CHARACTERIZING MATHEMATICS TEACHERS’ TECHNOLOGICAL PEDAGOGICAL CONTENT KNOWLEDGE

Technology integration requires every teacher to become skilled and competent users of computer technology in the delivery of the lesson alongside with their content and pedagogical expertise. Anchored on the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge Framework (Mishra & Koehler 2006), this cross-sectional correlational study aimed to investigate the technological pedagogical content knowledge of the secondary school mathematics teachers in the Division of Southern Leyte. Using an adapted standardized instrument, this study found out that mathematics teacher equipped with the necessary technological pedagogical content knowledge are generally novice, young and single female teacher who are knowledgeable in technology and technology integration and very knowledgeable in content and pedagogy. Regression analysis determines technological knowledge and technological content knowledge significantly predicts Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge among mathematics teachers. The study concludes that strong and significant knowledge on technology, pedagogy and content and their interrelatedness defines teachers’ creativeness and effectiveness in developing and delivering new mode of representations and solutions of mathematical content and problems making them responsive to the 21st century learners, and thereby recommends to strengthen mathematics teachers’ knowledge through continuous attendance to conferences and/or workshops on technology-integration in mathematics classroom.  Article visualizations

Microorganisms on surface culture of injection port of IV sets and its implication to infection control

Nosocomial infection is a disease caused by a pathogenic agent that is acquired during a patient’s hospitalization or treatment inside another health care facility. The said infection can be caused by microorganisms. These microorganisms may already be present in the patient's body or may come from the environment, contaminated hospital equipment; An intravenous (IV) set used during IV therapy is one example of the possible materials containing these microorganisms. The main purpose of this study is to determine the presence of microorganisms on injections ports of IV sets before and after disinfection whenadministering IV medications in the patients admitted to the medicine wards of Hospital X and Y. Presence of microorganisms despite disinfection may pose risk to patients through the entry of bacteria upon injection through the port. Thirty swab samples were obtained from each hospital. Swab samples were then isolated on nutrient agar plates. Hospital Y samples yielded no bacterial isolates whereas all 30 samples in Hospital X showed bacterial isolates. Swab samples underwent gram-staining to distinguish between gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Streptococcus species and Staphylococcus species which are classified as grampositive bacteria were among the bacterial species identified before and after disinfection and were found on all the samples obtained from Hospital X. Based on the findings of this study, adherence to infection controlprocedures were not well established to reduce or eliminate microorganisms on injection ports in Hospital X that may cause Nosocomial infections. In line with these, it is highly recommended that proper infection control and maintenance procedures should be strictly enforced to reduce, if not eliminate themicroorganisms on injection port which are possible causes of Nosocomial infections and may threaten thempatients’ healt

Additions to Philippine slender skinks of the Brachymeles bonitae complex (Reptilia: Squamata: Scincidae) IV: Resurrection and redescription of Brachymeles burksi

The diversity of Philippine amphibians and reptiles has increased over the last few decades, in part due to re-evaluation of species formerly believed to be widespread. Many of these investigations of widespread species have uncovered multiple closely related cryptic lineages comprising species complexes, each restricted to individual Pleistocene Aggregate Island Complexes (PAICs). One group in particular for which widespread cryptic diversity has been common is the clade of Philippine skinks of the genus Brachymeles. Recent phylogenetic studies of the formerly recognized widespread species Brachymeles bonitae have indicated that this species is actually a complex distributed across several major PAICs and smaller island groups in the central and northern Philippines, with numerous species that exhibit an array of digit loss and limb reduction patterns. Despite the recent revisions to the B. bonitae species complex, studies suggest that unique cryptic lineages still exist within this group. In this paper, we resurrect the species Brachymeles burksi Taylor 1917, for a lineage of non-pentadactyl, semi-fossorial skink from Mindoro and Marinduque islands. First described in 1917, B. burksi was synonymized with B. bonitae in 1956, and has rarely been reconsidered since. Evaluation of genetic and morphological data (qualitative traits, meristic counts, and mensural measurements), and comparison of recently-obtained specimens to Taylor’s original description support this species’ recognition, as does its insular distribution on isolated islands in the central portions of the archipelago. Morphologically, B. burksi is differentiated from other members of the genus based on a suite of unique phenotypic characteristics, including a small body size, digitless limbs, a high number of presacral vertebrae, the absence of auricular openings, and discrete (non-overlapping) meristic scale counts. The recognition of this central Philippine species further increases the diversity of non-pentadactyl members of the B. bonitae complex, and reinforces the biogeographic uniqueness of the Mindoro faunal region

VOTING BEHAVIOR IN 2022 NATIONAL ELECTION: A CAUSAL-COMPARATIVE AND CORRELATIONAL STUDY

The core of this study is the voting behavior of college students in the 2022 elections. It made use of the causal-comparative and correlational research designs to compare the voting behaviors of the respondents in terms of age and sex, and to determine the strength and direction of the relationship between the variable characteristics of the political candidates and the variable political process with respect to their influence on voting behavior. It included as respondents 41 purposively chosen Social Studies students of Notre Dame of Midsayap College. They were 18 to 23 years old, mostly females, and were all registered voters. Data were gathered through an online survey. Findings revealed that having a degree was considered by the respondents as a very important personal characteristic for the presidential and vice-presidential candidates, while being a member of a well-known family was considered by them as unimportant. Being honest and trustworthy was also considered by the respondents as a very important leadership characteristic for the said candidates. Meanwhile, being clear in their priorities is a political process that is very much likely to influence the respondents in choosing their president and vice-president while the giving of money or goods to voters is unlikely to influence them. Similarly, candidates being talked about in their locality is a political process that is likely to influence the respondents in choosing those candidates. The endorsement of candidates by a local leader is a political process that is likely to influence them in choosing those candidates, while endorsement by a church is very unlikely to influence them. Results bared that there is no significant difference on the voting behavior of the respondents with respect to their age and sex. Finally, there is a moderately strong positive relationship between the characteristics of the political candidates and the political process as to their influence on the voting behavior of the respondents, and such a relationship is highly significant.  Article visualizations

A Case Study: Women in Highway Patrol Group in Ilocos Norte

(PNP) under the Highway Patrol Group of Ilocos Norte. It aimed to determine the challenges encountered by female police officers, including the effects and the coping mechanisms to overcome these challenges associated with their role. This qualitative research method utilized the descriptive case study where personal and online interviews were conducted with three (3) participants working at the Philippine Highway Patrol Team of Laoag City, Abra and Ilocos Sur. Purposive sampling method was used in choosing the participants of the study. Findings showed that the participants of the study encountered challenges in the Highway Patrol Group as revealed in their answers to questions that revolved around nine (9) themes: (a) challenges encountered by women in the PNP Highway Patrol Group, (b) effects of the challenges faced in their job performance and (c) coping mechanisms used to overcome the challenges encountered. Themes that emerged based on these questions are: “shortlisted recruitment opportunity,” “financial inadequacy,” “doubt in competence,” “feeling of discouragement,” “burnout,” “destruction of family connection,” “self-growth,” “coping through faith,” and “mind over body.” On the bases of the data gathered and analyzed, this study revealed that the challenges experienced by women in the Highway Patrol Group include not only organizational challenges but also personal problems which both positively and negatively affect their life and job performances. Moreover, after experiencing these challenges, it was revealed that the participants resorted to practices of spirituality through faith by praying as a way to deal with feelings of anxiety, stress and exhaustion. Also, they focused on thoughts of mind rather than the body to cope or manage challenges and help them to do more than they are capable of

Facebooking in "face": Complex identities meet simple databases

Online systems often struggle to account for the complicated self-presentation and disclosure needs of those with complex identities or specialized anonymity. Using the lenses of gender, recovery, and performance, our proposed panel explores the tensions that emerge when the richness and complexity of individual personalities and subjectivities run up against design norms that imagine identity as simplistic or one-dimensional. These models of identity not only limit the ways individuals can express their own identities, but also establish norms for other users about what to expect, causing further issues when the inevitable dislocations do occur. We discuss the challenges in translating identity into these systems, and how this is further marred by technical requirements and normative logics that structure cultures and practices of databases, algorithms and computer programming

Emotional Intelligence and Mental Health of Senior High School Students: A Correlational Study

Mental health among students is one of the major concerns amidst the pandemic. Employing a correlational design, this study investigates the relationship between emotional intelligence and mental health among 152 senior high school students. Based on the statistical analysis, the r coefficient of 0.82 indicates a high positive correlation between the variables. The p-value of 0.00, which is less than 0.05, leads to the decision to reject the null hypothesis. Hence, a significant relationship exists between emotional intelligence and mental health among senior high school. Implications were discussed in the study

Why do women invest in pre-pregnancy health and care? A qualitative investigation with women attending maternity services

Background Despite the importance attributed to good pre-pregnancy care and its potential to improve pregnancy and child health outcomes, relatively little is known about why women invest in pre-pregnancy health and care. We sought to gain insight into why women invested in pre-pregnancy health and care. Methods We carried out 20 qualitative in-depth interviews with pregnant or recently pregnant women who were drawn from a survey of antenatal clinic attendees in London, UK. Interviewees were purposively sampled to include high and low investors in pre-pregnancy health and care, with variation in age, partnership status, ethnicity and pre-existing medical conditions. Data analysis was conducted using the Framework method. Results We identified three groups in relation to pre-pregnancy health and care: 1) The “prepared” group, who had high levels of pregnancy planning and mostly positive attitudes to micronutrient supplementation outside of pregnancy, carried out pre-pregnancy activities such as taking folic acid and making changes to diet and lifestyle. 2) The “poor knowledge” group, who also had high levels of pregnancy planning, did not carry out pre-pregnancy activities and described themselves as having poor knowledge. Elsewhere in their interviews they expressed a strong dislike of micronutrient supplementation. 3) The “absent pre-pregnancy period” group, had the lowest levels of pregnancy planning and also expressed anti-supplement views. Even discussing the pre-pregnancy period with this group was difficult as responses to questions quickly shifted to focus on pregnancy itself. Knowledge of folic acid was poor in all groups. Conclusion Different pre-pregnancy care approaches are likely to be needed for each of the groups. Among the “prepared” group, who were proactive and receptive to health messages, greater availability of information and better response from health professionals could improve the range of pre-pregnancy activities carried out. Among the “poor knowledge” group, better response from health professionals might yield greater uptake of pre-pregnancy information. A different, general health strategy might be more appropriate for the “absent pre-pregnancy period” group. The fact that general attitudes to micronutrient supplementation were closely related to whether or not women invested in pre-pregnancy health and care was an unanticipated finding and warrants further investigation.This report is independent research commissioned and funded by the Department of Health Policy Research Programme Pre-Pregnancy Health and Care in England: Exploring Implementation and Public Health Impact, 006/0068

Evaluating a strategy to assist undergraduate healthcare students to gain insights into the value of interprofessional education experiences from recently qualified healthcare professionals

This mini project has been funded by The Higher Education Academy: Health Sciences and Practice (January 2010 - July 2011).LondonNumerous studies have highlighted the complexity of preparing undergraduate healthcare professional for interprofessional practice (Reeves, et all 2007). A significant challenge is one of perceived relevance of undergraduates in relating interprofessional education experiences to the realities of practice (Johnson 2005). Longitudinal survey indicate the importance of the readiness of different groups of students to learn (Coster et al 2008). Thus if student s can gain insights into the purpose and application of interprofessional education to their future practice from those who have recently gone before they may be more willing to engage with such learning opportunities. This exploratory pilot study aimed to evaluate a strategy designed to assist undergraduate healthcare students to gain insights from recently qualified healthcare professionals into the value of pre-registration Interprofessional Education (IPE) experiences. The secondary aims of the study were to enable participating undergraduate healthcare students develop research skills and to examine how the views from the healthcare professionals could inform the development of pre-registration IPE.sch_phyArmitage, H., Connolly, J. and Pitt, R. 2008. Developing sustainable models of interprofessional learning in practice - The TUILIP project. Nurse Education in Practice, 8, p. 276-282. Ateah, C.A., Snow, W., Wener, P., MacDonald, L., Metge, C., Davis, P., Fricke, M., Ludwig, S. and Anderson, J. 2011. Stereotyping as a barrier to collaboration: Does interprofessional education make a difference? Nurse Education Today, 31, p.208-213. Atherton, J. S. 2009. Learning and Teaching; About the site [online] Available: http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/whatlearn.htm [Accessed: 26 May 2011] Barr, H. 2009. Interprofessional education as an emerging concept. In: Bluteau, P. and Jackson, A. eds. Interprofessional education: making it happen. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan: 3-36. Boyatzis, R.E. 1998. Transforming qualitative information: thematic analysis and code development. Sage, Thousand Oaks, CA. Bristol Royal Infirmary Inquiry. 2001. Learning from Bristol: The Report of the Public Inquiry into Children's Heart Surgery at the Bristol Royal Infirmary 1984-1995. The Stationary Office, London. Bryman, A. 2001. Social research methods. Oxford University Press, Oxford. CAIPE 1997. Interprofessional education - a definition. CAIPE Bulletin, 13, 19. Clouder, L. 2003. Becoming professional: exploring the complexities of professional socialization in health and social care. Learning in Health and Social Care, 2 (4) p.213-222. 55 Coster, S., Norman, I., Murrells, T., Kitchen, S., Meerabeau, E., Sooboodoo, E and d'Avray, L. 2008. Interprofessional attitudes amongst undergraduate students in the health professions: A longitudinal questionnaire survey. International Journal of Nursing Studies. 45, (11), p.1667-1681. Craddock, D. 2010. Students' attitudes towards interprofessional education across professional groups: Lessons learnt from a national study. In, 2nd International Interprofessional Health and Social Care Conference, Manchester, GB, 06 - 07 Jul 2010..Available from: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/165533/ [Accessed 1st December 2010] Curran, V.R., Sharpe, D., Forristall, J. and Flynn, K. 2008. Attitudes of health sciences students towards interprofessional teamwork and education. Learning in Health and Social Care, 7 (3), p.146-156. Davies, K., Harrison, D.L., Clouder, D.C., Gilchrist, M., McFarland, L. and Earland, J. 2011. Making the transition from physiotherapy student to interprofessional team member. Physiotherapy, 97: 139-144. Department of Health 2001. Investment and reform for NHS staff - taking forward the NHS plan. London: Department of Health. Denzin, N.K. and Lincoln, Y.S. 1998. The landscape of qualitative research - theories and issues. Sage Publications, London. Earland, J., Gilchrist, M., McFarland, L. and Harrison, K. 2011. Dietetics students' perceptions and experiences of interprofessional education. The Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 24, p.135-143. Forte, A. and Fowler, P. 2009. Participation in interprofessional education: An evaluation of student and staff experiences. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 23 (1), p.58-66. Freeth, D. Reeves, D., Koppel, I., Hammick, M. and Barr. H. 2005. Evaluating Interprofessional Education: A Self-Help Guide: Occasional Paper no. 5. Higher Education Academy: Health Sciences and Practice Network. 56 Gibson, M., Diack, L. Healey, T., Bond, C. and McKenzie, H. 2008. The Aberdeen Interprofessional Health and Social Care Education Initiative - Final Report to the Scottish Government. The Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen and University of Aberdeen. Available from: http://www.caipe.org.uk/resources/ [Accessed 5th January 2011] GMC 2009. Medical students: professional values and fitness to practice. General Medical Council. Hammick, M., Freeth, D., Koppel, I., Reeves, S. and Barr, H. 2007. A best evidence systematic review of interprofessional education: BEME Guide no.9. Medical Teacher, 29: 735-751. Hoffman, S.J., Rosenfield, D., and Naismith, L. 2009. .What attracts students to interprofessional education and other health care reform initiatives? Journal of Allied Health, 38(3), p.e75-e78. Hoffman, S.J., Rosenfield, D., Gilbert, J.H. and Oandasan, I.F. 2008. .Student leadership in interprofessional education: benefits, challenges and implications for educators, researchers and policymakers. Medical Education, 42(7), p.654-61. House of Commons Health Committee (2003) The Veronica Climbi Inquiry Report; Sixth Report of Session 2002-3. Available online: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200203/cmselect/cmhealth/570/570.pdf [Accessed 11th August 2010] HPC. 2008. Standards of conduct, performance and ethics. Health Professional Council. Hylin, U., Lonka, K. and Ponzer, S. 2011. Students' approaches to learning in clinical interprofessional context. Medical Teacher, 33: e204-210. Jarvis, P., Holford, J. and Griffin, C. 1998. The theory and practice of learning. London: Kogan Page. 57 Jasper, M. 2003. Foundations in nursing and health care: beginning reflective practice. Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes Ltd. Johnson, R. 2005. Exploring students' views of interprofessional education: 1 year on. International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation, 12 (5), p.215-221. Langton, H. 2009. Interprofessional education in Higher Education Institutions: models, pedagogies and realities. In: Bluteau, P. and Jackson, A. (eds) Interprofessional education: making it happen. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan: 37-58. Mackay, D.J. 2002. Interprofessional education: An action learning approach to the development and evaluation of a pilot project at undergraduate level. PhD Thesis. University of Salford. Available from: http://usir.salford.ac.uk/2037/ [Accessed 15th January 2011] NMC 2008. The code: standards of conduct, performance and ethics for nurses and midwives. Nursing and Midwifery Council. Oandasan, I.O., Reeves, S. 2005. Key elements for interprofessional education, part 2: factors, processes, outcomes. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 19 (S1), p.39-48. O'Halloran, C., Hean, S., Humphries, D. and Macleod-Clark, J. 2006. Developing common learning: The New Generation Project undergraduate curriculum model. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 20, p.12-28. Olenick, M., Ryan Allen, L. and Smego, R.A. Jr. 2010. Interprofessional education: a concept analysis. Advances in Medical Education and Practice, 1: 75-84. Petticrew, M. and Roberts, H. 2006. Systematic reviews in the social sciences: a practical guide. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing. Pollard, K. 2009. Student engagement in interprofessional working in practice placement settings. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 18, p.2846-2856. 58 Pollard, K., Rickaby, C. and Miers, M. 2008. Evaluating student learning in an interprofessional curriculum: the relevance of pre-qualifying inter-professional education for future professional practice. Project Report. Health Sciences and Practice, The Higher Education Academy. Available online at: https://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/7240/ [Accessed: 25th June 2010] Pollard, K.C. and Miers, M.E. 2008. From students to professionals: Results of a longitudinal study of attitudes to pre-qualifying collaborative learning and working in health and social care in the United Kingdom. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 22 (4), p.399-416. Pollard, K.C., Miers, M.E., Gilchrist, M, and Sayers, A. 2006. A comparison of interprofessional perceptions and working relationships among health and social care students: the results of a 3-year intervention. Health and Social Care in the Community, 14 (6), p.541-552. Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) 2010. Statement of common purpose for subject benchmark statements for the health and social care professions. Available from: http://www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/benchmark/health/StatementofCommonPurpose06.pdf [Accessed 15 April 2011] Reeves and Freeth, 2002. The London Training ward: an innovative interprofessional learning initiative. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 16 (1), p41-52. Reeves, S., Goldman, J., Gilbert, J., Tepper, J., Silver, I., Suter, E and Zwarenstein, M. 2011. A scoping review to improve conceptual clarity of interprofessional interventions. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 25: 167-174. Reeves, S., Zwarenstein, M., Goldman, J., Barr, H., Freeth, D., Hammick, M. and Koppel, I. 2008. Interprofessional education: effects on professional practice and health care outcomes. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD002213. [DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD002213.pub2.]. Reeves, S., Zwarenstein, M., Goldman, J., Barr, H., Freeth, D., Koppel, I. and Hammick, M. 2010. The effectiveness of interprofessional education: Key findings from a new systematic review. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 24(3), p.230-241. 59 Remington, T.L., Foulk, M.A. and Williams, B.C. 2006. Evaluation of Evidence for Interprofessional Education. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 70 (3) Article 66. Robson, M. and Kitchen, S.S. 2007. Exploring physiotherapy students' experiences of interprofessional collaboration in the clinical setting: A critical incident study. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 21 (1) p.95-109. Rosenfield, D., Oandasan, I. and Reeves, S. 2011. Perceptions versus reality: a qualitative study of students' expectations and experiences of interprofessional education. Medical Education, 45: 471-477. Santy, J., Beadle, M. and Needham, Y. 2009. Using an online case conference to facilitate interprofessional learning. Nurse Education in Practice, 9, p.383-387. Scottish Government 2007. Better health, better care: planning tomorrow's workforce today. Scottish Government. Silverman, D. 1993. Interpreting qualitative data: methods for analysing talk, text and interaction. Sage, London. Strauss, A. and Corbin, J. 1998. Basics of qualitative research: techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory. Sage, London. The Combined Universities Interprofessional Learning Unit. 2005. Combined Universities Interprofessional Learning Unit: Final Report. Available from: www.sheffield.ac.uk/cuilu [Accessed 27th March 2010] The Lord Laming Report. 2009. The Protection of Children in England: A Progress Report. London: The Stationary Office. Available from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/12_03_09_children.pdf. [Accessed: November 2010] Thompson, C. 2010 Do interprofessional education and problem based learning work together? The Clinical Teacher, 7, p.197-201. 60 WHO 2010. Framework for Action on Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice. World Health Organisation. WHO Study Group on Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice. 2008. Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice Glossary. Available from: http://cihc.wikispaces.com/Interprofessional+Glossary [Accessed: 5th August 2010]pub2875pu

Early Life Exposure to Aflatoxin B1 in Rats: Alterations in Lipids, Hormones, and DNA Methylation among the Offspring

Aflatoxins are toxic compounds produced by molds of the Aspergillus species that contaminate food primarily in tropical countries. The most toxic aflatoxin, aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), is a major cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in these countries. In sub-Saharan Africa, aflatoxin contamination is common, and perinatal AFB1 exposure has been linked to the early onset of HCC. Epigenetic programming, including changes to DNA methylation, is one mechanism by which early life exposures can lead to adult disease. This study aims to elucidate whether perinatal AFB1 exposure alters markers of offspring health including weight, lipid, and hormone profiles as well as epigenetic regulation that may later influence cancer risk. Pregnant rats were exposed to two doses of AFB1 (low 0.5 and high 5 mg/kg) before conception, throughout pregnancy, and while weaning and compared to an unexposed group. Offspring from each group were followed to 3 weeks or 3 months of age, and their blood and liver samples were collected. Body weights and lipids were assessed at 3 weeks and 3 months while reproductive, gonadotropic, and thyroid hormones were assessed at 3 months. Prenatal AFB1 (high dose) exposure resulted in significant 16.3%, 31.6%, and 7.5% decreases in weight of the offspring at birth, 3 weeks, and 3 months, respectively. Both doses of exposure altered lipid and hormone profiles. Pyrosequencing was used to quantify percent DNA methylation at tumor suppressor gene Tp53 and growth-regulator H19 in DNA from liver and blood. Results were compared between the control and AFB1 exposure groups in 3-week liver samples and 3-week and 3-month blood samples. Relative to controls, Tp53 DNA methylation in both low- and high-dose exposed rats was significantly decreased in liver samples and increased in the blood (p < 0.05 in linear mixed models). H19 methylation was higher in the liver from low- and high-exposed rats and decreased in 3-month blood samples from the high exposure group (p < 0.05). Further research is warranted to determine whether such hormone, lipid, and epigenetic alterations from AFB1 exposure early in life play a role in the development of early-onset HCC