Preparedness to teach : the perceptions of Saudi female pre-service mathematics teachers : a thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Education at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

Being well prepared and experiencing a sense of preparedness for teaching is a key learning outcome of any initial teacher education (ITE) program. In order to understand more about the nature, development, and sufficiency of mathematics teacher readiness to teach, this study explores the phenomenon of preparedness. The aim of this study was to investigate how well Saudi pre-service teachers (PSTs) feel prepared to teach mathematics at secondary or middle schools (i.e. to explore their sense of preparedness to teach), delving into the nature and origins of that sense. The participants in the study were a sample of female mathematics PSTs (N=105), who were near the end of their teaching methods course in the final year of their 4-year education degree. The construct of preparedness was operationalized through a survey of PSTs’ efficacy to teach mathematics and an interview-based exploration of the factors influencing these perceptions. The data were collected over 4 months from 2015 to 2016. The quantitative data were analysed in SPSS and thematic analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data. The key findings of this study indicated that for the PSTs, being prepared to teach means having teaching efficacy, good knowledge for teaching, a sense of preparedness, and professionalism. However, PSTs are not fully aware of all the kinds of knowledge needed for being prepared. The study showed that PSTs were generally confident that they were sufficiently prepared to teach. They felt most confident in the areas of content knowledge (CK) and pedagogical knowledge (PK) rather than pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). The findings showed that the PSTs felt inadequately prepared in some aspects of their teaching roles, and needed more support and guidance from their university–school communities. The majority felt that classroom and behaviour management was the aspect in which they felt least prepared. They also expressed only a moderate level of general teaching efficacy (GTE), expressing a lower sense of efficacy relating directly to supporting students as learners. These were related to the disjunction between theory and practice that resulted from the two most influential factors shaping PSTs’ sense of preparedness and feelings of efficacy: the practicum experience and the ITE. Although these factors had positive impacts on their perceptions, they also expressed how the classroom environment, challenges, and school culture encountered during the practicum had lowered the PSTs’ sense of preparedness and teaching efficacy. Indeed, half of the PSTs felt that the school was neither sufficiently prepared nor sufficiently resourced to support PSTs learning the work of teaching. The challenge of closing the gap between theory and practice has led to PSTs’ desire to have more time in the mathematics methods course, as well as extra time in the practicum. It is hoped that the findings from this study concerning PSTs’ current perceptions about preparedness, combined with the suggestions for improving their levels of preparedness, will contribute to improvements in ITE and teaching quality in Saudi Arabia

The relationship between lifestyle and the frequency of polycystic ovary syndrome in Saudi female residing in Riyadh

Background: Polycystic Ovary Disorder (PCOS) is perceived as the most widely recognized endocrinopathy in reproductive women. This study aimed to assess the relationship between the lifestyle and frequency of polycystic ovary syndrome in Saudi Arabia.Methods: This is a case-control study conducted on females at princess Nourah University (PNU), King Fahad Medical City (KFMC) and malls in Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia. The study included females in the reproductive age including 401 controls and 122 PCOS cases.Results: History of pregnancy related disorders was higher among the PCOS women in comparison to controls, while abortion represented the highest percentage in both cases and controls. Family history of polycystic ovary syndrome was doubled in cases than controls. There was significant increase in the percentage of hypothyroidism and hyperlipidemia in polycystic ovary syndrome patients (P <0.001). Snoring, use of oral contraceptives, high prolactin level, incidence of menorrhagia and urinary tract infection were significantly higher in cases than controls (P <0.001). In addition, there was no difference between controls and polycystic ovary syndrome cases regarding their dietary intake. On the other hand, physical activity was significantly higher in controls compared to polycystic ovary syndrome group.Conclusions: This study supports previous studies that revealed a relation between polycystic ovary syndrome and endocrinological disorders such as hypothyroidism, hyperprolactinemia, and obesity. On the other hand, there is no relation between dietary intake and PCOS, however exercising regularly can decrease the possibility of having the disease

Impact of diabetes continuing education on health care professionals’ attitudes towards diabetes care in a Yemeni city

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of a continuing education (CE) program on the attitudes of health care professionals (HCPs) towards diabetes care in Yemen.Methods: A pre- and post-intervention study was carried out in Mukalla City, Hadramout, Yemen and was offered to all physicians, pharmacists, and nurses registered in the Health Office in the Mukalla City. The HCPs were invited to attend a CE program. All participants filled out a questionnaire before the intervention (pre-test) that measured the attitudes of the participants towards diabetes. An interventional program was given in the form of a seminar, and participants were requested to complete the same questionnaire after the seminar.Results: A total of 73 HCPs attended the CE, including 19 pharmacists (26 %), 37 physicians (50.7 %), and 17 (23.3 %) nurses. The pre- and post-intervention changes in the questionnaire responses were significant only for attitude toward the values of blood glucose levels (p = 0.009) and attitude toward autonomy of diabetes patients (p = 0.023).Conclusion: HCPs in Mukalla City have positive attitudes toward diabetes. Physicians were more aware of the sequelae of diabetes than other healthcare professional groups with nurses showing the least understanding. Therefore, more emphasis should be placed upon designing education programs for diabetes specifically tailored for nurses and pharmacists.Keywords: Diabetes, Continuing education, Attitude, Health care professional

Income Heterogeneity and the Pollution Haven and Halo Hypotheses: Empirical Evidence from Developing Countries

Foreign direct investment (FDI) is commonly perceived as a catalyst for fostering economic growth in recipient nations. Nevertheless, new research findings indicate that multinational corporations may employ a specific approach to exporting pollution from nations with rigorous environmental regulations to emerging countries with less stringent legislation. This research investigates the influence of FDI on the environmental conditions of 80 developing nations from 2000 to 2019. The study employs the Least Squares Dummy Variable Corrected (LSDVC) methodology to analyse the data. The findings suggest that there exists a direct correlation between the influx of FDI and the occurrence of environmental contamination within developing nations. Nevertheless, it has been shown that there exists a noteworthy positive correlation between FDI and environmental deterioration, specifically in the case of nations classified as upper-middle-income nations. Furthermore, the findings substantiate a noteworthy correlation between the deterioration of the environment and the expansion of the economy, FDI, energy consumption, and population density. The findings of this study provide empirical support for the presence of both the Pollution Haven Hypothesis (PHH) and the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) in middle-income nations. Additionally, this study offers recommendations aimed at assisting developing countries in their efforts to address environmental degradation

Impostor phenomenon among urologists in Saudi Arabia

Impostor phenomenon (IP) is the persistent inability to believe that one’s success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved due to one’s efforts or skills. It is associated with burnout, anxiety and depression and can negatively impact the lives of the affected individuals. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of IP among urologists in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study was conducted among practicing urologists and urologists-in-training in Saudi Arabia between November and December 2022. A self-administered questionnaire comprising questions on the sociodemographic characteristics and the Clance impostor phenomenon scale (CIPS) was distributed through email to all registered urologists in the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties database. A total of 155 urologists (143 men and 12 women) were enrolled in this study. The majority of the urologists (44.5%) were consultants, and the prevalence of the impostor phenomenon in this study was 27.7%. Nearly half of the urologists (49.7%) presented moderate levels of the phenomenon, 23.9% of the urologists demonstrated high levels, and 20.6% presented low levels. Only 5.8% of the urologists showed intense levels of the phenomenon. The phenomenon was significantly more prevalent among those in training (p = 0.010) and less prevalent among those with a subspecialty in endourology (p = 0.016). The prevalence of the impostor phenomenon among urologists was 27.7%. It was more commonly seen in resident urologists, and those with a subspecialty in endourology were less likely to be affected by this phenomenon

International Consensus Statement on Rhinology and Allergy: Rhinosinusitis

Background: The 5 years since the publication of the first International Consensus Statement on Allergy and Rhinology: Rhinosinusitis (ICAR‐RS) has witnessed foundational progress in our understanding and treatment of rhinologic disease. These advances are reflected within the more than 40 new topics covered within the ICAR‐RS‐2021 as well as updates to the original 140 topics. This executive summary consolidates the evidence‐based findings of the document. Methods: ICAR‐RS presents over 180 topics in the forms of evidence‐based reviews with recommendations (EBRRs), evidence‐based reviews, and literature reviews. The highest grade structured recommendations of the EBRR sections are summarized in this executive summary. Results: ICAR‐RS‐2021 covers 22 topics regarding the medical management of RS, which are grade A/B and are presented in the executive summary. Additionally, 4 topics regarding the surgical management of RS are grade A/B and are presented in the executive summary. Finally, a comprehensive evidence‐based management algorithm is provided. Conclusion: This ICAR‐RS‐2021 executive summary provides a compilation of the evidence‐based recommendations for medical and surgical treatment of the most common forms of RS

Comprehensive Optimization Models for Voltage Regulation in PV-rich Multi-phase Distribution Systems

The distribution systems are increasingly challenged by the continued prevalence of distributed energy resources (DERs), signaling the need for new computational tools to systemize their involvement, coordinate their operation with existing control devices, and mitigate undesired actuation of expensive equipment. Co-optimized operation of the various control devices becomes possible with the advancement in the power system optimization algorithms and the increased deployment of advanced metering infrastructure, offering system awareness and two-way communication. The steady-state alternating-current optimal power flow (ACOPF) problem, being the most descriptive form of OPF, lies at the root of power system optimization, aiming to minimize an operating point subject to the system\u27s physical and security constraints. The last fifteen years have witnessed some seminal convexifications of the ACOPF problem, offering more computational tractability when compared to the original non-convex ACOPF model and a more accurate representation of the physical model when compared to the linear OPF models. The existing literature has addressed a breadth of obstacles with particular relevance to the voltage/voltage ampere reactive power flow continuous and discrete models. This research aims to build comprehensive computational methodologies that promote the accuracy of the convex distribution ACOPF (D-ACOPF) problem. Specifically, we propose to mitigate the trade-off between model precision and computational efficiency by encoding the precise mathematical models of the physical system and control devices, taking into account their limits and maintaining moderate actuation. The first chapter serves as an introduction to the volt var control, the main components used in current distribution systems as well as the emergent challenges that face the conventional volt var control. The second chapter surveys and reviews the literature on the various modeling aspects of the model-based volt/var optimization (VVO). It begins by identifying the essential components of the optimization problem, namely, the objectives and constraints, and then compares and contrasts the current state-of-the-art while highlighting the need for new methodologies to overcome the modeling and computational bottlenecks to the existing volt/var scheduling problem. The third chapter of this dissertation models a general off-line VVO problem for balanced distribution systems, relying on predicted load and generation profiles. We extend our research in the fourth chapter to consider the unbalances in the distribution system, which is of practical concern to the validity of the VVO dispatch. A methodology based on the generalized Benders decomposition (GBD) is proposed to incorporate the discrete devices into the D-ACOPF. Relying on predicted load and generation profiles, we explore the possibility of preventing excessive mechanical adjustments of tap changers to reduce higher maintenance costs. It is a fact that only exact relaxations to the convex D-ACOPF problem are deemed feasible to the original non-convex problem. The exactitude of the solution is of paramount importance because it not only reflects the minimum operational objective that can be translated into financial savings, but provides the most realistic dispatch of control variables. Hence, inexact solutions are deemed less realistic. Although inevitably compromising the exactness, internalizing the distribution system\u27s fundamental components into the D-ACOPF problem is of the essence for the solution quality and control dispatch viability. In the third part of this research, we propose to incorporate two improperly-constrained applications and a special objective function that initially render the problem inexact. Our contribution is to circumvent this conundrum and retrieve the exactness (AC feasibility) by utilizing the concept of convex iteration, in which the relaxation is strengthened iteratively. The simulations on various distribution feeders and comparative case studies with the literature evince the success of the proposed method for recovering exact solutions. Moreover, comparisons with existing methods demonstrate the global optimality of the solution with lower penalty weights. The dissertation has resulted in two published conference papers, and two journal papers (one under revision and one submitted)

Impact of the Different Qirā’āt on English Translations of the Qur’ān

This study is primarily concerned with the variant qirā’āt (i.e grammatical variations of the Quranic words/phrases) of the Qur’ān, and their impact on English translations of the Qur’ān. A key feature of this study is to identify the most significant grammatical differences between the different qirā’āt. To ensure the accuracy and authenticity of the data selected for this study, the researcher relies on traditional Islamic studies to justify and explain the different qirā’āt. Starting from the fact that current English translations of the Qur’ān tend to follow the riwāyah of Ḥafṣ, the form of recitation that has become predominant almost throughout the world at the present time, this study investigates fourteen English translations of the Qur’ān to find out whether the different qirā’āt are reflected in the translations and to examine to what extent they are consistent with the riwāyah of Ḥafṣ. Additionally, this research produces a comprehensive dataset of the āyāt that involve different qirā’āt. This study reveals that despite the typical semantic similarity between the denotative meanings of two or more different qirā’āt of a given word/phrase in the Qur’ān, semantic identity between qirā’āt is not the norm. It is evident that different qirā’āt have a significant impact on the Qur’ān linguistically and semantically. This study reveals that not all variant qirā’āt affect the translations of the Qur’ān to the same degree, in fact, in some cases the differences between the qirā’āt are lost in translation. Nevertheless, this thesis shows that considering the different qirā’āt will improve the accuracy and consistency of Qur’ān translations in one or more of the following ways: (i) clarifying any ambiguity that may appear in the Quranic text, (ii) providing two or more different meanings for the same āyah, all of these being correct and without any contradiction, (iii) providing the complete meaning of a given āyah, and (iv) removing any unacceptable interpretation that may emerge as a result of not considering the different qirā’āt of the Qur’ān. This study proposes that translation of the Qur’ān should be consistent with one particular riwāyah (that of Ḥafṣ for example), that this should be stated in the introduction or on the cover page of the translation, and that in cases where the Quranic words/phrases have several variant recitations, these should be presented in a footnote. This procedure, by presenting all the meanings based on the different qirā’āt of the Qur’ān, would allow the reader to appreciate the depth of meaning of the āyah, contribute to raising the reader’s awareness of this significant feature of the Qur’ān, and the fact that despite several cases where the qirā’āt of the Qur’ān result in different words, styles, sentence structures and/or meanings, none of these differences contradicts one another

etraction Cessation in pilgrimage (Hajj) works A Comparative Jurisprudence Study

This study discussed the recantation cessation in pilgrimage (hajj) works. A comparative juristic study. This study has come aiming at: Firstly: Explaining the meaning of cessation in pilgrimage (hajj) works. Secondly: Explaining how to manage recantation of cessation in hajj works. Through this study, I have identified both the meaning and the means of recantation cessation in hajj works. The study has come to a conclusion that the jurists have disagreed in the means of recantation cessation in hajj works as some of them see that the recantation should be based on the previous work while others see that its recantation is by the obligation of ransom on it

Investigating Fractional Damping Effect on Euler–Bernoulli Beam Subjected to a Moving Load

In this work, the dynamic response of Euler–Bernoulli beams of four different boundary conditions with fractional order internal damping under a traversing moving load is investigated. The load is assumed to be moving with different values of constant velocity. A proposed approach to obtain the closed-form solution of the problem based on Green’s functions combined with a decomposition technique in the Laplace transform domain is introduced. Several cases are studied and compared to the literature; for instance, if simply supported beam is considered, the following three cases are to be explored: the case of elastic (or undamped) beam, the damped (or viscously damped) beam, and finally the fractionally damped beam modeled by the fractional Kelvin–Voigt model. The effects to the beam dynamic response induced by magnitude of moving load velocity, damping ratio, and fractional damping order are explored. The results expressed sufficient agreement with similar problems found in literature and evidenced that the dynamic response of beams is significantly affected by varying the fractional order of beam damping as well as the moving load velocity. Accordingly, using fractionally damped materials exhibits better realistic behavior of beams and intermediate between elastic and viscous beam behaviors