A job journal by students’ services Center, Nizwa CAS. Ministry of Higher Education Fraiday, November 15, 2013
Leading Article
, Dr. Hilal Al Hadhrami Assistant
Dean
for
Academic
Affairs
and
Scientific
Research
The students’ council is the umbrella where the students discuss all the issues of academic and financial affairs along with extra-curricular activities with the dean and responsible authorities in the College. It consists of two main committees: The academic committee and the activities committee. This year we have
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adopted choosing students by election. Seven students nominated themselves and the voting started via BlackBoard on the 10th of November. We encourage all students to participate in this election and to cooperate with the members of the students’ Council and communicate directly with them to convey their
needs and queries to the deanship through the Council. All suggestions are welcomed and all students are invited to say their word through their representatives in the Council. I wish all students a successful academic year full of achievements.
News
Al- Shaimaa Al- Abri
The theatre society at Nizwa College of Applied Sciences organised a workshop entitled “preparing the theatrical actor”. It was presented by Shabeer Al-Ajmi who is a theatrical activity specialist at the Ministry of Education and Abdullah Shannon a performer. The workshop lasted for 3 days in the Nizwa hall theatre in the college. The workshop was organised in order to refine the students’ skills in that activity and discover the new talents of the foundation year students. On the first day, there was a focus on the important tools that the actors use on stage which are; fantasy, body movement, sound and the correct posture to stand on stage. The presenters pointed out that imagination is most important
tool for a successful actor; so, they gave the students several exercises that use imagination as a primary tool for acting. The first day was concluded with drama scenes which the students made from their imagination. On the second day, the students were distributed on stage and trained on how to memorise the parts of the stage and the importance of those parts to the actor. Moreover, the students did sound exercises that involved mimicking the sounds of some animals. Then, the students presented theatrical sketches each of which lasted for a minute to a minute and a half. The sketches revealed the sense of imagination among the students. The workshop concluded on the third day by defining the importance of focusing on the stage and how to relate it
to imagination. Also, the presenters talked about passionate memory which the theatrical actor needs to use. The presenter, Shabeer Al- Ajmi said that: “the workshop aimed to develop the faculties of the amateur students in acting and train them on various artistic and creative tools. In addition, we planned to show the students how to deal with the stage and the director at the same time.” It is worth mentioning that the theatre society at the Nizwa college of Applied Sciences is preparing to participate in a number of competitions at the university level in the Sultanate of Oman during the next phase.
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Investigation
Haleema Nabhan AL-Kharousi
Midterm exams are tests that come at the middle of each semester and in which chapters are studied to prepare students for the final tests. But, there are many difficulties that students face before and after the exams which makes it difficult for them to perform to their fullest. Recently, many midterm exams have been held in the evening which caused anxiety for the students. A number of students including Ali Al-Subhi, Zainab Al-Khatri and Buthaina Al-Abri argued that the best timing to hold any exam is in the morning because they feel that their performance and focus is better than in the evening timing. Also, some students suggested an idea to be implemented during the midterm exams period which is emptying the students’ schedules so they can prepare well. Azhar Al-Abri, a student at the college said “I strongly support the idea of emptying the
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Huda Saeed Khalfan AL- Na’bi
students’ schedules during the midterm exams period”. Another student, Zainab Al-Khatri said “It is good idea and I’m with it because of the psychological factor. It is really hard to attend the lectures and then go to the exam; they will feel very stressed and exhausted. Also, it is natural that the students will need time to prepare for their exam and go to the exam relaxed”. When it comes to the period, the college holds the exams for a long period, so the students have presented different views between agreeing and disagreeing. The midterm period lasts for more than two week. Issa Al-Ghafari, a senior PR student said “It is better to keep the period two weeks or less because we have many duties related to our study to do such as: assignments, researches, projects and so forth”. Based on that, another supporting point of view is raised by Ali AL-Subhi and Asma Al-
Dhuhli who said “we consider that having exams within two weeks is enough, and it pushes the students to study better. More than two weeks will lead to laziness and the students will not be studying well”. On the other hand, Buthaina AL-Abri and Azhar AL-Subhi argued that they prefer the midterm exams to be held over a period longer than two weeks, where more time between the exams will give a chance for studying and reviewing well and give the students a chance to relax between the exams”. All in all, most of the answers expressed that the students should be examined in the morning because when you are examined in the evening it is more difficult for students to focus and understand the questions well, unlike in the morning when students are active and more conscious and have the ability to perform better in exams.
Investigation
Ahmad Al-Fahdi
I don’t prefer the idea of having midterm exams and final exams at one semester. We should study only for one exam for each subject. Here in our college they put the midterm exams from 12pm to 6pm, I can say that this timing is not suitable to be for any kind of exams. It is better to have them at the morning, when our minds are fresh and able to remember any information. Sometimes, midterm exams conducted during activities hour which reflects negatively on
Midterm exams are proper method before the final exam to test whether the student is understanding the subject or not. Midterm exams can help students to know their levels and measure their performance in the subjects. These exams are helpful to the teachers to be aware of their students’ grades so they can know if they need to improve or change their styles at teaching. I prefer to get these exams at evening not morning because
the attendees, because there are many students participating in the college activities to serve the college. So, they have only two options; sacrificing their exams or leaving the activities despite it is not allowed to conduct any exam during the activities hour. Finally, in my point of view, midterm exams are less important than final exams because they constitute only 20% and the final is 40%.
at evening we have more time to study from the morning. Also, we face difficulties to wake up at the morning so I prefer to get it at 4pm. For these exams, students should prepare well and they should study day by day and do not delay their studying till the days near exams. Students must work hard to get high marks in these exams, so they can be more confident about their grade. Motasem Al-Kalbani
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Article
Nimah Al-Shukaily
Everybody gets bored from using the same watch with same colour every day. Here is the solution. The smart watch Gear of Samsung makes a revolutionary move in watches style. It has a 1.63 inch screen with 1.9 inch width, designed from aluminium face and a rubber
wrist-strap that makes you feel very comfortable. Also, it is suitable for people who like particular colour. It comes with classic black, blue, orange, green, yellow, red, rose, and gold colours. The Samsung Galaxy Gear costs $370; which means 142 Omani Riyals. Not only the shape and colours make Gear Watch looks cool but there are surprising features inside. It contains a camera with 1.9 megapixels, 512 MB Ram of the system, 4 GB memory and Bluetooth that may reach 150 meters. You can download applications from the existing 70 apps on the market. More than that, the Gear Watch can tell you the incoming mes-
sages, calls and it can make calls itself. In addition, it has an alarm for time that you can activate by sound system. You can take pictures and video clips from the camera. There is an important point which is that Gear watch is not a phone itself, but it is connected to your phone via Bluetooth with low consumer power through which you can respond to your calls and talk through. Unlike Sony Smart Watch, Samsung Gear is not waterproof but splash proof. It will survive in shower but not a dunk in the pool. However, it has a smart lock that secures the watch from falling off.
with more advanced computing capability and connectivity than a feature phone. Later models added the functionality of portable media players, lowend compact digital cameras,
pocket video cameras, and GPS navigation units to form one multi use device. Many modern smartphones also include highresolution touch screens and web browsers that display standard web pages as well as mobile optimized sites. With high quality smartphones from Samsung, Apple and Google, and other big names including Nokia, HTC and Motorola in the running, choosing the right handset is not easy because people have different desires and tastes.
Reem AlSabti
Did you think that the smart phone revolution was slowing down? Well, according to the world’ largest makers of telecommunications networks, the demand for low cost android phones is rising. Therefore, mobile phone makers are launching flagship models. Worldwide smartphone market is expected to touch one billion units this year, global research firm IDC said. Smart phones are built on a mobile operating system,
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Talents
Al-Yaqdan Al-Abri
Dear world : Look above … A cloud over the sky … I am born again … Please … Hear my crying … And you clap to my cry … Try to interpret the sharp voice crying … And then … Tell the clouds … To hold me with the rain … To live again with humans … I will be stronger in my body … Using a drop of patience … And then … I will try to crawl on my knees … To take steps for the future … And then … I will walk on my all fours (my hands and feet) Even faster for the future … And then … I will walk on my feet … If I fall … I will buy a cane … Made from the state of the struggle …. Its capital is success … It carries the flag of the peace … I will live my life … To live my death …
Afraa Khalifa Suliman Al Mayahi Tahra Al-Omairi
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General supervision Mr. Moosa Al-Lawati
Editors
Marwa Shiban Al Adawai
There are times in life when you want to talk loudly about people who have had a great impact on your life. People are different in making changes in our lives. One of them passes through our lives without making any change. Another one made you happy and disappeared. And one of them we hope we can see again. There are people who are everything in our lives and we are nothing in their lives. Many people are models, but these are some models of people I have met. Beside all these models, there is a person who I learned a lot from, I still learn and I will keep learning. He is not like any person in my life. He is the one who teaches me how to stand face to face with difficulties and how to defeat them. That person is my father. I finally understand when he used to tell me: “daughter this is going to make me more happy than it is going to make you happy”. Whatever happens, I will try to give him what he wants from me.
Sultan Al-Saraai Marwa Al-Adawi Ne’ma Al-Shukili Sa’ada Al-Mebsili
Linguistic Revision Mr. Saleh Al-Rahbi
Design Arwa AL-Shaqsi
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