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This study investigated the relationship between uses of virtual social networks, self-directed learning and critical thinking of students in developing countries, a comparative study between students at the University of Esfahan in Iran and students of Aligarh Muslim University in India, enrolled in the academic year 2017-2018. Research was conducted using a descriptive correlational method and found that the use of virtual networks among Iranian students had a positive and significant relationship with components of critical thinking (interpretation, analysis and explanation skills), while among the Indian students, there was a positive and significant relationship with all the components of critical thinking. Moreover, the use of virtual social networks among Iranian students had a positive and significant relationship with the components of self-directed learning (interests in learning and self-control), but it did not have a significant relationship with the component of self-management. Among Indian undergraduate students, the use of virtual social networks had a positive and significant relationship with all the self-directed learning components (self-management, interests in learning and self-control).

Tor putitora (Hamilton, 1822) is a commercially important freshwater cyprinid fish distributed widely in India and adjacent countries. Despite its extensive distribution the stock structure of the species is not well known. The present study investigated intraspecific variation of wild populations of this species based on the analysis of morphometric distances of body parts using the truss network system constructed from digitized images. A total number of 210 specimens of the species were collected from five geographically separate rivers of India viz. River Beas, Ravi, Chenab, Kosi and Jia bhoreli. A truss network was constructed based on 12 landmarks plotted on the digital image of fish to form a total of 30 distance variables using tpsDig2 and PAST software platforms. The transformed truss measurements were subjected to principal component analysis, discriminant function analysis and univariate analysis of variance. Principal component analysis generated eight components explaining 86.5 % of total intraspecific variance in samples. Step-wise discriminant function analysis retained four variables that significantly discriminated the populations. Using these variables, 100 % of the original groups were classified into their correct samples and similar percentage of cross validated groups omitting one procedure was classified into their correct samples. The occurrence of multi-stock structure may be due to differences in physical and ecological parameters of the five rivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and the Internet have contributed to the modification of education methods. Web-based educational environment incorporates new tools in order to introduce more interaction than in traditional teaching. They can help achieve innovation in teaching and learning activities. The rapid development of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and the World Wide Web (WWW) has its impact on today's means teaching as well. Web-based educational environment has in fact revolution for innovation in education activities. Nevertheless, this kind of online environment should incorporate new tools to provide an active and authentic learning environment. This Study looked students in higher education utilize the ICT facilities to improve learning and also their attitude towards usage of ICT. The objectives of this Study include determination the ability of students about usage of ICT; useable of ICT facilities among students and also this attitude of students toward the ICT facilities in higher education. The results revealed that these students, who have some access to it, utilize the facilities. However, it is reveled that most of them have moderate knowledge of the ICT also they have positive attitude towards usage of ICT facilities for purposes of studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The time series data of the monthly rainfall records (for the time period 1871–2002) in All India and different regions of India are analyzed. It is found that the distributions of the rainfall intensity exhibit perfect power law behavior. The scaling analysis revealed two distinct scaling regions in the rainfall time series. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]