The teacher’s role in promoting online peer group learning

Teachers have a major responsibility to engage students online for successful learning in online distance education programs. Identifying key aspects of the teachers&rsquo; role is important. The study reported in this paper investigated an online course for paramedic students. Data were collected from the teachers and students and their online interactions were observed. The study has shown that students&rsquo; message posting is likely to be related to the cognitive demand and accessibility of discussion tasks that staff design and the quality of teacher facilitation of discussion. <br /

Irrigation water quality assessment of Betagi Upazila under Barguna district in Bangladesh

Irrigation water quality is important for the successful crop production. The present study aimed to assess the quality of both ground and surface water for use of irrigation purposes at Betagi Upazila under Barguna district in Bangladesh. Forty two water samples were collected from different locations and their important chemical properties including pH, EC, the concentration of PO43-, SO42-, K+, and Na+&nbsp;were analyzed.&nbsp;&nbsp;Results revealed that the pH of the ground and surface water were ranged from 7.23 to 8. 49 and 6.98 to 7.96, respectively. Electrical conductivity (EC) of the water samples were 590 to 1950 µ Scm-1&nbsp;and 110 to 380 µ Scm-1&nbsp;respectively. The PO43-&nbsp;concentration in groundwater was 0.10 to 0.74 mgL-1&nbsp;and surface water was 0.05 to 0.20 mgL-1. The SO42-&nbsp;concentration of groundwater ranged from 1.29 to 3.10 mgL-1&nbsp;and surfacewater was 2.11 to 7.28 mgL-1. The K+&nbsp;ion concentration was 4.55 to 11.38 mgL-1&nbsp;in groundwater and 6.12 to 22.44 mgL-1&nbsp;in surface water. The PO43-&nbsp;and SO42-&nbsp;concentration in most of the ground and surface water samples within the “safe” limit for irrigation, whereas the pH, EC, and K+&nbsp;concentration in both ground and surface water were not in the safe limit. Besides this, Na+&nbsp;concentration was higher in groundwater than surface water. Based on chemical properties, surface water is more suitable as irrigation water compared to groundwater in the study area

Sustainability of smallholder seed enterprises (SSE): A case study of Nagarpur and Shahjadpur Upazila, Bangladesh

Smallholders’ seed production, processing, and marketing of major crops such as rice, wheat, and maize have been important issues for seed security worldwide. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization reports, the smallholder’s seed enterprise (SSE) is the best way of ensuring the availability of quality non-hybrid seeds. The concept of SSE is built to fulfill the farmer’s seed demand by the development of their own seed production system. It is so important for sustainable agriculture. Although, this system does not perform properly due to some limitations. So, the present study aimed to assess the important indicators that directly related to the sustenance of smallholder’s seed enterprises. It will be helpful to enhance SSEs effectiveness. Data were collected from 120 smallholders of six villages of Nagarpur and Shahjadpur Upazila under Tangail and Sirajganj districts in Bangladesh, respectively. Results revealed that 92.5% of the smallholder had moderate to highly sustainable seed enterprises. Based on standardized coefficients, institutional functions, price of seed, human capital and marketing facilities considered as highly influential indicators. Finally, the existing institutions play a key role in achieving the sustainability of SSEs by providing necessary supports

Evaluation of analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity of ethanolic extract of Enhydra fluctuans on male wistar rats

Enhydra fluctuations an edible semi-aquatic vegetable plant are widely used in the traditional system of medicine. Ethanolic extract of Enhydra fluctuans was screened for analgesic &amp; anti-inflammatory activity. Analgesic activity was evaluated by the hot plate method and anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated by formalin induce paw edema in Wistar rats (male). Ethanolic extract dose of 300 mg/kg reduce formalin induce paw inflammation and also increased the pain threshold in rats evidenced by hot plate method. The experimental results concluded that Enhydra fluctuans have significant analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity may due to flavonoid and phenolic compound content

Application of Computer Vision and Mobile Systems in Education: A Systematic Review

The computer vision industry has experienced a significant surge in growth, resulting in numerous promising breakthroughs in computer intelligence. The present review paper outlines the advantages and potential future implications of utilizing this technology in education. A total of 84 research publications have been thoroughly scrutinized and analyzed. The study revealed that computer vision technology integrated with a mobile application is exceptionally useful in monitoring students’ perceptions and mitigating academic dishonesty. Additionally, it facilitates the digitization of handwritten scripts for plagiarism detection and automates attendance tracking to optimize valuable classroom time. Furthermore, several potential applications of computer vision technology for educational institutions have been proposed to enhance students’ learning processes in various faculties, such as engineering, medical science, and others. Moreover, the technology can also aid in creating a safer campus environment by automatically detecting abnormal activities such as ragging, bullying, and harassment

Academic Use of Smartphones in Secondary Level Education in Bangladesh: A Non-Parametric Approach

This study aims to examine the use of smartphones for educational purposes and the acceptance of online learning among secondary students. To investigate the academic utilization of smartphones among secondary students in Bangladesh, a sample of 384 students from different districts of Bangladesh were surveyed. The survey was conducted using a selfadministered, semi-tailored computerized questionnaire. The collected data was analyzed using IBM SPSS statistics 26 and the Mann-Whitney U test. The findings indicate that male students used smartphones for educational purposes with greater confidence and less difficulty than female students. On the other hand, students in 8th to 10th grade classrooms reported a greater willingness to use smartphones for academic purposes, with urban students being more enthusiastic than their rural peers. The study’s findings have implications for the government, policymakers, educators, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). They highlight the importance of ensuring equal access to resources and tools that support academic success, as well as addressing the adverse effects of excessive smartphone usage. In addition, the government and NGOs should prioritize the elimination of inequities between rural and urban areas and provide subsidies to rural students

Quantitative determination of artificial sweeteners and sucrose in energy drinks and mango juice available in Dhaka city

Energy drinks and mango juice are popular beverages. Apart from the natural ingredients and some additives present in these drinks, sugar is an important component of both. It has been established that, other than providing sweetness, sugars are potent to bring about health consequences for their consumers. Sweeteners, both artificial (aspartame, sodium cyclamate, and saccharin) and natural (sucrose), were our centers of interest. This study aimed to determine the presence and levels of these sweeteners in energy drinks and mango juice. Spectrophotometric methods were used to determine the concentration of the mentioned sugars. For this purpose, a total of 42 samples of 7 different brands were collected from different locations in Dhaka city, Bangladesh. The methods were found to be linear over the concentration range of 10-26 µg/mL (r2=0.9989), 137-320 µg/mL (r2=0.9891), 2.5-24 µg/mL (r2=0.9915) and 2354-2784 µg/mL (r2=0.9985) for aspartame, sodium cyclamate, saccharin, and sucrose, respectively. Mango juice contained a relatively lower amount of saccharin compared to energy drinks. In the case of aspartame, one brand of energy drinks had the least amount. Moreover, both energy drinks and mango juice had a similar content of sodium cyclamate, but one brand of mango juice had a relatively low content of sodium cyclamate

A case study of student participation in discussion in an online higher education course

This research used a mixed method research design to investigate online participation on discussion tasks by students. The research also explored the relationship between online participation and academic performance, and the teacher's role in designing the tasks and providing support for students. Ninety-five paramedic students were participants in this study. They were enrolled in a course that was delivered through the TopClass system in 2000. The research observed message posting by students and teachers' support of discussion for five subjects. Students' expectations of online participation in discussion and perceptions of studying online were collected through questionnaires and telephone interviews. These data were compared with the actual number and nature of the messages posted. Teachers' perceptions of students' engagement in online discussion were gained through interviews. The study found that student message posting in online learning situations is likely to be related to the cognitive demand and accessibility of discussion tasks that staff design and to the quality of teacher facilitation of discussion. These factors are likely to influence students' willingness to participate in online discussion and to encourage interaction with peers, although situational and personal differences between students are also factors affecting participation. Online message posting is perceived by staff and students to contribute to knowledge building among students and may be associated with improved academic performance. Further research conceming the engagement of students in online discussion is needed