Saudi Cultural Missions Theses & Dissertations
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Item Restricted Probabilistic Communication Structured Acyclic Nets(Newcastle University, 2024-04-16) Almutairi, Nadiyah; Koutny, MaciejAs the real world is full of uncertainty, we often estimate, or even guess to quantify uncertainty. Probabilistic models are the key to cope with uncertainty. One of the most prominent concurrent probabilistic models are probabilistic Petri nets. Petri nets are one of the mathematical modeling languages for the representation of distributed systems. They have been characterised as one of the expressive models to capture the notion of concurrency. Developing probabilistic concurrent system has been proved to be a difficult and ongoing problem. This is because in a concurrent systems different executions of a concurrent computation should have the same probability. However, this is not always guaranteed as concurrent systems may exhibit confusion. Confusion is an overlapping between conflict and concurrency – two fundamental concepts used in the area of concurrent systems modelling – which interferes with probability analysis. In this thesis, we set out to develop a probabilistic framework and outline approaches leading to a model where distributed choices are resolved in a way which allows one to carry out probabilistic estimation. In particular, the concept of cluster-acyclic net is introduced to transform a net with confusion into another net whose structure is free-choice which facilitates probabilistic estimation. Moreover, we formally extend calculating probabilities and the definition of conflict and confusion to Communication Structured Acyclic Nets (CSA-nets). Intuitively, in CSA-nets, acyclic nets are integrated into one structure that allows them to interact by the means of asynchronous and synchronous communications. CSA-nets are sets of interacting acyclic nets derived from Structured Occurrence Nets (SO-nets), which are a Petri net based formalism for representing the behaviour of complex evolving systems. We show that a CSA-net with confusion can be translated into another, confusion-free net, whose behaviour is closely linked to the behaviour of the original CSA-net. Also, a boolean satisfiability model is introduced to formally verify behavioural properties of CSA-nets.18 0Item Restricted Learning Outcomes of the Simultaneous Exposure to Two Arabic Varieties by English L1 Learners of Arabic as an L2 at Different Stages of their L2 Development(University of Michigan, 2023-07-12) Alshehri, Mohammed Salem; Alhawary, MohammedThe efficacy of the “integrated approach,” which calls for the simultaneous integration of two varieties in teaching Arabic as a second language (L2), has not yet been rigorously examined, and the very few available studies suffer from many methodological limitations. The current study sought to bridge this gap in the literature by comparing the language output (in terms of fluency, accuracy, complexity, and overall proficiency) of 57 English first language (L1) learners of Arabic as an L2, belonging comparably to two groups: the first consisted of those instructed in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and Egyptian Arabic (EA) simultaneously, the integrated program group (IPG), and the second consisted of those instructed in MSA only, the unintegrated program group (UIPG). The participants of both groups were further divided cross-sectionally based on their three proficiency levels: first year, second year, and third year. Their performance was additionally compared to that of a control group (CG) consisting of nine native speakers of EA. Spontaneous obligatory-in-context data were elicited from the participants who performed three oral picture-based description tasks: two narrative tasks and one manipulation task. Fluency was measured by counting words produced per minute (W/M). Accuracy was examined in their production of the past tense, present tense, past negation, and verbal present negation. Complexity was measured by their error-free production of the subjunctive and cause–effect subordinations. The overall proficiency was gauged by adding up the scores attained in the above-mentioned three constructs. The findings revealed that both L2 groups produced comparable W/M when narrating past and present events. However, in other areas examined, the UIPG maintained a significant advantage over the IPG: (a) at the first-year and second-year levels on the past tense, (b) at the third-year level on the present tense, (c) at the first-year and third-year level on the past negation, (d) at the second-year level and (near-significantly) at the third-year level on the verbal present negation, (e) at the second-year and third-year levels on the subjunctive and cause–effect subordinations, and (f) at the second-year and third-year levels on the overall proficiency. The advantage of the UIPG over the IPG was further supported by the within-group analyses. The UIPG improved significantly in the long run—particularly at the third-year level—in their fluency, in all target structures (except for the past tense with the third-person singular feminine form and past negation), and in their overall proficiency. In contrast, the IPG did not show any significant improvement—particularly from the first-year to third-year levels—in their fluency, in all target structures in which MSA and EA diverge, and in their overall proficiency. Additionally, only the third-year UIPG participants were statistically on par with the CG in their accuracy on the past tense and present tense (in the third-person singular masculine context), as well as the verbal present negation. The strong implication of these findings is that the simultaneous exposure to two varieties from the outset, without sufficient recycling, visual presentation, and explicit instruction of their structures in the input, is not beneficial to Arabic L2 learners and might be detrimental to their developmental acquisition paths. Such an instructional practice can cause linguistic dissonance, hinder comprehension, and obstruct facilitative L1 transfer. Thus, it is pedagogically recommended to initially teach one variety for the first 2 years of the learning process.38 0