisen führen auch zu Massenumsiedlungen von Flüchtlingen und Vertriebenen (Ruanda, Burundi, Demokratische Republik Kongo, Sierra Leone, Angola). Diese neue Situation hat es nicht verfehlt, die internationale Gemeinschaft zu alarmieren, die sich in vielen Fäll..

Cultural, morphological, pathogenic and molecular characterization of Alternaria mali associated with Alternaria leaf blotch of apple

Alternaria blotch (Alternaria mali) causes severe foliar damage to apple trees in Kashmir. Twenty one (21) isolates of A. mali were collected from different locations and characterized for cultural, morphological, pathogenic and molecular variations. A. mali colonies varied in their cultural behaviour ranging from velvety to cottony, mostly appressed, with regular to irregular margins. Colour of colonies ranged between light to dark olivacious. Isolates impregnated media with colour ranging between grey to brown. Growth rate of isolates was between 5.86 to 8.21 mm/day with fast growth in isolate Am-13 and least in Am-5. Morphological variations in size, shape and septation of hyphae, conidiophore and conidia were observed in the isolates with significant variations in conidiophore and conidial septation. Average conidial size ranged from 21.36 to 31.74 x 8.34 to 14.48 μm. Isolates exhibited variations in incubation period, number and size of the lesions were produced. The dendrogram analysis, based on cultural, morphological and pathogenic studies, revealed variation within A. mali population. At 67% similarity matrix, all the isolates formed 2 clusters with 12 and nine isolates in cluster I and II, respectively. However, dendrogram on molecular (random amplification of polymorphic DNA, RAPD) basis revealed five clusters at 68% Dice similarity coefficient. There was no congruence between RAPD pattern and cultural, morphological and pathogenic characters. Isolates identical for one spectrum were often dissimilar for other spectrum. The results demonstrate existence of considerable variation in cultural, morphological, pathogenic and molecular characters of A. mali isolates prevalent in Kashmir valley.Keywords: Apple, Alternaria mali, variability, cultural, morphological, pathogenic, RAPDAfrican Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(4), pp. 370-38

Physiological Functions of Bacterial “Multidrug” Efflux Pumps

Bacterial multidrug efflux pumps have come to prominence in human and veterinary pathogenesis because they help bacteria protect themselves against the antimicrobials used to overcome their infections. However, it is increasingly realized that many, probably most, such pumps have physiological roles that are distinct from protection of bacteria against antimicrobials administered by humans. Here we undertake a broad survey of the proteins involved, allied to detailed examples of their evolution, energetics, structures, chemical recognition, and molecular mechanisms, together with the experimental strategies that enable rapid and economical progress in understanding their true physiological roles. Once these roles are established, the knowledge can be harnessed to design more effective drugs, improve existing microbial production of drugs for clinical practice and of feedstocks for commercial exploitation, and even develop more sustainable biological processes that avoid, for example, utilization of petroleum