Abstract

Abstract. An abstract of about 250-300 words should be presented immediately preceding the text. The abstract should concisely inform the reader of the manuscript’s topic, its methods, and its findings.

Treatment outcome and follow-up pattern of breast cancer patients with locally advanced and/or metastatic disease receiving intravenous chemotherapy during COVID-19 Pandemic: A descriptive correlational study

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Paulo Martin B. Villanueva1 Judy Ann B. Surtida, May Sabando
English as a Foreign Language Teacher, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Polytechnic State University of Bicol / Manila Doctors College of Nursing, Philippines
Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital (BRTTH), Philippines
Corresponding Email: [email protected]

A B S T R A C T
The study determined the impact COVID-19 pandemic on treatment outcomes and follow-up patterns of breast cancer patients at Bicol Cancer Center of Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital (BRTTH). The study utilized a retrospective and descriptive study. Of the 108 breast cancer patients, 73 or 67.59 percent had followed up as scheduled during the pandemic; while there was 35 or 32.41 percent who had delayed follow-up. Of the total number of subjects with treatment delays, there were 7 or 6.48 percent with the stable disease while 24 or 22.22 percent were already found with progressive disease. For breast cancer patients with no treatment delays, there was 71 or 65.74 percent with stable disease and 6 or 5.56 percent were found to have a progressive disease. A chi-square test of independence was performed to examine the comparison of outcomes between those with treatment delay and those with no treatment delay. The relation between these variables was significant, X2 (1, N = 108) = 49.9951, p = <0.00001. Patients with no treatment delays were more likely to have a stable disease compared to those with treatment delays. There is a high percentage of follow-ups as scheduled despite the COVID-19 pandemic. The incidence of progressive disease is higher among patients who received treatment delay as compared to those who did not have treatment delay. Patients with breast cancer who do not follow up as scheduled which causes treatment delays are at higher risk of having more severe or progressive disease.

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Communication strategies of English majors in Philippine classroom discourses: Basis for an enhancementmodule on strategic competence

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Henry E. Lemana II
English as a Foreign Language Teacher, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Corresponding Email: [email protected]

A B S T R A C T
Both high and low language proficiency learners encounter communication issues, so they use verbal and nonverbal communication techniques to make up for communication failures brought on by performance factors or a lack of competence. This study described the communication strategies employed in the utterances of Filipino students in their classroom discourses as a basis for an enhancement module on strategic competence. Furthermore, it utilized a descriptive-quantitative approach. Third-year college students under the Bachelor in Secondary Education major in English program of four purposively selected higher education institutions in Region XII, the Philippines were the participants of the study, who were observed with video recordings. Transcription of students’ utterances provided the data for analysis through the use of the taxonomy of communication strategies. Based on the results, English majors possess strategic competence as evidenced by their use of varied communication strategies, with fillers being the most lavishly employed. However, the analysis also conveyed that students incline to overuse three communication strategies (use of fillers/hesitation devices, self-repetition, mumbling) which resulted in observable message distortions, unsuccessful information transfers, and even total communication breakdowns. The results of this study became the basis to come up with an enhancement module on the strategic competence of English majors. The findings suggest that the proposed enhancement module on strategic competence be implemented in the selected higher education institutions in the Philippines and further studies on other aspects of communicative competence (linguistic, socio-linguistic, and discourse) be conducted with a more significant sample of students taking other courses and coming from various groups and ages.

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Serbigo Serbisyo on the Go!: Online job order mobile application for non-professional workers

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Serbigo Serbisyo on the Go!: Online job order mobile application for non-professional workers
Kent Nolan P. Juliano, Wilmer Andre E. Cruzado, Kyle Daniel P. De Ramos, Mia V. Villarica
Corresponding Email: [email protected]

A B S T R A C T
The way we live, the way we conduct daily tasks, and the way our society are all profoundly impacted by the deep integration of technology into our daily lives. The research aims to develop and evaluate a web and mobile application that empowers vulnerable workers in the informal sector in marketing their services and locating employment opportunities, as well as offering convenience to users by connecting them with workers in the area who are qualified to manage the task at hand. The researchers were able to swiftly transform system requirements to system design and development which was carried out using the SCRUM software methodology. Black box methodology was utilized in the system testing and the Technology Acceptance Model and ISO/IEC 25010 software metrics were integrated during the evaluation phase. The system was tested in various test scenarios and revealed it was fully functional and ready for deployment. Mutually, service finders and providers of the developed mobile applications were very satisfied, acknowledging its convenience in user experience and future earning possibility it provides. The evaluation also revealed that the developed system is timely, efficient and useful especially considering the current global situation. An implementation plan, business model and financial analysis should be established to generate profit for the community.

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Support vector machine classification learning algorithm for diabetes prediction

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Renas Rajab Asaad
Department of Computer Science, College of Science, Nawroz University, Kurdistan-Region, Iraq
Corresponding Email: [email protected]

A B S T R A C T
The concept of instructional competence, which refers to the ability to show that one has the readiness and effectiveness of necessary skills within the teaching framework in public schools, has hardly ever been investigated. This qualitative descriptive phenomenological study aimed to discover the instructional competence of newly hired public school teachers. Through the lens of Albert Bandura’s (1997) Self-Efficacy Theory, it investigated what instructional competencies a newly hired teacher possessed that demonstrated readiness and efficacy of the required skills. The focus group discussions highlighted the crucial characteristics for improving the competencies. The results revealed six (6) emergent themes: the acquisition of baseline instructional standards, coping with the shift of instructional quality, planning for quality instruction, an initiative for instructional improvement, dealing with uncertainties, and health and well-being stability. The results highlighted that instructional competency might become self-efficient with increased experience and practice. Their prior teaching experience influenced the quality of a new teacher’s instruction.   In addition, teachers’ competencies are gradually enhanced and strengthened as they gain experience in the field. As students discover new concepts, teachers begin to hone the skills that will allow them to manage classroom instruction effectively. This study deepens the understanding of instructional competence and may enable teachers and policymakers to design and implement initiatives. Since there is strong evidence that newly hired teachers may be self-sufficient, instructional managers must assure support by creating policies and programs that bridge instructional competencies to practice. These professional development programs allow newly hired teachers eventually gain instructional competency and well-motivated public-school teaching.

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A closer look at neophyte teachers’ instructional competence: A phenomenological study

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Lynard Bobby L. Asirit, Jocelyn H. Hua, Lorenzo Mendoza
Davao del Norte State College/ Kolehiyo ng Pantukan, Philippines
Kolehiyo ng Pantukan, Philippines
Department of Education, Division of Davao Oriental, Philippines
Corresponding Email: [email protected]

A B S T R A C T
The concept of instructional competence, which refers to the ability to show that one has the readiness and effectiveness of necessary skills within the teaching framework in public schools, has hardly ever been investigated. This qualitative descriptive phenomenological study aimed to discover the instructional competence of newly hired public school teachers. Through the lens of Albert Bandura’s (1997) Self-Efficacy Theory, it investigated what instructional competencies a newly hired teacher possessed that demonstrated readiness and efficacy of the required skills. The focus group discussions highlighted the crucial characteristics for improving the competencies. The results revealed six (6) emergent themes: the acquisition of baseline instructional standards, coping with the shift of instructional quality, planning for quality instruction, an initiative for instructional improvement, dealing with uncertainties, and health and well-being stability. The results highlighted that instructional competency might become self-efficient with increased experience and practice. Their prior teaching experience influenced the quality of a new teacher’s instruction. In addition, teachers’ competencies are gradually enhanced and strengthened as they gain experience in the field. As students discover new concepts, teachers begin to hone the skills that will allow them to manage classroom instruction effectively. This study deepens the understanding of instructional competence and may enable teachers and policymakers to design and implement initiatives. Since there is strong evidence that newly hired teachers may be self-sufficient, instructional managers must assure support by creating policies and programs that bridge instructional competencies to practice. These professional development programs allow newly hired teachers eventually gain instructional competency and well-motivated public-school teaching.

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Rectifying misconceptions on covalent bonding using cooperative learning, concrete models, and computer simulation: A case study

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Phuntsho Dorji, Yonten Chophel
Drukjegang Higher Secondary School, Bhutan
Daga Central School, Dagana, Bhutan
Corresponding Email: [email protected]

A B S T R A C T
The covalent bonding concept is perceived by students as abstract to comprehend and thus leads to the development of misconceptions. The inappropriate preconception on the subject is one of the contributing factors that lead to the development of misconceptions among the students. To this end, identifying and remediating learners’ misconceptions is vital for every individual teacher in order to cultivate sound scientific knowledge in their learners. This study aimed to explore two aspects: first, the misconceptions of the grade-ninth students on the covalent bonding concept. Second, the effectiveness of cooperative learning based on conceptual change instruction, the use of concrete models, and computer simulation in remediating those misconceptions. The study adopted a quantitative method. The sample comprised 20 students (n=20) studying in the ninth grade of Drukjegang Higher Secondary School in Bhutan. The misconceptions of the students were identified using two-tier diagnostic tests. The study revealed that students’ common misconceptions related to covalent bonding are concentrated under five themes: the kinds of atoms that form covalent bonding, how covalent bonding is formed, the kinds of covalent bonding, the characteristics of covalent compounds, and the Lewis dot structure and the octet rule. The data collected from the pre-test and post-test were analyzed and compared to determine the effectiveness of the intervention strategies. The misconceptions of students in post-test have significantly reduced after the intervention was implemented. The study suggests the use of cooperative learning, concrete models, and computer simulation as an effective remediating means of delivering the concept of covalent bonding among the students. Implications of the findings are also discussed.

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Physical facilities on students’ participation in science and technology programmes in public universities in Kenya

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Bernard Wasilwa Wanyama
Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya
Corresponding Email: [email protected]

A B S T R A C T
Despite the government commitment to the implementation of admission policies like targeting enrolment of 50% of all students in science and technology related courses through placement of students into these programmes and significantly expanding them, only 29% of students were studying a course in Science and Technology by the year 2016. Such scenario implies that the country is seriously lagging behind in the realization of Kenya Education Sector Support Programme (KESSP I) participation target of 50%. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of physical facilities on students’ participation in these Programmes. The study employed descriptive survey design. Purposive sampling and simple random techniques were employed to select respondents. Questionnaires, interview schedules and structured observation schedules were utilized to collect data. Qualitative data was analysed thematically and reported in form of tables, quotations and narrations while quantitative data was analysed by use of frequencies, percentages, means, pie charts and bar graphs. It was established that inadequacy of physical facilities stood at 74%. The study concludes that Universities were experiencing acute shortage of facilities to the extent that they had not reached the minimum acceptable level. Practical elements in curriculum were extremely undermined and the curriculum was highly deficient, out-dated and irrelevant with little coordination between its designs and industries. Students were majorly grounded in theory at the expense of practical industrial training and transmission pedagogy dominated lecture halls, making learning largely passive. It recommends that Universities should formulate, adopt and implement University Industry Partnership and Placement (UIPP) policy to recognize the Universities’ science and technology study programmes as part of the industry chains.

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Efficacy of fermented cassava pulp with chicken manure on nutrients digestibility, haematological parameters, and growth performance of barrow pigs

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Simon Anthony Kayombo, Pattaraporn Poommarin, Panida Duangkaew
Wanging’ombe District Council, Njombe, Tanzania
Silpakorn University, Phetchaburi Province, Thailand
Corresponding Email: [email protected]

A B S T R A C T
Cassava pulp is a by-product from the starch industry which was used as cheap alternative livestock feed. However, it has a limitation of low protein and high fibre to use in monogastric animals. Nutrient improvement of cassava pulp usually employs the use of inorganic nitrogen fertilizer. Here we demonstrated the use of chicken manure as an organic nitrogen source in compensation for the inorganic nitrogen. This research aimed to investigate the efficacy of cassava pulp fermented by dried chicken manure with yeast (CPCM) in a maize-soybean-based diets of pigs on nutrients digestibility, haematological parameters, and growth performance of barrow pigs as alternative energy feed. The results showed that the CPCM had crude protein increase from 1.99% of the plain cassava pulp to 8.54% (p < 0.05), while the crude fibre of CPCM decreased from 15.63 to 13.85%. Investigation of the diets containing CPCM as a replacement of maize at 4 levels (0%, 5%, 10%, and 15%) in twenty-four castrated male pigs (57.13 ± 3.29 kgs initial bodyweight) revealed that the control diet (0%CPCM) had the greatest digestibility percentages in all categories including dry matter, crude protein, crude fibre, gross energy, and total phosphorus (p < 0.05). Among CPCM replacement diets, the 15%CPCM generally verified a greater digestibility. The results of the feeding trial showed that there was no significant difference (p > 0.05) in feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion ratio, and haematological parameters among the four treatment diets. The haematological results showed that all parameters fall under the normal ranges of haematological pigs’ references. In conclusion, the results confirmed that CPCM can be used in the replacement of up to 15% in maize-soybean pig diets without any harmful effects.

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Proficiency and attitude of criminology students in Trigonometry in select Philippine higher education institution

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Ritchie F. Balandra
Northern Negros State College of Science and Technology, Philippines
Corresponding Email:  [email protected]

A B S T R A C T
The study aimed to determine the relationship between the attitude and level of proficiency in Trigonometry among criminology students in select Higher Education Institution (HEI) in the Philippines. Descriptive-correlational design was used in this study. The modified Sherman-Fennema Attitude Scale was used to determine the attitude of the respondents while mean, t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine the level of proficiency in Trigonometry. Findings revealed that the level of proficiency of the criminology students when taken as a whole and grouped according to sex and type of school graduated from high school is High. Interestingly, when they are grouped according to their achievement status, it shows that respondents who are achievers were Very High proficiency, while the average and low achievers is in High and Low respectively. Moreover, criminology students had a Moderate positive attitude towards Trigonometry. Furthermore, there was no significant differences in the level of proficiency in Trigonometry of the criminology students when grouped according to sex and type of school graduated. However, differences were noted when they are grouped according to their status of achievement. Considering their attitudes, no significant differences were also noted when criminology students were grouped according to sex, type of school graduated during high school and status of achievement.

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Mobile language learning apps during COVID-19 pandemic: A literature review based study 

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Rustam Haidov, Emrah Soykan
Near East University, English Language Education, Cyprus/ New Jersey, USA
Near East University, Computer Education and Instructional Technology, Cyprus
Corresponding Email: [email protected]

A B S T R A C T
The entire world has come under the influence of a novel pandemic crisis, COVID-19, which has affected the human lives at a large scale. Educational setup and the whole realm of learning also have also suffered a lot worldwide and a major change in the mode of learning has been seen in response to the major crisis. Virtual learning has come in power, which takes into account the crucial role of language-learning mobile applications. Language learning mobile applications has served a large population in the current crisis with their learning benefits. A wide range of language learning mobile apps is available in the app stores, which are being downloaded by incalculable number of language learning aspirants on daily basis. These apps have a remarkably positive influence on the foreign language learners regarding the ease of providing a self-paced learning opportunity along with uplifting the motivational level of language learners. The role of mobile language learning apps and their potential advantageous impact has been discussed, which especially proves significant during the COVID-19 crisis where life is going through various restrictive measures. No matter, the importance of face-to-face language instructions and practice involving direct feedback cannot be overlooked but the virtual or distant language learning via mobile apps bring remarkable progress among the foreign language learners, especially during the adverse crisis, COVID-19, the phenomenon of learning foreign languages via mobile apps is absolutely worthwhile.

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