Connectivity Problems Research Articles

Utilization of E-Resources by Research Scholar of Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur: A Study

The presented research article is related to the use and awareness of e-resources by research scholars of Jawaharlal Nehru Agricultural University, Jabalpur. Main objective of the study is to find out the awareness and use of e-resources among the Research Scholars, to explore the purpose for which the research scholar uses the e-resources, to find out the frequency of usage of e-resources, assessing satisfaction with the use of e-resources among research scholars, to examine the various problems faced by the research scholar, and to give suggestions for improvement. The purpose of the study is based on primary data collected from Research Scholars of Jawaharlal Nehru Agricultural University, Jabalpur. The study found that users were aware of e-resources, e-journals being used the most by 79 (24.92%) users. Research scholars 84 (29.89%) are using e-resources the most for their research. 66 (18.54%) respondents are facing the problem of Poor connectivity (Low bandwidth) and also 45 (12.64%) are facing Server down or system problem. Researchers are saving time for their research by using e-resources 81 (24.55%).

Elementary School Teachers’ Insight to Rotation Models of Blended Learning

Blended learning, which is mostly used in higher education, is introduced to Elementary Schools teachers through teaching and learning English. This study aimed at exploring the teachers’ responses on their attitudes towards the implementation of blended learning as an interactional teaching and learning tool in English course. Observation, questionnaire, and interview were given to 24 elementary school teachers who are also students of English in Open University. The result showed around 45.8% of them have already had PC or laptop and only 8.2% really have problem in internet connection. Further, 50% of teachers stated that rotation blended learning is ease their teaching and learning.

Beginning science teachers’ online classes: A narrative inquiry

With the unprecedented shift to online or flexible learning modes, both teachers and students adapt to the new normal of education. A qualitative study aimed to draw out the voices of three beginning science teachers, the study utilized the narrative inquiry approach through in-depth interviews. It was found that beginning science teachers are faced with challenges: transitioning to the actual teaching practice and adjusting to the new normal in education. Beginning science teachers voiced out their challenges, including adapting to the culture of the new generation of students, access to a stable internet connection, problems with technology use, and teaching-learning process adjustments. Coping strategies include creative and responsive adjustments to teaching-learning, assessment of learning, learning mode, and internet connection problems and online platforms. Their stories serve as a springboard for interventions that guide and assist beginning teachers.

The effect of web-based peer feedback on students’ writing achievement

Peer feedback via CMC modalities has become an alternative to conventional in-class peer feedback due to the rapid rise of educational technology and the widespread use of computer-mediated communication in L2 education. Despite the fact that much research has been published on the benefits of CMC tools for enhancing L2 proficiency, the number of studies on peer feedback provided on online platforms and its effect on L2 writing achievement is limited. Therefore, the current research, with the participation of 42 university preparatory class engineering students, aimed to investigate the effectiveness of web-based peer feedback on L2 writing achievement and their views towards web-based peer feedback. For this study, the purposive sampling method was employed. To collect the data, pre-and post-tests were used and semi-structured interviews were conducted with the experimental group members. The findings have indicated that compared to traditional teacher feedback, web-based peer feedback is found to be more effective in improving students’ L2 writing achievement. Regarding the views of participants, web-based platforms to give feedback has several advantages, including practicality, ease of access, motivation, and continuous learning. The quality of the input, a lack of technological resources, or connectivity problems were regarded as the disadvantages.

Asymptotics of multivariate sequences in the presence of a lacuna

We explain a discontinuous drop in the exponential growth rate for certain multivariate generating functions at a critical parameter value in even dimensions d \geq 4 . This result depends on computations in the homology of the algebraic variety where the generating function has a pole. These computations are similar to, and inspired by, a thread of research in applications of complex algebraic geometry to hyperbolic PDEs, going back to Leray, Petrowski, Atiyah, Bott and Gårding. As a consequence, we give a topological explanation for certain asymptotic phenomena appearing in the combinatorics and number theory literature. Furthermore, we show how to combine topological methods with symbolic algebraic computation to determine explicitly the dominant asymptotics for such multivariate generating functions, giving a significant new tool to attack the so-called connection problem for asymptotics of P-recursive sequences. This in turn enables the rigorous determination of integer coefficients in the Morse–Smale complex, which are difficult to determine using direct geometric methods.

An Efficient Algorithm for All-Pairs Bounded Edge Connectivity

Our work concerns algorithms for a variant of Maximum Flow in unweighted graphs. In the All-Pairs Connectivity (APC) problem, we are given a graph G on n vertices and m edges, and are tasked with computing the maximum number of edge-disjoint paths from s to t (equivalently, the size of a minimum (s, t)-cut) in G, for all pairs of vertices (s, t). Significant algorithmic breakthroughs have recently shown that over undirected graphs, APC can be solved in n2+o(1)\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$n^{2+o(1)}$$\\end{document} time, which is essentially optimal. In contrast, the true time complexity of APC over directed graphs remains open: this problem can be solved in O~(mω)\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${\ ilde{O}}(m^\\omega )$$\\end{document} time, where ω∈[2,2.373)\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\omega \\in [2, 2.373)$$\\end{document} is the exponent of matrix multiplication, but no matching conditional lower bound is known. Following [Abboud et al. In: 46th International colloquium on automata, languages, and programming, ICALP 2019, July 9-12, 2019, Patras, Greece, Schloss Dagstuhl-Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik, 2019], we study a bounded version of APC\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${{\ extsf {APC}}}$$\\end{document} called the k-Bounded All Pairs Connectivity (k-APC) problem. In this variant of APC, we are given an integer k in addition to the graph G, and are now tasked with reporting the size of a minimum (s, t)-cut only for pairs (s, t) of vertices with min-cut value less than k (if the minimum (s, t)-cut has size at least k, we can just report it is “large” instead of computing the exact value). Our main result is an O~((kn)ω)\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${\ ilde{O}}((kn)^\\omega )$$\\end{document} time algorithm solving k-APC in directed graphs. This is the first algorithm which solves k-APC faster than simply solving the more general APC problem exactly, for all k≥3\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$k\\ge 3$$\\end{document}. This runtime is O~(nω)\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${{\ ilde{O}}}(n^\\omega )$$\\end{document} for all k≤poly(logn)\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$k\\le {{\\,\ extrm{poly}\\,}}(\\log n)$$\\end{document}, which essentially matches the optimal runtime for the k=1\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$k=1$$\\end{document} case of k-APC, under popular conjectures from fine-grained complexity. Previously, this runtime was only achieved for k≤2\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$k\\le 2$$\\end{document} in general directed graphs [Georgiadis et al. In: 44th international colloquium on automata, languages, and programming (ICALP 2017), volume 80 of Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Schloss Dagstuhl-Leibniz-Zentrum fuer Informatik, 2017], and for k≤o(logn)\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$k\\le o(\\sqrt{\\log n})$$\\end{document} in the special case of directed acyclic graphs [Abboud et al. In: 46th international colloquium on automata, languages, and programming, ICALP 2019, July 9–12, 2019, Patras, Greece, Schloss Dagstuhl-Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik, 2019]. Our result employs the same algebraic framework used in previous work, introduced by [Cheung et al. In: FOCS, 2011]. A direct implementation of this framework involves inverting a large random matrix. Our new algorithm is based off the insight that for solving k-APC, it suffices to invert a low-rank random matrix instead of a generic random matrix. We also obtain a new algorithm for a variant of k-APC, the k-Bounded All-Pairs Vertex Connectivity (k-APVC) problem, where we are now tasked with reporting, for every pair of vertices (s, t), the maximum number of internally vertex-disjoint (rather than edge-disjoint) paths from s to t if this number is less than k, and otherwise reporting that there are at least k internally vertex-disjoint paths from s to t. Our second result is an O~(k2nω)\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${\ ilde{O}}(k^2n^\\omega )$$\\end{document} time algorithm solving k-APVC in directed graphs. Previous work showed how to solve an easier version of the k-APVC problem (where answers only need to be returned for pairs of vertices (s, t) which are not edges in the graph) in O~((kn)ω)\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${{\ ilde{O}}}((kn)^\\omega )$$\\end{document} time [Abboud et al. In: 46th International colloquium on automata, languages, and programming, ICALP 2019, July 9–12, 2019, Patras, Greece, Schloss Dagstuhl-Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik, 2019]. In comparison, our algorithm solves the full k-APVC problem, and is faster if ω>2\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\omega > 2$$\\end{document}.

Lessons learned during online education experiences of kindergarten during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh

ABSTRACT This study explored the online education experiences of students, teachers and parents of kindergarten in Bangladesh during the emergency situation created by COVID-19. A qualitative research paradigm approach was followed. Students, teachers and parents of kindergartens from eight divisions of Bangladesh, one respondent of each category from each division, were selected through purposive sampling. Semi-structured interviews were conducted using mobile phones due to COVID-19. This study revealed that online education brought opportunities to engage students in academic activities and reduced education loss but created physical, psychological and video games addiction problems. Challenges that arose included device shortages, lack of training and technical skills, network connectivity problems, slow internet speed and the high-cost of internet data packages to implement the online education of kindergartens successfully. As the world comes out of the pandemic the learning acquired during this time informed possibilities for future online teaching in kindergarten including upskilling the early childhood workforce in this digital age.

Analysis of student perceptions relating to satisfaction from online learning during COVID-19 in Sikkim, India: The mediating role of motivation and attitude, and the moderating role of constraints

The objective of this study is to analyse the role that motivation and attitude play as mediators in the relationship between student satisfaction with online learning and comfort during COVID-19 pandemic in Sikkim, India. We define perceived comfort as the level of flexibility and convenience in using technologies for online learning. Motivation is defined as willingness and inspiration to learn. Attitude is defined as the student’s behaviour towards online learning platforms. And constraint is measured in terms of connectivity problem and data limitation in accessing online learning. A mediating and moderating model is developed and casual relationship is analysed between independent and dependent variable with the help of Macro process using IBM-SPSS software (Version 25). The study hypothesize that Motivation and Attitude of the students mediate the relationship between Comfort and Satisfaction from online learning and Constraints of online learning shall moderate the positive relationship between motivation and Satisfaction. For the study, an online data was collected from 403 students studying in various colleges and universities in Sikkim who were undergoing online classes during Covid-19 period. Models were formed to empirically examine and validate the positive relationship of comfort, motivation and attitude with level of satisfaction from online learning. The findings showed that in various higher educational institutions in Sikkim, the relationship between comfort and reported levels of satisfaction is partially mediated by both the degree of motivation and students' attitudes towards online learning. However, the moderating impact of Constraint is found to be negligible.

Simplified numerical model development for sophisticated analysis of lightweight-concrete encased cold-formed steel compressed column-end joints and panels

Since cold-formed steel (CFS) members are prone to complex buckling phenomena; that decrease their structural capability, many strengthening trends have been developed so far. One of these methods has been proposed as a new structural system comprising cold-formed steel (CFS) elements encased in polystyrene aggregate concrete (PAC). In this research, a simplified finite element model has been developed using ANSYS software, where a geometrically and materially nonlinear analysis with imperfections (GMNI) was used to solve the problem of PAC-encased CFS connections and panels subjected to compression. Each model was validated against available test results from literature. The full detailed volume-contact element-based model of concrete was replaced by spring elements perpendicular to the plate’s plane with equivalent properties, where a specific formula was set to define the stiffness of springs. A parametric study was performed to investigate in which range this stiffness has an impact on the ultimate load of the examined members. Additionally, different geometric imperfection amplitudes were implemented to test the real imperfection values. Finally, a failure mode-based equivalent geometrical imperfection amplitude was proposed to anticipate the design resistance of PAC-encased connections and panels.

Effects of online education on prosthetics orthotics education during COVID-19.

It is obvious that educational activities were affected globally due to the pandemic. This study was planned to examine the effects of online education on undergraduate degree (UD) and associate degree (AD) Orthotics and Prosthesis education in the COVID-19 pandemic. A crossectional online survey. The Google Forms questionnaire was delivered to students of Orthotics and Prosthesis in the level of undergraduate degree and AD and academicians conducted in the study. Next, the participants were reviewed regarding their knowledge about devices used for online education and related technical problems. A 5-point Likert-type questionnaire with 18 questions that was developed specifically for this study was applied to examine their views on online education. The study included 472 participants who had a mean age of 21.30 ± 0.22 years. Among the participants, 262 were AD students (55.5%). Approximately 82% of the participants were used their mobile phones for connection. The connection problems, and inappropriateness of online education in applied course, preference of online education for theoretical courses, insufficiency of digital course materials, failure to access education easily, insufficiency of online examinations for measurement and evaluation, and preference of homework over online education were stated by 79%, 88.3%, 41.9%, 54.5%, 70.1%, 41.7%, and 42.8% of the participants, respectively. Both academicians and students experienced connection problems, and applied courses were not suitable for online education. Motivation to attend the courses was low in online education, relevant workload increased, online examinations were not sufficient for measurement and evaluation, and studies were more unplanned. It is necessary to switch to formal education after the pandemic.

Telemedicina em um Ambulatório de Síndrome de Down no Brasil durante a Pandemia do Covid-19

Objective: This study aims to analyze the use of telemedicine during the Covid-19 pandemic (efficiency, effectiveness, positive and negative points as a modality of care) and educational and therapeutic parameters of the patient with Down syndrome during this period. Methods: Data were collected remotely using an online form created by the authors and answered by patients or their caregivers from the Down Syndrome Outpatient Clinic of a university hospital in the South of Brazil. Results: 65 responses were received, with 44.6% of the participants residing in Curitiba, 32.3% in the metropolitan region, 12.3% in the interior of Paraná and 10.8% in other states. Twenty-eight (43.1%) receive the Continued Benefit of Social Assistance. As for education, 41.5% attended special schools, 26.2% regular education, 10.8% both regular education and special education, and 21.5% do not studied. During the pandemic, 81.3% had remote school activities, and 41.3% did not undergo therapy. Health needs were met with consultation through telemedicine in 96.7%. Strengths: not having to go to the clinic (59.4%), easy access to the consultation (71.9%), feeling comfortable with the telemedicine consultation (46.9%), feeling understood by doctors (42.2%), having their doubts and concerns answered (62.5%), not having to miss work (25%). Weakness: impossibility of carrying out the physical examination (100%), connection problems (18.6%), feeling uncomfortable with the telemedicine consultation (10%). Conclusion: Telemedicine was a viable option for patients with Down syndrome during the Covid-19 pandemic with many positive points. During the pandemic, 81.3% had remote school activities, and 41.3% didnt go to therapies.

Medical education during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: an umbrella review.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic affected many aspects of lifestyle and medical education during the recent years. We aimed to determine the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on medical education to provide an overview of systematic reviews on it. We searched PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane library, Google Scholar, and medRxiv, with the following keywords: "SARS-CoV-2," "COVID-19," "Medical Education," "E-learning," "Distance Education," "Online Learning," "Virtual Education," "systematic review," and "meta-analysis," up to 15 April 2023. Studies were included if they were systematic reviews assessing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on medical sciences students. We used A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR-2) checklist for quality assessment. A total of 28 systematic reviews were included. The eligible reviews included between five and 64 primary studies, ranging from 897 to 139,381 participants. Technology-enhanced learning and simulation-based learning were the most frequently used strategies. Virtual teaching has several drawbacks like technical difficulties, confidentiality problems, lower student involvement, connection problems, and digital fatigue. The overall satisfaction rate for online learning was above 50%. Also, favorable opinions about perception, acceptability, motivation, and engagement were reported. The quality of 27 studies were critically low and one was low. There were reduced clinical exposure and satisfaction for medical students during the pandemic. Further high-quality systematic reviews are required.

СІЛЬСЬКИЙ ТУРИЗМ ЧЕРКАЩИНИ: КОМУНІКАЦІЯ, ПАРТНЕРСТВО ТА КЛАСТЕРНА СПІВПРАЦЯ

The article examines rural tourism development in the Cherkasy Region and the possible diversification of the rural economy by analysing communication, partnership and cluster cooperation between entrepreneurs, local authorities, the community and educators. The theoretical block of the study is aimed at studying the concepts of "well-being", "rural area", "rural life", " neo-rural entrepreneurs ", "communication", "network connections", "partnership" and "cluster". The essence and content of the main concepts were revealed, as well as the connection between the concepts of "welfare" and "diversification", "communication" and "partnership", "neo-rural entrepreneurs" and "values of rural life" was established. The application block is based on the results of the hackathon "Diversification of rural economy through a network of public consultation centers of tourism" for active and interested representatives of Cherkasy Region. It has been established that mutual understanding, communication and support, joint work and learning are exactly the model of partnership that solves the problem of network connections, which in turn will lead to diversification of incomes, as well as increased well-being in rural areas, and can become the basis of cluster cooperation, which will allow rational use of the potential of local entrepreneurs to create a high-quality tourist service and product. A four-way partnership with the participation of entrepreneurs, the local community, local authorities and educators is precisely the combination of forces and resources that goes beyond the scope of ordinary business exchange and allows us to realize common goals and achieve success. The obtained conclusions can be the basis for further strategies regarding the diversification of the tourism-oriented rural economy in the region.

Blended Learning Experience during COVID-19 in Bangladesh: Rethinking the Barriers in the context of Higher Secondary Level Learners

The blended learning approach played a vital role to continue educational activities during COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh. The traditional face to face classroom teaching -learning system was totally disrupted during pandemic time. The educational activities were continued through different online platforms during pandemic time. Online instructions became popular and effective throughout the pandemic. Teaching -learning activities in different educational institutions in Bangladesh experiences manifold barriers at that time. The present paper aimed at rethinking the barriers of blended learning approach during COVID-19 in HSC level learners of Bangladesh. Randomly selected 360 respondents have been surveyed through a semi-structured survey questionnaire. This paper revealed that blended learning approach faced the problem of poor internet connection, challenge in two way communication, financial constraint, difficulties in presenting online presentation, submitting assignment, lack of experience regarding activity through internet, online group works, online apathy, fear in using internet, noisy environment etc. Finally, this study proposed some recommendations to overcome the barriers of blended learning approach in new normal situation in Bangladesh perspective.

Универсальность прав человека как агрегация закона и морали

Human rights, despite criticism of their universalism, are important for any person, regardless of his ethnic and racial affiliation, social status and religious views. One or another development of the discussion on the acceptability of a universal view of human rights, objectified in law, legislation and law enforcement, is embodied in the relationship of a person with the state and society and directly affects their well-being, security, ability to evolve and progress. Purpose. The main purpose of the article is to identify the role of the institution of human rights as a carrier of interrelated legal and moral prescriptions. Methodology. Causation of the problems of the functional connection of law, morality and fundamental rights of the individual is carried out by methods of theoretical synthesis and legal synergetics, which make it possible to actualize scientific knowledge about the universality and egalitarianism of human rights, the degree of perception of which by public consciousness and legislation strictly correlates with the processes dominating social dynamics and determining a particular state of public well-being and security. Results. Human rights are not a given, but the direction of society's development towards freedom, justice, equality, a necessary condition for the formation and functioning of the rule of law. Human rights impart morality to the law, strengthening the legitimacy of the legal norm; in turn, the law, relying on the universalism of these rights, gives moral prescriptions legal force. Combining the power of law and the properties of morality, human rights, recognized and protected by the state, allow society to come to certain, considered by a significant and most successful part of humanity to be the highest, legal forms of organization of the state.

Design and Improvement of the Connection Between the Steel Wire Rope and Shell for Cobalt-60 Afterloading Source Whip

This article studied a novel connection method between the steel wire rope and the outer shell of a cobalt-60 afterloading brachytherapy source delivery whip. The performance requirements for the connection between the steel wire rope and the shell are described by analyzing the structural characteristics and usage environment of the source whip. Multiple joint forms and process ideas are proposed and explored. After repeated testing and improvement, a set of embedded adhesive bonding connection methods is finally proposed. The small-diameter cobalt-60 afterloading radiation source whip produced by this method meets the requirements of experimental verification and clinical use, effectively solving the problem of connection between the radiation source shell and steel wire rope.

The Need of Online Counselling to Enhance Mental Health among Students in Higher Learning Institutions in Tanzania

This study aimed to explore the need of online counselling to enhance mental health among students in higher learning institutions. The study employed a qualitative research approach in which 40 participants were involved. These were purposefully selected from two higher learning institutions in Tanzania - 30 were students and 10 were counsellors. In-depth interviews and Focus Group Discussion were used to collect data from the respondents. The findings revealed that through online counselling, it is easy to access psychosocial therapy, maintain privacy, conduct time/cost-friendly therapy, access services, allow freedom of expression as well as allow easy feedback and follow-up. Also, network connectivity problems, bundle challenges, fear of online hacking and failure to understand clients’ feelings were revealed to be challenges on the use of online counselling. However, awareness on the importance of online counselling, capacity building on the forms of online counselling, availability of free Wi-Fi in university campuses and halls of residence, reduced cost of bundles and provision of university offers as well as formation of online counselling support groups were earmarked as strategies for enhancing online counselling among undergraduate students as a way of enhancing their mental health.

Prospective Teachers' Views on Gamified Online Assessment Tools

Gamification, which refers to the integration of game mechanics, dynamics and components into non-game contexts, has attracted significant attention in education in recent years. When the literature is examined, it is possible to find many applications that can gamify content. This study aims to explore students' perspectives on gamification in education with a special focus on the widely known Kahoot application. Within the scope of this research, it aims to explore students' views on the application of Kahoot-based gamification techniques in formal and distance education courses. The study was conducted with a mixed research method in which both quantitative and qualitative methods were used together. Quantitative data were analyzed using statistical measures such as arithmetic mean, standard deviation and independent sample t-test. Qualitative data were collected and analyzed through interviews. In the fall semester of 2021-2022, 278 pre-service teachers enrolled in the education programs of a state university in Turkey participated in the study. While 162 students participated in the study with distance education method, 116 students participated with formal education method. A 19-item opinion questionnaire on gamification using Kahoot and a form consisting of open-ended questions were used to collect data. The participants regularly participated in Kahoot gamification activities at the end of classes for 8 weeks. According to the results, the participants were generally satisfied with the gamification applications with Kahoot. They found these applications both fun and instructive. Students generally agreed that Kahoot is a useful application. However, it was concluded that some participants experienced internet connection problems, internet quota problems, insufficient response time and fear of being left behind in the ranking. According to these results, it is recommended to use Kahoot application and gamification activities in classrooms. In order to reduce the problem of lack of interaction in distance education environments, it is recommended to include Kahoot-like applications in distance education.

2-node-connectivity network design

We consider 2-connectivity network design problems in which we are given a graph and seek a min-size 2-connected subgraph that satisfies a prescribed property.•In the 1-Connectivity Augmentation problem the goal is to augment a connected graph by a minimum size edge subset of a specified edge set such that the augmented graph is 2-connected. We breach the natural approximation ratio 2 for this problem, and also for the more general Crossing Family Cover problem.•In the 2-Connected Dominating Set problem, we seek a minimum size 2-connected subgraph that dominates all nodes. We give the first non-trivial approximation algorithm with expected approximation ratio O(σ(n)⋅log3⁡n), where σ(n)=O(log⁡n⋅log⁡log⁡n⋅(log⁡log⁡log⁡n)3).The unifying technique of both results is a reduction to the Subset Steiner Connected Dominating Set problem. Such a reduction was known for edge-connectivity, and we extend it to 2-node connectivity problems. We show that the same method can be used to obtain easily polylogarithmic approximation ratios that are not too far from the best known ones for several other problems.

ANALYSIS OF MULTIDIMENSIONAL POVERTY AMONG RURAL FARMING HOUSEHOLDS IN TARABA STATE, NIGERIA

The study analyzed the training needs of extension agents on information and communication technologies (ICTs) in Kaduna State Agricultural Development Programme (KADP), Nigeria. Seventy-five extension agents were randomly selected for the study. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed using frequencies, percentages, mean and multinomial regression. The results revealed that the majority of the extension agents had a great need for training in the use of ICT facilities such as multimedia (85%), remote sensing equipment (83.3), internet (83.3%), video camera (81.7%), audio recorder/player (76.7%), computer (73.3%) and audio-visual aids (66.7%). majority (83%) of the respondents had participated in one extension programme or the other while 20 % of the extension agents have never participated into any agricultural extension programme. Factors that influence the training needs of extension agents included training (-0.349 and 0.312), education level (-0.322 and 0.205), job experience (0.142) and age (-0.528) of the extension agents. The major constraints associated with the use of ICT tools by extension agents include lack of skills and knowledge, poor finance, the problem of internet coverage and connectivity, high cost of ICT tools, poor power supply and unavailability of ICT tools. The establishment of ICT units equipped with modern ICT facilities for extension services in all the KADA zones should be carried out. Training courses on the application ICT facilities in extension services should be planned and conducted for all extension agents in KADP for effective extension service delivery.