PhD jobs: Revamp funding structures

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Nature Publishing Group via the DOI in this record.CORRESPONDENC

Is Topical Clonazepam More Effective Than Oral Clonazepam in Treatment of Burning Mouth Syndrome (BMS)?

Abstract not available

Induction of newly qualified teachers in the Seychelles : professional and organisational dimensions

This thesis presents the findings from exploratory research on the induction of newly qualified teachers (NQTs) in Seychelles. The Seychelles education system has no formal policy or framework for the induction of NQTs. The research aimed at discovering if and how NQTs were inducted and supported during their first years of teaching. The management and implementation of induction were examined and NQTs’ perceptions of their induction experiences were sought, thus bringing to light their socialisation process within their institution. The research is significant as it is the first major study of induction and mentoring in both primary and secondary schools in the country, targetting a cohort of new teachers. It explored the issue of induction and mentoring holistically by using mixed methods. The NQTs’ perceptions of their induction and subsequent mentoring were obtained through a survey questionnaire. In addition, key officials and policy makers in the Ministry of Education were interviewed, to ascertain their intentions and expectations of new teacher induction. Finally, three case studies (two in primary schools and one in a secondary school) were carried out, enabling the researcher to explore the induction and mentoring practices in these schools in depth. The findings revealed that induction in the Seychelles is incidental, lasting for about a week. The head teachers play a pivotal role in welcoming new teachers only and the subject leaders play the dual role of mentors and assessors. The induction process is not successful because school leaders lack the expertise to design, implement and evaluate their induction programmes. Hence, this research leads to a proposal for an induction model with implications for policy development and with a recommendation for a decentralised induction process which will cater for, the socialisation, the improved competence and the continued professional development of novice teachers

A report on the operations of FUSADES : promoting neoliberalism via relationships to parties, governance, transnational institutions, and mainstream media in El Salvador

FUSADES is the largest think tank in El Salvador, and has been successful in influencing policy towards a neoliberal direction since it was founded in 1983. Guided by four dimensions--cooperative and competitive relationships with political parties, the revolving-door between governments and think tanks, media presence, and transnational ties--pointed out in think tank scholarship, I point to the ways FUSADES is able to influence policy in El Salvador, and how they are limited by the FMLN’s rise to power. Using Thomas Medvetz’s argument--that think tanks are able to exercise influential power in various ways through their purposeful ambiguity, which allows them to legitimize themselves as objective institutions--I show how FUSADES legitimizes itself as an objective and impartial institution despite their promotion of neoliberal policies. In this thesis, I ultimately argue that FUSADES is a neoliberal institution that has multidimensional influence over Salvadoran policies that shape the country’s political and economic system. Questions I address throughout the thesis are: how is FUSADES legitimized as an “impartial” institution? What are the political implications of their professed impartiality? What allows them to influence governance? How is their influence limited? What explicit and implicit role(s) does FUSADES play in the Salvadoran economy and its political system?Latin American Studie

Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research: No Way Around a Scientific Bottleneck

In recent months, the American public has been bombarded with reports of prominent stem cell scientists attempting to run end-around plays against current US government policies that restrict research that requires the destruction of human embryos. These scientists, now run amuck, have derived human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) with nonfederal funding, have announced plans to establish privately funded centers for hESC research, and have been removed from the President’s Council on Bioethics after attempting to defame the character of other council members who did not share their views

Pengaruh Endorsement Influencer Instagram Terhadap Keputusan Pembelian pada Generasi Z

AbstrakBentuk memasarkan pengiklanan yang melibatkan pihak lain untuk mendukung dan mempromosikan sebuah produk atau jasa disebut endorse. Endorse adalah salah satu bentuk digital marketing yang marak diminati dan dinilai lebih besar pengaruhnya dibandingkan dengan pemasaran melalui media televisi. Tujuan penelitian ini untuk mengetahui seberapa besar pengaruh endorsement influencer Instagram terhadap keputusan pembelian pada generasi Z, yang kami fokuskan pada faktor kepercayaan, faktor citra merek, dan faktor influencer. Variabel citra merek, influencer Instagram, dan kepercayaan adalah variabel independen dan variabel keputusan pembelian adalah variabel dependen. Penelitian dilakukan pada generasi Z di Kota Batam dengan menggunakan metode pengambilan sampel Cluster-Dispropotional-Random dengan total sampel sebanyak 149 responden. Penelitian ini dilakukan dengan menggunakan pendekatan kuantitatif. Metode pengambilan data dilakukan dengan membagikan kuesioner secara online dengan platform yaitu Google Form. Semua analisis data dilakukan menggunakan aplikasi SPSS 25. Untuk uji hipotesis digunakan uji regresi. Ketiga faktor yaitu kepercayaan, faktor citra merek, dan faktor influencer mempengaruhi endorsement influencer Instagram terhadap keputusan pembelian pada generasi Z. Penelitian membuktikan bahwa generasi Z tetap mempertimbangkan faktor kepercayaan, faktor citra merek, dan faktor influencer dalam keputusan pembeliannya walaupun telah dilakukan endorsement oleh influencer Instagram. Dengan mengetahui hasil penelitian ini, kami harap penelitian ini dapat dijadikan pengetahuan dan bahan pertimbangan bagi pemilik usaha untuk mengatur strategi bisnis, sasaran konsumen, dan memaksimalkan keuntungannya.AbstractOne type of advertising promotion that uses other parties to support and market a product or service is called endorsement. Endorsement is a form of digital marketing that is in great demand and is considered to be more effective than advertisements through television. The purpose of this study was to discover the influence of Instagram influencer endorsement on purchase decision in generation Z, which we focused on trust factor, brand image factor, and influencer factor. The variables of brand image, Instagram influencer, and trust are the independent variables and the purchase decision variable is the dependent variable. The research was conducted on generation Z in Batam City using the Cluster-Dispropotional-Random sampling method with a total sample of 149 respondents. The research was conducted using a quantitative approach. The data collection method is done by distributing online questionnaires using Google Form. All data analyzes were performed using the SPSS 25 application. To test the hypothesis, regression test was used. The three factors, which were trust, brand image, and influencer affect Instagram influencer endorsement of purchase decision in generation Z. Research shows that generation Z still considers trust factor, brand image factor, and influencer factor in their purchase decisions even though Instagram influencer have endorsed the product. By finding the results of this study, we hope that this research can be used as knowledge and material for consideration for business owners to manage business strategies, target consumers, and maximize profit

A Genre-Based Reading Program for Sixth Grade Students from Institución Educativa Técnica José Agustín Blanco Barros

The aim of this study is to analyze how a genre-based reading program may contribute to the development of sixth grade students' reading competence in a public school in Sabanalarga. The study was carried out through a qualitative action research case study research design, which included 42 sixth grade students, and the English teacher who was also the teacher-researcher. The teacher-researcher identified students' low level of reading competence, planned an intervention in order to implement it and evaluate its outcome. The data collection techniques applied were semistructured interviews, observations, and document analysis (reading texts, activities and materials used by the teacher, and lesson plans). For a better management of the results, some categories were determined addressing teacher´s strategies, materials characteristics, and characterization of levels of reading competence. The results showed students' motivation towards reading, and demonstrated a significant progress in their reading process, which confirmed the effectiveness of the genre-based approach for teaching reading.MaestríaMagister en la Enseñanza del Ingle