The Role of Formative Assessment in Learning Chemistry

The present paper is based on research study conducted to examine the effects of formative assessment on the achievements of students in chemistry subject. The main purpose of this research was to provide the evidence for a link between formative assessment and student learning [on experimental and control group as well as their comparison and also the comparison of achievements of Boys and Girls]. The posttest experimental design of research was used for this work and this study was carried out for four weeks. 50 Science students of 10th* Assistant Professor, Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad.class of Govt. Boys Comprehensive School, and 50 Science students of 10th Class of Govt. Girls Comprehensive School, were randomly selected for this research. Students were randomly divided into two groups ‘Experimental Group and Control Group’ having 25 students in each. Posttest (Achievement Test) was used as research tool. After teaching of every week, the experimental group was treated with formative assessment test. While control groups were not treated with formative assessment. After treatment of one month, an achievement test was conducted to both experimental as well as control groups. Data was collected by this test and analyzed by applying the t-test statistically. The analysis of data indicated that those students who were treated with formative assessment show better achievements than those students who were not treated with weekly formative assessment. Finally, the results of this research showed that the use of formative assessment significantly improved the student’s learning. Furthermore, it was also proved that the use of formative assessment is necessary for both girls and boys because it has improved** Research Scholar*** Research ScholarIqbal, Kouser & Akhtar Ali 124the achievements both in girls and boys. This study can be proved as an exploratory and offers encouragements for all teachers that this approach has considerable value for the learners

SKILLS LEARNING COMPETENCY OF THE SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE PHYSICS LABORATORY

Practical skills occupy a pivotal position in the laboratory teaching learning process. Developing the practical skills in the students is a very common objective of teaching Physics. Laboratories are one of the characteristic features of education in the sciences at all levels. It would be rare to find any course in any institution of education without a substantial component of laboratory activity.This paper describes the performance of girl students’ skills learning at secondary school level in the Physics laboratory. A teacher made criterion - reference test was applied to measure three practical skills that is measuring skills, graph drawing skills and graph interpreting skills. The objectives were to study competency in measurement skills, in graph drawing skills and in graph interpreting skills. Only eight percent of the student achieved the mastery level in any of the three skills. The performance of the students in measurement skills was comparatively better than the other two skills. The performance of the students in graph interpreting was very poor of all the three skills.It is important to think about the ways of teaching in the context of laboratory work and also the facilities in the laboratories. In developed countries like UK, where great time and money is spent on doing practical work in schools, there is a need for sound empirical based evidence to justify the laboratory work. For developing countries, like Pakistan, the same justification is needed in order to set up and manage good laboratory for all science courses.This study has aimed at exploring the competency in Physics laboratory skills learning of the secondary school level students.Only 8% students achieved the mastery level in learning the three skills. The competences of the students were much below than the criterion marks (80%) fixed for this study

ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY, PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS AND TOTAL POLYPHENOLICS CONTENT OF ESSENTIAL OIL, METHANOL EXTRACT AND METHANOL FRACTIONS FROM COMMELINA NUDIFLORA

Objective: In the present study, the essential oil, methanol extract, and methanol fractions (n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and n-butanol) obtained from Commelina nudiflora were investigated for the free radical scavenging effects and phytochemical analysis.Methods: The antioxidative effect of the essential oil, methanol extracts and methanol fractions were evaluated using 2, 2 diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were determined using Folin-Ciocalteau and aluminium chloride reagents respectively. The phytochemical analyses of the essential oil, methanol extracts and methanol fractions were performed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GCMS). Results: The antioxidant, total phenolic and total flavonoid contents of butanol, ethyl acetate and chloroform fractions were higher followed by methanol extract, hexane fraction and essential oil. Phytochemical analysis indicated the presence of alkaloid, saponin, steroid, phytosterols, triterpenoids and tannins etc. The identified bioactive constituents of essential oil, methanol extract and methanol fractions of C. nudiflora were indole, 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol, 2-pentadecanone, 6,10,14-trimethyl, phenol, benzyl alcohol, eugenol, phenol, 2, 4-bis (1,1-dimethylethyl), hexadecanoic acid, ethyl ester (palmitic acid ester), n-hexadecanoic acid (palmitic acid), 9, 12-octadecadienoic acid, (linoleic acid) and phytol. All identified bioactive compounds and their derivatives were generally reported with antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antitumor properties.Conclusion: The obtained data suggest that the essential oil, methanol extract and methanol fractions of C. nudiflora possess remarkable antioxidant activities and vital phytochemicals. Thus the plant can be a utilized as a potential source of nutraceutical with antioxidant activity

Defining Terrorism in Pakistani Anti-Terrorism Law

We critically examine the definition of ‘terrorism’ in the Anti-Terrorism 1997 of Pakistan and as it is interpreted by the Supreme Court of Pakistan under the principle of legality in criminal and human rights law standards. We conclude that the definition of terrorism under the Anti-Terrorism Act does not pass the test of the principle of legality and the jurisprudence of the Supreme Court of Pakistan is inconsistent confounding the situation further. We recommend that Pakistan, following the principle of legality and human rights standards, amend the current definition of terrorism as an overbroad definition could be misused and abused leading to human rights violations

Assisting People of Determination and the Elderly Using Social Robot: A Case Study

A technological innovation that has recently garnered attention in the literature is social humanoid robots' applications. Ever since their commercialization, social robots have been viewed as a valuable tool to assist individuals in their daily activities. As people grow older, their capabilities to accomplish everyday activities gradually deteriorate. Consequently, there is a pressing need for research on the positive benefits offered by humanoid robots. This paper explores the implications of a social robot, Zenbo, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). We propose that the Zenbo be helpful in assisting vulnerable elderly populations, ordinary citizens, and People of Determination. This study can guide the UAE policymakers to allow elderly peoples and disabled individuals to use Zenbo to ensure their safety and well-being. This technological advancement can help transform the traditional support systems offered to the vulnerable populations in the Middle East

Ethnolinguistic concordance and the receipt of postpartum IUD counseling services in Sri Lanka.

CONTEXT: Ethnic and linguistic concordance are important dimensions of the patient-physician relationship, and are linked to health care disparities. However, evidence on the associations between health behavior and outcomes and patient-provider concordance is limited, especially in low- and middle-income settings. METHODS: To examine how concordance between women and their primary health midwife is associated with women's receipt of postpartum IUD counseling, observational data from a cluster-randomized trial assessing an intervention to increase postpartum IUD counseling were used. Data on 4,497 women who delivered at six hospitals in Sri Lanka between September 2015 and March 2017 were merged with data on 245 primary health midwives, and indicators of linguistic concordance, ethnic concordance and their interaction were generated. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to assess the associations between concordance and women's receipt of counseling. RESULTS: Women from non-Sinhalese groups in Sri Lanka face disparities in the receipt of postpartum IUD counseling. Compared with the ethnolinguistic majority (Sinhalese women who speak only Sinhala), non-Sinhalese women have lower odds of having received postpartum IUD counseling, whether they speak both Sinhala and Tamil (odds ratio, 0.6) or only Tamil (0.5). Ethnic discordance- rather than linguistic discordance-is the primary driver of this disparity. CONCLUSIONS: The findings highlight the need for interventions that aim to bridge the sociocultural gaps between providers and patients. Matching women and their providers on ethnolinguistic background may help to reduce disparities in care.Accepted manuscrip