Research in the field of English language as a foreign language (EFL) has been consistently highlighted the need for communicative competence skills among students. Accompanied by the validated positive impact of technologies on students’ skills’, this study aims to explore the strategies used by EFL students in enhancing their communicative competence using digital platforms and identify the factors of developing communicative competence using digital platforms (linguistic factors, environmental factors, psychological factors, and university-related factors). The mixed-method research design was utilized to obtain data from Iraqi undergraduate EFL students. The study was conducted in the Iraqi University in Baghdad Iraq. EFL undergraduate students from the English department from the second-year grade constituted the population of the study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 EFL students to explore students’ usage of digital platforms to enhance communicative competence. A convenient sampling technique was used to select the students. The data from the interviews were analysed thematically using QSR NVivo software. Also, a survey questionnaire was demonstrated to the sample of the study to identify the challenges of development. 150 EFL students participated in the study sampled using the proportional sampling method. SPSS software was also used to analyse the data. The findings showed that students used digital platforms to develop grammar accuracy, pronunciation, vocabulary, cohesion and coherence, punctuation, and spelling. On the other hand, the challenging factors identified are grouped in four categories which are linguistic factors, environmental factors, psychological factors, an university-related factors. The findings of the study offer new insight for future directions research and recommendations to the university management as these findings could be the cornerstones of the planning for successful implementation of digital platforms in teaching and learning English in general and communicative competence in specific.
MII Al-Itabi, WH Abdulameer, OSS Al-Mashhadani, Review of International Geographical Education Online, 2021 - Cited by 1
Bentonite is widely used in industrial applications. The present study reports the effect of adding different weights of ZnO to the Iraqi bentonite, on surface area, pore volume and real density. These surface properties were evaluated for pure and modified bentonite. The modification was made by adding different ZnO weights such as; ( 0.5%, 1%, 5%, 10% ). The effect of heat exposing for all modified clay samples at 500 ?C have been also evaluated. The results show that the addition of 0.5% ZnO leads to increase the surface area percentage about 36%, increase pore volume percentage about 5.48% and increase the real density percentage about 27.116%. When the samples exposed to 500 ?C, their surface area and pore volumes have been decreased a
... Show MoreGaucher disease (GD), which is due to a deficiency in the lysosomal enzyme β-glucocerebrosidase, is a rare genetic disorder. It is characterized by a wide variety of clinical manifestations and severity of symptoms, making it difficult to manage. A cross-sectional hospital-based genetic study was undertaken with 32 pediatric patients. We recruited 21 males and 11 females diagnosed with GD, with a male-to-female ratio of 1.91:1. The mean age of the study population was 8.79 ± 4.37 years with an age range from 8 months to 17 years. We included patients on clinical evaluation from 2011 to 2019. An enzyme assay test was used to measure β-glucosidase enzyme activity in leukocytes and the GBA gene s
Sage (Salvia officinalis), belong to Labiatae family is indigenous to Iraq and other Mediterranean areas but now cultivated world- wide, principally for its use as culinary herb. In the present study preliminary screening for the important phytochemical natural product groups indicated the presence of flavonoid, saponin, hyrolysable and condensed tannin groups. The antibacterial activity of two concentrations 10 mg/ml and 100 mg/ml of chloroform and hydroalcoholic extracts from Salvia officinalis leaves was evaluated against four strains of gram negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas arigenossa, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Proteus spp) and two str
... Show MoreThis study investigates the phonological adaptation of diphthongs within English loanwords in Iraqi Arabic (IA). In contrast to earlier small-scale descriptive studies, this study used quantitative content analysis to analyse 346 established loanwords collected through document review and direct observation to determine the diphthong adaptation patterns involved in the nativisation of English loanwords by native speakers of IA. Content analysis results revealed that most GB diphthong adaptations in English loanwords in IA occur in systematic patterns and thus may be ascribed to particular aspects in both L1 and L2 phonological systems. More specifically, the results indicate that the IA output forms tend to maintain the features of the GB i
... Show MoreClinicians and investigators consider the normal range of bowel habit and frequency as between 3 to 21 motions per week. Stool frequency outside the normal range may be unusual but may not be abnormal in the sense of a disease, and according to the consistency, the normal stool ranges from porridge like to hard and pellety.
Objectives: To establish a basic data about the bowel habits (consistency and frequency) in a sample of healthy Iraqi population; in addition to learn about their definition of constipation and diarrhea.
Methods: Prospective study from Jan 2000- Jun 2000 at Al-Yarmouk teaching hospital, Baghdad. Questionnaires were distributed to 950 healthy persons of different age group .The questionnaire included: Detailed hi
Background: Clinicians and investigators consider the normal range of bowel habit and frequency as between 3 to 21 motions per week . Stool frequency out side the normal range may be unusual but may not be abnormal in the sense of a disease . And according to the consistency, the normal stool ranges from porridge like to hard and pellety .Objectives: To establish a basic data about the bowel habits (consistency and frequency) in a sample of healthy Iraqi population; in addition to learn about their definition of constipation and diarrhea.Methods: Prospective study from Jan 2000- Jun 2000 at Al-Yarmouk teaching hospital, Baghdad. Questionnaires were distributed to 950 healthy persons of different age group .The questionnaire included: Det
... Show MoreIt’s an attempt to identify the cultural activities of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Antiquities, which are provided by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Antiquities and the departments affiliated with the Ministry of Culture only, not tourism and antiquities. The most important results areIs that the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Antiquities has many cultural activities such as (festivals, exhibitions, conferences, fashion shows, concerts, musical evenings, theatrical and cinematic performances) in addition to literary series and cultural magazines, which are directed to the public in general, whether it is elite or not, and this shows the extent The importance of cultural activities published by the Ministry of Culture, Tou
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