European Online Journal of Natural and Social Sciences
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English Language Teachers Beliefs, Practices and Challenges of Continuous Assessment: Some Selected Public Secondary Schools in Arba Minch town; Gamo Zone in Focus
Full text linkThe main objective of this study was to investigate English language teachers' beliefs, practice and challenges of continuous assessment. The participants of the study were Grade 9 and 10 English language teachers. Thirty-one English teachers took part in this study. The participants were selected using comprehensive sampling technique. This descriptive survey study utilized quantitative and qualitative methods to collect and analyze the data. The study used instruments such as questionnaires, interview, daily lesson plan, and assessment checklist. The findings indicated that the teachers had strong beliefs about continuous assessment, they attempting to implement continuous assessment with limitations due to challenges related to teachers themselves, students and school administrations and the relationship between the teachers' beliefs and their actual continuous assessment practices was positive statistically. The data obtained through triangulation indicated that teachers demanding to put their beliefs into practice, however they have faced challenges. Therefore, it is suggested that to overcome the challenges, supportive materials, serious follow up and professional support for novice teachers, and training directed to continuous assessment are critical
A Study on Area, Production and Productivity of Sesame in Kallakurichi District of Tamil Nadu – Trend Analysis
Full text linkSesame is a major edible oilseed crop in India and Tamilnadu ranked sixth in area and production among the states. The current research examines the area, production and productivity of sesame in the state of Tamilnadu and the Kallakurichi district with the following specific objectives: i) To examine the trends in the area, production and productivity of sesame in the Tamilnadu state and Kallakurichi district and ii) To offer policy suggestions based on the results of the study. The Season and Crop Report of Tamilnadu over the years served as the source for secondary data. From the collected data, Trend analysis were done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The result of the study indicated that in the Tamilnadu state, the productivity of the sesame crop (CAGR: 1.9 per cent) has increased and in the kallakurichi district, both the production (CAGR: 4.2 per cent) and productivity (CAGR: 3.8 per cent) have increased over the past twenty years. There has been a significant decrease in both area (CAGR: -3.2 per cent) and production (CAGR: -1.4 per cent) in Tamilnadu and area (CAGR: -0.5 per cent) in the Kallakurichi district. Even though the productivity of the sesame crop has increased significantly in both the Tamilnadu state and Kallakurichi district, the area of sesame cultivation has not increased by farmers due to production and marketing constraints faced by them. The Agricultural Department and State and Central Government may provide institutional support for solving their constraints will have a long-term benefit for sesame farmers
Problems Faced by Women Agri-Entrepreneur in Tamil Nadu: An Economic Analysis
Full text linkWomen entrepreneur is a person who makes revolutionary changes and creates new jobs for themselves and others also. The educated women do not want to limit their lives in the four walls of the house. In Tamil Nadu, more than 80 per cent of undergraduate agriculture students belongs to women while not even five per cent turned to entrepreneur. Government spends huge amount for agri-Entrepreneurship trainings and banks also providing collateral free loans but takers from women agri-Entrepreneurship is very less. The objective of the study is to find out the reasons for poor uptake of Entrepreneurship by women, to find out problem faced by women agri-Entrepreneur and to suggest suitable policy measures to overcome the problems. VAPS, Madurai a leading AC&ABC institute was purposively selected for the study and total sample size is 100 women trainers. Women entrepreneur are facing lot of problems viz... Marriage and family situation, finance, fear of failure, lack of confidence. Women are unable to market their goods efficiently. Family should support women Entrepreneur and encourage them to establish and run business successfully. Government organizations should be liberal in providing financial assistance to them and also continuous training is necessary to improve the women Entrepreneur. The study concludes that only few women are interested to start the new business and Entrepreneurship. Women entrepreneur are still lack of confidence in establishing new business venture. Government should facilitate more women participation in Entrepreneurship programmes. Keywords: Women-Entrepreneur, AC&ABC, Lack of financ
Analysis of Technical and Vocational Education Training Institute Learners’ English Language Skills Needs and the Instructional Modes Employed: Academic and Career Contexts
Full text linkThe main purpose of this study was to analyze the level of importance of the four English language macro skills needed by the undergraduate trainees at the Ethiopian Federal Technical and Vocational Education Training Institute. It also aimed to assess whether or not the instructional modes the trainers employed in teaching English suits the needs of trainees’ specific academic fields. The study employed descriptive design and two data collection tools, namely close-ended questionnaire and semi-structured interview. By using simple random sampling technique, 80 trainees among second and third year trainees were selected and four Communicative English Language Skills course teachers took part. Moreover, 30 former graduates and 30 major course trainers were included using simple random sampling technique. The data collected through the questionnaire was analyzed quantitatively using SPSS version 20 and qualitative data was analyzed using thematic approach. The study showed that receptive skills were slightly found to be more important than productive skills in academic contexts. Specifically, though all macro skills are important, reading becomes the most needed skill by the trainees in both academic and occupational contexts. The study also revealed that there is a mismatch among the prescribed instructional approach, trainees’ preferred learning modes and instructional modes employed by the English trainers in the Federal TVET Institute (FTI)
Analyzing the Representational Aspect of Gender in Learning English as a Foreign Language: The Case of Grades 7 and 8 Students’ Textbooks in Ethiopian Context
Full text linkThe purpose of this study was to analyze the representational aspect of gender in learning English as a foreign language in the case of grade 7 and 8 students’ textbooks. The study used a descriptive survey research design involving a mixed approach (quantitative and qualitative methods). To collect data, content analysis was primarily employed. The data were analyzed quantitatively using frequencies and percentages and qualitatively using narrations. The study found out that males occur with 59.8% but females with 40.2% in grade 7 students’ textbook, and males with 57.5% but females with 42.5% in grade 8 students’ English language textbook. Moreover, it was uncovered that males appear first with 67.3% and females with 32.7% in grade 7 students’ textbook, and males with 61.1% but females with 38.9% in grade 8 students’ conversational tasks in their textbook. Accordingly, it can be concluded that EFL students’ textbooks in the Ethiopian context dominantly embed males more than females both in representations and orders of occurrence as the major acting characters in dialogical situations. Thus, it is pedagogically implied that curriculum developers and textbook designers should harmoniously consider gender representation while designing learning materials
Superantigen as a Promising Immunotherapy Treatment against Cancer: A Review Article
Full text linkSuperantigens are toxins produced in hosts by some pathogenic microbes as a mechanism to sustain their pathogenicity. Superantigens are highly resistant to degradation by proteases enzyme, heat denaturation, and cause many dangerous diseases that in severe cases lead to death. Superantigens are atypical antigens that stimulate a profound proliferation of polyclonal T cells at low concentrations. All superantigens have a standard architecture even though they differ in amino acid sequences and are divided into two groups: endogenous superantigens and exogenous superantigens. The major histocompatibility complex molecules on antigen-presenting cells and T cell receptors on T cells are the major players in identifying foreign antigens. Superantigens can bind nonspecifically to both the major histocompatibility complex class II molecules and T cell receptors and form a trimolecular complex. Superantigens do not follow conventional antigens processing and presentation; they bind as intact macromolecules outside the antigen-binding groove of the major histocompatibility complex class II and to Vβ of T cells receptors. Thus, triggering an excessive release of proinflammatory cytokines, radiotherapy and chemotherapy often develop radio/drug resistance. Hence, cancer immunotherapy has been mainly considered as it instigates the patient’s immune system to fight cancer. Superantigens are one of the most potent T cell mitogens as 0.1 pg/ml is adequate to excite T lymphocytes. Accordingly, extensive in-vivo/in-vitro investigations have been conducted on the potential role of superantigens in eradicating tumors. The safety and effectiveness of superantigens as a cancer treatment have been verified in many clinical trials. Nevertheless, the vast inflammation after the potent T cell activation is known to promote diseases, including cancer. This paper reviews the potentiality of superantigen as an immunotherapy treatment against cancer
Development of an Animal Microbiota Online Web-Based System Basilio: Bacterial Assemblages and Species Identity Library Online
Full text linkZoonotic diseases caused by infectious microorganisms transmitted from animals to humans, are becoming a greater threat to global health security. With the massive amount of data on animal microbiota and zoonosis research that recognize the pivotal roles of microorganisms in animal physiology and human health, it is necessary to process and present the data and make them accessible to researchers, educators, and to those involved in microbiota and zoonotic infections studies. The Bacterial Assemblages and Species Identity Library Online (BASILIO) is a web-based bacterial system and database that was created to curate data from various research publications on isolated bacteria from a variety of animal species worldwide. The system focuses on the presentation of animal and bacterial taxonomy, with an emphasis on the abundance of bacterial diversity in the animals studied and the classification of bacteria according to their pathogenicity. The project gathered data on animal microbiota from published studies in reputable peer-reviewed journals. AGILE development approach was utilized to develop the information system iteratively. Unit, system, and acceptability testing were used to execute test plans. The BASILIO web-system was evaluated using ISO 9126 standards and found to be functional, usable, reliable, efficient, portable, maintainable, and usable. The BASILIO in its current state, fills in the need for a database dedicated to fast access to information on pathogenic bacteria found in animals. Future developers are proposed to adopt the BASILIO system and incorporate other data management tools and algorithms to create a more complex and robust system
The Conceptualization of the Study of Social Justice: A Systematic Review
Full text linkTo understand the nature of social justice as a concept one has to subscribe to the historical background of social justice and its relevance up to this day. The nature of this paper is to reveal the origins of the concept of social justice which stem from the religious context by an Italian philosopher named Luigi Taparelli. Social justice as a foundation of human rights is also presented in this paper. This paper attempts to explore on the following research questions, ‘what is social justice?’ what is the importance of social justice in the society? The main objective of this study is to discover the importance of social justice as the foundation of human rights account. This paper also substantiates the core message of principles of social justice in the society. Methodology adopted is exploratory and interpretive and data collected from various sources, books and journals in line with social justice. Ultimately, real solutions depend on new ideas that better reflect fundamental values social justice the paper concludes by putting forward the four types of justice
E-learning and the Development of L2: the Case of EFL Visually-impaired Students
Full text linkThe number of visually-impaired students (VIS) enrolled in higher education institutions worldwide is increasing. In the second language (L2) classroom, a range of barriers and challenges have been reported to encounter by VIS. With the global demand to shift many schools and colleges to online learning and teaching, the challenges of VIS have begun to increase. This study aims to explore the experiences of VIS in learning and studying English as a foreign language (EFL) in the realm of online education. Guided by three main research questions, this study adopts an exploratory sequential mixed method design, and the examination is based on a thematic analysis of eight semi-structured student interviews that were followed by online surveys. Results indicated that the online environment could be advantageous for learning, yet VIS encountered considerable challenges during the online mode and was confronted with multiple language learning barriers related to the language instructor, the online environment, and remote assessment and methods. For example, the highest barriers to language e-learning related to the instructor were incompetency in e-teaching and learning and assistive technology, followed by the lack of appropriate assessment tools and methods. Accordingly, a few language skills were targeted and developed. Furthermore, prior training and degree of impairment were the most important indicators affecting EFL learning and development during e-education. The findings could help to develop a strategic plan for successful learning experiences and the implementation of appropriate tools and assessment methods in e-learning
A Study on Factors Affecting the Electronic Service Quality in Higher Education in Light of Covid-19 Pandemic from Students Perspectives
Full text linkThe study is to investigate the factors that influence the Electronic Service Quality (E-service quality) in higher education institutions in light of Covid-19 Pandemic. Constant development in service quality has become one of the most essential goals for many organizations, institutions in various industries, and for diverse reasons. The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting schools, students, teachers and parents. Education is the major factor in determining the growth of a country, and the changes that will affect the country's development are expected from higher education institutions. Higher education institutions have become global businesses, which must always look for new methods to improve the quality of services. The service quality improvement and development is critically essential issue for organizations, particularly higher education institutions, to satisfy the students' needs for better educational environment that contribute to the achievement of their satisfaction. The service quality improvement and development is critically essential issue for organizations, particularly higher education institutions, to satisfy the students' needs for better educational environment that contribute to the achievement of their satisfaction. Educational institutions like universities and other organizations in the business sector, are recognizing the need to adopt technologies to measure service quality. However, they identified five main dimensions for service quality, including reliability, responsiveness, tangibility, assurance, and empathy that capture access and understanding the customer