Washington, Dec 30 (ANI): Working on virtual case studies via the Internet can help landscaping and horticulture students to learn skills necessary to solve complex landscape management decisions, which are crucial to their career success, say researchers.

With the advent of technology, tools are now available to present students with web-based case studies, which contain a variety of components, including scripts, photographs, web page links, audio, and video.

These studies are meant to offer students with practical experience in solving many different scenarios, integrating their understanding of plant science, environmental and physical site constraints, and the human impact on built and natural landscapes.

The study co-authored by Ann Marie VanDerZanden, David Sandrock, and David Kopsell, measured student attitudes and perceptions of online learning case studies.

For the research, students at three universities (Iowa State University, Oregon State University, and the University of Wisconsin-Platteville) completed an assignment that involved summarizing information about a scenario, diagnosing a problem, and making a recommendation to the homeowner on how best to manage the situation.

When the students completed the scenario, they were asked to complete a 20-question survey evaluating the case study.

Overall, students reacted positively, saying that they felt comfortable using the web-based format.

"They felt it was an effective way to deliver information," said researchers.

Although there was a significant investment of time and money in developing this case study, the framework is now in place and additional problem-solving scenarios are being created.

Owing to the positive response by students, these case-study scenarios will be used in future courses.

The study is published in a recent issue of HortTechnology. (ANI)

Islamabad, December 31 (ANI): Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has been named among year 2008's 'Top Ten Prominent Foreign Figures' by a Chinese newspaper.

The paper called Guangming Daily has even profiled Zardari, and published details of his education and political career.

"Consensus says that Zardari's time commenced while Musharraf's time concluded," the Daily Times quoted the Chinese-language paper as noting.

According to the newspaper report, Zardari was nominated as co-chairman of the PPP, and became a prominent political figure both within the country as well as internationally after former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's assassination on December 27 last year.

Time Magazine also list Zardari among the world's top twenty personalities of the year 2008 in its December 26 issue.

U.S. President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown have also made it to the list.

The magazine chose U.S. President-elect Barack Obama for its annual person of the year award. (ANI)