توجيهات نبوية لتعزيز المسؤولية الاجتماعية لدى الشباب

The role of youth in development of any society is vital. They are the vanguard of any nation. The youth cannot play their role properly and positively unless they understand their responsibilities fully. Creating sense of responsibility in individual of a society especially in its youth is inevitable for the collective and dynamic development of a society. The life of the holy Prophet (r) is a complete guide for all spheres of our life. It is evident from the teachings of the holy Prophet (r) and the general commandments of Islam that the youth play a very important role in socio economic and politico educational development. The holy Prophet (r) showed complete confidence in youth. He delegated them with different responsibilities, provided complete guidance and encouraged them for discharging their duties properly. The companions of the holy Prophet (r) who embraced Islam as a result of his first invitation were young between the ages of 20 to 30. The worst enemy of Islam- Abu Jahal was got killed by two young brothers. Likewise a young man Muṣ‘ab bin ‘Umayr (Ï) was sent to Madina, and Mu‘āz bin Jabal (Ï) and Abu Mūsá Ash‘arī (Ï) were sent to Yemen. Zayd bin Thābit (Ï) was directed to learn other languages. He also compiled the holy Qur’ān in Caliphate of Abū Bakar (Ï). The holy Prophet appointed Ḥuzayfa (Ï) to take census. For creating leadership characteristics, Usāmah bin Zayd was sent to different war expeditions. These are ample proofs of holy Prophet’s confidence he had in the youth.

Investigating Mathematics Teachers’ Knowledge About Mathematics, Mathematics Teaching and Learning in Schools in Pakistan

This study aimed to explore mathematics teachers' knowledge about the nature of mathematics, mathematics teaching and learning and investigate the sources that shape their viewpoints. In response to emerging issues and questions teachers were engaged in a process of developing their thinking and teaching practice. The study employed both quantitative and qualitative methods. Data pertaining to the teachers' conceptions of 174 secondary mathematics teachers were obtained using a survey designed by the researcher on the basis of similar surveys described in the literature. To take the study beyond the descriptive findings of the survey and to explore the sources that shape teachers' viewpoints, twenty teachers were then selected to participate in focus group discussion. Finally, two teachers participated in a small intervention study. The study demonstrates that the teachers' knowledge about the nature of mathematics originates from their social, cultural and religious experiences. For example, the teachers had dual views about the nature of mathematics. On the one hand, teachers believed that mathematics knowledge is divine, created by Allah and therefore irrefutable and absolute. On the other hand, they maintained that mathematics knowledge is a human creation, invented to facilitate religious practices and to support human survival. With reference to their teaching practice, they considered the teacher to be the 'teacher as a fountain of knowledge' and hence students seldom get the opportunity to explore and construct mathematics knowledge and learn it for conceptual understanding. The study revealed that institutional support, expectations, teachers' personal and professional commitment, their prior mathematics learning experiences and subject content knowledge play an important role in engaging teachers in developing their thinking and teaching practice. Teachers need to be engaged in a process of critically questioning their views and practices as they are deeply rooted in their social and cultural experiences. The contribution of this thesis is that institutional and cultural influences are local, and derived from the Pakistani context, so these have particular significance which should be taken into account in teacher development.