Stem Pedagogy: Teaching STEM Through Project-Based Learning

The teaching of science alone without integrating technology, engineering and mathematical concepts does not give graduates the skills they need to excel in the field of research and future careers. This means too that science teaching should not be done in isolation without students seeing and applying in their daily lives the knowledge learned in class. Since the development of this course, STEM for Teacher Educators, we have been shopping around for the best pedagogical techniques of preparing prospective teachers to develop knowledge and useful skills needed to function as professional STEM educators, understanding the relationship of science, technology, engineering, and mathematical concepts. In line with the CSDE framework (2013), we were trying to propose shifts in science teaching and learning to excite and interest more students in STEM connections. We hoped that the results would foster the building of teachers’ understanding, efficacy, and competency in STEM pedagogy. Students formed groups, selected project topics of their personal interest or career aspirations that inspired them. While researching, the students compared the advantages and disadvantages of this PBL in comparison to other traditional teaching methods. The students came out with exciting projects that truly demonstrated a lot of meaningful learning as revealed by the advantages they recorded

Spontaneous calf haematoma: case report

Spontaneous calf haematoma is a rare condition and few case reports have been published in the English literature. Common conditions like deep vein thrombosis and traumatic gastrocnemius muscle tear need to be considered when a patient presents with unilateral calf swelling and tenderness. Ultrasound and Magnetic Resonance Imaging are essential for confirmation of diagnosis. The purpose of this paper is to report on a rare case of spontaneous calf hematoma and its diagnosis and management

The Place Of Earth And Space Science And Engineering Design In The Next Generation Science Standards

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) were recently adopted by the state of Connecticut. This paper describes the status of Earth and Space Science (ESS) and Engineering Design (ED) within the NGSS in the state of Connecticut. In this research, Connecticut District Science Coordinators were targeted. They were given questionnaires through Survey Monkey to obtain their views and experiences on the issue of teacher preparedness. Results showed that the ESS and ED did not yet occupy a high position in the state curriculum. There are several challenges to be faced to have ESS and ED status improved in the state. The adoption in itself was seen to be a clear indication that ESS and ED will gradually assume a high recognition in the curriculum of Connecticut schools

PRODUCTION OF ETHANOL BY FED-BATCH FERMENTATION

The production of ethanol, from glucose in batch and fed batch culture, was investigated. In the fed batch culture, the glucose feeding was added into the culture at 16th hour of fermentation. The effects of different glucose concentration feeding rates on ethanol fermentation were investigated for fed batch culture. The 2gL-1hr-1 glucose concentration feeding rate was found to give higher ethanol yield (2.47 g ethanol g glucose-1), with respect to substrate consumed as compared to 8 gL-1hr-1 (0.23 g ethanol g glucose-1) and 4 gL-1hr-1 (0.20 g ethanol g glucose-1). The ethanol yield with respect to substrate consumed obtained in batch culture was 0.81 g ethanol g glucose-1. The fed batch culture at 2 gL-1hr-1 glucose concentration feeding rate was proven to be a better fermentation system than the batch culture. The specific growth rate, specific glucose consumption rate and specific ethanol production rate for the fed batch fermentation, at 2 gL-1hr-1 glucose concentration feeding rate, were 0.065 hr-1, 1.20 hr-1 and 0.0009 hr-1, respectively

Evidence of the effects of Mycosphaerella leaf spot diseases on fruit quality

Mycosphaerella leaf spot diseases Sigatoka disease (SD) and Black leaf streak disease (BLSD) are considered as the most severe diseases of bananas for the export market. Serious infestations can lead to a substantial reduction in the leaf area and thus to fruit yield losses. In addition, these diseases were found to have an impact on fruit quality, especially on ripening earliness, which causes some production losses for exported bananas. To assess the effects of these 2 diseases on the bananas quality (especially its physiological stage), plantation surveys and experiments were conducted in Guadeloupe (F WI) for SD and in Cameroon for BLSD. Bananas quality was characterised, on bananas harvested at a constant physiological stage evaluated in thermal time (temperature sums at 900 degrees day) from flowering to harvest, by its greenlife (duration of preclimacteric period) and by few physico-chemical (grade, weight). Diseases severity was measured either at flowering (for SD) or at harvest (for BLSD). Results of surveys revealed that bananas harvested on plants severely affected with SD or BLSD had similar diameter growth, but a shorter greenlife (GL) than bananas harvested from uninfected or lightly infected plants. A strong correlation was obtained between disease severity and fruit greenlife. All these results indicate clearly the direct effect of MLSD of banana greenlife rather than a trophic effect. The putative physiological mechanisms involved are also discussed. (Résumé d'auteur

STEM Pedagogy: The Concept of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Applied in Teaching Human Biology

Science teachers have been finding it difficult to truly apply the concept of integrating science, technology, engineering and mathematics when teaching the individual disciplines for which they have been certified. Students have not been able to see the unity that exists in STEM. This poster uses a human arm to demonstrate how teaching science can vividly expose the concepts of mathematics, engineering and technology. This demonstrates an inspired and motivated unit on teaching human biology which leads to understanding the relationship of science, technology, engineering, and mathematical concepts

Case Study: Development and Assessment of a STEM-Based Course for Teacher Educators

DOI: 10.5923/j.edu.20130303.02It is essential that teachers understand the content of the subjects they teach. A particular challenge in a graduate program for secondary mathematics and science teachers is how to provide teacher candidates with subject matter content, on a graduate level, that does not replicate undergraduate courses. The School of Education and School of Engineering designed a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) course for teacher educators for students of the School of Education. Designed course uses audio and image processing techniques and technologies to teach fundamental STEM concepts to secondary pre- and in- service mathematics and science teachers. Designed to enrich the teaching and learning experience, the course activities include: (a) Lectures and Discussions, (b) Lab activities: Hands-on computer experience, and (c) Team Project. In this paper, we will present the developed course outline, the response of our students who are pre- and in-service teachers, and the lessons learned by the instructors

Understanding of the key performance indicators measurement amongst construction players in Malaysia

Construction industry nowadays is still synonym with high-profile problems such as cost of project increases, late project delivery, poor quality, abandoned projects and major defective works. Although construction project management has been used extensively in the construction industry, the complexity and dissimilarity of construction projects cannot be regarded as same practices. To meet the objectives of the construction management, strategic management techniques of which include the implementation of key performance indicators (KPIs), KPIs measurement amongst construction players is vital. A questionnaire survey was conducted in Malaysia among 150 construction players: private clients, consultants, contractors, suppliers and purchasers. Factor Analysis (EFA) is used to achieve the aim of this paper in appraising the understanding of the KPIs measurement in terms of definition, characteristics and advantages and disadvantages. Through the understandings of KPIs, it is expected that the findings of this paper could assist the respective construction players to improve their current practice in construction project management for better performance of construction industry in Malaysia

Perforation of duodeno-jejunal junction in an 8-month-old infant: A management challenge to a general surgeon.

We report a case of perforation over duodeno-jejunal junction (DJ) in a healthy 8-month-old baby. The difficulty in diagnosis, management dilemma and probable etiology is discussed