Level Of Achievement Research Articles

THE VIEWS OF STUDENTS AT DIFFERENT SUCCESS LEVELS ON THE FACTORS AFFECTING MATHEMATICS ACHIEVEMENT

The aim of this study was to explore the opinions of secondary school students with different achievement levels about mathematics course. In this study, in which qualitative research design was used, interviews were conducted with 36 middle school students, divided into three groups based on their achievement levels: high, average, and low. The interviews focused on the factors influencing their success in mathematics. The findings were presented under three themes: attitudes and beliefs towards mathematics, self-efficacy, and teaching-learning processes. Results of this study indicated that the majority of students across high, average and low achievement levels agreed that mathematics was necessary in daily life under the attitudes and beliefs theme and that they had belief of being successful in mathematics under the self-efficacy theme. In addition, for the teaching learning process theme, the most of the students stated that making lessons in enjoyable ways facilitated learning whereas the noise in the classroom hindered it. Also, in this study, high-achieving students, unlike students at other success levels, stated that they were disciplined, had meta-cognitive skills, use of reinforcement, individualized instruction, and assignment of project facilitated learning mathematics, and that difficult formulas, too much emphasis on the same content, lack of prior knowledge, and teacher quality hindered learning mathematics. Besides, only students with average success stated that mathematics was necessary for school grade point average and was a course that required memorization, that explaining the importance of the subject facilitated learning mathematics, and that students' inability to focus on the lesson hindered learning more. In addition, only low-achieving students stated that they saw mathematics as torture, a necessary and demanding course for upper grades, that participation in class and the interest of teachers facilitated learning mathematics, but that poor physical conditions, the abstract nature of mathematics, and too much writing hindered mathematics.

The Role of Digital Training for Human Resources in the Relevance of Research Within the University

This article examines the role of digital human resources training in the mastery of digital research management (DRM) in universities. For they are primarily responsible for structural change and innovation in university research. Notwithstanding this, this paper aims to detect and identify the technical and digital deficiencies that mitigate the level of achievement in research. Method: Our approach is based on an empirical study via a sample of 135 research specialists who will be interviewed and organized as follows: 34 teachers and 34 PhD students from the université Chouaib Doukkali in El Jadida, and 33 teachers and 34 PhD students from the université d' Ain Chock in Casablanca. Nevertheless, we focused on the use of SPSS software. The chi-square test and Cramer's Phi V will form the basis of our analysis, in order to process and interpret the data. At the same time, we will assess the correlation and strength of the relationship between the dependent and independent variables Our study is based on a hypothetico-deductive approach that takes into consideration a mixed reflection based on qualitative and quantitative methods. The results of this study reveal that human resources are not being provided with specific training in MDR research, which is seen as a means of strengthening and modernizing research in higher education. Result: The results attest those human resources are not trained by digital management strategies to carry out research projects, however, cel impacts relevance, excellence and above all innovation in scientific research. Conclusion: In short, the aim of this article is to explore and determine the level of training of human resources for a digital transformation that positively impacts the world of creation, invention and innovation of new professional knowledge, reflexive and professionalizing, specific to scientific research on a national and international scale. Keywords: Digital management, research, university, challenges, prospect

The Ecosystem of Middle School Math Achievement: Intersections of Student Demographic, Parent, and School Factors

ABSTRACTEcological factors, such as family involvement and school context, are important to consider in understanding middle schoolers’ math development. In this study, we examined the relations of middle school student‐reported parental monitoring and school climate as well as school‐averaged teacher reports of school organizational health (OH) to students’ math growth from grades 6–8. We also examined whether student‐reported race and ethnicity and perceived financial security moderated the relations of climate, monitoring, and OH to math growth and achievement. Participants were 12,821 middle school students and their teachers in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Our findings indicate that students who reported more parental monitoring in Grade 6 had detectably higher math scores in Grade 8, but monitoring did not relate to math growth, nor did student‐reported perceptions of school climate in Grade 6. We observed that OH in earlier middle school predicted math growth through Grade 8. We did not find evidence of differential relations of these variables to math achievement level or growth across students’ self‐reported race and ethnicity and perceived financial security. We discuss contributions of these findings to research and practice as well as limitations and future directions.

Assuring and Improving Learning Outcomes

Universities have a responsibility to measure and assure graduate learning outcomes ("Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards)," 2021; TEQSA, 2017). However, while assuring learning outcomes is a priority across the sector, many universities fail to collect meaningful data on student achievement of these outcomes (Martin & Mahat, 2017). Some institutions are investigating technologically enhanced processes to improve the efficiency and accuracy of learning-achievement data (Burrack & Musselwhite Thompson, 2021; El Marsafawy, 2022). Over the past four years, the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) Business School has made substantial enhancements to assurance of learning (AoL) practices, leveraging learning management system (LMS) functionality and data visualisation software to create a streamlined process, which better facilitates the continuous improvement of programs. This work is of particular interest to academic and professional staff involved in collecting and reporting on student achievement data, in program continuous improvement and evaluation, or in leveraging technology-enhanced learning analytics. The UTS Business School’s AACSB accreditation necessitates the collection, tracking, and reporting of student achievement of program-level learning outcomes (AACSB, 2020). Each program identifies subjects to "develop" and "assure" learning outcomes, with student achievement measured within specific assessment tasks and collated for program-level analysis. This process can be administratively complex, and historically involved multiple manually collated spreadsheets. This represented a substantial time cost for the faculty and often resulted in unreliable data. It was, for example, common practice to report overall subject marks rather than the specific learning outcome to determine achievement level, resulting in assessment practices that diverged from the recommended standards of constructive alignment (Biggs, 2014). In 2021, faculty T&L and central learning technologies teams commenced a pilot using LMS tools and the interactive data visualization tool PowerBI to streamline data collection, collation, and visualisation. Canvas Outcomes set up at the faculty level allows for centralised achievement-data collection, which, when linked to student and program information in PowerBI, can be used to obtain program-level insights. Beyond administrative efficiency, the project was also designed to improve and foreground the constructive alignment (Biggs, 2014) of measured learning outcomes. The revised process requires the embedding of learning-outcome-aligned assessment criteria within rubrics, resulting in improved constructive alignment and data transparency. The initial pilot was evaluated using Human Centred Design (IDEO.org, 2015) methods, which concluded the new system was an improvement on previous processes. Since the pilot, the faculty has completed a full rollout to over 60 subjects and 20 programs. Once this foundational AoL process was in place, program and subject-level continuous-improvement projects could be built upon it. Previous reporting methods had limited usefulness to Program Directors and were no longer fit for purpose due to changes in AACSB requirements. Reporting processes were therefore adjusted to focus on continuous improvement of key program metrics. In the new process, Program Directors and teaching teams review program data to identify curriculum or student-experience improvements that will enhance student achievement of learning outcomes. For example, a master's program identified that a high percentage of students were falling below expectations in two outcomes. Investigating the causes identified a need for substantial changes, with new subjects taking assurance responsibilities, and revisions to the program's overall assessment strategy. Recent data shows significant improvements in the target outcomes. This presentation will outline these updated technology-enhanced AoL processes demonstrating how the collected data can be used to improve university programs and the student learning experience.

Student Teachers’ Study Profiles — Longitudinal Perspective to Research-Based Teacher Education

This study examined student teachers’ study profiles and achievement levels from selection through to the bachelor’s phase of their teacher education programmes. The latent profile analysis revealed two student teacher study profile subgroups associated with varying study achievement levels from the first three years of the teacher education programme. In a more detailed examination, the results revealed that the main differences occur during the bachelor’s phase of the teacher education programme, wherein student teachers are learning to understand the research-based teaching profession and how to conceptualise theories and more independently learn to write their bachelor’s theses. A gender comparison between subgroups revealed that male student teachers were more likely to be allocated to the less research-oriented subgroup and female students to the highly research-oriented subgroup. These findings are discussed with regard to how teacher education programmes could better support different learners.

Empowering Student Engagement and Academic Achievement in Physical Education Classes After COVID-19: Integration of Three Teaching Models

This study aims to analyze the effects of tactical game model (TGM) and peer teaching model (PTM) in increasing student engagement and academic achievement. The true experimental method with a 10-week randomized controlled design was adopted in this study. 54 students were allocated into experimental class 1 (TGM, n = 18, 19.60 ± 1.17 years), experimental class 2 (PTM, n = 18, 20.00 ± 1.05 years) and control class (traditional, n =18, 19.40 ± 1.43 years). The instrument in this research used the student engagement questionnaire to assess student engagement in PE classes, while semester exam scores were used as academic achievement instruments. The results of the Student's paired t-test, we observed that participants in TGM, PTM and CC experienced significant differences from pre- to post-test scores on student' engagement and academic achievement (all, p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the results show that there is a significant effect of time, group and time*group interaction on student' engagement (all, p < 0.05), and academic achievement (all, p < 0.05). Conclusions: Thus, we highlight the application of TGM and PTM in PE classes is important to improve students' levels of engagement and academic achievement.

ЕФЕКТИВНІСТЬ ОСВІТНІХ ПЛАТФОРМ ДЛЯ ВИВЧЕННЯ ПРИРОДНИЧИХ ДИСЦИПЛІН

The analysis of the capabilities of modern learning platforms (LPs), their adaptation to the needs of educational institutions of different levels and educational programs is quite important in the modern world. Studying the impact of educational platforms on the quality of knowledge acquired, the activation of creative, cognitive activity and natural science competence in schoolchildren is relevant. The purpose of the study was to establish a statistically significant relationship between the use of educational resources, the quality of education, and the motivation of students to study natural science disciplines. The main objectives are to conduct a qualitative analysis of LPs used in educational institutions; to study the effectiveness of LPs for studying natural sciences; to establish the existence of statistically significant relationships between the use of the MyКlas educational platform and students' motivation to learn in general and to study natural sciences in particular. The article analyzes the level of awareness and motivation of teachers of the Skole Academic Gymnasium (hereinafter - Skole Gymnasium) in the use of various LPs and the possibility of practical implementation during the educational process. It has been proved that there is a statistically significant relationship between the use of educational resources, the quality of education and the motivation of students of Skole Gymnasium to study natural science subjects. The level of students' academic achievement improved after using LP, mainly the MyКlas educational platform. The overall increase in academic performance in the natural sciences (Natural Sciences, Discovering Nature, Biology, Geography, Chemistry, Physics, Biology and Ecology, and the integrated course Natural Sciences) over the past 5 years is 25.7%, and the share of classes that used various tools of educational platforms has increased by 77.8%. The coefficient of determination for the regression analysis was 0.519, which indicates that educational platforms have a statistically significant impact on the quality of education.

Towards maximizing biomass and lipid productivity: high-throughput screening assay for prospecting heterotrophic growth for new microalgal isolates

BackgroundMicroalgae have emerged as sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels and high-value petrochemicals. Despite the commercial potential of microalgae, their low biomass productivity is a significant limiting factor for large-scale production. In the photoautotrophic cultivation of microalgae, achievable cell density levels depend on the light transmittance of the production system, which can significantly decrease the photosynthetic rate and biomass production. In contrast, the mixotrophic cultivation of microalgae using heterotrophic carbon sources enables high-density cultivation, which significantly enhances biomass productivity. The identification of optimal production conditions is crucial for improving biomass productivity; however, it is typically time- and resource-consuming. To overcome this problem, high-throughput screening (HTS) system presents a practical approach to maximize biomass and lipid production and enhance the industrial applicability of microalgae.ResultsIn this study, we proposed a two-step HTS assay that allows effective screening of heterotrophic conditions compatible with new microalgal isolates. To confirm the effectiveness of the HTS assay, three microalgal isolates with distinctive morphological and genetic traits were selected. Suitable cultivation conditions, including various heterotrophic carbon sources, substrate concentrations, and temperatures, were investigated using a two-step HTS assay. The optimized conditions were validated at the flask scale, which confirmed a significant enhancement in the biomass and lipid productivity of each isolate. Moreover, the two-step HTS assay notably enhanced economic and temporal efficiency compared to conventional flask-based optimization.ConclusionsThese results suggest that our two-step HTS assay is an efficient strategy for investigating and optimizing microalgal culture conditions to maximize biomass and lipid productivity. This approach has the potential to enhance the industrial applicability of microalgae and facilitate the seamless transition from laboratory to field applications.

Improvement in Persistent Post-Concussive Symptoms After Treatment with Neuromodulation: A Case Study

AbstractUp to 30% of youth with concussion experience persistent post-concussive symptoms (PPCS) impacting cognitive, social, mental, and physical health. Limited evidence-based therapies exist to treat PPCS. We present a case of an adolescent female with multiple sports-related concussions with persistent symptoms, including headache, nausea, dizziness, brain fog, and anxiety. After 4 weeks of treatment with an auricular percutaneous electrical nerve field stimulation (PENFS) device, she had near-complete resolution of her symptoms, allowing a return to her previous level of academic achievement, as well as physical activity. Emerging evidence suggests that various forms of neuromodulation, such as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), can benefit patients with post-concussive symptoms. This adolescent female’s improvement with PENFS contributes to this expanding field.

The Impact of Using the Hill Climbing Strategy on the Students' Academic Achievement in the College of Educational Sciences at Al-Hussein Bin Talal University in the Subject of the Prophetic Biography and its Teaching Methods

The study aimed to determine the impact of using the Hill Climbing strategy on the students' academic achievement in the College of Educational Sciences at Al-Hussein Bin Talal University in the subject of the Prophetic Biography and its teaching methods. The study sample consisted of 80 students from the College of Educational Sciences studying the Prophetic Biography and its teaching methods during the second semester of the academic year 2021-2022 at Al-Hussein Bin Talal University. The students were divided into two groups: the control group, consisting of 40 students, who learned using traditional methods, and the experimental group, also consisting of 40 students, who learned using the Hill Climbing strategy. The researchers prepared an achievement test to measure the academic achievement of the students in the topic of Prophetic Biography and its teaching methods. The results of the study showed statistically significant differences between the two study groups in the students' level of achievement, in favor of the experimental group that learned using the Hill Climbing strategy. The study recommends the necessity and importance of employing the Hill Climbing strategy in teaching other Islamic education subjects such as Jurisprudence and its teaching methods and Creed and its teaching methods. The study also recommends conducting comparative studies between the Hill Climbing strategy and other modern teaching strategies. Received: 13 August 2024 / Accepted: 29 October 2024 / Published: 05 November 2024

The Stability of Linguistic Skills of Arabic-Speaking Children Between Kindergarten and First Grade.

This study aimed to evaluate the stability of phonological awareness (PA) and language achievements between kindergarten and first grade among Arabic-speaking children. A total of 1,158 children were assessed in PA and language skills in both grades and were classified based on distinct and integrated achievements on PA and language following percentiles' cutoff criteria. The classification of distinct achievements constituted high, intermediate, low, and very low achievement-based groups for each domain. The classification of the integrated achievements on both domains constituted four groups: intermediate-high PA and language, very low PA, very low language, and doubly low (very low PA and language). Descriptive statistics and McNemar's tests were used to examine the stability of these groups. The analyses showed a significant improvement in achievements on most tasks. The distinct classification for PA and language indicated that many more kindergarteners in the extreme distribution with high and very low achievement levels maintained this profile in first grade compared to those with intermediate achievements. For PA, 55.7% of kindergarteners with high, 30% with intermediate, 30.4% with low, and 45.5% with very low achievements maintained their achievements in first grade. For language, 52.5% of kindergarteners with high, 34.5% with intermediate, 38.8% with low, and 59.8% with very low achievements maintained their language achievements. The integrated classification indicated a higher achievement stability rate for kindergarteners with intermediate-high PA and language (91.3%) and for doubly low achievers (84.7%) compared to very low PA (24.1%) or very low language (31.8%) achievers. The study indicated a higher variability in the distribution of the intermediate achievements compared to the high and very low achievements, which were more stable across grade. The results emphasize the need for dynamic linguistic assessments and early intervention for children with very low achievements in PA and language who show a poor prognosis.

Context counts: Unveiling the impact of achievement level on teachers’ text assessment

BackgroundTeachers' assessments of student writing proficiency are essential for adaptive instruction and providing feedback. However, studies have revealed a lack of objectivity in text quality ratings of the same text in different contexts, although texts of identical quality should receive identical teacher judgments. AimsOur two studies – one experimental and one more ecologically valid – address whether the achievement level impacts teachers’ individual text assessments even when relevant explicit criteria are used. SamplesIn Study 1, participants were 102 student teachers from a university in Germany. In Study 2, participants were 136 student teachers and 91 experienced teachers from Germany. MethodsIn Study 1, participants were randomly assigned to two groups. Student teachers in the high-achievement level group assessed three high-quality texts and one standard text with average quality. Student teachers in the low-achievement level group assessed three low-quality texts and the same standard text with average quality. Participants in Study 2 assessed ten texts randomly drawn from a large corpus. ResultsThe comparison of the standard text in Study 1 showed that student teachers in the high-level achievement group assessed it more negatively on a holistic scale and three analytic scales compared to the low-level achievement group. Multi-level data analysis in Study 2 revealed a negative influence of the quality of the achievement level on the text assessment for experienced and for student teachers. ConclusionsWe discuss how the achievement level can bias teachers’ judgments of specific student performances when concrete assessment criteria should be used.

PBL 교육과정에서 학습자의 성취 수준에 따른 학습몰입 특성: 성찰일지의 코퍼스 기반 분석

Objectives The study aims to analyze the learning engagement characteristics based on learners' achievement levels in a Project-Based Learning (PBL) curriculum. Through a corpus-based analysis of reflective journals, the research seeks to objectively evaluate and differentiate the emotional, behavioral, and cognitive engagement types of learners. Methods This research employed a corpus-based linguistic approach to analyze the reflective journals of learners from a PBL course. A total of 24 students from C University participated, divided into high-achieving and low-ach-ieving groups. The reflective journals, collected over nine weeks, were analyzed using the AntConc program to ex-tract keywords representing emotional, behavioral, and cognitive engagement. Statistical analyses, including One-Way ANOVA and independent samples t-test, were conducted to determine the differences in engagement types within and between the groups. Results The analysis revealed distinct differences in engagement characteristics between high-achieving and low-achieving learners. High-achieving learners exhibited higher levels of emotional, behavioral, and cognitive engagement, reflected in a greater frequency of keywords related to these dimensions. The differences were statistically significant, highlighting the need for differentiated instructional strategies to cater to varying learner needs. Conclusions The findings emphasize the importance of tailoring educational strategies to the individual needs of learners based on their engagement patterns. This approach can enhance the effectiveness of PBL by fostering deeper and more meaningful learning experiences. The study contributes to the development of targeted teaching methods that support both high-achieving and low-achieving students, ultimately improving overall learning outcomes.

보편적 학습설계와 증거기반교수를 적용한 수학 수업이 초등학생의 곱셈·나눗셈 성취도와 수학적 학습 태도에 미치는 효과

Objectives The purposes of this study was to examine the effects of mathematics instruction, incorporate Universal Design for Learning(UDL) and evidence-based instruction, on the multiplication and division achievement and mathematical learning attitudes of 4th grade elementary school students with typical or low achievement in mathematics. Methods The study involved 46 subjects, comprising students from two 4th-grade classes in a public elementary school in Seoul. The subjects were divided into experimental and control groups, with each group further subdivided based on their level of mathematics achievement. The experimental design employed a pretest-posttest control group design along with a repeated measures design. Improvements in students’ multiplication and division achievements were analyzed using a hierarchical linear growth model, while differences in attitudes towards mathematical learning were assessed using paired samples t-tests and analysis of covariance(ANCOVA). Results First, the rate of change in multiplication and division achievement among students with typical math performance in the experimental group was statistically significantly higher than that in the control group. Second, the rate of change in multiplication and division achievement among students with low math performance in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the control group. Third, within the experimental group, students with low math performance demonstrated a significantly greater rate of improvement in achievement compared to students with typical math performance. Fourth, students in the experimental group showed statistically significant improvement in most areas of mathematical learning attitudes. Finally, there was no statistically significant difference in mathematical learning attitudes between the two subgroups of the experimental group, except for their level of confidence in multiplication and division. Conclusions First, mathematics instruction incorporating Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and evidencebased instruction was effective in improving multiplication and division achievement as well as mathematical learning attitudes among 4th grade elementary students. Finally, it can be inferred that this approach could be an effective method for ensuring foundational academic skills and bridging achievement gaps in general education settings with diverse student characteristics.

건강장애학생 원격수업에서 고교학점제 적용을 위한 델파이 연구

The purpose of this study is to explore the desirable direction and plan for applying the high school credit system when considering the specificity of remote classes for students with health impairments as special education subjects. To achieve the research objectives, an expert Delphi survey was conducted, and six elements of the application of the high school credit system were investigated and analyzed. As a result, it is agreed that the high school credit system should be applied to the education of students with health impairments. However, they were collected in the direction that it is necessary to relax or apply exceptions by applying the specificity of students with health impairments in terms of attendance rate for each subject, guaranteeing the minimum achievement level, and supplementary guidance for each non-subject, which are the criteria for promotion and graduation. Therefore, reflecting these results a plan to apply the high school credit system in the education of students with health impairments was proposed.

Analysis of Factors Affecting Achievement Level of CSAT

Analysis of Factors Affecting Achievement Level of CSAT

The Effect of Jigsaw Type Cooperative Learning Model on Students Learning Outcomes In Social Studies Subjects

This study aims to: (1) provide an overview of the results of the analysis of learning tools for Social Studies (IPS), (2) provide an overview of the analysis of the Jigsaw-type cooperative learning model, and (3) determine the effect of the Jigsaw-type cooperative learning model on social studies learning outcomes of class VIII students at SMP Reformasi Makassar. This research is descriptive quantitative in nature. The population consists of all class VIII students, totaling 30, with a saturated sampling technique, meaning that the population equals the sample size of 30 students. The research location is SMP Reformasi Makassar, and a quantitative approach was used. Data collection techniques include written tests in the form of essay questions, observation, and documentation. Data analysis involved descriptive analysis, hypothesis testing (paired sample test), and validity and correlation tests. The results of the analysis of learning tools in this study indicate that, in general, they are valid, practical, and effective. The analysis of the Jigsaw-type cooperative learning model shows that it can: (a) improve cognitive learning outcomes, (b) increase student interest in learning Social Studies, (c) help students understand the learning material more quickly, and (d) encourage cooperation among students in understanding the material. The use of the Jigsaw-type cooperative model can also increase the level of student achievement. The probability value of X is < 0.01. The calculated t-value of 6.313 is greater than the estimated t-value of 2.045 (n-1 = 29, alpha 5%). Thus, it can be concluded that the Jigsaw-type cooperative learning model has a significant effect on the learning outcomes of class VIII students at SMP Reformasi Makassar.

TEKSTO SUVOKIMO GEBĖJIMŲ UGDYMAS 2 KLASĖJE PANAUDOJANT BEŽODES KNYGAS

The development of text comprehension skills in primary school is constantly seeking new ways of engaging students of different abilities. One such innovation is wordless books. Given the lack of information on the use of such books, the aim of this study was to investigate the impact of wordless book-based educational activities on the text comprehension skills of second grade students. The method chosen for the study was participatory action research. Three educational activities were planned and carried out to observe students' activity. Before and after the educational activities, the students' comprehension of the fiction text was measured. The methods used for data collection were: analysis of pedagogical literature, written questionnaire, informal natural indirect observation. The questionnaires used to investigate the text comprehension skills were specially designed and identified 4 main skills of fiction text comprehension (finding clearly presented information, making inferences, integrating and interpreting ideas and information, examining the content and details of the text, evaluating). The participants were selected by convenience sampling. The participants were 17 second grade students from one school class. Based on the results of the text comprehension skills test, 3 educational activities based on reading wordless books were designed. All the educational activities followed a single lesson model: at the beginning of the activity, students were introduced to the topic and objective of the lesson, followed by a collective reading of a wordless book, a discussion, a creative task and reflection. The study showed that the wordless book-based activities had a positive impact on some of the second grade students' inference and integration of ideas and information, and interpretation skills. The wordless book activities were more engaging for students with lower levels of educational achievement. Keywords: wordless books, text comprehension skills, primary education, language development

Development and Testing of a Fast-Acting, 8-Bit, Digital Throttle for Hybrid Rocket Motors

The potential for throttle control of hybrid rocket systems has long been known as a potential advantage for a variety of applications. Because only a single flow path is controlled, theoretically, hybrids should be significantly easier to throttle than bipropellant systems. Unfortunately, the slow response times and nonlinearity of traditional position-control valves have limited practical applications of hybrid throttling. This paper presents an alternative throttling system where the oxidizer flow path is broken into multiple streams, with each flow path controlled by a solenoid-operated on/off valve. The parallel paths allow significantly faster and more precise control than can be achieved using a single position-control valve. The achievable thrust levels are limited only by the size and number of components in the valve cascade. The 8-bit digital throttle system, developed by Utah State University’s Propulsion Research Lab, uses commercial, off-the-shelf components. The throttle system was tested using a 200-N hybrid rocket motor, burning gaseous oxygen, and ABS plastic as propellants. The testing campaign of more than 50 hot fires has demonstrated multiple profiles, including deep throttle ramps, multistep boxcars, and sine waves at frequencies varying from 0.25 to 1-Hz. Comparisons to analytical models are also presented, showing good agreement. Fourier-transform spectra demonstrating the total-system, frequency response are also presented.

Saudi EFL Students’ Attitudes Toward the Target Culture and Its Relationship with Their Linguistic Backgrounds

Culture and language have long been focal points of investigation, and both have been intensively discussed in the academic literature, but little attention has been paid to the influence of EFL students’ linguistic backgrounds on their attitudes toward the target culture, especially in the Saudi context. This mixed-method study aimed to explore the impact of learners’ linguistic backgrounds (mainly their language academic achievement levels and contexts of language learning) on their attitudes toward the target culture. The data was collected using an online questionnaire. A total of 84 students from the Faculty of Language and Translation at King Khaled University participated in this study. A Pearson correlation coefficient test and thematic analysis were used to interpret the data. The results showed a significant relationship between the participants’ linguistic backgrounds and their attitudes. The results also indicated that the participants had an overall positive attitude toward the integration of the target culture into language learning. In light of the findings, EFL students’ linguistic background should be taken into consideration before embedding the target culture into language learning.