Obstacles to Using E-learning and Distance Learning in Jordanian Universities in the light of the Coronavirus Pandemic from the Students Point of View

This study aims to identify barriers to the use of e-learning and distance learning in Jordanian universities from the perspective of students in Jordan during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study used descriptive methodology to develop a questionnaire with 50 items, all of which were arranged in a behavioral order to match the structure of the interview items. Validity and reliability of the instrument were evaluated, and the instrument was applied to a sample of students (716), who were randomly selected. The results of the study showed that there are barriers to using e-learning and distance learning in Jordanian universities according to students opinions about the coronavirus pandemic. The results also show that there are significant differences in student responses regarding barriers to online learning. It also covered the barriers and challenges that prevent this change, such as poor internet connection and lack of interest, showing the need for new courses to improve students experience in online learning

The Threshold of Admission Glycemia as a Predictor of Adverse Events in Diabetic and Non-Diabetic Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome

Recent studies indicated a high prevalence of hyperglycemia in non-diabetic patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). However, the threshold of admission glucose (AG) as a predictor of adverse events in ACS is unclear

Emirati women’s attitudes towards menopause: Implications for health care policy

© The Author(s) 2019. Objectives: To investigate the attitudes of Emirati women aged 30–64 years towards menopause and determine the relationships between these attitudes and their sociodemographic and reproductive characteristics. Study design: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted with 497 Emirati women attending five primary health care centres in Dubai using a multistage stratified and clustered random sampling technique. Emirati women were interviewed face-to-face via a structured questionnaire with two parts: sociodemographic and reproductive characteristics and the attitudes towards menopause scale. Results: The mean ± S.D. of age was 42.06 years ± 8.716 (median 40 years). Mean age at menopause for the study sample (N = 436) was 49.94 years ± 4.593 (median 50 years). Of the respondents, 36.6% had completed high school, and 41.4% had graduated from university. Approximately, 70.8% of the women were premenopausal, 13.1% were perimenopausal and 16.1% were postmenopausal. Sixty-four percent of the respondents had never used oral contraceptive pills, while 32.9% were past users; 44.6% were employed outside the home. Mean average attitudes score ± S.D. was 2.42 ± 0.26 (minimum score of 1 indicates very negative attitudes, maximum score of 4 indicates very positive attitudes). Statistically significant differences in mean average attitudes score were noted for employment and menopausal status, and mean average attitudes score was positively correlated with age. Premenopausal women held more positive attitudes towards menopause than peri- and postmenopausal women. Conclusions: Emirati women displayed neutral to positive attitudes towards menopause and premenopausal women exhibited more negative attitudes towards menopause than postmenopausal women

The Effectiveness of Using E-learning and Distance Learning Applications in Jordanian Universities in the light of the Coronavirus Pandemic from the Students Point of View

This study aims to determine the effectiveness of the use of e-learning and distance learning (DL) tools in Jordanian universities according to the students perception of the coronavirus. The study followed a descriptive research method using descriptive questionnaires. A sample of (372) male and female undergraduate and graduate students from different Jordanian universities. The results showed that (73.7%) of the respondents used online distance learning every day during the coronavirus pandemic. Most of the students believe that the coronavirus epidemic has changed the use of online education more and more and the use of electronic devices to increase communication with others (teachers, colleagues). There is no significant difference in the level (α≥ 0.05) of the effectiveness of using E-Learning and Distance Learning applications according to gender and residence. Although a significant difference occurred between the variable age and the degree of university. The results of the study can be used to advise the teacher to focus more on activities that show a high level of enjoyment, especially website optimization and instruction. Colleges are now seen as important places of learning in the classroom. Websites and tutorials must be updated regularly

The effect of supply chain management practices on supply chain and manufacturing firms' performance

© Emerald Publishing Limited. Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to theorise and develop seven dimensions (strategic supplier partnership, level of information sharing, quality of information sharing, customer service management, internal lean practices, postponement and total quality management) into a supply chain management (SCM) practices (SCMPs) construct and studies its causal relationship with the conceptualised constructs of supply chain performance (SCP) and manufacturing firms' performance (MFP). The study also explores the causal relationship between SCP and MFP. Design/methodology/approach - Data were collected through a survey questionnaire responded by 249 Jordanian manufacturing firms. The relationships proposed in the developed theoretical framework were represented through three hypotheses: H1 - there is a significant relationship between SCMPs and SCP; H2 - there is a significant relationship between SCMPs and MFP; and H3 - there is a significant relationship between SCP and MFP. Linear regression, ANOVA and Pearson correlation were used to test the hypotheses. The results were further validated using structural equation modelling. Findings - The results indicate that SCMPs have a positive effect on SCP (H1), which in turn also positively affect MFP (H3). Despite this intermediary positive effect of SCMP on MFP through SCP, the study also suggests that SCMPs have a direct and positive effect on MFP (H2). Practical implications - This study provides hard evidence indicating that higher levels of SCMPs can lead to enhanced supply chain and firms' performance. It also provides SC managers of manufacturing firms with a multi-dimensional operational measure of the construct of SCMPs for assessing the comprehensiveness of the SCMPs of their firms. Originality/value - This study is among the very first SCM researches conducted on the Jordanian manufacturing sector, particularly, in relation to the practices that manufacturing firms in this country need to adopt to make their supply chains a solid competitive vehicle for their development. The results have broader implications for all manufacturing companies, particularly in developing economies where the growth of manufacturing and the development of integrated supply chains are key stages in economic development

Suzuki-Miyaura Cross-Coupling Reaction Based on Novel Palladium(II) Diphenylphosphine Derivative Catalyst

The synthesis and characterization of palladium complexes ((CH3)3SiC6H4PPh2)2PdCl2,4a, and ((CH3)3SiC12H8PPh2)2PdCl2, 4b, containing phosphine (CH3)3SiC6H4PPh2, 3a and (CH3)3SiC12H8PPh2,  3b ligands are reported. The phosphine ligands are prepared conveniently in high yield by treatment of the corresponding 1,4-dibromoarene  with one equivalent of butyl lithium, and one equivalent of ClPPh2 at -78 °C under an atmosphere of argon. The palladium complexes are synthesized by the reaction of Pd(cod)Cl2 with two equivalent of the above mentioned phosphine ligands. The new complexes were fully characterized by spectroscopic methods  and elemental analysis. Furthermore, the use of the palladium (II) complexes of such system as pre-catalysts for the Suzuki-Miyaura coupling of some arylbromides and arylchloride with substituted  phenyl boronic acid has been tested. Keywords:1,4-dibromoarene, Palladium complex, Suzuki coupling, catalyst

Foreign language anxiety and achievement: systematic review

This systematic review of literature on foreign language anxiety and its relationship with achievement is additional clarification to the earlier works and reviews concerned with this issue. Firstly, it defines the foreign language anxiety concept where eventually foreign language anxiety is differentiated from other related concepts. Secondly, it reviews the existing studies where the constructs of foreign languages are determined. Finally, it presents the studies that concern foreign language anxiety and achievement in a systematic way where different settings, languages, learners’ stages and disciplines were involved. Keywords: foreign language anxiety, foreign language anxiety and achievement, systematic revie

Foreign language reading anxiety in a Jordanian EFL context: a qualitative study

In the last two decades, investigating the sources of foreign language anxiety in general has increasingly attracted the attention of many researchers in the field of foreign language teaching. However, the sources of anxiety that influence the acquisition of certain specific language skills such as reading in particular have rarely been investigated. Thus, the aim of this study was to explore and understand the underlying problems and factors that contribute to reading anxiety faced by EFL students at Yarmouk University, Jordan. It was a qualitative exploration of the sources of English language reading anxiety for which observation, semi-structured interviews and diaries were collected from six informants with different levels of English language proficiency. The findings of the study revealed that there were two aspects of foreign language reading anxiety: personal factor and text feature. Under the concept of personal factor there were also two main sources of foreign language reading anxiety, which are: afraid of making errors and worry about reading effects. On the other hand, there were three main sources of foreign language reading anxiety under the concept of text feature, which are: unknown vocabulary, unfamiliar topic, and unfamiliar culture. The five main sources of foreign language reading anxiety were arranged according to their occurrences and percentages in the study. Moreover, recommendations were proposed

Impact of Mitochondrial Genetic Variants in ND1, ND2, ND5, and ND6 Genes on Sperm Motility and Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) Outcomes

Sperm mitochondrial dysfunction causes the generation of an insufficient amount of energy needed for sperm motility. This will affect sperm fertilization capacity, and thus, most asthenozoospermic men usually require assisted reproductive techniques. The etiology of asthenozoospermia remains largely unknown. The current study aimed to investigate the effect of mitochondrial genetic variants on sperm motility and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) outcomes. A total of 150 couples from the ICSI cycle were enrolled in this study. One hundred five of the male partners were asthenozoospermic patients, and they were subdivided into three groups according to their percentage of sperm motility, while forty-five of the male partners were normozoospermic. Genetic variants were screened using direct Sanger’s sequencing in four mitochondrial genes (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide hydrogen (NADH) dehydrogenase 1 (ND1), NADH dehydrogenase 2 (ND2), NADH dehydrogenase 5 (ND5), and NADH dehydrogenase 6 (ND6)). We identified three significant variants: 13708G>A (rs28359178) in ND5, 4216T>C (rs1599988) in ND1, and a novel 12506T>A in ND5 with P values 0.006, 0.036, and 0.013, respectively. The medians of sperm motility, fertilization rate, embryo cleavage score, and embryo quality score were significantly different between men showing 4216T>C, 12506T>A, 13708G>A and wild type, Mann-Whitney P values for the differences in the medians were A, 12506T>A, and 4216 T>C variants in sperm mitochondrial DNA negatively affect sperm motility and ICSI outcomes