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2. CALL and Professionalisation: Short Papers from EUROCALL 2021 (29th, Online, August 26-27, 2021)
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Research-publishing.net (France), Zoghlami, Naouel, Brudermann, Cédric, Sarré, Cedric, Grosbois, Muriel, Bradley, Linda, Thouësny, Sylvie, Zoghlami, Naouel, Brudermann, Cédric, Sarré, Cedric, Grosbois, Muriel, Bradley, Linda, Thouësny, Sylvie, and Research-publishing.net (France)
- Abstract
The 2021 EUROCALL conference engaged just under 250 speakers from 40 different countries. Cnam Paris and Sorbonne Université joined forces to host and organise the event despite the challenging context due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Originally programmed to be held on site in the heart of Paris, France, the EUROCALL organising team and executive committee agreed to opt for a blended and then for a fully online conference. The theme of the 2021 EUROCALL conference was "CALL & Professionalisation". This volume, a selection of 54 short papers by some of the EUROCALL 2021 presenters, offers a combination of research studies as well as practical examples fairly representative of the theme of the conference. [This content is provided in the format of an e-book. Individual papers are indexed in ERIC.]
- Published
- 2021
3. Standardization of EFL Undergraduate Skill Exam Papers: A Case Study at Majmaah University
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Abahussain, Majed Othman, Iqbal, Muhammad, and Khan, Imran
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Designing standardized exams for EFL undergraduates is a matter of great concern in pedagogical practices that assess learners' academic achievements. This case study was conducted at Majmaah University, Saudi Arabia, to explore the significance of educational exam standardization and its impact on the process of implementation, leading to a balanced and equitable assessment of English language skills. During the study, 250 final English skill exam questions of two semesters were analyzed. A mixed-method approach using a questionnaire and Focused Group Discussion was adopted to collect relevant data. The quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS 16, and the qualitative data was processed by thematic analysis. The quantitative data results showed that questions were balanced, valid, and reliable in language skill exam papers designed for undergraduate English students. The qualitative data revealed four major themes -- standardization of questions, the efficacy of Bloom's taxonomy, assessment/evaluation, and alignment of the question with learning outcomes. These emerging themes highlighted the effectivness of standardizing exam papers, identified problems, and suggested ways of improvement. The study indicates that exams must be scrutinized for the sake of standardization in terms of maximum course coverage; the variety in the question item; clear, concise, and precise instructions; validity and reliability of exam papers; and the alignment of questions with the course and program learning outcomes to ensure the implementation of the revised Bloom's taxonomy. The study suggests, to generalize the results, that further investigation should be done in another Saudi university for the sake of comparison.
- Published
- 2020
4. Commission for International Adult Education (CIAE) of the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE). Papers of the 2020 International Pre-Conference (69th, Virtual, October 27-30, 2020)
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American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE), Commission for International Adult Education (CIAE), Avoseh, Mejai, and Boucouvalas, Marcie
- Abstract
The Commission on International Adult Education (CIAE) of the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE) provides a forum for the discussion of international issues related to adult education in general, as well as adult education in various countries around the globe. These papers are from the CIAE 2020 Virtual International Pre-Conference. The global aberration, called COVID-19, defined 2020 beyond national borders. COVID-19 reshaped the format of the 69th annual AAACE conference by replacing the traditional bustling human interaction with virtual meetings and presentations. These "Proceedings" contain 12 papers from 17 authors. The preeminence of COVID-19 in the 2020 International Pre-Conference papers demonstrates CIAE's commitment to being globally responsive and relevant. The word COVID appearing 88 times and COVID-19 appearing 86 times with mentions in two paper titles are an acknowledgement of the common threads of humanity and of hope for a surpassing future. [Individual papers are indexed in ERIC.]
- Published
- 2020
5. Sentence Openers in Academic Writing: A Comparison between Seminar Texts and Students' Reflective Writing Papers
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Deveci, Tanju
- Abstract
Language used to report research findings and put forward arguments is at the heart of effective communication with readers. To this end, scholars use a variety of stylistic features. One of these is variety in language, which includes structures, lexis, and organization markers. Although much research has been conducted on these aspects, a particular feature has received limited interest from researchers: sentence openers, a strategic use of which helps authors develop an individual style, and avoid stagnant prose. This helps them maintain readers' interest while communicating scientific knowledge. Due to the importance of sentence openers in scientific prose, university students' awareness should be raised about this aspect of academic writing. This requires identification of commonly occurring sentence openers in the texts they study. It is also useful to identify student tendencies regarding sentence openers and their perceived competence in varying sentence openers. Prompted by these necessities, this research investigated a 10,949 running-word corpus compiled from professionally-written texts used in a first-year writing course, as well as a 42,070 running-word student corpus compiled from the reflective writing papers of 35 first-year students. Data on students' perceived competence were collected using a survey. Results showed that the two most frequent sentence openers in both corpora were subject-verb and transition markers. However, the latter were used by the students with significantly higher frequency than they were by the professional writers. Data also revealed that the students lack awareness of sentence openers as a feature for making writing more interesting. Students further reported an inability to use a wide range of sentence openers in their writing. Results are discussed, and recommendations are made for increasing students' skill in composing effective academic texts.
- Published
- 2019
6. Is There Order in the Mess? A Single Paper Meta-Analysis Approach to Identification of Predictors of Success in Learning Analytics
- Author
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Saqr, Mohamm, Jovanovic, Jelena, Viberg, Olga, and Gaševic, Dragan
- Abstract
Predictors of student academic success do not always replicate well across different learning designs, subject areas, or educational institutions. This suggests that characteristics of a particular discipline and learning design have to be carefully considered when creating predictive models in order to scale up learning analytics. This study aimed to examine "if" and "to what extent" frequently used predictors of study success are portable across a "homogenous" set of courses. The research was conducted in an integrated blended problem-based curriculum with trace data (n = 2,385 students) from 50 different course offerings across four academic years. We applied the statistical method of single paper meta-analysis to combine correlations of several indicators with students' success. "Total activity" and the "forum" indicators exhibited the highest prediction intervals, where the former represented proxies of the overall engagement with online tasks, and the latter with online collaborative learning activities. Indicators of lecture reading (frequency of lecture view) showed statistically insignificant prediction intervals and, therefore, are less likely to be portable across course offerings. The findings show moderate amounts of variability both within iterations of the same course and across courses. The results suggest that the use of the meta-analytic statistical method for the examination of study success indicators across courses with similar learning design and subject area can offer valuable quantitative means for the identification of predictors that reasonably well replicate and consequently can be reliably portable in the future.
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- 2022
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7. The Economic Impacts of Learning Losses. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 225
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Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (France), Hanushek, Eric A., and Woessmann, Ludger
- Abstract
The worldwide school closures in early 2020 led to losses in learning that will not easily be made up for even if schools quickly return to their prior performance levels. These losses will have lasting economic impacts both on the affected students and on each nation unless they are effectively remediated. While the precise learning losses are not yet known, existing research suggests that the students in grades 1-12 affected by the closures might expect some 3 percent lower income over their entire lifetimes. For nations, the lower long-term growth related to such losses might yield an average of 1.5 percent lower annual GDP for the remainder of the century. These economic losses would grow if schools are unable to re-start quickly. The economic losses will be more deeply felt by disadvantaged students. All indications are that students whose families are less able to support out-of-school learning will face larger learning losses than their more advantaged peers, which in turn will translate into deeper losses of lifetime earnings. The present value of the economic losses to nations reach huge proportions. Just returning schools to where they were in 2019 will not avoid such losses. Only making them better can. While a variety of approaches might be attempted, existing research indicates that close attention to the modified re-opening of schools offers strategies that could ameliorate the losses. Specifically, with the expected increase in video-based instruction, matching the skills of the teaching force to the new range of tasks and activities could quickly move schools to heightened performance. Additionally, because the prior disruptions are likely to increase the variations in learning levels within individual classrooms, pivoting to more individualised instruction could leave all students better off as schools resume. As schools move to re-establish their programmes even as the pandemic continues, it is natural to focus considerable attention on the mechanics and logistics of safe re-opening. But the long-term economic impacts also require serious attention, because the losses already suffered demand more than the best of currently considered re-opening approaches.
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- 2020
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8. MOOCS as a Method of Distance Education in the Arab World--A Review Paper
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Adham, Raniah Samir and Lundqvist, Karsten Oster
- Abstract
Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) in the Arab World are still in their infancy. Many Arab countries are now starting to launch their MOOC platforms; however, there are only a few who have actually implemented such systems. This paper will explore online learning, in particular the rise of MOOCs around the world and their impact on the Arab World. The purpose of this paper is to give a true picture of the development of the first MOOC platforms in the Arab World. It will analyse in detail the concept, definitions, background, and types of MOOCs (xMOOCs and cMOOCs), as well as the main MOOCs platform in the Western and Arab worlds, and a timeline of the development of MOOCs. It will then observe the status of MOOCs in the developed world, opportunities in the Middle East, and the influence of Western MOOCs on the Arab world, from many perspectives, e.g. educational, religious, cultural and social.
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- 2015
9. Examining a Congruency-Typology Model of Leadership for Learning Using Two-Level Latent Class Analysis with TALIS 2018. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 219
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Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (France) and Bowers, Alex J.
- Abstract
Are teachers and principals aligned in their perceptions of the core components of the theory of Leadership for Learning across countries, or are there subgroups of schools in which there is misalignment? The purpose of this study is to examine the extent to which a congruency-typology model of leadership for learning is distributed across countries/economies using the TALIS 2018 dataset through examining the interaction of significantly different subgroups of teacher and principal responders through using multilevel latent class analysis (LCA) with a cross-level interaction. I analyse data from lower secondary schools of n=152 635 teachers in 9 079 schools and their principals across 47 countries/economies. Currently in the research literature on school leadership, leadership for learning has emerged as a framework to bring together managerial, transformational, distributed, and instructional leadership. Yet little is known about leadership for learning across national contexts. This study 1) maps the TALIS 2018 survey items to the current literature and surveys for leadership for learning, 2) then details the methods and analysis framework to examine if there are multiple significantly different types of teachers, principals, and schools from a leadership for learning theory framework. The final model 3) identifies a three-group teacher typology and a three-group principal typology, linking these types to school context, covariates, as well as teacher and principal training and experience. Results relate directly to the intersection of research, policy, and practice for training and capacity of school leaders across 47 countries/economies globally.
- Published
- 2020
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10. Automated Test Paper Generation Using Utility Based Agent and Shuffling Algorithm
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El Rahman, Sahar Abd and Zolait, Ali Hussein
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This article describes how with the advent of computer-based technology, there is movement from manual to automated systems for different aspects of the education system. Testing is an essential part of teaching process that helps academics in classifying the level of students and evaluating the outcomes of their teaching process. The testing process requires a large amount of attention and professionalism. Automated Test Paper Generation is a system applying the shuffling algorithm in designing different sets of questions without repetition and duplication. It helps the faculty in developing and designing exams with a particular level of difficulty required in evaluating the students by using the utility-based agent. The system includes a knowledge base of many questions' types that are linked to a test engine where the faculty can specify the type and the difficulty level of the exam and then the system will assemble the exam and produce the output as electronic or paper-based. Questions will be picked randomly from the knowledge database. This automated system provides cost saving and time efficient solutions.
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- 2019
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11. Economic Shocks and Skill Acquisition: Evidence from a National Online Learning Platform at the Onset of COVID-19. Working Paper 29921
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National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), Ganguli, Ina, Haidar, Jamal I., Khwaja, Asim Ijaz, Stemper, Samuel W., and Zafar, Basit
- Abstract
We study how large shocks impact individuals' skilling decisions using data from the largest online learning platform in Saudi Arabia. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic brought about a massive increase in online skilling, and demand shifted towards courses that offered skills, such as telework, likely to be immediately valuable during the pandemic. Consistent with a model where individuals trade off reskilling costs with their expectations of future labor market conditions and their duration of work, we find that shifts into telework courses were largest for older workers. In contrast, younger workers increased enrollments in courses related to new skills, such as general, occupation-specific, and computer-related skills. Using national administrative employment data, we provide suggestive evidence that these investments in skills in early 2020 helped users maintain employment over the course of the pandemic. [This paper was funded through support from the Ministry of Labor and Social Development (MLSD) and the Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.]
- Published
- 2022
12. Valmet Supplies Second Advantage DCT 200 Tissue Production Line to Crown Paper Mill in Saudi Arabia.
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PAPER mills , *TISSUE paper industry - Published
- 2024
13. FREEDOM ON PAPER: REFORMS TO WOMEN'S RIGHTS IN SAUDI ARABIA WILL NOT BE EFFECTIVE UNTIL MALE GUARDIANSHIP IS ABOLISHED.
- Author
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Kramer, Mackenzie
- Subjects
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REFORMS , *WOMEN'S rights , *GUARDIAN & ward , *GENDER inequality - Abstract
The article primarily focuses on the ineffectiveness of recent reforms to women's rights in Saudi Arabia, particularly in relation to the abolition of the male guardianship system. It argues that despite positive attention and perceptions of progress under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman al Saud, the reforms have not led to significant improvements in the lived experiences of Saudi women.
- Published
- 2024
14. A Scientometric Analysis of Scholarly Literature on Radiological Sciences from Saudi Arabia over the Last Thirty Five Years (1985-2020).
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ALDHEBAIB, ALI, HAQ, FAYAZUL, SINGH, OINAM GOKULCHANDRA, and UL HAQ, IKRAM
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SCIENCE in literature ,SCIENTIFIC literature ,NUCLEAR medicine ,DATABASES ,DEVELOPED countries - Abstract
Introduction: Scientometric analysis helps to measure the research growth and highlights the salient characteristics of the specific dataset. Saudi Arabia is rapidly growing country in the field of science and technology and remarkably contributing in the research productivity in all areas of health sciences, including radiological sciences from 1995 to 2000 and is drastically increased globally. Aim: To analyse the credible literature on radiological sciences research from Saudi Arabia as reflected in the Scopus database. Materials and Methods: This was a quantitative exploratory study based on scientometric analysis. The data was extracted from the Scopus database. The subject category of "radiology, nuclear medicine and imaging" was selected in the advanced search feature of the Scopus database. All the relevant scholarly literature consisted of articles and reviews indexed under the country name of Saudi Arabia published in English language from 1985 to 2020 were included for analysis. Results: Saudi Arabia was ranked 33rd with 1,587 papers in radiological sciences, representing 0.43% of the global share. The slow progress was observed in the first 20 years but the remarkable growth was recorded during the last five years of study. King Saud University and King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre were the most contributing institutions. Saudi radiologists collaborated with 99 countries of the world and the United States was on the top. Four national journals were included in the list of top 10 preferred journals. Conclusion: Although the rising tendency in radiological sciences research was evident during the last 10 years, still the share of Saudi Arabia was found much lower in comparison with the developed countries. Few well-established Institutions have taken lead in research productivity but a prioritised response from other Research Institutions is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2023
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15. A Machine Learning Model to Predict Citation Counts of Scientific Papers in Otology Field.
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Alohali, Yousef A., Fayed, Mahmoud S., Mesallam, Tamer, Abdelsamad, Yassin, Almuhawas, Fida, and Hagr, Abdulrahman
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DECISION trees ,SERIAL publications ,NATURAL language processing ,BIBLIOMETRICS ,MACHINE learning ,REGRESSION analysis ,RANDOM forest algorithms ,CITATION analysis ,DESCRIPTIVE statistics ,PREDICTION models ,ARTIFICIAL neural networks ,MEDICAL research ,MEDICAL specialties & specialists ,ALGORITHMS - Abstract
One of the most widely used measures of scientific impact is the number of citations. However, due to its heavy-tailed distribution, citations are fundamentally difficult to predict but can be improved. This study was aimed at investigating the factors and parts influencing the citation number of a scientific paper in the otology field. Therefore, this work proposes a new solution that utilizes machine learning and natural language processing to process English text and provides a paper citation as the predicted results. Different algorithms are implemented in this solution, such as linear regression, boosted decision tree, decision forest, and neural networks. The application of neural network regression revealed that papers' abstracts have more influence on the citation numbers of otological articles. This new solution has been developed in visual programming using Microsoft Azure machine learning at the back end and Programming Without Coding Technology at the front end. We recommend using machine learning models to improve the abstracts of research articles to get more citations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
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16. A Scientometric Study of Saudi PubMed-Indexed Endodontic Research.
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Almutairi, Waleed, Alodaib, Ruba, Alshaye, Riyadh, and Alotaiby, Faraj
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ENDODONTICS ,FACTOR analysis ,SCIENTIFIC community ,DATABASE searching ,LITERATURE reviews - Abstract
Scientometric studies play a crucial role in quantitatively assessing the impact and quantity of scholarly articles, providing a basis for policy-making and informed decision-making processes. Given the ongoing transformation within the Saudi scientific community across various domains, it is essential to establish a baseline for high-quality endodontic research. A comprehensive search in the PubMed database, using the keywords ["Saudi" OR "Saudi Arabia"] within the time frame of 2014 to 2021. The screening process involved evaluating the title and abstract of each article, with only those classified as endodontic articles included for analysis in this study. The analysis included factors such as the type of paper, the authors, the citations, and the year of publication. Featuring one or more authors affiliated with a Saudi dental institution, 70 papers were specifically categorized as endodontic papers. The most prevalent type of paper was case reports, accounting for 27 articles (28%), followed by literature reviews with 13 articles (18%). The number of authors ranged from one to ten, with a general trend of increasing publication rates over the years. In terms of citations, only four papers received more than 20 citations, while the majority of papers garnered between one and ten citations. Most articles in the field of endodontics exhibited low-level evidence. Therefore, it is recommended that the quality of research output and evidence be enhanced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2024
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17. Diabetes mellitus research in Saudi Arabia: A bibliometric study (2010-2021).
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Abdelwahab, Siddig Ibrahim, Taha, Manal Mohamed Elhassan, and Kaabi, Yahia Ali
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DIABETES ,BIBLIOMETRICS ,CONFERENCE papers ,COOPERATIVE research - Abstract
Diabetes Mellitus (DM) causes global exhaustion, consumes economic resources, and has several risk factors. The bibliometric studies re-evaluate the research efforts on this illness using mathematical and statistical tools to indicate current research and future trends. This study examines KSA's DM research during 2010-2021. Data were acquired from Scopus and analyzed using VOSviewer and MS Excel. Several characteristics were examined to measure the quantity and quality of KSA-related DM articles. In total, 1,919 journal and conference papers were published. DM research included researchers from multidisciplinary sectors. Thirty-seven percent of them have ten or more scientific publications. Al-Daghri, N.M. (King Saud University) leads the pack. In total, 757 (39.44%) research projects got funding from 159 sources within and outside KSA. Memish, Z.A. is the most cited author. The Saudi Medical Journal has the most citations (1214). Al-Daghri, N.M. (KSU) collaborates the most. One hundred forty-one nations aided KSA's diabetes research. Egypt's High Institute of Public Health has the most scientific collaboration with KSA. Authors' and all Keywords analyses indicated a rich knowledge structure. Diabetes Care Journal has the most cocitations with 2,220 and a total link strength of 19,283, followed by The New England Journal of Medicine. The study results will be helpful to stakeholders to understand better the trends and performance of diabetes-related regional research, which will be beneficial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2023
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18. Proceedings of International Conference on Social and Education Sciences (Chicago, Illinois, October 15-18, 2020)
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International Society for Technology, Education and Science (ISTES) Organization, Akerson, Valari, and Sahin, Ismail
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"International Conference on Social and Education Sciences" includes full papers presented at the International Conference on Social and Education Sciences (IConSES) which took place on October 15-18, 2020 in Chicago, IL, USA. The aim of the conference is to offer opportunities to share your ideas, to discuss theoretical and practical issues and to connect with the leaders in the fields of education and social sciences. The conference is organized annually by the International Society for Technology, Education, and Science (ISTES). The IConSES invites submissions which address the theory, research or applications in all disciplines of education and social sciences. The IConSES is organized for: faculty members in all disciplines of education and social sciences, graduate students, K-12 administrators, teachers, principals and all interested in education and social sciences. After peer-reviewing process, all full papers are published in the Conference Proceedings. [For the 2019 proceedings, see ED602587.]
- Published
- 2020
19. Saudi Female EFL Undergraduates' Knowledge, Perceptions, Problems, and Suggestions for Research Method Courses
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Alghizzi, Talal Musa
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This study aimed to analyze English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students' knowledge and perceptions of research method courses in the Department of English Language and Literature, at Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU). It also investigated the problems that students encounter and offered some suggestions for improving these courses. The significance of the study is that such topic has never been investigated before in such context. The study participants were 1,022 students (Levels three, four, five, six and seven) who voluntarily filled out a questionnaire consisting of sections on four factors/themes: knowledge, perceptions, problems, and suggestions. The collected data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics software to compare the students' answers, and a one-way analysis of variance test was used to detect the differences between academic levels regarding each theme. The results showed that regardless of the students' academic levels, all of them agreed on studying and therefore knowing the research basic components; however, regarding the elements constituting each of these basic components, significant differences were found between the five groups. The results also indicated that these students have positive perceptions of the courses even though they encountered some research-related problems such as in knowing all or some research basic components and their specific elements; writing all or some of them; citing, summarizing, and paraphrasing sources; allocating primary and secondary resources; collecting and analyzing data; and consulting research manuals. Finally, all students agreed that it would be helpful if they were assigned individual research supervisors and coauthored an article with them, a research course was taught in all academic levels for a bachelor's degree, a research club was established, and research seminars were held.
- Published
- 2021
20. Bibliographic Analysis of Oral Precancer and Cancer Research Papers from Saudi Arabia.
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Patil S, Sarode SC, Baeshen HA, Bhandi S, Raj AT, Sarode GS, Sait SM, Gadbail AR, and Gondivkar S
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- Bibliometrics, Carcinoma, Squamous Cell pathology, Humans, Public Health statistics & numerical data, Research Personnel statistics & numerical data, Saudi Arabia, Mouth Neoplasms pathology, Precancerous Conditions pathology, Publications statistics & numerical data, Research statistics & numerical data
- Abstract
Objective: Oral cancer and precancers are a major public health challenge in developing countries. Researchers in Saudi Arabia have constantly been directing their efforts on oral cancer research and have their results published. Systematic analysis of such papers is the need of the hour as it will not only acknowledge the current status but will also help in framing future policies on oral cancer research in Saudi Arabia., Method: The search string "oral cancer" OR "Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma" OR "oral premalignant lesion" OR "oral precancer" OR "Oral Potentially malignant disorder" AND AFFIL (Saudi AND Arabia ) was used for retrieval of articles from Scopus database. Various tools available in Scopus database were used for analyzing the bibliometric related parameters., Results: The search revealed a total of 663 publications based on the above query. Maximum affiliations were from King Saud University (163) followed by Jazan University (109) and then King Abdulaziz University (106). A large number of international collaborations were observed, the maximum with India (176) and the USA (127). The maximum number of articles were published in the Asia Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention (34) followed by the Journal of Contemporary Dental Practice (33) and Journal of Oral Pathology and Medicine (19)., Conclusion: Saudi researchers are directing their efforts towards the public health menace of oral cancer. However, it was also observed that some institutions have emerged as front runners in research, whereas others are contributing significantly less. The health department should encourage and take necessary steps to increase the involvement of other institutions.
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- 2020
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21. Proceedings of the International Association for Development of the Information Society (IADIS) International Conference on Educational Technologies (5th, Sydney, Australia, December 11-13, 2017)
- Author
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International Association for Development of the Information Society (IADIS), Kommers, Piet, Issa, Tomayess, Isaias, Pedro, and Hol, Ana
- Abstract
These proceedings contain the papers and posters of the 5th International Conference on Educational Technologies 2017 (ICEduTech 2017), which has been organised by the International Association for Development of the Information Society and co-organised by the Western Sydney University, held in Sydney, Australia, 11-13 December 2017. ICEduTech is the scientific conference addressing the real topics as seen by teachers, students, parents and school leaders. Scientists, professionals and institutional leaders are invited to be informed by experts, sharpen the understanding what education needs and how to achieve it. Full papers presented in these proceedings include: (1) Bibliometric Science Mapping as a Popular Trend: Chosen Examples of Visualisation of International Research Network Results (Eugenia Smyrnova-Trybulska, Nataliia Morze, Olena Kuzminska and Piet Kommers); (2) Optimize Knowledge Sharing, Team Effectiveness, and Individual Learning within the Flipped Team-Based Classroom (Chung-Kai Huang, Chun-Yu Lin, Zih-Cin Lin, Cui Wang and Chia-Jung Lin); (3) Design and Development of an Interactive Multimedia Simulation for Augmenting the Teaching and Learning of Programming Concepts (Leonah L. Baloyi, Sunday O. Ojo and Etienne A. Van Wyk); (4) Introducing Tablets in a Portuguese School: A Micool Project Case Study Analysis (Miriam Judge); (5) College Communicative Teaching and e-Learning: A Training Scheme (Charito G. Ong; (6) Tested Strategies for Recruiting and Retention of STEM Majors (Sadegh Davari, Sharon Perkins-Hall and Krishani Abeysekera); (7) Redesigning Learning Spaces: What do Teachers Want for Future Classrooms? (Neuza Pedro); (8) Peer Instructions and Use of Technological Tools. An Innovative Methodology for the Development of Meaningful Learning (Oriel A. Herrera and Patricia Mejías); (9) It Doesn't Matter What is in Their Hands: Understanding How Students Use Technology to Support, Enhance and Expand Their Learning in a Complex World (Peter Bryant); (10) A Comparative Study on Social Media Addiction of High School and University Students (Ali Simsek, Kemal Elciyar and Taner Kizilhan); (11) Computer Literacy Teaching Using Peer Learning and under the Confucian Heritage Cultural Settings of Macao, China (Kelvin Wong, Ana Neves and Joao Negreiros); (12) Applying Sensors to Investigate Gender Differences in Beginning Tennis Players (Chih-Hung Yu, Jye-Shyan Wang and Cheng-Chih Wu); (13) Using Arduino to Teach Programming to First-Year Computer Science Students (Wee Lum Tan, Sven Venema and Ruben Gonzalez); (14) Dimensions of Self-Perceived Employability in First Year IT Students (Amy Antonio and David Tuffley); (15) Challenges for a New Generation of STEM Students (Krishani Abeysekera, Sharon Perkins-Hall, Sadegh Davari and Amanda Smith Hackler); (16) Developing a Gesture-Based Game for Mentally Disabled People to Teach Basic Life Skills (Mohammad Javad Nazirzadeh, Kürsat Cagiltay and Necdet Karasu); (17) Learning Group Formation for Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) (Sankalp Prabhakar and Osmar R. Zaiane) and (18) ICE: An Automated Tool for Teaching Advanced C Programming (Ruben Gonzalez). Short papers presented include: (1) MOOC as a Laboratory of Culture Shock: Helping Non-U.S. Students Integrate into All-American Virtual Environment (Valeri Chukhlomin and Anant Deshpande); (2) The Use of Mobile Devices Outside of the Classroom for Self-Directed Learning among Female EFL Students in Saudi Arabia (Fatimah Albedah and Chwee Beng Lee); (3) Communication Scaffolds for Project Management in PBL (Shigeru Sasaki, Masayuki Arai, Kumiko Takai, Mitsuhiro Ogawa and Hiroyoshi Watanabe); (4) Digital Pedagogies for Teachers' CPD (Matthew Montebello); (5) Sensing Locally in the Global Environment: Using Sensors in Teachers' Education (Maria João Silva, António Almeida, Bianor Valente, Margarida Rodrigues and Vítor Manteigas); (6) The Use of a Digital Badge as an Indicator and a Motivator (Jun Iwata, John Telloyan, Lynne Murphy, Shudong Wang and John Clayton; (7) Exploring the Education Potential of Minecraft: The Case of 118 Elementary-School Students (Thierry Karsenti and Julien Bugmann); (8) Digital Story Creation: Its Impact towards Academic Performance (Charito G. Ong); and (9) Collaborative Peer Feedback (David A. Smith). Posters include: (1) A System for Class Reflection Using iPads for Real-Time Bookmarking of Feedbacks into Simultaneously Recorded Videos (Taira Nakajima); (2) Roles, Strategies, and Impact of MOOCs on Flipping Business Education (Chung-Kai Huang, Chun-Yu Lin, Zih-Cin Lin and Cui Wang); and (3) Gamifying Outdoor Social Inquiry Learning with Context-Aware Technology (Morris Siu-Yung Jong, Tom Chan, Vincent Tam and Ming-Tak Hue). Individual papers include references, and an Author Index is included.
- Published
- 2017
22. Standardization of EFL Undergraduate Skill Exam Papers: A Case Study at Majmaah University.
- Author
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Abahussain, Majed Othman, Iqbal, Muhammad, and Khan, Imran
- Subjects
BLOOM'S taxonomy ,STANDARDIZATION ,ENGLISH as a foreign language ,ABILITY ,CASE studies - Abstract
Designing standardized exams for EFL undergraduates is a matter of great concern in pedagogical practices that assess learners' academic achievements. This case study was conducted at Majmaah University, Saudi Arabia, to explore the significance of educational exam standardization and its impact on the process of implementation, leading to a balanced and equitable assessment of English language skills. During the study, 250 final English skill exam questions of two semesters were analyzed. A mixed-method approach using a questionnaire and Focused Group Discussion was adopted to collect relevant data. The quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS 16, and the qualitative data was processed by thematic analysis. The quantitative data results showed that questions were balanced, valid, and reliable in language skill exam papers designed for undergraduate English students. The qualitative data revealed four major themes -- standardization of questions, the efficacy of Bloom's taxonomy, assessment/evaluation, and alignment of the question with learning outcomes. These emerging themes highlighted the effectivness of standardizing exam papers, identified problems, and suggested ways of improvement. The study indicates that exams must be scrutinized for the sake of standardization in terms of maximum course coverage; the variety in the question item; clear, concise, and precise instructions; validity and reliability of exam papers; and the alignment of questions with the course and program learning outcomes to ensure the implementation of the revised Bloom's taxonomy. The study suggests, to generalize the results, that further investigation should be done in another Saudi university for the sake of comparison. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
23. Health quality index for desert cities and populations in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: A concept paper.
- Author
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Abdel-Magid, Mohammed Isam Mohammed and Abdel-Magid, Isam Mohammed
- Subjects
- *
AIR quality indexes , *HEALTH planning , *DESERTS , *PRIMARY care , *HEALTH status indicators - Abstract
Desert cities are special type of places that need extra environmental care and additional health planning during the process of growth and development. Special considerations and regards ought to be paid to health-related projects like building hospitals, primary health care (PHC) centers, emergency services, sanitation facilities, etc. In a country like Saudi Arabia, where deserts form a large part of the available biome, selecting which cities and places to focus on during health-related project development can be a difficult process, lacking proper ways of classifying and comparing the general health status of the population. While there are established indices to calculate other health-related qualities, like the Air Quality Health Index, there is no general health quality index. The article presented herein advocates an appropriate formula for a health quality index, HQI, as a tool for quantifying health quality for any given desert community. HQI is intended to offer a unique number, which expresses overall health quality at a certain desert locality, at a specified period of time, which is based on several quality parameters and health indicators. The objective of HQI is to turn complex health quality data into flat, simple information that is understandable and usable by health authorities, the public and desert community members. HQI depicts the composite influence of different public health quality parameters and communicates health quality information to the general public and legislative decision makers. It is intended to represent a reliable picture of the overall health quality within a particular community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2019
24. Do They Write Differently? Exploring Gendered Linguistic Differences in Academic Writings of Saudi Writers.
- Author
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Ali, Sadia and Abdulhaleem, Ebtesam
- Subjects
GENDER differences (Sociology) ,ACADEMIC discourse ,MALE friendship ,MALE authors - Abstract
This study examines linguistic differences between male and female academic writing in Saudi Arabia, focusing on published research papers. Using Biber's multidimensional analysis as a model, the study examines both male and female authors' inherent lexical and grammatical preferences. A dataset of 20 research papers from each gender was tagged to analyze the linguistic features. ANOVA analyses were then conducted to identify patterns and variations. The research study provides interesting perspectives on the complex relationship between language and gender in academic settings. Though there are some similarities in the use of lexico-grammatical features between male and female research papers, noticeable differences suggest that gendered perspectives have an impact on scholarly writing. Both male and female research papers fall on the same polarity of the continuum across all five dimensions but with varying degrees. The findings suggest that male research writers tend to use more informational, explicit, and non-argumentative language while using less non-narrative and abstract discourse than their female counterparts. This study emphasizes how gender impacts the linguistic choices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
25. ROLE OF FINTECH APPLICATIONS IN ENHANCING DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF SAUDI TRADITIONAL BANKS.
- Author
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Alowaimir, Amal
- Subjects
DIGITAL transformation ,FINANCIAL technology ,ISLAMIC finance ,BUDGET - Abstract
This paper aimed at a systematic review of the role of FinTech in enhancing the digital transformation of Saudi Arabian banks. Google Scholar was searched with related search terms to finally select 28 papers using the PRISMA process of screening and selection. There were very few papers directly dealing with the use of FinTech as a tool for digital transformation in banks, not specifically in traditional banks. There were a few papers on digital tools used in FinTech. Overall, the digital transformation of any kind of bank using FinTech tools had been slow and a small percentage of the total. The situation was worse in the case of Saudi banks despite the large amounts of budgetary allocations for technologies in banking as a part of its Vision 2030. This was because of the late entry of Saudi Arabia into these concepts. The need for Islamic banks to follow Sharia rules was not found to be a great problem. All these points indicate to the need for greater acceleration of using FinTech tools for the digital transformation of Saudi traditional banks. Some limitations of this review are the low rigour of the available papers due to methodological limitations, discussion papers without empirical data dominating and a wide range of aims provided in the papers. The need for substantially more work on Saudi banks has been highlighted. The validity of the conclusions from this review needs to be verified using empirical research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
26. Waste Recycling Awareness in Saudi Arabia and Barrier Analysis Using ISM.
- Author
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Andejany, Murad
- Subjects
WASTE recycling ,WASTE management ,ENGINEERING students ,INFRASTRUCTURE (Economics) ,SUSTAINABILITY - Abstract
Organization, individuals, and families in Saudi Arabia need more attention on recycling in their daily waste. The average generated daily rate of municipal solid waste is 1.72 kg per capita and the yearly kingdom waste recycling is around 15 million tons. Saudi government set a goal to reach 30million tons per year by 2033. This study examines the awareness level of paper recycling for university students in Saudi Arabia. A survey model consists of 26 measures that concentrated in attitudes, actions, and beliefs, is used. Seventy students in college of engineering at University of Jeddah responded to the survey. Moreover, barriers of adopting recycling paper in Saudi Arabia is analyzed and prioritized using Interpretive Structure Modeling (ISM) software. The findings indicates that the current state level of paper recycling awareness in Saudi Arabia is considered low, the education system does not support this issue, and there is a strong agreement that recycling for individuals and families in Saudi is not easy due to the absence of facilities such as containers and poor infrastructure. Furthermore, it indicates that the barrier "lack of laws that support recycling paper" is considered as the most critical barrier and it influences the rest of barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2020
27. Measurement of some properties of pulp and paper made from date palm midribs and wheat straw by soda-AQ pulping process.
- Author
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Nasser, Ramadan A., Hiziroglu, Salim, Abdel-Aal, Mohamed A., Al-Mefarrej, Hamad A., Shetta, Nader D., and Aref, Ibrahim M.
- Subjects
- *
DATE palm , *WHEAT straw , *SODA pulping process , *PAPERMAKING , *AGRICULTURAL wastes - Abstract
The objective of this study was to characterize the properties of pulp and paper manufactured from two agricultural residues namely, wheat straw ( Triticum aestivum L. em Thell.) and date palm midribs ( Phoenix dactylifera L.) widely available in Saudi Arabia by employing soda-anthraquinone (AQ) pulping process. Specimens from cedar wood ( Juniperus procera Hochst. ex Endl.) wood was also used as control samples. Chemical and the morphological characteristics of all three types of raw materials in addition to basic properties of hand sheets made from such resources were evaluated. The results indicated that wheat straw had the highest hemicellulose and ash values of 35% and 7% and the lowest lignin content value of 18%, respectively. The fibre length of the both palm fronds and wheat straw was lower than that of 2.2 mm which was found for J . procera . Overall strength properties of the handsheet made from two agricultural raw materials were significantly lower than those made from J . procera pulp. Wheat straw handsheets also had higher strength properties than those made from date palm midribs with an exception of their tear index. Based on the results of this study it appears that both types of raw materials, date palm midribs and wheat straw could have a potential to manufacture pulp and paper with accepted properties so that such underutilized species can be converted into value-added products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2015
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
28. Publication trends and collaborative patterns in periodontics research from Saudi Arabia: A bibliometric analysis.
- Author
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Alqahtani, Hussam and Haq, Ikram
- Subjects
BIBLIOMETRICS ,PERIODONTICS ,CITATION analysis ,RESEARCH personnel ,PRACTICE of dentistry - Abstract
Aim: To perform a comprehensive bibliometric analysis encompassing all articles published on periodontics from Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: Using the Scopus database on June 8, 2023, the search term "PeriodonticFNx01" was entered in the primary search bar to extract all documents published on periodontics. Following, the year filter was applied to include articles published from the earliest available date until the date of data collection, excluding 2023. Next, we used the country/region filter to limit our documents to Saudi Arabia (n = 1929). We used Microsoft Excel (v.16) to examine periodical growth, collaboration patterns, influential institutions, frequently used sources, international research collaboration, and most-cited papers. Results: Saudi Arabia ranked 11th in periodontics research, contributing 3.43% to the global research output, reaching a peak of 7.63% in 2022. Notably, there was significant growth observed during the last 5 years of the study, with an average of 232.8 documents per year. The analysis of citations revealed that the selected documents received an average of 13.39 citations per document. Indigenous literature received less citation on average compared to internationally collaborated documents. King Saud University ranked first among the most productive institutions in Saudi Arabia, accounting 40.74% of the total output. The Journal of Contemporary Dental Practice published the highest number of documents, followed by the Saudi Dental Journal and the Journal of Periodontology. In terms of citation impact, the Journal of Periodontology emerged as the most influential, with an average of 32.83 citations per document. Research collaboration was most prevalent with researchers from the United States (22.03%), although Germany ranked first in terms of citation impact. Conclusion: Saudi Arabia's contribution to periodontics research has shown significant growth in recent years. The collaborative efforts with international researchers, particularly those from the United States, have played a crucial role in fostering advancements within the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
29. LCA in Saudi Arabia: a critical review.
- Author
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Shaukat, M.
- Subjects
ENVIRONMENTAL impact analysis ,PRODUCT life cycle assessment ,SUSTAINABILITY ,SCIENTIFIC literature ,ELECTRIC power production ,TECHNICAL reports - Abstract
Purpose: This paper aims to report the current status of life cycle assessment (LCA) in Saudi Arabia. It summarizes the LCA studies conducted in academia and industry. It also examines LCA collaboration networks and training opportunities. It then points out current gaps in implementing LCA in Saudi Arabia. Finally, it delineates the steps required to promote LCA both as a research methodology and as a sustainability assessment tool in Saudi Arabia. Methods: Using Scopus database and the Internet, a state-of-the-art review was conducted for this paper. "LCA", "Life Cycle Assessment" and "Saudi Arabia" were the key words used for searching scientific studies, industrial reports, training courses and conferences related to application of LCA within Saudi Arabia. The search resulted in 32 scientific documents and one industrial report. Further scrutiny reduced the final sample considered for this paper to eleven scientific documents and one industrial report that used a complete LCA study to report environmental impacts. Results and discussion: Studies considered for this paper were related to fossil fuels, buildings, electricity generation, desalination, and food consumption. However, overall number of publications and industry reports related to LCA in Saudi Arabia is very little as compared to other advanced economies. This sheer lack of studies conducted in Saudi Arabia can be attributed to lack of educational programs, consultancies, and research projects related to LCA. This points to the vast potential for developing LCA both as a research tool and sustainability assessment tool in Saudi Arabia. There is a need to develop a local network of LCA researchers, a local LCI database, and training courses. Conclusions: This study revealed that use of LCA as a sustainability assessment tool is still in its early stages within Saudi Arabia. There are only a handful of LCA studies that are reported in scientific literature related to Saudi Arabia. Additionally, most of these studies relies on non-local databases rendering the results of these studies less reliable. There is an urgent need to promote LCA within Saudi Arabia and academia can play a leading role by offering short courses, training for industry, and participating in joint projects to conduct LCA studies. Furthermore, local LCA databases and consultancies should also be promoted. It is conjectured that in the future, the use of LCA will grow in Saudi Arabia as the county is targeting to become a net zero carbon economy by 2060. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
30. Organizational Change: Using Academic Accreditation in Transforming EFL Programs in the Saudi Context
- Author
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Almuhammadi, Anas
- Abstract
This study details the procedure and results of developing a mission statement at a language institute for the purpose of obtaining a program accreditation from an international language commission. A serious self-study process results in the development of a solid, true and ambitious mission since the mission covers all areas related to achieving students learning outcomes. It shows how the mission was changed and why. It also details how the new mission resulted in the improving quality, especially in the areas of curriculum and professional development of faculty and staff. Other aspects, such as facilities and student affairs were modified to achieve the goals and objectives of the new mission. This essay reports the changes that were implemented during the process of mission statement development. These changes resulted in plans to improve the quality of the English language teaching at the English Language Academy (ELA) which offers an English language program to Foundation Year students whose success in the program is a college requirement at the University of Business and Technology (UBT) in the academic year of 2016-2017. The program also aims at improving the English language proficiency of students so that they can use it in their future professions considering that the university logo is "Education for Job Opportunities." The third main goal or aim is related to the use of English to assist students in personal and social life. Critical thinking surfaced as a main concern of those surveyed for needs assessment. The report concludes with recommending conducting thorough and genuine self-study process which certainly ends with quality improvement. The report uses data collected from five questionnaires completed by students, faculty, alumni and employers of UBT graduates. The purpose of the survey was to identify the needs of the students. Based on those needs, the learning outcomes are identified and accordingly, the new mission statement is developed.
- Published
- 2017
31. Mapping out Interactions in Spoken and Written Discourses. Metadiscourse across Genres. Conference Programme & Book of Abstracts (Cyprus, March 30-April 1, 2017)
- Author
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Akbas, Erdem, Hatipoglu, Ciler, and Bayyurt, Yasemin
- Abstract
This is the book of abstracts for the conference held in 2017 entitled: ''METADISCOURSE ACROSS GENRES: MAPPING INTERACTION IN SPOKEN & WRITTEN DISCOURSES'', also known as MAG2017. The 1st International Conference on Metadiscourse Across Genres took place in METU Northern Cyprus Campus, Cyprus between 30 March-1 April 2017 with the participation of Prof. Ken Hyland, Prof. Anna Mauranen and Prof. Annelie Adel as keynote speakers. This international conference aimed to disseminate current research work on Metadiscourse and related areas in line with various qualitative and quantitative approaches with special focuses on Discourse Analysis, Corpus Linguistics, Genre Analysis and eventually the first-of-its kind conference in the field of Metadiscourse has welcomed 110 participant and hosted 3 plenary talks and 94 research talks given by researchers from 40 countries from Japan, Mexico, Turkey to Botswana and United Kingdom. The book of abstracts includes the abstracts of the talks with various qualitative and quantitative approaches with special focuses on Discourse Analysis, Corpus Linguistics, Genre Analysis. We would like to acknowledge that the event was co-organized by individual researchers: Dr. Erdem Akbas (Erciyes University), Assoc Prof. Ciler Hatipoglu (Middle East Technical University) and Prof. Yasemin Bayyurt (Bogazici University) with the initial suggestion coming from Reza Abdi (University of Mohaghegh Ardabili).
- Published
- 2017
32. A REVIEW OF THE INFORMATION SYSTEMS USED BY PUBLIC SECTOR ORGANIZATIONS IN SAUDI ARABIA.
- Author
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Al Ghamedi, Ibrahim
- Subjects
PUBLIC sector ,INFORMATION storage & retrieval systems ,INTERNET in public administration ,FUTURES studies - Abstract
This is a qualitative review of the information systems used by public sector organisations in Saudi Arabia. The Google Scholar database was searched to select the papers dealing with IS in other countries and then specifically in Saudi Arabia. The selected papers were discussed under the sections of IS, IT, e-government, and information security in the case of other countries and under the sections of IS, IT, Knowledge management, and e-government in the case of Saudi Arabia. The difference between other countries and Saudi Arabia in the number of papers on each topic was considered to suggest future research topics. Some limitations of this review were also mentioned at the end. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
33. Analysis of funding landscape for health policy and systems research in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: A scoping review of the literature over the past decade.
- Author
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Fadlallah, Racha, El-Jardali, Fadi, Chidiac, Nesrin, Daher, Najla, and Harb, Aya
- Subjects
LITERATURE reviews ,HEALTH policy ,COVID-19 ,INTERNATIONAL agencies ,LOW-income countries - Abstract
Background: Health policy and systems research (HPSR) can strengthen health systems and improve population health outcomes. In the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR), there is limited recognition of the importance of HPSR and funding remains the main challenge. This study seeks to: (1) assess the reporting of funding in HPSR papers published between 2010 and 2022 in the EMR, (2) examine the source of funding in the published HPSR papers in the EMR and (3) explore variables influencing funding sources, including any difference in funding sources for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related articles. Methods: We conducted a rapid scoping review of HPSR papers published between 2010 and 2022 (inclusively) in the EMR, addressing the following areas: reporting of funding in HPSR papers, source of funding in the published HPSR papers, authors' affiliations and country of focus. We followed the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidelines for conducting scoping reviews. We also conducted univariate and bivariate analyses for all variables at 0.05 significance level. Results: Of 10,797 articles screened, 3408 were included (of which 9.3% were COVID-19-related). More than half of the included articles originated from three EMR countries: Iran (n = 1018, 29.9%), the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (n = 595, 17.5%) and Pakistan (n = 360, 10.6%). Approximately 30% of the included articles did not report any details on study funding. Among articles that reported funding (n = 1346, 39.5%), analysis of funding sources across all country income groups revealed that the most prominent source was national (55.4%), followed by international (41.7%) and lastly regional sources (3%). Among the national funding sources, universities accounted for 76.8%, while governments accounted for 14.9%. Further analysis of funding sources by country income group showed that, in low-income and lower-middle-income countries, all or the majority of funding came from international sources, while in high-income and upper-middle-income countries, national funding sources, mainly universities, were the primary sources of funding. The majority of funded articles' first authors were affiliated with academia/university, while a minority were affiliated with government, healthcare organizations or intergovernmental organizations. We identified the following characteristics to be significantly associated with the funding source: country income level, the focus of HPSR articles (within the EMR only, or extending beyond the EMR as part of international research consortia), and the first author's affiliation. Similar funding patterns were observed for COVID-19-related HPSR articles, with national funding sources (78.95%), mainly universities, comprising the main source of funding. In contrast, international funding sources decreased to 15.8%. Conclusion: This is the first study to address the reporting of funding and funding sources in published HPSR articles in the EMR. Approximately 30% of HPSR articles did not report on the funding source. Study findings revealed heavy reliance on universities and international funding sources with minimal role of national governments and regional entities in funding HPSR articles in the EMR. We provide implications for policy and practice to enhance the profile of HPSR in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
34. Bibliometric Analysis of Scientific Research on Children’s Disability in Saudi Arabia.
- Author
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Alghadier, Mshari, Albesher, Reem, and Basoudan, Reem
- Subjects
CHILDREN with disabilities ,BIBLIOMETRICS ,PEOPLE with disabilities ,INCLUSION (Disability rights) - Abstract
The study of children’s disability has gained significant attention worldwide due to its impact on individuals, families, and societies. As a rapidly developing country, Saudi Arabia has also witnessed an increased interest in understanding and addressing children’s disability. This review paper aims to conduct a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the scientific research focused on children’s disability in Saudi Arabia. The analysis aims to identify the publication trends, research topics, influential authors, and critical collaborations within this domain. A systematic literature search was performed using electronic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. The search terms used were related to children’s disability and Saudi Arabia. The inclusion criteria encompassed peer-reviewed articles published between 2000 and 2022, written in English, and focusing on children’s disability research in Saudi Arabia. The retrieved articles were analyzed using bibliometric techniques, including co-authorship analysis, journal analysis, and keyword analysis. The bibliometric analysis revealed a growing interest in children’s disability research in Saudi Arabia over the past two decades. A total of 1050 articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis. The analysis showed an increasing number of publications over time, indicating the expanding focus on this research topic. The key research areas identified included assessing and diagnosing disabilities, interventions and therapies, educational support, and social inclusion of children with disabilities. The analysis also identified prominent researchers and institutions contributing to this field. The bibliometric analysis provides a comprehensive overview of the scientific research landscape on children’s disability in Saudi Arabia. It highlights the increasing attention and research efforts in this area. The findings emphasize the importance of continued research in understanding the challenges faced by children with disabilities and developing effective interventions and support systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
35. Real-Time Arabic Sign Language Recognition Using a Hybrid Deep Learning Model.
- Author
-
Noor, Talal H., Noor, Ayman, Alharbi, Ahmed F., Faisal, Ahmed, Alrashidi, Rakan, Alsaedi, Ahmed S., Alharbi, Ghada, Alsanoosy, Tawfeeq, and Alsaeedi, Abdullah
- Subjects
SIGN language ,DEAF children ,CONVOLUTIONAL neural networks ,ARABIC language ,INTERPRETERS for the deaf ,DEEP learning ,HANDWRITING recognition (Computer science) ,HEARING impaired - Abstract
Sign language is an essential means of communication for individuals with hearing disabilities. However, there is a significant shortage of sign language interpreters in some languages, especially in Saudi Arabia. This shortage results in a large proportion of the hearing-impaired population being deprived of services, especially in public places. This paper aims to address this gap in accessibility by leveraging technology to develop systems capable of recognizing Arabic Sign Language (ArSL) using deep learning techniques. In this paper, we propose a hybrid model to capture the spatio-temporal aspects of sign language (i.e., letters and words). The hybrid model consists of a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) classifier to extract spatial features from sign language data and a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) classifier to extract spatial and temporal characteristics to handle sequential data (i.e., hand movements). To demonstrate the feasibility of our proposed hybrid model, we created a dataset of 20 different words, resulting in 4000 images for ArSL: 10 static gesture words and 500 videos for 10 dynamic gesture words. Our proposed hybrid model demonstrates promising performance, with the CNN and LSTM classifiers achieving accuracy rates of 94.40% and 82.70%, respectively. These results indicate that our approach can significantly enhance communication accessibility for the hearing-impaired community in Saudi Arabia. Thus, this paper represents a major step toward promoting inclusivity and improving the quality of life for the hearing impaired. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
36. Security of Medical Internet of Things (MIoT)- A Bibliometric Analysis.
- Author
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Patil, Rachana Y., Patil, Yogesh H., and Bannore, Aparna
- Subjects
BIBLIOMETRICS ,INTERNET of things ,INTERNET security ,HEALTH care industry ,ACCESS control ,COMPUTER network security ,DATA privacy - Abstract
The integration of the Internet and communication technologies has improved our lives in numerous ways. To date, the Internet of Things has evolved the healthcare industry from healthcare 1.0 to 4.0 which is known as the MIoT. In Healthcare 4.0, data is shared among multiple stakeholders through the use of cloud computing, fog computing, and telehealth. MIoT devices and technology's interconnected, heterogeneous nature raises new concerns about access to confidential patient data, which is often done without patients' or medical staff's knowledge. This is because security and privacy concerns for MIoT devices and technology are frequently ignored or undermined by relevant stakeholders. Medical IoT security and privacy are becoming increasingly important as a result of the increasing number of security breaches targeting the MIoT in healthcare. To impartially reveal the research scenario of Security of MIoT biblioshiny and VOS viewer software are used to conduct a quantitative assessment of research papers belonging to this field for the period 2012-2021 in the Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus databases. From the results, it is seen that for the past 10 years, the sum of articles on Security of MIoT has increased. This research domain covers 35 territories. MIoT, Security, Privacy, authentication, access control are the most often used keywords in this field of research in recent years. The research flashpoints in the field primarily emphasize research directions such as the, the security and privacy concerns related to MIoT sensor data and how to get rid of them. The top five nations considering research volume are the China, India, Saudi Arabia, USA, and Korea, but a lack of collaborative work amongst these countries is seen. Finally, the paper provides future research directions on security of MIoT, such as Privacy of patient information, Lightweight Protocols for MIoT Devices, Trust management, patient data sharing and insecure networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
37. Research Performance of Saudi Arabia in Endodontics: A Bibliometric Analysis.
- Author
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Alrubaig, Naif A., Haq, Ikram U., Alfouzan, Khalid, Iyer, Kiran, and Bijai, Laliytha K.
- Subjects
BIBLIOMETRICS ,ENDODONTICS ,SOFT tissue injuries ,QUANTITATIVE research - Abstract
Endodontics is a subdivision of dentistry that deals with diseases and injury of the soft tissues inside the teeth. The current study aimed to investigate the bibliometric properties of endodontics publications contributed by Saudi Arabia from 2010 to 2022. The quantitative bibliometric research method was applied to the meta-data retrieved from the Web of Science on December 7, 2022. The word Endodonti* was written in the main search bar, and from the year's filter, selected starting year 2010 to the date of data collection. In the first phase, to access the global publication growth of endodontics, no country/region filter was used. After getting the summary of the global intellectual landscape, we selected Saudi Arabia from the country/region filter to analyze certain characteristics of endodontics documents. Periodical growth, accessibility modes, collaboration patterns, influential institutions, frequently used sources, international research collaboration, and most-cited documents were analyzed by using Microsoft Excel (v.16) and SPSS (v.20). The authors affiliated with Brazil contributed the highest number of documents and Saudi Arabia stood in the eighth rank in endodontics research. The growing tendency was observed in Saudi Arabia from 1.29% in 2010 to 7.60% in 2022 from a global perspective. The quality of nonopen-accessed documents was higher than open-accessed as per citation impact, similarly, the documents written on international collaboration got a higher ratio of citations compared with national collaboration. King Saud University was found the most prolific institution and the Journal of Endodontics was the most preferred source of publications. The maximum research collaboration at the international level was performed with the authors of the United States. Fifteen most-cited papers obtained 21.42% of the citations. The findings show that endodontics research in Saudi Arabia has increased significantly over the years. The research collaboration at the national level has increased, which shows that teams of national researchers in endodontics have been prepared and conducting valuable research in a national context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
38. Family medicine residents' knowledge and attitudes towards biostatistics, Taif, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
- Author
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Alotaibi, Wejdan, Alosaimi, Ameera, and Alsulaimani, Nada
- Subjects
RESIDENTS (Medicine) ,TRAINING of medical residents ,FAMILY medicine ,BIOMETRY ,POISSON regression - Abstract
Background: It is essential for practicing clinicians to have core knowledge of biostatistics. However, surveys indicated that clinicians' attitudes towards biostatistics are negative. Despite its importance, little is known about the knowledge of and attitudes towards statistics among trainees in family medicine, particularly in Saudi Arabia. The current investigation attempts to evaluate knowledge and attitudes held by family medicine trainees in Taif and explore their correlates. Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive, questionnaire-based, cross-sectional study of residents in family medicine training programme in Taif, Saudi Arabia. We used Poisson regression modelling to evaluate the effect of background factors on knowledge and attitudes towards biostatistics. Results: The study included 113 family medicine trainees at different levels of training. Only 36 (31.9%) of the participating trainees expressed positive attitudes towards biostatistics. On the other hand, 30 (26.5%) participating trainees were found to have good biostatistics knowledge, compared to 83 (73.5%) trainees whose knowledge level was found to be poor. Upon adjusting for all background factors simultaneously, only younger age, level R4 training, publishing one or three papers were found to be associated with poorer attitudes towards biostatistics. Older age was associated with worsening of attitudes (adjusted odds = 0.9900, P = 0.00924), and so also was being a senior R4 trainee (adjusted odds = 0.9045, P = 0.01301). Publishing one paper (compared to publishing over three papers) was associated with poorer attitudes towards biostatistics (adjusted odds = 0.8857, P = 0.03525). Also, having published three papers (compared to publishing over three papers) was still associated with worse attitudes towards biostatistics (adjusted odds = 0.8528, P = 0.01318). Conclusion: The main finding of our current study is the poor level of knowledge and overtly negative attitudes held by family medicine trainees in Taif towards biostatics. Knowledge was particularly poor about advanced statistical concepts such as survival analysis and linear regression modelling. However, poor levels of knowledge about biostatistics could be a function of poor research productivity among family medicine trainees. Age, seniority in training and involvement in research also impacted positively on attitudes towards biostatistics. Therefore, it is recommended that the training curriculum for family medicine trainees should first cover essential biostatistics in a creative and accessible way and secondly encourage engagement research and publication from an early stage of training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
39. Does Regulation Affects Corporate Social Responsibility And Accounting Performance Relationship: Cross-Country Analysis.
- Author
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Munandar, Agus
- Subjects
SOCIAL accounting ,SOCIAL responsibility of business ,RATE of return ,SOCIAL responsibility ,RETURN on assets - Abstract
The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of regulation corporate social responsibility (CSR) on the return on asset and return on equity. In addition, this paper also investigates the relationship between CSR and accounting performance. This paper extend the previous research in terms of sample coverage and CSR measurement, which is zakat. Sample for this research is 709 observations firm year observation from companies in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Malaysia. This research found that highly payment of corporate social responsibility exhibit high level of return on asset (ROA) and return on equity (ROE). Unfornutaly, regulation doesnt affect the relationship between CSR and accounting performance. This suggest that corporate performance affected significantly by social responsibility. This findings of this research lay some foundation for corporate social responsibility regulation formulation. In addtion, this paper recommend the implementation of CSR program benefiting the society, in turn, leads the company to enhances the level of CFP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
40. Research paper. The economic costs of tobacco consumption in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
- Author
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AlBedah, Abdullah M. N. and Khalil, Mohamed K. M.
- Subjects
- *
SMOKING , *TOBACCO , *COST analysis , *ECONOMICS - Abstract
Objective Pending a comprehensive study of tobacco economics in Saudi Arabia, our aim was to estimate the economic costs of tobacco consumption in Saudi Arabia over a period of 10 years (2001-2010). Methods Pertinent data on imported tobacco were obtained from the Saudi Customs Authority through the Central Department of Statistics and Information. Mortality was calculated using the following parameters: 1 ton of tobacco consumed causes an average of 0.65 premature deaths, and the net loss was calculated as US$47.6 million (2011 US$ prices) for every 1000 tons of tobacco consumed. This represented the net cost of premature deaths and the direct and indirect costs of morbidity. Results Using 2011 prices, the economic loss due to tobacco was US$20.5 billion over the last 10 years, without accounting for smuggled (illegally imported) tobacco. If the smuggling rate was 10% or 25%, the economic loss would be 22.6 or 25.6 billion US$, respectively. There were 280 000 premature deaths during the same period without accounting for smuggled tobacco. Conclusions In Saudi Arabia, short-term and long-term economic gains will result from reductions in tobacco use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2014
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41. A scientometric study on components of Soft Computing methods from 1999 to 2019 for top most populated countries from Asian Continent.
- Author
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Kesavan, M. Barath, Ramkumar, S., Kartheeswaran, S., Lavakumar, V., Elanjiyam, G., Priya, B. Shanmuga, and Thamaraiselvi, G.
- Subjects
SOFT computing ,GENETIC algorithms ,MACHINE learning ,CONTINENTS ,DATABASES - Abstract
A Soft Computing technique is one of the essential problems solving techniques for the researchers present in the world. Compared to other issues solving techniques, the Soft Computing domain gives outstanding performance, so the researchers are concentrating the Soft Computing domain for solving problems. Soft Computing domain categorizes into many sub-domains, like Neural Networks, Machine Learning, and Genetic Algorithm. Through this paper, we considered to study the impact produced by the Institutions as well as authors in the domain of Soft Computing from the year 1999 to 2019 for PubMed database. From the overall study, we found that China has made more number of publications, author productivity, and influential authors. Some countries, like Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, with minimum author productivity and minimum publications from the Asian continent in the Soft Computing-related domains. From the research, we determined that china dominates in terms of Institutions wise and Author productivity in the field of Soft Computing domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
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42. Research in family medicine: Contribution, priorities, and barriers in Saudi Arabia.
- Author
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Al-Khaldi, Yahia M.
- Subjects
FAMILY medicine ,FAMILY research ,DEMOGRAPHIC research ,LOGISTIC regression analysis ,MEDICAL education ,CHI-squared test - Abstract
BACKGROUND: Research in family medicine is important. The objectives of this study were to explore the contribution of family physicians, their attitudes and practice, and the barriers to research in family medicine in Saudi Arabia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted on Saudi family physicians in 2021. A self-administered questionnaire was sent to family physicians through WhatsApp and email. Information sought included demographic data, scientific profile, number of publications, reasons for conducting research, barriers to the conduct of research, attitudes and skills for the conduct of research, and priority areas of research. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 15. Descriptive statistics included mean and standard deviation for continuous variables and frequencies and percentages for categorical variables. Student's t-test was used to compare the means of two groups of physicians. Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were performed to determine the association between categorical variables. RESULTS: A total of 313 family physicians filled the questionnaire; majority were male (65%), were married (90%), and worked under the Ministry of Health (73%). The total number of publications since graduation was 1165 papers with an average of 3.8 papers per physician. More than 70% were interested in conducting research, and more than two-thirds considered research important to the advancement of family medicine. One-third of the family physicians were currently involved in conducting research, while 30% were supervising at least one research project. The top five areas of priority were chronic diseases, mental health, health promotion, quality of healthcare, and medical education/training; whereas the top five obstacles to the conduct of research were the lack of time, lack of research environment, lack of financial and technical support, and the absence of skills. CONCLUSION: Saudi family physicians make a good contribution to research. The researchers and research bodies should focus on identifying the priority areas for research in family medicine in the next few years and provide support to achieve some of the objectives of the National Vision of 2030. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
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43. Evaluation of Air Pollution Levels in Agricultural Settings Using Integrated Weather Variables and Air Pollutants.
- Author
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Almady, Saad S., Al-Sager, Saleh M., Al-Janobi, Abdulrahman A., Marey, Samy A., and Aboukarima, Abdulwahed M.
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AIR pollutants ,AGRICULTURAL pollution ,EMISSIONS (Air pollution) ,AIR pollution ,AIR quality ,WEATHER ,AGRICULTURE ,RURAL geography - Abstract
Research on the quality of the air in rural areas is essential for determining base emissions of air pollutants, evaluating the effects of dust pollutants particular to rural areas, modeling the dispersion of pollutants, and developing appropriate pollution mitigation systems. The absence of a systematic review based on the assessment of air quality levels in agricultural settings based on integrated weather variables and air pollutants in the literature draws attention to the deficiencies and the necessity of further research in this area. Hence, our study aimed to develop an Arduino monitoring system with related sensors to acquire some air pollutants and weather parameters. Additionally, we proposed an innovative solution to compare air quality levels by suggesting a new criterion called an integrated indicator for air quality assessment (IAQA). It was created based on the weighted average method to combine the investigated air pollutants and weather parameters. This criterion was evaluated while conducting field measurements in 29 environmentally different agricultural regions located within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. To determine the integrated indicator, all the values of the variables were normalized between 0 and 1. The agricultural setting with the lowest integrated indicator was the best environmentally. The lowest and highest values of the integrated indicator ranged from 37.03% and 66.32%, respectively, with an arithmetic average of 48.24%. The developed criterion can change its value depending on the change in the weight value of the variables involved, and it is suitable for application to any other agricultural or non-agricultural setting to evaluate the pollution level in the air. Although similar research has been published, this paper presents novelty findings based on integrated values of air pollutants and weather variables for defining a new criterion called IAQA. Additionally, this paper presents original results for air pollutants and weather aspects in different agricultural settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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44. Revisiting the relationship between corporate governance mechanisms and ESG disclosures in Saudi Arabia.
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Umar, Umar Habibu, Firmansyah, Egi Arvian, Danlami, Muhammad Rabiu, and Al-Faryan, Mamdouh Abdulaziz Saleh
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AUDITING ,AUDIT committees ,CORPORATE governance ,CORPORATE meetings ,DISCLOSURE ,ENVIRONMENTAL reporting ,BOARDS of directors - Abstract
Purpose: This paper aims to examine the effects of corporate governance mechanisms (board chairman independence, board independent director meeting attendance, audit committee size and audit committee meetings) on the environmental, social and governance (ESG) and its individual component disclosures of listed firms in Saudi Arabia. Design/methodology/approach: The study used unbalanced panel data obtained from the Bloomberg data set over 11 years, from 2010 to 2020. Findings: The findings indicate that board chairman independence (BCI) and audit committee size (AC size) have a significant negative and positive association with ESG disclosure, respectively. However, the results show that board independent director meeting attendance (BIMA) and audit committee meetings (AC meetings) do not significantly influence ESG disclosure. Regarding the individual dimensions (components), the results show that only BIMA has a significant negative association with environmental disclosure. Besides, only BCI and AC meetings have a significant positive association with social disclosure. Also, only BIMA and AC size have a significant positive and negative relationship with governance disclosure, respectively. Research limitations/implications: The study used a sample of 29 listed companies in Saudi Arabia. Each firm has at least four years of ESG disclosures. Besides, the paper considered only four corporate governance attributes, comprising two each for the board and audit committee. Practical implications: The results provide insights to regulators, boards of directors, managers and investors to enhance ESG and its components' reporting toward the sustainable operations and better performance of Saudi firms. Originality/value: This study is among the few that provide empirical evidence on how some essential corporate governance attributes that have not been given adequate attention by prior studies (board chairman independence, board independent directors' meeting attendance, audit committee size and audit committee meetings) influence not only ESG reporting as a whole but also its individual dimensions (components). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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45. Reassessing Saudi Arabia's foreign investment laws: from protectionism to liberalization.
- Author
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Alotaibi, Ibrahim Mathker Saleh, Alhejaili, Mohammad Omar Mohammad, Badran, Doaa Mohamed Ibrahim, and Abdelhady, Mahmoud Abdelgawwad
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FOREIGN investment laws ,PROTECTIONISM ,INVESTOR confidence ,FOREIGN investments ,INVESTMENT laws ,CIVIL law - Abstract
Purpose: This paper aims to examine the extent to which these reforms address the limitations of Saudi Arabia's previous investment framework. Long viewed as a hostile environment in which to do business, the Saudi Government has enacted a broad sweep of measures aimed at restoring investor confidence in central aspects of the country's evolving private law framework. Design/methodology/approach: This paper offers a timely assessment of the raft of foreign investment reforms, both legislative and regulatory, that have been introduced in Saudi Arabia over the last decade. Findings: The paper will proceed by outlining the perceived failings of the old investment regime before going on to reforms. Originality/value: It will consider the remaining obstacles to the flow of foreign investment in Saudi Arabia in the context of the dual forces that have historically defined the Kingdom's ambivalent investment law regime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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46. Decision support system (DSS) for facilities rehabilitation and management (part 2): development of optimized intervention strategy.
- Author
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Aldeeb, Owais and Qasem, Altayeb
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DECISION support systems ,FACILITY management ,LITERATURE reviews ,BUDGET ,UTILITY theory - Abstract
Purpose: This paper (Part 2 of 2) aims to expand the previously developed performance assessment model (PAM) into a decision support system (DSS) to produce optimized decisions on rehabilitation of facilities. Design/methodology/approach: The research includes a comprehensive PAM that integrates analytical hierarchy process-multi attribute utility theory methods for the physical, operational, and environmental aspects of the mosque, as described in Part 1 of the study. An optimized intervention tool is added to the PAM to complete the DSS development. The tool determines the optimum maintenance decisions that are in line with the budget and condition criticality. The deterioration measures are created using a deterministic straight-line extrapolation technique, and the intervention actions used in the optimization are specified through literature review and in-depth interviews with 11 experts. The optimization model was simplified into a user-friendly visual basic application and applied to an existing facility case study depicting its useful functionality. Findings: The optimization model recommendation of interventions recovered the overall condition rating index (CRI) of the facility while maintaining budget constraints. The CRI in the first approach (minimum budget to achieve acceptable overall performance) was improved from 6.5 to 7.76, costing 275,850 SAR. While the second approach (Maximum recovery with a selected budget constraint, 300,000 SAR in this case) CRI was improved from 6.5 to 8.3, costing 299,850 SAR. Originality/value: The presented DSS in this paper offers a tool that enables the rehabilitation and overall management of any facility by its managers. The DSS can also be further customized to fit the facility manager's specific strategies and achieve desired objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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47. The Role of the Insurance Sector in Economic Development In Saudi Arabia.
- Author
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Alalmai, Somaiyah
- Subjects
INSURANCE companies ,ECONOMIC sectors ,INSURANCE rates ,ECONOMIC development ,LIFE insurance - Abstract
Copyright of REMAH Journal is the property of Research & Development of Human Recourses Center (REMAH) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
- Published
- 2024
48. An Optimality-Theoretic Analysis of Syllable Structure in Najdi Arabic.
- Author
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Ruthan, Mohammed Q.
- Subjects
ARABIC language ,FREEDOM of speech ,CONSONANTS ,VOWELS - Abstract
This paper provides a constraint-based analysis of the syllable structure of onset consonant sequences in Najdi Arabic, spoken in central Saudi Arabia. Unlike Classical or Standard Arabic, Najdi is believed to allow consonant clusters in the onset. The study tested two assumptions. The first is that Najdi onset clusters result from a vowel deletion process, leading to different kinds of clusters with distinct sonority hierarchies and that these form complex onsets. The second is that Najdi inputs are different from Classical or Standard Arabic, in which there is no vowel in the underlying representation and hence no deletion occurs, resulting in simplex onsets. The paper adopted optimality theory to analyze the data, considering a phenomenon that occurs in the speech of Najdi speakers. Following this framework, constraints were utilized to demonstrate the syllable structure of the onset clusters in Najdi according to the above assumptions. The results revealed consonant sequences rather than consonant clusters, meaning the consonants were not parsed in the same syllable, agreeing with previous acoustic research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
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49. Analyzing Contingency Estimation for Residential Turnkey Projects in Saudi Arabia: A Neural Network Approach.
- Author
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Salman, Alaa
- Subjects
ARTIFICIAL neural networks ,CONSTRUCTION projects ,REINFORCED concrete ,ESTIMATION theory ,CITIES & towns - Abstract
Utilizing a turnkey approach to deliver a construction project entails significant risks from the contractor's perspective. Essentially, the owner awaits project completion without commitments regarding additional expenditures incurred by the contractor during the project's duration. This paper specifically focuses on estimating and analyzing the contingency value for residential turnkey projects in Saudi Arabia. The contingency value across the project's life cycle is estimated using six Artificial Neural Network (ANN) models, which are compared to identify the best-trained network according to project complexity, contingency factor, and contingency impact during the project phases. The output layer provides the contingency factor percentages for each project phase. A 13-story reinforced concrete (RC) residential building established in one of Saudi Arabia's cities was selected to implement the developed methodology. The contingency estimation, performed using @Risk 7.5 and NeuralTools 7.5, was determined to be 11.34% and was distributed across the five phases of the project's life cycle: 0.30% for predesign, 0.99% for design, 2.61% for preconstruction, 6.33% for construction, and 1.12% for postconstruction. Furthermore, it was found that the estimated contingency varies based on project complexity, which is 7.20% for low complexity, 8.16% for medium complexity, 9.41% for complicated, and 11.34% for very complicated projects. Historical data and peer review approaches are employed to validate the results, both of which are endorsed by professionals in this field. This paper highlights two main contributions: Firstly, it significantly enhances risk management by facilitating a comprehensive understanding and systematic analysis of risks, thus improving the contractors' ability to mitigate potential negative impacts on projects. Secondly, it supports more informed decision-making through the use of advanced techniques to estimate and analyze contingency values. These contributions are critical for contractors engaged in Saudi construction projects, particularly those involving residential buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
50. Saudi Arabia's Journey toward a Renewable Future.
- Author
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Al-Gahtani, Saad F.
- Subjects
GRIDS (Cartography) ,SMART power grids ,RENEWABLE energy transition (Government policy) ,ENERGY development ,RENEWABLE natural resources ,TECHNOLOGICAL innovations ,ENERGY storage - Abstract
Recent statistics indicate that as of 2023, the global renewable energy capacity has reached new heights, with Saudi Arabia significantly contributing to this growth through its strategic initiatives. The kingdom is particularly focusing on harnessing solar power, given its abundant sunlight, and is also exploring wind energy, leveraging its vast desert landscapes. These efforts are part of Saudi Arabia's broader strategy to become a global leader in renewable energy. This paper provides a detailed exploration of Saudi Arabia's ambitious journey from a fossil-fuel-dominated energy sector to a more sustainable, renewable-energy-driven future. Anchored in the broader context of global energy trends, the study emphasizes the critical shift toward renewable resources, with a particular focus on Saudi Arabia's unique position in this global movement. Key to this transition is Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, a strategic framework that guides the country's renewable energy policies and initiatives. A comprehensive review of these policies, including other governmental and international collaborations that support renewable energy development, is offered. The current state of renewable energy in Saudi Arabia is assessed, including an overview of existing projects and production statistics. The paper also explores emerging technologies such as energy storage systems and smart grid solutions, emphasizing their role in Saudi Arabia's energy transition. An impact assessment is conducted to understand the environmental, economic, and social effects of this energy shift. The paper also includes a comparative analysis of other countries' renewable energy transitions, extracting lessons and best practices applicable to the Saudi context. Strategic recommendations and reflections on Saudi Arabia's future role in the global energy landscape are provided for stakeholders in energy policy, environmental planning, and sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
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