Is There a Gap between Practitioners’ and Academicians’ Perceptions on Business Graduates’ Competencies in Malaysia?

There is always a gap between practitioners’ perception on business graduate competencies as compared to academicians’ perception on the similar topic. Hence, the task to bridge the gap is very necessary in order to equipped business graduates with a more competent set of skills. This study aims to empirically identify the practitioners’ perception on important competencies should possessed by Malaysia business graduates. The second objective is to identify the practitioners’ perception on important competencies should possessed by Malaysia business graduates. Last objective is to identify if there is a gap exist between both group’s perception on important competencies should possessed by Malaysia business graduates. A survey questionnaire was designed and administered to determine the perceptions of employers about the perceived important competencies and hiring preferences. A total of 45 questionnaires were distributed to managers of nine main local commercial banks in Malaysia in the period of six months. The gap between employer needs and graduate competencies were able identified. The findings from this study can be a significant help to the universities in producing competitive business graduates and industries at improving human capital capabilities

Teacher knowledge and the role of theory in practice in TESOL

The research project explores teacher knowledge and the role of theory in the practice of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) teachers. It addresses issues which are relevant more widely to the field and profession of English Language Teaching (ELT). It includes a literature-based survey of the types and sources of knowledge relevant to the work of ESOL-ELT teachers, which are collated into a conceptual framework (CF). The CF includes aspects of teacher knowledge and learning such as the ‘apprenticeship of observation’ (Lortie 1975/2002) and ‘personal practical knowledge’ (Clandinin 1985; Clandinin & Connelly 1987). Relevant contextual factors are analysed, with four levels of policy identified as impacting to varying degrees on ESOL teachers’ practice. These (policy) contextual factors include notions of ‘best practice’, ‘appropriate methodology’, and the ELT-ESOL curriculum. A further contextual area of influence on the role of theories in ESOL teachers’ practice is the recent history of teaching methodology, including ‘ELT methods’, which is analysed in a ‘genealogy of ELT’. Several of these ELT methods have traditionally embodied elements of theories from Applied Linguistics. One such ELT ‘method’ (or ‘approach’) - Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) - is identified as influential on the thinking of ESOL teachers. The question of theory and the relationship between theory and practice are discussed with reference to the work of Alasdair MacIntyre and his use of Aristotelian concepts, such as praxis. Views from ELT and mainstream education regarding the role of theory and practice are also discussed. In addition to the theoretical and conceptual analysis of the research question, an ‘empirical’ data-collection element of the research design involves conducting ‘semi-structured’ qualitative research interviews with eight ESOL teachers who work in the same UK Further Education College as the researcher. A qualitative, interpretivist research approach is adopted, which draws on several research methodologies and ‘paradigms’ such as phenomenology and critical realism. Data analysis methods draw on ideas from ‘Grounded Theory’, and use NVivo computer software to process the research interview data. Findings from the interview data are briefly presented (in Chapter 5) and illustrative quotations are included in Chapter 6. Conclusions and recommendations are presented, relating to issues of ESOL teacher education, teacher development, policy, and areas for future research (in Chapter 7). They highlight the potential value for ESOL practitioners of a greater examination of the role of theory in their practice

Does Effectiveness of Training Program Influenced Teachers’ Job Performance? Evidence from Malaysia

The purpose of this study is to establish the relationship between the effectiveness of the training programs and job performance as perceived by teachers in Malaysia. This study investigates the relationship between the level of effectiveness of training with respect to reaction, learning and behavior outcomes and job performance. 210 respondents from various government schools in Klang Valley had participated in this study through a self-administered survey. The results disclosed that all level of effectiveness have significant relationship with job performance. Therefore we can conclude that teachers indeed need and appreciate all the training programs designed by TED currently

Evidence-based intrapartum practice and its associated factors at a tertiary teaching hospital in the Philippines, a descriptive mixed-methods study.

BACKGROUND: Evidenced-based practice is a key component of quality care. However, studies in the Philippines have identified gaps between evidence and actual maternity practices. This study aims to describe the practice of evidence-based intrapartum care and its associated factors, as well as exploring the perceptions of healthcare providers in a tertiary hospital in the Philippines. METHODS: A mixed-methods study was conducted, which consisted of direct observation of intrapartum practices during the second and third stages, as well as semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions with care providers to determine their perceptions and reasoning behind decisions to perform episiotomy or fundal pressure. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to analyse the relationship between observed practices and maternal, neonatal, and environmental factors. Qualitative data were parsed and categorised to identify themes related to the decision-making process. RESULTS: A total of 170 deliveries were included. Recommended care, such as prophylactic use of oxytocin and controlled cord traction in the third stage, were applied in almost all the cases. However, harmful practices were also observed, such as intramuscular or intravenous oxytocin use in the second stage (14%) and lack of foetal heart rate monitoring (57%). Of primiparae, 92% received episiotomy and 31% of all deliveries received fundal pressure. Factors associated with the implementation of episiotomy included primipara (adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR] 62.3), duration of the second stage of more than 30 min (aOR 4.6), and assisted vaginal delivery (aOR 15.0). Factors associated with fundal pressure were primipara (aOR 3.0), augmentation with oxytocin (aOR 3.3), and assisted delivery (aOR 4.8). Healthcare providers believe that these practices can prevent laceration. The rate of obstetric anal sphincter injuries (OASIS) was 17%. Associated with OASIS were assisted delivery (aOR 6.0), baby weights of more than 3.5 kg (aOR 7.8), episiotomy (aOR 26.4), and fundal pressure (aOR 6.2). CONCLUSIONS: Our study found that potentially harmful practices are still conducted that contribute to the occurrence of OASIS. The perception of these practices is divergent with current evidence, and empirical knowledge has more influence. To improve practices the scientific evidence and its underlying basis should be understood among providers

Flight Team Development in Support of LCROSS - A Class D Mission

The LCROSS (Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite) project presented a number of challenges to the preparation for mission operations. A class D mission under NASA s risk tolerance scale, LCROSS was governed by a $79 million cost cap and a 29 month schedule from "authority to proceed" to flight readiness. LCROSS was NASA Ames Research Center s flagship mission in its return to spacecraft flight operations after many years of pursuing other strategic goals. As such, ARC needed to restore and update its mission support infrastructure, and in parallel, the LCROSS project had to newly define operational practices and to select and train a flight team combining experienced operators and staff from other arenas of ARC research. This paper describes the LCROSS flight team development process, which deeply involved team members in spacecraft and ground system design, implementation and test; leveraged collaborations with strategic partners; and conducted extensive testing and rehearsals that scaled in realism and complexity in coordination with ground system and spacecraft development. As a testament to the approach, LCROSS successfully met its full mission objectives, despite many in-flight challenges, with its impact on the lunar south pole on October 9, 2009

National HPCC Software Exchange

This report describes an effort to construct a National HPCC Software Exchange (NHSE). This system shows how the evolving National Information Infrastructure (NII) can be used to facilitate sharing of software and information among members of the High Performance Computing and Communications (HPCC) community. To access the system use the URL: http://www.netlib.org/nse/

New Distributional Records and Natural History Notes on Selected Fishes from Arkansas

This report documents new records on the distribution of selected fishes from Arkansas and provides notes on their natural history. We document new geographic records for 21 species within 8 families in 12 counties of the state. Most importantly we have included new records for fishes ranked S1, S2 or S3 in the state by NatureServe and several Species of Special Concern by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC). Additional collections of fishes in the state will undoubtedly provide more records especially with the use of electroshocking devices as has been shown herein

Clinicians’ and public acceptability of universal risk-of-death screening for older people in routine clinical practice in Australia: Cross-sectional surveys

Background Clinicians’ delays to identify risk of death and communicate it to patients nearing the end of life contribute to health-related harm in health services worldwide. This study sought to ascertain doctors, nurses and senior members of the public’s perceptions of the routine use of a screening tool to predict risk of death for older people. Methods Cross-sectional online, face-to-face and postal survey of 360 clinicians and 497 members of the public. Results Most (65.9%) of the members of the public welcomed (and 12.3% were indifferent to) the use of a screening tool as a decision guide to minimise overtreatment and errors from clinician assumptions. Supporters of the use of a prognostic tool were likely to be males with high social capital, chronically ill and who did not have an advance health directive. The majority of clinicians (75.6%) reported they were likely or very likely to use the tool, or might consider using it if convinced of its accuracy. A minority (13.3%) stated they preferred to rely on their clinical judgement and would be unlikely to use it. Differentials in support for tools by seniority were observed, with more support expressed by nurses, interns and registrars than medical specialists (χ2=12.95, p=0.044) and by younger (<40 years) clinicians (81.2% vs. 71.2%, p=0.0058). Discussion The concept of integrating prognostication of death in routine practice was not resisted by either target group. Conclusion Findings indicate that screening for risk of death is seen as potentially useful and suggests the readiness for a culture change. Future research on implementation strategies could be a step in the right direction