GSTF Digital Library (GSTF-DL): Open Journal Systems (Global Science and Technology Forum)
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A Racial/Ethnic Performance Disparity on the Facial Recognition Test
Get PDFThe Facial Recognition Test is a widely used psychometric instrument for assessing visuoperceptual functioning. Only two prior studies have examined the effects of race/ethnicity on this test. Given that the United States has become more culturally diverse since the creation of the test, it is important to re-visit the effects of this demographic variable on performance. Participants were 75 males and 75 females between the ages of 18 and 43 years (M = 21.91, SD = 5.33). Racial/ethnic categories utilized by the U.S. Census Bureau were equally represented. No gender differences were observed. The race/ethnicity main effect was significant. The gender x race/ethnicity interaction was not significant. The data revealed a clear racial/ethnic performance disparity on the Facial Recognition Test
Language Policy and the Formation of National Identity: Diverse Experiences
Get PDFThis article will examine some of the ways that political leaders attempt to create, control, and otherwise manage national identity through language policy. This appraisal will be assisted by some historical and contemporary case studies demonstrating the use of language policy in this process, drawn from the Third Reich and Nazi-occupied Poland, Sri Lanka, and pre- and post-majority rule South Africa. This article reaches the general conclusion that it is possible to influence the formation of national identity through language policy by using language to: (i)define the identity boundary, (ii) identify the nation through its prevailing ontology, and (iii) manage feelings—particularlyfears, doubts, and uncertainties—for selected purposes. Whether a sense of national identity has been calmed or disturbed will have implications for order or conflict, peace or war, and accommodation or genocide
BANGKA TIN, AND THE COLLAPSE OF THE STATE POWER
Get PDFBangka Belitung Islands is a region with the most victorious tin route in the world. This tin wealth spans from Singkep to Belitung islands. Since Malaysia and Thailand closed their production and followed by Singkep on the late of 90’s, Bangka Belitung islands have become the only region producing tin in Indonesia and South East Asia. Interestingly, since reformation rolling, tin that initially under full control of government has turned to be free commodity without clear management. Tin has entered the whirlpool playing in all arenas, i.e. politics, law, ecology, social, up to the very complicated economy domain. How can the state loss its control over this nonrenewable commodity then? What can the locality do to fight and overthrow this state power? There are at least several primary matters that must be carefully read. First, the helter-skelter of tin management was actually a result of uncontrolled decentralization process. Central government was negligent in preserving natural resources and finally causing local elite pragmatism found the best place to deregulate tin governance. Second, tin case was not merely a natural resource one; however, this had even been used for the larger interest, i.e. lame political and economical interests. Third, tin management deregulation then undermined the state authority as a sovereign nation. Tin smuggling case made the problem even more complicated. This country didn’t only loss its nonrenewable natural resources, but also its dignity and pride as a nation embracing natural wealth principle as community property. Central government failed to manage local government and its implication was tin liberalization that subsequently eroded state power. This writing is truly urgent as the reflection of local government struggle against central government that has been running very complex and complicated.Â
A Competence-Based Course Authoring Concept for Learning Platforms with Legacy Assignment Tools
Get PDFThis paper is concerned with several of the most important aspects of Competence-Based Learning (CBL): course authoring, assignments, and categorization of learning content. The latter is part of the so-called Bologna Process (BP) and can effectively be supported by integrating knowledge resources like, e.g., standardized skill and competence taxonomies into the target implementation approach, aiming at making effective use of an open integration architecture while fostering the interoperability of hybrid knowledge-based e-learning solutions. Modern scenarios ask for interoperable software solutions to seamlessly integrate existing e-learning infrastructures and legacy tools with innovative technologies while being cognitively efficient to handle. In this way, prospective users are enabled to use them without learning overheads. At the same time, methods of Learning Design (LD) in combination with CBL are getting more and more important for production and maintenance of easy to facilitate solutions. We present our approach of developing a competence-based course-authoring and assignment support software. It is bridging the gaps between contemporary Learning Management Systems (LMS) and established legacy learning infrastructures by embedding existing resources via Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI). Furthermore, the underlying conceptual architecture for this integration approach will be explained. In addition, a competence management structure based on knowledge technologies supporting standardized skill and competence taxonomies will be introduced. The overall goal is to develop a software solution which will not only flawlessly merge into a legacy platform and several other learning environments, but also remain intuitively usable. As a proof of concept, the so-called platform independent conceptual architecture model will be validated by a concrete use case scenario
CAREGIVERS LEVEL OF BURDEN AND COPING STRATEGIES AMONG PATIENTS WITH EPILEPSY: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY
Get PDFBackground: A neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures, which are sudden surges of electrical activity in the brain is epilepsy. It tends to arise suddenly, as it has highly random character and high psychological impact. Epilepsy occurring in a public place can lead to embarrassing and sometimes dangerous situations. It may occur in a workplace or in a social setting, where the patients along with the caregivers experience a lack of understanding and stigma on epilepsy.Objectives: The main objective of the study level of burden among caregivers of patients with epilepsy, explore the coping strategies used by family members of patients with epilepsy and to associate the level of burden between caregivers and selected demographic variables. Methods: Descriptive research design was adopted to achieve the objectives of the study. The study was carried out in the Neuro Center clinic in Chennai, India.A total of 40 consecutive pairs of subjects and their main caregivers were initially joined in the study. The samples are selected using purposive sampling technique. Participants were asked to complete three part questionnaire including demographic data questionnaire, caregivers burden inventory and coping strategies scale among caregivers of patients with epilepsy. The investigator explained the education to the patients and caregivers reassuring them that their privacy would be firmly endangered and the questionnaires are administered to the participants. Self-introduction of the invigilator was made on the meeting day; the caregivers were primarily invited into a designated interview room for privacy. They were delivered with a detailed description on the study purposes and its procedure as written in the Family Caregiver Information Sheet. The Written consent form was later signed upon contribution agreement by the participants. The information was assigned and analyzed using Statistical Package of Social Studies (SPSS) version 21.0. Results: Majority (37.5%) was under the age group of 21-30 years, (72%) female, married (55%) and joint family (52.5%).Around 95% of the subjects were literate and 70% of the Subjects from a city background and almost three fourth belonged to the middle class family
Empirical Study on the Use of Chinese Fantasy Novel for Vocabulary Acquisition among the Non-Native Learners of Mandarin
Get PDFThis article discussed the use of Chinese fantasy novel for vocabulary acquisition among the non-native learners of Mandarin. Research findings have been affirmative
The hybrid compound noun A result of language change in Sri Lanka
Get PDFMixing between the Sinhala and English languages reveals two manifestations: it not only adds new vocabulary to the repertoire of the speaker but also initiates structural changes in the emerging mixed variety. The mixed variety contains hybrid nouns, hybrid modifiers and hybrid verbs. The hybrid compound noun can be described as a bilingual noun similar to the hybrid or bilingual verb in mixed discourse. The strategy or the morphological process of compounding is used by the bilingual speaker in Sri Lanka to create hybrid compound nouns in a variety of domains from cultural and political to the religious in Sinhala-English mixed discourse. For teachers of English as a Second Language, it is imperative to understand the mechanism of processing these hybrids which reflect language change in Sri Lanka. A mixed form or a hybrid is described as one which is composed of elements from two or more different languages. Hence, a hybrid comprises two or more elements and at least one element will be from a local language. These hybrid forms are also referred to as Indianisms (Kachru 1983: 138). This paper presents an analysis of the hybrid compound noun using Kachru’s (1983) theory on hybrids and Muysken’s (2000) theory of Code Mixing. Data collected through informal conversations with 20 Sinhala-English bilingual speakers from a variety of domains and a newspaper survey will be used for the analysis. In this analysis of hybrids, a result of mixing, it is apparent that single words as well as extended linguistic units that are mixed in bilingual data are socially significant. This study reveals that the birth of the hybrid compound noun along with many other hybrids is due to the extensive contact between the Sinhala and English languages. The hybrids are a result of language change in Sri Lanka. The findings also reveal the creativity of the competent bilingual and the new words that have enetered Sri Lankan English as a result of language contact. The study reiterates findings by Senaratne (2009)
Mainstreaming Mentally Retarded Children Through Inclusive Education Under SSA - A Case Study
Get PDF‘Sarva  Shiksha  Abhiyan’ is a national govt. scheme for primary education. Under this scheme, all physically & mentally challenged students of age gr. 6-14 were brought under inclusive education section.  Access and retention in school was challenge for MR student. Parents were not ready to send them in school as it was meaningless for the children. But, schooling not only retained but developed them optimally through formal education and connected with society. A case study of girl child is presented here
IOT enabled Futurus Smart Campus with effective E-Learning : i-Campus
No full textNew technology like IoT in recent years rapidly developing in a computing world. In digital era our College campus need of IoT technology for classy environment to utilize effective E-learning. Our traditional normal college campus lacks in utilization of any modern technology for e-learning activities in academic course of action. This article focuses on need of adopting IoT technology in campus using E-learning for academics. In near future drastically make changes for students in highly enabled IoT: i-Campus environments
Development of Solid and Hollow Geopolymer Masonry Blocks
No full textCement masonry units are not considered assustainable due to consumption of fuel, cement and naturalresources. It is essential to find alternatives. This paper reportsabout making of Geopolymers solid and hollow blocks andmasonry prisms and wallets using non conventional materialslike fly ash, ground granulated blast furnace slag andmanufacture sand which were cured in ambient temperature.They were tested for water absorption, initial rate of waterabsorption, dry density, dimensionality, compressive, flexural,and bond-strength. Also they were tested with and without lateralconfinement, modulus of elasticity, alternative drying andwetting test and to masonry efficiency. It was found that theproperties of geopolymer blocks were superior to the traditionalmasonry blocks. Masonry efficiency increases with decrease inthickness of the cement mortar joints. There was marginaldifference in strength between rendered and unrenderedgeopolymer masonry blocks. The percentage of weight gain after7 cycles was less than 6%. The percentage of reduction instrength of geopolymer solid block and hollow blocks were 26%and 28 respectively. It is observed that the average compressivestrength of the axially loaded and eccentrically loaded wallets forthe solid blocks was 2.07 and 1.87 MPa and hollow blocks was2.31 and 1.95 MPa respectively. These properties arecomparatively better than the traditional masonry Hencegeopolymer blocks can be recommended for structural masonry