GOOGLE+: A BOOST TO E-LEARNING EDUCATION & TRAINING @ COVENANT UNIVERSITY

Just as the advancement in Information Technology (IT) continues to evolve and change rapidly over the past few decades, the art of learning, acquiring and dispersing knowledge and information have also continued to evolve rapidly. These rapid innovations and improvements in IT were designed with the aim of boosting knowledge and education at just the click of the button. Some of the most outstanding innovations and inventions in the (IT) world, which have influenced education and learning in this decade are found in social networks such as Yahoo, Google, Face book, twitter, You Tube, to mention but a few. However, recent studies conducted in this regard revealed that these current innovations and advancements in IT have constituted grave challenges to the knowledge and learning process. The teachers / lecturers of this century, during the process of seeking to transfer knowledge to their student, are often faced with the dilemma of finding how best to gainfully occupy the minds of their students within and outside the class room environment. The students who more often than not, distracted by incoming messages, videos, picture of friends, or simply text messages from friends via iphones, laptops, i-pods, or even i-pads etc. The respondent instantly cannot resist the urge to quickly read and send back a reply via either of the means mentioned here. Other students who log on to either of the networks for a specific task are easily distracted or carried away by say, a fresh advertisement or alternate information which dramatically catches the attention of the students. Consequently, they are drawn and carried away by the new piece of information that drastically - in most cases - changes their trend of thought before they are fully aware of the harm done by the distraction. While applying the simple survey methods of research, this paper shall examine the findings of an ongoing study with two groups of students who offer University Wide Courses (UWC) here at Covenant University. Results from the pilot study conducted gives us reasons to argue that a resent product by Google simply known as “Google+” may be that much desired formula that teachers and lectures all over the world, need to boost the teaching and learning experiences of both teachers, students and researchers within and outside the classroom environment

An Analysis of the Philosophical Foundations of Behaviouralism and Constructivism:any Imperative to Modern Political Science?

Three broad paradigms initially dominated the deliberations among political analysts on what best mode of analysis exists when it comes to analyzing political issues and phenomenon. Recent studies however reveal that evolving trends of thoughts in political science and generally in the social sciences - with regards to the questions above - now exist among contemporary thinkers in the 21st Century. Consequently, against the existing institutionalists’, pluralists’ and elitists’ approaches to political analysis, contemporary thinkers have proposed the behaviouralists’ and the constructivists’ approaches, among other new modes of analysis, as a more empiric method of analysis which increases the scienticity of deductions made during political analysis. This study, in the light of the various criticisms presented against these new approaches, examines via critical and analytical philosophical methods, all available literature on the behaviouralists’ and constructivists’ approaches with the view to identifying the vivid imperatives which these new approaches offer researchers in political science and in the social sciences. The study concludes that the behaviouralists approach in practice totally embraces all that lends to a scientific character. The constructivist approach on the other hand takes into consideration the various complexities that now exist in human phenomeno

Relevance of Experimental Design

Research methods in the Social Sciences are vital for the sake of knowledge (adding to or improving upon knowledge). The dynamic nature of people, organisations, nations as well as our external environment brings to fore the importance a scientific approach to analysis. There exist various methods of research designs that can be employed by a researcher. For the purpose of this paper, we shall look extensively at the experimental research design, types, pros and cons of each type. Also explained are methods of its application and its uniqueness. Keywords: research design, experimental design, scientific approach, control group, experimental grou

An Application of Linear Programming for Efficient Resource Allocation

Every business organisation exits primarily to make profit while ensuring its continued existence. In a bid to maximise profit with the limited available resources, it becomes imperative therefore that efficient allocation be made of these resources. This paper ex-rays the concept of linear programming as an optimisation technique for maximising profit with the available resources. It goes further to address a problem encountered by a business (Eat Plaza)who due to an increment in price of raw material wants to strim- line its production. The linear programming model is used to analyse this problem and an optimum solution is reached as well as relevant recommendations to the management. Keywords: linear programming model, limited resources, optimum, profi

Microorganisms associated with the spoilage of avocado pear, Persea Americana fruits

The microorganisms associated with the spoilage of Avocado pear, Persea americana fruits, purchased fresh from various markets in Benin City were investigated. The pour plate method was used for the isolation. A total of nine species of microorganisms were isolated and identified in this study. They comprise of seven bacterial and three fungal species. The seven bacterial species were: Bacillus, Enterobacter, Citrobacter, Acinetobacter, Klebsiella, Aeromonas and Micrococcus sp. Enterobacter sp., Bacillus sp. and Micrococcus sp. occurred in samples obtained from all the markets (Uselu, New Benin, Oliha, and Oba). Citrobacter sp. was isolated only from samples obtained from New Benin, Oliha, and Oba Markets. Klebsiella sp. was isolated from Uselu and Oba markets, while Acinetobacter sp. was isolated only from Oliha market. The three fungi isolates were: Mucor sp., Saccharomyces sp. and Geotrichum sp. whereas Geotrichum sp. and Saccharomyces sp. occurred in samples obtained from all the four markets surveyed. Mucor sp. was present only in samples bought from New Benin and Uselu markets. The bacterial counts range was 5.2 to 6.7 x 104cfu/g, while the fungal count range was 2.6-3.6x104cfu/g. Proper handling methods of Avogado fruits to ensure food safety are discussed

A Preface to Philosophy, Logic and Human Existence

Over the years, there has boon a misconception that most people 1ike philosophy if they understand it and that most people understand It if it is not presented to them in an exhaustive prose. Well, In this text, we strive above all to show how wrong this notion is. Our wealth of experience in the teaching of the subject indicates that the study and teaching of philosophy can be made so easy and simple to understand while not over simplifying it There is also a misconception that some people are not just moved by the subject. Worse still, we learnt that among those who aren't are a few who are sane,intelligent, well Informed and reasonable and who generally have sound ideas about the word, vote for the right people, and are even worth having as friends. Well, the truth is that such may be the case where the subject is presented without the interest of the ordinary man on the street at heart. This text therefore-In view of this error in the methods of presenting the subject of philosophy-contributions from experienced lecturer, who by the wealth of experience in the teaching or the subject or philosophy. righted out path-ways through which tho subject can be presented to all kinds and classes of people, a kind of presentation that often leaves a positive and lasting impression on both the professional and the ordinary inquirer. Against this misconception therefore, this text strives to show that philosophy can indeed be for everyone

BEHAVIOURALISM AS AN APPROACH TO CONTEMPORARY POLITICAL ANALYSIS: AN APPRAISAL

Limitations inherent in traditional orientations of analysing political phenomena are reasons behind the search for new paradigms aimed at increasing epistemic knowledge when analysing political issues in the 21st Century. Against the existing institutionalists, pluralists and elitists approaches, contemporary thinkers have adopted the behaviouralists approaches which has capacity to increase the empirical status of knowledge in contemporary political analysis. The traditional method of analysis in philosophy was used to analyse all current literature, arguments and archival materials on the subject of this paper. The paper critically evaluates most of the criticisms levied against the behavioural approach with the view to identifying the edge which the behavioural approach offers contemporary analysts in political science. The paper concludes that despite these criticisms, not all the examples of the approach are flawed. Behaviouralism has brought with it, new concepts, sophisticated tools of analysis and mathematical models which tend to make us all behaviouralists

An analysis of the controversy between dialectical materialism and historical materialism as a methodology of science

Karl Marx proposed a dialectical methodology of science from simply observing the harmony which evolves from the processes of thesis, antithesis and the synthesis of operational processes in human nature. Consequent on this proposition, debates among scholars have questioned the scientificity of the dialectical method of science upheld by all Marxists. Armed with the deconstructive critical methods of analysis in philosophy, this study analyzed the historical foundations of the scientific methods proposed by Karl Marx with the view to determine its relevance and the future of this dialectical methodology of science in the 21st Century. The study among other things discovered that, though the three laws of the dialectical processes proposed by Karl Marx portrays some scientific rudiments, as postulated in their conception of socialism, the conclusion that the process which birthed socialism is scientific is considered simply baseless and scientifically untenable, with little or no future for this dispensatio