Malaysian and Indonesian Learners: They Are Judges of How They Learn English Most Effectively in and Out of Classrooms

The position of English is that of a Second Language in Malaysia and a Foreign Language in Indonesia. But the objective is the same that is to enable the learners to communicate effectively and efficiently in social and professional situations. Learners' beliefs and learners' strategies are also part of the learning processes. Strategies are ways of managing the complex information that the learners are receiving about the target language. This study aims to find out (i) the learners' beliefs on the importance of English (ii) what the learners will do (strategies) to manage their own learning. 100 respondents participated in the study. They responded to open ended questions. The results show that there are similarities and differences in the ways the Malaysian and Indonesian learners perceived the importance of English. They also have similarities and differences in their strategies to manage their own learning to achieve their goals. As a conclusion, even though the two countries adopted different language policy, the learners of English as a Second and Foreign Language have their own enthusiasms and they make judgements about how to learn the language effectively and they have the awareness of what language learning is like

Removal of mercury (II) from aqueous solution by using rice residues

Sorption potential of rice residues for Hg(II) removal from aqueous solution was investigated. Rice husk (RH) and rice straw (RS) were selected and treated with sodium hydroxide (NaOH). The raw and modified adsorbents were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and BET surface area measurements. The effects of pH, initial ion concentration, and agitation time on the removal process were studied in batch adsorption experiments. Two simple kinetic models, which are pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order, were tested to investigate the adsorption mechanisms. The kinetic data fits to pseudo second order model with correlation coefficients greater than 0.99 for all adsorbents. The equilibrium data fitted well with the Langmuir compared to Freundlich isotherm models. Alkali-treated adsorbent obtained larger surface area and RH-NaOH showed highest adsorption capacity followed by RS-Pure > RH-Pure > RS-NaOH. The maximum removal efficiency obtained by RH-NaOH and RS-Pure was 42 mg/l (80%) at pH 6.5 and with 2 days contact time (for 50 mg/l initial concentration and 25 mg adsorbents)

Ventricular arrhythmias classification and onset determination system

Accurately differentiating between ventricular fibrillation (VF) and ventricular tachycardia (VT) episodes is crucial in preventing potentially fatal missed interpretations that could lead to needless shock to the patients, resulting in damaging the heart. Apart from accurately classifying between VT and VF, the predetermination of the onset of the ventricular arrhythmias is also important in order to allow for more efficient monitoring of patients and can potentially save one’s life. Thus, this research intends to focus on developing a system called Classification and Onset Determination System (CODS) that is able to classify, track and monitor ventricular arrhythmias by using a method called Second Order Dynamic Binary Decomposition (SOD-BD) technique. Two significant characteristics (the natural frequency and the input parameter) were extracted from Electrocardiogram (ECG) signals that are provided by Physiobank database and analyzed to find the significant differences for each ventricular arrhythmia types and classify the ECGs accordingly (N, VT and VF). The outcome from these ECG extractions was also used to locate the onset of ventricular arrhythmia that is useful to predict the occurrence of the heart abnormalities. All the ECGs analysis, parameters extraction, classification techniques, and the CODS are developed using LabVIEW software

Characterization of young children with preferred and non-preferred graphic rule during drawing

This paper aims to investigate the functional connectivity in brain among young children during employment of preferred and non-preferred rule when drawing basic drawing task using Partial Directed Coherence (PDC) and to determine the most significant parameter in differentiating the two groups using handwriting dynamic features and brain activity based on statistical analysis and principle component analysis (PCA). Twelve subjects between 5 and 6 years old were selected randomly. All subjects were asked to gaze and trace four different unlined shapes. The brain signals were recorded using an electroencephalogram (EEG) machine during drawing tasks. Result showed that subjects who employed preferred graphic rule (Control) when performing gazing and tracing tasks were better at visual processing when compared to those that used graphic rule in haphazard fashion. Besides, significant difference was found in frequency domain when subjects used graphic rule in rule governed fashion when compared to relaxing activity. The contrast was found when subject used graphic rule in haphazard fashion. Results from PCA showed most significant parameter (gamma/high gamma) in differentiating between the two groups (employed graphic rule vs. non-graphic) was found in tracing task

Measurement Model Value Aspects of Teacher Leadership in Vocational Education

Teaching profession at present is very challenging and the teachers themselves must be prepared to deal with it. The issue of teachers and the teaching profession continue to gain attention and often widely debated whether in the media, among the general public and even discussed until the national level. Negative sentiment against teachers often receives media attention although not authentic, and it creates a feeling of prejudice and less happy society on the individual teacher. These issues need to be addressed wisely by all teachers and the parties involved so that the dignity of the profession remain respected. Teachers need to show good values of the students, school and community. This is important because there is value in teachers will influence others to stay in school or otherwise. People often look at the behavior of teachers and assess externally only. Teachers must have admirable traits that can guide and educate students to become excellent once formed their personal character. This study aimed to verify the instrument model aspects of the leadership of teachers in technical and vocational education. Specifically, the objectives of this study were to confirm the scale of the measurement model teacher leadership and to identify the reliability of the instrument model. This study used a questionnaire to collect data from respondents. The questionnaire used is divided into two parts, Part A and Part B Section A consisted of demographic data, while Part B contains 53 item questionnaire measuring aspects of the leadership of the teachers in improving teaching and student learning, teacher leadership skills in improve relations and cooperation with the community and other parties, leadership skills and attributes of teachers in skill lead. And practice leadership skills teacher professional learning for continuous improvement. The study population consisted of all students of semester 8, IPG Zone east coast of peninsular Malaysia. This study used a sample of all the population to study. However, only 153 questionnaires that can be used for analysis and the respondents for this survey. This questionnaire has been validated by a panel of experts consisting of a lecturer who specializes in the study in IPGK Zone east coast of Malaysia, to get the validity of the content. The questionnaire was constructed and tested for suitability in the context of teacher education in IPGK Zone east coast of Malaysia

Pola Pelayanan Kredit untuk Masyarakat Berpendapatan Rendah di Pedesaan Jawa Barat

IndonesianKajian mengenai ragam, bentuk dan prosedur pelayanan kredit untuk masyarakat berpendapatan rendah diharapkan mampu membantu memberikan jawaban terhadap pertanyaan tentang pola pelayanan yang paling sesuai untuk masyarakat berpendapatan rendah. Pada tahun 1990 penelitian dilakukan di Jawa Barat Kecamatan Jonggol dan Nanggung Kabupaten Bogor dengan melakukan wawancara terhadap 105 rumahtangga contoh. Dari hasil Penelitian ini ditunjukkan bahwa (1) ragam dan pola pelayanan kredit pedesaan untuk golongan miskin sangat banyak, baik yang berbentuk kredit program (KUT, UPPKA) maupun komersial (LPK, BKPD, Bank Harian), (2) perilaku permintaan kredit masyarakat berpendapatan rendah dalam pasar kredit tidak sepenuhnya ditentukan oleh pertimbangan tentang bunga kredit, tetapi juga pada kesederhanaan prosedur dan syarat perolehan krdit. Oleh karena itu untuk meningkatkan akses masyarakat miskin terhadap sumber modal (kredit) dapat ditempuh dengan cara menyederhanakan prosedur dan syarat perolehan pinjaman dengan supervisi yang intensif

Comparison of Weibull and normal probability distribution of flexural strength of dense and porous fired clay

In this research, dense and porous fired clay were produced at a firing temperature of 1300°C. The flexural strength data of the dense and the porous fired clay were determined using three point bending test. Two-parameter Weibull and normal probability distributions were used to estimate the reliability of the flexural strength data of the dense and the porous fired clay. From the result, the Weibull probability distribution scale parameter for the dense (36.31MPa) and Porous (18.85MPa) fired clay are higher than the mean strength value for the dense (33.84MPa) and the porous (17.87MPa) of the normal distribution. Distributions of flaws in the dense and the porous fired clay have a significant effect on the Weibull and normal distribution parameters. The fractured surface of the dense fired clay shows a random distribution of cracks while that of the porous fired clay shows a distribution of pores in the morphology. The normal distribution considers failure at 50% of the flexural strength data while Weibull probability distribution is failure at 62.3% of the strength data. Therefore, two-parameter Weibull is the suitable tool to model failure strength data of the dense and porous fired clay

Cognitive function assessment in young adult using trail making and stroop tests

Cortical network between brain regions is one of the topics that being investigated by brain researchers. Methods that are used to investigate brain developments of cognitive function include Partial Directed Coherence (PDC) and the power spectrum of the brain activity. The purposes of this study were to determine the cortico-cortical functional connectivity between brain regions using PDC and to investigate the power spectrum of brain activity while performing cognitive function assessments. Twenty healthy young adults, age between 20 to 30 years old, were asked to perform two tasks/tests, Trail Making Test (TMTA-alphabet, TMTA-number, TMTB-mixed alphabets and numerical) and Stroop Task. An electroencephalogram (EEG) machine was used to record the brain signals, and the data were analyzed using PDC and Fast Fourier Transform (FFT). Our findings showed that not only frontal area but temporal and occipital area also generates information and the information was sent to various scalp location. Theta frequency was significantly increased at frontal area while gamma and high-gamma frequency bands were significantly increased at centroparieto-occipito-temporal regions. All of these areas are associated with cognitive function doing specific task

Single channel electroencephalogram feature extraction based on probability density function for synchronous brain computer interface

Over recent years, there has been an explosive growth of interest in Electroencephalogram (EEG) based-Brain Computer Interface (BCI). Technically any architecture of a BCI is designed to have the ability of extracting out a set of features from brain signal. This paper demonstrated the extraction process based on Probability Density Function (PDF).A shared control scheme was developed between a mobile robot and subject. In general, subjects were required to synchronously imagine a star rotating and mind relaxation at specific time and direction. The imagination of a star would trigger a mobile robot suggesting that there is an object at certain direction. The mobile robot was then looking for a target based on probability value assigned to it. The result shows that 95 of theta activity was concentrated at target\x92s direction (during star imagination) and reduced when there is no target (during mind relaxation)

A Large Catalog of Homogeneous Ultra-Violet/Optical GRB Afterglows: Temporal and Spectral Evolution

We present the second Swift Ultra-Violet/Optical Telescope (UVOT) gamma-ray burst (GRB) afterglow catalog, greatly expanding on the first Swift UVOT GRB afterglow catalog. The second catalog is constructed from a database containing over 120,000 independent UVOT observations of 538 GRBs first detected by Swift, the High Energy Transient Explorer 2 (HETE2), the INTErnational Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory (INTEGRAL), the Interplanetary Network (IPN), Fermi, and Astro-rivelatore Gamma a Immagini Leggero (AGILE). The catalog covers GRBs discovered from 2005 Jan 17 to 2010 Dec 25. Using photometric information in three UV bands, three optical bands, and a `white' or open filter, the data are optimally co-added to maximize the number of detections and normalized to one band to provide a detailed light curve. The catalog provides positional, temporal, and photometric information for each burst, as well as Swift Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) and X-Ray Telescope (XRT) GRB parameters. Temporal slopes are provided for each UVOT filter. The temporal slope per filter of almost half the GRBs are fit with a single power-law, but one to three breaks are required in the remaining bursts. Morphological comparisons with the X-ray reveal that approximately 75% of the UVOT light curves are similar to one of the four morphologies identified by Evans et al. (2009). The remaining approximately 25% have a newly identified morphology. For many bursts, redshift and extinction corrected UV/optical spectral slopes are also provided at 2000, 20,000, and 200,000 seconds.Comment: 44 pages, 14 figures, to be published in Astrophysical Journal Supplementa