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This study explored the learner autonomy of Thai EFL undergraduates in English language learning and the extent to which they conducted learner-learner interaction, learnerinstructor interaction, learner-content interaction, and overall interaction. Moreover, the study investigated whether there was a significant difference in overall interaction for different learner autonomy levels. The sample included 83 English major freshmen enrolling in an online English Phonetics course at a public university in Bangkok, Thailand. The data were collected through an online learner autonomy and interaction questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, and post-hoc Tukey tests were utilized to analyze the data. The findings revealed that the participants possessed a high level of overall learner autonomy. While they had a high level of ability to learn English autonomously, they had a moderate level of responsibility for their learning process. Further, the participants had a high level of overall interaction. Although they had a high level of learner-content and learner-instructor interaction, they possessed an average level of learner-learner interaction. The participants with a low learner autonomy level had significantly lower overall interaction scores than those with a moderate or high level of learner autonomy.

Pre-service teachers' ability to construct and conduct assessment has been a point of emphasis for decades, and rightfully so. It is crucial that they acquire the necessary knowledge and abilities in their language assessment course during their pre-service teacher education to effectively assess students in their future professional routines. The purpose of this research was to determine if and how pre-service English teachers' (PSETs) satisfaction with their language assessment course corresponded with their level of readiness. 51 out of 56 PSETs participated since they met the two requirements (passing the language assessment course and enrolling in TAP). The Fulcher (2012) language assessment literacy questionnaire was adapted and disseminated. The questions were organized into four categories for the purpose of analysis: overarching principles and concepts in linguistic assessment; designing language assessment; scoring test items and analyzing test results. Results demonstrated that LAL satisfaction was not congruent with assessment readiness. There was a "neutral" level of satisfaction among participants (51.5 percent), but they were nearly set to begin practicing assessment at their TAP (78.5 percent). Additionally, included are statistics that are specific to each of the four categories found in the questionnaire. In particular, the study suggests that training in evaluating open-response questions and analyzing test items warrants expansion. Additional research could fill in the gap between LAL satisfaction and the PSETs by examining the relationship between the two.

Waste management is a significant issue in Indonesia, and awareness and actions across all sectors, including school students, play a critical role. This study investigates the impact of educational interventions on students' awareness and actions regarding waste management and its potential as a source of environmentally friendly energy. The research used a quasi-experimental design, specifically a non-equivalent control group, involving a sample of 44 tenth-grade students in Bandung who were studying environmental change. Participants were selected through purposive sampling, and data were gathered via a questionnaire. Results indicate that the intervention significantly improved students' awareness of utilizing waste as an eco-friendly energy source (p = 0.009 < α = 0.05), although it did not significantly influence their actions to apply this knowledge (p = 0.201 > α = 0.05). This study provides an initial perspective on the potential of STEM-ESD project-based learning to enhance students' awareness and practical engagement in sustainable waste management practices.

Animal owners often overlook helminthiasis because it does not cause specific clinical symptoms in mild infections. This study aimed to analyze the medical records of helminthiasis in cats and determine the knowledge of animal owners about helminthiasis through questionnaires at Mayda Animal Care and iVet Clinic Dramaga, Bogor. A cross-sectional study was used to analyze medical record data and then compared using descriptive methods with a secondary data approach. Data analysis was performed using the Chi-square test. The findings of helminthiasis cases in cats at Mayda Animal Care during January–December 2022 amounted to 102 cases, while at iVet Clinic Dramaga, there were 50 cases. Based on the Chi-square test, this study reported a significant correlation (p < 0.05) between age and the level of action and education with the level of understanding of animal owners on helminthiasis at Mayda Animal Care and iVet Clinic Dramaga, Bogor.

Abstract Background Previous literature has demonstrated associations between grit and positive educational and psychological outcomes, such as higher academic grades, lower attrition rates in medical training, and protection from burnout. However, the predictors of grit have yet to be studied, particularly among medical students in Malaysia. This study aimed to determine the level of grit and its predictors among Malaysian medical students. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 123 medical students from a public university in Malaysia. Data on sociodemographic and educational characteristics were collected. The student’s personality traits were determined using the Big Five Inventory (BFI), while grit was assessed using the validated 7-item Short Grit Scale (Grit-S). Grit was expressed as a mean score, ranging from 1 (not at all gritty) to 5 (extremely gritty). Multiple linear regression was used to determine the association between the predictors (personality, sociodemographic and educational characteristics) and grit among these students. Results The mean grit score was 3.43 (SD 0.57). Based on the multiple linear regression analysis, the grit score was significantly predicted by three personality traits which were extraversion, b = 0.2 (95% CI: 0.07–0.32), agreeableness, b = 0.28 (95% CI: 0.12–0.44) and conscientiousness, b = 0.6 (95% CI: 0.42–0.77). A 1-point increase in the mean extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness scores would independently increase these students’ mean grit scores by 0.2, 0.28, and 0.6, respectively. The sociodemographic and educational characteristics did not significantly predict grit among Malaysian medical students. Conclusions The mean grit score among Malaysian medical students is comparable to other medical students in Asia. Extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness personality traits were associated with higher grit. As grit is a dynamic trait, appropriate interventions should be implemented to foster and increase it among these students.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is defined as a lifetime developmental disorder usually identified by social interaction impairment, communication deficits, and repetitive behavior. The cases of children detected with ASD are rising globally, including Malaysia. Parents, as the prime caregiver to these children, face numerous challenges due to what is entailed in taking care of their children. This paper describes a case study where we examined the views and experience of three mothers, each of whom has an ASD child. Data were gathered through face-to-face semi-structured interviews, after which they were transcribed and analyzed using the thematic analysis method. The mothers narrated that the challenges they encountered include the difficulty they had in initially accepting their child's diagnosis; labelling and discrimination; phase-based temporal challenges; endless physical, emotional, and mental sacrifices; finding the strength and patience to deal with the situation; academic vs. non-academic struggles, as well as their own coping mechanisms. This paper concludes with the need to provide support for parents-especially mothers-to enable them to overcome their challenges and focus on the development of their autistic children.

Lean is a process improvement approach to improve organization's efficiency by identifying and eliminate non-value-added activities, while Six Sigma is a methodology focused on reduction of process variation. The integration of both, namely Lean Six Sigma (LSS) drives organization on waste elimination, variation reduction and value creation, which ultimately enhancing organizational performance. LSS has been viewed by prior scholars as one of effective approach for business improvement regardless of manufacturing or services industry. However, the research of LSS in education sector, particularly for business school is relatively lacking. Hence, this research aimed to identify the critical success factors (CSFs) for LSS within a business school in Malaysia. The research also aimed to explore the relationship between the LSS, CSFs, and organization performance. There were six CSFs identified from literature review, while organization performance is assessed via the concept of system theory. The research was quantitative based with the lecturers in the business school as the targeted population. Questionnaire was distributed based on stratified sampling plan with 69 responded. Descriptive and Pearson correlation analysis result revealed that lecturers within the business school perceived that all the six LSS CSFs as "very important", and strongly correlated with organization performance, except CSF "project selection and prioritization". As implication, finding from this research suggested that the adaption of LSS between manufacturing and education sectors shared the commonality in term of CSF. However, the business school should look into project proposal from the lecturers' perspective as an alternate source of process improvement opportunity.

Background: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a highly prevalent disease. We aimed to assess the symptoms that physicians who see patients with AR perceive as the most bothersome in their patients. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study based on an online questionnaire sent to all members of the Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) initiative. The survey included questions on the physicians' perceptions of patients’ AR symptoms as well as of their own AR symptoms. Results: Among 401 respondents, 155 (38.7%) reported having AR. ARIA members reported nasal symptoms to be the most frequent (89.7%) and bothersome (80.0%) symptoms experienced by themselves. Likewise, nasal symptoms were reported by ARIA members as the most frequent (94.8% in members with AR vs 96.0% in members without AR) and bothersome (57.0% in members with AR vs 67.9% in members without AR) in their patients. We found a significant association (p = 0.001) between physicians’ own symptoms and those perceived as the most bothersome in their patients. Conclusion: Physicians perceive nasal symptoms to be the most frequent and the most bothersome symptoms in AR patients. The physicians' personal experiences with AR may influence their perception of patients’ symptoms.

Researchers have explored various materials and methods to improve the strength and stabilization of peat soil for construction. Deep peat soil's significant compressibility, low bearing capacity, and high creep potential present major challenges in geotechnical engineering. In this paper, the unconfined compression strength (UCS) and oedometer testing were conducted to determine peat strength and compressibility behavior after being stabilized with a bio-cement called vege-grout, derived from fermented vegetable waste. Soil stabilized with 5 %, 10 %, 15 %, 20 %, and 25 % vege grout was cured for up to 8 weeks before undergoing UCS testing. The finding showed that, in between 4 and 6 weeks of the curing period, the UCS of the peat stabilized with vege-grout exhibiting substantial mechanical strength at all vege-grout inclusion levels. The results showed optimum strength improvements, with a 449 % increase in UCS at 15 % vege-grout after 8 weeks. At the optimal percentage, vege grout's cementitious properties bind peat particles, densify the matrix, and enhance soil strength and load-bearing capacity. The coefficient of consolidation (Cv) also improved, reducing settlement from 23.34 ± 7.8 m2/year to 7.13 ± 3.5 m2 per year over increasing effective stress. The significant improvement in strength and compressibility of peat after treatment with 15 % vege grout demonstrates the effectiveness of vege grout as a peat stabilizer and highlights its potential as an alternative to chemical stabilizers for foundation applications.

This study aimed to ascertain the effect of firm size and auditor rotation on the audit quality of technology sector companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) from 2018 to 2022. This research employed a sample of 10 organizations observed across five periods, meeting the requirements for sample selection. This yields 50 data points. The study utilized purposive sampling, and logistic regression analysis the analytical instrument to examine the hypothesis. This study's findings indicated that the firm's size and the auditors' rotation did not affect the quality of auditors. This implies that the competence of an auditor was not determined by external variables, such as the firm's size or the rotation of auditors.