A model of spirituality for ageing Muslims

Spirituality’s influence on general well-being and its association with healthy ageing has been studied extensively. However, a different perspective has to be brought in when dealing with spirituality issues of ageing Muslims. Central to this perspective is the intertwining of religion and spirituality in Islam. This article will contribute to the understanding of the nature of Islamic spirituality and its immense importance in the life of a practicing ageing Muslim. Consequently, it will help care providers to include appropriate spiritual care in the care repertoire of a Muslim care recipient. It is assumed that the framework for a model of spirituality based on Islamic religious beliefs would help contextualise the relationship between spirituality and ageing Muslims. Not only challenges, but also the opportunities that old age provides for charting the spiritual journey have underpinned this model

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Transforming Professional Learning Using Self-Study in an EFL Context

Engaging in reflective practices is important for a practitioner’s professional growth. As a doctoral student I, by profession an English as a foreign language (EFL) instructor, entered into a relationship of critical friendship with a colleague in Bangladesh. We chose to undertake the task of reflecting on written corrective feedback (WCF) on student writings that we strongly felt needed attention in EFL environment, i.e., our own teaching context. The self-study method was used as a systematic inquiry to focus on our WCF practices. Following Samaras and Roberts’ (2011) guidelines for instructors newly engaging in self-study and based on the concept of faculty learning community, we engaged in the following practices: (1) reflective writings based on prompts, (2) review of WCF literature, (3) discussions based on prompts, (4) electronic correspondence (e.g., email, Viber, Skype). We negotiated the tensions among ourselves and our context thereby addressing public credibility. Dynamic interplay between reflection and sharing through digital technology provided the basis for quality in the self-study research and supported knowledge-building process. For data analysis, open coding (Strauss & Corbin, 2008) was applied to the data sources. Codes were adjusted after reviewing each other’s analysis. Analytic themes were developed from the transcribed Skype discussions, journal reflections, and email contents. The self-study resulted in several learning outcomes. Most importantly, recalibration of beliefs about WCF, and development of a context-sensitive approach to providing WCF supported by critical friendship and scholarly readings. Results are expected to encourage professional development through self-initiative not widely practiced in EFL contexts

Making Inventions Using SCAMPER and Animal Adaptation Ideas with Elementary Students

This study explores to what extent the SCAMPER (Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, and Rearrange) technique combined with animal adaptation ideas learned through form and function analogy activities can help fourth graders generate creative ideas while augmenting their inventiveness. The sample consisted of 24 fourth grade students (14 female, 10 male) ages 9-10 at a suburban Midwestern elementary school. A repeated-measures design involving all participants alternately in the two conditions measured students under each treatment condition. In the experimental condition, students used SCAMPER charts with animal adaptation ideas to generate ideas to improve a product using limited materials; in the control condition, they used simple SCAMPER charts to improve a product with limited materials. A scoring rubric was designed to assess the utilization of the SCAMPER chart and students’ inventiveness. Paired t-tests were used to compare each student\u27s average score in the control condition to the experimental condition. Students’ inventiveness scores showed a statistically significant difference with a p-value of .003. The resulting Cohen\u27s d was 0.64, a medium effect size, favoring the experimental condition. In contrast, student scores for completing the two types of SCAMPER charts favored the simpler control condition’s chart. However, student products completed under the experimental condition showed more complexity and originality. Although the new technique was challenging, given the limited number of classes spread over a two-week period, the lessons promoted student engagement, creative thinking, and ability to recall content knowledge related to animal form and function

Understanding ESL undergraduate students\u27 beliefs about learner-centered instruction

This study was undertaken to determine undergraduate ESL students’ beliefs about learner-centered teaching (LCT) practices in English classes and to understand to what extent their learner-centered learning experiences influenced their beliefs about the quality of LCT practices. The study involved explanatory sequential mixed-methods. The Learner-centered Battery Student Survey and focus group interviews were used to collect data. One hundred and twelve undergraduate ESL students at a Midwestern university took part in the survey, 17 of whom, predominantly Asians, subsequently took part in multiple mini focus groups that lasted approximately 50-70 minutes each. Quantitative data analysis included descriptive statistics, t-Tests, and one-way ANOVAs. Results from the quantitative strand indicated that aside from ethnicity, demographic variables such as age, gender, and college status had no relationship with student perceptions of teaching practices. The results also suggested that the participants perceived teaching practices to be highly transitioning towards learner-centeredness. For qualitative data analysis, the constant-comparative framework was used. Three themes emerged from the focus groups — that LCT practices are characteristically learner-focused and learning-focused, set challenges to learning environment, and lead to academic and non-academic outcomes. The participants broadly measured the quality of LCT practices in two ways: evaluating via past learning experiences and identifying learner-centered and non-learner-centered teaching practices. The qualitative results also indicated that students require facilitative mechanisms in their learning activities, more support in coping with stress and cognitive challenges, and help adjusting with current learning experiences. Findings from this mixed-method study have pedagogical implications for LCT practices in English classes with ESL undergraduate students. This research can serve as a framework for implementing professional development focused specifically on non-learner-centered practices that impact, for example, culturally relevant pedagogy, facilitative mechanisms, interpersonal relationship, and student knowledge, and thus enhance opportunities for transitioning to learner-centeredness

Social movement against corruption: Evaluating the contribution of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB)

Addressing corruption requires active public participation. Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) strives to mobilize Bangladeshi citizens in an anti-corruption social movement. This research explores TIB’s activities (research, communication and engagement) and investigates their achievements. The study finds that besides building capacity among stakeholders, TIB creates a unique trustworthy brand among people. Potential issues triggered by over-expectation, discontinuity and expanding the scope of work are identified and recommendations are made to facilitate TIB’s resilience and efficiency

Experimental Study of Longitudinal Sorting of Particles Differing in Size and Density

Transport, deposition and erosion of sediment particles differing in size, shape and density may result in particle segregation, which in geosciences applications is generally referred to as sediment sorting. A thorough understanding of sediment sorting processes is important to describe and model a wide variety of natural processes such as the decrease in particle size and/or density in a fluvial system (downstream fining and/or lightening), the formation of economic placers, concentration of heavy minerals, chemical and metal pollutants etc. Sorting of sediment grains associated with sediment transport in the streamwise direction results in the development of longitudinal sorting patterns. Vertical sorting patterns are the results of sediment sorting within the alluvial deposit. Laboratory experiments were conducted at the Hydraulics Laboratory, University of South Carolina to study the physical processes associated with the transport of a mixture of particles differing in size and density, and the resulting longitudinal sorting patterns. Experiments were performed in a sediment feed flume, which is an experimental set up that is traditionally used for these type of studies. Three experiments were performed with sediment mixture differing in both size and density, the sediment feed rate and the flow rate of water were held constant in each experiment. The sediment feed rate was the only parameter that changed from one experiment to the next. In each experiment data were collected to characterize equilibrium and non-equilibrium conditions, with equilibrium referring to a condition in which the characteristics of the flow and the sediment transport can be reasonably considered steady and uniform. The analysis of the experimental data shows that 1) a downstream lightening pattern developed in the experiment with the highest feed rate, which means that the heavy particles were preferentially deposited in the upstream part of the deposit and the light particles travelled further downstream; 2) a downstream fining pattern was observed in the experiments with a comparatively low feed rate, with the coarse particles deposited in the upstream part of the deposit and the finer particles deposited further downstream

Designing an Earthquake-Proof Art Museum: An Arts-and Engineering-Integrated Science Lesson

In this practical arts-integrated science and engineering lesson, an inquiry-based approach was adopted to teach a class of fourth graders in a Midwest elementary school about the scientific concepts of plate tectonics and earthquakes. Lessons were prepared following the 5 E instructional model. Next Generation Science Standards (4-ESS3-2) and the National Coalition for Core Arts Standards for fourth grade (Visual Arts: Creating 1.14a, Visual Arts: Creating 2.1.4a, and Visual Arts: Creating 3.1.4a) were addressed challenging students to create an earthquake-resistant structure to support a clay sculpture in a model of an art gallery for an earthquake-prone area. First, content knowledge was provided through videos and information texts that led to class discussion. Next, students collaboratively brainstormed ideas for the sculpture museum. In pairs, students drew sketches and planned what they would design. Natural, air-dry clay was used for the sculptures and the scaffolding supporting them was made of plastic straws, twist ties, and masking tape. Challenges to the task were introduced twice. Then, the structures were tested after completion at two different strengths of earthquake on a shake table with the help of the teacher. Information learned from the engineering challenge was used to investigate the world’s tallest buildings. Students were very engaged in both the sculpting and the engineering challenges. They made generalizations about the structures by analyzing successful and unsuccessful designs. Students were very motivated to keep their artwork safe

Associating Perinatal Mortality With Diet By Adapting Robust Clustering Using Links For Categorical Variables

Perinatal Mortality (perinatal death), is death of a neonate within 6 days (early neonatal mortality) or from 7 – 27 days of birth (late neonatal mortality). Food consumed by an expectant mother is said to have an impact on the pregnancy outcome apart from other factors. For the past few years, perinatal mortality rate has been increasing in developing and under-developed parts of the world. Two-thirds of the world’s perinatal deaths occur in only 10 countries, and Pakistan is ranked third amongst these countries. These deaths have not been studied widely, in fact they have been under-reported and these reports have not even been considered in any attempts made to improve birth outcomes in developing nations [1]. Nutritional, socioeconomic, demographic and health advice seeking behavior factors are responsible for higher mortality rates in countries such as Pakistan. Data mining and machine learning can be used to identify factors that are responsible for such high infant mortality rates as it is an important factor indicating progress on Millennium Development Goals. In this paper, we discuss how using ROCK we can cluster expectant mothers as per the food intake and identify major food items causing perinatal mortality