Qatar Foundation Annual Research Forum Volume 2012 Issue 1
- تاريخ المؤتمر: 21-23 Oct 2012
- الموقع: Qatar National Convention Center (QNCC), Doha, Qatar
- رقم المجلد: 2012
- المنشور: ٠١ أكتوبر ٢٠١٢
51 - 100 of 469 نتائج
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In-depth analysis of mathematics performance of college students in Qatar
المؤلفون: Sheikh Tijan Cham and Hichem KennicheResearch has shown that students' performance on college-level mathematics is poor across the globe and Qatar is no exception. Thus, there is a need to analyze in depth the weaknesses in the educational system, its pedagogical approaches and the materials it employs. The main purpose of this research is to assess the mathematics performance of college students in Qatar. There could be a number of reasons for this under-performance. However, based on our experience as mathematics instructor, our research will focus on the following two aspects: Firstly, college level mathematics cannot begin unless students have followed preliminary courses in appropriate sequences which could provide them with a solid foundation. Consequently, we will attempt to answer this first question: 1. Is students' under-performance due to a lack of understanding of the basic mathematics studied earlier in their schooling? Secondly, most materials used in Qatari colleges are written in English; for instance, the current textbook in use. Furthermore, many colleges in Qatar either require students to sit for American exams, such as SAT, ACT, either at the point of entry or at the end of their foundation program. Since the majority of students in Qatar learn English as a second language, a second pertinent question is: 2. What is the relationship between students' language ability and performance in mathematics? In order to address these two questions, we conducted a survey among students in our college and prepared the same questionnaires for similar institutions. To gather enough evidence about the students' performance, we analyzed 'Beginner' and 'Advanced' group students' results on entrance examinations and several end-of-term tests within the foundation program. To get more information about the participants, we will conduct interviews with a sample of the students that will address the two research questions more deeply. The results of this research will facilitate a better understanding of student's under-performance specifically in mathematics and, possibly, other subjects. Since the leadership in Qatar sees education as key to social and economic progress, the results of this research could be useful to all educationists in Qatar in informing their future decisions.
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In pursuit of social justice: Qatar's leading role as an Islamic model.
المؤلفون: Nancy ElbassiounyBackground: Despite its relatively small native population, Qatar's impressive number of charitable and social organizations makes it unique. In response to the initiatives of Qatar Foundation, Qatar is constantly expanding its role in promoting philanthropy, social responsibility,and volunteerism as part of contributing to civil governance on both local and global levels, inspired by the Islamic model of social justice exemplified by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Objectives: 1. Support the claim that Qatar can serve as a possible Islamic model for social justice. 2. Show the strong connection between Qatar's leading role in promoting social justice and its strong support for interfaith dialogue and religious understanding and cooperation. Methods: Using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods, this research examines Qatar's philanthropic initiatives through government, nonprofit, and both national and international charitable organizations such as Qatar Red Crescent Society, Social Development Center (SDC), Qatar Charitable Society (QCS), and Reach out to Asia (ROTA). Results: Qatar's aim has been to promote economic prosperity and stability among its citizens and also has been a key aid provider on a global level as part of its commitment to the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC). Qatar's commitment to religous understanding and cooperation is an essential means to promote social justice. Qatar's religious diversity enriched by its large expatriate community has helped it become a hub for interfaith dialogue, as shown by its public funding of sixteen Christian churches and its Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue (DICID), which hosts an annual conference and publishes a scholarly journal entitled 'Religions-Adyan'. The theme of its first numbered issue was, "Charity and Compassion: Interreligious Perspectives". Conclusion: Qatar is playing a key role in the pursuit of social justice on local, regional, and global levels while staying true to its Islamic character and thereby serving as a potential Islamic model.
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Getting motivated to learn: Role of school and family support perception of some Arab students
المؤلفون: Mohammed Zawid NaseemInequities in learning motivation among school students have been attributed to many factors, among which school environment and family support are important and well documented. Most of these studies have been in culturally different societies, which do not share much commonality with schools and societies of Arab world. Diversity within Arab world countries, with respect to their socioeconomic status, further thins down the possibility of establishing any grounded theories on these aspects, based on relevant literature available from studies conducted in Arab world countries. Schools with sufficient resources and infrastructures, and families without any economic constraints do influence the learners' motivation differently in some Arab countries, and lead to inequity, contrary to other findings elsewhere. A qualitative study was conducted in a boys' boarding school over a period of six years, with an initial pilot study with 12 selectively sampled students to establish the issues to be used for further interviews. The final interviews were conducted with the same 12 students and 54 other selectively sampled students of age ranging between 13 to 18 years. Information was gathered through records of students' academic performance, observation of students' classroom and out of class academic attitudes and interviews with open ended questions about their perception of school and family support. Common themes of perception of lack of belonging and support, from school and family, were prominent reasons for decreasing motivation for learning among these students. Negative perception of school environment induced by isolation emerged as a factor for reduced motivation. A new role of private tutors emerged to be influencing the motivation to learn. Private tutors, parents with less contact time, and disturbed family structure, did negatively affect the students' motivation to learn. Learners who were able to merge themselves with the school system were able to get self motivated. Such merger was influenced by the students' cultural adaptability, involvement of students' family member in the day to day affairs of the student in school and involvement of parents in school affairs and activities. The findings warrant, revision of curriculum and school policies, and social awareness, for affecting student learning motivation.
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Franchise contract and its provisions according to the Islamic jurisprudence compared to civil law عقد الامتياز التجاري وأحكامه في الفقه الإسلامي .. دراسة مقارنة
المؤلفون: Hossam Khalil MohammedThe present study aims to evaluate franchise contract from the perspective of the Islamic jurisprudence. Franchise is one of the most common contracts prevalent in the modern economy and contributes to local and international economic development. In consideration of its crucial importance and, due to a lack of any normative studies in this regard from the perspective of Islamic Jurisprudence, the current research was initiated. The study includes four chapters, starting with a historical background of franchise contract and its economic importance and negative impacts. Then the research provides a definition to franchise contract, states its elements, liabilities of its parties and ways of its expiry. With a belief that judgment on any matter relays on its conceptualization, the first two chapters aimed to give a comprehensive description of the franchise contract. The study also provides legal description of the contract and the subject matter of the contract. At this stage the study concludes that franchise contract is a new and separate contract which does not fit into any other known contracts. The study also analyzes the problems of Islamic jurisprudence pertaining to franchise contract. It holds up the most appropriate view in addressing such problems. The study tackles the impact of the economic boycott, monopoly practices and the international financial crisis on franchise contract. The study concludes with findings and recommendations.
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Energy utilization and human behavior in higher education facilities
المؤلفون: Yasser Osman Moharam Mahgoub and Rania KhalilEnergy consumption can be attributed to many factors; technology, energy prices, general economic conditions, attitude and behavior towards energy use. Studies indicate that although people are often aware of the benefits of using energy more efficiently, a variety of social, cultural, and economic factors often prevent them from doing so. This paper presents the findings of a research project funded by Qatar Foundation to understand the behaviors, attitudes, and levels of understanding among faculty, staff, and students related to energy use in Qatar University buildings. A multi-method approach was used in five buildings including web surveys, behavioral observations, environmental measures and focused interviews. The analyses considered differences between the three population groups. Among the findings, QU staff is most concerned about conserving energy in QU buildings while students are the least concerned. A significant proportion of survey respondents are not aware of the university's efforts to conserve energy and many felt that university efforts are inadequate. The observations and self-reports indicated an abundance of energy-consuming equipment in offices, and lights and computers are often left on when work spaces and conference rooms are unoccupied. Furthermore, occupants tend to wear heavy clothing during warm weather months, requiring excessively low building temperatures. Finally, most occupants are willing to accept higher building temperatures during warm weather months and lower temperatures during cold weather months. This research attempted to understand the psychological, cultural, and institutional context within which energy-related decisions are made in educational facilities and how these factors influence energy consumption. Understanding these factors helps public agencies design and implement more effective energy-saving policies and programs. Methods and tools developed by this study can be duplicated in other building types and facilities.
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The Qatari role in the Arab spring revolutions and its impact on Qatar's image in the Arab world: A comparative study between media and NGO's roles
المؤلفون: Ashraf Galal Hassan Mohamed BayoumyAs the Arab Spring swept across much of the Middle East and North Africa, Qatar was already well established as a state with a reach and influence far exceeding its physical size. Its role in negotiations in Lebanon, Darfur, and between Ethiopia & Eritrea, had established Qatar's pedigree as a neutral, well-resourced, and dedicated mediator. Though it was not always successful—such as in Yemen where various ceasefires broke down—Qatar had an effective combination: a non-threatening posture, lack of real political interests in the countries in question, significant financial inducements, and nimble rapid responses in the face of crisis thanks to a lack of bureaucratic impediments. We record multiple forms of support for the Arab spring, such as the clear role of the media (Al Jazeera- Al Jazeera Egypt- Free Libya channel), military support, NGO's aid and a diplomatic role. Research question: What is the Qatari role in Arab spring revolutions and its impact on Qatar image in the Arab world? Research importance: 1. Qatar is the only Arab state that has not faced increased agitation among citizens during a period of regional upheaval. 2. Qatar was leery of potentially weakening a fraternal Sunni monarchy, as any efforts to mediate or ease tensions would have profoundly fractured its relations with its key neighbor, Saudi Arabia. 3. Qatar support to the Arab Spring revolutions is in line with Qatari foreign policy. 4. In the wake of the Arab Spring, the U.S. has found Qatar to be an exceedingly useful ally. Its unique position as an ally for numerous Islamic actors has enabled it to play the critical role of interlocutor. Research Methodology: The research depended on both quantitative and qualitative techniques via descriptive exploratory methodology using survey and focus group discussions. The research depended on designing a well-structured questionnaire and meetings with 500 from Arabs (from Egypt, Syria, Libya, Tunisia and Yemen) plus the design of 10 focus group discussions (with male and females) to interpret the quantitative data. The study documented the Qatari role in the Arab Spring and its impact on forming the Qatari image for the Arab public.
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Socio-demographic study of obsessive compulsive disorder in Qatar
المؤلفون: Taher Shaltout and Ehsane Mohsen GadObjective: We dedicated our work to study the socio-demographic aspect of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) patients seeking psychiatry treatment in outpatient clinic of Hamad General Hospital for a duration of approximately 5 years of continuous follow-up. Methods: Out of 8878 individual patients who attended the psychiatric outpatient clinic from August 1996 to December 2001, we reviewed a total number of 348 patients with a diagnosis of OCD (according to International Classification of Diseases-10 diagnostic criteria). We divided them according to age, sex, nationality, duration of illness, occupation and marital status. Each patient was interviewed using a structured interview technique and evaluated by a psychiatrist in one session at the psychiatric outpatient clinic. Results: We found that the disorder is more prevalent among non-Qatari people (52%) (Arabs 26.2%, non-Arabs 15.8%) than Qatari people (48%); more common at the age groups of 31-45 years (44.8%); more frequent in the category that visited the outpatient clinic for a period of 1-4 years (60%). We found that the married females (34.5%) are affected more than the married males patient (24.7%). It was also found that in the diagnosis of OCD predominantly obsessional thoughts were 54.9%; more frequent in the sample than the other diagnosis. Conclusion: In the state of Qatar, where expatriates usually outnumber Qatari patients, we discovered that non-Qatari patients are affected more with OCD than the natives. Sex, marital status and occupation also proved to be important factors. From our study, in the female married group, being a housewife seems to pose a greater risk in developing OCD. Predominantly obsessional thought was the most common sub-type of OCD affecting the patients in Qatar.
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Effective use of the web: Digital literacy in Qatar
المؤلفون: Susan Dun, Motasem Kalaji and Dina MutassemBackground/Objectives: The digital divide, which separates those with and without access to web resources, is a significant concern, given the explosion of resources available via the web. However research carried out in the US demonstrates that access alone does not eliminate the digital divide; rather, users must have a relatively high level of digital literacy to effectively use web resources. The need to understand, measure, and potentially improve local levels of digital literacy is crucial for countries like Qatar that have already spent a great deal of effort to expand access to the internet and have as a goal to "universalize access to social services and to create a knowledge-based online society" (Al-Jaber & Dutta, citing ictQATAR's goals, 2008). Accordingly the objective of this study is to provide an initial assessment of internet digital literacy in monolingual and bilingual native speakers of Arabic and English in Qatar. Methods: The research utilizes observational methods established in Hargittai's digital literacy research. Data collection consisted of a 90 minute session of a pre-questionnaire, an observational session where the respondents perform internet searching tasks and finally a post-questionnaire. We will analyze the level of digital literacy by measuring both the ability of the searchers to successfully complete the tasks as well their efficiency in doing so. We will correlate the results with demographic variables to determine if there are differences in digital literacy levels in Qatari/non-Qatari, Arabic vs. English and bilingual vs. monolinguals etc. Results: We are in the process of data collection. We expect our results will be particularly useful to ictQATAR in their policy decision-making. Knowing what levels of digital literacy exist in the Arabic subpopulations in Doha, especially Qataris, will help them design effective web-based tools. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate Arabic users' and bilinguals' web searching strategies using observational methods. The results should not only aid local decision makers such as ictQATAR but also provide a groundbreaking source of information for scholars of the Internet and digital literacy, allowing the development of more effective educational interventions.
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Communities in the 21st century: Effectiveness of new media channels in shaping public awareness and participation in development and charity campaigns
المؤلفون: Ashraf Galal Hassan Mohamed BayoumyBackground & Rationale: The national vision of Qatar 2030 seeks to advance human development, social development, economic development and environmental development in the region, allowing it to modernize and stay relevant to 21st century global interactions while maintaining its morals, traditions, and culture. The Qatari government has already devoted significant resources toward providing services that strengthen families in Qatar. As in many countries, various social campaigns are promoted through public service announcements in print media, billboards, and via radio and TV. However, technology and society are changing and these traditional approaches may not be the only way (or the best way) to reach all intended audiences especially in the field of developmental and charity work. Purpose: The study tested and evaluated the effectiveness of public service announcement campaigns and determineed if utilization of newer communication technologies (SMS, social media, etc.) can positively supplement more traditional methods of distributing public service announcements (e.g. billboard, radio, TV) and how this would be reflected on shaping public awareness and response to these campaigns in developmental and charity work. The project enlisted the support of local organizations (such as Qatar Foundation, Supreme Council of Education, Supreme Council of Family Affairs, Supreme Council of Communication) and non-governmental organizations, regional and international agencies to assess the effectiveness of various public service announcement campaigns. In particular we were interested in how well messages reach target audiences via traditional means and what is the impact of these messages on public awareness and response. The project also investigated the effectiveness of new alternative messaging strategies to see if alternative messaging techniques such as SMS and social networking pages could enhance and improve the effectiveness of these campaigns. Methodology: The study depended on comparative methodology using content analysis, focus group discussions and surveying target audience. The study will compare and assess different campaigns locally, regionally and internationally so as to set a new model of designing and better use new media tools and techniques. The results of this research provided useful data to help agencies determine the best ways to reach communities for which they can provide services.
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An integrated approach to fare pricing, seat inventory control and fare class segmentation in airline industry with demand leakage
المؤلفون: Syed Asif Raza and Muhammad Tahir AliDifferentiated pricing is a widely practiced revenue management (henceforth, RM) tactic in which a firm offers its products/services at differentiated prices to distinct markets. This strategy has also been noticed in airline RM for more than four decades. Earlier research has shown that the benefits from differentiated pricing are evident when the market segmentation is assumed perfect, which are regarded as distinct markets with deterministic demands. In perfect market segmentation, customers associated with a market segment do not cannibalize (move) between market segments. However, it is not uncommon to notice that the market segmentation is seldom prefect, regardless of the type of industry, and demand is often uncertain. As a result, passengers are expected to cannibalize between fare classes, which is also referred as demand leakage. This research addresses the issue of establishing an integrated framework to optimize market segmentation, often referred as fare class, fare price, and seat inventory control for an airline that experiences demand leakage. Three distinct models are proposed to determine the optimal market segmentation, fare pricing, and seat inventory control for an airline that experiences price dependent passenger demand which are deterministic demand, stochastic, and when the demand is stochastic, yet the demand is unknown respectively. The models are analyzed to determine an optimal joint control mechanism for market segmentation, fare pricing, and seat inventory control and it is shown that the revenue functions to airline are jointly concave. Numerical experimentation shows how do the problem related parameters impact the airline's optimal control strategy and upon airline's revenue gains.
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An optimal integrated strategy assortment, pricing and order quantity decisions for a firm with customers' behavior and market competition
المؤلفون: Syed Asif Raza and Syed Hasan AdilIn order to meet the customers' requirements, firms need to design a product line rather than a single product because customers belong to different segments and each segment has its own specific product requirement which usually does not meet by a single product. The two major objectives of Product Line Design (PLD) are: (i) customers' satisfaction and (ii) the firm's profit maximization. Existing works consider customer preferences for a product selection based on an attraction choice model using a different combination of attribute levels and the firm's own pricing strategy. The existing models utilize Bratley-Terry-Luce (BTL), Multinomial Logit (MNL), Multiplicative Competitive Interaction (MCI) techniques for computing customer choice, which suffers the limitation imposed by Independence of Irrelevant Alternative property. However, these models do not consider the impact of customer leakage and impact of competitor pricing on product offering for the same customer segment. In this research work we model the PLD problem which considers both customer leakage and competitor pricing strategy. It also use Mixed Logit (MXL) to fix the limitation imposed by IIA property. The resulting model is NP-hard, which computationally intractable for realist problems using an exact solution approach. Thus, this research discussed the use of meta-heuristics to solve the problem. In addition, the utilization of Radial Basis function (RBS) in neural networks is demonstrated to estimate customer preferences and other model related parameters.
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Investigating student-centered teaching and learning in Qatar independent schools
المؤلفون: Ikhlef AtmaneQatari educational curriculum standards emphasize student-centered classrooms where students actively engage in inquiry and problem solving. Classrooms characterized by these elements should emerge as more successful on Qatari standards-based assessments, but little research has been done to determine whether these elements exist. The purpose of this study was to develop profiles of Qatar schools and to examine the relationships among classroom processes, teacher and student perceptions, and student achievement in math and science classrooms in higher and lower achieving elementary schools. Data were collected in October, 2008, in 17 schools randomly selected from 46 schools that had implemented the standards for at least 3 years. Descriptive data for school profiles were generated and compared qualitatively. Findings indicate that the percentage of standards met by schools is very low and the incidence of classroom behaviors associated with student-centered classrooms is also very low across schools (0% to 9.53%). However, teachers report high levels of efficacy on a 6 point scale for teaching in reform-oriented schools and perceive that they are implementing high levels of standards-based practices. Reports of inquiry practices were lower (4.2 to 5.76) but still high compared to observation of these practices. While schools making more progress meeting standards tended to exhibit higher levels of student-centered behaviors, no patterns existed for teacher perceptions. They tended to be high despite achievement level or level of observed implementation. Students' perceptions of classroom environment and problem solving also were high, but variations by achievement level were noted with higher performing schools reporting greater student-centeredness and problem-solving activities. The mismatch between participant perceptions and both observed behaviors and achievement has implications for the implementation of reform in general and professional development in particular.
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أثر استخدام ذوي الإعاقة لوسائل الإعلام الاجتماعي علي تفاعلهم الاجتماعي في اطار نموذج الحوكمة الاعلامية
المؤلفون: Ashraf Galal Hassan Mohamed Bayoumyأثر استخدام ذوي الإعاقة لوسائل الإعلام الاجتماعي علي تفاعلهم الاجتماعي في اطار نموذج الحوكمة الاعلامية مشكلة الدراسة: شهد العالم اهتماما متزايدا بقضايا الإعاقة علي المستويين الرسمي والشعبي مما أثمر عن صدور اتفاقية الأمم المتحدة لحقوق الأشخاص ذوي الإعاقة التي أكدت حقوق المعاقين في ان يعيشوا حياة كريمة ويتمتعوا بكافة حقوقهم مثل أقرانهم الآخرين ، غير ان الممارسة الفعلية لهذه الحقوق تثبت عدم التطبيق الكامل لهذه الاتفاقية -علي الاقل فيما يخص الجانب الاعلامي - فما زالت الصور النمطية التي تقدم عن المعاقين في الاعلام وخاصة الدراما العربية بشقيها الافلام والمسلسلات سلبية ومن بينها تكريس صور للعجز والشفقة والانحراف والفساد ومهادنة السلطة والمهن التقليدية وهو أمر لا يتناسب تماما مع الواقع الفعلي للمعاقين في العالم عامة وفي قطر خاصة ، ومن هنا تتحدد مشكلة الدراسة في الإجابة علي السؤال البحثي التالي :ما طبيعة الصور الحالية التي يقدم بها المعاقين في الدراما العربية - بشقيها الأفلام والمسلسلات- وما هي الأسس العلمية التي ينبغي مراعاتها عند إعادة تقديم هذه الفئة في ضوء نموذج الحوكمة الاعلامية ؟ هدف الدراسة: ترشيد استخدام الدراما كأداة جذابة ومشوقة لتكوين صور ذهنية لدي المعاقين من خلال التقديم الواقعي لهذه الفئة بما يعكس دورها ومكانتها في المجتمع لتكوين صورة ذهنية طيبة عنها لدي الافراد. الأهداف الفرعية : 1- التعرف علي طبيعة وحجم الصور الايجابية والسلبية التي قدم بها المعاقين في الدراما العربية. 2- قياس الي أي مدي تقترب الدراما العربية من تطبيق نموذج الحوكمة الاعلامية عند تقديمها لصور المعاقين. أهم النتائج 1- ثبت ان الصورة التي يقدم بها المعاقين سلبية جدا في مجملها وتعكس معاني العجز والشفقة والخضوع ومحدودية الفكر وتولي المناصب التقليدية او البطالة والاعتماد علي الآخرين والانحراف الأخلاقي والسلوكي والفساد ، كما ان هناك اعاقات معينة تبرز للاثارة اكثر من غيرها. 2- تعاني الدراما العربية عند تقديمها لصورة المعاقين نقصا شديد في فهم طبيعة ونفسية المعاق وما زالت تقدمه في اطار يكرس معاني الانفصال والتبعية . 3- الدراما العربية تهتم فقط بالاثارة عند تقديم صور المعاقين ولا تراعي مباديء المسؤولية الاجتماعية او الحوكمة الاعلامية. 4- هناك العديد من الاسس الواجب مراعاتها عند التقديم الدرامي للمعاقين سواء في الافلام او المسلسلات.
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An exploratory study of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire as a behavioral screening instrument in Qatar
المؤلفون: Maha Al-Hendawi and Clayton KellerBackground and Objectives: Special education in Arab countries, including Qatar, is hampered by the lack of reliable and valid assessments that are (a) in Arabic, (b) contextualized to Arab countries, and (c) normed on appropriate local samples as such instruments are necessary for the accurate identification of disabilities and development of effective instruction. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is a brief behavioral screening tool completed by teachers and parents of children and youth. Its 25 items assess a range of emotional and behavioral disorders through six scales. The instrument, widely used in research as well as practice, has been translated into more than 50 languages and used across a number of countries. Its use in Arab countries, and especially the Gulf, has been limited, however. This UREP-funded research assessed the adequacy of the Arabic version of the SDQ in Qatar by (a) examining the instrument's psychometric properties and (b) investigating its efficacy in identifying emotional and behavioral disorders. Methods: SDQs were collected on over 2,300 students from six primary schools in Qatar. The schools were selected based on geographic location and students' gender, academic performance, and nationalities. Analyses investigated (a) the theoretical structure of the SDQ, (b) the reliability of the SDQ as a whole and its scales, and (c) score classification using standard scoring bands. Results: Results from confirmatory factor analyses suggested that the structure of the SDQ and its scales found in other research was replicated to a large extent, but not entirely. The internal consistencies of the instrument and its scales were adequate to strong for all but two scales. For only three of the 12 scales did the application of the standard scoring bands, however, begin to sort the students into the 80% normal, 10% borderline, and 10% abnormal distribution of scores supported by research in some countries. Conclusions: Additional work is needed to improve this instrument needed in Qatar by: (a) strengthening the internal consistencies of unreliable scales and (b) constructing Qatar‐specific bands for score classification. Doing so will provide schools with an important resource for addressing students' emotional and behavioral needs.
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Qatar's school transportation system: Supporting safety, efficiency, and service quality
In consideration of the many challenges associated with Qatar's continued growth and demographic changes, the government of Qatar is interested in updating its school transportation system (STS). This work assesses the perspectives of parents and school administrators on Qatar's STS, identifies a vision and goals for the STS, reviews international norms for school transportation, and discusses strategies to achieve the vision and better align Qatar's STS with international norms. The authors articulate four elements of a vision for Qatar's STS: 1 - provide safe, efficient, and high-quality transportation for Qatar's students 2 - support educational options by enabling mobility and access 3 - provide a transportation experience that is supportive of Qatari values and culture 4 - minimize the impact on traffic congestion and the environment. The authors recommend 13 strategies to help achieve this vision, such as establishing clearly marked schools zones with standardized safety features and establishing standards for licensing and training bus drivers. The authors also provide a preliminary evaluation of several other strategies with less certain costs and benefits, such as changing the composition of the school bus fleet, implementing bus stops, and staggering school start times.
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Analysis of energy demand through econometric modeling
Energy is an important driver for the socio-economic development of a country. Only a sufficient amount of quality energy can promote economic development and satisfy energy demand of the people. Therefore, one important aspect of energy planning is to devise policies that can promote a justifiable use of energy consumption. In order to be able to do so, energy planners use various kinds of mathematical models. In this research, we studied electricity consumption in Qatar through econometric models. As residential and industrial activities are the two most demanding electricity consuming activities in Qatar, we have focused our analysis on these two sectors only. The analysis studies the historical growth pattern and fits the consumption pattern through various econometric models. The most significant model is then proposed for use to forecast electricity consumption for a specified planning period into the future. We believe that an understanding of relationship between electricity consumption and various socio-economic variables will help the planners to develop better generation and transmission policies. Our analysis shows that most of the socio-economic variables may not fit the model due to the electricity consumption characteristics in Qatar. However, the chosen econometric models provide insignificant absolute difference with actual electricity consumption. Once the future values of socio-economic variables are made available, reliable forecast can be obtained for use by the decision makers. We present various results obtained from the analysis.
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Interfaith encounters: Shifting from 'interfaith dialogue' to 'interfaith collaboration', a foundation for religious tolerance
المؤلفون: Zakaryya Abdel-HadyToday, in the globalized world in which we are living, with a full diversity of beliefs, thoughts and cultures, it has become essential for us all to focus on common ground and areas of cooperation, as well as challenges that face us regardless of our faith or belief systems. Our mutual coexistence is facing numerous challenges, starting with the acute ignorance of one another, the increase of mistrust amongst followers of different religions, through to the more extreme trends and symptoms of discrimination, hatred and violence. In the light of all of the above, it is clear that interreligious dialogue has become a necessity, rather than a luxury, and that one cannot build agreement and cooperation without first building trust and understanding. It is vital that interfaith dialogues continue to build more trust and clearer understanding of one another's faith, but it is similarly vital that now what is needed is to move from the 'interfaith dialogue' phase to 'interfaith collaboration'. This paper attempts to explore such challenges that face the interfaith encounters and the prospects to establish a more solid interfaith collaboration.
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Study of some perspective of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children
المؤلفون: Ehsane Mohsen Gad and Asmaa Amin AbdelazizBackground: Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is characterized by developmentally inappropriate inattentiveness, impulsivity, and hyperactivity, and is the most common and thoroughly researched neuropsychiatry disorder affecting children and adolescence. The diagnosis of ADHD requires a comprehensive clinical assessment, including a detailed patient history, clinical interview and observation, and a thorough physical examination. Objective: Our study is a prospective study to analyze the socio-demographic data of children with the diagnosis of ADHD attending the outpatient clinic of the department of psychiatry at Hamad General Hospital in Qatar, the co-morbid psychiatric disorder associated with ADHD, and also the effect of different treatment modalities on those patients. Results: 29.2% of patients have co-morbid autism, up to 17.6% for organic brain syndrome; oppositional defiant disorders and conduct disorder, followed by depression and obsessive compulsive disorder in 5.8% of cases. Conclusion: Clinically, treatment with stimulants result in an immediate, often dramatic, improvement in the core symptoms of ADHD. We concluded that accurate diagnosis and optimal management of this disorder may be the keys to improving long term outcomes of youth with this disorder.
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Globalization and women's sports participation in Qatar
المؤلفون: Susan Dun and Motasem KalajiBackground/Objectives: Qatar's entry to the global elite sporting scene, most obviously through its stunning coup to win the hosting rights for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, has been accompanied by pressure to increase participation of female athletes. In response, Qatar has dedicated considerable resources to women's sports and Qatari women have been prominently featured in the 2011 Arab Games and the 2012 Summer Olympics. Qatar officials have publicly voiced their hope that these women will serve as role models who encourage women and girls to engage in physical activity and sports. At the same time, lifestyle changes linked to globalization have wreaked havoc on the health of all Qataris, with rampant diabetes and obesity rates that are among the highest in the world. Women in Qatar may face particular constraints that make it potentially more challenging for them to engage in regular physical activity to combat these diseases. The particular question this study aims to answer is "are Qatari elite female athletes influencing women in Qatar to engage in physical activity/sports?" Method: We have utilized an 84-item survey to investigate what influences the physical activity of women in Qatar. The survey was open before, during and after the summer 2012 Olympics in English and Arabic. Results: The data reported here are based on one set of questions from the larger survey. We found that while personal role models such as friends and family play an important role in physical activity, public figure role models, such as those cited by Qatari officials, are far less frequently cited as influences and in fact, only one Arab public figure of any kind (celebrity, athlete, etc.) was mentioned as a role model for sports or physical activity participation. Conclusion: While the Qatari elite female athletes are smashing gender barriers, they have not yet started to function as significant role models for women in Qatar. Strategies to increase their effectiveness are identified. At this historic point in the development of elite female athletics in Qatar, the research provides data Qatari health officials can utilize in their attempts to combat diabetes/obesity and increase all women's activity levels.
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Prediction of road accidents in Qatar 2022
المؤلفون: Khalifa Al-Khalifa and Abdel Magid HamoudaBackground: Traffic accidents have become a social scourge more serious than may be expected. Traffic accidents are greatly concerning for all members of society, and have become one of its most important problems, draining human and material resources. This is in addition to the incurred problems of social, psychological and material losses. Road traffic accidents are increasingly being recognized as a growing public health problem in Qatar. Objective: The main aim of this work is to identify the factors affecting the road accidents in Qatar, and the model that predicts the number of road accidents by year 2022. Method: The number of road accidents can be predicting by the Accident Prediction Model - a mathematical formula describing the relation between the safety level of existing roads (i.e. crashes, victims, injured, fatalities), and variables that explain this level (population ,driving license, number of vehicles). The methods that describe the existing case in Qatar were the multiple linear regression model and the artificial neutral network. Those methods were analyzed and their findings compared. Results: In this study we used multiple linear regression (using number of vehicles, type of vehicles, population, number of driving license) and neural networks to both back-cast (1992-2012) and forecast accidents (2012-2022) in the state of Qatar. The results estimated that if there is no intervention the number of accidents is expected to reach 320,000 by 2022. Conclusions: The main causes of road accidents have remained much the same over time with reckless driving, speeding and lane changing errors (at roundabouts and on higher speed roads) responsible for more than 90% of accidents. Pedestrian fatalities and accidents are of particular concern in Qatar and the number of heavy vehicles using roads has also increased, causing additional safety issues. Road safety has been given high priority for some years in Qatar through extensive safety and awareness campaigns and more aggressive law enforcement, which over the last three years has helped reduce fatalities to their lowest mark in two decades.
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Olympic education in museums: An experience report
مزيد أقلBased on the idea that museums are non-formal education places and therefore play an important role in the collective memory of their respective societies, this paper aims to examine the Olympic Education Program realized in the 'Olympics through Media Exhibition' organized by the Qatar Museums Authority departments in Doha, Qatar in 2012. The phrase 'olympic education' (OE) was first used by Norbert Muller in 1975. Muller based his studies on Pierre de Coubertin's (founder of the modern Olympics) writings. Naul explains that the writings of Coubertin were interpreted by several authors and all these studies were included in the framework of an OE. Thus, the OE became a complex topic used in a multidisciplinary field connecting different areas of knowledge and having the main focus on the Olympic sport, the multiculturalism and the fair play. Based on that, formal and non-formal educational institutions develop programs of OE. Olympic and sport museums can be considered non-formal educational institutions where OE can be developed through exhibitions. Education in museums can be defined "as a set of values, concepts, knowledge and practices aimed at ensuring the visitor's development; it is connected with the notion of awakening, which aims to arouse curiosity, to lead to questioning and develop the capacity to think". Following this approach, the educational program of the 'Olympics through Media Exhibition' was planned. The program was based on the values of Qatari society and the Olympic values. The staff was trained to promote interactivity in a dedicated area for children. There the activities included drawing, painting, video-gaming, quizzes, puzzles, guided tours, etc. The exhibition took place during school vacation; therefore an exclusive Holyday Program was organized with more than seventy children of different ages. The formal teaching of OE is still under development in Qatar. However the non-formal initiatives, such as cultural exhibitions, are already contributing to this process. The places of non-formal education, once they are connected with the local culture, are able to transmit important values from sport to society.
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Sport museums and the practical uses of research
In the near future Qatar will be a country of many museums, but already many temporary exhibitions are open to the public. The International Council of Museums defines museums as an institution which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits for the purposes of education, study and enjoyment. The question of whether a sports museum is a place for scientific research has already been raised. The on-going discussion is about how to accomplish this. As a contribution, this article aims to examine the practical use of research in museums based on the "Arab Games Exhibition" (AGE), which was developed by the Qatar Olympic & Sports Museum in Doha, Qatar in 2011. The AGE showcased the history of these Games from their first edition until its last. Lacking a comprehensive body of reliable secondary literature and information on the whereabouts of possible artifacts, it was necessary to develop an extensive research project to find written and oral sources, and then objects to exhibit. Thus, the whole exhibition concept was based on the findings of the developed research. The primary sources used in the research were the documents displayed in the exhibition, which reinforces the idea that the museum collections function as a primary source for research. The sports museum's collections are usually sport artifacts and memorabilia preserved to document the phenomenon. Therefore, research sources and collections are interconnected. In addition to the scarce written sources, the memories of athletes were recorded. These interviews were presented audio-visually for the exhibition, 'giving a voice' to the athletes and explored the appeal of audio-visual exhibits to the public. Naturally, these interviews have become part of the museum collection, being preserved for future exhibitions and research. The example of the AGE illustrates the uses of research in museums. The museum collections can be considered as 'archives' of sources for socio-cultural studies. Furthermore, the exhibitions and the educational programs can be considered the 'space' where the knowledge developed through research is reinterpreted to showcase the complexity of the sport phenomenon to the public.
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Innovative learning environment based on research activities for high school students
المؤلفون: Kaltham Ali Al-Ghanim, Mariam Al-Maadeed and Noora Al-ThaniQatar aims to transition to a knowledge-based economy by 2030. This vision requires labor forces with high skills. On the other hand, high school students are reluctant to enroll in disciplines such as mathematics, physics, chemistry, engineering and technology. This fact raises questions about the society capacity to provide the appropriate labor force to achieve such a vision. Therefore there is a need to search for ways to raise the high school students' confidence to study those scientific disciplines. This research aimed to identify the learning possibilities offered by integrating secondary schools students within an advanced learning environment which offered research expertise. The method depends on using research as an activity for self-learning to understand basic science laws and unique applications. Twenty five high school students (18 male and 7 female) were randomly selected from the participants in Al-Biraq learning program in Qatar University, spring 2011. All the demographic characteristics of the participants in the experiment were unified such as; age, educational level (secondary), grades (12), academic background (independent schools), cultural background (speak the same language). The research team assessed the impact of the program by testing the students' performance. Pre-post-test was the assessment tool. Teachers and parents were also surveyed to provide indications of changes in student behavior in classes and at home. The results showed an improvement in student attitudes towards research and invention. The percentage of the students who agreed that they are capable of invention increased from 52% to 84%. The students who strongly agreed that their skills has increased after participating in scientific experiments from 48% to 72%. The study also, showed that there is significant change in attitude after attending this program as the confidence increased from 35% to be 75%. Findings did not reveal any differences based in gender. The overall outcome of the research is to emphasize the importance of non-traditional teaching methods based on research activities to improve students' attitudes and knowledge about science. Acknowledgement: The authors would like to thank the following companies for their sponsorship of the program: RasGas, Shell, Msheireb, Qatar Petroleum
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Assessing Qatar media landscape using UNESCO Media Development Indicators
المؤلفون: Marion Desmurger and Roos MeertensBackground & Objectives: The Doha Centre for Media Freedom (DCMF) will be conducting research to assess the media landscape in Qatar. To do so, DCMF intends to use a methodology developed by UNESCO referred to as the Media Development Indicators (MDIs). The MDIs define a framework, within which the media can best contribute to, and benefit from, good governance and democratic development. The MDIs comprise five categories of indicators that, together, provide an aspirational picture of the media ecology to be constructed in order to ensure freedom of expression, pluralism and diversity of the media. Those indicators include: a system of regulation; plurality and diversity of media; media as a platform for democratic discourse; professional capacity building; and infrastructural capacity. The MDIs are not intended as a tool to rank a country's level of media development against that of others. Instead, the indicators should be tailored and customised to fit the particularities of the national context in order to support the efforts of actors working in the area of media development, including policy makers. Methods: Collaboration, consultation and national ownership are key components to enhance the potential impact and local capacity of this project. To this end, DCMF will commission the research to a team of five Qatar-based researchers. The research group will receive training from a UNESCO expert on how to best conduct an MDI assessment. Simultaneously, DCMF will set up an Advisory Committee composed of the most notable stakeholders and experts in the field of media development in Qatar who will provide the research group with feedbacks and recommendations. The project will start in October and end in April 2013. Results: In addition to providing one of the first in-depth analytical studies of the media situation in Qatar, this research will guide the formulation of policy-related recommendations. The final report will be published as a book in Arabic and English. It is hoped that this book will serve as a public resource for universities, media outlets and research institutes in Qatar and, in the long-term, support Qatar's transition from a carbon economy to a knowledge economy.
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People and the city: Unveiling the lived urban environment of Doha
المؤلفون: Ashraf M. Salama, Florian Wiedmann and Alain ThiersteinBackground and Objectives: This study examines the production of urbanism by focusing on the collective spatial practice and inhabitants' perceptions of the urban environment in emerging cities, with Doha as a case study. While the built environment is necessarily an important and obvious aspect of cities, this study attempts to apply a holistic approach to the understanding of what the reality of the space of a city is - beyond the face value of its concrete, urban reality. Therefore, the notion of the lived space is introduced to illustrate how it can be utilized to identify factors necessary for understanding the process of space production. In this respect, it is vital to understand the role of inhabitants and how they comprehend, appreciate, and appropriate urban environments with a focus on two main factors: urban identity and urban diversity. Methods: A set of various methodologies is applied to investigate the complex interrelationship between urban environments and human behavior. The two main categories of selected methodologies are observation studies focusing on mapping urban spaces and movements and, secondly, a survey questionnaire that aims integrating the individual views of inhabitants. After conducting a typo-morphological analysis of key urban spaces in Doha, behavioral mapping was applied to survey the use of these spaces by inhabitants according to days of the week and various times of day. The questionnaire was distributed to 350 employees working in high-service sectors in order to assess their perception of certain urban environments and their general experience of living in Doha. Results and Conclusions: The analysis and combination of these two types of empirical studies led to various recognitions relevant to the complex relationships between physical urban developments and Doha's inhabitants. Since the urban environment of the city has been undergoing major transformations finding answers to the question of how inhabitants are part of this kind of urbanism and how they may contribute to the diversification process and the establishment of a vibrant hub is essential.
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A literacy exercise: An extracurricular reading program as an intervention to develop student reading habits in Qatar
المؤلفون: Ramzi Nasser, Sama Al-Hajri and Hanan Ahmed Al-HailThis paper presents the implementation of a two-month reading extracurricular activity designed for fourth grade students. The resulting data and analysis detailed primary students attitudes towards reading, teacher self-efficacy, teacher instructional behavior and home literacy measures. The reading program was designed through a Qatar University partnership with the Childhood Cultural Center, both non-governmental organizations. The program was run in four schools selected randomly. The program was announced to each school and students in the four schools were asked if they wished to enroll after receiving parental consent. In total there were 248 in the treatment group (students who enrolled in the reading program in the English and Arabic) and 176 students who were recruited in the control group (did not enroll in the program). The main analytical design was a split-plot analysis of variance (ANOVA) design. The findings of this study suggested that students in the reading program were prone to have higher interest than those who did not enroll in the reading program, even when factoring out parental and home environment effects. This paper begins by providing background information on the importance of reading. An overview is presented of existing evidence on the effectiveness of an after-school setting and a description of the reading program tested to support the implementation of these models in school sites. The results from this study provide an impact evaluation and recommendations for further implementation.
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Habitual sleep quantity helps maintain sustained attention levels in fasting Muslims during Ramadan
المؤلفون: Abdulaziz Farooq and Christopher P HerreraBackground: Sleep deprivation is associated with a reduction in sustained alertness and increased risk of road traffic crashes. Sleep deprivation has been reported in Muslims who observe daily intermittent fasting during the holy month of Ramadan. Epidemiological studies from Muslim countries, UAE and Saudi Arabia, show an increase in road traffic crashes during Ramadan. Aim: To determine the effect of Ramadan fasting on sleep and sustained attention levels in order to understand driving hazard during daylight hours. Methods: This was a quasi-experimental design in which sleep and sustained attention were compared between fasting Muslims (n=9) and non-fasting (n=9) subjects. Each subject maintained a sleep diary and completed the computerized rapid visual processing (RVP) task to evaluate sustained attention. The RVP was conducted at 4:00 PM on three different occasions (before Ramadan, 1st week of Ramadan and 3rd week of Ramadan). Results: In fasting subjects total sleep time before Ramadan (7.2±0.5h) was not different during Ramadan (7.4±0.3h, p=0.708); this was the same for non-fasting subjects (7.8±0.3h vs. 7.5±0.4h respectively, p=0.291). The mean latency to correct response on the RVP task before Ramadan (417.3±23.7 ms) was reduced at the end of Ramadan (368.7±23.7 ms, p=0.002) in fasting subjects only. Total misses were insignificantly greater in fasting subjects (4.3±1.2) than non-fasting subjects (2.8±1.2 p=0.348) at the end of Ramadan. False alarms remained unchanged in both groups. Conclusion: In this study, Ramadan fasting had no adverse impact on sleep or sustained attention. These results suggest that habitual sleep quantity is necessary to maintain daytime sustained attention levels in those fasting during Ramadan.
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Hubs of knowledge flows in globalizing Doha
المؤلفون: Hussam Hussein SalamaDuring the last decade, many cities in the Middle East have experienced dramatic forms of urban change in response to the new world order and what is referred to as "globalization". Global flows of capital, people, and knowledge and information began to reshape the economic, social, and political structures of cities across the region. This study investigates the role of global knowledge and information flows in shaping development in Doha during the era of globalization. It focuses on the hubs or places that have the capacity of triggering flows from the global domain to the local context. These hubs are classified into three main types: 1) Micro places of flows which are small hubs that connect a local context to the global domain. They perform individually and spontaneously with minimum regulations. They also don't feature any forms of coordination. Homes, offices and cafes exposed to global flows of information via internet and satellite channels fall under this category. 2) Intermediate scale places of flows which feature more intense agglomerations of global flows than micro hubs. They perform in a relatively more regulated and coordinated manner and are usually run by institutions or organizations. 3) Mega places of flows which are hubs that host very intense and massive scales of global flows. They are usually very specialized and regulated. Besides, they require huge investments which make them a feature of rich cities. These three types of hubs play a significant role in intensifying flows of knowledge to Doha. This study maps and analyzes these three types of hubs of knowledge flows in the city. It presents a comprehensive documentation of these hubs in order to highlight their contribution to the city.
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التنمر: دراسة حول السلوك العدواني بين طلاب المدراس في قطر
المؤلفون: Layachi Anserيعتبر السلوك العدواني في المدارس أحد المظاهر السلوكية المنتشرة بين الطلاب على اختلاف أعمارهم ومستوياتهم الدراسية. وتعاني المدارس في قطر مثل بقية المدارس في العالم من هذه الظاهرة، وإن كانت لم تبلغ هنا تلك الحدود القصوى التي عرفتها بعض البلدان حيث يقع فيها اللجوء لاستعمال الأسلحة بكل أنواعها. تكمن أهمية هذا الموضوع في الآثار السلبية الناتجة عنه التي تطال الطلبة، وتهدد تماسك الأسرة، والعلاقات بين الجماعات في المدرسة، بين الطلبة أنفسهم، وبينهم وبين المعلمين. من هذا المنطلق تبرز أهمية إجراء دراسة مسحية تساعد على تحقيق معرفة أدق بهذا السلوك العدواني المتمثل في التنمر "Bullying". وقد هدفت الدراسة إلى الإجابة على عدد من التساؤلات الأساسية المتعلقة بطبيعة هذا السلوك والعوامل التي تقف وراءه، وكذا الآثار التي تقع على الطالب نفسه، وعلى من حوله سواء في محيط المدرسة أو في الأسرة. وقد اعتمدت الدراسة على أسلوب المسح بالعينة لمجموعة من طلاب المدارس في دولة قطر في المراحل الثلاث الابتدائية، الإعدادية والثانوية من البنين والبنات، بلغت 2400 مفردة. كما تضمن البحث إجراء مقابلات معمقة مع عينة مستهدفة من الطلاب الذين يمارسون سلوك التنمر ومن الطلبة ضحايا التنمر، وكذلك مقابلات مع عينة من الأخصائيين الاجتماعيين العاملين في تلك المدارس. وقد سمحت الدراسة سواء في شقها الكمي أو النوعي بالتوصل إلى مجموعة من النتائج المهمة التي تسلط الضوء على التنمر في المدارس القطرية. من أهم النتائج التي حققتها الدراسة، معرفة الخصائص العامة للعينة المدروسة، ورسم صورة واضحة المعالم للطلبة، سواء كانوا من المتنمرين أومن ضحايا سلوك التنمر، حسب النوع والعمر والجنسية ومستوى التعليم والوضعية الاجتماعية لأسرهم. وكشفت الدراسة عن مدى انتشار هذا السلوك بين طلاب المدارس حسب عدد من المتغيرات الأساسية مثل النوع والعمر والجنسية والمرحلة التعليمية، وعضوية الجماعات المدرسية...الخ. كما سمحت الدراسة بمعرفة أنواع المضايقات التي يمارسها الطلبة المتنمرون، وتلك التي يتعرض لها الطلبة الضحايا، كما سمحت بتحديد الأماكن والأوقات التي ينتشر فيها هذا السلوك بقوة. وتوصلت الدراسة إلى التعرف على بعض العوامل المساعدة على انتشار سلوك التنمر بين طلبة المدارس في قطر، وتحديد عدد من التأثيرات السلبية الناتجة عن ممارسة سلوك التنمر أو الوقوع ضحية له، سواء كان ذلك على الصحة النفسية للطلبة، أو على العلاقات الاجتماعية ضمن الأسرة، وفي محيط المدرسة، وعلى الأداء المدرسي للطلبة.
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Mentoring students into research through scholarly publishing
المؤلفون: Ramzi Nasser and Haitham AlkhateebThis study reports on undergraduate student experience with a mentor on understanding research through the publishing of scholarly manuscripts. The study designed a 10-week intervention/educational program. Two undergraduate students were integrated in an educational mentoring process to identify and evaluate research in scientific manuscripts, as in literature reviews, research questions, hypothesis, and methods. The undergraduate students were exposed to the process of review, research and production of manuscripts. The two students saw the research process in final form as a pre-published manuscript. Undergraduate students worked with the mentor in reviewing a manuscript and they were engaged in the process of editorial work through the manuscript management system. Students drew the post concept maps of the publishing process, pre and post intervention, the maps showed evidence of knowledge and complex interactions of players in the publishing process. The students evaluated the mentoring process and demonstrated satisfaction with the program strength. The study proposed the development of an undergraduate course in scholarly publishing and developed a blue-print of the course.
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فاعلية قانون المرور رقم (19) في الحد من الحوادث المرورية وأثره على سلامة الأسرة والمجتمع
المؤلفون: Fhadil Muhsin Alroubaieفاعلية قانون المرور رقم (19) في الحد من الحوادث المرورية وأثره على سلامة الأسرة والمجتمع كان صدور قانون المرور رقم (19) لسنة 2007 تعبيراً عن اهتمام دولة قطر في مشكلة الحوادث المرورية وأهمية السيطرة عليها حفاظاً على الثروات البشرية والاقتصادية وعلى الأسرة والمجتمع. وهدف هذه الدراسة قياس اثر القانون المذكور على الحوادث المرورية وذلك بعد مرور سنة على تطبيقه واقتراح الإجراءات التي من شأنها المساهمة في زيادة السيطرة على الحوادث المرورية وتقليلها والحد من اثارها. وقد اعتمدت الدراسة على تصميم استبيان مفصل تم تطبيقه على عينة عشوائية من 2000 شخص ممن يقودون المركبات المختلفة من جنسيات وأعمار ومستويات دراسية وعملية مختلفة وفي مختلف مناطق الدولة. توصلت إلى مجموعة من النتائج كان من اهمها ان مستوى الوعي بخطورة الحوادث المرورية ياتي بالمقام الثاني بعد قضية المخدرات والمسكرات من بين قضايا الأمن والصحة في المجتمع، وإن مستوى الوعي بخطورة الحوادث المرورية بالمقارنة مع أهم القضايا الأخرى التي تهدد الصحة والأمان لازال دون المستوى المطلوب، بالرغم من الوعي العالي بمسببات الحوادث المرورية. وجود تأثير إيجابي لقانون المرور الجديد في تخفيض معدل الوفيات ومعدل الإصابات نتيجة للحوادث المرورية، لكن لم يكن كذلك من حيث شدة الحوادث. زيادة نسبة مخالفات تجاوز الحد الأقصى للسرعة، تجاوز الإشارات المرورية، التجاوز بصورة خاطئة. انخفاض نسبة مخالفات عدم استخدام حزام الأمان، الوقوف الخطأ، وجلوس الأطفال دون سن العاشرة بالمقاعد الأمامية للمركبة,الرغبة بزيادة الغرامات المالية لمخالفات عدم الالتزام بالإشارة المرورية، تجاوز السرعة المحددة، التجاوز من اليمين، القيادة بدون رخصة، قيادة المركبة عكس اتجاه السير،و قيادة المركبة تحت تأثير المسكرات والمخدرات. أن مستوى وعي السائقين بقانون المرورضعيف. أن للأسرة الدور الأكبر في مجال التوعية بأخطار الحوادث المرورية تليها المؤسسة الإعلامية ثم المؤسسة التربوية. أن أكثر من نصف الأسر تتأثر بالحوادث المرورية من حيث الخسائر البشرية والإصابات. ومعظم الأسر تتأثر اقتصادياً نتيجة للحوادث المرورية. يمكن إيجاز توصيات الدراسة في وضع خطة واضحة وقابلة للتنفيذ للتوعية المرورية، زيادة غرامة تجاوز السرعة ومضاعفتها عند تكرارها. زيادة مبلغ الغرامات المالية لبعض المخالفات و زيادة عدد كاميرات المراقبة على مختلف الطرق. ايجاد تنظيم قانوني وفني يربط بين الحوادث المرورية و التآمين. زيادة عدد دوريات المرور واللوحات الارشادية وكذلك تطوير صيغ التدريب في مدارس السياقة, كما تم التعرض لدور المؤسسة التربوية في تعزيز الثقافة المرورية.
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Suckling, adoption and the incest taboo: Significance of studying kinship for social science and for Qatar
المؤلفون: Fadwa El-GuindiBACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Kinship, the cross-cultural subject of this project-based paper, is dynamic in Qatari life and has specialized conceptual/ methodological tools. Within it, 'incest taboo' ("tahrim" in Arabic), a human universal, generated numerous explanations: 'horror instinct', 'genetic degeneration', 'natural sexual desire among close kin', 'natural sexual aversion to close kin', and 'prevents in-marrying to create exchange and alliance'. Studying kinship, through systematic field research was made possible by two Undergraduate Research Experience Program Grants (6th and 9th cycles), generated data challenging these views. The data show Qatari culture providing solutions to societal paradoxes, whereby non-fertile women desiring children cannot simply 'adopt' them, they instead use distinctively Qatari kinship transformational mechanisms - suckling practices. This is demonstrated by live cases, revealing formal and practical features characterizing Qatari culture, with implications for theory and Qatar's future vision. METHODS: To understand human phenomena and sociocultural life, social science methodology combines multiple data collection techniques. This project used qualitative methods in a process of inquiry seeking in-depth information situating behavior in social/cultural setting, using various procedures: observation (participant/non-participant), interviewing (structured/open-ended), visual methods (still/moving pictures). To elicit kin terms of consanguinity, affinity and suckling, the team used open-ended interviews, chart-elicitation questionnaires, discussed in weekly educational seminars. Seventy consanguineal kinship charts, sixty-five affinal kin charts were used as elicitation 'models', whereas gathering suckling data was by in-depth interviews - 36 primary cases with derivative sub-cases. RESULTS: This project generated original data and theoretical insights. It improved learning outcomes in sociology by mentored junior colleagues, and led to Qatarization, training a QU female sociology student, subsequently admitted (as a first in Qatar) into a doctorate program in the US for sociological methods. CONCLUSIONS: * Suckling is kinship, like consanguinity and affinity, religiously sanctioned, socially approved mechanism for kin incorporation * Adoption does not legitimately turn strangers into kin * Suckling creates incest taboo, removing the need for avoidance ritual and behavior. * Suckling has transformational qualities, restructuring kinship. * Incest taboo and alliance theories are challenged * Presumed cousin marriages may not be biological
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Public understanding of genetics and risk in Qatar: an anthropological investigation
المؤلفون: Susie Kilshaw and Fouad AlshabanBackground & Objectives: Our research investigates the social implications of genetic knowledge in Qatar. Specifically, a social and cultural context for the specific interface between consanguinity and genetic risk is the focus. Genetic disorders are particularly significant in the Gulf region and the Middle East because of marriage among close relatives, which is a risk factor for genetic disorders. We are focusing on the way in which genetic knowledge is being negotiated and communicated in the region and on popular understandings of genetics and risk. Thus, this research will aim to map the perception of risk in Qatar. Medical anthropology has shown the way illness and illness beliefs are shaped by culture. We consider the way that new medical information is interpreted along the backdrop of previously held cultural notions. New medical technologies are not transferred into cultural "voids" when they reach disparate societies. Prior ideas about kinship, reproduction and the causes of illness are likely to influence the way people interpret and negotiate genetic information. We investigate the meanings that are attached to the practice of genetic technologies and practice. Methods: This research uses the approach and methods of medical anthropology. Ethnographic methods provide an in-depth understanding of how genetic information is being developed and understood in Qatar. Our main method is semi-structured interviews. Anthropological methods are particularly appropriate for providing insight into the issue of perceptions of genetics as they will provide a means to developed a nuanced and layered understanding of the issue. Results: As the project is ongoing, we can only comment on preliminary findings. Qataris interviewed are aware of the discourse of genetics, but are actively involved in negotiating different arenas of risk. They are weighing up and engaging with risks such as those arising from environment: i.e. pollution, dust, nutrition. Our participants were aware of potential risks of consanguinity, but were balancing these with other concerns: such as the social risks of not marrying in the family. Conclusions: At this stage it is too early to comment on firm conclusions, but we are confident that our research is producing some nuanced and interesting data.
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Social and economic impacts on the Gulf region in general and Qatar in particular of the expected energy independence of the western hemisphere
المؤلفون: Remi PietRecent projections for energy production on the American continent (from Canada to South America) are suggesting potential energy independence for the western hemisphere in the next fifteen years. The very large, newly found, oil reserves (mainly off the coast of Brazil), the technological progresses (allowing for the safe exploitation of tar sands in Canada) and the natural gas potential of shale gas in North America are changing the energy equation on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. What has been historically the Gulf region's main customer of hydrocarbon is likely to significantly decrease its import in the near future. Although other emerging regions (India, China, Africa) should make up for this loss in the short term, the global efforts to mitigate climate change are bound to encourage natural gas consumption over oil. GCC countries will thus face a strong challenge to diversify their customer networks and adapt their energy mix production - drifting away from oil towards natural gas and renewables. Each of the GCC countries will face different challenges, depending on their resource endowment and infrastructure network. This research aims at analyzing the potential domestic impact of this new scarcity of demand. Each country in the Gulf region has developed a unique set of domestic institutions and economic structures whose resilience will be challenged. This research implements comparative politics, theories and lenses, especially Thomas G. Moore's framework of analysis assessing the state's capacity to absorb external shocks and issue national responses for economic adjustment. It also reverses the argument developed by Ikenberry on European and American countries comparative economic responses to the oil shock in the 1970s. The objective of this study is to inform Gulf countries' governments of the best original set of proactive policies and reforms that need to be adopted to ensure sustainable development, social progress, political stability and post-oil economic transition.
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Massive increase of national intelligence in Qatar 2000-2011
المؤلفون: Omar Haroon Khaleefa, Alanood Al-Thani and Hatim WarragThis study explores the secular increase of national intelligence in Qatar (Flynn effect) between the periods 2000-2011 by using the Standard Progressive Matrices (SPM) that was standardized on a representative sample of 1135 participants from Doha area, to age group 6-11.6 year olds (males N=517, females N=618). The SPM was administered in 2011 to a representative sample of 1003 (males, N=469; females N=534) of the same age and in the same region. The 2011 study showed that IQ is normally distributed in Qatar. The percentage of children with high ability (1.6%), the intelligent participants (8%), above average (20.4%), average (46.5%), below average (15%), borderline (6.4%) and mentally handicapped (2.1%). Furthermore, the study showed that younger children (6 to 9.6 year olds) obtained very high IQ (104.37 points), however, older children (10 to 11.6 year olds) obtained lower levels (95.73 points). With adjustment to Flynn effect, the smart fraction in Qatar at 95% obtained an IQ of 117.8, while the non smart fraction at 5% obtained an IQ of 58.3 points. The most remarkable finding of the study is that the national intelligence has been increasing in Qatar by 11.25 points in 11 years from 2000 to 2011. The rate of increase per decade and generation was 10.22 and 30.66 points, respectively. Children in Qatar were responsible for one of the largest levels of increase of IQ in the world. The increase in rate of intelligence per decade in some economically developed countries like Britain was 2 points, USA and most European countries 3 points, Israel 6.2 points, Korea, 7.7 points and Japan 7.7 points. Additionally, Qatari children obtained the highest scores of intelligence in the Arab world without adjustment (101 points) and with adjustment (90 points) to Flynn effect. This result showed that the calculation of Lynn and Vanhanen for the IQ scores in Qatar is incorrect. Finally, 10 assumptions as possible causes for the increase of national intelligence need to be investigated by scientists and intelligence tests such as WPPSI, WISC and SPM+ need to be adapted in Qatar.
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Beyond exceptionalism: Is a common history possible?
المؤلفون: Amira SonbolThis paper is about finding common values among what appear to be different and competitive cultures. While recent international conflicts present a picture of a clash of civilizations rooted in past history and present differences, the historical evidence actually leads to other narratives. Social and cultural history in particular, allows for a reorganization of knowledge that allows for the diffusion of culture and the production of common traditions. Rather than accept a world divided by historical narratives that allow for exceptionalism and difference, the paper proposes a shift by which common histories based on process and diffusion of culture be attempted. It proceeds to do so at the level of legal history taking specific examples to illustrate the development of law from and to different parts of the world and different periods to bring about contemporary laws that seem to be in total variance one from the other. The intent is to illustrate that by sifting through sources and comparing specificities of history of various geographical regions and historical periods, pausing new questions and reconceptualizing human relations, that in fact we can move the agenda ahead to show where cultures meet and where they differ thereby allowing for greater and different discourses of understanding and affinity.
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Sociolinguistics of social class in globalized Qatar: Residents' self-reflections
المؤلفون: Irene TheodoropoulouThis is a sociocultural linguistic study on the ways whereby language is used by residents, both natives and expats, of Qatar, a highly globalized country in the Gulf area. The motivation for this study is Arabic sociolinguist Reem Bassiouney's observation that issues of social stratification and how the latter is reflected on language in the Arab world, and most prominently in the Gulf countries, are under-researched. Against this backdrop and trying to fill in this gap, the described methodology combines linguistic ethnography with research on archives and books describing issues of social organization relevant to contemporary Qatari society. Linguistic ethnography is seen as 'a method of social research, [which] seeks to capture and understand the meanings and dynamics in particular cultural settings'. My study includes data from ethnographic interviews with 3 people, one Qatari, one Italian and one Indian, who have been working in Qatar for at least six months (in this way, they are familiar with the (working) context of the country). The questions used in the interviews focus on the participants' (socio)linguistic choices, lifestyle choices, ideologies, beliefs, and values. It is argued that social class, at the level of people's self-reflections is constructed via sociolinguistic upscaling, namely by alluding to higher-order scales, which create social norms and are thus associated with power. Such an upscaling is further argued to index upward mobility. What this means is that higher orders tend to be more abstract, hence more powerful, exactly because they are associated with rules and norms of the society. In a nutshell, the basic finding in this study is that upward mobility in class consciousness takes place sociolinguistically by alluding to power via upscaling. Finally, the overarching argument put forward is that globalization tends to metamorphose the very essence of social class, as it renders it mobile, in constant flux, and eventually a new system consisting of resemiotized identity units. The findings will appeal to both linguists and sociologists working in and on Qatar.
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Influence of Ramadan on demand analysis of trauma related surgical activities and hospital resource services: An institution experience in the Middle East.
المؤلفون: Ruben Peralta, P. Kannan and F. BadriBackground and Objectives: To examine the utilization of critical hospital resources: bed utilization, operating room activities, median length of stay (LOS) during the month of Ramadan at a major tertiary trauma center in the Middle East. Methods: Consecutive trauma admissions requiring major surgical operative interventions at the Rashid Hospital Trauma Center (RHTC) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates during the month of June in 2008 and September (Ramadan) in 2008 were reviewed. Data extracted from the hospital's theatre registry and medical records were analyzed. Resources utilization of all operative trauma cases admitted to the hospital were correlated with the overall injury status of the patients based on the Injury Severity Score (ISS) and the Revised Trauma Score (RTS). Results: There were 1647 surgical procedures performed in 939 trauma patients who underwent surgical interventions during the study period, showing no significant change in Operating Room volume activities. The data indicates an increase in length of stay per ISS in the month of Ramadan. Of more significance, the data demonstrates a 68 % increase in occupied beds days despite no significant increase in patient volume during the month of Ramadan in comparison with the month of June. Conclusions: During the month of Ramadan, there has been an increase in consumption of hospital resources in terms of bed stays in particular with minor and moderate injuries ISS 1-8, and 9-15. Trauma related surgical procedures were not statistically increased during the month of Ramadan. The RHTC median LOS by ISS is more than doubled than the National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB) during Ramadan, resulting in unnecessary consumption of valuable resources. Unnecessary hospital stay increases risk of further complications to patients, resulting in further delays in discharge.
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Poverty, morality and the urban poor: Understanding strategies of action in the Middle East
المؤلفون: Manata HashemiIn recent decades, scholars of the Middle East have observed the activism of the Middle Eastern poor in response to conditions of increasing economic deprivation and social marginalization. Much of the work has exclusively focused on the poor's reactive acts of political agency. Surprisingly little is understood, with any empirical leverage, about the mechanisms involved in leading poor individuals to adopt the decisions and strategies that they do. A large part of the puzzle is the role of culture, which some have touched upon, but few have studied systematically. Poor people in the Middle East, so these researchers infer, are aware that they have become increasingly excluded under the new global market economy and so resist its effects by reasserting their power within extended family and community networks or maximizing their economic interests by engaging in petty unlawful practices. However, current approaches can neither show patterned differences in the ways that poor people in the region think and react to their social worlds nor can they provide explanations of how culturally-based motivators inform how the poor move in their pursuits. This article addresses these shortcomings by systematically examining the role that cultural factors play in shaping poor young people's particular choices and decisions. It relies on two years of ethnographic fieldwork among poor young men and women in two urban capitals in Iran in order to show how poor youth manage their everyday lives and attempt to move forward. In so doing, it is shown that in order to understand poor young people's preferences for undertaking certain actions over others, we must place their choices within a larger moral universe that is guided by their conceptions of good and bad. In this moral universe, the moral codes of honor and work provide both guidelines and an evaluative code for individual initiative and conduct. It is suggested that current perspectives should incorporate the role of moral systems and reassess the relationship between poverty and behavior in the region.
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إدمان الانترنت: دراسة ميدانية بين مستخدمي الانترت في قطر
المؤلفون: Layachi Anserأدى التقدم التكنولوجي السريع إلى التوسع في استخدام شبكة الانترنت بشكل غير مسبوق، وأصبح باستطاعة الفرد أينما كان الاستفادة من خدماتها المتعددة والمتنوعة. لقد أضحت الانترنت وسيلة الاتصال الأسرع انتشارا والأقوى تأثيرا في المجتمعات الحديثة، وأتاحت فرص الإطلاع على الأحداث والأخبار لحظة وقوعها وأصبح التعليق على الأفكار والمدونات والمشاركة في المنتديات أحداثا يومية وعادية. إن الاستخدام الواسع للانترنت له جوانب كثيرة إيجابية، ولكنه مثل كل شيء آخر يتضمن جوانب سلبية عديدة. تتناول هذه الدراسة واحدا من تلك الجوانب السلبية ممثلا في الاستخدام المفرط للانترنت الذي يعتبر شكلا من أشكال السلوك الإدماني، وتهدف الدراسة أيضا إلى كشف التأثيرات المتعددة لهذا السلوك سواء على العلاقات والتواصل الاجتماعي، أو على الصحة النفسية والجسدية للمستخدمين. من هذا المنطلق تأتي أهمية القيام بدراسة مسحية للتعرف بدقة أكبر على هذا السلوك، في محاولة للإجابة على مجموعة من التساؤلات الرئيسية تتعلق بحجم الوقت المخصص لاستخدام الانترنت ومجالات الاستخدام. وقد اعتمدت الدراسة على أسلوب المسح بالعينة لمجموعة من مستخدمي الانترنت بلغت 1063 مفردة شملت طلاب المدارس والجامعة وعامة الجمهور، بالإضافة إلى إجراء مقابلات معمقة مع عينة مستهدفة من المستخدمين الذين يستخدمون الانترنت بشكل مفرط. وهو ما سمح بالتوصل إلى مجموعة من النتائج التي تسلط الضوء على هذه الظاهرة في المجتمع القطري. من أهم تلك النتائج التعرف على الخصائص العامة لمستخدمي الانترنت من حيث النوع والعمر والجنسية ومستوى التعليم والوضعية المهنية، ثم معرفة النمط العام لاستخدام الانترنت من حيث حجم الوقت المخصص لها، وأكثر الأماكن والأوقات والوسائل المستعملة للتشبيك، والكشف عن مجموعة من مؤشرات "الإدمان" أو الاستخدام المفرط للانترنت، فضلا عن التعرف على بعض العوامل المساعدة على ذلك، وأخيرا توضيح التأثيرات الناتجة عن الإفراط باستخدام الانترنت سواء على التواصل والعلاقات الاجتماعية، أو على الصحة النفسية والجسدية للمستخدمين. وينبغي التنويه أن الدراسة لم تكتفي بالكشف عن مجموعة من الحقائق والمعارف النظرية المتعلقة بحجم انتشار السلوك وخصائص المستخدمين فحسب، بل سمحت أيضا بصياغة مجموعة من المقترحات والتوصيات التي تساعد الجهات المعنية مثل مركز التأهيل الاجتماعي على وضع برامج للوقاية والعلاج وإعادة التأهيل، هدفها مساعدة المستخدمين على التخلص من هذا النوع من السلوك الإدماني، وحماية المجتمع من بعض الآثار السلبية المرتبطة بإساءة استخدام التكنولوجيات الجديدة.
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Wisdom and reasoning between the ideological dimension and the dimension Makassed
المؤلفون: Hossam Khalil Mohammedإثبات حكمة الله تعالى وتعليل أفعاله وأحكامه بالمصالح من أجلّ المسائل العقدية المتعلقة بالتوحيد إذ بها تظهر حكمة الله تعالى وعظمته ورحمته بعباده. كما أنها ضرورة ملحة لفهم الكتاب والسنة واستلهام هديهما، إذ لا يتأتي ذلك إلا بإدراك أن لكل فعل من أفعاله وحكم من أحكامه غاية يحققها وحكمة يعمل لإيجادها ومقصداً وهدفاً يقصده ويستهدفه لتحقيق مصلحة الإنسان أو دفع مفسدة عنه ، ومن هنا كان ارتباط الحكمة والتعليل بالبعد المقاصدي للشريعة ارتباط الروح بالجسد والأصل بالفرع ولعل هذا ما حدا الإمام الشاطبي أن يستفتح القسم الذي خصصه للمقاصد بالبحث في مسألة التعليل والإنكار على الإمام الفخر الرازي قوله بأن أفعال الله تعالى وأحكامه ليست معللة . والقول بتعليل أفعال الله وأحكامه لازم لإثبات محاسن الشريعة المطهرة وتنزيهها ودعوة الناس إليها كما أنه أيضا ضروري لقطع الملحدين ورد شبههم عن الإسلام ،وفي هذا يقول العلامة صدر الشريعة: ( وما أبعد عن الحق قول من قال : إنها غير معللة ؛ فإن بعثة الأنبياء عليهم الصلاة والسلام لاهتداء الخلق ، وإظهار المعجزات لتصديقهم ، فمن أنكر التعليل فقد أنكر النبوة ..) ، وللأسف قد وقع خلاف كبير بين علماء الأمة في إثبات الحكمة والتعليل ، ولزم من ذلك إنكار مقاصدية الشريعة في حق من نفى الحكمة والتعليل ، لأجل هذا أحببت أن أدلي بدلوي في كتابة هذا البحث المتواضع في هذا الموضوع الهام، قاصداً إثبات الحكمة والتعليل في أفعال الله وأحكامه كقضية عقدية وما يلزم من ذلك من وجوب الإيمان بمقاصدية الشريعة المطهرة مع بيان طرق ومسالك استنباط المقاصد من الحِكَم والعلل االجزئية . خطة البحث : قد قسمت هذا البحث إلى مباحث : المبحث الأول : الحكمة والتعليل ومقاصد التشريع بين اللغة والاصطلاح . المبحث الثاني : الخلاف في تعليل أحكام الله تعالى وأفعاله ويتضمن خمسة مطالب : المطلب الأول : أثر التحسين والتقبيح العقلي في الاختلاف في الحكمة والتعليل. المطلب الثاني : الأقوال في الحكمة والتعليل . المطلب الثالث : أدلة الأقوال . المطلب الرابع : الترجيح . المطلب الخامس : ثمرة الخلاف . المبحث الثالث : الحكمة والتعليل والبعد المقاصدي ويتضمن مطلبين : المطلب الأول : الإيمان بمقاصدية الشريعة . المطلب الثاني : طرق ومسالك إثبات مقاصد الشريعة من الحكم والعلل . خاتمة: وسجلت فيها أهم نتائج البحث.
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بحث تفعيل دور التعليم المهنيَ في قطر
المؤلفون: Nisreen Mohammad Abunada, منى بابتي and منى النعيميبحث تفعيل دور التعليم المهنيَ في قطر المقدمة يعرف العالم منذ عقود توجهًا جديدًا في مجال التَعليم التَقني ، حيث أصبحت الدَول و المنظمات ترصد إمكانيات ضخمة ، إيمانًا منها بأهميته في التقليل من ظاهرة البطالة واعتناءه بالعنصر البشري و تطوير قدراته ، إسهامًا في التنمية ،و توفيرًا لفرص النَجاح للجميع وتحقيق رؤية قطر 2030. الأهداف : 1)الاستثمار الأمثل للرأسمال البشري. 2)مساعدة الشباب على اختيار مستقبلها المهني ،وتقديم المعلومات عن مجالات الدراسة المهنية وعلاقتها بوظيفة المستقبل في ضوء خطة التنمية القطرية . 3)تفعيل دور المدارس وإشراكها في تأهيل البنية التحتية للتعليم المهني . 4)التقليل من نسبة البطالة من خلال ابراز الوظائف المهنية كحل حقيقي للأزمة، ومتنفس للأفراد. 5)المساهمة في القضاء على ظاهرة التسرب بين الطلاب الاكاديميين . منهج البحث : نعتمد المنهج الوصفي والمنهج التاريخي ، أما الابواب هي: التعليم بين الماضي والحاضر : تقديم فكرة مفصلة عن واقع التعليم المهني في قطر . كيف نطور التعليم المهني ؟: تقديم دراسة عن كيفية استثمار الموارد البشرية ،وتطوير قدراتها ، تثقيفها مهنيًا . تجربة رائدة :- تقديم صورة واقعية مبنية على الزيارات والاستبيانات في قطر . -تقديم حلول مبنية على تجارب رائدة . الدراسات المقارنة : دراسة العلاقات المتبادلة بين المتغيرات ، والبناء على النظريات الناجحة في البلدان المتقدمة . كل باب مقسَم الى فصلين النتائج : 1-تحقيق اقتصاد وطني متنوع المصادر ذو قدرة تنافسية عالية. 2-تحقيق التنمية القائمة على التقنية الحديثة في التعليم. 3-استثمار الرأسمال البشري , القائم على ثقافة الكفاءة والجودة. 4-القضاء على ظواهر التسرب المدرسي والبطالة . 5-نشر ثقافة التعليم المهني . التوصيات 1.توعية الشباب وأولياءهم والمدارس من خلال الدورات للمدارس. 2.تبصير الشباب بالتخصصات المهنية ، متطلباتها لتمكينهم من المواءمة مع قدراتهم . 3.تقديم الاستشارات الوظيفية وتأمين فرص العمل لخريجي المدارس الفنية . 4.تكثيف الحملات الاعلانية لرفع مستواه وتخريج العمالة الماهرة . 5.إيجاد حوافز للشباب لبناء نموذج قوي من التعليم المهني. 6.التركيز علي دور الفتيات في الأعمال المهنية . 7.تأمين فرص تدريب خارج وداخل قطر ،وزيادة الحوافز للانخراط في العمل المهني . 8.توفير الأمان المهني من خلال تفعيل دور المدارس ، واشراكها في عملية تأهيل بنية أساسية ، والتعاون مع المؤسسات لإظهار أهمية دور الفنيين . 9.تبني التوصيات من قبل الدولة تعتمد استراتيجيات التطوير المهني.
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بحث ادارة استراتيجيات التفوق البشري لأطفال الربيع العربي
المؤلفون: منى علي بابتيبحث ادارة استراتيجيات التفوق البشري لأطفال الربيع العربي المقدمة تعد قطر من الدول الرائدة في مجال إعانة شعوب الرَبيع العربي مادياً وسياسياً ، وكون الطفل العربي المحور الأساسي لربيع يزهر علماً ،فكراً ، سلاماً ، ارتأينا أن ندعم الطفل العربي ذهنيًا بإقامة مركز خاص يشرف على تطبيق مشروع الاتساق الذهنيَ ، نعمل من خلاله على ادارة استراتيجيات التفوق البشري لبناء شخصيتهم المتوازنة ومساعدتهم على تجاوز الصَعوبات ، فبناء الفكر البشريَ السَليم في ظل هذه المتغيرات يساهم في خلق آفاق عربية سليمة. الأهداف : 1)فتح المقر الإداريَ لأول مركز تنمويَ ثقافيَ فكريَ تدريبيَ متخصَص للفئات العمرية من 6-14 في العالم العربي . 2)تنفيذ 30 برنامج تدريبيَ للأطفال عبر الجمعيات المشرفة ،يعتمد منهج تدريبيَ نفسيَ ،اجتماعيَ، علاجيَ وفكريَ ، وإعادة برمجة الأطفال على استعمال استراتيجيات الدماغ المتقدمة في أنماط التفكير، الإبداع و القيادة . 3)تقديم استشارات و برامج متخصصة للمراكز المشرفة على الأطفال . 4) تأهيل 30 مدرب من كافة الجمعيات ، للمشاركة في تعميم الأثر المباشر. 5)فتح موقع الكتروني يقدم مساهمات لكل المراكز العربية عبر العالم بمشاركة كفاءات المراكز . منهج البحث : نعتمد المنهج الوصفي ، أمَا الابواب هي: أ.معايير إدارة التفوق البشري : 1-انارة العقل . 2-تخلص من قيودك. 3-الليونة العقلية والجلد الذهني 4-الرؤية بعين الحق 5-الهدنة مع الذات 6-الاتساق النفسي والعقلي . 7-استراتيجيات التفوق العقلي . ب.منظومة إدارة البرامج العقلية : 1-مختبر إدارة الذات. 2-مختبر إدارة العقل. 3-تحرر. 4-التغلب على الصعوبات. ج. بناء الهوية التكوينية. النتائج : 1-توظيف هذه الأساليب لتوفير فرص أفضل لحياة كريمة ، آمنة تتوافق وتطلعات الأمم السَاعية للتقدم . 2-اكسابهم استراتيجيات التفوَق البشريَ القائم على السَلام والتَعاون البناء بين الجميع 3-غرس المواطنة الصَادقة عند الأطفال . 4-تأهيل قيادات الألفية الثالثة الإيجابيَة 5-استثمار الرأسمال الفكري البشري 6-نشر ثقافة السَلام والقضاء على التطرف . التوصيات 1.توعية المجتمع لأهمية التعليم الذهني ،وتطوير القدرات العقلية والنفسية لبناء الشخصية المتكاملة من خلال الدَورات . 2.تبصير المؤسسات والمراكز التطوعية باستراتيجيات التفوَق البشري وكيفية ادارته . 3.تقديم الاستشارات المتخصصة للعاملين في المراكز التطوعية والخيرية . 4.تكثيف الحملات الإعلانية للتعريف بالبرنامج . 5.إقامة شراكات واتفاقات مع المراكز القطرية التطوعية الخيرية ،لبناء نموذج قوي لادارة المشروع من و في قطر .
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The chief financial officer of the 21st century
المؤلفون: John Chibaya MbuyaOver the past fifty years, the role of the chief financial officer has evolved from that of an accountant to that of strategist and business partner. This past decade has seen important research conducted into the evolving role of the CFO by organisations in the United States of America, Canada, Australia, South Africa,The Arab World and New Zealand, as well by the International Federation of Accountants. By 2007, the issue of whether the role of the CFO in South Africa had evolved (and, if so, how) had not yet been researched by the accounting profession. In late 2007, the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants embarked on such a research project entitled "The CFO of the future". This paper is a process report for phase 1 of the research. The purpose of this process report is fourfold. Firstly, it provides the background to the research project. Secondly, the paper reflects on other important studies conducted into the changing role of the CFO. The paper then presents a new model of the different roles that a CFO could play in corporate South Africa so as to categorise the focus areas that CFOs could address now and in the future. Lastly, the paper explains how the model was used to prepare a questionnaire sent to CFOs of the Top 40 companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange Limited based on market capitalisation. This questionnaire was sent on behalf on the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants as a research tool used to elicit the views of business leaders at the top of the corporate ladder. The process followed and response rate achieved are also reflected upon.
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Social integration between Qataris and expatriates
Qatari society is witnessing an increase in cultural diversity due to a large number of immigrants from different cultures. This cultural diversity may create a kind of cultural isolation between non-Qataris and Qatari people. International migration has led to diverse and plural cultural identities and ethnic groups in the same society. Studies have shown that immigrants face problems of adaptation to, and integration with, the culture in the communities to which they migrate. This study aims to identify the degree of social integration between expatriates and Qataris Methodology: This study used a focus group (14 focus groups, total of 65 participants from different nationalities) with an open-ended question. By using convenience and snowball sampling techniques Results: The primary arenas of interaction between Qatari and non-Qatari were in work/educational contexts. For example, participants from all groups revealed that while they have good working relationships with Qataris (or expatriates), these relationships remain in the public sphere at work or school and generally do not extend beyond these boundaries. Barriers to Integration: Language: Considered as the major barrier by most expatriates to relationship with Qataris. Culture diversity: Foreigners who share an important identity such as religion (e.g., Muslims, Arabs) are more able to make relationship with Qatari people and more likely to assimilate into Qatari society. Transient nature of expatriates: Most expatriates come to Qatar on 2-4 year work visas. This was mentioned as a barrier to social integration by both expatriates and Qataris. Appearance of Qataris: The national dress is worn by most Qatari men and women, and several focus groups mentioned that this attire can be intimidating and act as a barrier to casual interactions. Security and lack of security: While the expatriates expressed comfort and a sense of security in Qatar, the nationals showed lack of security. Conclusions: The results showed some manifestations and causes of cultural isolation between Qataris and expatriates. It showed that immigrants who come to work in Qatar faced difficulties in communicating with the Qatari people.
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Mental health issues among migrant workers in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries: Literature review and case illustrations.
المؤلفون: Maha Al-Ghafry, Marwa Saleh and Ziad KronfolBackground and Objectives: It is well established from the European and North American literature that migration has a great impact on the mental health of the migrant population. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states are home to more than 13 million non-nationals, yet the mental health status and psychological well-being of this large population has rarely been investigated. The majority of migrants are blue collar or domestic workers coming from the Indian subcontinent and southeast Asia. There are isolated reports of psychosis and/or suicide among this 'at risk' population, but no reliable data are available. For this reason, we decided to conduct a systematic search of the literature to review the epidemiology and characteristics of the mental health issues of the migrant workers in the GCC countries. Methods: The literature search was conducted in both English and Arabic. The English search consisted of various words and combinations including migrant worker, domestic worker, mental health, Middle East, GCC countries and the six countries contributing the majority of the migrants to the GCC (India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Philippines, and Indonesia). The search was conducted mainly in databases for academic journal articles such as PubMed, Scopus, PsycInfo and Google Scholar. Also, for each of the six migrant countries of origin identified, a search through the country's own medical and psychiatric journals was performed. The Arabic search was carried out on ArabPsyNet.com using the aforementioned combinations in the English literature. Results: Our literature search revealed very little regarding the mental health of migrant workers in GCC countries. The available literature consisted mostly of theoretical presentations or isolated clinical reports. There was a suggestion of an increased rate of psychosis and suicidal attempts. Vey few systematic and/or quantitative studies have ever been published. We therefore present a series of brief clinical vignettes to illustrate the scope of the problem. Conclusion: The lack of available published data regarding the mental health status of migrant workers in the GCC countries is somewhat surprising. We discuss possible reasons for underreporting and present steps to be taken to address this important issue.
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A study on the approach of raising the academic level of the State of Qatar through the implementation of bilingual education.
المؤلفون: Mariam Ali BahameishBilingual education was introduced to Qatar schools several years ago in order to achieve Qatar's National Vision of 2030. The main purpose of the research is to provide a clear image of education in Qatar and show how bilingualism affects the country academically. The term 'bilingualism', in its simplest definition, is knowing two different languages based on competency in four skill areas; understanding, speaking, reading and writing. Therefore, bilingual education in Qatar refers to the use of secondary language in schools for teaching certain subjects. The design of the study is based on a comparison between the academic improvements of graduated students from independent and government schools. The data was collected by questionnaire surveys of 40 undergraduate students from both schools to evaluate the level of education they have gained and the problems they have faced in university. Moreover, a survey was distributed among teachers and parents to discover their experiences with bilingualism. In addition, for data collection, statistics from the Supreme Education Council website was used to get an overview of the level of independent schools. In the beginning, the idea of implementing bilingual education in schools was not accepted by students, teachers and parents, because they found some difficulties adapting to the English language. It resulted in low scores in science and mathematics courses; thus, students faced some problems in the admission requirements for Qatar University. On the other hand, the students' level in English has risen noticeably. Moreover, there was an argument that bilingual education may affect the Islamic religion and Arabic culture, but the parents' survey showed that there is no major effect under the SEC supervision. Despite all the obstacles, the SEC is working on several strategies to overcome the problems by strengthening the level of teaching and teachers to deliver the correct information to the students. From this study, it can be concluded that the usage of English language in Qatar schools has a great impact on the society. Therefore, in the near future, by raising the education level, Qatar will achieve public welfare, high standards of living and significant academic performance.
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How do school leaders' perceptions of 'Education for a New Era' affect the implementation of the reform in primary schools in Qatar?
المؤلفون: Asma Essa AlfadalaBackground & Objectives: In 2001, Qatar began a comprehensive education reform (Education for a New Era) based on RAND's recommendations for building an educational system that would meet the country's changing needs. The reform introduced innovation into the country's education system, including a standards-based curriculum, professional development programmes for teachers and for leaders, and a new system for assessment. One aspect of the reform was the introduction of the National Professional Standards (NPS), which have had a significant impact on school leaders' roles. As a recent two-year study conducted by the RAND Corporation in 2007 states, despite the many positive effects of the reform, more change is needed to support schools and teachers. School leaders are currently facing challenges in their role of leading and managing the school community. The school model in Qatar, post-reform, has increased both autonomy and accountability for leaders. The objective of this study is to explore the perceptions of school leaders in Qatar. The prime reason underlying the focus on leaders' perceptions is that leaders are at the heart of any educational change. Methods: This study follows a qualitative method using initial interviews, observation and in-depth interviews in four primary schools in Qatar. The participants are the senior managers in each school. Preliminary Results: School leaders believed that working in a school under the reform was better than the rigid approach they had experienced in Ministry of Education schools. They expressed the view that while the NPS offered advantages, it nevertheless lacked clarity and left them to rely on their own skills when it came to implementation. More importantly, there were few guidelines from the SEC to implement the NPS more effectively. It was also discovered that how leaders perceived the change affected its implementation. These perceptions ranged from total awareness to lack of sufficient knowledge of the new policy. The school leaders exhibited a very positive opinion towards the reform. However, some of the leaders expressed a need for more training on how to lead their team better.
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How to treat diabetes in Arabs: A rational approach based upon the pathogenesis of the disease
المؤلفون: Muhammad Abdul-Ghani, Ralph DeFronzo, Mahmoud Zirie, Amin Jayyousi and Abdul-Bari BenerBackground and Aims: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a complex disease with multiple metabolic defects including insulin resistance and beta cell dysfunction. Although both insulin resistance and beta cell dysfunction are present in type 2 diabetic individuals in all ethnic groups, we previously have shown that the contribution of each abnormality to the deterioration of glucose homeostasis is ethnic dependent with the greatest role of beta cell dysfunction being in Arab individuals. In the present study, we compare the efficacy and safety of a novel therapeutic approach of initiating subjects with new onset T2DM on triple therapy with agents that correct the metabolic defects in T2DM (metformin/pioglitazone/exenatide) versus the American Diabetes Association guidelines (starting metformin and sequential addition of sulfonylurea and basal insulin) which are based upon the concept of lowering the plasma glucose concentration. Research Design and Methods: 133 new onset T2DM patients (age = 45±1 y; BMI=36±0.5; HbA1c = 8.8±0.1%; diabetes duration = 5.6±0.5 mo) were randomized to receive metformin (2000 mg/d), plus pioglitazone (45 mg/d), plus exenatide (10 micrograms BID) (triple therapy, n=64) or escalating doses of metformin (2000 mg/d), followed by sequential addition of sulfonylurea (glipizide, 20 mg/d) and basal insulin to maintain HbA1c <6.5 (conventional therapy, n = 69). Results: Subjects who received triple therapy, HbA1c decreased from 8.6 to 6.1% at 6 mo and to 6.0% at 24 mo, while in the conventional therapy, HbA1c declined to 6.2% at 6 mo and subsequently increased to 6.5% at 24 mo. Despite lower HbA1c, subjects in triple therapy arm experienced a 13.6-fold lower rate of hypoglycemia compared to subjects in conventional therapy arm. 14 of 66 (21%) of T2DM patients in the conventional therapy arm have required insulin therapy to maintain the target A1c value. Subjects in the triple therapy arm experienced mean weight loss of 1.2 kg compared to mean weight gain of 3.6 kg (p=0.02) in subjects in the conventional therapy arm. Conclusion: The present results demonstrate that antidiabetic therapy targeting the metabolic abnormalities responsible for hyperglycemia is more effective and safe than therapy simply aimed at lowering the plasma glucose concentration in T2DM.
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Biochemical response and effects of bariatric surgeries on type 2 diabetes
Background and Objectives: Bariatric surgery has proved to be a powerful technique that not only induces drastic and long-lasting weight loss but, also resolves type 2 diabetes and potentially reverses diabetes-related diseases in morbidly obese patients. Extraordinarily, the remission of type 2 diabetes occurs long before any significant weight loss. The physiological and biochemical mechanisms underlying the astonishing impact of bariatric surgery on glucose homeostasis are, however, poorly understood. Our objective is to use mathematical modeling to try to better understand the mechanisms behind type 2 diabetes remission after bariatric surgery. Methods: A general mathematical method is proposed for estimating the biochemical response to pharmaceuticals, surgeries, or other medical interventions. This method is then applied in an extremely simple model of the response to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery and related procedures. Results and Conclusions: There are clearly multiple and quite complex effects of bariatric surgeries. The results of our model confirm that the remission of type 2 diabetes after bariatric surgery can be largely explained by the enhanced post-meal excretion of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), an incretin that increases insulin secretion and has been shown to increase proliferation and decrease apoptosis of pancreatic beta cells, but it also suggests that other mechanisms are likely to be involved, possibly including an additional insulin-independent pathway for glucose transport into cells.
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