Learn 2.0 technologies and the continuing professional development of secondary school mathematics teachers

Published ArticleThe paper reports on a Learn 2.0 technology that was used to support the continuing professional development of mathematics teachers at a secondary school. Design Based Research methods were used within a Multiphase Mixed Methods research framework to create professional development opportunities that were subsequently monitored by Social Network Analysis techniques. We demonstrate that Learn 2.0 technologies can indeed support the continuing professional development of teachers and improve their performance, and also that Social Network Analysis is an effective method to describe, comprehend, clarify and transparently monitor teacher engagement during online professional development activities. We identify 'participation' as a key pre-determinant to success

Plectranthus: A plant for the future?

AbstractThe genus Plectranthus (Lamiaceae) is a significant, prolific and extensively used genus in southern Africa. It plays a dominant role in both horticulture and traditional medicine. Some 12 species are documented for their use in treating ailments by various indigenous peoples of southern Africa. It is a firm favourite in gardens and Plectranthus has been bred to further utilise the remarkable diversity of indigenous South African wildflowers with amenity horticultural potential. Although previously subjected to both horticultural (Van Jaarsveld, 2006) and ethnobotanical (Lukhoba et al., 2006) review, Plectranthus is a genus with economic potential in various sectors, and this article aims to review this potential of southern African species

Studies in Cyperaceae in southern Africa 35: a field study of Bolboschoenus maritimus s.l. in a western Cape wetland

An account is given of reproductive features, especially the inflorescence, spikelets and achenes, including pericarp anatomy and embryos, of a population of Bolboschoenus maritimus (L.) Palla sensu lato at Verlorenvlei, an estuarine lake on the west coast of Cape Province (now Northern Cape), South Africa. The variation encountered is recorded by means of illustrations and tables, and speculative explanation of the range of morphological form reported is offered to promote further study. Some comparisons of achenes, pericarp anatomy and embryos from populations in the general area of the Northern and Eastern Cape are made with those from Verlorenvlei

DNA fingerprinting and anti-inflammatory activity of Ocotea bullata bark from different locations

Ocotea bullata was sampled from forests at Mhlahlane, Zimankulu, Saasveld and Bangeni Weza. The bark of this plant is frequently used as a fine powder to treat headache, urinary disorders and stomach problems. Old and young bark, twigs and coppice were tested for anti-inflammatory activity. The COX-1 inhibition of hexane extracts from the old bark samples showed low inhibition in this assay. There was little variation in activity between extracts from the different collection sites as well as between plants from the same region. The TLC fingerprints also revealed very little chemical variation between old bark material from the different locations as well as between plants from the same region. DNA was extracted from young leaves only as older ones rapidly turned brown during the extraction process. There were no genetic differences, within and across the different habitats, detected with the six RAPD primers that were selected for use