Virtual learning environment to enhance contextual learning in Malaysian secondary schools: opportunity and challenges

One of the important features in developing science curriculum in Malaysia now, is the emphasis on the education system that allows students to master higher order thinking skills (HOTS). The success of HOTS depends upon an individual’s ability to apply, reorganize, and elaborate knowledge in the context of the thinking skills. Hence, the contextual learning is suitable approach to develop HOTS, which enables students to build their knowledge in the context of their minds, then later makes use of linkages and applies it to their real life. However, it was found that teachers in Malaysia are lack of interest to apply contextual learning approach in their classroom. As technology evolves, computersupported has the potential to be used as an effective tool to develop HOTS. Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) has been developed as a potent tool to support the process of teaching and learning

The use of contextual learning to promote scientific literacy in science classroom: from the aspects of higher order thinking skills

Most studies found that Malaysian’s students have problems in scientific literacy as student’s ability to utilize science concepts, making conclusions and interpretation skills of scientific investigation in science classroom are still at a low level. Scientific literacy as a basic to foster complex thinking whereby formed based on the emphasis of higher order thinking skills such as problem-solving, decision making and science process. These skills encouraged students to develop concepts from variety topics and contexts of science and build a concrete relationship between the contents with their everyday context and situation. Meaningful learning is important for students to promote scientific literacy in science classroom. Thus, context based learning is said to be very relevant in learning and teaching process to develop scientific literacy among students. Context based learning emphasizes student-centered learning which underlined "need-to-know" basic to attract students to relate the concept learned with real-life context. However, only handful of studies is conducted probing into the need of context based learning approach to cultivate scientific literacy in science classroom. This study was conducted for investigate the effectiveness of contextual learning in improving scientific literacy skills from the aspects of student’s higher-order thinking skills

Pembelajaran berasaskan konteks atas talian bagi memupuk literasi kimia pelajar

Cabaran utama dalam pendidikan kimia adalah untuk membentuk pengetahuan pelajar dalam membina konsep kimia yang abstrak kerana pelajar tidak mampu membina kekuatan pemikiran aras tinggi. Kekuatan pemikiran aras tinggi merupakan ciri penting bagi pelajar untuk berinteraksi dengan fenomena yang berlaku dalam kimia secara mikroskopik, makroskopik, dan simbolik. Perkembangan pemikiran aras tinggi pelajar dalam menguasai konsep-konsep asas kimia sangat diperlukan dalam menguasai literasi kimia. Penguasaan literasi kimia boleh ditingkatkan melalui pembelajaran secara konteks di mana pembelajaran konsep kimia yang abstrak menjadi lebih baik. Pembelajaran secara konteks mewujudkan persekitaran pembelajaran yang membolehkan pelajar berinteraksi dengan bahan-bahan pengajaran dan membina pengetahuan serta pembelajaran bermakna. Integrasi teknologi dalam pembelajaran berasaskan konteks pula membantu guru menyediakan pengalaman yang diperlukan oleh pelajar bagi memupuk literasi kimia kerana membolehkan pelajar mengembangkan idea saintifik situasi dunia sebenar melalui pengumpulan maklumat, mengvisualisasi, mentafsir dan merekod data yang boleh dilakukan dengan mudah secara atas talian. Artikel ini membincangkan ciri-ciri pembelajaran kontekstual secara atas talian bagi meningkatkan literasi kimia di kalangan pelajar

Proprietary Milk Protein Concentrate Reduces Joint Discomfort While Improving Exercise Performance in Non-Osteoarthritic Individuals

Milk and dairy products are known to contain various bioactives with potential anti-inflammatory and immune modulating effects. Previous research has indicated that milk produced from hyperimmunized cows provided meaningful health benefits to individuals suffering from varying degrees of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. PURPOSE: To examine the impact of a proprietary milk protein concentrate on joint discomfort and physical function, exercise performance, quality of life and various measures of affect. METHODS: Non-osteoarthritic men (42.5 ± 8.9 years, 176.7 ± 6.7 cm, 89.9 ± 11.5 kg, 28.8 ± 3.5 kg/m2, n = 30) and women (46.4 ± 9.6 years, 163.1 ± 8.2 cm, 72.2 ± 13.1 kg, 27.2 ± 5.3 kg/m2, n = 28) with mild to moderate knee pain during physical activity were randomized in a double-blind, placebo-controlled fashion to consume daily either a placebo (PLA) or a proprietary milk protein concentrate (MP) for a period of 8 weeks. Participants completed a functional capacity test pre and post-supplementation and completed visual analog scales (VAS), a 6-min walking test, WOMAC and profile of mood states (POMS) to assess changes in joint health, discomfort, physical function, exercise performance and affect. Mixed factorial ANOVA was used for all statistical analysis and significance was set a priori at p ≤ 0.05. RESULTS: Distance covered in the 6-min walking significantly improved 9% in MP versus 2% in PLA (mean difference: 110 ± 43 m, p = 0.012) in addition to 11 WOMAC components and 5 VAS reflective of MP improving joint health, discomfort and joint stability (all p \u3c 0.05 vs. PLA). Additionally, MP also improved overall perceptions of neck and back health compared to PLA. Serum and whole blood indicators of clinical safety remained within normal ranges throughout the study. CONCLUSIONS: In comparison to placebo, daily doses of proprietary milk protein concentrate yielded improvements in several components of the WOMAC, multiple visual analog scales indicative of joint health and stability, discomfort and pain, as well as significant improvements in distance covered during a 6-min walking test. Supplementation was well tolerated with no significant changes in whole-blood or serum markers of clinical safety

A dynamic Archean sulfur cycle

Many aspects of the Earth’s early sulfur cycle, from the origin of mass anomalous fractionations to the scale and degree of biological involvement, remain poorly understood. We have been studying the nature of multiple sulfur isotope (^(32)S, ^(33)S, and ^(34)S) signals using a novel combination of scanning high-resolution low-temperature superconductivity SQUID microscopy and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) techniques in a suite of samples from distal slope and basinal environments adjacent to a major Late Archean-age (~2.6-2.52 Ga) carbonate platform. Coupled with petrography, these techniques allow us to interrogate, at the same microscopic scale, the complex history of mineralization in samples containing diverse sulfide-bearing mineral components. Because of a general lack of Archean sulfate minerals, we focused our analyses on early diagenetic pyrite nodules, precipitated in surface sediments. This allows us to assay fractionations by controlling for isotope mass balance

Optical coherence microscopy for the evaluation of a tissue-engineered artificial cornea

A transparent artificial cornea derived from biological material is the ultimate goal of corneal research. Attempts at artificial corneal constructs produced from synthetic polymers have proved unsuccessful due to lack of biocompatibility and ability to integrate into the tissue. We have designed a corneal model derived from collagenous biological materials that has several advantages: it has low antigenicity and therefore small chance of eliciting an immune reaction, it can be broken down by the body’s own cells and gradually replaced over time by natural materials, and it may contain signaling information for native cells, thereby inducing normal phenotype and behavior. In addition, a transparent corneal model has the potential to be used for testing of novel ophthalmic drugs or gene therapy approaches, eliminating the need for animal testing. We have used an optical coherence microscope (OCM) to evaluate both the structure of our tissue constructs over time in culture and the optical properties of the tissue itself. This imaging technique promises to be an important diagnostic tool in our efforts to understand the influence of mechanical forces, cell phenotype, and soluble factors on the transparency of corneal tissue. From the 26th Annual International Conference of the IEEE-Engineering-in-Medicine-and-Biology-Society [September 01-05, 2004, San Francisco, CA] IEEE Engn Med & Biol Soc, Whitaker Fdn, Cyberonics, NIH, NIBIB, NIDOCD, NINDS ISBN: 0-7803-8439-