bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quality Assurance Indicators for School Transformation: A Paradigm Shift
Authors: Chiaha Gertrude Theresa Uzoamaka , Nane-Ejeh Sandra Okwundu
Published: May 2015

The new millennium is witnessing a lot of transformational challenges in almost all realms of life including the educational system, bringing about world class standards. Consequently, education reform has become necessary in pursuance of educational quality and effectiveness. Unfortunately most educational reforms in the past decades have resulted in serious frustration and failure even though they are often based on good will. This discourse will highlight the need for transformation in education in terms of Quality Assurance (QA) indicators for quality education that is currently experiencing three waves. The different waves are based on the different paradigms and theories of education quality and school effectiveness, and they result in different strategies and approaches to education quality assurance. The first wave of school transformation focuses mainly on Internal Quality Assurance Indicators and makes effort to improve internal school performances particularly the methods and processes of teaching and learning. The second wave emphasizes Interface Quality Assurance in terms of organizational effectiveness, stakeholders’ satisfaction and market competitiveness and makes effort to ensure satisfaction and accountability to the internal and external stakeholders. This paper further explained that school transformation should move towards the third wave which emphasizes strongly Future Quality Assurance Indicators in terms of relevance to the new school functions in the new century, as well as relevance to the new paradigm shift in education concerning contextualized multiple intelligences (CMI), globalization, localization and individualization. Based on the paradigm shift, a new QA indicator in terms of value added and value created indicators which are completely different are added to the list. The enhancement of value added depends heavily on improvement of internal processes while value created relies mainly on the increase in goal relevance and stakeholder satisfaction with quality of education services. Continuous institutional development becomes necessary for total QA in the secondary school system and quality management of the new secondary school curriculum that emphasises entrepreneurship education. Consequently, transformation from the traditional ways of school management, to new creative and innovative approach, such as introduction of Tripartite Curriculum for inculcating multiple intelligences, instead of mono-intelligence that is currently prevalent in the Nigerian secondary school curriculum, is therefore advocated for. so that the current paradigm shift to a new secondary school curriculum in Nigerian will surely be a success.
Rashid Vatvat and Matlubon-Kolle-Taleb
Authors: Kamaladdini Seied Mohammad Bagher
Published: May 2015

This article is based on an attempt to introduce and study a new-found manuscript containing four Hadith books: "Tohfa-al-seddigh, Fasl-al-khetab, Ons-al-lohfan, Matlubon-kolle-taleb." These four Hadith books include Hadiths of the first four caliphs, interpreted by Rashid-al-din Vatvat; distinguished writer of sixth century in Kharazmshahian court. The remarks of two hadith books (Fasl-al-khetab and Matlubon–kolle-taleb) are also changed into persion poem. With a thematic point of view, some scribes have collected these four Hadith books into one book and named it: " Remarks of the four Chosen fellows" or " Hundred remarks of the four prophets fellows". This manuscript is written in Naskh in the same style by Taher.
The Relation of Personality Dimension with Nationalism Consumption Level of the Sanandaj Citizens
Authors: Ahmadi Kumars , Rahimi Fatemeh
Published: May 2015

The purpose of this research is to determine the level of the Sanandaj citizens' personality dimensions and property relation with the nationalism consumption in 2004. The method of this study is descriptive and correlation kind. The statistic society of the current study consisted of Sanandaj people with the cognitive population property (education and economy situation) that according to the over 2000 persons of population density, 384 persons was chosen based on the Korjesi and Morgan with the classification method as the statistic objects. The information collective tool included the five personality factors questionnaire and the nationalism consumption measurement. For analysis the data, the SPSS statistic software, and for surveying the relation of the criterion and foresight variables, the analysis of the Regression and Variance correlation coefficients was used. The Regression analysis represented that the personality variable dimensions, predict the nationalism consumption variable variance at 5 percent level. This coefficient was having a positive effect in extroversion dimension, it means that with the extroversion level increment, the nationalism consumption will also increase, but in other dimensions (Excitement stability, flexibility, deontology, amiability), it had negative coefficient effect thus with any dimensions increment (Excitement stability, flexibility, deontology, amiability), the nationalism consumption level decrease.
Communicative Action, Deliberative and Restorative Justice - A Review
Authors: Vlăduţescu Ştefan , Teodorescu Mirela
Published: May 2015

“Communicative Action, Deliberative and Restorative Justice – Socio-juridical perspective on mediational averment” by Antonio Sandu and Elena Unguru, published by TRITONIC in 2014, is a high level transdisciplinary lesson about transactional justice, restorative justice and deliberative alternative to classical (retributive and distributive). Antonio Sandu is Professor at the University "Ştefan cel Mare" from Suceava, and researcher at the Centre for Socio-Human Research Lumen in Iasi (Romania). The main interest of the author include ethics, bioethics, social assistance, social philosophy. He is the author of five books in Social Philosophy and Applied Ethics, more than 8 articles in scientific journals indexed by Thomson Reuters and over 20 other scientific articles. Elena Unguru is researcher in the fields of law, social work, sociology, communication, appreciative inquiry in Socio-Human Research Center Lumen from Iasi-Romania. We are led, naturally and professionally, on the sinuously road from conflict to communication also denoted by the establishment of the public sphere as social reality born of meeting and acceptance of the otherness, of individuality asserting in public space, postulating the universality of human nature as human rights. Starting from the Habermas’ idea of communication power as a form of expression in contemporary society, the author believes that communicative action codes a power strategy based on consensus. Power is soft, seductive, and inter-mediate linguistic and cultural relations. The chosen theme by the authors analyze the communication mediation model based on the values ​​of social justice, equity and charity, assuming an exercise of the integration of the otherness, of perceiving the other as partner.
The Relationship among Information and Communication Technologies and GDP in Middle East Countries: Panel Cointegration Approach
Authors: Mehrara Mohsen , Ebrahimian Alireza , Falahati Zabihallah
Published: May 2015

This paper studies the causality relationship between Foreign Direct Investment and Information and Communication Technologies based on panel data covering Middle East countries during the period 1990-2010. The empirical results support of a short-run cointegration relationship after allowing for the heterogeneous country effect. The long-run relationship is estimated using a full-modified OLS. Pedroni's heterogeneous panel cointegration test reveals have long-run equilibrium relationship between FDI and economic growth. The analysis of results indicate that the growth contribution of ICT and FDI was quite low for these countries. The econometric results showed a positive and significant impact of ICT and FDI in these countries.
The Nature of Iranian Petroleum Contracts in Upstream Section
Authors: Haddadi Mahdi
Published: May 2015

Petroleum contracts are an important and sensitive issue in Iranian petroleum industry. Monitoring on petroleum contracts especially in upstream section is too important due to length of term and high financial volume. After Islamic revolution in Iran, a challenging discussion between the Parliament and Government was the supervision and approval of petroleum contracts by Parliament. Article 77 of Iranian Constitutional Law permits the Parliament to monitor on international agreements directly. Therefore, determining the nature of petroleum contracts would highly impact on this kind of supervision by the Parliament. However, Parliament can monitor on these contract properly by using its authorities mentioned in the Constitutional Law and by codification or modifying relevant laws including the Law to Modify Petroleum Law.
Information from Theory towards Science
Authors: Novak-Marcincin Jozef , Nicolescu Adrian , Teodorescu Mirela
Published: May 2015

Information from Theory towards Science, the professor Stefan Vlăduţescu’s book from University of Craiova, is a confirmation of high intelligence level and propensity of author’s cognition. From various semiotic materials (words, images, gestures, drawings, etc.), following certain principles, under different procedures (operations, actions, movements, maneuvers, mechanisms, strategies) using means (languages​​, codes, subcodes) and specific tools (knowledge, concepts, categories) adapted aim between earth (with autocorrection by feedback) and firmament (as anticipation by feed-forward) rises an imposing edifice, a cognitive construction: this is information. It has systemic and procedural character and is organized on four coordinates: metric, semantic, structural and pragmatic.
Comparison of Emotional Intelligence in Working Couples in Gorgan
Authors: Khatiri Khadije , Moghadam Kobra Kazemian , Rabiee Fatemeh
Published: May 2015

The present study was formulated to determine emotional health in working couples of Gorgan city in 2010. Samples were selected via cluster sampling method after deriving the statistical facts about working males and females in Gorgan City and finally, 100 people (50 couples) were selected. Bar-On questionnaire was selected to measure emotional intelligence due to comprehensiveness, simplicity, and conformity to Iranian culture. The collected data were subjected to descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) in SPSS Software. Then, the data were analyzed through inferential statistics. The results obtained from the present study showed that there is no significant difference in emotional intelligence of working females (1.995) compared to their working husbands (1.960).
Feminism and the Hard-Boiled Genre: Breakdown in Sara Paretsky’s Breakdown
Authors: Beyad Maryam Soltan , Jabbari Mohsen
Published: May 2015

As feminist re-writings of the genre of crime fiction (mostly the hard-boiled) from the 1980s onward, Sara Paretsky’s Warshawski novels provide a fertile field for critical and cultural studies. The aims of this paper are twofold: first, it traces the generic influences on her latest novel Breakdown (2012) beyond the obvious male precursors of the hard-boiled (Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler) of the interwar period to the Gothic vogue in the early 19th century; and second, drawing on Roland Barthes’s notion of readerly/writerly texts, Pierre Macherey’s critique of ideology in realist fiction, and Fredric Jameson’s dialectical view of genre, it teases out the symptomatic fissures and contradictions in Paretsky’s novel which betray the text’s inability to ultimately resist the ideology it intends to subvert.
State Initiatives in Conflict Resolution as Tool of Development: A Case of the Northeast India
Authors: Ashrafuzzaman Md.
Published: May 2015

This paper focuses on the relations between state initiatives in conflict resolution as a tool of bringing development in northeast India. The main task of this paper is to find out the historical importance of the role of state as an actor behind developmental activities in developing countries like India. I will discuss ethnic conflicts of the Northeast India and will also show what steps have been taken by Indian central Government to resolve the issue. I will also describe how and for what extent ethno-political conflicts started in this region with the historical background of ethnopolitical conflicts in institutional context. This paper will show how ethnic movements have been continuing and what measures have been taken by the government to solve the ethnic conflicts in different states of India, particularly in the Northeast area as well as focus on different cleavages and ethnic conflicts within the state. The impact of colonialism on the Northeast India is focused here emphasizing on the precondition and historical legacy of colonialism. There is a brief discussion on some provisions of law in this paper and constitutional provisions which were created in colonial India, but still exist in the Indian states. Internal conflicts is the main focus point of the paper paying attention to national and state-building strategies, in which I will further show how they act as external factors of development.
A Comparison between the Attachment Styles and Mate-Selection Criteria in Urban and Rural Girls
Authors: Najafizadeh Atefe , Samaeelvand Nesa , Yousefi Hamid , Parhizgari Mojtabla , Keiaei Marjan
Published: May 2015

The intent of this study was to compare attachment styles and Mate-selection criteria in urban and rural girls. The participant in this study included all the urban and rural girls (17-23 year old) of Ghorveh city in 2013-2014. A Sample consisting of 100 girls (50 urban and 50 rural) were selected using simple random sampling method. These two groups were equally matched on the basis of age, educational and economic status. Measuring instrument was the adult attachment scale, contains 21 questions, and researcher made questionnaire, titled as the mate-selection criteria contains 75 questions were applied. To analyze the data, frequency, percentage, average and the t test were applied. The results indicated that there is significant difference between the rural and urban girls with respect to the secure attachment style. Also the results reveal that there is a no difference between the anxiety attachment style, avoidance attachment style and Mate-selection criteria of the two groups (rural and urban girls).
The Socio-Economic Background of Immigrants Affect the Chances to get Higher Education in Sweden
Authors: Ashrafuzzaman Md.
Published: May 2015

The main reason behind gathering a great number of immigrants in Sweden is its neutral advocacy in world politics. Many of the immigrants have come to Sweden after completing their higher education in their own countries and want to work and live in Sweden. They prefer the socio-economic condition of Sweden better than any other countries even from their own countries sometimes. My area of this research is “Socio-economic background and immigration”. I reviewed books, articles, other secondary data and will try to show the position of immigrants through socio-economic background as both are co-related. Immigration comes before socio-economic back ground or vice-versa. I will also try to focus on the position of education or what kind of educational facilities the immigrants are enjoying. ‘Socio-economic background’ and ‘Effect of socio-economic background on higher education in Sweden’ are the two points of my discussion. Here I will focus on the two points as well as ‘Socio-economic background’ & Immigrant discussion make place this article respectively and the question is Does the socio-economic background of immigrants affect the chances to get higher education in Sweden? If so, then how it affects the chances? How does socio-economic and socio-cultural factors affect the educational attainment of higher education in second-generation immigrants in Sweden?
Sources of Finance Available for SME Sector in Pakistan
Authors: Khan Muhammad Mohsin
Published: May 2015

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are engines of growth for developed and developing countries. Developing countries like Pakistan must pay special attention towards its development and growth which is very essential for country’s economic growth, economic development, employment generation, income equality, poverty alleviation, entrepreneurial culture etc. But unfortunately this sector is under performing due to many barriers including improper infra-structure, regulatory requirements difficulties, shortage of skilled HR, non competitive products, lack of entrepreneurial expertise, small scope of business and risk of default but above all access to finance is the major barrier that is facing by SMEs. This research paper examines the sources of finance (formal and informal) that are available for SMEs and also highlights the issues that create hindrance in effective flow of financial facilities to SMEs especially SEs (Small Enterprises). The research paper concludes that sufficient and easy availability of finance is the key to success for SMEs in Pakistan.
Gender-Based Study of Interactive and Interactional Metadiscourse Markers in Conclusion Sections of English Master Theses
Authors: Zadeh Zahra Rezaei , Baharlooei Roya , Simin Shahla
Published: May 2015

The aim of this study is to seek two types of interpersonal model of Hyland (2005) used in conclusion sections of 30 Master Theses of English Teaching, English Literature, and English Translation written by male and female graduate students. These conclusion sections were categorized into two groups of male and female writers: 15 conclusion sections belonged to male writers and other 15 conclusion sections belonged to female writers. The interactive and interactional metadiscourse markers were counted and analyzed to find if male or female writers utilize these metadiscourse markers differently or similarly in conclusion sections of English disciplines (Translation, Teaching, and Literature). These metadiscourse markers were analyzed descriptively and referentially. The descriptive analysis show that both male and female writers in Translation, Teaching and Literature applied more interactional markers than interactive ones. In Translation and Teaching, female writers used more interactional resources comparing to male writers. But, in Literature, male writers employed more interactional markers than female writers. The referential statistics indicate that in English Translation and English Literature, there are significant differences between male and female writers concerning use of Interactive and Interactional metadiscourse Markers, while in English Teaching, there are not any significant differences between male and female writers regarding use of these metadiscourse Markers.
A Study of Carter’s The Snow Child in the Light of Showalter’s Theories
Authors: Aziz Mohammadi Fatemeh
Published: May 2015

Angela Carter was an English fiction writer and journalist. Her female protagonists often take an empowered roles where they rise up against oppression and fight for both sexual and political equality. The actions of these women are direct reflections of the feminist movement that took place in the 1970s. The concepts within this movement relating specifically to the ideologies of radical- libertarian feminist, and regarding the extent to which she promotes feminist due to her style, referred to as "Galm-Rock" feminism. Carter began experimenting with writing fairy tales in 1970, which coincided with the period of second wave feminism in the Unites States. The majority of Angela Carter’s work revolve around a specific type of feminism, radical libertarian feminism and her critique of the patriarchal role that have been placed on women. In this article, the main concentrate is on heroine’s internalized consciousness which echoes in their behavior. All of the female protagonists in carter’s short stories; such as The Courtship of Mr. Lyon, The Tiger’s Bride, The snow child and mainly in The Bloody chamber have similar characteristics with different conditions, in which they are represented in a very negative light with less than ideal roles. In these stories, the protagonist is a young girl who has many conflicts with love and desire. Carter attempts to encourage women to do something about this degrading representation.
The Evaluation of the Performance of Primary and Secondary School Managers Using the EFQM Model: A Case from Iran
Authors: Jannati Gholamhossein , Omidian Faranak
Published: May 2015

This study aimed to evaluate the performance of primary and secondary headmasters using the EFQM organizational excellence model in Andimeshk. This was a descriptive survey. The statistical population consisted of 2000 teachers of primary and secondary school of the first and second year in Andimeshk. According to Morgan table, 322 people were selected using stratified random sampling technique and gender. The data collection includes a questionnaire used derived from business excellence model with 4 criteria (leadership, strategy, resources, partners and employees outcomes). To assess the validity, two kinds of content and construct validity were used. The validity of the scale of the evaluation of headmasters' performance was confirmed according to the business excellence model using confirmatory factor analysis with LISREL software. Reliability of the tool was obtained 0/90 using Cronbach test. To analyze the data, descriptive statistics were used and in regard with inferential statistics, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Friedman's rank, one-sample t-test and chi-square goodness of fit test. Statistical results showed that from the perspective of teachers, the performance of primary and secondary headmasters in Andimeshk was in an acceptable level with regard to leadership, strategy, resources and partners and society.
Exploring the Relationship between Learners Gender Differences and Communication Apprehension Considering the Class Participation in Iranian EFL Context
Authors: Faridizad Ali , Simin Shahla
Published: May 2015

The ability to communicate effectively is the optimum goal of learning English. Class participation plays a pivotal role in improving oral communication. Some obstacles prevent students from reaching class participation which may halt student' potent communication. Oral communication apprehension has been found to be the most important factor affecting the class participation. With all the differences separating males and females, it is no surprise that communication apprehension would be affected by gender differences. The goal of this study is to investigate the relationship between learners' gender differences and oral communication apprehension with respect to class participation. To achieve this goal, 140 undergraduate students including 70 males and 70 females majoring in English literature, translation and teaching from Sheik-Bahai University were selected. This sample was chosen by means of simple random sampling procedure. A questionnaire was utilized as the instrument to examine the relationships between learners' gender differences and oral communication apprehension. The data accumulated by means of the questionnaire were analyzed to ascertain the answers to the research question. In general, the findings showed that female students tend to be more apprehensive than men regarding the class participation.
Enrolment & Dropout Percentage among Boys & Girls up to Secondary Level in India: A Comparative Study
Authors: Pandita Ramesh
Published: May 2015

Purpose: The present paper seeks to examine the enrolment and dropout percentage of children in India, supported with empirical findings up to secondary level. Although, the study is general in nature, but the emphasis has been laid on the girl child education, which is one of the greatest concerns in the Indian school education sector. Some of the aspects studied include, enrolment and dropout of children during the period of study, under both boys and girls category, their corresponding growth rate in enrolment, their corresponding decline rate in dropout and many other allied aspects.Scope: The study is confined to secondary level education and the findings have direct bearing on the Indian school education system. Given the population size of India and the socioeconomic conditions of the country, there is a need to observe caution, while generalizing the findings for other countries.Methodology/Approach: The present study is purely based on the analysis of secondary data retrieved from the official website of the Ministry of Human Resource and Development, Govt., of India. The data lasts for the decade 2001-02 to 2010-11 and was retrieved on October 02, 2014. Since the data on the website stands up-dated up to the year 2010-11, as such the findings simply reflect a trend in the enrolment and dropout percentage in India and may show variation by the time figures are updated.Findings: The study reveals that during the period of study, the enrolment percentage of girls has improved over two fold to that of boys. As, compared to 18.17% increase in the overall enrolment of boys, the enrolment percentage of girls increased by 40.52% during the decade. The corresponding growth surely reflects the changed mindset of male dominated Indian social setup towards the girl child. Even, the average annual dropout percentage of girls remained better to that of boys, as the girls recorded a corresponding decline in their dropout percentage by 3.53%, while as in case of boys the dropout percentage declined by 2.54% annually. Despite all these positives, the discouraging part is that compared to 57.39% boys, 60.39% girls’ dropout by or before reaching the upper primary level and against 78.40% boys, 81.72% girls’ dropout by or before reaching the secondary level.Social Implications: Given the new and changed world order, no country can afford to remain elusive of basic formal education, what is commonly known as elementary education and so holds true of India. The study is a positive indicator of the growing awareness among Indian masses towards the promotion of girl child education, but still there is lot yet to be done to reduce the dropout percentage between upper primary and secondary level for both boys in general and girls in particular.
The Study of Disagreement Strategies to Suggestions Used by Iranian Male and Female Learners
Authors: Salehipour Bavarsad Samira , Eslami-Rasekh Abbass , Simin Shahla
Published: May 2015

This study seeks to investigate the ways in which the speech act of disagreement is expressed by young male and female Persian speakers. To collect the data 100 participants (50 males, 50 females) were selected randomly from among undergraduate and graduate students of University of Isfahan and Islamic Azad University (Najafabad branch). The focus of this study was on the role that gender and power might play in the employment of strategies to mitigate the threat of disagreement. Students were asked to complete a discourse completion test (DCT) designed by the researcher. They were supposed to read nine suggestions situations, and react to them via making disagreements. Respondents were expected to disagree with three interlocutors with higher status, three peers and three with lower status. In order to analyze the utterances of disagreement, Muntigl and Turnbull’s taxonomy (1998) was employed. The results revealed that although both males and females were concerned about the power status of interlocutors and try to apply the appropriate strategies while expressing their disagreements, females were more cautious and used different strategies from those of males.
Althusserian Reading of The Handmaid’s Tale
Authors: Moradi Maryam , AzizMohammadi Fatemeh
Published: May 2015

Louis Althusser (1918-1990) builds on the work of Jacques Lacan to understand the way ideology functions in society. He thus moves away from the earlier Marxist understanding of ideology. In the earlier model, ideology was believed to create what was termed ‘false consciousness’, a false understanding of the way the world functioned. Althusser explains that for Marx “Ideology is [...] thought as an imaginary construction whose status is exactly like the theoretical status of the dream among writers before Freud. For those writers, the dream was the purely imaginary, i.e. null, result of the 'day's residues” (1971:108). Althusser, by contrast, approximates ideology to Lacan's understanding of reality, the world we construct around us after our entrance into the symbolic order. For Althusser, as for Lacan, it is impossible to access the real conditions of existence due to our reliance on language. This could be seen throughout the novel by Margaret Atwood who writes The Handmaid’s Tale (1985) based on the concept of ideology. This is about how the heroine of the story and other women in the society are manipulated by the ideology of ruling class through a communist society. In such a world nothing is real and everything is just an illusion that is made by ruling class. The subjects trapped or forced to believe such misconceptions and unreality through different techniques that are employed by the rulers. The dominant forces and ideology are so strong that the subject at the end gets a new identity since she is required unconsciously without her knowing. The other aspect shown by this novel is the failure of revolution and communism in this society and persistence of capitalism that it never disappears.
An Investigation into the Effect of Audit Quality on Accounting Conservatism in Companies Listed in Tehran Stock Exchange
Authors: Pashaki Mahdi Mohammadinejad , Kheradyar Sina
Published: May 2015

The present study sought to investigate the effect of audit quality on accounting conservatism in Iranian capital market. In this study, given the hypotheses and theoretical foundations of the study, three hypotheses were formulated and the effect of each of the factors of industry-specialist auditor, auditor rank, and auditor tenure was examined on accounting conservatism of companies. The period for investigation was from 2009 to 2013. Its population was determined as all companies listed in Tehran Stock Exchange and the statistical sample of the study included 100 companies. The data required for this study were extracted from website of Tehran Stock Exchange and after collecting events through available resources and entering data in Excel software; its functions were used to calculate the variables of the study. Then, the results from measuring variables were entered into Eviews software for statistical calculations and the relationship between variables were evaluated using this software. The results of the study showed that there is a positive relationship between accounting conservatism and auditing attributes such as auditor rank and auditor tenure. Also, the obtained results indicated that there is no significant relationship between accounting conservatism and customer industry-specialist auditor.
Tobin’s q, RoA, Diversification and Risk
Authors: Farhangzadeh Banafsheh
Published: May 2015

This study aims to explain the link between corporate diversification, firm performance and risk. To test the research hypotheses, a sample of 63 companies listed in Tehran Stock Exchange over the period 2008-2012 was taken. We construct two models with Tobin’s q, RoA, Size, Debt, Growth and Standard deviation of stock returns. Analysis of the research models is based on panel(data) analysis. In these models the presence or absence of effects models (fixed or random) is reviewed and finally the best model is estimated. Inference is based on significant level or p-value, thus likely that any value or significance level of the test is less than 0.05 is rejected at the 95 percent confidence level. The results indicate that there is no significant relationship between diversification strategy, firm performance and risk.
Quality Assessment in Higher Education
Authors: Sawand Farzand Ali , Chandio Behram Ali , Bilal Muhammad , Rasheed M. Rizwan , Raza M. Ali , Ahmad Naveed
Published: May 2015

This study aim’s to identify the significance of quality assessment in higher education and how assessment is valuable for the betterment of educational process and student learning. As assessment is ongoing process for setting standards of higher education and measuring the progress toward learning outcomes so this study helps us to determine the new teaching methodologies and which innovations are required in this era of global education competition.
Impact of Corporate Governance on Firm Financial Performance in Islamic Financial Institution
Authors: Haider Najeeb , Khan Nabila , Iqbal Nadeem
Published: May 2015

The paper discusses the influence and relationship between corporate governance practices and firm financial performance in Islamic banking sector. Main purpose of this study is to find or identify various factors or variables that affects the firm financial performance. Corporate governance focuses on three meters as board size, number of meeting and audit committee size and firm financial performance has also three indicators return on equity, return on asset and earning per share. Data relates to corporate governance and firm financial performance is collected from annual reports of different Islamic banks to analyze the results. Data reveals the positive relationship between corporate governance and financial performance of Islamic banking sectors. The most outstanding results of this study has considerable and strong positive relationship in large board size and firm financial performance in developing countries as Pakistani circumstances.
Masculine Crisis in Ian McEwan’s Enduring Love
Authors: Jahanroshan Shafagh , Ramin Zohreh
Published: May 2015

Masculine crisis has always been with men and presented in masculine studies, but it becomes popular in the post modern era after crucial events such as feminism, the world wars, economical problems, etc. The issue of masculinity and masculine crisis exists in works of Ian McEwan and this study applies masculine crisis on his Enduring Love (1994). Most of McEwan’s characters are men who seek to find their places in post modern era. Thus this paper focuses on masculine crisis which emerges in Joe Rose, the male protagonist of this novel, when the shattering moments in the beginning of the novel threaten his power and authority which is very important in masculinity of men. There is another factor (homophobia) in the novel that leads him toward masculine crisis as well. All through the novel the male character tries to regain his lost authority and power. At the end of the novel, he somehow overcomes masculine crisis. This paper uses Butler’s theory of gender and other critics of masculine studies.
Narration and Historiography in McEwan’s Selected Novels
Authors: Sedaghat Maryam
Published: May 2015

As we saw in these three novels rewriting history may bring change of perspective, ideology and moral awakening for the reader. Linearity of history is challenged through depicting fragmented and multi-voiced personal histories. Historical traumas, although painful, bring an opportunity for revision and correction of our deeds. Without them human beings become complacent and immoral. For McEwan, writing about historical traumas is a solution to make historical traumas unforgettable and reminded to help us deal with our present situation which is vulnerable, violent and traumalogical. In these novels, self-reflection and self-transformation happens through writing about history
Diverging Concepts of the other in Islam: A Comparison between the Original Islamic Perception and Contemporary Muslims’ Practice
Authors: Deyab Mohammad Sha’aban , Elgezeery Gamal
Published: May 2015

During the time of Prophet Muhammad in Madinah, Muslims’ understanding of the Concept of the other was strictly similar to the one described in the Holy Quranic verses. The Prophet himself provides an exemplary practice of the Islamic view of the Other in writing a constitution for people of different religions, tribes, races and ethnicities, living in Madinah. Those others who had agreed to that constitution were allowed to worship in their own way and follow their own religious law, and were given a degree of self-government. However, After Prophet Muhammad, Muslims’ conceptions of the other greatly changed partly because of political reasons and conflicts among themselves and in most cases, because of the western colonization of many Muslim countries. The purpose of this paper is to deal with the diverging concepts of the other in Islam. It makes close readings of some Quranic verses revealed in the holy cities of Makka and Madinah and finds that the theoretical concept of the other, as represented in the Quran is based upon positive difference among peoples and communities. Then the paper sheds light on two instances of how Prophet Muhammad positively applied this concept, namely, “The Last Sermon and the Madinah Charter.” Next, it surveys the manifestations of the concept of otherness in contemporary theory and practice, especially with reference to colonialism. The last section of this paper tries to interpret the radical changes that have turned the Muslim concept of the other from a positive one to a completely negative view of the other. Muslim contemporary othering is a comprehensive process that is divided by the researchers into exterior othering related to non-Muslims and domestic othering related to Muslims among themselves.
A Study of Participative Management Method and Suggestion System Explanation in it
Authors: Amirinia Mohsen , Hamedi Orkideh , Amiri Abdosamad
Published: May 2015

Participation (P.) is a topic that’s been existed since long back and it’s been needed by man, to cooperate with each other in all affairs. In our country also, P. in Mgt. has been remarkably regarded, considering the advancement of Mgt. Science and Modern Mgt. matured in organizations (private and government institutes). An issue which has a special place in our religious affairs, that’s been suggested a lot, to consult and contribute in Islamic issues. Today, P. in various affairs is an area under discussion which has been regarded a lot by managerial authorities, and is being looked as a way to compensate defections and inaudibility of classical structures with low efficiency and flexibility. P. in Mgt. implies that, all people of organization even those who don’t have any role in decision making, can be effective in future progression of organization. In this research, it’s been tried to clarify PM method as a successful technique which is confirmed by top management authorities around the world, as a means, having notable effects in success of organizations and signifying it as a proper way to be performed in organizations. So, we delve into participative management, goals, methods, PM affaires and participative aspects in Islam. Thus, SS has been studied from different aspect to achieve the best apparatus of personnel P in organizations. Consequently, we have introduced and clarified the SS, performing fields, performing goals, SS Structure, its defrayal challenges and approaches to overcome all these challenges in Iran.
The Effect of the Family Physician Plan on the Performance of the Medical and Health Centers of the Ghorveh City
Authors: Ramazani Reza , Khaledian Mohamad , Tofighi Shahram , Malaki Mohamad Reza
Published: May 2015

The aim of the present research is to investigate the effect of the family physician plan on the medical and health centers of Ghorveh. The type of the research is semi empirical and is applied in nature. The research universe includes 15 medical and health centers of Ghorveh. The tools for collecting the data were information collection forms of the available statistical forms. The findings revealed there was a meaningful difference (P < 0/001) with regards to the performances among the average monthly services in 2005 and 2009 at the 15 centers under study in 2005 (prior to the implementation of the plan) and in 2009 (at the time of the implementation of the plan). The performance at such centers in 2009 with regards to the mentally ill patients under care has decreased substantially.
Galleys as a Total Institution
Authors: Borowski Andrzej
Published: May 2015

Galleys as the closed/total institution/, is regarding the whereabouts of the certain number of people isolated for a long stretch from the rest of society, remaining in the similar situation, of which the behaviour is under almost the total control of the staff of this institution. In the period of the antiquity slaves were the basic driving force of galleys but their fate resulted from the social status. In the period of the Middle Ages, galley slaves, called in Italian galeotti, they were free people, and their profession enjoyed the respect. Above all in France they have more and more often started with the 15th century to use galleys as the place of serving a penalty of imprisonment. This situation lasted to the mass scale till the XVIII century second-half, leaving in the social awareness stereotype of the galley slave.
Socio-Economic Profile of Village Bank Member in Suburban Ankara: Microcredit Mannequin and Assumptions on Microfinance Market of Turkey
Authors: Hes Tomáš , Neradová Alena , Srnec Karel
Published: May 2015

Turkey harbours one of the greatest untapped microfinance markets in the world. Despite its enormous dormant potential, few studies were undertaken in order to potrait the socio-economic character of its main protagonist: enterprising mother operating in the suburbs of urban and semi-urban environment. The study summarizes result of field research carried out by team of researchers from Czech University of Life Sciences and models a credit mannequin, profiling the average Turkish microfinance client in suburban areas of Central Anatolia. The assemblage enables to depict genuine relationships of mainstream clientele towards selected topics, reaching better understanding of nature and particularities of the Turkish microfinance market and drawing conclusions on its further development.
The Implementation of Self-Assessment in EFL Writing Classroom: An Experimental Study
Authors: Meihami Hussein , Varmaghani Zeinab
Published: May 2015

Writing skill is an essential requirement to lifelong learner success, yet the way teachers provide feedback for their students on writing is quite challenging. One of the new trends in writing skill instruction is Self Assessment. Self-assessment methods in writing instruction present meaningful ways to promote student writing achievement through reflection and meta-cognition during the writing process. This paper describes the findings of an investigation on using self assessment in EFL writing classroom. For the purpose of conducting this research, 48 Iranian upper intermediate students, all male and with age range of 20 to 23, were chosen to participate in this investigation. These participants were divided into two equal groups: an experimental group (N=24) who worked on their writings through self assessment and a control group (N=24) who worked on their writings based on the traditional ways. It was found that participants in the experimental group significantly improved their writing proficiency means score, whereas improvement in the control group was not significant. The results confirm that self assessment is successful with EFL students.
The Effect of Integrating Computer-Assisted Language Learning Materials in L2 Reading Comprehension Classroom
Authors: Meihami Hussein , Varmaghani Zeinab
Published: May 2015

With the turn of the century, Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) has got the center of attention in second and foreign language learning (ESL/EFL). Triggering with the technology of the day, Computer-Assisted Language Learning was integrated with language skills, speaking, listening, writing, and reading to serve as the medium of teaching and learning in L2 classrooms. This paper is an investigation of the effect of integrating CALL materials in L2 reading comprehension classrooms. The study was conducted in two classes each included 30 students attending a course on English reading comprehension at the Azad University in Qazvin, Iran. The comparison between the experimental and the control group pinpoint that CALL materials improve reading comprehension skill among EFL low advanced students. It was also revealed that most students have positive attitude toward CALL. The results suggests that using CALL materials both in teaching and learning reading comprehension of L2 is beneficial in allowing learners to make improvements in reading comprehension
Vibrio cholerae - As Biological Weapons
Authors: Daniszewski Piotr
Published: May 2015

Terrorism is defined as use of unlawful violence or threat of unlawful violence to indulge fear; intended to coerce or to intimidate governments or societies in the pursuit of goals that are generally political, social or religious. Bioterrorism is terrorism by intentional release or dissemination of biological agents, mainly bacteria or viruses. Use of biological weapons is attractive from the terrorists’ point of view because of low production costs, major range and easiness of transmission. The first mention of the use of primitive biological weapons date back to the 6th century. Use of plague-infested corpses as offensive means in the 14th century caused a spread of bubonic plague through the whole Europe. The biggest development of biological weapons took place in the interwar period and in the cold war era. Biological weapon trails and research were conducted by super powers such as USSR, UK, USA and Japan. At the beginning of the 20th century a new form of bioterrorism occurred, which put humanity in the face of a terrifying threat. Cholera is a deadly disease that has caused a worldwide phenomenon throughout history. Its imperative weapon, the Vibrio cholerae bacterium, has allowed cholera to seize control and wipe out a huge percentage of the human population. V. cholerae’s toxins are the primary causes of cholera’s lethal symptoms. The bacterium contains toxins that help it accomplish its job of invading the human system and defeating the body’s powerful immune system. With its sibling bacterium Escherichia coli, V. cholerae has become one of the most dominant pathogens in the known world. V. cholerae’s strategies in causing the infamous deadly diarrhea have been widely studied, from the irritation of the intestinal epithelium to the stimulation of capillary leakage, as well as the internal effects of the disease such as the Peyer’s patches on the intestinal walls. Overall, the Vibrio cholera bacterium has made cholera a tough disease to overcome, and because of its deadly virulence factors, cholera has become one of the most frightening diseases a human body could ever encounter. Vibrio cholerae is a Gram-negative, comma-shaped bacterium. Some strains of V. cholerae cause the disease cholera. V. cholerae is facultatively anaerobic and has a flagellum at one cell pole. V. cholerae was first isolated as the cause of cholera by Italian anatomist Filippo Pacini in 1854, but his discovery was not widely known until Robert Koch, working independently 30 years later, publicized the knowledge and the means of fighting the disease. V. cholerae pathogenicity genes code for proteins directly or indirectly involved in the virulence of the bacteria. During infection, V. cholerae secretes cholera toxin, a protein that causes profuse, watery diarrhea. Colonization of the small intestine also requires the toxin coregulated pilus (TCP), a thin, flexible, filamentous appendage on the surface of bacterial cells.