Improving Classroom Observation through Training: A qualitative Study in College of Technology in Oman

Historically, classroom observations have been conducted in educational establishments for different purposes such as evaluation of teachers, promotion, curriculum design, or professional development. In this study, the researchers aimed to improve the effectiveness of the classroom observation process in an English Language Center based in a College of Technology in the Sultanate of Oman. The study adopted a qualitative research methodology and semi-structured interviews as the data collection tool. In the first stage, observers and teachers were interviewed to understand the existing classroom observation process. Based on the initial data, a training program was developed with materials from international good practice projects. Finally, the changes were identified through the second set of interviews with the participants. The major results of this study suggest that the training program contributed positively to the perceived effectiveness of the classroom observation process, reduced anxiety related to this process, and led to more balanced participation from both the observers and the teachers. Moreover, the implementation of the pre-observation conferences started taking place and post-observation meetings included more constructive feedback. This study adds to the literature on the importance of classroom observation training with a practical training program. This practical approach can be adopted in similar contexts with some adaptation to meet the specific needs of educational institutions. The researchers suggest a qualitative research approach to accompany any such future training to measure the effects of the training program.

TARIAN ADAT KABASARAN DI MINAHASA (ANALISIS NILAI BUDAYA DAN PELUANGNYA SEBAGAI SUMBER PENDIDIKAN KARAKTER)

This study aims to analyze how traditional Minahasa dances can be used as a source of character education, through an analytical approach to cultural values. This study uses a qualitative method, because it is a procedure that produces descriptive data in the form of written or oral data in the Minahasa community. It is also supported by an ethnographic method that focuses on personal experience, and participation born from the field observation process. The results of the research that become cultural values as a source of character education are building Minahasa identity such as courage, agility, valor and especially togetherness. This can be seen in the character of the dancer who is hard, disciplined and firm, mirrors the attitude of uniting and unifying each other, the attitude of chivalry and soldiering. The dancers wear red Minahasa woven clothes and make-up that looks firm and full of authority and has an attitude of courage

Improving Classroom Observation through Training: A qualitative Study in College of Technology in Oman

Historically, classroom observations have been conducted in educational establishments for different purposes such as evaluation of teachers, promotion, curriculum design, or professional development. In this study, the researchers aimed to improve the effectiveness of the classroom observation process in an English Language Center based in a College of Technology in the Sultanate of Oman. The study adopted a qualitative research methodology and semi-structured interviews as the data collection tool. In the first stage, observers and teachers were interviewed to understand the existing classroom observation process. Based on the initial data, a training program was developed with materials from international good practice projects. Finally, the changes were identified through the second set of interviews with the participants. The major results of this study suggest that the training program contributed positively to the perceived effectiveness of the classroom observation process, reduced anxiety related to this process, and led to more balanced participation from both the observers and the teachers. Moreover, the implementation of the pre-observation conferences started taking place and post-observation meetings included more constructive feedback. This study adds to the literature on the importance of classroom observation training with a practical training program. This practical approach can be adopted in similar contexts with some adaptation to meet the specific needs of educational institutions. The researchers suggest a qualitative research approach to accompany any such future training to measure the effects of the training program.

MAGNet: A Camouflage Object Detection Network Simulating The Observation Effect of Magnifier

In recent years, protecting important objects by simulating animal camouflage has been widely used in many fields. Therefore, the Camouflaged Object Detection (COD) technology has emerged. COD is more difficult than traditional target detection techniques because of the high degree of fusion of camouflaged objects with the background. In this paper, we strive to identify camouflaged objects more accurately. Inspired by humans using a magnifier to search for hidden objects in pictures, we propose a COD network that simulates the observation effect of a magnifier, termed Magnifier Network (MAGNet). Specifically, our MAGNet contains two parallel modules, i.e., Ergodic Magnify module (EMM) and Attention Focus module (AFM). The EMM is designed to mimic the magnifying process of a magnifier ergodicing an image, and the AFM is used to perform the observation process in which human attention is highly focused for focusing on a region. The two sets output camouflaged object maps are merged to achieve the effect of simulating the observation of the object by a magnifier. Extensive experiments demonstrate that compared with 14 cutting-edge detection models, the MAGNet can achieve the best comprehensive effect of 8 evaluation indicators on the public COD dataset, and the segmentation accuracy is significantly improved.

Solidarity and Impact of 2009 Situ Gintung Disaster-Based Value System to Raise Awareness of Disaster Resilience and the Environment

Originally a natural lake of marshland, Situ Gintung was later created to benefit the local community. This lake fell in 2009 due to its inability to withstand the rushing water. This tragedy impacted many sociological and economic aspects of society. The purpose of this study is to assess the value system’s impact on the interview and observation process. The study took place near Situ Gintung. The study ran from March through June 2011. Among the informants were victims of the Situ Gintung disaster, local inhabitants who knew the history of Situ Gintung, and the South Tangerang Regional Government. This study’s findings imply that people’s concern for one another is expanding. It has shown great care and togetherness via cooperation, community service, and attending neighbors’ weddings. Residents, on the other hand, tend to take care of their own requirements, whether family or personal. These residents are citizens that stay in touch with or greet their neighbors when needed. In the event of a future natural disaster, the community will come together to help and understand.

Interdisciplinary Class Observation in Higher Education: Lessons Learned from the Professional Development Experience of Four Teachers

Peer observation of teaching has been adopted as a method to improve the quality of teaching. It involves observers providing descriptive feedback to their peers on learning and teaching practices. However, although extensively described in the literature in the education field, its use as a tool for development beyond teaching skills has not been explored deeply, nor the best practices described. Therefore, the objective of this study was to compare quantitative with qualitative peer observation, as well as to investigate the role of interdisciplinarity in the observation process. The present study results from experimental observation work carried out by four professors of higher education. Veterinary science, social work, pharmaceutical sciences, and education, the disciplinary areas of origin of the teachers, were the ecosystems in which the initial observation techniques were explored and applied, and the intention was to share good practices and pedagogical improvements through peer support. This study reports the experience of building an observation grid and its application, as well as the lessons learned during the observation experience. The aim was to evaluate whether the constructive criticism was focused on the pedagogical practices rather than on the content, which can be useful in understanding if the learning objectives are being attained, from the teacher’s point of view. As such, we employed and assessed peer observation as a constructive, developmental process for higher education teachers from different fields of knowledge. The study concludes that feedback by peers is essential for the development of professional practice in higher education teaching, with the experience of qualitative observation being a fundamental path for teacher self-reflection in the search for their own authenticity. It further supports the notion that interdisciplinary differences, methodologies, styles, contexts, and practices can be used in a constructive way to improve course content and delivery, and, ultimately, to reinforce good teaching.

Learning non-stationary Langevin dynamics from stochastic observations of latent trajectories

Many complex systems operating far from the equilibrium exhibit stochastic dynamics that can be described by a Langevin equation. Inferring Langevin equations from data can reveal how transient dynamics of such systems give rise to their function. However, dynamics are often inaccessible directly and can be only gleaned through a stochastic observation process, which makes the inference challenging. Here we present a non-parametric framework for inferring the Langevin equation, which explicitly models the stochastic observation process and non-stationary latent dynamics. The framework accounts for the non-equilibrium initial and final states of the observed system and for the possibility that the system’s dynamics define the duration of observations. Omitting any of these non-stationary components results in incorrect inference, in which erroneous features arise in the dynamics due to non-stationary data distribution. We illustrate the framework using models of neural dynamics underlying decision making in the brain.

Microhabitat Selection and Population Density of Nehalennia Speciosa Charpentier, 1840 (Odonata: Coenagrionidae) in a Peripheral Microrefugium

Peripheral populations of boreal tyrphophilic animals and plants often occupy relict Alpine peatlands, which act as microrefugia. Ecological conditions within local peatlands can lead to uncommon adaptations, highly valuable for the long-term conservation of species and habitats. The pigmy damselfly (Nehalennia speciosa) is an endangered Odonata distributed in Central and Eastern Europe with peripheral populations in the Alps. We investigated the microscale species-habitat association and the conservation status of one of these populations in a relict raised bog. We applied dynamic N-mixture models to assess population ecology and density, while disentangling predictors’ effect on ecological and observation process. We counted N. speciosa individuals in spring 2018 along with vegetation, water, soil and weather conditions during surveys. Final model resulted reliable according to performance measures. Spatial variation in N. speciosa abundance was driven by vegetation type, with a strong selection for flooded hollows where C. rostrata, R. alba and S. palustris vegetation occupy acidic and oligotrophic shallow pools. Population density showed a peak in the first decade of June and increased with accumulation of superficial water. Detection probability was generally low and decreased further when wind blew. The reduced ecological plasticity of the species imperil the species to habitat and climate changes, which will be particularly threatening for its peripheral Alpine populations in the near future, causing water imbalance and rapid vegetation turnover within the peatlands’ fragile microhabitat. The studied peat bog could thus be retained a key future microrefugium for the long-term conservation of tyrphopilous wildlife and habitats.

Development of pteridophyte catarium (herbarium catalog) media in plantae materials for X graders of SMA Islam Batu

: Plantae material is one of the materials that requires a direct observation process to determine the characteristics, morphology, metagenesis, and benefits for the environment, especially in Pteridophyte material. So far, students only use textbooks and students have not been invited to learn with contextual learning objects. Thus, media is needed to facilitate direct observation and identification of plants. The purpose of this research is to produce learning media Pteridophyte catarium (Catalog Herbarium). This type of research is research and development (R&D) with the ADDIE development model. The results showed that the quality of the product according to media experts was very feasible with an assessment percentage of 77.08%, as well as according to material experts who said it was very feasible with a 95% rating percentage. The results of the teacher's response were 79.16% and the results of readability by students on a small and large scale respectively were 76.5% and 81.16%, indicating very decent quality. It was concluded that the product in the form of Pteridophyte catarium learning media was very suitable to be used as a teacher's learning media in plantae biology learning activities.