Attribution styles as correlates of technical drawing task-persistence and technical college students’ performance

Technical drawing is a means of communicating between the designer and the manufacturers to bring ideas into reality by means of drafting. This study investigated attribution styles as collates of students’ technical drawing task-persistence and academic performance using correlational research design. The population for this study consisted of 864 students of year II and the sample study comprised of 150 (93 males and 57 females) randomly selected from six technical colleges in Edo State, Nigeria. Three instruments, Academic Performance Attribution Style Questionnaire (APASQ), Technical Drawing Taskpersistent Rating Scale (TDTPRS); and Technical Drawing Performance Test (TDPT) were developed and used for data collection. Cronbach Alpha reliability method was used to determine the reliability of the instruments and the results were obtained: SAASQ = .87; TDTPRS=.79; AND TDAT = .85. The findings of the study revealed that the technical drawing task-persistence of students was positively correlated by functional attribution style; and was negatively correlated by dysfunctional attribution style; functional attribution style positively correlated academic performance of students. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended among others that technical drawing teachers should model and teach the students the right attribution style that will enhance their learning of technical drawing

Promoting Students' Academic Performances and Interests in Blocklaying and Concreting Works using a Futures-Wheel Instructional Strategy versus Problem Solving: Implications for Sustainable Development

The need to identify effective measures to minimize continuous poor academic performance of students in blocklaying and concreting works and other technical subjects/trades led to this study which sought the effectiveness of Future-wheel as compared to the problem solving approach in the instruction in technical colleges.  The study adopted the non-equivalent control group quasi experimental research design. Six research questions and six null hypotheses guided the study. The study was conducted in Edo State, Nigeria. The population for the study consisted of all 604 vocational II blocklaying and concreting works students in the six technical colleges in Edo State as at 2017/2018 academic session. A sample size of 80 vocational II students was drawn using random sampling technique and used for the study. Findings from the study revealed among others that there was significant mean effect of Futures-Wheel instructional strategy on students Mean performance score and interest in blocklaying and concreting works; there was no significant mean effect of gender on students' Mean performance score in Basic Technology. In line with the findings of the study, the educational implication of the findings were highlighted and it was recommended among others that blocklaying and concreting works teachers should be trained in the use of innovative instructional strategies such as Futures-Wheel to facilitate students' academic performance in the subject

Effect of Psychological Empowerment and Transformational Leadership on Organizational Commitment

According to recent literature that relates to organizational leadership, transformational leadership consists of three important elements: idealized influence, individual consideration and intellectual stimulation. Extant studies in this area highlighted that the ability of the leaders in implementing these transformational processes (to execute organizational functions) may have a significant impact on individual outcome especially organizational commitment. Although this relationship has been studied, the mediating role of transformational leadership has taken a less prominent role in organizational leadership model. Recent studies on organizational leadership have emphasized that transformational leadership has three important characteristics: idealized influence, individual consideration and intellectual stimulation. The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of empowerment in the relationship between transformational leadership and organizational commitment; by using 77 USAble questionnaires gathered from employees who worked at a foreign manufacturing company in Free Trade Zone, Malaysia. Results of SmartPLS path model analysis confirm that empowerment does act as an important mediating variable in the relationship between transformational leadership and organizational commitment in the organizational sample. In the succeeding sections, discussion, implications and conclusion are elaborated

Studies of Sn Substitution on Ca and Cu Sites of Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O Superconducting System

The influence of Sn substitution on Ca and Cu sites in Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O superconductor system simultaneously or separately have been studied using xray diffraction (XRD) method and resistance measurement technique for the structural identification and determination of critical temperature, Tc respectively. Generally, all samples displayed a normal metallic behavior above TConse,' The values of TC(R'() decreased towards Sn concentration. However, the TC(R'() value for x=0.02 sample doped simultaneously in Ca and Cu sites was observed at 104 K The critical temperature increased by 4 K compared to that of the pure sample. Sample doped with Sn, for concentration of x=0.20, at Ca site or at both Ca and Cu sites show the dominance of the 2212 and 2201 phases. Hence, altering the Ca environment favours the formation of the low Tc phases. This observation was also supported by the information obtained from the XRD patterns. ew unidentified peaks (probably impurities) and low phase peaks corresponding to 2201 phase existed for samples with Sn concentration above x=0.15. No peaks belonging to Sn02 were detected implying that Sn probably has been incorporated into the crystalline structures of the BSCCO system or formed as impurities

Development of web application package to design AC substation grounding system based on IEE STD. 80-2000 for continuous education and professional training

Substation grounding is a very important aspect in a substation design which forms a safe grounding grid system besides functioning as a means of dissipating currents to the surrounding ground during normal and fault conditions, also prevents the ground potential rise during a fault from creating dangerous potential gradients on the substation ground surface that can endanger a life of a person in the vicinity of the grounded facility. This grounding study is based on IEEE Standard 80-2000 (Revision of IEEE Std. 80-1986) which serves as a guide to the safety in ac substation grounding. With the fast growing of the use on the Internet technology and the daily use of it in all life routines including education, it will be necessary and interesting to provide a learning and educational web application for the Internet users especially the engineers of them

Validating site selection criteria for precast manufacturing plant in Malaysia

The Malaysian Government has endorsed the usage of Industrialised Building System (IBS) in domestic projects none of the studies have contributed to the location decision for precast manufacturing plant which required proper location to improve the local economic activity development.The study in this research determines the precast manufacturing plant site selection criteria from literature review. The 15 site selection criteria 47 attributes were validated by conducting a workshop where the participants were from academicians, manufacturers, policy makers contractors.Statistical tests for coefficient of reliability, Cronbach’s alpha shows 0.877 acceptance level.The criteria attributes were rank based on the respondents.The new preference ranking criteria by the respondents are costs, economy markets, infrastructure, transportation optimum distance, capacity, l sites, labour, resources utilization, safety, work suitability, competition, inter-industry linkage, environmental risk, population political criteria

Biochemical aspirin resistance in stroke patients - a cross-sectional single centre study

Aspirin use is known to reduce the recurrence of stroke. However, the clinical response to aspirin has been mixed. The rate of stroke recurrence whilst on aspirin treatment is still unacceptably high. A plausible explanation for this may be resistance to the effects of aspirin. The causes of aspirin resistance are manifold and multi-factorial. We conducted a study to investigate the prevalence rate of biochemical aspirin resistance in a cohort of aspirin-naïve stroke patients. We also sought to determine the inherent factors that may predispose towards the development of aspirin resistance. Method: This was a cross-sectional, observational study conducted on patients admitted to our centre with an acute stroke who were aspirin-naïve. The diagnosis of an acute stroke was confirmed by clinical history and brain imaging. Fifty consecutive patients were prospectively enrolled. Socio-demographic data were collected and baseline blood investigations were performed. Patients were tested for biochemical aspirin resistance using Multiplate® platelet analyser (Dynabyte, Munich, Germany) after 5 doses of aspirin, corresponding to a total dose of 900 mg. Results: The median age of patients was 65.5 years and 54 % of patients were female. There were 11 smokers; of these 10 were male. Twenty-six (52 %) patients were Chinese, 21 (41 %) were Malay and 3 (6.0 %) were Indian. Aspirin resistance was present in 14 % of our patients. There was an inverse relationship between the presence of aspirin resistance and plasma HDL levels (r = -0.394; p = 0.005). There was no relationship observed between aspirin resistance and total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, HbA1c, ALT, ALP, urea and creatinine levels. There were no significant differences in demographic profiles or smoking status between the aspirin resistant and non-aspirin resistant groups. We did not find any link between ethnicity and aspirin resistance. Conclusions: Our results indicate that a lower HDL level is associated with biochemical aspirin resistance. This may increase platelet aggregation and consequently increase the risk of a recurrent stroke. The clinical implications for aspirin resistance are far reaching. Any evidence that correctable factors may negatively influence the action of aspirin warrants further investigation. The prevalence rate of biochemical aspirin resistance in our study is comparable to the findings in other studies performed in an Asian population. Further research is required to determine how our findings translate into clinical aspirin resistance and stroke recurrence

Statistical evaluation of pre-selection criteria for industrialized building system (IBS)

The Malaysian government has endorsed the use of an industrialized building system (IBS) in domestic projects. These have shifted the focus of the nation's construction industry towards mass production and modular products. A proper study on site selection criteria for new IBS precast manufacturing sites has now become essential. The preliminary study in this research determines the IBS precast manufacturing site selection criteria from literature reviews. Questionnaires pertaining to IBS acceptance and preference criteria were send to manufacturers, policymakers, academicians and contractors. The outcome analyses the respondents’ view towards 15 site selection criteria. The result from the ANOVA statistical test indicates that most respondents agreed with the selected criteria except political and regulation criteria, urban requirement criteria, and personal criteria. However, there is a significant difference within the opinions of the contractors and manufacturers sector. Likewise, the mean ranking analysis of criteria shows significant difference in their preferences. The ideal rank of criteria preferred by the correspondents are costs, transportation and optimum distance, land sites, resources and utilization, infrastructures, economy markets, labour, inter-industry linkage, environmental risk, competition, personal, population, capacity, political and regulatory, and urban criteria

Life cycle assessment (LCA) of particleboard: investigation of the environmental parameters

Particleboard is not entirely a wood replacement but a particular material with its properties, making it more effective at different times than heavy or solid wood. The world's biggest concern is environmental problems with formaldehyde as a particulate board binder that can lead to human carcinogenic agents. A cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment (LCA) of particleboard production was performed using openLCA software. The impact assessment was carried out according to the software's features. This preliminary investigation aims to analyze the chemical composition of particleboard and identify its environmental impact. The Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) system was used to track the functional group of aliphatic hydrocarbons, inorganic phosphates, and main aliphatic alcohols found in particleboards made in Malaysia. Based on the FTIR results, aliphatic groups were found in numerous aggravates that the spectroscopic infrared was likely to experience. The most important vibrational modes were C-H, at approximately 3000 cm(-1), and -CH deformations around 1460 cm(-1) and 1380 cm(-1). Eight effect groups demonstrated that 100% of the input and all analyses produced the same relative outcome. The life cycle of a product is determined by pollution of the air, water, and soil. Thus, particleboard has a minimal impact on the environment, except for global warming