A framework for an online forum for a writing course.

The bane of teaching writing is that there is a scarcity of CALL (computer-assisted language learning) courseware that can effectively teach writing. Conventional CALL systems are unable to interact realistically and meaningfully with students and to provide the motivation for students to write. The success of e-Learning 2.0 that creatively applies technologies for social networking to education has pointed out a new direction for CALL. Based on insights from e-Learning 2.0, an online forum was developed and implemented as the CALL component of a writing course for ESL English as a second language) learners in a university in Malaysia. The online forum project was conceptualised with the specific aim of helping to achieve the objectives of the classroom-based writing course it complements. With proper planning and implementation, the forum technology can be successfully utilised to complement writing instruction. This paper presents the framework that was used to guide the designing of the forum. It describes the five basic components of the framework, that are course objectives, the model adopted for the forum, pedagogical considerations, control, and teacher role

Issues and challenges in courseware development : a project managers perspective.

Many educational institutes venturing into courseware development to create online learning materials for their own students are often not aware of the challenges that lie ahead in managing courseware development projects. This paper highlights the potential challenges a courseware development project may face. It discusses lessons learnt from development projects carried out in Malaysia for content and language-based courses. Particularly, real cases will be presented to highlight challenges and the steps that were taken to overcome them within the constraints of time, budget, curriculum demands, client expectations, and competencies of content providers

Towards self-access CALL: what students say.

The success of CALL (computer-assisted language learning) self-access centres depend largely on students’ receptivity towards the use of CALL in their learning,as well as their motivation to use the facilities offered. Lack of exposure to self-access learning and computer skills required for CALL also contribute to under-utilisation of CALL self-access facilities. In UPM, in line with the direction the university is taking to encourage more student-centred learning to complement classroom teaching, a pilot CALL programme involving the participation of 1800 students was implemented as a platform to provide initial exposure to the CALL self-access mode of learning. At the end of the programme, a survey was carried out to evaluate the extent of students’ receptivity to the CALL self-access mode of learning, their acceptance of the courseware used, their preference for the types of activities, and feedback on the implementation aspects of the programme. This paper presents the survey results obtained from the project that represent feedback on the programme from the students. Students’ perception of the programme provides valuable information on how well the programme is received and how ready the students are to the practice of self-access CALL. The results of this survey will inform the university’s effort towards the implementation of full-fledged self-access CALL programmes

Topical mupirocin, surgical wound infection, prevention

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Functional dyspepsia in children

Functional dyspepsia in children is classified as a subset of functional pediatric gastrointestinal disorders. According to ROME II criteria, it is divided into 3 groups including ulcer-like dyspepsia, dysmotility-like dyspepsia and unspecified (non-specific) dyspepsia. Prevalence of functional dyspepsia had been reported around 3/5 of children and adolescents who presented with clinical dyspepsia. Therefore, the appropriated investigations and management should be employed to rule out the possible organic causes of dyspepsia. To date there is no controlled treatment trial in children, however, from adult studies, histamine 2 receptor antagonists or proton pump inhibitor or prokinetic drugs are reasonable to be used as the first line treatment. As there are limited studies on childhood functional dyspepsia, we suggest that the good designed studies from children in all fields of this topic are required to ensure the appropriated recommendation

เส้นใยนาโนเซลลูโลสจากขี้เลื่อยไม้ยางพาราเป็นสารเสริมแรงในวัสดุเชิงประกอบพอลิแลกติกแอซิด

บทคัดย่อ งานวิจัยนี้เป็นการเตรียมเส้นใยนาโนเซลลูโลสดัดแปร (modified NFC) จากขี้เลื่อยไม้ยางพาราซึ่งเป็นเศษไม้จากอุตสาหกรรมเฟอร์นิเจอร์ และถูกใช้เป็นสารตัวเติมเสริมแรงในวัสดุเชิงประกอบพอลิแลกติกแอซิด (PLA) ในการเตรียมเส้นใยนาโนเซลลูโลสดัดแปร ขี้เลื่อยไม้ยางพาราถูกปรับสภาพด้วยสารละลายโซเดียมไฮดรอกไซด์และ      โซเดียมซัลไฟด์  ฟอกสีด้วยสารละลายโซเดียมคลอไรท์ เซลลูโลสที่ถูกฟอกสีถูกไฮโดรไลซ์ด้วยกรดซัลฟิวริก ความเข้มข้น 64 % โดยน้ำหนัก ที่อุณหภูมิ 45 องศาเซลเซียส เป็นเวลา 3 ชั่วโมง จากนั้นดัดแปรเส้นใยนาโนเซลลูโลส      ดัดแปรด้วยเมทิลอะคริเลตเพื่อปรับปรุงอันตรกิริยาระหว่างผิวหน้าของเส้นใยนาโนเซลลูโลสที่มีขั้วกับพอลิแลกติกแอซิดที่ไม่มีขั้วด้วยวิธีกราฟท์โคพอลิเมอไรเซชัน เทคนิค Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) ถูกใช้เพื่อพิสูจน์ การเปลี่ยนแปลงของหมู่ฟังก์ชันบนเส้นใยนาโนเซลลูโลสหลังการดัดแปรผิวหน้า วัสดุเชิงประกอบถูกเตรียมด้วยการหลอมผสมที่อุณหภูมิ 180 องศาเซลเซียส ผลของเส้นใยนาโนเซลลูโลสหลังการดัดแปรต่อสมบัติของพอลิแลกติกแอซิดถูกวิเคราะห์เปรียบเทียบกับเส้นใยนาโนเซลลูโลสที่ไม่ถูกดัดแปร (unmodified NFC) โดยวิเคราะห์สมบัติการขวางกั้น สมบัติทางความร้อน และสมบัติเชิงกลของวัสดุเชิงประกอบเทียบกับพอลิแลกติกแอซิด ผลการทดลองแสดงให้เห็นว่าค่าอัตราการซึมผ่านไอน้ำ (WVTR) ของฟิล์มพอลิแลกติกแอซิดที่เติมเส้นใยนาโนเซลลูโลสที่ถูกดัดแปรมีค่าต่ำที่สุด สำหรับอุณหภูมิเปลี่ยนสถานะคล้ายแก้ว (Tg) ของพอลิแลกติกแอซิดที่เติมเส้นใยนาโนเซลลูโลสที่ถูกดัดแปรมีค่าสูงกว่าพอลิแลกติกแอซิดที่เติมเส้นใยนาโนเซลลูโลสที่ไม่ถูกดัดแปร นอกจากนี้ผลการวิเคราะห์สมบัติเชิงกลพลวัติ (DMA) แสดงว่าเส้นใยนาโนเซลลูโลสที่ถูกดัดแปรเพิ่มมอดูลัสสะสมให้แก่พอลิแลกติกแอซิด แต่เพิ่มอัตราการคืบของพอลิแลกติกแอซิดเมื่อเทียบกับเส้นใยนาโนเซลลูโลสที่ไม่ถูกดัดแปร  - - -  Nanofibrillar cellulose from Para Rubber Wood Sawdust as reinforcement in Polylactic Acid Composites ABSTRACT This work prepared the modified nanofibrillar cellulose (modified NFC) from Para rubber wood sawdust, namely the wood residues from furniture industries and used it as a reinforcing filler in polylactic acid (PLA) composite. To prepare the modified NFC, Para rubber wood sawdust was pretreated with NaOH and Na2S and bleached with NaClO2. The bleached cellulose was then hydrolyzed with 64%wt of H2SO4 at 45 oC for 3 hours. The obtained NFC was modified with methyl acrylate (MA) to improve interfacial interaction between NFC and hydrophobic PLA by grafting method. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) was employed to investigate the changes of the functional groups on NFC after modification. The composites were prepared by melt blending at 180 oC. The effects of the modified NFC on the properties of PLA composites were investigated compared to the unmodified NFC. Barrier, thermal and mechanical properties of the composites and neat PLA were measured. The results showed that the water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) value of the PLA/modified NFC composite film was lowest. The glass transition temperature (Tg) of the PLA/modified NFC composite was higher than that of the PLA/unmodified NFC composite. Moreover, the dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) showed that the modified NFC improved the storage modulus, but increased creep rate of PLA matrix as compared to the unmodified NFC

Assessment of the Oral Contraceptive Flowchart at Community Pharmacies in Phasi Charoen District, Bangkok

Objectives: To assess the oral contraceptive pill (OCP) flowchart in community pharmacy regarding 1) the advices of oral contraceptives provided with the use of the OCP flowchart 2) opinion of community pharmacists on the OCP flowchart and 3) satisfaction of customers toward the advices based on the OCP flowchart. Method: In this cross-sectional descriptive study, data were collected from 13 pharmacists working in 13 community pharmacies in Phasi Charoen, Bangkok and 390 customers (30 customers from each pharmacy) between 23 November 2016 and 23 January 2017. The instruments were questionnaires, customer collection form and structured interview questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were employed. Results: Community pharmacist provided 580 advice topics on oral contraceptive use for 390 customers. Majority of the customers received one advice (71.79%). The most provided advice topic was the management of OCP-related side effects (180 of 580 advices, or 31.00%). All community pharmacists agreed that using the OCP flowchart in drugstore could help them provide OCP advice more effectively. However, before actual implementation, the OCP flowchart needed some improvement including general layout and certain content to suit the context of community pharmacy. It was found that the customers had the highest satisfaction towards the advice based on the OCP flowchart (a mean score of 4.53 of 5 points). Conclusion: Oral contraceptive flowchart was useful for the community pharmacists and customers. The customer had the highest satisfaction toward the advices based on the flowchart. Keywords: assessment, oral contraceptive flowchart, community pharmacy, drugstore, satisfactio

Spectator, Participant or Dupe?: (Re-)imagining the Audience through New Media and its Arts

    In this paper I discuss two competing sets of claims about new media art practice. The firstset celebrates and champions the new aesthetic possibilities afforded by digital technologies and argues that these enable new and ‘liberatory’ modes of spectatorship based on play, performance and participation. The second suggests that far from emancipating the spectator, new media art devalues genuine social interaction through an illusory participation in trivialised interactions. I conclude by suggesting that, given the increasing socio-cultural significanceof new media technologies, a dialectical synthesis of these positions is both desirable and possible.Keywords: New media, interaction, modes of spectatorshi