Sustavan pregled mrežnih okruženja učenja u nastavi Matematike na sekundarnoj razini obrazovanja: stavovi, postignuća, izazovi i moguća rješenja

Web-based learning environments (WBLE) are widely adopted in the context of higher education. Comparatively, little is known about how they are used in high school mathematics curricula. Therefore, this systematic review investigates how WBLEs are applied in high school education and which outcomes this instructional approach has resulted in up to now. 14 related journal publications on high school WBLE are identified and analysed in terms of their WBLE activities, student achievement, attitude, and challenges encountered. The findings suggest that several activities are used in WBLE. WBLE application in high school mathematics education produced a neutral or positive effect on student achievement when compared to traditional classroom-based learning. Students’ attitudes toward WBLE approach are varied. WBLE implementation challenges are classified as student-associated, faculty-associated, and operational. We proposed seven possible solutions to address these challenges based on previous studies. Also, recommendations for future research are discussedMrežna okruženja za učenje (WBLE) široko su prihvaćena u kontekstu visokoga obrazovanja. S druge strane, malo se zna o tome kako se ona koriste u programima matematike u višim razredima osnovnih te u srednjim školama. Stoga se u ovome sustavnom pregledu istražuje kako se WBLE primjenjuje na sekundarnoj razini obrazovanja i koji su dosdašnji rezultati primjene ovog nastavnoga pristupa. Odabrano je 14 relevantnih časopisa o WBLE-u na sekundarnoj razini obrazovanja te analizirano u smislu njihovih WBLE aktivnosti, postignuća učenika, stavova i izazova s kojima se susreću. Rezultati pokazuju da se u WBLE-u koristi nekoliko aktivnosti. Primjena WBLE-a u matematičkom obrazovanju na srednjoškolskoj razini proizvela je neutralan ili pozitivan učinak na učenička postignuća u usporedbi s tradicionalnim učenjem u učionici. Stavovi učenika o WBLE pristupu su različiti. Izazovi primjene WBLE-a javljaju se na razini učenika, nastavnika i organizacije. Na temelju prethodnih studija predložili smo sedam mogućih rješenja kao odgovor na njih. Također, u raspravi dajemo preporuke za buduća istraživanj

Gaming in Education: Using Games as a Support Tool to Teach History

The use of current and emerging tools in education is becoming a blistering topic among educators and educational institutions. Gaming in education may be viewed as an interference to learning but its role in education is to increase students’ motivation and engagement, to enhance visual skills, to improve students’ interaction and collaboration abilities with their peers and to enable them to apply gaming values in a real-world situation. Educational technology is being used to simplify and improve learning but using technology in education does not directly impact student achievement as the technology tools have to be in line with the curriculum for them to be effective. This paper discusses the implementation and use of gaming applications in teaching History, a subject which is mainly concerned about facts, by highlighting the role games have in education. The design of games such as word search, crossword, jigsaw puzzle, brain teasers and sliding puzzle using an open source tool called ProProfs is also discussed in this paper. Keywords: Achievement, Educational technology, Gaming, Simulation

Fish sorting assessments of Clarias gariepinus fingerlings raised in fish tanks

Fish sorting assessments of Clarias gariepinus fingerlings stocked and raised in fish tanks were undertaken for a 6-month culture period: Sorting was undertaken from the first, second, and third months of stocking the fish fingerlings while the control was not sorted at all. The sorting assessments revealed that the twice sorting of fish fingerlings stocked with a Marginal Rate of Return (MRR) of 3.44 was significantly different (p>0.05) from those sorted once with MRR of 0.912, and three times with MRR of 2.65 respectively, thus making twice sorting most advisable for fish farmers utilizing Clarias gariepinus fingerlings for tank aquacultur

Teratogenic and Anti-mutagenic Potentials of Aqueous Leaf Extract of Momordica charantia Linn.

Momordica charantia Linn. is an edible plant, used in various countries for the treatment of several diseases. For the purpose of this research, aqueous extract of air dried leaves of M. charantia was used. The aqueous leaf extract was administered (at 80mg/kg, 100mg/kg and 120mg/kg of body weight) to male albino rats for 90 days. After which, the bone marrow and sperm cells were observed for micronuclei, sperm count and sperm head abnormalities. The results from this study showed that increased dosage of the aqueous leaf extract produced a decrease in micronuclei observed among the groups, indicating that M. charantia has some anti-mutagenic potentials and it is able to inhibit chromosomal breakages. Contrary to its effects on the bone marrow cells, the results from the sperm analyses indicates that it has teratogenic potentials by reducing sperm production and altering sperm morphology

Helicobacter pylori patient isolates from South Africa and Nigeria differ in virulence factor pathogenicity profile and associated gastric disease outcome

Helicobacter pylori is a gram-negative, spiral-shaped bacterial pathogen and the causative agent for gastritis, peptic ulcer disease and classified as a WHO class I carcinogen. While the prevalence of H. pylori infections in Africa is among the highest in the world, the incidence of gastric cancer is comparably low. Little is known about other symptoms related to the H. pylori infection in Africa and the association with certain phenotypes of bacterial virulence. We established a network of study sites in Nigeria (NG) and South Africa (ZA) to gain an overview on the epidemiological situation. In total 220 isolates from 114 patients were analyzed and 118 different patient isolates examined for the presence of the virulence factors cagA, vacA, dupA, their phylogenetic origin and their resistance against the commonly used antibiotics amoxicillin, clarithromycin, metronidazole and tetracycline. We report that H. pylori isolates from Nigeria and South Africa differ significantly in their phylogenetic profiles and in their expression of virulence factors. VacA mosaicism is intensive, resulting in m1-m2 vacA chimeras and frequent s1m1 and s1m2 vacA subtypes in hpAfrica2 strains. Gastric lesions were diagnosed more frequent in Nigerian versus South African patients and H. pylori isolates that are resistant against one or multiple antibiotics occur frequently in both countries

Taking business intelligence to business education curriculum: graduate students’ concerns

Business intelligence systems are widely employed in industries. However, students concerns about Business Intelligence course are largely missed in the business education curriculum. To take a proper decision on Business intelligence integration in business education, it is important to understand students’ concerns. This study employed a survey questionnaire to investigate 142 graduate students concerns about integrating business intelligence into business education curriculum. The survey questionnaire was adopted from previous studies to measure students’ concerns on a Business Intelligence job opportunity, interest and relevance in the Business intelligence education. The survey items have a reliability scales of Cronbach’s alpha (α) = 0.818, factor loading > 0.5, and Average Variance Extracted (AVE) ≥ 0.5, and Composite Reliability (CR) ≥ 0.6. Descriptive statistics and Independent sample t-test and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test were performed on the survey data. Students revealed that Business intelligence knowledge is relevant (mean = 4.29, SD = 0.710), has several job opportunities (mean = 4.16, SD = 0.675), and should be integrated into business education curriculum (mean = 3.95.08, SD = 0.79). In addition, there was no statistically significant difference (t (140) = –0.027, p > 0.05) between the concerns of students with Business Intelligence lecture experience and those without. Further, perceived importance and job opportunity significantly, F = 24.601 and p = .000(< .05) relates to the Business intelligence integration in Business Education. The findings draw implications for university management and business institutions in updating curriculum so as to equip business students with the essential Business Intelligence knowledge and skills for the betterment of the business organizations

Awake craniotomy for intracranial lesions: An audit of the anaesthetists’ initial experience at the University College Hospital, Ibadan

Background: Awake craniotomy (AC) is an attractive ‘minimally invasive’ anaesthetic technique for intracranial surgical procedures. There is dearth of information on the feasibility of this technique from developing countries. Material and methods: This is a prospective descriptive study on all the patients who had AC for intracranial surgery over a 2-year period in a developing country. The data regarding their demographics, preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative anaesthetic events and any intraoperative complications were recorded. Results: There were 18 patients, 11 (61.1%) males, mean age of 47.5 years (SD = 14.71). Propofol and Fentanyl were the sole agents providing conscious sedation during these surgical cases, while 0.25% Plain Bupivacaine and 1% Lidocaine with Adrenaline (1:200,000) were used for operative site anaesthesia. Most of the tumours, 7 (38.9%), were found in the parietal region of the brain; 9 (50.1%) patients had between 5 and 10 mm midline shift on brain MRI/CT Scan; metastatic tumours, 8 (44.4%), were the commonest lesions, and 13 (72.2%) had GCS of 15/15 prior to surgery. Hypertension and tachycardia, 3 cases (16.7%) in each, were the commonest intraoperative complications. All the patients successfully underwent the AC and none was admitted into the Intensive Care Unit postoperatively. At a mean follow-up of six months 10 (55.6%) patients were alive, 6 (33.3%) dead, and 2 (11.0%) of unknown status. Conclusions: This audit showed AC to be a well-tolerated procedure with low rate of complications in our practice, an encouraging prospect for the feasibility of AC for intracranial surgical procedures in developing countries

Bladder Outlet Obstruction: Etiological Pattern in Southwestern Nigeria

Background: Bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) is a clinical condition that is characterized by impediment to the flow of urine. It affects all age groups with varying etiologies. The pattern of this clinical condition in our setting is unknown. This study aimed at determines the clinico-epidemiological pattern of BOO in southwestern Nigeria. Materials and methods: We retrospectively reviewed the case files of patients that were managed for BOO over a period of 10years in our center. Results: A total of 784 patients were managed for BOO during the period under review. Their median age was 65.9years and in all, 486 patients of in the study group had benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) was the most common diagnosis followed by prostate cancer, urethral strictures and neurogenic bladder. While prostate cancer, urethral stricture, neurogenic bladder, bladder cancer, and bladder stone were diagnosed in 181, 90, 20, 5, and 2 patients, respectively. Conclusion: We have done an overview of a clinico-epidemiological pattern of BOO in southwest Nigeria is documented. The most common cause of BOO in men was while in women. It was neurogenic bladder syndrome.