scholarly journals Physical Fitness and Psychological Wellness of Saudi Engineering Students as Related to Academic Achievement

2012 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 149-183
Author(s):  
Abdullah O. Bafail Abdullah O. Bafail

The present study was conducted on a stratified random sample of 100 students of the College of Engineering of King Abdulaziz University (KAU), representing the Saudi university students, with the objectives of: (a) studying the impact of students' physical fitness and psychological wellness on their academic achievement, (b) identifying effective related factors improving or limiting students' achievement and, (c) presenting a practical model of optimal physical fitness and psychological wellness for Saudi students. Data of the study are needed by the planners in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) to harmonize and optimize the presented services related to the educational process, and to have utmost output of them. Each of the selected students was interviewed for his health and psychological status, performed intelligence test and subjected to fit-test measurements, followed by testing his academic records and recording his Grade Points Average (GPA). Analysis of variance for the effect of the tested students' 57 variables on their GPAs revealed highlighting 20 of them as the most influential variables, and further testing the significance of their effects indicated that the main academic effective factors on students’ academic achievement include: students' levels of intelligence and the student's background education of the holy Quran, English language and computer practices; meanwhile, the "relatively exceeding" numbers of courses attended by students through the academic semester have a negative impact on their GPAs. The need of the students for the university stipend represents the main studied economic factor which has impact on their academic achievement. The main effective cultural, social and health factors include: the students' involvements in community scientific,

Author(s):  
Shivani Vashishtha ◽  
Sona Ahuja ◽  
Mani Sharma

With the present era being technology driven, social media has become an indispensable part of many people irrespective of their age. Among different age groups, the maximum users are adolescents and among different social networking sites (SNS), Facebook shares the major part of usage by them. Many adolescents are tending towards excessive usage of Facebook leading to its addiction. Does this addiction have negative influence on adolescents or it actually helps them to keep up with their counterparts and be socially connected to them for their betterment? This question is unanswered specifically when it concerns the impact that it has on the study habits and academic achievement of adolescents. The hypotheses were tested in order to explore the impact of six dimensions (mood modification, deficient self-regulations, salience, loss of control, withdrawal, and relapse) of Facebook Addiction Disorder (FAD) using Bergens' Facebook Addiction Scale (BFAS), developed by Andreassen (2012). The results are based on the survey conducted on 200 adolescents studying in different schools of India. The findings indicate that there is a significant negative impact of Facebook Addiction Disorder (FAD) on study habits and academic achievement of adolescents. The major implication derived is that the higher the addiction to Facebook the study habit become poor and academic achievement decreases resulting in lower grades.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamal Kaid Mohammed Ali ◽  
S. Imtiaz Hasnain ◽  
M. Salim Beg

Overindulgence in social networking, in general, and texting, in particular, is much in practice. It is cutting across various population boundaries and has almost assumed an endemic proportion. Its consequential impact on the standard language has acquired greater importance. This paper aims to determine the perceptions and attitudes of English Second Language (ESL) learners at Aligarh Muslim University towards the consequences of texting on Standard English. The data were collected through a five-point scale questionnaire from ninety students who were enrolled at Aligarh Muslim University during the academic year 2010-2011. The respondents completed a 16-item questionnaire. The students from which the data were collected were grouped according to their levels. The results indicate the negative impact of this new usage of the language in breaking the rules of English language and influencing their literacy. Moreover, the questionnaire results from respondents' point of view show that regardless of their heavy use of texting, most respondents have a negative attitude towards texting and they viewed it as a threat to Standard English.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 53-68
Author(s):  
Galyna Vasylivna Lutsenko ◽  
◽  
Oksana Mykolaivna Podolian ◽  
Lyudmyla Mikhailivna Ozhyndovych ◽  
◽  
...  

One of the world-recognized practices of modern higher education is the application of problem-based and project-based approaches to teaching STEM-disciplines. In case of integration of problem-based and project-based learning, the educational process is organized around the problem to be solved by students and stimulates them to find optimal strategies for solving, and project activities are chosen as a way of organizing work. The article describes the ongoing experience of implementation of project-based STEM-courses "Hydro- and Gas Dynamics" and "Applied Mechanics and Fundamentals of Design", which is part of training of engineering students of 151 Automation and Computer-integrated technologies speciality at the Bohdan Khmelnytskyy National University of Cherkasy during 2017-2019 academic years. The impact of problem-based and project-based approaches to teaching STEM-disciplines on the formation of professional and general competencies of future engineers had been analyzed. The dynamics of changes of personal and interpersonal skills of junior students during the teamwork on mono- and multidisciplinary projects had been studied. The case study method was chosen as the general research method, which corresponds to the number of research participants and the active role of researchers in the educational process. The results of surveys developed using the 5-point Likert scale, demonstrates that students mostly positively evaluate the projects and teamwork. The possibility of self-grouping, which made possible to form teams based on common interests and promote freer and more natural communication within the team, was the important factor of positive perception of project work. The disadvantages of the implemented approaches include the difficulties that manifested itself at the stage of students' planning of the project process. One of the reasons for this is the lack of previous experience in the realization of students' team projects. The introduction of multidisciplinary projects made it possible to optimize the workload of students working simultaneously on a project in two disciplines and increase the motivation to study the disciplines of the STEM cycle.


Author(s):  
Elvira Vitaljevna Burtseva ◽  
Olga Chepak ◽  
Olga Kulikova

The subject of this research is the implementation of digital technologies in educational process of a university. The goal consists in studying the impact of digital technologies upon the students’ learning activities. The article presents the results of questionnaire-based survey among students by the three question pools. In the course of research, the author examines such aspects of the problem, as the positive and negative impact of technologies upon learning activities of the students of digital generation. Particular attention is given to consideration of students’ attitude on digitalization of higher education. The opinions of pedagogues on the results of conducted research are presented. The scientific novelty lies in mainstreaming the question on the negative impact of digital technologies upon learning activities of the modern generation of students that deserves special attention. On the background of common passion of the scholars of researchers and pedagogues for the ideas of digitalization of education, when digital technologies are viewed as virtually the key factor for modernization of educational process; second come the problems of growing pathological dependence of youth on digital technologies, undesired to switch to digitalized educational process to the disadvantage of communication in social networks and pleasant pastime online. The problem of the negative effect of digital technologies on learning activities must be recognized in order to find the ways for its solution.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Marta Altieri ◽  
◽  
Mariangela Fratino ◽  
Flavia Pauri ◽  
Antonella Conte ◽  
...  

Background: Italy was one of the first affected countries by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Public health measures like quarantine or national lockdown were adopted, with negative psychological and clinical effects on patients with chronic diseases. To investigate the impact of lockdown on patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), we developed a 36 items self-report questionnaire. Methods: Questionnaires were emailed to 120 patients with MS and 100 with chronic migraine (CM) as a control group, matched for age, sex, and education. The questionnaire was divided into five domains, evaluating concerns about 1) MS and therapy during COVID-19 pandemic, 2) personal and family caregiving, 3) working activities, 4) general and disease-related emotions during the lockdown, 5) future expectations concerning health status, social life, and working activity. Results: patients with MS had higher scores than those with CM in domains 4 and 5, investigating respectively general and disease-related emotions and future expectations (p= 0.05 and 0.02 respectively). About half of the patients with MS expressed some concern about the need to continue their therapy during the pandemic compared to people with CM (p= 0.0002). Conclusions: Covid-19 pandemic had a more negative impact on psychological status of patients with MS compared with those with CM


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 120
Author(s):  
Safrul Muluk ◽  
Habiburrahim Habiburrahim ◽  
Syarifah Dahliana ◽  
Saiful Akmal

Issues and incidents of bullying may take place, regardless of time and place, notwithstanding at Islamic education institutions. This study is aimed at finding out types of bullying and their triggering factors taking place in the university classroom; examining steps taken by lecturers to anticipate and prevent classroom bullying; and analyzing the impact of bullying on EFL students’ academic achievement. This mixed-methods study involved 546 students and 30 lecturers of the English Language Education Department at three state Islamic universities in Indonesia; Universitas Islam Negeri Syarif Hidayatullah in Jakarta, Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Kalijaga in Yogyakarta, and Universitas Islam Negeri Ar-Raniry in Banda Aceh. Both surveys and interviews were employed to collect the required data. The findings elucidate that physical, social, verbal, and racial are among the most common emergent bullying incidents the students experienced. Revealing the triggering factors of bullying, the data show that competition in academic and social life, differences in thoughts and appearances, lack of understanding of bullying meaning, and lack of regulation are pointed as the source of bullying. The findings also indicate that bullying influences students’ academic achievement; bullying incidents have driven their victims into four pathetic conditions: less confident, stressed, anxious, and passive. Some steps are applied by the lecturer to prevent and handle bullying; they are: providing classroom regulation, being a counselor for students, enforcing the regulation, and massive socialization.


1997 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 275-281 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Lasjaunias

Cerebral arteriovenous lesions are in general considered to be congenital in nature despite the fact that there is no evidence that the AV shunts diagnosed in adults are present at birth in a similar format. Construction of a vascular structure is the result of complex biological influences starting in the embryo, and continuing in the foetus, the neonate and the young infant. This vascular tree has to be maintained, repaired and modified according to metabolic demands, requiring over time the renewal of the entire structure. This is also genetically programmed and controlled. Both construction and maintenance involve repetitive steps and feedback towards the vascular tree according to the demands. Alterations in the programme or in the cellular logistics to achieve it, will create a different construction of the blood vessel wall. Analysis of the origin of the cerebrofacial endothelial cell would suggest that, the earlier a causative event occurs the larger the area of impact, and the higher the chances of apparent multifocality will be. The later the trigger occurs the more focal the defect and the smaller the lesion. If so, growth of an AVM as such should not occur; large nidi will not result from the growth of smaller ones. The impact of Rendu-Osler-Weber (ROW) disease on the venous endothelial cells and the polymorphism observed in cerebral arteriovenous shunts in ROW patients may outline the role played by the veins as the primary target in the development of cerebral AVMs. The venous and arterial angiopathy related to chronic high flow (or flow changes beyond normal equilibrium) impact a normally reacting vasculature which has been “abnormally” triggered by an AVM. This intraluminal trigger represents a “stress trigger” which can be flow, pressure or “other” related factors. This interpretation identifies the so-called AVMs to be the expression of various diseases rather than the disease itself. They are the result and negative impact of biological dysfunction of the remodelling process at the capillarovenous junction.


2006 ◽  
Vol 24 (18_suppl) ◽  
pp. 668-668 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Chirivella ◽  
B. Bermejo ◽  
A. Insa ◽  
A. Perez-Fidalgo ◽  
A. Magro ◽  
...  

668 Background: The relationship between chemotherapy (CT) dose intensity and patient (pt) outcome in the management of early stage breast cancer (EBC) is still controversial. Although randomised clinical trials have provided evidence that supports the delivery of full standard doses of CT on schedule, precise thresholds for CT dose-related factors and their impact on survival-related endpoints have not yet been fully defined. The objective of this project is to assess the impact of CT dose-related factors on event-free and overall survival in a large group of EBC pts treated with anthracycline-based chemotherapy. Methods: A total of 1056 EBC (stage I-II-IIIA) cases diagnosed and treated from January 1980 to December 2000 were retrospectively studied. All of them received adjuvant anthracycline non-taxanes-based CT. Consecutive charts from 793 pts that were fully completed were included in the analysis. Survival-related endpoints were analysed through Kaplan-Meier estimates, log-rank tests, and Cox proportional hazards models. Results: With a median follow-up of 10.0 years, pts exposed to either > 2 cycle-delay (delay at any cycle defined as ≥ 3 days vs. plan), or ≥ 15 day-delay across the whole CT regimen, or < 95% relative dose intensity (RDI) showed significantly worse 10-year Event-Free Survival (EFS) and Overall Survival (OS) as compared to pts with no dose delay/reduction (data shown below). Controlling for age at diagnosis, disease stage, histological grade, menopausal status and year of treatment did not modify these results. Conclusions: Based on this preliminary analysis, CT dose delays and reductions in EBC pts treated with adjuvant anthracycline-based regimens have a significantly negative impact on EFS and OS. [Table: see text] No significant financial relationships to disclose.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shawnda A. Morrison ◽  
Kaja Meh ◽  
Vedrana Sember ◽  
Gregor Starc ◽  
Gregor Jurak

Background: The negative impact of isolation, confinement, and physical (in)activity due to pandemic movement restriction has been well-documented over the past year, but less is known on the impact of these policies on children's physical fitness. This study was designed to determine the effects of pandemic movement restriction policies on the 24-hour movement behavior (24-HMB) of children, and whether any alterations are reflected in worsening physical fitness outcomes determined via direct testing.Methods: A two-phase, repeated-measures study with matched controls was conducted. Phase One: N = 62 schoolchildren (N = 31 female) completed self-assessment questionnaires on 24-HMB in October 2018 (pre-pandemic) and again in April 2020, at the height of movement restrictions enacted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic first wave. Phase Two: physical fitness of the original N = 62 children were determined directly pre- and post-isolation using an eight-component standardized fitness test battery and compared to N = 62 control children who were matched for age, sex, school region, and fitness centile scores.Results: During lockdown (total duration: 63 days), moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) decreased by ~46 min per day, screen time demonstrated a significant interaction effect, such that kids reported spending less recreational screen time on weekends during lockdown compared to no restriction, and sleep duration was consistently lower (95% CI: −104.1 to −45.5 min, p &lt; 0.001). No interaction effect was present for direct fitness indicators, including: hand tapping (reaction time), standing broad jump, polygon backward obstacle course (coordination), sit-ups, stand-and-reach, bent-arm hang, 60-m, and 600-m run (p ≥ 0.05) although significant main effects are noted for both sexes.Conclusion: Initial changes in 24-HMB did not translate to reductions in physical fitness per se, likely due to the high initial fitness levels of the children. Further work is needed to confirm whether longer or repeated movement restrictions exacerbate initial negative 24-HMB trends, especially for children who are less fit when restrictions are initiated, prolonged, or repeated.


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