Accessibility and Utilization of E-Learning Resources of Undergraduate Students in Academic Libraries: A Precursor to Academic Goals

The hallmark of the 21st century era is access and share of information across the globe for sustainable capacity and development.  .Little wonder then, that equitable access and utilization of information is being championed globally. Academic libraries are at the center of learning and research in higher institutions. The library is tasked with provision of timely, important, accurate, up-to-date, and accessible information resources to support teaching, learning, and research and in turn, help students to become functional members of the society through access to information. The world as a global village depend so much on the internet/web in share of timely information not limited by geography. This led to the adoption of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) in academic libraries.  E-learning resources are components of ICT. However, librarians are therefore, concerned with the accessibility level of these wonder-resources by students. Consequently, this study further examined the relationship between accessibility and utilization of e-learning resources and achievement of academic goals. The paper adopted correlational study design. The population of the study comprised of undergraduate students of the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. The finding showed that there is indeed a relationship between accessibility and utilization of e-learning resources and achievement of academic goals. It was therefore, recommended that efforts should be made by educationists and managements of higher institutions to provide adequate e-learning resources to aid learning. Keywords: E-learning resources, accessibility, utilization, academic libraries, undergraduates, academic goals

CHARACTERISTICS BEHAVIOURS AND FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER (ADHD) AMONG SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA

The study investigated teachers’ perception of characteristics behaviours and factors responsible for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among Senior secondary school students in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria. The researchers adopted descriptive research design. The study had three (3) purpose of study, three (3) research questions and two (2) hypothesis. The population consists of 13,950 senior secondary school students in the thirteen (13) public senior secondary schools in the Local Government Area under study. Taro Yamen’s formula for determination of sample size was used to obtain a target population of 400 as sample size with the aid of the stratified random sampling technique. The SNAP IV ADHD rating scale and DBDRS developed by Swansen Nolan and Pelham was used as research instrument renamed as characteristics behaviour and factors responsible for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder questionnaire (CBFRADHDQ). The instrument was validated by experts in the field of measurement and evaluation. The reliability coefficient value of 0.92 was established through Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation co-efficient. The data was analyzed through mean and standard deviation for the research questions and t-test for the hypothesis. The study found that the factors responsible for ADHD ranged from nature to nurture, genetic/neurological factors and environmental factors among others. It was also confirmed as part of the findings that there are no professional special needs educators in schools to address such cases. It was therefore recommended that all public schools as a matter of urgency should establish special needs education and educational technology department in an inclusive setting both in rural and urban schools among others.  Article visualizations

Secondary School Principals’ Perception of Business Studies Teachers’ Teaching Effectiveness in Anambra State, Nigeria

Today the developments of Nigerian educational system and students’ academic achievements have placed many demands on the effectiveness of business teachers. One of the demands is that schools should graduate students with employable skills. In this study, principals of schools rated the effectiveness of secondary school business studies teachers’ in the use of selected teaching techniques for employable graduate output. A population of 261 public secondary school principals in Anambra State was used as sample for this study. Four research questions and three null hypotheses guided the study. A structured questionnaire developed by the researchers was used to elicit responses. Means   and standard deviations were used to answer research questions while z-test was used to test the hypotheses. The study revealed that business studies teachers were ineffective in adhering to some aspects of time management; classroom management and lesson note preparation and delivery for optimal achievement of instructional goals and improved students’ academic achievements and consequently employability. It was recommended among others, that business studies teachers should endeavour to see time and class management as well as proper lesson note preparation as veritable tools for effective interaction, mastery and acquisition of requisite skills for employability especially now that  students achievements at both internal and external examinations seem to be at its lowest ebb. Key words: Secondary school principal, Business studies, Teacher effectivenes

Effectiveness of Hindman's theorem for bounded sums

We consider the strength and effective content of restricted versions of Hindman's Theorem in which the number of colors is specified and the length of the sums has a specified finite bound. Let $\mathsf{HT}^{\leq n}_k$ denote the assertion that for each $k$-coloring $c$ of $\mathbb{N}$ there is an infinite set $X \subseteq \mathbb{N}$ such that all sums $\sum_{x \in F} x$ for $F \subseteq X$ and $0 < |F| \leq n$ have the same color. We prove that there is a computable $2$-coloring $c$ of $\mathbb{N}$ such that there is no infinite computable set $X$ such that all nonempty sums of at most $2$ elements of $X$ have the same color. It follows that $\mathsf{HT}^{\leq 2}_2$ is not provable in $\mathsf{RCA}_0$ and in fact we show that it implies $\mathsf{SRT}^2_2$ in $\mathsf{RCA}_0$. We also show that there is a computable instance of $\mathsf{HT}^{\leq 3}_3$ with all solutions computing $0'$. The proof of this result shows that $\mathsf{HT}^{\leq 3}_3$ implies $\mathsf{ACA}_0$ in $\mathsf{RCA}_0$

LIBRARY AS A PROMOTER OF READING HABITS AMONG STUDENTS IN NIGERIA

The focus of this paper is to examine the roles of library in promoting Reading Habits among students. The paper saw the library as a social service oriented institution aimed at encouraging students to cultivate reading habits. It looked at library as learning environments that provide space, access to resources, activities and services to encourage and support students, teachers, and community learning. The paper also explained the concept of reading and that reading provides the information needed to expand our understanding of thing. The paper defined reading habits as a passion and zeal for reading and outlined its importance to improve the students’ comprehension skills, vocabulary, pronunciation, speed, knowledge, and lifelong learning. Indeed good reading habits promote self education which helps in the modification of personality. The paper further recognized the vital roles of parents, teachers, and librarians among others that enable students to embark on reading and developing good reading habits. It also pointed out that libraries should organize programmes, exhibitions, storytelling and so forth and use them to inculcate reading habit on the students. This paper revealed that the cause of poor reading habits are lack of functional library, family background, corruption, lack of interest, teachers failures among other things. The paper equally pointed out some strategies for improving reading habits that library should be established and maintained in schools and localities, library should organise progrmmes leading to inculcating reading habit on the students

Unilateral vs. bilateral hamstring strength assessments: comparing reliability and inter-limb asymmetries in female soccer players

The aims in the present study were to assess reliability for two unilateral and two bilateral field-based hamstring assessments and compare magnitude, direction and agreement of inter-limb asymmetry between tests and sessions. Twenty-nine female soccer players (age: 21.1±4.5 years; height: 169.7±5.8 cm; body mass: 66.2±6.4 kg) performed three repetitions per leg of unilateral isometric 30° (ISO 30°) and 90° (ISO 90°) knee flexion (KF) tasks, and three repetitions total for a bilateral 90° isometric (kneeling ISO) KF and Nordic hamstring exercise (NHE). Absolute reliability of most methods within- and between-session were acceptable (<10%). Relative reliability within-session demonstrated fair to excellent reliability (ICC≥0.784; lower bound 95%CI ≥0.623). Greater variability in between-session relative reliability was observed during the unilateral tests, demonstrating poor to good (ICC=0.698–0.798; lower bound 95%CI = 0.274–0.638). Bilateral assessments demonstrated similar ranges of poor to excellent (ICC=0.679–0.963; lower bound 95%CI = 0.231–0.790). Agreement between-session for inter-limb asymmetry identification was slight and fair in the unilateral tests, with moderate to substantial agreement demonstrated in the bilateral. Being the most reliable within- and between-sessions, demonstrating substantial agreement in asymmetry between-sessions, the NHE would be most appropriate to identify inter-limb asymmetry and assess chronic changes in hamstring strength

Women in contact with the gay and lesbian community in Sydney: Report of the Sydney Women and Sexual Health (SWASH) Survey 2006, 2008, 2010 and 2012

The Sydney Women and Sexual Health (SWASH) survey is run by a collaboration of ACON and researchers at the University of Sydney (prior to 2009, researchers were based at the University of New South Wales). It was first carried out in 1996, initiated by workers from two ACON projects, Women Partners of Gay and Bisexual Men and the Gay and Lesbian Injecting Drug Use Project, who were faced with a lack of empirical evidence on which to base their intervention work. The survey is regularly revised to reflect the needs of the community and knowledge deficits identified through research literature. Over its lifetime, SWASH has become a comprehensive survey of sexual health and wellbeing, violence, mental health and levels of psychological distress, and a number of other important health issues relevant to lesbian, bisexual and queer (LBQ) women, such as tobacco use, illicit drug use, alcohol consumption, and cancer screening behaviours. Where possible, questions have been used from established national surveys such as the Australian Health Survey, National Drug Strategy Household Survey, Australian Study of Health and Relationships, and Australian Longitudinal Survey of Women’s Health. While research on LBQ women’s health and wellbeing has increased since the birth of the survey, epidemiological data on sexual health, mental health, experiences of abuse and violence and behaviours such as screening, illicit drug use, alcohol and smoking that can leave women vulnerable to adverse health outcomes, is still inconsistent. Moreover, as long as the inclusion of sexuality questions in large epidemiological surveys remains patchy or data is reported only by sexuality and not by sexuality and gender, SWASH provides a unique and important source of health-related information about Australian LBQ women. This report presents results from surveys conducted at the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Fair Day and other community events and venues during the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras seasons in 2006, 2008, 2010 and 2012

The effect of Nordic hamstring exercise intervention volume on eccentric strength and muscle architecture adaptations : a systematic review and meta-analyses

Although performance of the Nordic hamstring exercise (NHE) has been shown to elicit adaptations that may reduce hamstring strain injury (HSI) risk and occurrence, compliance in NHE interventions in professional soccer teams is low despite a high occurrence of HSI in soccer. A possible reason for low compliance is the high dosages prescribed within the recommended interventions. The aim of this review was to investigate the effect of NHE-training volume on eccentric hamstring strength and biceps femoris fascicle length adaptations. A literature search was conducted using the SPORTDiscus, Ovid, and PubMed databases. A total of 293 studies were identified prior to application of the following inclusion criteria: (1) a minimum of 4 weeks of NHE training was completed; (2) mean ± standard deviation (SD) pre- and post-intervention were provided for the measured variables to allow for secondary analysis; and (3) biceps femoris muscle architecture was measured, which resulted in 13 studies identified for further analysis. The TESTEX criteria were used to assess the quality of studies with risk of bias assessment assessed using a fail-safe N (Rosenthal method). Consistency of studies was analysed using I as a test of heterogeneity and secondary analysis of studies included Hedges' g effect sizes for strength and muscle architecture variables to provide comparison within studies, between-study differences were estimated using a random-effects model. A range of scores (3-11 out of 15) from the TESTEX criteria were reported, showing variation in study quality. A 'low risk of bias' was observed in the randomized controlled trials included, with no study bias shown for both strength or architecture (N = 250 and 663, respectively; p < 0.001). Study consistency was moderate to high for strength (I  = 62.49%) and muscle architecture (I  = 88.03%). Within-study differences showed that following interventions of ≥ 6 weeks, very large positive effect sizes were seen in eccentric strength following both high volume (g = 2.12) and low volume (g = 2.28) NHE interventions. Similar results were reported for changes in fascicle length (g ≥ 2.58) and a large-to-very large positive reduction in pennation angle (g ≥ 1.31). Between-study differences were estimated to be at a magnitude of 0.374 (p = 0.009) for strength and 0.793 (p < 0.001) for architecture. Reducing NHE volume prescription does not negatively affect adaptations in eccentric strength and muscle architecture when compared with high dose interventions. These findings suggest that lower volumes of NHE may be more appropriate for athletes, with an aim to increase intervention compliance, potentially reducing the risk of HSI