How Does Seating Arrangement Matter While Teaching in Small Groups?

A circular seating arrangement is best suited for small group discussions

Surface functionalities of nitric acid treated carbon – A density functional theory based vibrational analysis

352-356The appropriate combination of surface functionalities and their relative contribution to the total surface functionalities of oxidized carbon by nitric acid are evaluated by density functional theory calculations. Though the computed and experimental spec-tra do not exactly match in all respects, the methodology adopted has a definite role in understanding the complex surface function-alities of treated carbon

Teaching statistics to medical undergraduates using interactive and participatory sessions

Introduction: In India, medical undergraduates think that statistics is difficult to understand. Often, it is taught just before final assessment examination using didactic lectures, with little use of medical examples and less focus on application. Hence, we prepared interactive, participatory sessions for teaching biostatistics to medical undergraduate. Methods: The sessions were delivered by a facilitator. It had clearly specified objectives and teaching learning strategies. A needs assessment was done by interviewing the students who had undergone traditional biostatistics teaching methodology. Specific learning objectives for the sessions were finalized using the Delphi technique and review of University syllabus. Two trained Community Medicine faculties designed the lesson plans ‘backwards’ from desired outcome to content, teaching/learning strategies, assessment and evaluation process (Outcomes-based lesson planning). Forty, third-semester (Para-clinical phase of the second year) medical undergraduates undertook these seven teaching sessions. The session followed adult learning principles and included group discussions, games and reflections. We evaluated the impact of the sessions using in-depth interviews, retrospective post-then-preself- assessment and a pre-announced written test. Results: With traditional statistics teaching methodology, students perceived it as a standalone subject and were not interested in statistics. Students who underwent the sessions commented that the sessions were enjoyable, interesting, and participatory and more than %90 of them felt they were engaged throughout the session. They also narrated various instances where they could apply the biostatistics learning. In the post-then-pre-assessment median post-session scores for all the objectives were significantly higher (p <0.050). Conclusion: Use of interactive, participatory sessions for teaching biostatistics to medical undergraduates resulted in a positive reaction and better learning. They also applied these concepts while reading textbooks, listening to lectures and during clinical postings

Titania based catalysts for photoreduction of carbon dioxide: Role of modifiers

1263-1283 Photocatalytic conversions on titania utilizing sunlight as the energy source have been studied extensively for a variety of processes/ synthesis, like removal of pollutants in air and liquid streams, self-cleaning, anti-fogging and anti-bacterial applications, splitting of water into hydrogen and oxygen and photoreduction of CO2 by water to yield hydrocarbons. These processes are receiving global attention as an off-shoot of the frantic search for alternative energy sources. Though titania continues to be the preferred catalyst in view of its low toxicity, ability to resist photo-corrosion, versatility, and abundant availability at low cost, critical limitations do exist in terms of its inability to get activated with visible light and in achieving high conversion efficiency and quantum yield. Several techniques of modifying titania to improve its performance have evolved over the years resulting in correlations and concepts on structure-property-activity and the role of preparation methods. Such modifications have lead to changes in light absorption efficiency, electronic structure, energy levels, morphology, phase composition and other photophysical properties with moderate improvements in the performance. Efforts to understand the mode of action of the modifiers in terms of the first principles, i.e., rationalization of the activity in terms of electronic and structural properties and establishing theoretical basis for the photocatalytic action, have met with only partial success, due to conflicting observations/results.   The objectives towards modifications, namely, extending the light absorption range, retarding charge carrier re-combination, facilitating their fast transport to the active sites on titania surface and incorporation of active elements suitable for redox reactions, have been achieved to a reasonable level. However, commensurate improvement in activity/CO2 conversion has not been observed. Maximization of selectivity (to methane or methanol) and arresting catalyst deactivation are the two major issues yet to be understood in clear terms. An in-depth study to understand the surface transformations at molecular level under activation by light energy, is needed to achieve further improvements in the activity of the catalysts and the process. This review brings forth an account of the investigations on modified titania, capturing some significant and selected contributions out of the vast literature available, with an emphasis on application for photocatalytic reduction of CO2 with water.</sub