17,514 research outputs found
Implications of the Improvement of Teaching Quality for Professional Development (PD) of Academics at the Colleges of Applied Sciences (CASs) in the Sultanate of Oman
No full textThe Oman Accreditation Council (OAC), which is called later the Oman Academic Accreditation Authority (OAAA), designed a higher education institution (HEI) Quality Assurance (QA) framework for Omani public and private Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), starting with a quality audit process in 2008. The Colleges of Applied Sciences (CASs), as a public HEI, are required to ensure the quality of all services and activities to meet particular national standards (specified in the framework) in order to gain a HEI and programme certificate. In line with a quality audit scope, the quality of the fields of PD and related teaching quality should be ensured and enhanced by the promotion and contribution of the former field to the maintenance and improvement of the latter one.
The chief purpose of this study was to identify the uptake and implications of the growing requirement to improve teaching quality and the PD of academics at the CASs in the Sultanate of Oman especially in the context of the application of the QA framework. The study focused on examining the academics’ participation in professional development programmes (PDPs) and current perceptions of PD with respect to the improvement of teaching quality improvement at these colleges. The current study also dealt with a reorganization and prioritization of academics’ PD needs, barriers to effective PD, and factors to enhance PD of academics regarding teaching quality improvement in the colleges.
Based on the purpose and research objectives, the current study adopted both positivist (quantitative) and interpretive (qualitative) research paradigms. Because the study perused quantitative and qualitative data regarding certain variables, it chose a mixed-research design. The researcher designed survey questionnaire to collect quantitative data and a semi-structured interview and a focus group discussion to probe and interpret quantitative findings. After fulfillment of the validity and reliability measurements, a self-completion questionnaire was distributed to a stratified random sample of academics (170) over the six CASs. A total of 150 questionnaires (out of 170) were completed and returned and the response-rate reached 88.2%. The quantitative data was analyzed by appropriate analysis using the Statistical Package for Social sciences (SPSS), while the qualitative data was analyzed by appropriate qualitative analysis.
The findings of the study showed that the level of academics’ participation in PDPs to improve teaching quality in the last two years in the CASs seems to be unsatisfactorily low. The current perceptions of the PD situations in the colleges, relating to teaching quality improvement, signified a shortage in the number of available PDPs and/or a discouragement of academics’ participation in these programmes in the last two years. The study also revealed all the 22 PD needs of academics regarding the improvement of teaching quality are significantly demanded by participants; the higher rated needs focused on a development of ‘student centred’ skills, such as critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Furthermore, the study illustrated that the highest significant perceived barriers to effective PD in the CASs, as related to teaching quality improvement, focus on a lack of a clear institutional PD policy and a lack of appropriately systematic PD plans. The study also revealed all 10 perceived factors to enhance PD regarding teaching quality improvement are very important. The most significant factors represented and stressed particular problematic issues (the high rated barriers) and a reduction of a heavy workload to enhance academics’ participation in PD regarding the improvement of teaching quality.
Conclusions drawn from the discussion of the findings of study include a lack of a clear PD policy at national and institutional levels and absence of a particular authority/unit concerning PD issues in Omani HEIs. The two problematic issues resulted in a lack of systematic and realistic PD plans in the CASs, involving a lack of academics’ involvement in PD plans, a misconnection of academics’ PD needs to PD, inappropriate facilities and resources allocation, and inappropriate evaluation processes of PD. In addition, the conclusions also include that PD of academics regarding the improvement of teaching quality in the colleges requires more attention and focus to manage particular significant issues perceived by participants as both barriers and potential facilitators relating to PD of academics.
Based on identified conclusions, particular implications for policy and practice to enhance PD to improve teaching quality were set at three levels: governmental, institutional, and individual. Moreover, achievements of the current study according to the research questions were identified and contributions of the study to the fields of PD, teaching quality, and the context of QA and quality audit in HE were addressed. Based on the findings and conclusions, particular directions and recommended issues were suggested to be studied by further research to benefit the enhancement of PD and related teaching quality improvement
Salivary concentrations of dopamine and other constituents in Parkinson\u27s disease
No full textSalivary dopamine concentration is hypothesized to be depressed in individuals with Parkinson\u27s disease and pre-clinical PD; it is theorized that dopaminergic neurons in the peripheral nervous system are affected prior to widespread destruction of such neurons in the central nervous system. If so, the loss of dopamine and the respective pathways in peripheral systems could be a measure for early detection of PD. Currently, PD is not diagnosable until clinical symptoms appear, at which point 80% of the dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra have been destroyed. The Bickar lab has developed a method of determining salivary dopamine concentrations, which has been used to determine the salivary dopamine levels for healthy adults. We now need to utilize this technique with PD patients and age-matched controls to determine whether our hypothesis, that salivary dopamine concentration is depressed in PD patients, is correct. A potentially confounding factor is that hyposialhorria often occurs with PD, which may increase total solute concentration due to the decrease in basal salivary flow. Further, multiple changes in salivary composition have been documented in PD: elevated levels of certain electrolytes (sodium, chloride and amylase) and increased total protein concentration. This necessitates determination not only of the change in absolute dopamine concentration, but also the change relative to other constituents of saliva. We thus propose to measure the dopamine, total protein, total solute, and total electrolyte concentrations in saliva, to determine mean values and ranges of variation among PD patients and healthy controls
Experiences of personal development groups
No full textIn this chapter Carole Smith draws on both her primary and secondary research findings to highlight the usefulness of personal development (PD) groups for personal self-awareness development and how it helps client work. She offers an overview of the literature that discusses the pros and cons of PD groups and at how these groups can enhance learning. Carole analyses the evidence base and looks at the factors involved in learning in PD groups and assesses the value of this as a means of personal development. This is a useful chapter for students and tutors who want to assess the evidence base for PD groups as a method of personal self-awareness development
Character strength and character disorder : an investigation into how personality disorder diagnosis intersects with character strength measurements
No full textOn the eve of the release of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual 5, with major revisions planned in its diagnostic approach to personality disorder (PD), qualitative research was conducted via face-to-face interviews to explore the perspective of seasoned mental health clinicians regarding their experience working with personality disordered individuals, and how that experience squared with current debates within personality science and positive psychology. Eight experienced clinicians were asked how they saw PD in regard to character strength, what relationship they imagined existed between the two, and whether they saw them as existing on the same dimensional axis. Participants chose from a list of strengths provided the specific strengths they believed they saw in PD clients they had worked with. Major findings were that clinicians endorsed a dimensional perspective, saw PD features on a continuum with normative personality, and saw strengths in relationship with specific PD diagnosed clients. Combined scores indicate a relationship pattern, with borderline PD overwhelmingly paired with Persistence as a character strength. The research also uncovered controversies within the field regarding utilization of the Axis II due to concerns about stigmatizing clients, and that the diagnosis as presently constructed did not adequately factor in the presence or impact of trauma in the diagnostic formulation
Dopamine production by gut bacteria and its role in the progression of Parkinson\u27s disease
No full textGut dysbiosis is a well documented pre-motor symptom of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Various populations of bacteria are found to be out of balance in the guts of PD patients across the world. Among these bacteria are genera with the potential to produce dopamine, a neurotransmitter with a critical role in PD. Sequence analysis was used to compare the genomes of bacteria exhibiting dysbiosis in PD patients, and the sequences of key enzymes in the dopamine biosynthetic pathway, including tyrosine hydroxylase, as well as tyrosine decarboxylase or DOPA decarboxylase. Alternatives to these enzymes were also investigated. The genera Bacteroides and Clostridium were identified as having sequence similarity with tyrosine hydroxylase, tyrosine or DOPA decarboxylase, as well as a tetrahydrobiopterin synthesis enzyme. Although further studies will be necessary to demonstrate that these bacteria have the ability to produce dopamine, and that they can do so while residing in the gastrointestinal tract, this work has laid the foundation for future research on the role of the gut microbiota in PD
Mechanistic studies of Palladium enolate complexes
No full textPalladium enolate complexes such as (PPh₃)₂PdX(CH₂COPh) are potential intermediates for coupling reactions in which a new bond is formed between the enolate [alpha]-carbon and an sp or sp² carbon via transmetallation or electrophilic C-H activation. However, at the elevated temperatures often required for these coupling reactions, such Pd-enolate complexes are subject to first-order decomposition, and the release ofPPh₃)₂PdX, acetophenone, and other unknown Pd complexes. Kinetic decomposition studies by ¹H NMR spectroscopy were pursued to determine the mechanisms of this conversion. Our results suggest the formation of a bis-enolate complex, which results from a ligand disproportionation of the original Pd-enolate complex. When [beta]-hydrogens are present, this disproportionation competes with [beta]-hydride elimination. Deuterium labeling studies indicate that in the absence of [beta]-hydrogens, the enolate ligand receives its hydrogen via C-H activation of the phenyl group on the second enolat
What is personal development?
No full textIn this introductory chapter, Carole Smith aims to demystify this concept by examining the different definitions of personal development and asks you to look at your personal understanding of its meaning. Linked to this, a useful exploration of self-awareness is offered. You are encouraged to look at your aims for personal development and how to recognise this through the exercises provided. This chapter introduces the personal development (PD) group and what this involves. It looks at how this can be used for your development and encourages you to look at your expectations and objectives for this. The value of the PD group and potential difficulties are discussed and research is drawn upon
Fullerene-like WS<sub>2</sub> supported Pd catalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction
No full textHydrogen is the most desirable green energy carrier and electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) from water is a promising route for hydrogen production. The search for efficient, low-cost HER catalysts is a challenging and attracting topic. In this work, we report that inorganic fullerene-like WS2 supported Pd nanoparticles (Pd/WS2), with Pd loading of 0.76 wt%, are active for electrocatalytic HER conducted in 0.5 M H2SO4 solution, with overpotential at 10 mA cm−2 current density of ~130 mV and Tafel slope of 82.4 mV dec−1, which is comparable to that of Pt/WS2 (0.88 wt% Pt loading) with higher costs. Characteristic results indicate that WO3 impurities were in-situ produced on the WS2 surface and the Pd NPs are primarily located inside the WS2 nanocages. Contrasting experiments suggest that the WO3 impurities play a crucial role in generating Hads intermediate and the Pd NPs are active sites of H2 production, and a reaction mechanism is proposed. The Pd/WS2 catalyst also shows good long-term stability owing to the location of Pd NPs inside the WS2 cages. The high HER activity, low costs and good stability make the Pd catalyst a potential alternative to Pt catalyst for HER.Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository 'You share, we take care!' - Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Micro and Nano Engineerin
A historical overview of personal development groups
No full textPersonal development (PD) groups have an interesting history and have survived as a method of increasing self-awareness on counsellor training courses for a long time. In this chapter Carole Smith looks at the historical background to these including ‘encounter groups’ and ‘T groups’, which were introduced as a form of experiential group therapy. The links between group therapy and usage in training are shown here. The chapter briefly defines what a group is and discusses the need for self-awareness in counselling training. It explains how PD groups in counselling training have developed over time and there is some exploration of early works on group dynamics. The final section looks at PD groups now
Addressing Time Delays in Blood Glucose Regulation for T1DM Using a PD Controller and Smith Predictor Method
No full textDiabetes Mellitus, particularly Type 1 Diabetes (T1DM), is a condition where the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, causing abnormal Blood Glucose (BG) levels. Proper BG regulation is essential for managing T1DM and preventing related complications. In this research, a hybrid method that integrates the PD controller and Smith Predictor is employed to tackle the issue of time delays in blood glucose regulation for T1DM patients. This study compares two control strategies: a Proportional-Derivative (PD) controller and the Smith Predictor, both of which address time delays inherent in glucose monitoring and insulin delivery systems. The PD controller parameters are determined using MATLAB Simulink's PID Tuner, and the system's transfer function was derived through System Identification. The time response analysis of both control methods shows that while their rise times are similar, the Smith Predictor offers a significant reduction in delay and peak times. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved
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