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Item 2021 ވަނަ އަހަރުގެ ފުރަތަމަ ޓާރމްގެ ކޯސް ތަކަށް ކުރިމަތިލުމުގެ ފުރުޞަތު ހުޅުވާލައިފި(ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޤައުމީ ޔުނިވަރސިޓީ, 2020-11)Item The adoption of PV systems in the Maldives : a technological review(Postgraduate Research Centre, MNU, 2015-03-01) ޙަސަން ޙަމީދު; Hameed, HassanThis review begins with a brief outline of PV usage in the Maldives followed by a discussion of PV systems in general with a special emphasis on grid-tied systems. Irradiation levels in the Maldives are then outlined. A short review of the components of grid-tied PV systems and their technical requirements are then presented. The review concludes briefly noting the findings of studies carried out to evaluate reliability, modes of failure, trends and recommendations for research in grid-tied PV systems.Item The antibacterial properties of stingless bee honey in Malaysia and its effects as food preservative(Research Development Office, The Maldives National University, 2022-12-01) Julika, W. N.; Ajit, A.; Naila, A.; Nabilah, N. F.; Aliyah, N. A.; Sulaiman, A. Z.; ޑަބްލިޔޫ. އެން. ޖުލިކަ; އެޭ. އަޖިތް; އޭ. ނައިލާ; އެން. އެފް. ނަބީލާ; އެން. އެފް. އަލްޔާ; އޭ. ޒެޑް. ސުލައިމާންItem Application of food preservatives and food additives in making Maldivian food products(Maldives National University, 2021-07) Zuha, Mariyam; Shareef, Mohamed Simyaan; Naila, AishathFood additives play a huge role in food safety and development of various food products. Stabilizers are one of the food additives which help in increasing the stability as well as the viscosity of the food products. Stabilizers are found in almost all of the dairy products, desserts and many beverages. In addition, food colours are added to different types of foods to increase shelf life, visual attractiveness and to compensate for natural colour variations. Food dyes utilized in colouring mostly come from natural or artificial sources. The objectives of this study were to produce coconut ice cream using agar-agar stabilizer, conduct a sensory evaluation by a panel of 20 people using Likert scale to see the acceptability of the ice cream. Parameters like melting time and the presence of air bubbles were observed after freezing of the ice cream. Based on the sensory evaluation, for the overall acceptance of the ice cream a score of 9 was given. The results showed that it had a melt run of 130s/g and many air bubbles were formed before and after freezing. In the second part, a traditional Maldivian sweet known as “Ulhaali”was produced by adding beetroot extract into its key ingredient coconut honey or “Dhiyaa hakuru”, and ran a sensory evaluation of the product by a group of 15 participants, in terms of colour, aroma and taste, in order to draw a conclusion regarding the acceptability of the addition of the natural food colourant into the Maldivian sweet. Factors such as the colour retention was observed before and after frying. From the results obtained for the sensory evaluation, the product was highly accepted by the participants as all three descriptors received scores of 8.5 and above out of 10, and after addressing the limitations, the success of the study was rather high.Item Application of law in employment contracts practices, considerations and recommendations(The Research Centre, Maldives National University, 2020-08) Waheeda, FathmathThe COVID‑19 pandemic has brought about unprecedented changes to our daily life. It has impacted the whole world and has forced governments to take extreme measures, ravel restrictions were imposed from late February on tourists from the largest tourist markets and the decisions taken to suspend issuing of arrival visas. This has a tremendous impact and halted the tourist operations in the country. In the Maldives, 45,000 employees were affected due to the COVID‑19 pandemic. This article looks at the different measures adopted by the companies in the tourism industry within the legal arena of contract law and the employment law. This analysis was conducted through interviews with employees on measures undertaken, and the procedure followed to implement the measures. The results show that, the employer acted in good faith; however the adherence to legal principles were weak within the industry.Item Assessment of trans-fats in the Maldivian diet(Research Development Office, The Maldives National University, 2022-12-01) Abdul Raheem, Raheemaa; Naila, Aishath; Ismail, Aishath Shaheen; Kasturi, Kamal; ރަހީމާ އަބްދުއްރަހީމް; އައިޝަތު ނައިލާ; އައިޝަތު ޝާހީން އިސްމާއީލް; ކަމާލް ކަސްޓަރިItem Automatic assessment of Java code(Postgraduate Research Centre, MNU, 2013-06-01) Khalid, AdamIn this study a tool was developed which marks automatically computer programs written by novices in Java. Existing open source static analysers were evaluated in the development. Metrics and marking schemes were developed to mark and grade the programming assignments automatically. A sample of 59 first-year programming students’ projects was selected for marking. The projects were marked manually and automatically. The results showed that there is a high correlation between manual and automatic marking for all criteria. The mean Kendall’s tau is over 0.75 indicating a very high level of correlation between manual and automatic marking. However, depending on the marking criteria, non-systemic variations were found.Item Bilingualism and the medium of instruction(Research Development Office, The Maldives National University, 2020-12) Hameed, HassanThis paper explores Cummin’s dual iceberg metaphor in terms of bilingual proficiency in the Maldivian context and the gradual switch to English-medium instruction. Bilingual education was implemented in the Maldives on the premise that the earlier a student is introduced to a foreign language and the greater is her exposure, the better will be her proficiency in the foreign language. Research on bilingualism contradicts this naïve and intuitive understanding of how a student achieves bilingual proficiency.The paper concludes by briefly outlining the manner in which the switch to the English- medium by policy actors was made and the consequent marginalization of mother tongue.and erosion of societal values.Item Challenges in clinical learning : experiences of Maldivian nursing students(The Research Centre, Maldives National University, 2017-06) Hassan, Salma; Ibrahim, Asiya; Hussain, Fathimath MunaClinical practice is an essential part of nursing education. It provides opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge, and develop skills. Nursing faculty need to identify ways to improve clinical learning for students. The aim of this paper was to obtain an understanding of experiences of clinical learning environment for Maldivian nursing students. A qualitative descriptive design was used and informed consent was obtained from all students. Data was collected from 20 students of Maldives National University, using four focus group discussions. Focus group interviews that lasted approximately one hour were conducted. The interviews were audio taped and transcribed verbatim. The transcripts were red multiple times to gain an understanding of students experiences. Discussions that related to students clinical experiences were extracted and coded under different themes. Mentors, clinical learning opportunities, clinical evaluation, and student feelings were found to be important components of clinical learning. Interpersonal relationships and communication with mentors were found to be important for motivation of students. Factors in the CLE enabled students to make good use of learning opportunities while other factors hindered their learning. Students felt that clinical evaluation was unfair and not reflective of their achievements. Students experienced a number of positive and negative feelings due to their experiences in the CLE. A number of factors present in the CLE could prevent it from becoming an effective learning environment for student nurses. It is important that nurse educators identify these and find ways to improve the effectiveness of the CLE.Item Characterisation of okra (abelmoschus [medik.]) accessions using dehydrogenase isozymes and protein(Research Centre, MNU, 2017-06-01) Ogwu, Mathew Chidozie; Osawaru, Moses Edwin; Onosigbere-Ohwo, UruemuOkra (Abelmoschus [Medik.]) is cultivated in distant farms and home gardens on a commercial or subsistence scale in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Several diverse cultivars exist but they all possess a characteristic mucilaginous substance. Isozymes are enzymes composed of different structural amino acid sequence but may catalyse similar chemical reaction. In chemosystematics isozymes and other phytochemicals may be used to characterize plant germplasm. This study employed dehydrogenase isozymes and total protein to characterize Abelmoschus accessions. Five Abelmoschus accessions including 2 A. esculentus (NG/OA/03/12/157 and NG/OA/05/12/159) and 3 A. caillei (NG/OA/03/12/158, NG/SA/DEC/07/0475 and NG/SA/DEC/07/0482) species were collected from the National Center for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology Ibadan and cultivated at the Experimental fields of University of Benin, Nigeria. At maturity, fruits were harvested for analysis at the Biochemistry Division, Nigeria Institute of Medical Research, Lagos. Results showed that variation exist in the quantity of total protein in the five accessions with accessions, NG/SA/DEC/07/0475, NG/SA/DEC/07/0482 and NG/OA/03/12/158 having higher values (33.076 g, 31.210 g and 28.992 g respectively) compared to NG/OA/03/12/157 and NG/OA/05/12/159, which had low values of total protein content (21.227 g and 9.429 g respectively). Isozyme activities of alcohol, malate and isocitrate dehydrogenases showed distinctive results. Significance results (at P < 0.05) were obtained with accessions NG/OA/03/12/157 and NG/OA/05/12/159 having higher values when compared with accessions NG/SA/DEC/07/0482, NG/OA/03/12/158and NG/SA/DEC/07/0475. When homogeneity was compared accessions NG/SA/DEC/07/0482, NG/OA/03/12/158 and NG/SA/DEC/07/0475 were found to be in the same category, while accessions NG/OA/03/12/157 and NG/OA/05/12/159 in separate categories. The degree of intra specific variation differ for the five accessions. Grouping of the A. caillei accessions in one cluster suggest a within species similarity. Nevertheless, the separation of a single cluster for A. esculentus accessions may suggest a considerable degree of total protein content and isozymatic variation within the species. The isozyme characterization has proven effective in the identification and characterization of these Okra accessions but activities of these isozymes only cannot be used as an indication of evolutionary advancement and classification at the generic and species level.Item Clinical manifestations and progression of COVID‑19 : a case report from the Maldives(The Research Centre, Maldives National University, 2020-08) Dey, Rajib Kumar; Hilmy, Abdullah Isneen; Zaadhee, Ali; Jaleel, Zaidhoon; Zooshan, Ahmed; Ibrahim, Afa; Waheed, Azna; Waseel, Saifullah; Hishma, Mariyam; Naseem, Mariyam; Mufeed, Mariyam Shahana; Mustafa, Mihunath; Thaufeeq, Dhunya; Nabil, Rania; Imad, Hisham Ahmed; Yoosuf, Abdul Azeez; Nazeem, Ali; Latheef, Ali AbdullaA cluster of pneumonia was reported from Wuhan, Hubei province, China in December 2019. The causative agent was named as novel coronavirus “SARS-CoV-2” and the disease as COVID‑19. The disease rapidly spread to several countries and WHO declared the outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern and as a pandemic on 11th March 2020. In the Maldives, the first case of COVID‑19 was detected on the 7th of March. At the time of writing, there are 3103 cases of confirmed COVID‑19 including 15 fatalities. The SARS-CoV-2 causes mild to severe pneumonia complicated by ARDS, sepsis, and multi-organ dysfunction syndrome. Other manifestations include anosmia, ageusia, fatigue, and rash. In many requiring hospitalization, hypoxemia is a key clinical finding. The clinical manifestations including the clinical progression of COVID‑19 is being described in this report. The case was conservatively managed in a makes-shift hospital, with the utilization of the awake prone positioning which had resulted in better oxygenation and aided in the improvement of hypoxemia.Item Countering terror in South Asia : beyong statist approaches(Research Centre, MNU, 2016-11-01) Ahmed, ImtiazWhile social and communal factors influence motivations, less attention is often paid to the environment in which individuals are either radicalized or deradicalized and the role that families and communities might play in this regard. The question of communities tends to come into the equation of strategies to counter terrorism, violent extremism and radicalization under two different lenses: One secrutiny, based on a negative narrative, focuses on how the community creates conditions for its members to become radicalized. These often happen in places where members of religious communities where unforgiving versions of religion is being taught including places like prisons which are notorious hotbeds of radicalization through exchanges among prisoners; and even within families which help recruit brothers, wives etc. into so-called Jihad, such as is often the case in Central Asia. This paper will focus on certain misconceptions of Islam.Item COVID 19 : a boost for telemedicine(The Research Centre, Maldives National University, 2020-08) Ahmed, Ibrahim YasirWith the continuously expanding pandemic of COVID‑19 and the need for attending non-COVID patients in a lockdown state, most healthcare institutions in the Greater Male’ area chose telemedicine as a route to consult patients. Being a necessity in the time of this crisis; this is the first time in the history of the Maldives that teleconsultations were conducted comprehensively. Although most healthcare institutions were not ready for such an endeavour, they were quick to use available social media tools to introduce teleconsultations. Aasandha; the National insurance scheme; gave this approach a boost when it accepted teleconsultations as a covered form of consultation. Medica Hospital, to find out the feasibility and resultant patient satisfaction of teleconsultations, conducted a patient satisfaction survey on patients accessing their services in May 2020. From the 706 consultations done among eight specialities, ninety patients were contacted for this survey. Sixty-three per cent were very satisfied with the service, and all participants were happy to continue utilising teleconsultations from Medica Hospital after the COVID‑19 pandemic is over. It is apparent from this survey that patients accept telemedicine as a viable technology for responding to patient needs during emergencies, and is likely to remain acceptable as a way of consultation in the new norm as well.Item Demystifying international education : concepts, ideas and ideologies(Postgraduate Research Centre, MNU, 2013-06-01) Umar, MohamedInternational education is an ambiguous term often used interchangeably as comparative education, development education and multicultural education. However, research shows that little attempt has so far been made to demarcate the boundaries of international education and clarify the concept. Consequently, most international schools who claim to provide international education all too often end up in providing just the same ‘education’ as any other school, because they fail to focus on the key components of international education which originally inspired the very concept. Therefore, in this paper, various paradigms for defining ‘international education’ and its original aspirations are explored in the light of historical accounts of international education and contemporary literature. The review showed that the concept was initially inspired by the need to promote mutual understanding among different countries, and the desire to enable socioeconomic mobility in the face of increasing globalization. Based on these concepts, ‘international education’ has been defined as education geared towards developing global citizenship by promoting internationalism and international-mindedness, and facilitating mobility of human resources in an increasingly global world by enhancing the competence and confidence of students. It is concluded that any educational programme or system that claims to be international must concentrate on the ideology of internationalism and the pragmatics of globalization.Item Dengue serotype detection from wild caught mosquito by reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification, first time in Bangladesh(Maldives National University, 2021-07) Rawnuck, Tanzila; Naher, Zeba Un; Munshi, Saif Ullah; Tabassum, Shahina; Reza, Md SelimDengue viruses are mainly transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito which grows in breeding containers maintained by rain or human activity. The Reverse Transcription Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (RT-LAMP) reaction was found more sensitive and can detect 10-copies of RNA template whereas; real-time PCR (qPCR) had detection limits of 100 copies. To detect the dengue serotypes from wild-caught Aedes aegypti mosquitoes using a molecular technique RT-LAMP, and compare with qPCR to detect the same dengue serotype. This prospective analytical study was conducted at the Department of Virology, BSMMU, Dhaka, Bangladesh from January 2017 to December 2017. RT-LAMP was performed to detect dengue serotypes from wild-caught mosquitoes. Four different visual detection methods of RT-LAMP were conducted simultaneously. To confirm the test result, qPCR was done. Out of the 1348 wild-caught mosquitoes, 217(16.10%) were found positive for the dengue virus by RT-LAMP assay. Among this DEN-2 serotype was by far the highest percentage 184(84.79%) whereas, DEN-1 was 33(15.21%). The RT-LAMP is a relatively inexpensive, rapid, and simple tool for the accurate detection and serotyping of DENV from wild-caught mosquitoes.Item The design of a four-seat reverse delta WIG craft(Maldives National Journal of Research, 2019-12) Hameed, Hassan; ޙަސަން ޙަމީދުItem Designing learning spaces for effective learning(Maldives National Journal of Research, 2018-06) Zainuddin, Nurkhamimi; Idrus, Rozhan M.; Mohmaed, Ahmad Farid; JamalThe connections between the design and use of space in higher education, and the production of teaching and learning, and of research, are not well understood. This study reports the developmental steps prior building the learning spaces in Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM). Space issues in higher education have usually been considered either in the context of space planning (the aim of which is to provide appropriate amounts of space for defined uses, and to maximise its use once provided) or as part of campus planning and building design. The findings report the level of design effectiveness of the learning spaces in USIM. The recommendation from learning space users to be utilised on the design improvement for the next learning spaces in USIM will be reported in this studyItem Determinants of socioeconomic experiences during COVID-19 pandemic in the Maldives(Research Development Office, The Maldives National University, 2020-12) Musthafa, Hawwa Shiuna; Riyaz, Aminath; Moosa, Sheena; Abdul Raheem, Raheema; Naeem, Aishath ZeenThis paper evaluates the individual experiences and perceptions of the public about the COVID-19 pandemic in the Maldives. The data was collected from a probability sample comprising 1026 respondents using an online survey. The results show that less than 1% of the respondents tested positive for COVID-19 at the time. The fear of the pandemic, in terms of probable health and economic impact, was significantly higher than the actual experience of the pandemic with 6.8 percent reporting loss of employment. Participants who considered religion as very important show a higher psychological wellbeing. Over 12% of the participants believed that the pandemic to be a hoax. The findings showed inclination of the people lay more towards solidarity rather than hostility during these trying times, with at least one third of the respondents identifying with complete solidarity. The findings provide suggestions for health practitioners to communicate more effectively with the public during the crisis.Item Development, development policy and governance in the Maldives : a political economy perspective(Postgraduate Research Centre, MNU, 2015-03-01) Rasheed, Athaulla A.This article discusses the problems with development experienced by the Maldives through a political economy lens. It claims that key socio-economic areas like health, education and community-based activities such as local fishing have not developed to an extent it should have considering the success of national development achieved through the growth of the tourism industry since the early 1970s. Using theories of governance, development and inequality, this article forms a methodologically feasible theoretical framework to explain the phenomenon of unbalanced development or underdevelopment in the Maldives. It claims that development can coexist with underdevelopment in a society. This phenomenon of underdevelopment in the Maldives is assessed by observing economic performance of the tourism industry against the performances of other sectors including health, education and local fishing. Using a historical institutionalist method to political economy analysis, this article shows that the empirical evidence of underdevelopment in the Maldives, during the 1970s–2000s, can be equated to policy shortfalls associated with a weak governance system. It asserts that there is a notable connection between developmental problems and the system of governance in the Maldives that policy makers should take into account in the decision-making processItem Editorial(The Research Centre, Maldives National University, 2019-12) Naila, AishathItem Editorial(Research Centre, MNU, 2017-06-01) Shareef, Ali FawazItem Editorial(Postgraduate Research Centre, MNU, 2013-06-01) ޙަސަން ޙަމީދު; Hameed, HassanItem Editorial(The Research Centre, Maldives National University, 2020-08) Najeeb, FazeelItem Editorial(Research Development Office, The Maldives National University, 2021-12) A., RiyazItem Editorial(MNU Research Centre, Maldives National University, 2018-06) Abdul Raheem, RaheemaItem Editorial(Research Development Office, The Maldives National University, 2020-12) Abdul Raheem, RaheemaItem Editorial(MNU Research Centre, Maldives National University, 2024) Abdul Raheem, RaheemaItem Editorial(Postgraduate Research Centre, MNU, 2014-06-01) Mohamed, MiznaItem Editorial(Research Centre, MNU, 2016-11-01) Shareef, Ali FawazItem Effects of home factors and students classroom participation on the academic performance of senior secondary schools students in Lagos Nigeria(Maldives National University, 2022-07) Oni, Adsoji.A; Soji-oni, TitilayoHome factors entails the objects, materials, parents, siblings, peers and social life that exists in the home in which the students find himself/herself. All the variables in the home that affect a child’s existence, behaviour and performance constitute the home environmental factors, while student achievement refers to the extent to which a learner has attained their short or long-term educational goals. Individual differences in academic performance are strongly correlated with differences in personality and intelligence. The study examined the effects of home factors and students’ classroom participation on the academic performance of senior secondary schools in Lagos, Nigeria. Consequently, four research questions and three hypotheses were formulated to guide the study, the study was limited to Education District I, of Lagos, Nigeria. The study adopted the descriptive survey research design, using a self-constructed questionnaire to collect data from secondary school teachers and students. The validity of the instrument was done by experts in sociology of education and measurement and evaluation, while the researchers administered the instrument to 30 students not involved in the main sample for pilot testing. The reliability correlation coefficient index obtained was 0.78. The data collected were analysed using simple percentage, t-test, Chi-square and Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient method of statistical analysis. These statistics were used to demonstrate whether the variables are correlated or related. The findings of the study revealed that students’ home factors affect their academic performance; teachers and the students have different perceptions of the relevance of home factors; and that a significant relationship exists between home factors and students’ classroom participation. The study therefore concluded and recommended that education should be mounted for parents in our formal and non-formal education programmes in order to educate parents on their roles as parents in the education of their wards.Item Ethnobotanical survey of tomato in some cultivated regions in Southern Nigeria(Maldives National Journal of Research, 2018-06) Ogwu, Mathew Chidozie; Chime, Anthonia Odinita; Oseh, Mary O.Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum (Lin.) Con., Solanaceae) has a wide record of domestication and consumption although it is not cultivated all over the world. The field of ethnobotany enumerates how humans interact with indigenous plants. In this study, an ethnobotanical survey of tomato in key cultivation areas of Delta and Edo states, Nigeria was conducted to document associated cultural interactions. One hundred and twenty questionnaires were distributed within the study areas as well as structured interviews and animated visits were conducted to assess farming systems. Respondents were mainly farmers (73.87 %). Dominant ethnic group of respondents was Ika-Ibo (37.84 %) in Delta and Esan (47.75%) in Edo state. Male respondents were higher (82.88%) than female respondents (17.12 %) with the dominant age range been 41 – 61 years (75.68 %). Tomato is mainly cultivated on ridges and tilled soil (74.77 %). Most respondents knew two types of tomatoes. Cultivation and importance of the crop are mainly for commercial purpose than subsistence. Food use dominates nonfood use of the crop and is preferred fresh. Source of seeds include previous collections/harvest, nearby market and from friends and relatives. Local methods of preservation are mostly practised. The plant is known by several vernacular names. Results suggest government support is needed to boost production and preserve ethnobotanical knowledge.Item Evaluation of an online learning package developed to support the COVID-19 response of nurses working in regional and atoll hospitals in the Maldives(The Research Centre, Maldives National University, 2020-08) Ibrahim, Asiya; Shafia, Aminath; Mohamed, SiznaIn the global crisis of COVID-19 pandemic and the unparalleled health emergency, nurses are the largest healthcare professional group providing frontline care in hospitals as well as other areas such as quarantine and isolation facilities. Additionally, due to the nurses’ vital role in the care and management of the COVID‑19 patients it is important that lifesaving information is delivered to them as well as other health professionals. Hence, School of Nursing (SN), Maldives National University (MNU) developed a short online learning course on nursing care of COVID‑19 patients as per the request of the Ministry of Health (MoH), Maldives. The aim of the research was to evaluate the online learning package developed in the Maldivian context for nurses with little or no previous knowledge and skills in the care of COVID‑19 patients. A cross sectional online questionnaire survey was used to collect data and an exploratory analysis was conducted. The quantitative findings showed that majority of nurses found the learning package more than satisfactory in each aspect evaluated. The overall consensus of the qualitative findings were the participants found learning online very helpful and informative. Therefore, the findings of this study can be considered as a useful baseline for developing short term online courses to address learning needs in emergency situations such as pandemics.Item Experiences and concerns during the COVID 19 pandemic a qualitative research with employees in the tourism sector of the Maldives(The Research Centre, Maldives National University, 2020-08) Adam, Aminath Shafiya; Riyaz, Aminath; Mohamed, Shazla; Sobir, Rania; Abdul Muhaimin, Fathimath Nasiha; Sudha, Aminath; Shadiya, FathimathThe Maldives is a small country, solely, dependent on the tourism sector for its economic growth. The first known case of COVID‑19 in the Maldives was reportedly a tourist from Italy in March 2020. As a result, the government implemented an overseas travel ban. Presumably, the effect of overseas travel ban was inevitable, which resulted in a complete shutdown of resorts. This paper covers a component from a research project conducted March-May 2020, by the Ministry of Economic Development with technical assistance from UNDP, as a rapid livelihood impact assessment of COVID‑19 in the Maldives.The data reported in this paper is concentrated on the qualitative dataset collected to investigate the experiences and concerns of resort employees at the onset of COVID‑19 pandemic. A total of 31 participants across 13 resorts were randomly selected. The data were generated through in-depth interviews which lasted 40-60 minutes either by conference calls or Zoom meetings based on preferred choice of the participants. Detailed notes were made during the conversation and were analysed thematically using the topics from the structured interview guide from the rapid livelihood assessment. The findings highlight the employees’ heightened anxiety about the exposure to COVID‑19 and its possible impact on their health and safety. The findings also highlight the economic impact on the resort workers because of the restrictive pay packages offered by the resorts in dealing with the sudden closure of the resorts in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The findings have useful inputs and implications on future strategic plans of small countries such as the Maldives that depend predominantly on a volatile tourism sector susceptible to external shocks such as the unforeseen COVID‑19 pandemic.Item Exploring ethnomathematics in the Maldives : counting and measuring(Research Development Office, The Maldives National University, 2020-12) Adam, Aishath ShehenazEthnomathematics is the study of mathematics that takes into consideration the culture in which mathematics arises. It is a subject that values and recognises the contributions of all cultures to the development of mathematics. The aim of this study was to explore the nature of indigenous thinking in the Maldives with respect to counting and measuring that are found in the Maldivian society and are related to traditional and cultural contexts, so that these ideas can be considered for inclusion in future primary mathematics curricula in the Maldives. The fieldwork and data collection was done in the Maldives. Data was collected through interviews with people who do practical work as part of their everyday life, and informal discussions held with historians, mathematicians, mathematics teachers, teacher educators and mathematics students. In total, 91 interviews and informal discussions were conducted. The study also involved the analysis of documents focussed on finding the sources of mathematics, and mathematics currently used in the Maldives. The data from interviews and document analysis show that counting and measuring are in the Maldivian culture even though people may not identify these as mathematics. Cultural contexts in the Maldivian society where counting and measuring are evident include fishing, boat building, building and construction, agriculture, astronomy and navigation, house work, mat weaving, rope making and toddy collecting. The evidence from informal interviews with historians and mathematicians, and document analysis show that initially Arabia and South Asia (mainly India) influenced Maldivian mathematics, and later the Britain. In conclusion, this study identified the Maldivian mathematical ideas related to counting and measuring thereby arguing that mathematics is not culture free. Mathematics exists in every culture even though the way ideas are expressed and emphasised vary from culture to culture.Item Exploring the challenges in initiating community-based tourism: a case study of Thaa Guraidhoo, Maldives(Maldives National University, 2021-07) Nazim, Mohamed NaaimCommunity Based Tourism (CBT) has bloomed in the Maldives in the past decade. However, islanders have yet to explore CBT. The purpose of this study is to explore the challenges in initiating CBT in Thaa Guraidhoo. In the Maldives, CBT is identified as “Local Island Tourism” (LIT), where guesthouses are run by families. For the year 2019, state 40% of all guesthouses are in Kaafu atoll. There are only 3 guesthouses in Thaa Atoll alone, indicating that there has been a lack of participation in CBT. Maldives is a country that focuses on selling its sun, sand, and sea (Ministry of Tourism Arts & Culture, 2012). However, with the country becoming more open to the idea of CBT, a study in this field is required. An exploratory research was conducted by collecting qualitative data through purposive sampling via interviews. An inductive approach, to some extent theory-driven, has been taken for the study. Four major factors were identified as challenges in CBT initiation. The study highlights a need for land use planning, a monitoring framework for tourism development and, public transport systems.Item Fear of missing out as a predictor of social media use and addiction among Maldivians(Research Development Office, The Maldives National University, 2021-12) Fathimath Yamaany, Habeeb; Diluxshy, SanjeevanItem Fostering community resilience for preventing violent extremism : perspectives from Central Asia(Research Centre, MNU, 2016-11-01) Tadjbakhsh, ShahrbanouCommunity resilience refers to the “capacity of a community to withstand, respond to and recover from a wide range of adverse events, either natural or caused by an individual or a group”. It is a measure of the sustained ability of a community to utilize available resources to respond to, withstand, and recover from adverse situations and to learn from past disasters to strengthen future response and recovery efforts. Community resilience is a term often associated with disaster risk reductions, preparedness to mitigate environment disasters, emergency response and the ability to recover in a way that restores normal functioning in society. Although resilience is a term most often used for development in risky environments (such as a natural disasters), it is increasingly used for a broader set of adversity: economic downturn, a pandemic, crime, conflicts and terrorism. This paper will focus on how community resilience can help prevent terrorism.Item Graduates perspectives on blended learning in the Maldives(Research Centre, MNU, 2017-06-01) Ibrahim, Roza; Shihab, MohamedBlended learning is the combination of both the advantages of online learning as well as face-to-face learning. This mode of education is increasing around the world today due to the advantages it offers. Prominent features including flexibility, collaboration, interaction and accessibility which make it possible for educators to create positive learning environments in order to meet the demands of students. As the Maldives strives to modernise and develop its higher education sector to meet the rising demand, blended learning is a very appropriate strategy. Centre for Open Learning of the Maldives National University, uses blended learning to create a flexible and interactive learning environment. This qualitative research investigated 10 graduates’ perspectives on blended learning conducted at COL, aiming at three areas; content, tutorials and Learning Management System named as Gateway to E-Learning at MNU (GEM). It also explored the reasons for students joining blended mode of learning. From the data, it concludes that students are satisfied with the content, tutorials and GEM, yet there are few aspects which need improvements. Also, it is found that students prefer blended courses due to its flexibility and convenience since it allows being with their families and working, while completing their studies. The study also suggests that self- directed learning in this mode of studies also motivates students to blended learningItem Historical institutionalism in the Maldives : a case of governance failure(Dhivehi Bahaai Thareekhah Khidhumaikuraa Qaumee Marukazu, 2014-06-01) Rasheed, Athaulla A.; އަތައުﷲ އ. ރަޝީދްThis article explains the problem of governance in the Maldives in terms of how weak historical institutions embedded in the present political system have limited the government’s capacity to govern for the development of the broader society. This is done in light of the argument that the Maldives has experienced problems with development, especially within key socio-economic areas including health, education and community-based economic activities, despite the development achieved with its booming tourism industry during the 1980s–2000s. Using the present literature on development and governance, the article shows that this underdevelopment has been caused by a failure to achieve good governance of economic resources. Through a historical-institutional evaluation of the politico-institutional developments during the 1880s–1960s, this article explains that the Maldives acquired weak historical institutions that may have been transmitted through time to become embedded in the present political system and reduced the government’s capacity to govern efficiently. It is argued that the institutional foundations were based on undemocratic constitutional rules, created and shaped by the past monarchical political practice, and that these historically transmitted rules have reduced the government’s capacity to govern effectively leading to the problems with development experienced by the Maldives today.Item The impact of theory and research on three ESL teachers’ beliefs and practices(Postgraduate Research Centre, MNU, 2014-06-01) Mohamed, NaashiaAn increasing number of research studies report on improved and alternative approaches to the various practices of teaching. However, there often exists a gap between such research findings and any real transformations in pedagogical practices of teachers. This paper reports on a study that examined the impact of theory and research on the beliefs and practices of three English as a second language (ESL) teachers. The study aimed to evaluate possible factors that influence teachers’ resistance to change in pedagogies supported by educational research by taking form focused instruction (FFI) as a model approach for testing. Based on interview and observation data, the results indicate that teachers’ responses to the literature were framed by their existing beliefs about FFI. Teachers were seen to generally agree with theories and research findings that supported their own beliefs while rejecting the pedagogical usefulness of findings that differed from their own beliefs. The study suggests that to reduce the gap between research and pedagogy, it may be useful for professional development providers to use publications that report on current theory and research when working closely with practising teachers so as to make the findings more accessible and relevant to teachers’ own contexts and needs.