The aim of this study is to compare the effects of three methods: problem-based learning (PBL), PBL with lecture method, and conventional teaching on the understanding of thermodynamics, group work and self-directed learning skills among physics undergraduates. The actual sample size comprises of 122 students, who were selected randomly from the Physics Department, College of Education in Iraq, for academic year 2011-2012. In this study, the pre and posttest were done and the instruments were administered to the students for data collection. Inferential statistics were employed to analyze data. The independent variables were the PBL, the PBL with lecture method, and the conventional teaching. Dependent variables of statistical analysis were posttest scores on the understanding of thermodynamics, group work skills, and self-directed learning skills. Covariates of statistical analysis were pretest scores of the understanding of thermodynamics, group work skills, and self-directed learning skills. The data were analyzed using statistical package social sciences (SPSS) version 19. Overall, the statistical results rejected all null hypotheses of this study. Thus, the use of PBL with lecture method enhances the understanding of thermodynamics better than using the PBL alone or using conventional teaching method. Using the PBL without or with lecture method promotes the skills of group work, and self-directed learning better than using the conventional teaching, among physics undergraduate.
In this manuscript has investigated the synthesis of plasma-polymerized pyrrole (C4H5N) nano-particles prepared by the proposed atmospheric pressure nonequilibrium plasma jet through the parametric studies, particularly gas flow rate (0.5, 1 and 1.5 L/min). The plasma jet which used operates with alternating voltage 7.5kv and frequency 28kHz. The plasma-flow characteristics were investigated based on optical emission spectroscopy (OES). UV-Vis spectroscopy was used to characterize the oxidization state for polypyrrole. The major absorption appears around 464.1, 449.7 and 435.3 nm at the three flow rate of argon gas. The chemical composition and structural properties of the
... Show MoreLeaching process applied for the extraction of bio active compounds from dried roots of (Elecampane) Inula helenium. Ethanol, hexane and distillated water were used as solvents. Roots were soaked with ethanol (5% w/v) with various concentration of ethanol (30 to 98%) at one day to know effect concentration of the solvent with concentration of bio active compound in Inula helenium. The same procedure was done using hexane as solvent. Also distilled water was used as solvent for extraction 5%(w/v) where plant material was soaked in water at different temperatures (25, 40, 65, 80, and 90) C. In all solvents undertaken, the effect of time duration on active ingredient (Thymol, Isoalatolactone, Alatolactone, 10-isobutyryl-oxy 8-9-epoxy thymol is
... Show MoreObjective: The present study aims to assess the stressful life events for patients with substance abuse in Baghdad city.
Methodology: A descriptive study was carried out at (Baghdad teaching hospital and Ibn-Rushed Psychiatric hospital).
Starting from 1
st of December 2012 to 3
rd of July 2013, A non-probability (purposive) sample of 64 patients that
diagnosed with substance abuse, the data were collected through the use of semi-structured interview by
questionnaire, which consists of three parts sociodemographic data, medical information, and Life events scale
consists of 49-items distributed to six domains including, family and social domain, health domain, security, legal and
criminal domain, work and school do
Problem of water scarcity is becoming common in many parts of the world. Thus to overcome this problem proper management of water and an efficient irrigation systems are needed. Irrigation with buried vertical ceramic pipe is known as a very effective in management of irrigation water. The two- dimensional transient flow of water from a buried vertical ceramic pipe through homogenous porous media is simulated numerically using the software HYDRUS/2D to predict empirical formulas that describe the predicted results accurately. Different values of pipe lengths and hydraulic conductivity were selected. In addition, different values of initial volumetric soil water content were assumed in this simulation a
... Show MoreBackground BK polyomavirus is one of the common post-transplant viral infections, affecting ∼15% of renal transplantation recipients (RTR), leading to graft loss in more than half of cases. Objectives Study the rate of detection of BK virus (BKV) in RTRs in Pap-stained urine cytology specimens. Methods A single center study, urine samples were collected from 99 RTR patients, with 15 Living Donors (LD) and 15 patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) were taken as controls. And urine cytology smears were Pap stained for detection of decoy cells (DCs). Results Out of the 99 RTRs, 27 (27.3%) patients were decoy positive, 8 out of these 27 patients had uncommon DCs, and 5 out of these 27 cytology positive patients (18.5%) had biopsy proven B
... Show MoreDust and bird residue are problems impeding the operation of solar street lighting systems, especially in semi-desert areas, such as Iraq. The system in this paper was designed and developed locally using simple and inexpensive materials. The system runs automatically. It Connects to solar panels used in solar street lighting, and gets the required electricity from the same solar system. Solar panels are washed with dripping water in less than half a minute by this system. The cleaning period can also be controlled. It can also control, sensing the amount of dust the system operates. The impact of different types of falling dust on panels has also been studied. This was collected from different winds and studied their impact o
... Show MoreThe issue of penalized regression model has received considerable critical attention to variable selection. It plays an essential role in dealing with high dimensional data. Arctangent denoted by the Atan penalty has been used in both estimation and variable selection as an efficient method recently. However, the Atan penalty is very sensitive to outliers in response to variables or heavy-tailed error distribution. While the least absolute deviation is a good method to get robustness in regression estimation. The specific objective of this research is to propose a robust Atan estimator from combining these two ideas at once. Simulation experiments and real data applications show that the proposed LAD-Atan estimator
... Show MoreObjective: Assessment of primary schools science teachers' knowledge towards health promotion in Baghdad City.
Methodology: A descriptive study was conducted at (100) primary school at Al-Rasafa, and Al-Karkh sectors in
Baghdad City, from November 29th 2007 to January 20th 2009. A probability stratified random sample of (100)
teachers who teach science subject was selected, and had at least one year of employment in the teaching field. A
questionnaire format was used which was consisted of (2) parts. The overall number of the items included in the
questionnaire were (205) items. The first part was related to the demographic data of the teachers, the second part
(six sections) was concerned with teachers' knowledge about