Research & Development Practices Across Pakistan: An Evaluation Study on Affiliated Institutions
Higher education plays a vital role in developing the knowledge economy and producing skilled workers to empower human resources for the country. Like many other developing countries, Pakistan is struggling hard to improve the quality of higher education for sustainable development and participation in global progress. Since the last decade, Higher Education Commission Pakistan is committed to upgrading the quality of education, and for this purpose, HEC has designed Minimum Quality Standards (MQS) to assure quality for affiliated institutions. The main objective of the study was to evaluate R&D practices in affiliated institutions of Pakistan. The study was descriptive in nature, and a questionnaire based on Minimum Quality Standards was used to collect data from faculty members (n-168) of 28 affiliated institutions by using multistage sampling. The results indicated that affiliated colleges of two provinces, Punjab and Khyber Pohutukawa, were better in research and development practices than the institutions of Sindh and Baluchistan.
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Quality, Standards, Affiliated colleges, Research & Development
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(1) Allah Wasaya Babar
PhD Scholar, Department of Educational Training, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Punjab, Pakistan.
(2) Muhammad Shakir
Associate Professor, Department of Educational Training, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Punjab, Pakistan.
(3) Afaf Manzoor
Assistant Professor, Department of Special Education, University of Education, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
02 Pages : 9-16
http://dx.doi.org/10.31703/gssr.2022(VII-I).02 10.31703/gssr.2022(VII-I).02 Published : Mar 2022Analyzing English Language Learning Problems of Students through the Lenses of Action Research
Traditional mode of teaching promoted rote learning among learners over the years. A University classroom is a place where learners acquire new knowledge, skills, abilities, capabilities, and techniques. This study unveils the English Language Learning problems of undergraduate students. The target population was 155 university students. Qualitative research methods were fielded. 'Observation, video-recording, focus group interview, and diary notes' were research instruments. Outcomes were drawn through the lenses of Action Research. Purposive sampling was the research design. 'Interpretive approach' was employed for data analysis. Results exhibited that students confronted English language problems, and they affected student learning.The study speaks volumes about the gap between teaching and learning. This gap needs to be addressed through Action Research to achieve effective learning outcomes. This study recommends the use of novel teaching strategies, lesson plans, pair work, group discussions, robust material, learner engagement, and constructive feedback in university education.
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Action Research, Teaching Strategies, Learning Problems, English Language Learners
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(1) Abdullah Laghari
Lecturer, Department of English, Quaid-e-Awam University of Engineering Science & Technology, Nawabshah, Sindh, Pakistan.
(2) Inayatullah Kakepoto
Professor, Department of English, Quaid-e-Awam University of Engineering Science & Technology, Nawabshah, Sindh, Pakistan.
(3) Faheem Arshad
Lecturer, Department of English, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Punjab, Pakistan.
Collaboration Trend and its Impact on the Research Productivity in Computer Science Research
Apart from a few bibliometric studies of limited scope, the Pakistani scientific system is a scantly researched area requiring large-scale empirical evidence-based studies. This study aims to explore various features of collaboration in research and its impact on the performance of computer scientists in Pakistan. Over 15,494 SCOPUS-indexed publications in the area of computer science for the period 1997 to 2017, having at least one Pakistani author, were analyzed. The findings of the study disclosed the important role of collaboration in the citation count of the publications. International collaborative works and the more countries in collaboration significantly impacted the number of citations. The study's findings revealed that collaborative publications are more frequently cited and considered of high quality. This study is the first large-scale quantitative analysis of research collaboration, represented by co-authorship in computer science research in Pakistan.
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Research Collaboration, Computer Science, Citation Analysis, Scientometric Analysis, Research Performance, Pakistan.
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(1) Muhammad Asif
Manager, Information Technology University, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
(2) Khalid Mahmood
Professor, Institute of Information Management, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
(3) Alia Arshad
Assistant Professor, Institute of Information Management, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Relationship between Academic Procrastination, Locus of Control and Creative Self-Efficacy
Past literature has shown that academic procrastination shares a negative association with an internal locus of control and self-variables, including self-esteem, self-regulation and self-efficacy. These self-variables may even have a negative effect on students’ academic performance. The aim of the current study is to explore whether students who have higher creative self-efficacy are less likely to experience academic procrastination. A correlational research design is used. Hence, the current research determines the relationship between academic procrastination, locus of control, and creative self-efficacy in Pakistani undergraduate students. Pearson's Product Moment Coefficient of Correlation is calculated. There are significant correlations between the three variables. Regression analysis indicates that both variables make a significant contribution towards academic procrastination. Results are discussed in light of the literature review.
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Academic Procrastination, Internal Locus of Control, Creative Self-efficacy, Pakistan, Undergraduate Students, Correlational Research
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(1) Zainab Muazzam
Student, Forman Christian College, Gulberg Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
(2) Maryam Munir
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Forman Christian College, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
(3) Ivan Suneel
Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Forman Christian College, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
Psychosocial and Cultural Challenges of Social Media Influencers in Pakistan: A Qualitative Study
Social media influence is a rapidly developing market in which influencers face unique challenges linked to their cultural context. The development of digital platforms in Pakistan has enabled influencers to endorse products and advocate for them. This study investigated the experiences and challenges of social media influencers in Pakistan. Using a qualitative research approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with N= 8 Instagram influencers who each have over 10,000 followers. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was employed to analyze the collected data. Five superordinate themes emerged, including identity shaping, concerns, growth and resilience, challenges, and coping strategies. The findings indicate that while influencers experience a sense of self-identity construction and financial security, women express greater concern regarding appearance and prospects than their male counterparts do. The findings of this study highlight the need for increased awareness and support for social media influencers, particularly in culturally conservative countries such as Pakistan.
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Social Media Influencers, Pakistan, Cultural Challenges, Identity, Coping Mechanisms, Qualitative Research
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(1) Aqsa Nasarullah
Alumni, Institute of Applied Psychology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
(2) Farah Latif Naz
Assistant Professor, Department of Education, Bhauddin Zakariya University. Multan, Punjab, Pakistan.
(3) Iram Gul Gillani
Assistant Professor, Department of Education, Bhauddin Zakariya University. Multan, Punjab, Pakistan.
Developing English Reading Comprehension Skills through Collaborative Strategic Reading: An Action Research at Eighth Grade
Reading comprehension is the capacity to make sense and deduce the meaning of a text. Students actively engaged in collaboration and deep thinking enhance their reading comprehension skills. This action research examined the role of Collaborative Strategic Reading(CSR) in enhancing the English reading comprehension skills of eighth-grade students in a private institution in Mansehra, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The purposive sampling technique was used to gather data from 30 students studying in the eighth grade. Ten observations of the class were made to define the students' current comprehension level. Pre- and post-tests were conducted to gauge the effectiveness of student-student interaction offered through pair work. The quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS version 26. The comparison of the pre-test and post-test scores indicated significant improvement in students' reading comprehension. The findings suggested that CSR is an effective strategy that teachers may use to improve the reading comprehension skills of their students.
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Collaborative Strategic Reading, Efl Classroom, Reading Comprehension, Action Research
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(1) Hasnain
English Teacher, Unique Learning Academy, Baffa, Mansehra, KP, Pakistan.
(2) Shawana Fazal
Assistant Professor, Department of Education, Hazara University Mansehra, KP, Pakistan.
(3) Shaista Irshad Khan
Assistant Professor, Department of Education, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, KP, Pakistan.