Examination of the Factor Structure of Critical Thinking Disposition Scale According to Different Variables
Ebru Demircioğlu,
Sevilay Kilmen
Issue:
Volume 4, Issue 1-1, January 2015
Pages:
1-8
Received:
30 May 2014
Accepted:
22 August 2014
Published:
24 August 2014
Abstract: The information and technology age has brought rapid changes and transformations in the education system, and focused on raising qualified individuals who can choose, organize and use information; think on a critical and creative basis in the process; conduct research; solve problems; calculate possibilities and make deductions. Critical thinking, one of the most important characteristics one should possess, is a complicated and comprehensive process in which high-level skills are used. The development of critical thinking skills is a primary target of elementary curricula, which were reconstructed within the scope of the 2004 education reform. Such programs have introduced fundamental changes in educational activities upon the adoption of the constructivist education approach rather than the traditional approach. The present study aims to examine the factor structure of the Critical Thinking Disposition Scale (EMI) according to the genders and socio-economic statuses (SES) of different groups; and to determine whether the structure applies to different groups. A survey method is used in the research. The study population comprises a total of 39049 first-grade high school students from Ankara. The districts are categorized according to the low, medium and upper-SESs of the populations, and the research sample comprises 1264 first-grade high school students chosen via random and stratified sampling methods. Data was analyzed and reported in accordance with the quantitative analysis technique. In order to determine the three-factor structure of the scale according to the genders and socio-economic statuses of the groups, Multi Group Confirmatory Factor Analysis (MGCFA) was conducted. Model A was determined to be the basis, and three alternative models are constructed. Model D, in which error variances were released, was found to have better fit values. MGCFA was conducted in the groups categorized according to low, medium and upper SES. Model A, the basic model; as a result of the paired comparisons of the models, Model E-in which factor correlation and error variances were released-was determined to have better fit indices than the others. As a result of the research, the confirmatory model is determined not to be different in terms of the factor loads and inter-factors correlation in the groups categorized according to gender, but to differ in terms of error variances. In the groups categorized according to SES, the confirmatory model does not differ in terms of factor loads, but differs in terms of error variances and factor correlations.
Abstract: The information and technology age has brought rapid changes and transformations in the education system, and focused on raising qualified individuals who can choose, organize and use information; think on a critical and creative basis in the process; conduct research; solve problems; calculate possibilities and make deductions. Critical thinking, ...
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Towards a Successful Startup Company: Best Successful Team Components
Teejan T. El-Khazendar,
Rifa J. El-Khozondar
Issue:
Volume 4, Issue 1-1, January 2015
Pages:
9-14
Received:
4 December 2014
Accepted:
8 December 2014
Published:
27 December 2014
Abstract: Entrepreneurship became an important sector in the Arab world. A lot of young entrepreneurs have ambitious projects and creative ideas, which they hope to get fund and incubation to implement these ideas. There are three incubators in Gaza which provide the required incubation, training and fund. Entrepreneurs personality characters have a big effect on the success of their startup companies; moreover, the startup companies category plays a big role on the success of their startup companies especially in small markets such as in Gaza. So we have to find a way to discover which is the most successful ideas and under which category can be classified with paying tight attention for the characters of the team members for each idea. They should have some traits which qualify this team seems to be successful. In the present paper, we are using computing approach based on data mining techniques to study one of the business fields to produce a business technique that helps in extraction the association rules for the incubated startup companies in Gaza. Moreover, we will study these association rules to understand and help the incubators in Gaza to avoid the failed ideas and teams as possible as it could be. Therefore, the incubators will be able to improve the incubation and entrepreneurship sector and increase the number of successful startup companies in Gaza and reduce the wasted fund and time on failed startups.
Abstract: Entrepreneurship became an important sector in the Arab world. A lot of young entrepreneurs have ambitious projects and creative ideas, which they hope to get fund and incubation to implement these ideas. There are three incubators in Gaza which provide the required incubation, training and fund. Entrepreneurs personality characters have a big effe...
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Classical Statistical Entropy of Black Hole
Dipo Mahto,
Ved Prakash,
Krishna Murari Singh,
Brajnandan Kumar
Issue:
Volume 4, Issue 1-1, January 2015
Pages:
15-18
Received:
2 July 2014
Accepted:
30 December 2014
Published:
5 February 2015
Abstract: The present article derives an expression for classical statistical entropy of black hole using Maxwell- Boltzmann statistics and shows that the classical statistical entropy is directly proportional to the area of event horizon of black hole leading the result as SbhαA(r). No primary and secondary data is used in this paper. We have designed the work similar to the work of Ren Zhao and Shuang-Qi Hu who obtained the quantum statistical entropy corresponding to the black hole horizon using Femi-Dirac & Bose-Einstein statistics. They have also shown that the entropy corresponding to the black hole horizon surface is the entropy of quantum state near the surface of the horizon. It is completely theoretical based work using Laptop done at Marwari College research laboratory and the residential research chamber of first author.
Abstract: The present article derives an expression for classical statistical entropy of black hole using Maxwell- Boltzmann statistics and shows that the classical statistical entropy is directly proportional to the area of event horizon of black hole leading the result as SbhαA(r). No primary and secondary data is used in this paper. We have designed the w...
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Modelling and Forecasting the Balance of Trade in Ethiopia
Yibeltal Arega Ashebir,
Tewodros Getinet Yirtaw,
Anteneh Asmare Godana
Issue:
Volume 4, Issue 1-1, January 2015
Pages:
19-23
Received:
16 August 2014
Accepted:
8 February 2015
Published:
20 March 2015
Abstract: For a long period of time, Ethiopia has involved in foreign trade and experienced trade deficit several time in the past. This deficit can be largely explained by the unequal terms of trade between agricultural commodities (the country's major export) and capital goods (the country’s major import). The core objective of study was to model the balance of trade in Ethiopia and forecast its value through ARIMA model by using annual data from 1974/75 to 2009/10. The appropriate model was ARIMA (3, 1, 0) and the forecasted value of balance of trade is expected to raising time to time from 2010/11 up to 2015/16.
Abstract: For a long period of time, Ethiopia has involved in foreign trade and experienced trade deficit several time in the past. This deficit can be largely explained by the unequal terms of trade between agricultural commodities (the country's major export) and capital goods (the country’s major import). The core objective of study was to model the balan...
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