Modeling a Field Application of In Situ Bioremediation of Perchlorate-Contaminated Groundwater Using Horizontal Flow Treatment Wells (HFTWs)

Perchlorate contaminated groundwater is rapidly becoming a significant environmental remediation issue for the Department of Defense. In this study, an existing numerical model that simulates the operation of a Horizontal Flow Treatment Well (HFTW) system to effect the in situ biodegradation of perchlorate through the addition of an electron donor is modified to include a submodel that describes bioclogging. Bioclogging restricts flow out of the HFTW due to the accumulation of biomass directly adjacent to the well. The modified model is then applied to an existing perchlorate contaminated site that will be used for an evaluation of the HFTW technology. Simulations were conducted to determine the impact of altering various engineered parameters on HFTW performance. Simulation results indicate that higher time averaged electron donor concentrations and HFTW pumping rates lead to more perchlorate degradation in terms of total mass of perchlorate removed. Simulation results also indicate that varying the electron donor addition schedule has little impact on HFTW performance. The simulations conducted in this study show that, regardless of the engineered parameter values, bioclogging does not impact the ability of the HFTW technology to effect in situ biodegradation of perchlorate at the evaluation site

AUXIN-INDUCED DEGRADATION OF DREAM PROTEINS, LIN-9 AND LIN-54, IN CAENORHABDITIS ELEGANS

The Dp, Retinoblastoma, E2F, And MuvB (DREAM) complex mediates transcriptional repression and is highly conserved throughout a number of species, including vertebrates, Drosophila melanogaster, and Caenorhabditis elegans. Differing from mammalian DREAM, C.elegans DRM, appears to act solely in a repressive role, with the MuvB subcomplex (LIN-9, LIN-37, LIN-52, LIN-53, and LIN-54) playing a key role in the repression of genes. In this study, we use the auxin-inducible degron (AID) system, an effective, fast-acting, tool used in the degradation of degron-tagged proteins to individually deplete two key proteins of the MuvB subcomplex, LIN-9 and LIN-54, in C. elegans. The AID system relies on the expression of the F-box protein, transport inhibitor response 1 (TIR1), which in the presence of auxin acts as the substrate recognition component for the SKP1-CUL1-F-box (SCF) E3 ubiquitin ligase complex, leading to the degradation of tagged proteins. In degron-tagged LIN-54 worms, using a 6-hour auxin time course, we observed that DREAM target genes become significantly upregulated. Expression of DREAM target genes increased with longer exposure to auxin, indicating that LIN-54 plays a key role in the regulation of DREAM target genes. However, in both a 6-hour and 24-hour auxin time course experience, degron-tagged LIN-9 worms showed no uniform nor significant upregulation of DREAM target genes compared to ethanol vehicle control. These results demonstrate that LIN-54, the sole DNA-binding protein of MuvB, plays a more important role in MuvB’s repression of genes than the core protein of MuvB, LIN-9. We recommend further study into these two proteins using the AID system to further explore their roles in MuvB and DREAM complex function

IS FLIPPED LEARNING FOR EVERYONE?

An education crisis happens in Indonesia and therefore many policies and efforts are implemented to uplift the quality of its education. The government is committed to improve the infrastructure in the country’s education system so that the students will have better experience in the future. This study analyzes flipped learning as one of the strategies in blended learning that incorporates variety of methods in delivering the content of Lessons in English classroom context. By implementing transcendental phenomenology, this study aims at finding a description on how the students give meaning on the implementation of flipped learning in their Interpreting class. This study tried to capture the narrative description of the students’ lived experience and depicted the emerging themes from the analysis of the students’ understanding, belief, feeling, intention and action. The themes emerged in this study were collaboration, discipline, self-actualization and self-empowerment

STUDENTS’ LIVED EXPERIENCES PRACTICING DIGITAL LITERACY USING YOUTUBE AS AN ENGLISH LEARNING TOOL

Technology integration transformed English learning, innovating tools and platforms that change educational dynamics. Among various digital platforms, YouTube emerges as a versatile global resource with extensive content for English learning. However, simply providing access to YouTube does not guarantee effective, safe use or learning. This phenomenological study explores the lived experiences of students in the English Language Education Study Program at Sanata Dharma University using YouTube to learn English. Students' lived experiences shown through their beliefs, feelings, actions, and decision-making on YouTube. This research examined how students practice digital literacy while learning English on YouTube and how these practices give meaning to their learning. Findings revealed experiences like evaluating video trustworthiness, collaborating with fellow YouTubers, creating videos, addressing safety and privacy concerns, and applying videos creatively for personalized language goals significantly impacted their learning. Students expressed positive attitudes about these digital literacy practices, emphasizing the benefits of self-paced access to authentic English resources. This study provides insight into how students leverage digital platforms like YouTube for language learning through critical digital literacy practices. The findings suggest implications for educators seeking to train students in determining credible information for learning through digital platforms, as this issue gained substansial participants’ attention

STUDENTS PERCEIVED CONFIDENCE IN WRITING PUBLISHABLE ARTICLES

There has been an increasing demand for undergraduate students to do their scholarly research and publish the finding in the form of articles in their final year of study. The importance of writing publishable articles is a repeated and step-by-step process to maintain self-confidence in writing articles. In other words, many students struggle to publish their articles because the rate of successful articles can be affected by the common mistake made. Therefore, this qualitative study aimed to find how undergraduate students perceived confidence in writing publishable articles since they may still have difficulties in writing articles. The researcher used thematic data analysis to summarize data points. This study applied criterion-based sampling as a technique to determine the sample. The total number of participants was 8 students. This study focused on English Language Education Study Program (ELESP) students in semester 8 at Sanata Dharma University who once joined a conference and published their articles. Data were collected from interviews, Focus Group Discussions (FGD), and document analysis. The findings showed that most ELESP students faced some challenges in writing articles. The challenges experienced frequently by students were the use of grammar and vocabulary. Nonetheless, the results showed that ELESP students utilized some online tools and benefited from feedback from other parties to increase their confidence in writing articles

STUDENTS’ LIVED EXPERIENCE IN UTILIZING QUILLBOT AS AN ONLINE PARAPHRASING TOOL IN ACADEMIC WRITING

This study aimed to investigate students’ lived experience of Quillbot utilization in academic writing. The qualitative phenomenology method was used in this study to dig deeper into students’ lived experiences that they interpreted while using Quillbot. The result based on the data analysis showed some lived experiences that the students interpreted such as Quillbot’s benefits and students’ future use of Quillbot, students’ perceptions of autonomy and assistance, students’ ethical consideration when utilizing Quillbot, and students’ adoption of Quillbot’s suggestion. The results of this study also emphasized students' awareness that Quillbot is a supporting tool that cannot replace their writing skills. This study provides valuable insight into how students interact with Quillbot, how it influences their writing process, and broadens the perspective of teachers, lecturers, instructors, and the wider community who often consider AI to have negative impacts on students’ learning process

Pre-Service English Teachers’ Lived Experience in Using AI in Teaching Preparation

Pre-service English teachers are expected to integrate technologies to teach in this digital era. Furthermore, AI is rapidly growing and offers teachers to be supported. This phenomenological study explicated pre-service English teachers’ lived experiences in using AIs to support their teaching preparation. In previous studies, less was known about how newcomer educators integrated AI into their pedagogical development. Through in-depth interviews, this study addressed two research questions; What are the pre-service English teachers’ lived experiences in using AI in teaching preparation? How does the AI help the teacher to prepare for their teaching? This study showcased five themes emerging: 1) exploration of AI’s pedagogical potential; 2) emerging pedagogical beliefs and shifting attitudes; 3) intentional integration and innovative lesson design; 4) ethical reflections and responsible AI use; and 5) shifting self-efficacy and confidence. This study explicated how AI utilization experiences mould participants’ pedagogical beliefs, implementation, and perception of technology integration. These findings will help education programmes in preparing candidates and require the TPACK

Perceived Choices of Graduation among Master Students: Expectancy-Task Value Theoretical Perspective

This study investigated whether motivational beliefs (expectancy of success and value in research and practice related tasks) among master students predict the achievement related choices for graduation (thesis or non-thesis) and examined the likelihood of those motivational beliefs in thesis and non-thesis preferring group. Participants studied in various master programs of two universities in Cambodia completed the questionnaires about their expectancy of success and values toward research and practice related tasks and preferences of graduation. Results of logistic regression analysis revealed that, among the motivational beliefs, only cost in research indicated a significant predictor of graduation preferences (p = .003). Furthermore, the associated likelihood of thesis preferring group was anchored at students who have higher positive beliefs on cost in research (ß = 2.386, p = .003, Exp (ß) = 10.867, Odd = 986.9), interest in research (ß = .933, p = .431, Exp (ß) = 2.542, Odd = 154.2), utility in practice (ß = .835, p = .226, Exp (ß) = 2.306, Odd = 130.6), and attainment in research (ß = .218, p = .699, Exp (ß) = 1.243, Odd = 24.3) although the rest of expectancy-values components was not completely discriminated in its membership model. Implications of the findings to graduate programs and future direction are discussed