The Effect of Using CALLA Instruction Strategies on 9th Grade Students' Writing Achievement and Satisfaction

This study aims to investigate the effect of using CALLA (Cognitive Academic Language Learning Approach (instruction strategies  on 9th grade students' achievement and their satisfaction in learning by these strategies,  and how are they influenced by certain strategies that are used in this research such as: visualizing and selective attention. The study aim is to explore the effect of using CALLA instruction strategies on 9th grade students' writing achievement and satisfaction in Mafraq city.    The researcher used a quasi-experimental design, the participants in this study were assigned randomly into four group: two experimental groups totaling (15) students in each and two control groups totaling (15) students in each. The control groups (30 students) studied the writing traditionally, while the experimental groups (30 students) studied the writing through CALLA. A pre-test was administered to the groups to make sure that there were no significant differences between their performances in writing achievement and satisfaction achievement scale.The findings of the study showed that there are significant statistical differences at the level of (α =0.05) attributed to the method as (f) value totaled 55.395 with a significance of 0.000 in favor of the experimental groups  with no significant statistical differences attributed to gender or interaction between gender and method. Moreover,  there are significant statistical differences at the level of (α =0.05) attributed to the method in wiring achievement satisfaction as (f) value totaled 206.501 with a significance of 0.000 in favor of the experimental groups with no significant statistical differences attributed to gender or interaction between gender and method.Based on the findings of the study the researcher presented several recommendations and implications. Keywords: CALLA Instruction Strategies. Writing. Achievement. Satisfaction. 9th grade.

Radon transform-based invariant image recognition

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/2720424

Are GCC Financial Markets Weak Form Efficient? An Analysis Using Multiple Variance Ratio Test

This paper examined the Efficient Market Hypothesis ( EMH) for seven financial markets located in the Gulf Cooperative Council (GCC) countries; Bahrain Securities Market (BSE), Qatar\u27s Doha Financial Market (DFM), Kuwait Securities Market (KSE) , Oman\u27s Muscat Securities Market (MSM), Saudi Arabia\u27s Tadawul All-Shares Index (TASI), and the two UAE markets, Dubai Securities Market (DSM) and Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX). This paper utilizes both the runs and multiple variance ratio (MVR) tests on weekly and daily index returns between June 2003 and June 2008. The runs test on weekly data rejects EMH for five out of the seven markets. The more powerful MVR test rejects the EMH for only two markets, Dubai Securities Market (DSM) and Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX). Keywords: GCC, Multiple Variance Ratio, Weak Form Efficien

Are GCC financial markets weak-form efficient? An analysis using multiple variance ratio test

This paper examined the EMH for seven financial markets located in all the Gulf Cooperative Council (GCC) countries; Bahrain Securities Market (BSE), Qatar\u27s Doha Financial Market (DFM), Kuwait Securities Market (KSE), Oman\u27s Muscat Securities Market (MSM), Saudi Arabia\u27s Tadawul All-Shares Index (TASI), and the two UAE markets, Dubai Securities Market (DSM) and Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX). The paper utilized both the runs and multiple variance ratio (MVR) tests on weekly and daily index returns between June 2003 and June 2008. The runs test results on weekly returns show that the EMH is rejected for five out of the seven markets. The more powerful MVR test rejected the EMH for only two markets, Dubai Securities Market (DSM) and Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX)

Green Building Perception Matrix, A Theoretical Framework

Research has consistently shown that architects differ from the public in what they prefer in buildings. Today, as building design and construction evolve to more sustainability, some recent studies show that the overall level of satisfaction of occupants of green buildings still does not exceed the level of satisfaction in conventional structures. Satisfaction is typically measured, with Post Occupancy Evaluation, which gathers feedback from building occupants about aspects such as comfort, indoor air quality, and aesthetics. This raises some questions: Do people perceive green building design as consistent with their desire for sustainability? Do ratings of green buildings by systems such as LEED or BREAM affect the level of satisfaction of laypeople? Can owners and occupants of green buildings be considered as green consumers, who are attracted to green products because of their willingness to mitigate the impact of human activities on the environment? This article examines Peattie’s (2001) green purchase perception matrix as a means of understanding occupants’ perceptions of green-labeled buildings. An analytical approach has been taken to identify the influential factors, which are involved in this relationship. As a result, the authors propose a green building perception matrix that addresses the compromise that occupants must make in green buildings and the confidence that building systems are indeed making a difference environmentally. Understanding and using this matrix may help green building designers to improve the level of satisfaction of building’s owners and occupants. The discussion is critical for future research on how green building design attributes can be used as a catalyst for green consumption behavior

Evaluation of Microbiological Quality of Desalinated Water at Gaza City Schools, Palestine

Gaza Strip is an elongated strip located at southeastern coast of Palestine with total area of about 365 km2 with approximately 40 km long and the width varies from 8 km in the north to 14 km in the south. Gaza City is the biggest cities in Gaza Strip and has an area of approximately 55km2 with about 500,000 people forms about 30% of total Gaza strip residence. The Area has very limited water resources. Groundwater is the main source for domestic, industrial and agricultural purposes. Over abstraction of the groundwater leaded to sea water intrusion which increases salinity of the groundwater by time. Water resources are deteriorating in terms of quantities and quality which led to establish small business scale desalination plants to treat and distribute desalinated water by trucks for most of Gaza strip areas and schools. The aims of this research are to check if there is microbiological contamination at desalinated water at Gaza City schools, to determine the source of contamination if any, and to determine the difference between drinking water microbiological quality between schools moderated by Ministry of High Education (MOHE) and schools moderated by United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). Some of 130 school buildings have been selected and the data evaluated for the periods from the year 2009 to 2011. Results indicated significant microbiological contamination in the desalination plants inlet and in schools water tanks. The origin of this contamination is believed to animal origin. About 50.0% of monitored schools at East Directorate, 83.3% of monitored schools at West Directorate and 60.0% of monitored schools at UNRWA were contaminated. Contaminated schools after follow-up has decreased, it were 16.7% at East, 50% at West and 40% at UNRWA schools. Keywords: Gaza Strip, Palestine, Contamination, Desalination plants

Time Dependent Capacity Increase for Driven Pile in Cohesionless Soil

The increase in driven pile capacity with time is termed set-up. The mechanism contributing to this phenomenon is not yet fully understood. Moreover, a rational approach to account for the increase in driven pile capacity with time in design has not yet been developed. In this study, a database comprising of 55 pile load tests (static and dynamic tests) were collected from the current engineering literature. The piles were driven in cohesionless soils with sand relative density varying from loose to dense. The measured capacities of the database piles with time were correlated to pile characteristics and soil properties. Pile set-up was found to be a phenomenon related to an increase in pile shaft friction with time and increases with decreasing pile diameter. On the other hand, pile setup was found to increase with increasing pile penetration depth and thus with pile slenderness ratio. A new approach for the estimation of pile set-up in cohesionless soils is presented in this study. The new approach considers the effects of pile characteristics and soil properties. Comparison of predicted and measured pile set-up using the developed method in this study indicates reasonable agreement. Also, comparison of prediction using the new approach with those made using previously published methods indicates that the developed method in this study yields better results

Undergraduate employability training and employment: A UAE study

© Emerald Group Publishing Limited. Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to investigate the link between female undergraduate student participation in a university-sponsored employment skills development program and employment post-graduation. Design/methodology/approach-From historical institutional data a random sample was analyzed using the logistic regression model. The main variable investigated was participation in the World of Work (WOW) program during undergraduate study. It was hypothesized that participation would contribute positively to the probability of employment after graduation. Findings-Grade point average at the time of graduation was also expected to have a positive relationship with employability. The study found that those who participated in the WOW program while undergraduates were more 6.7 times more likely to find post-graduate employment than non-participants. Research limitations/implications-Data were collected at a single institution as such findings may not be generalizable. Practical implications-This study provides support for the inclusion of employability training at the tertiary level and provides evidence to support resourcing such initiatives. Social implications-The study supports the development of work-ready, nationals and to supplying the UAE economy with needed human capital, in particular the goal of Emiratization. Originality/value-This study is of one of very few in the Arabian Gulf region to examine employability factors of university graduates

Molecular Role of Nitric Oxide in Secondary Products Production in Ginkgo biloba Cell Suspension Culture

Effects of sodium nitroprusside (SNP; nitric oxide donor) treatment on the enhancement of secondary metabolites production, oxidative stress mediators (O2-.) accumulation and antioxidant defense enzymes of Ginkgo biloba callus culture was investigated. On one hand, the obtained data showed a highly metabolic modification of chemical constituents, PAL activity and various antioxidant defense enzymes (APX, SOD), which gradually increased in response to SNP treatments. On the other hands the high NO levels significantly increased the accumulation of various oxidative burst of O2-.. MS basal medium supplemented with casein hydrolase (500 mg/L), NAA and BA at equal concentration (0.5 mg/L) recorded the highest number of regenerated shoots (4.81 cm) and shoot height (4.96 cm) as well as root number (2.25 cm) and root length (4.5 cm). The highest survival (40 %) was shown in acclimatization on the mixture containing sand, peat moss and vermiculite (1: 1: 1, v/v/v), which significantly confirmed and reflected the variation in survival percentage. Meanwhile, higher treatment (500 μM) of NO positively enhanced secondary products accumulation of total tannins, saponins, phenols and total flavonoids in G. biloba callus culture

Determination of Saline Soils Specific Gravity

The existence of salts as part of the solid phase of the soil or dissolved within the pore fluid may cause significant errors in the values of specific gravity of such soils by using conventional determination methods. Errors may arise from effects of wrong measurements of weights or volumes that take place due to dissolution of the salt during testing, precipitation during drying or dehydration of the crystals of certain salts such as gypsum. To overcome this confusion, the standard procedure for specific gravity determination is reconsidered and the calculation methods are reanalyzed. Suggestions for a more adequate procedure for gypseous or other types of saline soils are presented and corrections required for computations are derived