The impact of delayed instructional support on adult learners in the ODL context

This paper investigated whether productive failure (PF) as an instructional strategy boosts students’ understanding on the subject matter in a face-to-face tutorial. PF instructional design advocates the delaying of support for the learners during the learning. This paper reports an initial study of a quasi-experimental that compares a ‘‘productive failure’’ instructional design with a traditional ‘‘lecture and practice’’ instructional design for a 2-hour tutorial session attended by adult learners. A total of 17 adult learners participated in the study. Learners experienced either a traditional lecture and practice teaching cycle or a PF cycle, where they solved complex problems in small groups without the provision of any support or scaffolds up until a consolidation lecture by their teacher during the last hour of the tutorial. Findings suggest that learners from the PF condition produced a variety of problem models and methods for solving the problems but were unsuccessful in their efforts, be it in groups or individually. Despite failing in their group and individual problem-solving efforts, learners from the PF condition performed better than their counterparts from the lecture and practice condition on both knowledge and higher order application problems based on the post-test. (Abstract by authors

Mastering New Information through Facebook and a Discussion Forum: A Comparative Analysis

This paper investigated the effect of productive failure (PF) as an instructional strategy in computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) groups using Facebook and a discussion forum. PF is an instructional mode design that advocates the delaying of support for the learners during learning — the more they struggle, and even fail, while trying to master new information, the better they are likely to recall and apply that information later. PF has been used successfully in the classroom. However, it is not known whether the use of a PF instructional mode with adult learners in CSCL groups such as Facebook and discussion forums will produce such a positive effect. A discussion forum is an important platform used to deliver teaching and learning via the Web, while the use of social media, especially Facebook, for teaching and learning has gained prominence lately. This paper reports an initial study that compares a ‘productive failure’ instructional design in CSCL groups through Facebook and a discussion forum. Five Facebook and five discussion forum groups participated in the study. Both groups solved ill-structured complex problems in small groups without the provision of any support or scaffolding from their instructors. The findings suggest that the Facebook groups produced a variety of scope for discussion and deliberation for solving the problems and were more successful in sustaining the discussion compared to the discussion forum groups. Facebook groups also had a higher critical thinking ratio than the discussion forum groups. Based on these findings, the implications of a PF instructional design for adult learners are presented. [ABSTRACT BY AUTHORS

Malaysian educative leadership : interim research findings

This article summarizes the policy context, the methodology and the interim findings of a research project intended to produce an indigenous theory of educative leadership in Malaysia. Educative leadership services were defined as the forms of leadership that help improve the quality of teaching and learning. A practical theory was needed to develop leadership considered appropriate in the Malaysian context of rapid economic and social development, national unity and Islamic revivalism. The practical outcomes of the study will include a validated diagnostic instrument that will measure the perceived extent to which school communities are receiving educative leadership services and implications for professional development, school development and management educa- tion. The findings from the first phase of the project are reported here, and specifically the forms of leadership service valued in Malaysian school communities as adjudged by exemplary principals and headteachers. They were assembled using iterative, qualita- tive and quantitative methods

The Virtual Classroom: A Catalyst for Institutional Transformation

This study explores the use of the virtual classroom which has been created in "myVLE", a learning management system used by the Open University Malaysia (OUM). The virtual classroom in "myVLE" is an asynchronous-based online learning environment that delivers course materials to learners and provides collaboration and interaction using an asynchronous-based forum as the main platform to support the learners' independent study. It also provides a learning environment with learning tools, learning materials, opportunities for contextual and collaborative discussions, and individual learning and assessment. OUM uses this virtual classroom to deliver the subject "Object-Oriented Programming" (CS1) and in this paper the impact of this delivery system is explored. The study aimed to elicit students' perceptions of the virtual classroom, based on their learning experiences, how well it supported their self-managed learning, and their personal preference for this compared with face to face interactions. Findings obtained using a questionnaire indicated moderate responses (average value for the items was between 2.0 to 3.6 on a five point Likert scale) for the use of the virtual classroom, and some possible reasons for this are discussed in this paper. (Abstract by authors

Nanoimmunotherapy – cloaked defenders to breach the cancer fortress

Cancer continues to be ranked among the top causes of mortality in the world despite the advances made in science and technology. The sub-par performance of cancer therapeutic strategies is due to the transformation of the cancer from a proliferating mass of cells into an impregnable fortress that manipulates and controls the microenvironment to prevent access to any potential cytotoxic factor as well as circumvent the innate immune surveillance processes. Recruitment of the native immune cells to selectively recognize and kill cancer cells can serve to augment the cytotoxic effects of conventional cancer therapeutic approaches. In addition to annihilation of the cancer cells, the induction of memory in the immune cells prevents the possibility of cancer recurrence. However, despite the apparent benefits of cancer immunotherapy, there are several pitfalls that need to be addressed in order to extend these benefits to the clinic. In this context, engineered nanostructured carrier systems can be effectively employed for an activation and priming of the host immune system selectively against the target cancer cells. This has led to the emergence of “nanoimmunotherapy” as an important therapeutic approach against cancer. The use of multi-functional nanomaterials in combination with immunotherapy offers possible solutions to overcome the current limitations in cancer therapy and represents the next generation of “smart therapeutics,” which forms the prime focus of discussion in this review

Emerging Trends in Nano-Driven Immunotherapy for Treatment of Cancer

Despite advancements in the development of anticancer medications and therapies, cancer still has the greatest fatality rate due to a dismal prognosis. Traditional cancer therapies include chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and targeted therapy. The conventional treatments have a number of shortcomings, such as a lack of selectivity, non-specific cytotoxicity, suboptimal drug delivery to tumour locations, and multi-drug resistance, which results in a less potent/ineffective therapeutic outcome. Cancer immunotherapy is an emerging and promising strategy to elicit a pronounced immune response against cancer. Immunotherapy stimulates the immune system with cancer-specific antigens or immune checkpoint inhibitors to overcome the immune suppressive tumour microenvironment and kill the cancer cells. However, delivery of the antigen or immune checkpoint inhibitors and activation of the immune response need to circumvent the issues pertaining to short lifetimes and effect times, as well as adverse effects associated with off-targeting, suboptimal, or hyperactivation of the immune system. Additional challenges posed by the tumour suppressive microenvironment are less tumour immunogenicity and the inhibition of effector T cells. The evolution of nanotechnology in recent years has paved the way for improving treatment efficacy by facilitating site-specific and sustained delivery of the therapeutic moiety to elicit a robust immune response. The amenability of nanoparticles towards surface functionalization and tuneable physicochemical properties, size, shape, and surfaces charge have been successfully harnessed for immunotherapy, as well as combination therapy, against cancer. In this review, we have summarized the recent advancements made in choosing different nanomaterial combinations and their modifications made to enable their interaction with different molecular and cellular targets for efficient immunotherapy. This review also highlights recent trends in immunotherapy strategies to be used independently, as well as in combination, for the destruction of cancer cells, as well as prevent metastasis and recurrence

Design of Oligonucleotide Carriers: Importance of Polyamine Chain Length

Amine containing polymers are extensively studied as special carriers for short-chain RNA (13–25 nucleotides), which are applied as gene silencing agents in gene therapy of various diseases including cancer. Elaboration of the oligonucleotide carriers requires knowledge about peculiarities of the oligonucleotide–polymeric amine interaction. The critical length of the interacting chains is an important parameter which allows us to design sophisticated constructions containing oligonucleotide binding segments, solubilizing, protective and aiming parts. We studied interactions of (TCAG)n, n = 1–6 DNA oligonucleotides with polyethylenimine and poly(N-(3-((3-(dimethylamino)propyl)(methyl)amino)propyl)-N-methylacrylamide). The critical length for oligonucleotides in interaction with polymeric amines is 8–12 units and complexation at these length can be accompanied by “all-or-nothing” effects. New dimethylacrylamide based polymers with grafted polyamine chains were obtained and studied in complexation with DNA and RNA oligonucleotides. The most effective interaction and transfection activity into A549 cancer cells and silencing efficiency against vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was found for a sample with average number of nitrogens in polyamine chain equal to 27, i.e., for a sample in which all grafted chains are longer than the critical length for polymeric amine–oligonucleotide complexation

Supramolecular Gel Formation Based on Glycolipids Derived from Renewable Resources

The potential applications of self-assembled supramolecular gels based on natural molecules encouraged the researchers to develop a versatile synthetic method for their structural analogues. Herein, we report a facile synthesis of glycolipid from renewable resources, cashew nut shell liquid,d and d-glucose in good yield. Gelation behavior of these glycolipids were studied in a wide range of solvents and oils. To our delight, compound 5b formed a hydrogel with Critical gelator concentration (CGC) of 0.29% w/v. Morphological analysis of the hydrogel depicts the formation of twisted fibers with an entangled network. Formation of a twisted fibrous structure was further identified by CD spectral studies with respect to temperature. The molecular self-assembly assisted by hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic, and π–π stacking interactions were identified by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and FTIR studies. Rheological analysis depicted the mechanical strength and stability of the hydrogel, which is crucial in predicting the practical applications of supramolecular soft materials

Adherence to weekly iron folic acid supplementation and associated factors among adolescent girls – A mixed-method study

Context: Despite the Weekly Iron folic acid supplementation (WIFS) program, the prevalence of anaemia among adolescent girls remains high. Phase 1 Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) task force study conducted in 2016 in Kallur showed that the IFA provision rate for adolescent girls was 72% but the consumption rate was only 15% in the Kallur area. The present study was done to identify the gaps for the difference between provision and consumption rate of weekly IFA tablets among adolescent girls using the WHO conceptual framework in home-based settings. Materials and Methods: This crosssectional study with a mixedmethod design was conducted from October 2020 to December 2021. Quantitative data were collected from 972 adolescent girls and their parents using a structured pretested questionnaire, whereas qualitative exploration was done by focus group discussions. Descriptive analysis and bivariate analysis were used to analyse the quantitative data. Qualitative data were analysed and integrated with quantitative results. Results: The overall number of girls who were aware of Iron Folic acid therapy (IFAT) was 704 (72%). However, only 132 (13%) adolescent girls were found to be adherent to IFA therapy. Multivariable regression analysis revealed that side effects encountered on intake of IFAT (Odds ratio (OR) =0.5, P = 0.009) were associated with higher rates of nonadherence, whereas regular supply (OR = 13.6, P = 0.000), health education to parents (OR = 2.76, P = 0.002), and experiencing benefits (OR = 1.72, P = 0.006) were associated with higher rates of adherence. These were substantiated by qualitative findings. Conclusions: Ignorance on the impact of anaemia on adolescent health, fear of side effects, unpleasant effects experienced on intake of Iron folic acid (IFA), and inadequate counselling determines the adherence to weekly IFA supplements among adolescent girls