Ogya ne atuduro nna faako - Fire and gunpowder do not sleep together: Teaching and learning Materials Science and Engineering with African proverbs

In 2008, on a sabbatical leave in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Ghana, I was assigned a new course, Materials and the Future. Materials science and engineering is concerned with the science and engineering of “stuff.” This paper recounts my motivation for using African proverbs as a medium of instruction in this course. I also share highlights of my experiences and those of the students. Engineering schools worldwide are struggling with how to promote cognitive learning and creativity among today’s generation of students. The technologically advanced countries have the challenge of weaning students away from overdependence on pre-existing solutions easily accessible via the Internet. In Africa it is tempting for students to assume that all technological advances come from abroad and that they should just wait passively to receive these blessings. This paper argues that the indirection characteristic of proverbial discourse can encourage students to develop a conceptual understanding of materials science and engineering rooted in the African soil

Sustaining quality improvement in UK higher education through effective management of best practices

EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Sulfonate Adsorption and Wetting Behavior at Solid-Water Interfaces

The electrophoretic mobilities of silver iodide sol particles have been measured as a function of pAg in the presence of var,ious concentrations of C5, C8, C10, C12 and C14 sodium alkyl sulfonates at constant ionic strength and temperature. Contact angles in the solid-air-solution system both in the absence and in the presence of the C14 sulfonate have also been determined. These results have been compared with previously reported work on the effect of alkyl sulfonates on the electrokinetic and wetting behavior of alumina. Application of the Stern-Grahame model of the electrical double layer allows delineation of the various mechanisms contributing to the adsorption phenomena. In the case of the aluminasulfonate system the adsorption process is purely physical, viz. electrostatic and hydrocarbon chain-chain interactions, while for the AgI-sulfonate system both physical and chemical processes are involved, viz. electrostatic, hydrocarbon chain-solid, chain-chain, and solid-polar head interactions

Sulfonate Adsorption and Wetting Behavior at Solid-Water Interfaces

The electrophoretic mobilities of silver iodide sol particles have been measured as a function of pAg in the presence of var,ious concentrations of C5, C8, C10, C12 and C14 sodium alkyl sulfonates at constant ionic strength and temperature. Contact angles in the solid-air-solution system both in the absence and in the presence of the C14 sulfonate have also been determined. These results have been compared with previously reported work on the effect of alkyl sulfonates on the electrokinetic and wetting behavior of alumina. Application of the Stern-Grahame model of the electrical double layer allows delineation of the various mechanisms contributing to the adsorption phenomena. In the case of the aluminasulfonate system the adsorption process is purely physical, viz. electrostatic and hydrocarbon chain-chain interactions, while for the AgI-sulfonate system both physical and chemical processes are involved, viz. electrostatic, hydrocarbon chain-solid, chain-chain, and solid-polar head interactions

Aqueour biphase extraction for processing of fine coal

Ever-stringent environmental constraints dictate that future coal cleaning technologies be compatible with micron-size particles. For super-clean coal production, the degree of liberation needed to separate coal from mineral matter, including pyrite, requires grinding to 10 mm or below. In addition, large amounts of fine coal are discharged to refuse ponds because current coal cleaning technology cannot adequately treat such finely divided materials. This research program seeks to develop an advanced coal cleaning technology uniquely suited to micron-size particles, i.e., aqueous biphase extraction. This technique relies on the ability of an aqueous system consisting of a water-soluble organic polymer and an inorganic metal salt to separate into two immiscible aqueous phases. Differences in the hydrophobic/hydrophilic properties of particulates can then be exploited to effect selective transfers to either the upper polymer-rich phase, or the lower salt-rich phase. An experimental program is proposed involving phase diagram determination, phase separation rate measurements, partition measurements, and washing experiments

Postcolonial Theory and Early Literacy Development for 4-8 year-olds: A Life History Study of Ghanaian Teachers

This life history study examines how the changes in language and literacy policy in lower grades impacted on teachers’ classroom practices from independence in 1957 to 2014. As a result of British colonial rule, English is the official language in Ghana and other sub-Saharan African countries; English is also used in many schools, yet most young children enter school with no prior knowledge of the English language. Consequently, the language of instruction in lower grades has always been a contested issue. There are some who prefer the use of local language and see the use of English as inculcating Western values and culture in the African, thus depriving children of the knowledge of African traditional values. On the other hand, those in favour of English, argue that the use of local language was a means of providing inferior education to Africans by colonial governments. These differing views have led to changes in the language policy for lower grades since the country’s independence in 1957. Although there have been a number of studies on the language policy in lower grade, there is a gap in the literature on understanding how colonial rule and Western education influences the language/s used in Ghanaian schools to support children’s literacy development. In addition, there is little or no research to understand how policy changes in language and literacy have affected lower grade teachers’ classroom practices. This study therefore adopts a postcolonial theoretical perspective and has used in-depth interviews to collect data from seven lower grades teachers on the use of different language and literacy policies over the past six decades. The findings suggest that teachers’ personal values, beliefs and teacher training play a significant role in their attitudes towards language and literacy policy and their classroom practices. Though teaching in the local language helped in classroom interaction, making children more active, the study found that teachers’ knowledge of local language was hampered by the fact that local language was an optional subject in Senior High School. The English-only policy was seen as being responsible for children’s inability to understand and communicate freely in class, thereby making teaching difficult for teachers. The findings also show that, though the National Literacy Acceleration Programme (NALAP) was seen as a positive move to make children literate in both local language and English, the question of the use of a particular local language and the place of English in lower grades remains unresolved. This study concludes that young children’s literacy development depends to a large extent on an individual teacher’s language expertise in the local languages and English and their ability in using and teaching both efficiently in the classroom

Semiconductor electrochemistry of coal pyrite. Technical progress report, October--December 1992

This project seeks to advance the fundamental understanding of the physics-chemical processes occurring at the pyrite/aqueous interface, in the context of coal cleaning, coal desulfurization, and acid minedrainage. A novel approach to the study of pyrite aqueous electrochemistry is proposed, based on the use of both synthetic and natural ( i.e. coal-derived) pyrite specimens, the utilization of.pyrite both in the form of micro (i.e. colloidal and subcolloidal) and macro (i.e. rotating ring disk) electrodes, and the application of in-situ direct electroanalytical and spectroelectrochemical characterization techniques. The kinetic study of the reaction between sulfide and ferrous ions in solution suggested that the black species formed initially is FeHS{sup +} intermediate. To farther confirm this mechanism, the experiments aimed at establishing the stoichiometry for the intermediate were carried out thermodynamically with a stopped-flow spectrophotometric technique. The results showed that the mole ratio of H{sup {minus}}/Fe{sup 2+} is 1 to 1 for the intermediate product, which is in good agreement with the kinetic results previously obtained. Furthermore, the equilibrium constant for the reaction Fe{sup 2+} + H{sup {minus}} = FeHS{sup +} was determined as K = 10{sup 4.34}. The forward rate constant is 10{sup 3.81}(mol/l){sup {minus}1}sec{sup {minus}1} and the backward rate constant is 10{sup {minus}0.53} (mol/l){sup {minus}1} sec{sup {minus}1}

Semiconductor electrochemistry of coal pyrite

This project seeks to advance the fundamental understanding of the physics-chemical processes occurring at the pyrite/aqueous interface, in the context of coal cleaning, coal desulfurization, and acid minedrainage. A novel approach to the study of pyrite aqueous electrochemistry is proposed, based on the use of both synthetic and natural ( i.e. coal-derived) pyrite specimens, the utilization of.pyrite both in the form of micro (i.e. colloidal and subcolloidal) and macro (i.e. rotating ring disk) electrodes, and the application of in-situ direct electroanalytical and spectroelectrochemical characterization techniques. The kinetic study of the reaction between sulfide and ferrous ions in solution suggested that the black species formed initially is FeHS[sup +] intermediate. To farther confirm this mechanism, the experiments aimed at establishing the stoichiometry for the intermediate were carried out thermodynamically with a stopped-flow spectrophotometric technique. The results showed that the mole ratio of H[sup [minus]]/Fe[sup 2+] is 1 to 1 for the intermediate product, which is in good agreement with the kinetic results previously obtained. Furthermore, the equilibrium constant for the reaction Fe[sup 2+] + H[sup [minus]] = FeHS[sup +] was determined as K = 10[sup 4.34]. The forward rate constant is 10[sup 3.81](mol/l)[sup [minus]1]sec[sup [minus]1] and the backward rate constant is 10[sup [minus]0.53] (mol/l)[sup [minus]1] sec[sup [minus]1]

Semiconductor electrochemistry of coal pyrite. Technical progress report, April--June 1992

Pyrite synthesis is of interest in many diverse fields, such as geology, fuel processing technology, chemistry, metallurgy, materials science, and so on. Based on fundamental studies of this process, the formation mechanisms of this important sulfide on the earth can be better understood. The studies can also help us to better understand the surface chemistry and electrochemistry of pyrite, thereby assisting in the development of more efficient processes for removal of the sulfide from coal. The work performed during this quarter focuses on the study of the reaction between aqueous sulfide ions and dissolved Fe(II) salts by using a stopped-flow spectrophotometric technique. At a wavelength of 500 mn, no absorption was observed with either aqueous sulfide or dissolved Fe(II) salt alone. However, when the two solutions were mixed, a strong absorbance appeared at the same wavelength. The absorbance-time curve showed that a black material formed at the first few seconds of the reaction, then this material decayed and changed gradually to a lighter dark material within the following several minutes. These processes were pH-dependent. It was more likely to form the black intermediate at the pH range from 7 to 8. This indicates that the reaction between Fe{sup 2+} and HS{sup {minus}} results in the formation of the black intermediate because in this pH range, both Fe{sup 2+} and HS{sup {minus}} are the predominant species. The absorbance varied linearly with the concentration of the reactant for the first step of the reaction. The absorptivity of the black intermediate was determined as 4800 l/mol/cm. By means of this spectrophotometric technique, the stoichiometry, the equilibrium constant and the rate constant of the reaction will be determined

Manufacturing Industry Competitiveness: the impact of socio-cultural factors on FDI inflows to Nigeria since 2000

The level of investment is a key driver in helping Multinational enterprises (MNEs) face the challenges of today’s fast and dynamic 21st Century global business environment. Prior studies reveal a significant decline in manufacturing industry output and its contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) in Nigeria since the mid-1970s. We use Dunning’s foreign direct investment (FDI) motives as basis for examining the impact of socio-cultural factors on FDI inflows to the Nigerian manufacturing industry since 2000. Between 2011 and 2015, we carried out a Questionnaire Survey of 925 respondents in Nigeria. The data analysis reveals that since 2000, the lack of a coherent and consistent ‘child protection mechanisms’ coupled with the lack of ‘consensus building on individual security matters’ led to a significant decline in FDI inflows to the Nigerian manufacturing sector. A key limitation of this study is the fact that, it does not critically address the strategic impact of the current Boko Haram insurgence in Nigeria; as such an area for further research would use Qualitative methods to examine the impact of child protection, gender inequality and ethnic tensions on FDI into the Nigerian manufacturing industry