Microfluidic size separation of cells and particles using a swinging bucket centrifuge

Biomolecular separation is crucial for downstream analysis. Separation technique mainly relies on centrifugal sedimentation. However, minuscule sample volume separation and extraction is difficult with conventional centrifuge. Furthermore, conventional centrifuge requires density gradient centrifugation which is laborious and time-consuming. To overcome this challenge, we present a novel size-selective bioparticles separation microfluidic chip on a swinging bucket minifuge. Size separation is achieved using passive pressure driven centrifugal fluid flows coupled with centrifugal force acting on the particles within the microfluidic chip. By adopting centrifugal microfluidics on a swinging bucket rotor, we achieved over 95% efficiency in separating mixed 20 μm and 2 μm colloidal dispersions from its liquid medium. Furthermore, by manipulating the hydrodynamic resistance, we performed size separation of mixed microbeads, achieving size efficiency of up to 90%. To further validate our device utility, we loaded spiked whole blood with MCF-7 cells into our microfluidic device and subjected it to centrifugal force for a mere duration of 10 s, thereby achieving a separation efficiency of over 75%. Overall, our centrifugal microfluidic device enables extremely rapid and label-free enrichment of different sized cells and particles with high efficiency.     

Engaging Students with Art-Based S-R-C (Sense of Belonging,Resistance, and Coalition Building) Strategies for Anti-Racism

In this article, we discuss our struggles and efforts to respond to Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) hate crimes and anti-Asian racism, as well as explore ways to address the issues of anti-Asian racism, violence, myths, and stereotypes in the art classroom. We researched and learned from contemporary Asian American artists, attended anti-racism virtual talks, and examined various anti-racism pedagogical approaches. As an outcome of our research to confront anti-racism, we developed S-R-C strategies to engage students with art-based anti-racism, which include facilitating a sense of belonging (S), resisting anti-Asian racism (R), and coalescing with other minority groups and allies (C). These strategies were developed to fully embrace the equity, diversity, and inclusivity of AAPI sequentially and holistically. This article also reports how we use the S-R-C strategies to guide our pre-service art teachers to confront anti-Asian racism and advocate for anti-racism teaching practices.     

Teachers’ and Children’s Differing Views on Relationships and Their Associations with Academic Outcomes

Early Childhood Education Journal - Preschool children’s relationships with their teachers play an important role in their learning and development. Despite this importance, extant research...     

The relationship between university student learning outcomes and participation in social network services,social acceptance and attitude towards school life

Educators try to use social network services (SNSs) in their teaching because they are regarded as beneficial to student learning. However, little research to date has empirically investigated whether the use of an SNS increases university student learning outcomes. A total of 730 university students in the capital area of South Korea participated in the present study. Based on social learning theory, we developed a general structural model that included SNS participation (SP) as an exogenous variable and a range of endogenous variables: cognitive domain learning outcomes, affective domain learning outcomes, social domain learning outcomes, social acceptance (SA) and attitude towards university life (AT). The study results confirmed that the model adequately explained causal relationships between student learning outcomes and SA, AT and SP. SA was identified as a key variable because of its direct effect on learning outcomes. However, SP was considered more important because of its large indirect effects on all learning outcomes through both SA and AT.     

College students’ motivation and learning strategies profiles and academic achievement: a self-determination theory approach

The development of effective self-regulated learning strategies is of interest to educationalists. In this paper, we examine inherent individual difference in self-regulated learning based on Motivated Learning for Learning Questionnaire (MLSQ) using the cluster analytic approach and examine cluster difference in terms of self-determination theory related variables. The sample of the study consisted of 238 junior college students from 12 intact classes. Two adaptive clusters and two maladaptive clusters were uncovered based on the MLSQ, with the adaptive clusters showing better academic grades. Results from the one-way MANOVA showed that the four clusters differed significantly in terms of their needs satisfaction, behavioural regulations, enjoyment, effort and value. The findings supported the importance of needs satisfaction in the development of self-regulated learning behaviour.     

Relationships among organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and learning organization culture in one Korean private organization

The purpose of this study is to identify dynamic relationships among organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and learning organization culture in a Korean private company. Using a sample of 669 employees from five subsidiaries of a Korean conglomerate, this research found that learning organization culture is moderately and positively related to job satisfaction. In addition, organizational commitment, except for continuance commitment, was found to be moderately and positively related to learning organization culture and job satisfaction. This research enables CEOs and HR practitioners to view organizational commitment, learning organization culture, and job satisfaction as important variables that can be applied in their management, interventions, and practices.     

The Diffusion and Transmission of Football in the Straits Settlements and Malay States, 1874–1899: Early Inter-Settlement Games and Inter-State Competition Among European Clubs and Teams

Abstract

Since 1786 the British occupied Penang, Malacca, and Singapore known as the Straits Settlements. They began indirect rule in Selangor, Perak, Negri Sembilan, and Pahang to form the Federated Malay States in 1896. Cricket and later, football was played by the military and European clubs like the Singapore Cricket Club, the Penang Cricket Club, Selangor Club Lake Club, and Perak Club. The Chinese and Malay in the Straits formed their clubs along ethnic lines. The outstation Malay States clubs of the Kajang Recreation Club, Klang Club, and Malay States Guides had a mixed team of European and Natives. The football tournaments in Singapore were exclusively for Europeans. While the Rodger Football Cup in Selangor was for various non-European teams located in the many districts around Kuala Lumpur. After the railway lines began linking in land towns of Kuala Lumpur, Taiping to Seremban to their respective ports, football teams travelled to other settlements to play matches, facilitating the growth of inter-settlement matches. It enabled the Federated Malay States to organized the first inter-state league in 1899. The diffusion and transmission of football in the Malay States should be seen in context social and political changes in the Malaya Peninsula and its economic growth.     

Drivers and barriers to the utilisation of gamification and game-based learning in universities: A systematic review of educators' perspectives

While gamification and game-based learning have both been demonstrated to have a host of educational benefits for university students, many university educators do not routinely use these approaches in their teaching. Therefore, this systematic review, conducted using the PRISMA guidelines, sought to identify the primary drivers and barriers to the use of gamification and game-based learning by university educators. A search of multiple databases (Web of Science, Scopus and EBSCO (Business Source Complete; ERIC; Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts)) identified 1330 articles, with 1096 retained after duplicates were removed. Seventeen articles (11 quantitative, two mixed-methods and four qualitative) were included in the systematic review. The primary drivers described by the educators that positively influenced their gamification and game-based learning usage were their beliefs that it encourages student interactions and collaborative learning; provides fun and improves engagement; and can easily be used by students. Alternatively, the university educators' major barriers included a lack of time to develop gamification approaches, lack of proven benefits and classroom setting issues. Many of these and other less commonly reported drivers and barriers can be categorised as attitudinal, design-related or administrative in nature. Such categorisations may assist university educators, teaching support staff and administrators in better understanding the primary factors influencing the utilisation of gamification and game-based learning and develop more effective strategies to overcome these barriers to its successful implementation.

Practitioner notes

What is already known about this topic

• Gamification and game-based learning may have many benefits for university students.
• The majority of university educators do not routinely use gamification and game-based learning in their teaching.

What this paper adds

• University educators' major drivers that positively influence the use of gamification and game-based learning include their perceptions that it encourages student interactions and collaborative learning, provides fun and improves engagement and can easily be used by students.
• University educators' major barriers that negatively influence the use of gamification and game-based learning include their perceptions of a lack of time to develop gamification approaches, lack of proven benefits and classroom setting issues.
• These drivers and barriers may be classified as attitudinal, design-related and administrative, with these categories providing a useful way for universities to develop strategies to better support educators who wish to use these approaches in their teaching.

Implications for practice and policy

• Attitudinal factors such as university educators' intention to use gamification and game-based learning are influenced by a host of their perceptions including attitude, perceived usefulness and ease of use.
• A range of design-related and administrative barriers may need to be overcome to increase the use of gamification and game-based learning in the university sector.

     

Cyberloafing among Gen Z students: the role of norms,moral disengagement,multitasking self-efficacy,and psychological outcomes

European Journal of Psychology of Education - This paper examines mobile cyberloafing, i.e. the use of phones for non-study purposes among Gen Z students, the first generation of digital natives....