Education for sustainable development and the virtue of education

In this article I shall critically reflect on the discourse of education for “sustainable development”. When referring to the virtue of education, I shall argue that the discourse on education for “sustainable development” should be informed not only by economic, environmental and sociological considerations, but also by an educational content which regards education as a matter of personal engagement. Such an educational content will ensure the safeguarding of the virtues which sustain a human/e world and the self-empowerment of people

Deconstruction and re-thinking education

In this article, I explore Jacques Derrida's programme of deconstruction, in an attempt to indicate, and argue for, the possibilities that it might hold as a philosophical framework for education al discourse. Such possibilities are set out, not directly by way of a set of applications or methodologies to be followed, but rather by an exposition and interpretation of the Derridian text with the intention of relating deconstruction to educational discourse. I set about this, by examining Derrida's commentary on the nature of deconstruction in relation to some of the central concepts in Derrida's writings, such as, différance, justice, the other, and responsibility. (South African Journal of Education: 2003 22(3): 170-176

Design rules and guidelines for generic condition-based maintenance software's Graphic User Interface

The task of selecting and developing a method of Human Computer Interaction (HCI) for a Condition Based Maintenance (CBM) system, is investigated in this thesis. Efficiently and accurately communicating machinery health information extracted from Condition Monitoring (CM) equipment, to aid and assist plant and machinery maintenance decisions, is the crux of the problem being researched. Challenges facing this research include: the multitude of different CM techniques, developed for measuring different component and machinery condition parameters; the multitude of different methods of HCI; and the multitude of different ways of communicating machinery health conditions to CBM practitioners. Each challenge will be considered whilst pursuing the objective of identifying a generic set of design and development principles, applicable to the design and development of a CBM system's Human Machine Interface (HMI). [Continues.

African Indigenous education in the postcolonial period: A critical reflection

This article examines African indigenous education in the pre-colonial period, focusing on its key elements, characteristics, and educational significance within the broader context of the decolonial education discourse. By delving into primary forms and practices of indigenous African education, we aim to shed light on how these systems contribute to understanding the educational landscape and the challenges faced in the wake of colonialism. Additionally, we explore the transformative role played by indigenous education in Africa in addressing the hegemonic influence of western education during the post-colonial era. Drawing on existing literature and critical analysis, we critically reflect on the nature of a decolonial turn in African indigenous education. Through this examination, we aim to contribute to the ongoing discourse on decolonizing education and provide insights into the potential benefits of embracing indigenous knowledge systems in contemporary African societies by recognizing the importance of valuing diverse knowledge systems in fostering inclusive and relevant educational practices

Education for sustainable development and the virtue of education

In this article I shall critically reflect on the discourse of education for “sustainable development”. When referring to the virtue of education, I shall argue that the discourse on education for “sustainable development” should be informed not only by economic, environmental and sociological considerations, but also by an educational content which regards education as a matter of personal engagement. Such an educational content will ensure the safeguarding of the virtues which sustain a human/e world and the self-empowerment of people

Die loopbaanbelewenis van akademici aan Suid-Afrikaanse universiteite: CAP ondersoek

This article aims to explain how South African academics experience their professional lives during different career phases by employing data from the international Changing Academic Profession (CAP) investigation into the academic profession. Two perturbing aspects emanate from the research. First, how academics during the early career phase (ages 20-39 years) experience being constricted, in view of their roles as researchers and the fact that this phase is typically the most creative in one’s career. Similarly, the fact that academics in the mid-career phase (ages 40-55 years) show the lowest levels of job satisfaction is a cause for concern, as these years are typically the most productive in one’s career

Fatigue Testing a Mechanized Percussion Well Drilling System for Water Access in Western Africa

The Mechanized Percussion Well Drilling (MPWD) Collaboratory project seeks to design a simple mechanized well drilling system for drilling shallow water wells in Western Africa. Our client, Open Door Development (ODD), seeks to make water accessible to all in the region, but has had difficulty drilling through hard soil layers. To combat this problem, the MPWD team has worked closely with Mr. Joseph Longenecker to develop a mechanized percussion well drilling rig that is capable of drilling through these harder layers. Currently, the MPWD team is seeking to provide recommendations to improve the lifetime of our client’s new, fully mechanized rig design. This year, our team’s work has been focused specifically on analyzing the lifetime of the rig’s driveline chains and also on its frame. For the driveline chains, the team will be conducting fatigue testing on a model of the driveline system to determine which type of chain should be used on the rig. To determine the lifetime of the frame, the team will be performing a series of static, buckling, and fatigue finite element analyses on the rig’s frame. The most recent accomplishments of the MPWD team have nearly proved that their design for the loading application will be feasible for use on the actual testing rig and that multiple studies of finite element analysis can be performed to simulate the different rig frame loading scenarios.https://mosaic.messiah.edu/engr2021/1019/thumbnail.jp

Understanding the Mechanical Properties of Microalgae Using Atomic Force Microscopy

Abstract From consumer productions to energy production, algae is used in many industrial processes. Understanding the mechanical behavior of algae is important to optimize these processes. To obtain a better understanding of algae cell response, we mechanically characterized single, dried Scenedesmus dimorphus cells. To accomplish this, we used atomic force microscopy (AFM) to image S. dimorphus cells, which enabled us to map the AFM measurements to a location on the individual cells. We were then able to perform force measurements on the AFM to determine the Young's modulus of S. dimorphus. These findings enable a more detailed understanding of the mechanical properties of a single S. dimorphus cell, which may be useful in many applications

Implantation of a Novel Cryopreserved Viable Osteochondral Allograft for Articular Cartilage Repair in the Knee

Restoration and repair of articular cartilage injuries remain a challenge for orthopaedic surgeons. The standard first-line treatment of articular cartilage lesions is marrow stimulation; however, this procedure can often result in the generation of fibrous repair cartilage rather than the biomechanically superior hyaline cartilage. Marrow stimulation is also often limited to smaller lesions, less than 2 cm2. Larger lesions may require implantation of a fresh osteochondal allograft, though a short shelf life, size-matched donor requirements, potential challenges of bone healing, limited availability, and the relatively high price limit the wide use of this therapeutic approach. We present a straightforward, single-stage surgical technique of a novel reparative and restorative approach for articular cartilage repair with the implantation of a cryopreserved viable osteochondral allograft (CVOCA). The CVOCA contains full-thickness articular cartilage and a thin layer of subchondral bone, and maintains the intact native cartilage architecture with viable chondrocytes, growth factors, and extracellular matrix proteins to promote articular cartilage repair. We report the results of a retrospective case series of three patients who presented with articular cartilage lesions more than 2 cm2 and were treated with the CVOCA using the presented surgical technique. Patients were followed up to 2 years after implantation of the CVOCA and all three patients had satisfactory outcomes without adverse events. Controlled randomized studies are suggested for evaluation of CVOCA efficacy, safety, and long-term outcomes