Exploring mobile learning opportunities and challenges in Nepal: the potential of open-source platforms

With the increasing access to mobile devices in developing countries, the number of pilots and projects embracing mobile devices as learning tools is also growing. The important role it can play in improving education is also positively received within education communities. But, providing a successful mobile learning service is still significantly challenging. The considerable problems arise due to existing pedagogical, technological, political, social and cultural challenges and there has been a shortage of research concerning how to deploy and sustain this technology in a resource constrained educational environment. There are studies mainly conducted in sub-Saharan countries, India, and Latin America, which provide some guidelines for incorporating technology in the existing educational process. However, considering the contextual differences between these regions and other countries in Asia, such as Nepal, it requires a broader study in its own challenging socio-cultural context. In response to this difficulty, the aims of this exploratory research work are to study the distinct challenges of schools’ education in Nepal and evaluate the use of open-source devices to provide offline access to learning materials in order to recommend a sustainable mobile learning model. The developmental study was conducted in University of West London in order to assess the feasibility of these devices. The main study in Nepal explored i) the overall challenges to education in the challenging learning environment of schools with limited or no access to ICT, ii) how ICT might be helping teaching and learning in the rural public schools, and iii) how an offline mobile learning solution based on the open source platforms may facilitate English language teaching and learning. Data collection primarily involved interviews, questionnaires, observations and supplemented by other methods. This thesis presents the sustainable model for deploying and supporting mobile technology for education, which is based on the findings emerging from completed exploratory studies in Nepal. It highlights all the aspects that need to be addressed to ensure sustainability. However, to translate this understanding to a design is a complex challenge. For a mobile learning solution to be used in such challenging learning contexts, the need is to develop simple and innovative solutions that provide access to relevant digital learning resources and train teachers to embed technology in education. This thesis discusses these findings, limitations and presents implications for the design of future mobile learning in the context of Nepal

Evaluation of the knowledge of sun exposure and sun protective measures in healthcare workers

Introduction: Solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation has a great impact on human life. The sun has always played an important role in Asian culture, so much so, that it is often prayed to as a God. Prolonged sun exposure can cause extensive and chronic harmful effects. Healthcare personnel is supposed to have good knowledge regarding sun protection as they play a key role in society disseminating knowledge to the general public. There are limited data regarding the knowledge of sun protection and sunscreen practice among health care workers. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out from June to October 2020 on healthcare workers (medical staff) in Kathmandu Medical College Teaching Hospital. A questionnaire was distributed to the target study population without disturbing or hampering the healthcare worker’s duty. Results: Out of a total of 264 participants in the study, 84 (31.8%) were male and 180 (68.2%) were female. The knowledge of proper terminology for SPF (Sun Protection Factor) was noted in 196 (74.2%) and 57 (21.6%) agreed that the value of SPF was related to age. No significant difference was noted regarding knowledge about the time of sun exposure for Vitamin D synthesis. No significant differences were found in practices of sunscreen use for purposes of fairness, or prevention of tanning, wrinkle, mole, and skin cancer. Conclusion: A higher level of education was associated with better knowledge and proper abiding practices regarding sunscreen use. As healthcare workers play a key role in distributing information in society, they should be targeted in education campaigns regarding sun exposure and sun protection measures; with these efforts focused more on nurses and medical officers

Characterization of Nepalese rice (Oryza sativa L.) landraces for qualitative traits

The characterization of rice (Oryza sativa L.) landraces enables to identify phenotypically unique variables which certainly aid in rice breeding program. So, an experiment was conducted in alpha designed to characterize 188 rice landraces from NAGRC (National Agriculture Genetic Resources center) Nepal for their qualitative agromorphologies in research farm of Agriculture and Forestry University (AFU), Rampur, Chitwan in 2020 AD. Twenty-nine qualitative variables viz; twelve leaf characters, six culm characters, four panicle character and seven grain characters were observed and 26 characters revealed diverse trait expressions for each variable in experimented 188 rice accessions. Two leaf characters namely ligule colour and flag leaf attitude for early observation and one grain character (stigma colour for early observation) showed no variation among studied rice accessions. The intensity of green colour of leaf blade, culm lodging resistance and culm habit, secondary branching of panicle, and lemma and palea colour, lemma apiculus colour and sterile lemma colour, elucidated the higher variation in studied characters. The distinction revealed in qualitative characters approves the presence of abundant phenotypic diversity in the landraces assemblage and that eventually signifies the efficient and effective utilization of landrace in rice breeding programs

Light-induced electrohydrodynamic instability in plasmonically absorbing gold nanofluids

Plasmonically absorbing nanofluids exhibit light-induced electrokinetics. We measure an electrical response to the light-induced Rayleigh-Bénard-Marangoni convective instabilities in gold-polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) nanoparticles (NPs) suspended in isopropanol and water. Microampere current oscillations are measured and attributed to the presence of the Au-PVP NPs with negative zeta potential, in correspondence with the accompanying thermal lens oscillations and a nanofluid thermoelectric effect. The measured electrical oscillations represent an electrohydrodynamic stability driven by light, one among many that should be observed with plasmonic nanoparticles in liquids

Characterization of Rain Specific Attenuation and Frequency Scaling Method for Satellite Communication in South Korea

The attenuation induced by rain is prominent in the satellite communication at Ku and Ka bands. The paper studied the empirical determination of the power law coefficients which support the calculation of specific attenuation from the knowledge of rain rate at Ku and Ka band for Koreasat 6 and COMS1 in South Korea that are based on the three years of measurement. Rain rate data was measured through OTT Parsivel which shows the rain rate of about 50 mm/hr and attenuation of 10.7, 11.6, and 11.3 dB for 12.25, 19.8, and 20.73 GHz, respectively, for 0.01% of the time for the combined values of rain rate and rain attenuation statistics. Comparing with the measured data illustrates the suitability for estimation of signal attenuation in Ku and Ka band whose validation is done through the comparison with prominent rain attenuation models, namely, ITU-R P.618-12 and ITU-R P. 838-3 with the use of empirically determined coefficient sets. The result indicates the significance of the ITU-R recommended regression coefficients of rain specific attenuation. Furthermore, the overview of predicted year-wise rain attenuation estimation for Ka band in the same link as well as different link is studied which is obtained from the ITU-R P. 618-12 frequency scaling method

A Comparative Study Between Pneumatic and Laser Lithotripsy for Proximal Ureteric Calculus

Introduction: There are various modalities of breaking urinary tract calculus. The aim of this study was to compare outcome between laser and pneumatic lithotripsy in patients with upper ureteric calculus in terms of stone free rate, proximal migration and complication. Methods: This was a prospective comparative study done in 210 patients with upper ureteric calculus. The patients were randomized into two groups (Laser Lithotripsy and Pneumatic Lithotripsy) from April 2018 to June 2019. The main objective of both the procedures was to break stone into particles less than 3 mm which was confirmed by X-ray KUB and ultrasonography of abdomen and pelvis after six weeks and to compare effectiveness in terms of immediate stone free rate, proximal migration, operative duration and post-operative complication. Results: There was no difference in age, gender and stone size in both groups. Immediate stone free rate was 99.05% in Laser Lithotripsy and 76.19% in Pneumatic Lithotripsy (p value<0.001). Proximal migration in Laser Lithotripsy was 0.95% and 23.81% in Pneumatic Lithotripsy (p<0.001). There was significantly prolonged operative duration in Pneumatic Lithotripsy (14.7±4.77 min vs 13.31±3.24 in Laser Lithotripsy, p=0.014). Complications were more in Pneumatic Lithotripsy group, which was statistically significant (p=0.017). Conclusion: Both pneumatic and laser lithotripsy are effective and safe modalities for treating upper ureteric calculus, however laser has less chances of proximal migration and higher immediate stone free rate with less complicatio

“Estimation and Validation of Methylcobalamin in Tablet Dosage form using UV-Visible Spectrophotometric Method”

An ultraviolet (UV) spectrophotometric method was developed and validated for quantitavie determination of Methylcobalamin (Mecobalamin) in tablet dosage form. Methylcobalamin is a cobalamin, a form of vitamin B12 and used to prevent or treat pathology arising from a lack of vitamin B12 , such as pernicious anemia and is also used in the treatment of peripheral neuropathy, diabetic neuropathy ans as a preliminary treatment for amyotrophic latera sclerosis. The very simple, Fast, accurate and economical methods have been proposed for the determination of Mecobalamin. Mecobalamin was measured by using Uv spectroscopy method with the solution of methanol, the linearity was found to be 0.9981 and the accuracy showed mean % RSD of 0.791694 and with total meam % RSD 0.97923 in intermediate precision, range %RSD 0.652005 all the parameters values were within standard limit thus Analytical method was validated according to ICH guideline for the determination of Methylcobalamin. The method was found to be precise and validated as per ICH guidelines

High-Temperature Optical Properties of Indium Tin Oxide Thin-Films

Indium tin oxide (ITO) is one of the most widely used transparent conductors in optoelectronic device applications. We investigated the optical properties of ITO thin films at high temperatures up to 800 °C using spectroscopic ellipsometry. As temperature increases, amorphous ITO thin films undergo a phase transition at ~ 200 °C and develop polycrystalline phases with increased optical gap energies. The optical gap energies of both polycrystalline and epitaxial ITO thin films decrease with increasing temperature due to electron-phonon interactions. Depending on the background oxygen partial pressure, however, we observed that the optical gap energies exhibit reversible changes, implying that the oxidation and reduction processes occur vigorously due to the low oxidation and reduction potential energies of the ITO thin films at high temperatures. This result suggests that the electronic structure of ITO thin films strongly depends on temperature and oxygen partial pressure while they remain optically transparent, i.e., optical gap energies \u3e 3.6 eV

The centre for internationalization and usability: enabling culture-centred design for all

The Centre for Internationalisation and Usability within the School of Computing and Technology at The University of West London aims to enhance understanding of cultural differences in international software development. A particular focus is the development and usability of ICT products in a global market, both in terms of international software development and economic, community and social development. We host a number of researchers and PhD students working in topics such as usability evaluation and culture, socio-technical participatory design, internationalization attitudes of software engineers, mobile learning and library cognitive design

Preparing faculty for problem-based learning curriculum at Patan Academy of Health Sciences, Nepal

Introduction: Patan Academy of Health Sciences (PAHS) in Nepal has adopted problem-based learning (PBL) as principal pedagogy to foster attributes predefined for its medical graduates. This study evaluates reaction of participants in PBL tutor-training program focused on PBL process and its assessment. Methods: An orientation program was organized separately for 24 faculty members and 45 higher secondary science majoring students prior to conduction of real-time PBL tutorial sessions. Faculty’s reaction as PBL tutors was collected before and after the orientation program using a 13-item self-administered questionnaire. Internal consistency reliability of the questionnaire items and outcome of the training program were assessed using Cronbach’s alpha, coefficient of variation, Shapiro-Wilk test, paired t-test and adjusted effect size for dependent samples. Results: The pre-test internal consistency reliability was high (0.89) whereas it was acceptable (0.69) for post-test. The average score increased from 26.50 to 34.55 and standard deviation decreased from 5.39 to 2.70 between pre- and post-test. Difference between post- and pre-tests total scores followed normal distribution and suitable parametric test (paired t-test) revealed the difference was highly significant (p< 0.0001). The adjusted effect size was high (1.65) for small dependent samples. Conclusions: The faculty training for PBL and assessment was helpful  in implementing PBL pedagogy at PAHS.  Keywords: Nepal, PAHS, Problem based learning, Process assessment, Tutor training program Â