20 research outputs found
The state of history teaching in private-run confessional schools in Lebanon : implications for national integration
History curriculum gravitates towards understanding differences
among pluralistic societies. However, the Lebanese case has exacted a range of
differences promulgated by the number of confessional-run private schools, with
little control over their administrative or curricular policies. Since the
establishment of the Republic in 1926, public policy gave the private schools their
own constitutional prerogative maintaining their own educational programmes,
each with a distinctive value system. This paper looks at the policies towards
history curriculum by the seven major confessional schools in Lebanon. Through
textual analysis of history books, reviews of policies, and interviews with students,
educational decision-makers, and history teachers, the paper argues that
confessional schools have propagated their own line of discourse for history
teaching, without accommodating for a pluralistic discourse of integration.peer-reviewe
Learning styles and the selection of majors among Lebanese youth
Learning style preferences and selection of university major data were
obtained from a sample of 199 Lebanese high school graduates. These measures and
gender were used to assess the relation between the selection of major and learning
style preferences. The main assumption was that students who believe they have
competencies or ability in a certain area would make choices to pursue activities in
these areas in order to develop further these competencies (Holland, 1973). The
perceptual and biological development of students’ auditory, visual, tactual and
kinesthetic senses appeared to be a key factor in their way of acquiring information.
Thus, fitting learning preferences to the specific content knowledge required is with
little doubt a very important issue that needs to be addressed by research. This study
found that learning style preferences were not homogeneous and were not
homogenously distributed across majors. Overall, students indicated a preference
for the visual and active learning styles.Females, however, were higher than males
on both reflective and verbal styles. Chi-square analyses indicated that each of
the six general major areas had distinct learning style attribute profiles that
distinguished them from the others. Learning style profiles, therefore, may
contribute positively to student selection processes for different majors.peer-reviewe
The American higher educational model in Lebanon : organisational cultures and their impact on student outcomes and satisfaction
Differences between two types of organisational cultures – American
and American-based universities – were studied in Lebanon. American and
American-based universities are American in both academic and administrative
structures. American universities operate in Lebanon; however they are subject to
the laws of the State of New York, particularly in terms of the management of the
institution. American-based universities are local entities subject to rules and
regulations delegated through the Near East church authorities. In both types of
organisations, academics share exactly the same values, beliefs and assumptions.
American higher education organisations exhibit greater cohesive administrative
and academic cultures than the American-based institutes (Nauffal, 2005). The
study highlights the differences between the two institutional types in relation to
student perceptions of quality and satisfaction with their overall educational
experience, such as teaching and learning experiences, and quality of services and
facilitiespeer-reviewe
Assessment of the English remedial programme at a private university in Lebanon
This study investigates whether remedial courses in a private
university in Lebanon affect the enrolment decisions of pre-admission students.
This study also investigates the effectiveness of the remedial English courses on
subsequent English and academic performance. Findings revealed that a large
number of remedial placements discouraged students from enrolling in the
university. It was also found that remedial courses were not effective in providing
better performance on general academic subjects. This study is significant
because remedial programmes at universities in Lebanon and the Middle East
have been rarely assessed in terms of goals and general academic objectives. With
the open admission policies in the majority of private universities in Lebanon, the
quality of discussion on the effect of remediation at universities in Lebanon and
the Middle East is almost non-existent. This paper provides a benchmark for a
forum of discussion and further study to the effectiveness of general and remedial
programmes in the Middle East.peer-reviewe
Nutritional and health status among nursing home residents in Lebanon: Comparison across gender in a national cross sectional study
Background: This study described the differences between elderly men and women living in Lebanese long-term care nursing homes on socio-economic, health and nutritional status. Methods. This study used a cross-sectional design. Field researchers obtained data from 221 residents; 148 (67%) women and 73 (33%) men, living in 36 nursing homes. Data on health conditions; nutritional, psychological, and functional status; socio-demographic characteristics, as well as social relations were collected. The analysis used both chi-square and t-test tests. Results: The majority of elderly had low socio-economic and poor health status. In comparison to men, women were significantly less educated, had lower occupational status, had no partner, relied financially on their children and relatives, and enjoyed better social relations and health behaviours. Furthermore, the prevalence of both; malnutrition, and at risk of malnutrition, were at 3.2% and 27.6% respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between women and men on Mini Nutritional Assessment, Activities of Daily Living, Geriatric Depression Scale, Body Mass Index, and chronic diseases. While women reported "good" health status compared to men, they continued to have higher prevalence of diseases and chronic pain. Conclusions: This study explored the socio-demographic, health, and nutritional status of elderly residing in Lebanese nursing homes and compared these characteristics across gender. The results indicated the need of health support and institutional interventions for elderly women residents.World Health Organization (EM/07/05649).Scopu
Financial aid at private universities in the Middle East : its impact on persistence and student satisfaction, the case of Lebanon
Many private universities around the world sustain their growth and
retain students through a system of ‘cost-sharing’ where fees and tuition are
channelled back to students in form of financial aid. Not all students are successful
in obtaining financial aid solely based on need, but are also awarded aid based
on their academic performance. This study questions whether a combination of
financial aid types has a positive impact on graduating from a private university
in Lebanon. Furthermore, this study assesses students’ satisfaction with the
university at large by comparing those who received a combination of financial
aid with those who applied and were not granted financial aid. Findings illustrate
that the frequency and amount of financial aid received by students produced
greater graduation percentages. In addition, no difference appeared between
graduates and those who did not complete degree requirement regarding their
satisfaction with university services and programmes.peer-reviewe
Validity and reliability of the Arabic version of Activities of Daily Living (ADL)
Background. The Activity of Daily Living (ADL) is an instrument that screens elderly respondents for physical functioning and assesses whether they are dependent or independent in their daily activities. This study demonstrates a translation procedure and obtains the reliability and validity of a translated, Arabic ADL. Methods. The ADL was translated to Arabic through a forward translation method followed by a committee-consensual approach. The ADL and the Arabic Mini-Mental State Examination (AMMSE) were administered to an opportunistic sample of 354 Lebanese elderly living in nursing homes who did not have dementia. Results. Reliability split half measures, sensitivity, and negative predictive values were high across all dimensions of the ADL with the exception of feeding. There were non-significant differences on the scored ADL between the three age groups: young age, middle age and older old. In addition, a non-significant difference was found on the scored ADL between the high and low AMMSE scores. Conclusion. Overall, the translated ADL was consistent and valid measure for assessing daily activities in elderly nursing home residents. As it is quick and easy to use, the ADL in Arabic could help caregivers and doctors to prescribe appropriate physical exercise for elderly Arabic speaking patients
Elective Cancer Surgery in COVID-19-Free Surgical Pathways During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: An International, Multicenter, Comparative Cohort Study.
PURPOSE: As cancer surgery restarts after the first COVID-19 wave, health care providers urgently require data to determine where elective surgery is best performed. This study aimed to determine whether COVID-19-free surgical pathways were associated with lower postoperative pulmonary complication rates compared with hospitals with no defined pathway. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This international, multicenter cohort study included patients who underwent elective surgery for 10 solid cancer types without preoperative suspicion of SARS-CoV-2. Participating hospitals included patients from local emergence of SARS-CoV-2 until April 19, 2020. At the time of surgery, hospitals were defined as having a COVID-19-free surgical pathway (complete segregation of the operating theater, critical care, and inpatient ward areas) or no defined pathway (incomplete or no segregation, areas shared with patients with COVID-19). The primary outcome was 30-day postoperative pulmonary complications (pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, unexpected ventilation). RESULTS: Of 9,171 patients from 447 hospitals in 55 countries, 2,481 were operated on in COVID-19-free surgical pathways. Patients who underwent surgery within COVID-19-free surgical pathways were younger with fewer comorbidities than those in hospitals with no defined pathway but with similar proportions of major surgery. After adjustment, pulmonary complication rates were lower with COVID-19-free surgical pathways (2.2% v 4.9%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.62; 95% CI, 0.44 to 0.86). This was consistent in sensitivity analyses for low-risk patients (American Society of Anesthesiologists grade 1/2), propensity score-matched models, and patients with negative SARS-CoV-2 preoperative tests. The postoperative SARS-CoV-2 infection rate was also lower in COVID-19-free surgical pathways (2.1% v 3.6%; aOR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.36 to 0.76). CONCLUSION: Within available resources, dedicated COVID-19-free surgical pathways should be established to provide safe elective cancer surgery during current and before future SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks
Elective cancer surgery in COVID-19-free surgical pathways during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: An international, multicenter, comparative cohort study
PURPOSE As cancer surgery restarts after the first COVID-19 wave, health care providers urgently require data to determine where elective surgery is best performed. This study aimed to determine whether COVID-19–free surgical pathways were associated with lower postoperative pulmonary complication rates compared with hospitals with no defined pathway. PATIENTS AND METHODS This international, multicenter cohort study included patients who underwent elective surgery for 10 solid cancer types without preoperative suspicion of SARS-CoV-2. Participating hospitals included patients from local emergence of SARS-CoV-2 until April 19, 2020. At the time of surgery, hospitals were defined as having a COVID-19–free surgical pathway (complete segregation of the operating theater, critical care, and inpatient ward areas) or no defined pathway (incomplete or no segregation, areas shared with patients with COVID-19). The primary outcome was 30-day postoperative pulmonary complications (pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, unexpected ventilation). RESULTS Of 9,171 patients from 447 hospitals in 55 countries, 2,481 were operated on in COVID-19–free surgical pathways. Patients who underwent surgery within COVID-19–free surgical pathways were younger with fewer comorbidities than those in hospitals with no defined pathway but with similar proportions of major surgery. After adjustment, pulmonary complication rates were lower with COVID-19–free surgical pathways (2.2% v 4.9%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.62; 95% CI, 0.44 to 0.86). This was consistent in sensitivity analyses for low-risk patients (American Society of Anesthesiologists grade 1/2), propensity score–matched models, and patients with negative SARS-CoV-2 preoperative tests. The postoperative SARS-CoV-2 infection rate was also lower in COVID-19–free surgical pathways (2.1% v 3.6%; aOR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.36 to 0.76). CONCLUSION Within available resources, dedicated COVID-19–free surgical pathways should be established to provide safe elective cancer surgery during current and before future SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks
The Academic ‘Patras’ of the Arab World: Creating a Climate of Academic Apartheid
This paper discusses factors that are contributing to the rise of what we refer to as an ethos of “academic apartheid” in Arab institutions of higher education. The paper examines the failure of these institutions to overcome their alienation from indigenous epistemology, to emancipate the education they provide from its colonial past, and to move towards the modern information age. The difficult position of Arab academics striving to rediscover, reintegrate and reorganize an epistemological framework to serve the indigenous world is also discussed. Current institutional approaches have deleterious effects on the performance of Arab academics, including arresting the process of transition to development. The paper concludes that Arab academics have a range of choices in determining how to establish a course of corrective action