Effect of Online Learning in Psychology course on Undergraduate students’ Engagement in Learning

The paper has analyzed the effect of online learning and traditional mode of learning on students’ engagement in learning. A sample of 50 students studying psychology in their B.A course was selected randomly from one college in Chandigarh. An online learning course in selected topics of psychology was developed. The experimental group of the study was exposed through online learning mode for 15 days. Likewise, control group was taught the same content by traditional learning for 15 days as well. Both the groups were controlled on same instructional design model such as ADDIE (analysis, design, development, implementation and evaluation), same number of participants, same content was employed for teaching and they were both matched on pre-test of engagement in learning. The students’ post-test scores on engagement in learning was analyzed using t-test to determine if there were significant differences between the two groups. Results indicated significant differences between online learning and traditional learning on students’ engagement in learning as students taught by online learning were more engaged in learning than students who were taught by traditional learning. It indicates that learning through online does enhance students’ engagement in learning

Using WebQuest Based Instruction to Enhance Students’ Critical Thinking

The study was executed to investigate the effects of teaching via WebQuest Based Instruction on students’ critical thinking in comparison to teaching through traditional mode of instruction. Murthy Critical Thinking Scale (2014) was used to assess students’ critical thinking. The study was carried out with ninth grade science students who were selected from government schools of Chandigarh and were randomly separated into two groups: the control group who received conventional mode of instruction and experimental group exposed to WebQuest based instruction created by the researcher. Both descriptive as well as inferential statistics (t-test) were employed to analyze the data. The findings of the research illustrated a noteworthy variation in critical thinking between two groups where students of experimental group dominated over control group students, hence demonstrating the substantial positive effect of WebQuest based instruction on student’s critical thinking. In view of the acquired results, the researcher recommended the use of WebQuest based instruction during teaching learning process and also proposed to provide proper training to teachers in how to implement the WebQuest in educational practices

Certain integral transforms and fractional integral formulas for the extended hypergeometric functions

In this present paper, we derive various integral transforms, including Euler, Varma, Laplace, and Whittaker integral transforms for the extended hypergeometric functions which has recently been introduced by Choi et al.[3]. Further, we also apply Saigo’s fractional integral operators for this extended hypergeometric function. Some interesting special cases of our main results are also considered.Publisher's Versio

A cross sectional study on quitting behavior of tobacco use among rural population in Dehradun, Uttarakhand

Background: Nearly 275 million adults use tobacco in India, which contributes substantially to potentially preventable morbidity and mortality. Awareness towards tobacco is increasing steadily but its role towards cessation is questionable. There is little evidence available about quitting behavior in the Uttarakhand region. Aims & Objectives: To assess the quitting behavior among current tobacco users in a rural population of Dehradun. Material and Methods: The study was cross sectional in nature carried out among 993 current tobacco users aged 10 years and above in the field practice area and quitting behavior was assessed using a pretested and predesigned questionnaire. Result: Of the 993 Current tobacco users, 38% and 40% of the current smokers and current smokeless tobacco users respectively had attempted to quit smoking and smokeless tobacco use in the past 12 months. 54.3% of the smokers wanted to quit smoking with majority of male smokers (56.3%) willing to quit smoking compared to only 40.5% of female smokers. 36.0% of the smokeless tobacco users wanted to quit smokeless tobacco use where in contrast more female smokeless tobacco users (39.3%) wanted to quit smokeless tobacco compared to 33.3% of males. Conclusion: Previous quit attempts were found to be more among males compared to females. The desire to quit smoking tobacco was also found to be more among males as compared to female smokers. More females showed desire to quit smokeless tobacco compared to males.  &nbsp

Summation formulae for basic hypergeometric functions via fractional q-calculus

The object of this paper is to illustrate how the q-fractional calculus approach can be employed to derive a number of summation formulae for the generalized basic hypergeometric functions of one and more variables in terms of the q-gamma functions

Majorization for a Class of Analytic Functions Defined by q

We introduce a new class of multivalent analytic functions defined by using q-differentiation and fractional q-calculus operators. Further, we investigate majorization properties for functions belonging to this class. Also, we point out some new and known consequences of our main result

Certain expansion formulae of incomplete H-functions associated with Leibniz rule

In this article, we have derived some expansion formulae of the incomplete H-functions by the use of the Leibniz rule for the Riemann-Liouville type derivatives. Further, expansion formulae of the incomplete Meijer’s G-function, incomplete Fox-Wright function and incomplete generalized hypergeometric function are derived as special cases of our main results.Publisher's Versio

Mineral Status of Livestock, Soil, Feeds and Fodders in Ajmer District of Rajasthan

A large number of Indian livestock suffer from deficiencies or imbalances in minerals because they are mainly maintained on crop residue based rations and grazing without access to mineral supplement (Mc Dowell et al., 1993). Deficiency or imbalance of single or multiple minerals results in enzymatic dysfunction and hormonal imbalance associated with fertility of animals (Maurice, 2003). In India where dietary concentration of fodder fed to the animals are unknown or highly variable due to availability, season, location, forage, species and animal potential (Sharma et al., 2003), it is important to determine plasma mineral concentrations in animal region wise, to estimate needs of livestock so as to obtain optimum productivity and to access the effect of mineral deficiencies on serum vitamins, hormone and enzyme profile. Limited information is available on the feeding practices and mineral status of livestock, soil and feed in Kekri block of Ajmer district. Keeping this in view the present study was conducted in Kekri block of Ajmer district to establish relationship for different minerals among livestock, soil and feed in order to suggest dietary supplementation of area specific mineral mixture

Acute bilirubin encephalopathy in term neonates: a hospital-based study

Background: Acute Bilirubin Encephalopathy and kernicterus is an important cause of cerebral palsy, developmental delay and hearing impairment in low-middle income countries. Interventions such as universal screening for neonatal jaundice, Rhesus immunoglobulins, intensive phototherapy and exchange transfusion have made kernicterus rare in high income countries, but in our set up such cases continue to be reported.  Methods: Retrospective observational study where case records of term neonates brought to the neonatal ICU with signs and symptoms of acute bilirubin encephalopathy during the years 2016 and 2017 were sought and analysed.Results: A total of ten term babies reported to the neonatal unit with severe hyperbilirubinemia along with signs and symptoms of bilirubin encephalopathy of which 60% were females. 90% had a birth weight of more than 2.5 kg and mean birth weight was 2.7±0.25 kgs. All the babies were out born. A 4 babies were born at home of which 3 pregnancies were completely unsupervised during the antenatal period. 90% of the babies were from the rural areas, 6 of the cases were from the districts Rajouri, Poonch and Reasi where the terrain is hilly, 2 from rural areas of Jammu and 1 from Kathua. Only 1 was from the Jammu city. The age at admission ranged from 3-9 days and serum bilirubin from 24 to 43.3 mg %. A 5 babies had ABO incompatibility, 1 Rh incompatibility, 1 sepsis, while no cause could be found in 3.Conclusions: Neonatal jaundice is often not easily appreciated by mothers and caregivers in the home setting until it becomes severe enough, at which point neurological damage may have already occurred. There is an urgent need to train the primary health care personnel in assessment and early identification of risk factors for severe neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. They can help the families to seek prompt treatment for this preventable cause of cerebral palsy and mental retardation