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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.

The connection between the Ordovician bentonites on the southern margin of the Ordos Basin and the Early Palaeozoic volcanic rocks of the North Qinling Orogenic Belt is crucial for understanding the subduction and collisional closure of the Shangdan Ocean during the Early Palaeozoic. This paper investigates zircon U–Pb ages, geochemistry and Lu–Hf isotopic compositions of zircons in the Upper Ordovician Zhaolaoyu Formation bentonites located on the southern margin of the Ordos Basin. U–Pb dating of zircon indicates a coeval age of 453.3 ± 1.4 Ma (MSWD = 0.99), which represents the crystallisation age during the Late Ordovician Katian stage. The bentonites exhibit higher SiO2 (57.94–77.95 wt.%) and Al2O3 (9.21–14.33 wt.%), classifying them within the low‐potassium alkali basalt to medium‐potassium calc‐alkaline series. The parent rock of the bentonites is likely intermediate to felsic volcanic rocks. The rare earth element partitioning curves of the bentonites are right‐dipping, with a more pronounced negative Eu anomaly (δEu = 0.48–0.67). The zircons in the bentonites yield two‐stage model ages ranging from 546 to 956 Ma, along with εHf(t) values between 5.56 and 13.55. These results indicate that the bentonites are products of volcanic arc magma formed in a subduction–collision environment. The interbedded bentonites in the Upper Ordovician limestones of the southern margin of the Ordos Basin may be associated with the northward subduction of the Shangdan Oceanic crust, reflecting the subduction and consumption of the Proto‐Tethys Ocean along the southern margin of the North China Block. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the main impediments during the CO2 photocatalytic reduction process is controlling a particular product's selectivity while keeping a high conversion rate. The adsorption and affinity of the catalyst for CO2 are key factors for achieving highly efficient CO2 reduction. Herein, we report a novel photocatalytic material, cobalt anchored onto a tetraphenylporphyrin-based hypercrosslinked polymer (HCP-CoTPP), which was designed for the efficient photoreduction of CO2 to CO with an impressive evolution rate of 1449.9 μmol g−1 h−1 and nearly 100% selectivity in the presence of [Ru(Bpy)3]Cl2 as a photosensitizer and sacrificial agent under visible light irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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.

Health Education, particularly in elementary schools, appears to be a neglected area in Pakistan. This study investigated the health education needs of elementary school students. The purpose of the present study is to assess health education needs of elementary school students. The study adopted mix approach of (qualitative and quantitative) research for data collection. The quantitative data were collected by administering piloted questionnaire on elementary school students (n = 400) and the response rate was 82% (as 328 responses were complete). The same participants were also interviewed in groups of 4-6 students. The data collected through questionnaire were analyzed quantitatively; whereas, interviews were analyzed thematically. Overall 68% of the elementary school students required information about the main constructs of health education; 69% appeared to be keen on knowing about physical environment in and around their schools and homes; 77% were interested to get awareness about commonly spreading out diseases and puberty issues. The results of this study appeared to be aligned to the social context of Bahawalpur, Pakistan. The elementary school students were merely aware of the main constructs of health education and needed awareness, specifically in food and nutrition, hygiene, seasonal and tropical diseases, infectious diseases, and psychological problems. Proper school health education programme may be initiated for elementary school students.