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This study was conducted to (a) examine the correlation, coefficient matrix of internet usage with social connectedness, life contentment and learning achievement of undergraduate university students, (b) evaluate the impact of internet usage on social connectedness, life contentment and learning achievement of undergraduate university students, and (c) determine the gender differences in internet usage, social connectedness, life contentment and learning achievement of undergraduate university students. It was a descriptive study and adopted a survey approach. Its population consisted of undergraduate university students of the Departments of Social Sciences of the Bahuddin Zakariya University Multan, Pakistan. A sample of 300 students evenly divided into gender (150 male students & 150 female students) was taken conveniently from the population. The data were collected by using Internet Usage Scale (Wanajak, 2011), Social Connectedness Scale (Lee and Robbins, 1995), Contentment with Life Assessment Scale (Lavallee, Hatch, Michalos and Mckinley, (2007); whereas, learning achievement was measured through CGPA obtained by students. Results indicated significant correlations of internet usage with social connectedness, life contentment and learning achievement. Findings also demonstrated that internet usage has a significant impact on social connectedness, life contentment and learning achievement of undergraduate university students. The significant difference appeared regarding gender of the respondents in the level of internet usage and social connectedness, whereas no gender differences were found regarding life contentment and learning achievement of the undergraduate university students.

This qualitative study explored the practices and issues related to blended learning in university. It adopted purposive-cum convenient sampling technique. The researchers collected qualitative data from 30 university teachers and 60 undergraduate students through focused group interviews. The researchers did thematic analysis of the data keeping in view objectives of the study. It demonstrated that university academia and undergraduate students use online resources in support of face-to-face instruction. They get videos, PowerPoint presentations, and handouts of textual materials from such sources including YouTube, repositories, search engines and databases. Generally, they use blended instruction for every lesson and in teaching learning process. They use social media for communication and interaction purpose. The study affirmed that the blended learning involves undergraduate students actively in teaching learning process. Blended learning activities create an 'edutainment' environment and involve more senses of the students to promote and sustain their motivation to learn. It also promotes opportunities of collaborative learning i.e. pairing & sharing, and learning in their circles. Lack of university support in adopting online and blended learning formally, lack of sophisticated technology and policy guidelines of the university, authenticity of learning resources and information, and time management appeared to be the main issues of blended learning. However, in spite of these issues, the university academia and students appeared to be eager to embrace blended learning even under tight academic calendar and credit [hours] scheme having too space in the timetable and academic calendar to adopt it formally.

This paper demonstrates the role of social media as a learning technology for university students and highlights their problems associated with its use. The population of the study consisted of Masters' and Bachelor Studies students studying in their final semesters in the departments of Social Sciences at The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan; and using social media for more than three years. The data was collected from 450 students taken convenient cum purposively according to the nature of study. A questionnaire on five point rating (Likert) scale was developed and used as a research tool. The tool was finalized after its pilot testing and it was administered to elicit opinions of the respondents. The study demonstrated that social media plays a significant role as a learning technology. Its careful use promotes opportunities of virtual interactions among university students, instant access to multiple, latest, reliable and students' preferred sources of learning. It facilitates in nurturing critical thinking, problem solving approach and argumentation among university students by illustrating application of theories and/ or techniques through examples, visuals and illustrations and videos, and assists them with mastery learning and futuristic approach through task oriented activities.

Research and development (R&D) charts out a framework through which professionals can establish useful linkage with information and research resources to put knowledge into practice. Whilst, the research and development (R&D) centers play a core role in productive management by developing collaborations among higher education institutions, modern research centers and industry. The present study aimed to analyze how much the research and development (R&D) centers are active in managing research and development practices to thrive research culture at public sector universities in Pakistan. The study was descriptive in nature and a questionnaire was used as a research tool which was finalized after its pilot testing. After validation of questionnaire, researchers personally visited and involved some learned people to collect data from 23 selected universities of Pakistan. Thirty respondents from each university were randomly selected as a sample. Keeping the views of majority of the respondents in mind, it may be concluded that research and development (R&D) centers are showing low efficiency while endorsing product management at public sector universities of Pakistan. The big and basic reason behind this poor product management of research and development (R&D) centers is the lack of industrial setup and modern research centers.

This study determined the internet addiction profiles of university students with latent class analysis based on their responses to Internet Addiction Test (IAT). The study group consisted of 480 university students. The participants were classified into four groups according to their total score: "normal (0-30), mild (31-49), moderate (50-79) and severe (80 and above)" level of internet addiction, respectively (Young 2010). The performance of latent classes across six factors of IAT found substantial difference among three latent classes for salience, excessive use, neglect of work and anticipation factors. Amongst these, the mean score of highest latent class (LC3) was around 60 while it was 50 and 40 for latent class 2 (LC2) and latent class 1 (LC1), respectively, in which distinction between latent classes were obvious. However, discrepancy between higher two classes (LC2 and LC3) with respect to the factors of "lack of control and the neglect of social life" were negligible low indicating the existence of only two significant classes (LC1 and LC2) for these two factors. These results suggest that the same clustering criterion cannot be applied to each factor of IAT and using same criterion for each factor might lead to inaccurate and biased classification of individuals.

This study investigated the reading strategies used by adult learners' to read materials in English language for their studies. The population of the study consisted of students of Universiti Sains Malaysia. A sample of 80 (40 Postgraduates and 40 Undergraduates) TESOL students enrolled in the University were selected randomly. The data were collected by administering a piloted questionnaire and analyzed through SPSS. The results of the study revealed that TESOL students used different strategies in reading textual materials. The main reading strategies appeared to be adjusting reading speed;focusing on typographical features; summarizing; re-reading the text; taking notes; reviewing the text; underlining or circling important information; using tables, figures, pictures and contextual clues, and guessing the meaning of unknown words and/ or phrases. The study further demonstrated that, in spite of using the mentioned reading strategies; the learners need to know how to use dictionaries, pauses, visualization and critical evaluation of the text. Based on the findings of the study, preparation of proper guidelines and their effective use by TESOL students, teachers and researchers to enhance reading comprehension were recommended.

Pakistan is a developing country with 148 universities and degree awarding institutions including public and private sector. The enrolment as given in the National Educational Policy 2009 was up to 5% only. It reflects greater demands of higher/tertiary education and calls for alternative strategic measures for addressing the issue. An innovative approach was necessary to address the issue of access. Therefore, the Islamia University of Bahawalpur--a formal mode university took an innovative initiative to become a dual mode university by establishing an Institute of Distance Education (IDE) in 2011. The institute offered along with others, an M.Phill programme in ten disciplines through distance education mode in semester fall 2011. More than eight hundred applications were received by potential learners against 275 seats. However, after test and interview 189 students were enrolled in M.Phill programme in Applied Psychology, Arabic, Education, English, Media Studies, Islamic Studies, Pakistan Studies, History, Persian, and Urdu. In the beginning, the Institute organized an orientation workshop for learners to guide them studying in distance education system. The programme was offered under semester system and the semester was broke up into two halves--mid-term and final term. The respective departments provided learning materials to students whereas the IDE provided instructional booklet. Submission of two assignments was compulsory for the entire semester; one before mid-term and second before final-term workshop/examination for each of the courses. Similarly, students' presence in workshops for 24 hours (12 during mid-term and 12 during final-term workshop) for one 3-credit hour course was mandatory. Students' support services were provided through Skype conference, social media and mobile phones. Students necessarily had to give presentations and submit their assignments after checking their similarity index by using turnitin software. At the end of the course work the instructors rated performance of learners' to be good. Learner's appeared to be enthusiastic for continuing their studies. The experience appeared to be a milestone in promoting higher education and feasible for replication at larger scale in Pakistan. The process and procedures; achievements; and problems, issues and challenges were discussed paper to be presented during the conference. The detailed experience will be shared during the conference.

Law-related topics arise in the school curricula of both developed and developing countries. Civics/citizenship education and social studies tend to be the curricular mediums into which law topics are inserted. This paper details law education at school level in Australia (State of Victoria) and Pakistan. The main challenge facing the law-education-for-all project in the context of schooling is the competence of teachers entrusted to teach children and adolescents about the law, particularly with reference to their own background knowledge. There are roles for curriculum developers, government ministries, pre-service and in-service teacher education providers, and professional associations to play for the ideal to be turned into reality.

The researcher conducted present study with the objectives to a) evaluate attitude of learners towards academic and tutoring skills of distance education tutors, b) assess the opinion of distance learners about assessment and evaluation skills of their tutors and c) examine reflection of learners on scaffolding skills of distance education tutors. The population of the study consisted of learners of pre-service teacher education (B.Ed semester spring 2010) programme of Allama Iqbal Open University Islamabad. The sample of the study was taken through the convenient sampling technique from three regions of Allama Iqbal Open University situated in the Punjab Province. A questionnaire was designed using a five-point (rating/Likert) scale to elicit the reflection of (600) learners. However, the response rate was 78% (468) of the total sample. Interview schedule was also used as a research tool for collecting qualitative data from (50) respondents in five groups. The researcher analysed data quantitatively and qualitatively. The study concluded that the overall reflection of distance learners on andragogical skills of their tutors was positive. Apparently they were satisfied with andragogical skills of their tutors. They asserted that their tutors had academic and tutoring skills (consisting of encouraging, guiding & facilitating-emboldening and enabling skills), assessment & evaluation skills, and technical and social skills. However, tutors needed training to use social websites, Skype and mobile phone conferences and online discussion. Keeping in view the conclusion of the study, the researcher recommended short and long term training of tutors to use information and communication technologies appropriately.

The present study aimed at examining the interpersonal aspects of depression among female college students. A sample of 60 undergraduate female college students (50 pairs: 25 depressed and 25 non-depressed subjects along with their best friends) was drawn from Government Degree College for Women, Multan. Beck Depression Inventory (Beck et al., 1961) was administered to both the depressed and non-depressed subjects along with their best friends (i) to fill it out for themselves, (ii) to fill it out for as would their friends (iii) and to fill out for, as would the average person. Statistical analysis showed that the best friends of depressed subjects were significantly more depressed than the best friends of non-depressed subjects. Results also suggested that depressed subjects perceived their best friends and the average persons to be more depressed as compared to the non-depressed subjects. No significant differences were found between actual and perceived scores of best friends of both the depressed and non-depressed subjects. Also, no significant differences were found between best friend's perception and actual scores of depressed and non-depressed subjects.

The present study is aimed at examining instructional paradigms of virtual education in Pakistan. The population of the study consisted of learners from Master of Business Administration (MBA) Program at Virtual University (VU) of Pakistan. The researcher adopted convenient sampling technique and collected data from 600 learners through five-point (Likert scale) questionnaire. He analyzed data through mean scores and percentages. The study concluded that the VU of Pakistan followed learner-centered instructional paradigm. It exploited its Virtual Television Network supplemented by the internet for online instructional delivery. It involved learners by offering them activities comprising of case studies, assignments, and projects to promote confidence among them. The instructional paradigms reflected resilience but appeared to develop confidence by increasing performance of learners. However, the study reported some problems like electricity failure, social isolation, and lack of time management ability which affected their studies. (Contains 6 tables.)

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of web technologies in promoting research pursuance among university teachers, examine the use of web technologies by university teachers in conducting research and identify the problems of university academia in using web technologies for research. The study was delimited to academia of social sciences of universities located in the Punjab Province of Pakistan. The study consisted on two types of population: university teachers and their academic heads--deans and heads of departments. The subjects of study comprised 200 university teachers and 25 academic heads taken through random sampling technique. Two questionnaires were developed on 5-point (Likert) scale for data collection. The research tools were validated through pilot testing. The researchers administered finalized research tools and collected data. The response rate was calculated to be 75% and 72% for university teachers and their academic heads respectively. The study revealed that university academia used web technologies for accessing to latest research related to their respective area/field of studies. They used such technologies for sharing their academic experiences and findings of research among their communities. It was determined that web technologies played a crucial role in promoting their access to open world-wide educational resources which otherwise were very difficult for them to access. The university teachers reported some minor problems in using web technologies like low bandwidth of internet and electricity break down/load shedding.

The present study examines the role of mobile technology in promoting campus-wide learning environment. Its main objectives were to a) evaluate the role of mobile technology in higher education in terms of its i). appropriateness ii). flexibility iii). Interactivity, & iv). availability & usefulness and to b). identify the problems of students with mobile technology. The population of the study consisted of all the Ph.D scholars (N= 83) and faculty (N=10) of the Department of Education, International Islamic University, Islamabad. The samples of the study comprised of 100% of both the populations. The study was descriptive in nature, therefore survey approach was considered appropriate. The researchers used questionnaires as research tools developed on five point rating (likert) scale to collect the data from the respondents (students and faculty respectively). The researchers personally administered the finalized research tools (through pilot testing) to the respondents to collect the data. The data collected was analyzed through applying the mean score and percentage and main findings were (i) 92% of the respondents (students and faculty) were of the opinion that mobile technology is appropriate for effective communication and interaction (ii). 94% of the respondents ((students and faculty) were of the view that mobile technology promotes flexible interactive learning environment (iii). 93% of the respondents (students) supported that they do face problems with technology. Keeping in view these findings, it was concluded that mobile technology is appropriate for research and education throughout the campus as it promotes effective interaction among faculty and scholars. (Contains 6 tables.)

This article discusses how information technologies and globalization have opened new avenues and horizons for educators and learners. It discusses different experiences of using information and communication technologies (ICTs) in teaching learning process the world over in the age of globalization. It focuses on the ways these new trends have promoted opportunities of flexible learning; possible at any time and any place in any discipline and a shift from teacher centered teaching to student centered learning. Presently accumulated knowledge and experience occupies central place and students have direct access to it. They can develop collaboration to work in groups. Teachers have to work in preparing and evaluating instructional materials and spend most of their time in coaching students how to retrieve and process information.

In contemporary society, information technologies and communication technologies (ICTs) are playing crucial role in dissemination of knowledge and information the world over. Universities/ higher education institutions, particularly distance education universities in developed countries are making best use of these technologies for effective and interactive teaching learning process. Developing countries are also trying to adopt the model of developed countries according to their resources and circumstances. Distance education universities in developed countries like United States of America and United Kingdom are using advanced (emerging) technologies such as computers, Internet (World Wide Web) satellite communication, teleconferencing (videoconferencing and audio conferencing) and virtual reality in education and training. In developing countries like India, Pakistan and Thailand, distance education universities are using Radio, Television and Internet for teaching learning purpose and students support services. They are using computers mostly for office work. They are trying to adopt advanced technologies like developed countries but they have some limitations of resources (human & material resources). In future it is hoped that developing countries will also be using emerging technologies for teaching learning purpose.

Transnational education is a new and permanent reality in educational life. It should be viewed as a positive set of educational opportunities. It raises profound and far-reaching implications for all those involved in higher education. The challenges represented by it may impact at the local, regional, national and global levels and reactions to these multi-level challenges result in a co-ordinated set of global responses in the form of alliances. The globalisation of higher education manifests itself in various forms, of which transnational education is perhaps the most visible. It is something that can be focussed immensely for global pace. Transnational education has clear long-term implications for the nature and structure of educational provision throughout the world particularly in Europe. A brief list of web sites accessed is also included.