Globalisation and rapid environmental change have created many challenges for public and private organisations across Iraq as a developing country, particularly in the higher education sector. This includes, for example, decreases in government funding; increased demand for higher education; a need for economic transformation, and related competitiveness of organizations. Such challenges require exceptional leaders and strategic planning in order to take action to improve. In Iraq, the higher education sector is still one of the main foundations in progressing the knowledge economy. Studies into leadership style, strategic planning processes, and the importance of leadership and organisational culture to an organisation’s success have been used to assist both public and private Iraqi colleges in responding to the challenges they face. Although, some studies have examined the interaction between leadership and strategic planning, and leadership and organisational success, there has been no empirical study that has investigated how these three variables interact together. Thus, this study aimed, firstly, to identify the current leadership styles and strategic planning processes in the colleges and the challenges they faced, and to gain an understanding from the perspective of the senior leaders themselves as to how they might best respond to the current situation. Secondly, based on the participants’ experiences, knowledge and perceptions, the study aimed to identify implications for both practice and policy to help improve the colleges’ outcomes. The study involved a mixed-methods approach and was conducted in two stages. During the first stage, the researcher gathered quantitative data by administering a survey package to 129 leaders (deans, associate deans, and heads of departments) across both public and private colleges in the capital city of Baghdad. During the second stage, the researcher gathered qualitative data to more deeply explore the survey results by conducting individual interviews with a sub-sample of 21 leaders from both college types (ten public and 11 private). In the data analyses stages, both descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were applied to compiling tables and charts, and to test hypotheses, by employing the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), Microsoft Excel, and NVivo. The results of study showed that both transformational and transactional leadership styles played a varied and vital role in the colleges’ strategic planning processes, and in turn their success. The fact that private colleges were ‘for profit’ and public colleges were ‘not for profit’, as well as their contrasting funding models, highlighted key differences between the two college types’ leadership and general modus operandi. While it was found that both transformative leadership and transactional leadership styles were necessary to address the challenges colleges faced in the Iraqi educational context, the impetus for change extended far beyond the need for professional development of leaders. The embracing of information communication technologies, and reliable Internet was seen as necessary in all aspects of the colleges’ work and provision for teaching and learning, and students’ success. This applied to both college types along with the need for closer adherence to government regulations and more focused government coordination of colleges’ administrative functions. Furthermore, implications for making successful improvements to practice also identified the need to manage the challenge of sociocultural influences on the appointments and promotions of leaders. It was concluded that a greater emphasis on teamwork and provision of incentives for staff, along with a ‘boost’ to pedagogy and practice, which could be provided through the adoption of information communication technologies and appropriate professional development strategies, would enhance the colleges’ ranks and the status of their qualifications. Also, theoretically, the study offers a value-add to leadership, strategic planning process, and organisational success literature in the form of a conceptual model that links these variables in the context of Iraqi higher education sector.
The research aimed at identifying the effect of using constructive learning model on academic achievement and learning soccer dribbling Skill in 2nd grade secondary school students. The researcher used the experimental method on (30) secondary school students; 10 selected for pilot study, 20 were divided into two groups. The experimental group followed constructive learning model while the controlling group followed the traditional method. The experimental program lasted for eight weeks with two teaching sessions per week for each group. The data was collected and treated using SPSS to conclude the positive effect of using constructive learning model on developing academic achievement and learning soccer dribbling Skill in 2nd grade seconda
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The aim of the research is to identify the effectiveness of the educational pillars strategy based on Vygotsky's theory in mathematical achievement and information processing of first-grade intermediate students. In pursuit of the research objectives, the experimental method was used, and the quasi-experimental design was used for two equivalent groups, one control group taught traditionally and the other experi-mental taught according to the educational pillars strategy. The research sample consisted of (66) female students from the first intermediate grade, who were inten-tionally chosen after ensuring their equivalence, taking into account several factors, most notably chronological age and their level of mathematics, and they we
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Vitamin D is one of several nutrients essential for calcium metabolism. Body weight status and magnesium may influence vitamin D activity. To determine whether salivary vitamin D, magnesium, and calcium levels are associated with body weight status and dental caries severity in children, this cross‐sectional research was conducted.
The sample consisted of 180 boys aged 6–8 years. According to their body mass index (BMI), children were assigned to three groups of 60 boys (normal weight, overweight, and obese). Moreover,
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A simple, accurate, and cost-efficient UV-Visible spectrophotometric method has been developed for the determination of naphazoline nitrate (NPZ) in pure and pharmaceutical formulations. The suggested method was based on the nucleophilic substitution reaction of NPZ with 1,2-naphthoquinone-4-sulfonate sodium salt in alkaline medium at 80°C to form an orange/red-colored product of maximum absorption (λmax) at 483 nm. The stoichiometry of the reaction was determined via Job's method and limiting logarithmic method, and the mechanism of the reaction was postulated. Under the optimal conditions of the reaction, Beerʼs law was obeyed within the concentration range 0.5–50 μg/mL, the molar absorptivity value (ε) was 5766.5 L × mol–1 × c
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Background: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a technique or procedure that combined chest compression and rescue breathing to maintain enough circulation that prevents brain damage until other essential steps are taken to control the main cause of cardiac and respiratory arrest. The health care personnel should be qualified in the performing of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to improve the survival rate of the victims. Therefore; it is necessary to use new methods for learning [1]. Objectives: the study aims to compare the effectiveness of self-instructional teaching strategy and traditional teaching approach on student’s knowledge toward cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Methods: A randomized comparative trial (RCT) design was ca
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This research aims at identifying the system of applying the QRcode system for acquisition of chemistry by first class female students studying at intermediate schools knowledge and its effect on creative thinking. The research sample consisted of (63) female students in one of the intermediate schools in Baghdad/Iraq using two equivalents experimental and control groups. The scientific context used was based on the chemistry text book related to the periodic table, (Metals) for the first group of students and Alkaline metals,Nonmetals, Metalloides) for the second group. The research methodology employed consisted of the followings :Measuring students acquisition using (35) issues. The results were verified for their face validity and obtai
... Show MoreBackground:Open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) of using miniplates and screws is the treatment of choice of mandibular fractures. It is important to know both: the region where the bone providesafirm anchorage, andthe topography of the dental apices and inferior alveolar nerve to avoiddamaging them when inserting the screw. The aim of this study is to determine the thickness of buccal cortical plate and that of buccal bone at the parasymphysis and mandibular body, thereby determining the area that provide afirm anchorage and the maximum length of mono-cortical screws that can be safely placed in these regions without injuring the tooth roots or mandibular nerve. Materials and Methods:The sample of the present study was 110 Iraqi sub
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