Problematic Factors Research Articles

The acceptance testing of PADC detectors for fast neutron dosimetry using PuBe neutron source

Solid-state nuclear track detectors (SSNTD) represent a passive detection method suitable for fast neutron dosimetry. The paper describes a series of acceptance tests for TASTRAK PADC detectors irradiated with a PuBe neutron source. Individual analyses aimed to improve the understanding of PADC performance under specific conditions and to identify possible problematic factors, such as influence of handling, influence of usage of detectors from different sheets etc. The experiment was conducted with two sets of detectors in cooperation with the Slovak Institute of Metrology using a PuBe neutron source. The equivalent ambient dose delivered to the detectors ranged from 0.14 to 14.99 mSv. The tests focused on detector detection limits, sensitivity, and the ability to determine the measured value. The performance of TASTRAK detectors in a fast neutron field was in agreement with the expectations, problematic areas were identified, and the focus of future research in the field of SSNTD dosimetry at Slovak Technical University in Bratislava (STU) was determined.

Study of cast seaweed harvesting technologies used in the bay of Køge and their implications for effective biogas production: Applying a circular bio-economy approach

This paper focuses on the technical methods used to maximize the collection of cast seaweed from the Bay of Køge within Solrød Municipality in Denmark. The study assesses the efficiency of various seaweed harvesting technologies, as well as the pre-treatment of the seaweed (i.e. removal of sand) at the Solrød Biogas plant. As the digestate is utilized as fertilizer (N, P, K) on surrounding agricultural farmland, it is also crucial to minimize the presence of heavy metals in the digestate resulting from the use of seaweed as feedstock. The paper discusses the various ways in which sand-laden seaweed used as feedstock can contribute to energy production. It highlights the circularity and advantages of collecting cast seaweed and how this can produce nitrogen-rich fertilizer, thereby reducing CO₂ emissions. The theoretical framework employed in this study is based on the Circular Bio-Economy school of thought, which supports the cascading and reuse of biomass resources to boost and prolong their value and usefulness. Interviews with pertinent parties involved in the collection of cast seaweed and the operation of the biogas technology within Solrød Municipality serve as the basis for the research data. Moreover, data from Solrød evaluation reports and reviews of seaweed digestion data are utilized, as well as pertinent scientific literature. Among other outcomes, it is concluded that the seaweed harvesting technology now in use is useful in marine environments near to the shoreline, but less effective for collecting seaweed from further up the beach. However, it will be necessary to develop the technology, or utilize complementary harvesting technologies, in the future to improve collection efficiency and reduce the amount of sand collected with the seaweed. Problematic factors include the likelihood of sand accumulating in the biogas reactor tank, as well as damage to the cyclone stirrer and the macerator. To support the Circular Bio-Economy in terms of the collection and use of cast seaweed within Solrød Municipality, new technological methods should hence be promoted.

Challenges of Teaching Writing to ESL Learners in a Pakistani Public High School: Issues, Contributing Factors, and Solutions Based on Personal Reflections

This study is an in-depth effort to investigate issues and contributing factors usually faced by Pakistani ESL learners in learning writing skills. Learning English language writing has always been a daunting task for second language students to master, especially in high schools as the nature and amount of written work in English increases at this level. Not only that, but Pakistani ESL high school teachers also do face many challenges in teaching writing skills. The study investigates problems and issues faced by public high school students in learning writing skills along with the strategies teachers can use to cater the problems. This study identifies problems faced by students and offers suggestions for improvement. The challenges, issues, contributing factors, and suggested solutions are based on the personal reflections of the researchers. The researchers have a great deal of experience of teaching English at public high schools in Pakistan. Its findings not only reveal the problematic factors but also suggest some practical solutions. The findings and recommendations may help ESL teachers reflect on their teaching practices and assist them in supporting their efforts to help students improve their writing skills.

MACRO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE EU COUNTRIES IN THE CONTEXT OF PERFORMANCE AND COMPETITIVENESS OF SMES

Purpose – The paper focuses on the identification of disparities in the development of the macroeconomic environment across the member states of the European Union and problematic factors impacting the business environment’s level. Research methodology – To find the disparities in the development of the EU countries, the TOPSIS method was used. Based on this analysis, the crucial factors influencing the development of the macroeconomic environment were determined. The discriminant analysis was then used to form a model, which could help assess and examine the relationship between the business environment and significant determinants of development. Findings – Based on the methods applied, the determinants influencing the development of the macroeconomic environment and key factors and aspects affecting the rate of development of the economic and business environment were identified and the analysis of the economic and business environment was performed through selected statistical techniques. Practical implications – The analysis confirmed that some countries have certain gaps in its assessment of the dynamics of economic development in EU countries in terms of the sustainability and competitiveness of small and medium-sized businesses, and that the business climate is not entirely conducive to these businesses. Originality/Value – The additional value of the paper is the formation of the model, which helps identify the countries with appropriate business environment and those where the economic development is not sufficiently developed which may be useful for enterprises, investors, and creditors.

Prospective directions for the use of military-historical objects in the tourism industry of Ukraine

The purpose of the study is to determine the main directions of use of military-historical objects of Ukraine for their tourist demand and preservation for future generations. In order to achieve the set goal, it is planned to solve the following tasks: 1) to consider the key areas of development of military historical objects as tourist resources; 2) highlight the problematic factors of tourist development of military-historical objects in our country; 3) on the basis of European experience, determine aspects of the use of military-historical objects for the realization of the domestic tourist potential of the territory. The methodology of the conducted research is based on the use of such methods as analysis, induction, observation and comparison. Scientific novelty. The article describes the peculiarities of the use of military-historical objects in the system of mass tourism. Some of these objects in Ukraine are covered with an emphasis on their historical value, uniqueness and demand by the tourist industry. Results of theresearch. The problem factors of the tourist development of the military-historical objects of our country were identified and the main aspects of the use of the military-historical objects for the realization of the tourist potential of the territory based on the European experience were determined. It is emphasized that the domestic tourism industry has not yet fully utilized the attractive potential of military-historical objects. This is explained both by the unsatisfactory state of their preservation, accessibility and popularity, and by the insufficient desire of the tourist business to build its activities on patriotic and educational bases, to act as an important tool in the matter of involving society in its own heroic past, impartial and objective familiarization with the most difficult moments of history.

Critical project management success factors analysis for the construction industry of Bangladesh

PurposeThis paper aims to identify the critical project management success factors and analyze those factors to achieve a sustainable construction industry in Bangladesh.Design/methodology/approachThis study identified 41 major problematic factors from the related literature. In this research, a detailed questionnaire survey was conducted among the experts and stakeholders of the construction industry of Bangladesh. The survey was carried out on a Likert scale and ranked the critical factors using the relative importance index (RII). The 41 problematic factors were divided into five group factors and ranked by the RII index to prioritize the factors. Finally, stakeholders' opinions were analyzed with the critical assessed factors, which was a very effective technique to eliminate the risks and uncertain occurrences in the construction industry of Bangladesh.FindingsThe factors analysis revealed that cost overrun, traffic jam, low wedges, slow payment for completed works and financial issues of the owner were leading critical factors in construction projects. Moreover, the critical factors are divided into five-factor groups, namely, financial management, monitoring and feedback, competency management, communication and coordination management, and risk management, which exhibit 0.767, 0.720, 0.711, 0.710 and 0.658 RII values. After all, the stakeholders' opinion suggested that implementing modern tools and techniques can help to avoid the critical situation in the construction industry of Bangladesh.Practical implicationsThe construction industry of Bangladesh is moving away from stable construction work day by day. Previously, the potential CSFs were discussed unstructured way. Hence, detecting early warning signals in a structured way has become necessary for the building firm's survival.Originality/valueThough some scattered critical issues are discussed in different literature, the critical issues of the Bangladeshi construction industry were not investigated extensively. Therefore, this study finds out the potential critical issues of the construction industry of Bangladesh to accumulate such harmful construction issues in a single platform so that the construction industry can have an overview of them with the help of innovative technologies.

Relationship between financial policy performance and sustainable development of the company

The objects of the study were large organizations of two different branches of the economy: the water transport industry in the form of joint-stock companies open to stock markets and joint-stock companies of the radio-electronic industry of the Russian Federation. A statistical sample of companies from the total population of companies in each branch was made. Homogeneous groups of companies were created. The subject of study is the sustainable development of companies. The purpose of the study is to substantiate the choice of methods for assessing the level of sustainable development, taking into account the integrated methodology and assessment methods. Tasks: identification of sectoral specificity of activity; review and systematization of methods of analysis of economic, personnel (social) and operational efficiency of researched companies at the moment and retrospective dynamics; disclosure of the main positive and problematic factors of influence on sustainable development; formation of a set of indicators of assessment of sustainable development of companies within the industry; quantitative and qualitative assessment of sustainable development of companies by the proposed set of indicators: the advantages and disadvantages of individual methods. The rating approach, a number of methods of analysis of economic activity were used as a methodology. All companies studied are in the maturity phase in management terminology. The text of the article demonstrates the interim results of the studyA more detailed consideration of the institutional approach to sustainable development analysis and assessment is envisaged. At this stage, the environmental dimension of sustainable development is not being explored for a number of reasons.

Functional approach in the management of a tourism business enterprise

The article addresses the current problem of researching the peculiarities of the functional approach to the management of a tourist business enterprise operating in the conditions of war and develops practical recommendations for its improvement. With the help of methods of analysis and synthesis, the management functions of an active Ukrainian travel agency in the conditions of a systemic socio-economic crisis in the country are analyzed, positive aspects of management and problematic factors of development are identified, and proposals are made to improve the implementation of the functional approach in the management of the enterprise. The article suggests focusing on the planning of activities to ensure the physical safety of tourists and to create a digital information system of safe tourism with access to the Internet. The authors verify the operational efficiency of the agency, which overcame the negative consequences of the systemic crisis and is profitable in war conditions. Drafting a general business plan to coordinate operational plans and resource allocation opportunities is suggested. To overcome price shocks and take into account consumer priorities, the article proposes to introduce flexible pricing based on demand in the target market. The effectiveness of the implementation of the motivational function is confirmed by the creation of a capable team and the development of corporate relations. To increase the labor productivity of the staff, the authors suggest coordinating the remuneration based on the results of the activity according to the performance indicators and the level of motivational expectations of the staff. To increase the quality of implementation of the function of financial discipline control, the article proposes to determine the sources of cost savings and resource consumption. To ensure stable work in the conditions of a systemic crisis, the article recommends to introduce an analysis of the opportunities and threats of the external environment and the strengths and weaknesses of the agency. Prospects for further investigations are suggested to be directed towards identifying the sources of growth of the agency’s profitability and financial security management.

UPDATE OF SCIENTIFIC AND METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF A MULTI-CRITERIAL SYSTEM OF ADMINISTRATION OF THE ACTIVITIES OF ENTERPRISESSTAKEHOLDERS OF CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

The theoretical and methodological foundations of the construction of organizational and management tools for the administration of the operational activities of the enterprise are considered, the purpose and types of asset management are defined, and examples of the methodology for diagnosing the state of a construction enterprise in conditions of a financial crisis are given. The types of threats specific to construction enterprises have been determined. The formation of a system of effective measures to counteract possible negative effects and timely response to them is aimed at ensuring the maximum opportunities for realizing the economic interests of enterprises, as well as ensuring a sufficient level of their stability, in particular with regard to external threats. Timely response of construction industry enterprises to changes in the external environment, counteracting negative influence from the outside, development of effective tools should take into account a wide range of factors of the socio-economic development of the country, as well as industry and regional specifics, based on a certain sufficient level of technological maturity. It is substantiated that the theory of anticipatory economic development does not pretend to be universal, but, first of all, emphasizes the specific features of unique economic phenomena and processes of a breakthrough nature in the multidimensional space of socio-economic, political, general civilizational and other problematic factors of the economic development of states. It is proved that the theory and the model of anticipatory economic development offer, respectively, theoretical explanations and practical ways of adapting to the conditions of the functioning of countries in various competitive positions in the world economy, which are determined by distinct economic, technological and political advantages, as well as general civilizational prerequisites for their formation, in conditions of complication mechanisms of self-development of economic systems, expectations of a paradigmatic ontological and anthropological shift as a result of the convergence of technologies. The article describes the aspects of solving the current scientific and applied task of developing a formalized toolkit and practical recommendations for structuring, diagnosing the state, transformations and successful administration of assets of construction enterprises in accordance with the requirements of social - responsible management and the company's development trajectory.

Mapping MNEs in Cuba and barriers to their growth

Very little is known about the investment climate and operations of MNEs in Cuba due to limited data provided by the Cuban government. In this paper, we explore the investment climate in Cuba and identify factors that limit the activities of MNEs. We also assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the future prospects for MNEs in Cuba. Our research is based on question¬naires and semi-structured interviews in MNEs operating in Cuba. MNEs consider low macroeconomic stability, the impossibility of acquiring real estate, access to financing and the movement of capital, and profit repatriation as the most problematic factors for their business activities. On the other hand, IPR protection, corruption, the skills and education of the available workforce and the availability of electricity were assessed as the least problematic. Less than half of the MNEs interviewed found positive changes con¬cerning the investment climate in Cuba during recent years. This implies limited prospects for economic growth in the near future.

Analisis Pengetahuan dan Kepatuhan Wajib Pajak Restoran di Kota Medan


 This study aims to understand the regulatory system regarding knowledge and obedience to restaurant taxpayers. The Department of BPPRD or the Regional Tax and Retribution Management Agency for the city of Medan, to realize order and compliance in carrying out restaurant tax payments. This study uses a qualitative method which in order to understand social events that are in the area of ​​the Medan City Tax and Retribution Management Agency where sometimes delays in paying taxes are a problem, to try to carry out better the level of discipline, responsibility, and level of responsibility. self-discipline of restaurant taxpayers, the efforts of these problematic factors will affect the level of restaurant tax compliance and acceptance, this study is also disaggregated. Building a good country, prospering and prospering the region is obedient in providing support for the implementation of local government.
 Keywords: Knowledge of Taxpayers, Restaurant Taxpayers, Taxpayer Compliance

Analysis of the activities of non-staff units of the Disaster Medicine Service of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation in the liquidation of the medical and sanitary consequences of emergencies and ways to improve it

AIM: Analysis of activities and ways to improve the functioning of emergency units of the Disaster Medicine Service of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation in eliminating the medical consequences of emergency situations.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS: The materials of the study were various historical documents and available literary sources characterizing the activities of the medical service of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (USSR) during the elimination of the medical consequences of emergencies of various peacetime. A content analysis of an array of historical documents was carried out with subsequent meaningful interpretation to identify problematic factors in the practical activities of non-staff units of the Disaster Medicine Service of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. The identified problematic questions (n = 10) were formulated, grouped and presented in the form of a corresponding questionnaire with a subsequent survey of military medical specialists (n = 440). The findings were compiled into a common research matrix to determine their specific contribution to the activities of healthcare professionals engaged in different teams and were factorally analyzed, allowing the resulting ranked (ordinal) expert responses to be processed for subsequent interpretation. The consistency of respondents opinions was estimated using a rank correlation coefficient the Kendell concordance coefficient (W).
 RESULTS: As a result of the study, the most significant problem issue was the poor equipment of medical workers with medical products, medicines and sanitary equipment necessary for work in the emergency zone, and the least significant was the possibility of conducting a safe assessment of environmental objects for indication of the causative agent of infectious nature, chemical contamination and radiation pollution. Based on the fact that the total number of problematic questions was 10, all of them were narrowed to 3 fundamental internal (hidden) generalizing factors as a result of factor analysis: comprehensive provision of emergency units of the Disaster Medicine Service of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation (the factors contribution to the general dispersion is 30.3%), professional activity of emergency units of the Disaster Medicine Service of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation (12.3%), level of readiness of emergency units of the Disaster Medicine Service of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation (10.1%).
 CONCLUSION: As a result of the analysis of problematic issues of the professional activities of medical workers from non-staff units of the Disaster Medicine Service of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the most significant generalizing factors were identified: comprehensive provision of non-staff units of the Disaster Medicine Service (the factors contribution to the general dispersion is 30.3%), professional activity of non-staff units of the Disaster Medicine Service (12.3%). The obtained results allow making timely decisions by the medical support management bodies of various levels on the organization of the elimination of the medical consequences of emergency situations with the involvement of emergency formations in the form of detachments, brigades, and groups. The main ways to improve the functioning of emergency units of the Disaster Medicine Service of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation in the elimination of the medical consequences of emergency situations should be considered to be the optimization of their organizational and staff structure, improving the quality of equipment with medical and material and technical resources, as well as increasing the level of readiness of military medical specialists for action on purpose.

Perceptions and Implementation of a Child Perspective among Professionals Working with Vulnerable Children who Have Experienced War and Crises

ABSTRACT The child perspective, i.e. an adult understanding and viewing of a child, is frequently being discussed. However, it is open to individual interpretation as the concept is only vaguely defined. This paper focuses on factors characterising the child perspective held by adults in an organisation which treats and supports adults and children who endure mental illness as a result of war, torture, and/or life as refugees. A cross-sectional descriptive design involving qualitative data was used. Data were gathered at the Health and care department, Swedish Red Cross, through open-ended questions in a web-based questionnaire answered by 69 employees. Additionally, ten semi-structured interviews were conducted with key individuals who represented a variety of professional functions within the department. The data were combined to form a united data set used for analysis. A thematic analysis was undertaken, based on the descriptions by Braun and Clarke, and three major themes emerged. Two of these described the professionals’ perceptions in terms of a child perspective. The first, Considering the child as an individual, focused on how a child perspective encouraged the employees to create a friendly atmosphere and to seek out children’s perspectives. The second, Acknowledging the child’s rights, highlighted a view of the child perspective as involving the safeguarding of children and the provision of “voice”. The third theme, Ambiguity in implementation, described the operationalisation of the child perspective in daily work, illustrating both favourable and problematic factors. To conclude, the understanding gained by this paper could be used to raise awareness of, concretise and operationalise a child perspective in other organisations in which adults encounter children. Likewise, this understanding could be used for ongoing research, knowledge development and further discussions in terms of child-focused work and rights-related initiatives involving children.

Critical Environmental Factors that Affects the Implementation of Ehealth, Kenya

Information technology is used to offer Health services, the use of computers in health is referred to as eHealth. The benefits of using eHealth is enormous, however people have not appreciated it fully because of problematic factors associated with its adoption and implementation. The main objective of the study was to investigate the environmental factors that influences the adoption and implementation of eHealth in Kenya. The study was guided by technology organization and environmental framework (TOE) as the base that informed it. This study used quantitative approach methods. The quantitative research used the deductive research approach. This was achieved by using primary research where organized questionnaire was deployed for the interaction with primary research responded. The respondents were individuals or experts with knowledge of eHealth, ICT in health care service provider’s facilities at the county referral hospital and other health facilities in Kakamega county in Kenya. The results suggest that there is a significant statistical relationship between the environmental sub factors and decision to adopt and implement eHealth technology. The findings advocate that for adoption and implementation of the eHealth technology do not just rely on technical expertise to evaluate the technology but also evaluate the environmental factors of the organization. This study mutually supports and contrasts previous findings providing new insights and avenues for future study.

EFFECT OF BIOACTIVE PROTEIN INGREDIENTS (MOTIVTM) ON TOTAL HEMOCYTE AND SURVIVAL RATE OF VANNAMEI SHRIMP, Litopenaeus vannamei

One of the problematic factors in the cultivation of vannamei shrimp is the outbreak of bacteria and viruses. One way to prevent infection is by strengthening the shrimp’s immune system. MOTIVTM is a fermented corn protein concentrate that has been reported to possess probiotic properties that can positively increase the disease resistance of shrimp. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effect of bioactive protein (MOTIVTM) on the total hemocyte count and shrimp survival rate. The study used an experimental method with a completely randomized design with five treatments and three replications: A (commercial feed), B (7.5% MOTIV add of 1.5% krill meal instead of 9% fish meal), C (7.5% MOTIVTM add of 1% krill meal to replaces of 2% poultry meal and 6.5% fish meal), D (7.5% MOTIVTM to replaces of 3.5% poultry meal and 4% fish meal), and E (7.5% MOTIVTM to replaces of 7.5% poultry flour). Feeding was done four times/day based on shrimp biomass and weekly feed counts based on daily shrimp survival. The vannamei shrimp used was one gram with a population density of 15 shrimps/aquarium with an aquarium volume of 100 liters.Total shrimp hemocytes, survival, and water quality were all measured. Treatment C had the highest total hemocyte, averaging 4.1 x 107 cells/mL, whereas treatment B had the lowest, averaging 1.4 x 107 cells/mL. During the trial, only treatment C supported 100% survival.

EMPOWERING WOMEN IN MATRIMONIAL PROPERTY: A CASE STUDY IN SELANGOR

The passage of time and era has greatly changed the role of women in the family institution. In Malaysia, women's rights are empowered in matrimonial property as recognized by the Islamic Family Law in every state including the State of Selangor where it can be claimed by reason of divorce, polygamy or death. However, cases of matrimonial property claims are confusing to women due to several problematic factors such as lack of information, lack of awareness and lack of knowledge of their procedures and rights, thus causing them to feel persecuted by the implementation of this law. The matrimonial property claim is important because it can prove and guarantee the ownership of a woman's property during the marriage period. The purpose of this research is first, to understand women's rights in matrimonial property according to sharia, second to identify women's issues and problems in matrimonial property claims and the third objective is to analyse women's awareness of matrimonial property. This research method is based on the distribution of questionnaires through the Google Form link that has been shared and answered by women respondents in Selangor according to the level of likert scale. The findings of the data are described in a descriptive analysis of their level of awareness, knowledge and understanding in matrimonial property claims. The results of the study on the empowerment of women in matrimonial property in Selangor have shown achievements at a positive level due to good background factors and high understanding from them.

ISSUES AND CHALLENGES IN MANAGING LAND INHERITANCE: A STUDY AMONG SYARIE LAWYERS IN SELANGOR

The high trend of unclaimed Islamic land inheritance properties has become a protracted and growing issue in the life of the community in Malaysia. Most of the problems of inheritance land management stem from the confusion or scramble of the heirs over the assets as well as the failure of the property owner to manage his property efficiently during his lifetime. The problem of estate management must be addressed immediately to improve the economy of Muslims in various aspects by liquidating and utilising the value of frozen assets that have not been claimed by the heirs of the deceased for a long time. Therefore, the issues and challenges related to the management of land inheritance property in Islam need to be put to an end. This research has three main objectives namely the first, to understand the concept of inheritance land in Islam. Second, to identify issues and challenges in the management of land inheritance property in Islam and the third is to analyse the best methods in managing Islamic land inheritance. The data obtained in this research is from in-depth interviews that have been conducted online to several syarie lawyers in the state of Selangor. The data that has been analysed is to evaluate and study the problematic factors of Islamic land inheritance management and the best management methods based on the experience of syarie lawyers in solving problems related to Islamic land inheritance property. Therefore, the results of this study can answer all the objectives that I have given to the respondents related to issues and challenges in managing Islamic land inheritance among syarie lawyers in Selangor.

Provider perceptions of telehealth and in-person exposure and response prevention for obsessive–compulsive disorder

Until recently, psychotherapies, including exposure and response prevention (ERP) for obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD), have primarily been delivered in-person. The COVID-19 pandemic required OCD providers delivering ERP to quickly transition to telehealth services. While evidence supports telehealth ERP delivery, limited research has examined OCD provider perceptions about patient characteristics that are most appropriate for this modality, as well as provider abilities to identify and address factors interfering with effective telehealth ERP. In the present study, OCD therapists (N = 113) rated the feasibility of delivering telehealth ERP relative to in-person for different (1) patient age-groups, (2) levels of OCD severity, and (3) provider ability to identify and address factors interfering with ERP during in-person and telehealth ERP (e.g., cognitive avoidance, reassurance seeking, etc.). Providers reported significantly greater feasibility of delivering telehealth ERP to individuals ages 13-to-65-years relative to other age groups assessed. Greater perceived feasibility for telehealth relative to in-person ERP was reported for lower versus higher symptom severity levels. Lastly, providers felt better able to identify and address problematic factors in-person. These findings suggest that providers should practice appropriate caution when offering telehealth ERP for certain patients with OCD. Future research may examine how to address these potential limitations of telehealth ERP delivery.

Problematic Factors on Students’ Learning in Higher Education

It is quite important to know and analysis the problems and gaps in students’ learning to operate quality management system in higher education. In order to determine the problematic factors in students’ learning in higher education, a long-term survey was conducted among university students and they were asked an open-ended question. Content analysis was used on students’ reflections about the problematic factors of their own learning. At the end of the content analysis, twelve main problematic issues about students’ learning were determined. After analysing the reflections of higher education students, it was found that there were 141 problematic statements reflected about the issues that create problems on their learning and affect them negatively. Based on these statements totally 12 main-themes and 18 sub-themes were determined. When the main themes that emerged are examined, it is seen that they can be divided into two main groups. While the first four main problematic themes are related to the institutional dimension, the remaining eight themes consist of issues arising from the individual characteristics of the students. The most important problematic factor in students’ learning in higher education is related to qualifications and behaviours of lecturers.

An analysis of elementary school teachers’ perceptions and utilization status on elementary English, reading and writing, using applications and platforms producing improvement plans

The purpose of this study is to examine elementary school teachers’ perceptions and utilization status on elementary English, reading and writing, using applications and platforms proposing improvement plans. A survey was conducted with a total of 50 elementary teachers that taught English, reading and writing, while using applications and platforms. The survey consisted of the following three categories: 1) teacher statistics, 2) teachers’ perceptions and utilization status of implementing applications and platforms, 3) difficulties in applying applications and platforms. Also, four elementary English experts participated in the semi-structured interview in order to discuss the results of the survey. Summarizing the survey and interview results, most of teachers showed a high degree of satisfaction in utilizing applications and platforms. They noticed the advantages of using applications and platforms are customized learning, learning management system and students’ interests. However, while using applications and platforms teachers experienced problematic factors that included lack of budget, deficiency of technology literacy, burden of work and differences in students’ proficiency levels. Based on these results, implications and suggestions for effective utilization of applications and platforms on elementary English, reading and writing, are discussed resulting in improvement plans.