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Developing learner autonomy (LA) has been the teachers' focus in addressing the problems of second language pedagogy (Oxford 2003; Benson 2007; Little 1995) for a long time. The research, however, shows that the traditional pedagogical culture does not favor this idea, especially in the Asian context (Borg and Al-Busaidi 2012). The teachers' beliefs, moreover, may affect their classroom practices for the development of English language learner autonomy. In keeping with this view, we have gathered the data from 64 university teachers of Pakistan through a survey-based questionnaire to find out if teachers' positive beliefs about learner autonomy result in the rejection of teacher-centered authoritarian classroom practices or if the teachers give attention to those teaching practices that help in the development of learner autonomy, although this study cannot ascertain if learner autonomy is linked to the development of English language skills.

The objective of this research endeavor is to examine the properties of stagnation point flow in the presence of absorption, viscous dissipation, and internal thermal generation with respect to a shrinking surface. The resulting system of differential equations is notoriously challenging to solve analytically. The equations controlling the boundary layer flow were solved using a finite difference method. The analysis includes the examination of important physical quantities through the presentation of plots and tabulated values. Our findings reveal a strong connection between the presence of solutions for high shrinking parameters and the magnetic field that was applied. Temperatures increase when there is an increase in both Ec and α at the same time. These results also suggest a shallowing of the thermal boundary layer. As a result of these findings, it appears that temperature and thermal boundary layer thickness are sensitive to changes in these factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the thermal flow of Maxwell fluid in a rotating frame using a numerical approach. The fluid has been considered a temperature-dependent thermal conductivity. A non-Fourier heat flux term that accurately reflects the effects of thermal relaxation is incorporated into the model that is used to simulate the heat transfer process. In order to simplify the governing system of partial differential equations, boundary layer approximations are used. These approximations are then transformed into forms that are self-similar with the help of similarity transformations. The mathematical model includes notable quantities such as the rotation parameter 𝜆, Deborah number 𝛽, Prandtl number Pr, parameter 𝜖 and the dimensionless thermal relaxation times 𝛾. These are approximately uniformly convergent. The Keller box method is used to find approximate solutions to ODEs. We observed due to the addition of elastic factors, the hydrodynamic boundary layer gets thinner. The thickness of the boundary layer can be reduced with the use of the k rotation parameter as well. When Pr increases, the wall slope of the temperature increases as well and approaches zero, which is an indication that Pr is decreasing. In addition, a comparison of the Cattaneo-Christov (CC) and Fourier models are provided and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experts in English language teaching have, of late, been recommending the development of requisite language competencies through an outcomes-based education (OBE). Following this spirit, the government of Punjab in Pakistan outlined the desired core competencies for secondary school students in the National Curriculum for English Language (NCEL) in 2006. Foregrounding Biggs' (2014) theory of Constructive Alignment, this study attempted to explore the extent of alignment of these core competencies with the classroom practices. For this purpose, 5 focus group discussions of two-hour duration, each consists of 7 members, were held with 35 teachers, who teach English to grade 10 in the government secondary schools of district Jhelum. The data was transcribed and analyzed thematically following interpretative analysis approach. The findings show a lack of alignment of teachers' selfreported classroom practices with the learning outcomes presented in NCEL. Lack of awareness of the teachers regarding OBE, absence of professional qualification and training, a traditional assessment system, and lack of expertise of the teachers and students in English language were found to be some of the main reasons for this lack of alignment. The study has implications for policymakers who devise and implement policies without taking sufficient actions on the ground at the micro-level. It recommends an overhaul of the teaching and assessment system to make the OBE work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teaching literature is challenging because it requires a thorough grasp of philosophical foundations. To grasp the whole story, learners and instructors must engage in some theorising (Chambers and Gregory, 2006). This task is made more difficult and time-consuming by absurd literature. To address this issue, movies have been employed as a source of visual help for students, since it is seen to be an effective technique for overcoming obstacles to learning. "Using movies in the classroom is an excellent strategy to reach people's emotive domain, foster reflective attitudes, and connect learning to experiences," says the author (Blasco et al., 2015). Movies, like novels, allow pupils to imagine the lives of people and their points of view. The current study used an experimental case study methodology with sixteen (16) individuals. The experimental group viewed the video while the controlled group listened to the audio. The researcher gives a two-hour presentation to both groups after a lunch break provided by the researcher. The following day, the participants' comments are recorded using the interview approach. Because students have never studied "The Metamorphosis," a pre-test is not feasible, thus a one-shot case study technique is used. Constructive coding of the replies is done, and the Gery Tyan and Russell Bernard theme identification approach is utilised to look for recurrent and overlapping patterns in the participants' responses. Repetitive and comparable patterns having a linguistic relationship to the issue under investigation have been identified and assessed using a theoretical framework (2003, p.90-95). Movies include lived experience, as does the visualisation process; phenomenology is a perspective from which lived experiences may be appropriately understood, hence interpretative phenomenology is used for this project. This study is also a continuation of current cognitive stylistics efforts in the field of cinema studies, and it explores the link between films (adaptations of literary texts) and learners' perceptions. This study examines the ineffectiveness of movies non the context of ludicrous literature. This study will contribute to the body of knowledge in the fields of cinema studies, cognitive stylistics, and literary teaching approaches in this manner. This study is especially noteworthy since movies are increasingly being utilised in academic settings. Movies are adaptations of literary works, but they do not capture the emotional and psychological significance of philosophical books. Because absurd literature is more empathic than expressive, it's difficult to envisage and instil the intended impression in students. These adjustments may sometimes confine and confine the student to tight quarters, preventing them from thinking beyond the predetermined visual barriers. This study looks at the cognitive dissonance that movies cause in pupils, who are unable to think beyond the visual enigma that has engulfed their heads. The movie becomes a trap, limiting students' ability to digest ridiculous literature and record its influence on cognitive level in order to properly comprehend ludicrous tragedy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During these immediate and unprecedented challenges faced in education due to COVID-19, the mode of instruction suddenly shifted from face-to-face (FTF) to online. The Pandemic's lockdown has created an opportunity for English language teachers and learners to explore new digital tools and resources in teaching and learning English. The aim of the present study is therefore to document the perceptions of English-language teachers about online Instructional teaching (OIT) in general and during the pandemic in particular. A Google form-based survey questionnaire was distributed randomly to English language teachers through social media networks because of lockdown during the Pandemic. We have used descriptive statistics to analyze the data quantitatively. The results indicate that most of the teachers have positive perceptions toward OIT. The results also reveal that the use of OIT is effective for English language teachers and learners. The findings reveal that even though teachers are motivated in using technology in English language teaching, their intentions, and perceptions toward the use of OIT are restricted to handle the present circumstances of COVID-19. It also shows that professional training programs also play an important role in enhancing teachers' skills in using technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study which aimed to investigate the ecological linkages of the bird species of selected riverine habitats of River Ravi including the livestock of the sample area. Results show that the percentage of grasshoppers and beetles are higher than other insects in the food of these birds and that the quantity of eatable grass available in the habitat is associated to the extent of grasshoppers damage. It was also found that the food plants, insects, birds, livestock, milk production and the economic benefits to the rural communities in the riverine habitats were interlinked and interdependent.

The mystical experiences in various forms are fundamental to major religious traditions. The idea of "mysticism" brings up the concept of the ineffable mysterium, which is seen as the central theme around which religions are based. The comparative studies of Rabia al-Adawiyya and Catherine of Genoa do not intend, as with phenomenological and essentialist approaches to the study of religion, to only focus on the similarities of the mystics in order to find universal structures and essential meanings. Nor does it seek to concentrate solely on the differences between the mystics as done by constructivist scholars. Instead, the comparative methodology used in this article highlights the similarities and differences between the respective mystics, Rabia and Catherine, and uses these comparisons to draw attention to an example of interreligious spirituality that cuts across religious traditions. To illustrate this point, it helps to compare two mystics: Rabia from the Islamic tradition and Catherine from the Christian tradition. This study is structured in four parts: an introduction to the concept of mystical experiences, a brief overview of the lives of Rabia and Catherine, a comparative analysis of their mystical characteristics, and a discussion of how their experiences can serve as a model for interreligious spirituality and friendship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, I argue that the Aurat March (Urdu: Woman March) in Pakistan has developed from a one-off event to a social movement that operates according to a populist logic as articulated by Ernesto Laclau (2018). I demonstrate how a diverse array of women's demands is linked by a chain of equivalence to create solidarity between disparate communities of women. Here, all protestors define themselves in opposition to a common enemy, the patriarchy, allowing for a wide array of marginalized ethnic, religious and gender identities to be subsumed under the Aurat March banner. The slogan mera jism meri marzi (Urdu: my body, my choice) acts as a signifier that becomes increasingly empty, allowing a variety of demands to be projected upon it. I analyze conservative discourses around the Aurat March to demonstrate how right-wing detractors attempt to fill the empty signifier with morally charged content that disrupts the solidaric bonds holding together the Aurat March coalition. Finally, I explain how Aurat March organizers attempt to restore the openness of their signifier and the solidarity at the heart of their movement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Naphthalene, white crystalline solid having polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon with characteristic mothball order is naturally present in crucial oils of various plants. Naphthalene derivatives are extensive drug resources and are use as wetting agents, surfactants and as insecticides. These derivatives exhibit unique photo physical and chemical properties. These characteristics make them the most studied group of organic compounds. Naphthalene dyes have rigid plane and large π-electron conjugation. Therefor they have high quantum yield and excellent photostability. Naphthalene based fluorescence probes due to hydrophobic nature exhibit excellent sensing and selectivity properties towards anions and cations and also used as a part of target biomolecules. In conjugated probe system, introducing naphthalene moiety caused improvement in photo-stability. Therefore among various conjugated framework, naphthalene derivatives are considered excellent candidate for the construction of organic electronic appliances. These derivatives are useful for a variety of applications owing to their strong fluorescence, electroactivity and photostability. This article is based upon investigation of photophysical properties of naphthalene derivatives and fluorescence detecting probe of naphthalene. For photophysical properties the techniques under investigation are UV visible spectroscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy. Concentration dependent spectra and solvatochromic shifts on UV visible spectra are also part of discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we explored the association of bank-level governance and state-level governance with the likelihood of banks' financial distress in developing economies. Using a panel data sample of 954 bank-year observations of 106 conventional banks across 14 Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) countries from 2010 to 2018, we found that bank governance arrangements seemed to be negatively attributed to the probability of financial distress. We also found that the relationship of political stability with financial distress prospects is—contrary to our expectation—insignificant, whereas government effectiveness negatively influences the likelihood of financial distress. Our empirical evidence offers practical implications for bank managers, regulators, and credit rating agencies, and suggests several future research avenues that can build on our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to predict the JKII (Jakarta Islamic Index) price as a price index of sharia stocks and predict the loss risk. This study uses geometric Brownian motion (GBM) and Value at Risk (VaR; with the Monte Carlo Simulation approach) on the daily closing price of JKII from 1 August 2020–13 August 2021 to predict the price and loss risk of JKII at 16 August 2021–23 August 2021. The findings of this study were very accurate for predicting the JKII price with a MAPE value of 2.03%. Then, using VaR with a Monte Carlo Simulation approach, the loss risk prediction for 16 August 2021 (one-day trading period after 13 August 2021) at the 90%, 95%, and 99% confidence levels was 2.40%, 3.07%, and 4.27%, respectively. Most Indonesian Muslims have financial assets in the form of Islamic investments as they offer higher returns within a relatively short time. The movement of all Islamic stock prices traded on the Indonesian stock market can be seen through the Islamic stock price index, namely the JKII (Jakarta Islamic Index). Therefore, the focus of this study was predicting the price and loss risk of JKII as an index of Islamic stock prices in Indonesia. This study extends the previous literature to determine the prediction of JKII price and the loss risk through GBM and VaR using a Monte Carlo simulation approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]