Assessment of Students Performances in Biology: Implication for Measurements and Evaluation of Learning

Scienceeducation is believed to be a vital tool for individual and societal development at large. The persistent low levels of students' achievement in sciences at the various public examinations in Nigeria have continued to draw the attention of major stakeholders in education. This study examined academic achievement of Senior Secondary School students in biology and gender difference in students' achievement was examined. Ex-post facto design of descriptive research was adopted for the study. A proforma was used to collect data from a sample of two hundred (200) students, selected using stratified random sampling procedure from the Science secondary schools in Kano state Nigeria. The data collected were the students' performances in biology achievement tests. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics and independent-sample t-test. Overall results showed that the test internal consistency reliability is low and unsatisfactory; the students performed below average (M=47.02, SD=16.493 (47%). Similarly, gender difference exists in biology performance with another significant difference between performance of urban and rural school students. The study concludes that, biology test used in Kano state qualifying examinations to assess students potential ability in biology is not a reliable measurement tool and that, academic performance of students in biology is unsatisfactory and evidence of differential performance between gender and schools locations. The implication for measurements and evaluation of learning as well as recommendations has been discussed

Impact of the structural adjustment program on agricultural production and resource use in Egypt:

This paper uses an agricultural sector model to evaluate the effects of an ambitious and ongoing policy reform program on agricultural production and resource use in Egypt. The results show that Egypt has already gained from the policy reforms, but that much larger gains depend on increased exports of high value crops. Water is found to be emerging as an important constraint on agriculture, and it will be essential to establish more effective institutional and pricing mechanisms to encourage greater water use efficiency in the future. Because many of the new lands compete with the more productive lands of the Nile delta for water, the economic return to the development of new lands is also found to be low. The policy reforms are not likely to lead to substantial increases in agricultural employment, even if exports of high value crops could be increased. However, the model results also show that more employment intensive strategies could be designed that would involve little sacrifice in economic efficiency.Agricultural productivity Egypt., Exports Egypt., Water use Management., Agriculture Environmental aspects. ,

CP-odd Phase Correlations and Electric Dipole Moments

We revisit the constraints imposed by electric dipole moments (EDMs) of nucleons and heavy atoms on new CP-violating sources within supersymmetric theories. We point out that certain two-loop renormalization group corrections induce significant mixing between the basis-invariant CP-odd phases. In the framework of the constrained minimal supersymmetric standard model (CMSSM), the CP-odd invariant related to the soft trilinear A-phase at the GUT scale, theta_A, induces non-trivial and distinct CP-odd phases for the three gaugino masses at the weak scale. The latter give one-loop contributions to EDMs enhanced by tan beta, and can provide the dominant contribution to the electron EDM induced by theta_A. We perform a detailed analysis of the EDM constraints within the CMSSM, exhibiting the reach, in terms of sparticle spectra, which may be obtained assuming generic phases, as well as the limits on the CP-odd phases for some specific parameter points where detailed phenomenological studies are available. We also illustrate how this reach will expand with results from the next generation of experiments which are currently in development.Comment: 31 pages, 21 eps figures; v2: additional remarks on 2-loop threshold corrections and references added; v3: typos corrected, to appear in Phys. Rev.

Future Community-Based Ecotourism (CBET) development

Ecotourism is an alternative form of tourism and is usually confused with natural and cultural tourism.CBET is fast becoming a popular biodiversity conservation tool that develops and benefits the local community. Based on the context of conservation theory and practice, Community-Based Ecotourism (CBET) is a form of community-based natural resource management. However, a sustainable CBET development through Community Capacity Building (CCB)programs is not something that it easily achievable. Local community’s capacity varies from one culture to another. It takes a high level of community participation, in order for it to come to a level where the community members themselves are motivated to participate and contribute to the development of the program. This fully qualitative research involved 15 respondents from the community of Kg. Selai, Bekok in Johor, Malaysia. The result show there are five factors that sustained the ecotourism development based for Orang Asli Community in Kg. Selai, namely, existing CBET development, past CBET development, local community participation in planning stage of tourism, local participation in implementation stage of tourism and participation in nature conservation

Peranan “Bundo Kanduang” dalam Sistem Pemerintahan dan Sistem Adat di Nagari Koto Laweh Kecamatan X Koto Kabupaten Tanah Datar Sumatera Barat

Minangkabau is one of the tribes and cultures in Indonesian, located in the Sumatera Barat province. The structure of Minangkabau society oeganized according to matrilineal principles, namely a matrilineal. Mother in Adat Minangkabau known as Bundo Kanduang which literally means true mother. Bundo Kanduang can be two categorized, that is: First, as a personality characteristic that refers to the Minangkabau woman as individuals must contributed to the real demands of society. Second, Bundo Kanduang as an institution parallel with other institutions, has the same power and access to the Minangkabau government structure. The purpose of this research is to know (1) Bundo Kanduang in Koto Laweh Village X Koto Subdistrict Tanah Datar Regency Sumatera Barat (2) The role of Bundo Kanduang in the government system in Koto Laweh Village X Koto Subdistrict Tanah Datar Regency Sumatera Barat (3) The role Bundo Kanduang in the customs system in Koto Laweh Village X Koto Subdistrict Tanah Datar Regency Sumatera Barat (4) The prohibition and abstinence Bundo Kanduang in Koto Laweh Village X Koto Subdistrict Tanah Datar Regency Sumatera Barat. The research uses descriptive methode with qualitative approach, and data collection techniques such as observation, interviews, documentation and literature. The result of this research show there are role of Bundo Kanduang in Koto Laweh Village in the village government as well as in the customs

Alih Peranan Surau dalam Kehidupan Masyarakat Minangkabau di Kecamatan Lima Kaum Kabupaten Tanah Datar

Surau is one of the institutions that play an important role in the development of religious moral values as well as the cultural customs of Minangkabau, the success in educational process of Minangkabau children in surau is characterized by cleverness of recitation, obedience to worship, morals, and noble personality. The purpose of this research is to know (1) the role of surau in the life of Minangkabau society before the turn of the surau role in Lima kaum District. (2) the role of the surau in the life of the Minangkabau community after the role of surau in the district of Lima kaum. (3) factors influencing the role of surau to the life of the Minangkabau in Lima kaum District. (4) the role of a teacher in the surau before and after the overarching role of the surau in Lima kaum District. The method used in this research is qualitative. Data obtained from the interviews are then analyzed in their own language. The location of the research is the Lima kaum District Tanah DatarRegency. This research started from the beginning of the title of this researcher submitted until this thesis is completed. Data collection techniques used are observation techniques, documentation techniques, interview techniques and literature study techniques. The result of the research shows that surau as agent of cangeh has undergone a switching role which is caused by factors, namely, change of family system in Minangkabau society, change of pattern of merantau in Minangkabau society, existence of better education institution and absence of teacher

Influence of prey density, species and developmental stages on the predatory behaviour of Amblyseius longispinosus (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

The influence of prey density, species and developmental stages on the predatory behaviour of Amblyseius longispinosus (Evans) was studied. A 24 h exposure revealed that gravid females were more voracious compared to young females. The trends in the number of eggs and larvae consumed by each young and gravid female predator were about the same, showing an increase with density of the red and the yellow strains of T. urticae levelling off at a prey density of 40 per predator. The highest mean number of eggs consumed in 24 h was 16.7 for the young female and 33.3 for the gravid female, and a mean high of 17 larvae in 24 h for the young female and 27.8 for the gravid female. With adult prey, however, the predators reached satiation point at a lower density of five to ten adult prey per female. In general, the response curves were adequately described by the Holling's Type II model. Under continuous exposure for five days, a significant reduction in consumption was observed with the gravid female from the second day onwards, to a level similar to the number of eggs and larvae consumed by a young female predator