Evaluating An Online Learning Programme from Students Perspectives

Today, we are in an information age and the goal of education is to help teachers incorporate technology into the education curriculum This study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of students’ participation in a blended first-class online programme for 40 practicing teachers and administrators in one of the colleges of the University of London with respect to sex, age and occupation. The study employed the use of a questionnaire, which was divided into four parts viz: Learning environment, Personal factors, Pedagogical strategies and Learning process. The major findings of the study showed that sex and age are the major variables that contribute to successful online learning, while participants’ occupations seem not to have any effect. Furthermore, online learning contributes more to the acquisition of the following skills with respect to age and sex: browsing and searching skills, information gathering skills, and library references searching skills. Online learning programs, however, do not generally contribute to arousing students’ interest. The implications of the findings were further discussed

Teachers And Students Perceptions Of Students Problem-Solving Difficulties In Physics: Implications For Remediation

In recent times, science education researchers have identified a lot of instruments for evaluating conceptual understanding as well as students’ attitudes and beliefs about physics; unfortunately however, there are no broad based evaluation instruments in the field of problem-solving in physics. This missing tool is an indication of the complexity of the field. However, one obvious way by means of which we can evaluate students’ problem-solving skills is to find out how teachers and students perceive problem-solving difficulties in physics. Using a population of 210 Senior Secondary School (SSS) physics students and their teachers, this study investigated aspects of students’ problem-solving difficulties in physics and possible remedies. The result of the analysis show that lack of students understanding of the problem and their poor mathematical skills constitute the major obstacles in the circle of difficulties that students experience in solving physics problems. Furthermore, the study identified two major remedies that could possibly assist students in solving physics problems: 1) the provision of enough home assignments and 2) the employment of qualified physics teachers. The results are further discussed in terms of their implications for effective learning of physics

New Directions In The Nigerian Educational System

In recent times, the Nigerian educational system has witnessed some drastic reforms. This paper highlights some of the major reforms that have taken place especially in response to a number of international human rights instruments that provide for education as a fundamental human right to all. The paper further discusses some of the challenges facing education in Nigeria and which is making it difficult for good quality education that is all empowering and capable of bringing about sustainable development to be achieved. Finally, it offered some suggestions on how to overcome these challenges

NDM 1 Gene Carrying Gram negative Bacteria Isolated from Rats Captured from some Poultry Houses in Nigeria

The New Delhi metallo-beta lactamase (NDM-1) bearing pathogens pose serious public health threat because they are usually resistant to virtually other useful antibiotics. Constant monitoring and prompt detection of such pathogens are keys to effective prevention and control of their spread among other animal and human pathogens. In this study, we screened 56 Gram negative bacteria comprising: 3 isolates of Enterobacter ludwigii, 30 Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 22 Proteus mirabilis, and 1 Aeromonas caviae isolated from oral cavity and rectum of rats captured from commercial poultry houses in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria that were resistant to at least three of or all of: ceftazidime, ceftriaxone, amikacin and cefepime at 32μg/mL breakpoint for the presence of bla NDM-1, using PCR assay. The bacteria isolates were identified based on standard bacteriological procedures and by 16S PCR identification method. The isolates were screened to find out the possible role of rats in the dissemination and the public health importance of the species to poultry and ultimately to humans. A total of 5.4% (3/56) of the Gram negative bacteria from rats screened from the studied area carried the NDM-1 gene. The results from this work indicated that rat may serve as agent for disseminating the gene to poultry and human pathogens. Rat control within the poultry houses and human households should be given important consideration to achieve effective prevention and control of spread of these organisms that may be of public health importance.Key words: Rats, poultry, New Delhi metallo-beta lactamase (NDM-1)

Bioadsorption of 2,6-Dichlorophenol from Aqueous Solution onto Plantain and Pineapple Peels Mixture Used as Adsorbent: Optimization Studies Based on Taguchi Method, Batch Equilibrium, and Kinetic Modelling

The feasibility of using pineapple/plantain peels mixture to remove 2, 6-dichlorophenol (2,6-DCP) from its aqueous solutions was investigated under batch mode. The effects of factors such as pH, initial 2, 6-DCP concentration, temperature and pineapple/plantain peels adsorbent ratio on the removal process were evaluated. Four factors and three levels according to Taguchi’s (L9) orthogonal array were used to assess and optimize the bioadsorption behaviour of pineapple/plantain peels mixture. Analysis of variance was applied to determine the significant factors that affect bioadsorption.  The levels of significant factors were optimized using Signal to Noise ratio. The results showed that bioadsorption of 2, 6-DCP was dependent on these factors. However, pH was the major factor that affects the percentage (%) removal of 2,6-DCP with its % contribution of 52.23. An optimum parameter combination for the maximum percentage removal of 2,6-DCP was obtained using the analysis of Signal to Noise (S/N) ratio. The best conditions for bioadsorption of 2,6-DCP were determined by the Taguchi method and desirability approach as pH = 7, initial 2,6-DCP concentration of 300 mg/l, temperature 50 °C, and pineapple/plantain adsorbent ratio of 2:1. The equilibrium bioadsorption data were analyzed by Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. The Freundlich isotherm model provided the best fit (R2 = 0.9980) to the experimental data. The maximum monolayer bioadsorption capacity ( ) was found to be 76.92 mg/g. The bioadsorption kinetics data of 2, 6-DCP were analyzed by pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order and intraparticle diffusion models. The pseudo-second order kinetic model gave the best fit. Therefore, pineapple/plantain peel adsorbent mixture has potential for application as an effective bioadsorbent for 2, 6-DCP removal from aqueous solution. Keywords: Bioadsorption; Bioadsorption isotherms; Kinetics; Pineapple-Plantain peel mixture; 2, 6-Dichlorophenol; Taguchi method

Removal of Lead (II) from Aqueous Solution using Banana (Musa Paradisiaca) Stalk-Based Activated Carbon

Banana Stalk Activated Carbon (BSAC) chemically prepared was used as adsorbent to remove Pb (II) from aqueous solution in a batch mode. BSAC was characterized using physicochemical properties, proximate analysis, pHpzc, and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Effects of initial concentration, contact time, temperature, adsorbent dose and pH on adsorption of Pb (II) were evaluated. FTIR showed that BSAC is rich in carboxyl, hydroxyl and phenolic functional groups. The maximum percentage removal of Pb (II) was 97.90% at equilibrium time of 120 minutes. The kinetic data of Pb (II) were analyzed using pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order and intra-particle diffusion models but the pseudo-second-order kinetic model gave the best fit. Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Dubinin – Radushkevich (D–R) isotherm models were used to analyze the equilibrium adsorption data, but the Langmuir isotherm model provided the best correlation (R2) of 0.998 and maximum adsorption capacity (qmax) of 200 mg/g.  The thermodynamic properties of the adsorption process, such as the Gibbs free energy, enthalpy and the entropic change have been evaluated and established that the process was spontaneous, feasible and endothermic in nature. BSAC is efficient and effective in removing Pb(II) from its aqueous solution. Keywords: Banana stalk, adsorption, kinetics, isotherm, equilibriu

The Impact of Stock Market Development on Economic Growth in Nigeria

This study examines the impact of stock market development on economic growth between1970 and 2008. Co-integration Analysis and Error Correlation Mechanism were adopted as the estimating techniques to verify the existence of long-run relationship between stock market development and economic growth. Questionnaires were administered to access the investor’s confidence in the Nigerian stock exchange and to authenticate the impact of stock market development on economic growth in the period under review. The empirical results revealed that there is existence of long-run relationship between stock market development and economic growth in Nigeria. The findings also showed that there is positive relationship between market capitalization and money supply with economic growth while total value traded, turnover ratio and gross capital formation have inverse relationship with the growth. Market capitalization is highly significant and appears to be the major stock market indicator.  Based on these findings government should address the shortage of investment assets through effective policy measures that enhance the performance of stock market in Nigeria and to restore confidence of the investors. Keywords: stock market development, economic growth, Co-integration and Error Correction Framework and the use of descriptive survey typ

Experimental investigation of hydrodynamic slug mitigation potential of an intermittent absorber

The need to handle hydrodynamic slugs in a more efficient way becomes important as oil and gas activities shift deep offshore. This study describes the use of a vessel coupled to the pipeline-riser system upstream of the first stage separator for hydrodynamic slug attenuation. The experiments were carried out in a 2″ pipeline-riser system which comprises of a 40 m long horizontal pipe connected to a 11 m high vertical riser followed by a 3 m horizontal topside section. Air and water were used as experimental fluids. Bifurcation maps and slug attenuation index (SAI) have been used to quantify increase in oil production and the slug attenuation potential of this concept. The device was observed to reduce the pressure fluctuations characterising hydrodynamic slug flow up to 22%. The device also provides additional benefits of stabilising the flow at higher valve opening (choke setting) and lower pressure compared to traditional choking. This in practice translates to increase in oil production. Special case of hydrodynamic slugs which exhibit overchoking induced slugging (OIS) was also observed to be relatively attenuated by the introduction of the absorber