University of Peradeniya

About: University of Peradeniya is a education organization based out in Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 5970 authors who have published 7388 publications receiving 197002 citations.

Integrating mobile phones into teaching and learning: A case study of teacher training through professional development workshops

Abstract: This paper presents the development and implementation of a professional development workshop series on integrating mobile phones into science teaching for a group of teachers in Sri Lanka. The series comprised a 3-day Planning Workshop followed by implementation of the planned lessons in real classrooms and a subsequent 1-day Reviewing Workshop. During the Planning Workshop, teachers were provided with a hands-on-session on the use of mobile phones in science teaching followed by collaborative lesson planning activities. The methodological approach taken to evaluating the initiative was qualitative, and data were collected using observations and fieldnotes. The data were analysed using thematic analysis techniques with the support of NVivo8 (QSR International Pty Ltd., Victoria, Australia) qualitative data analysis software. It was found that as professional development for teachers was provided separately as Planning and Reviewing Workshops, these workshops supported the teachers in recognising the educational potential of mobile phones, in learning how to use them in science teaching and learning, in changing their attitudes towards the use of mobile phones in teaching and in sharing knowledge and skills relating to mobile phone applications in science teaching and learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of drumstick (Moringa oleifera) leaves in herbal chicken sausages

Abstract: Drumstick (Moringa oleifera) leaves were evaluated for antioxidative capacity and antimicrobial activity when incorporated in chicken sausages. Different concentrations (0.25%, 0.5%, 0.75% and 1%) of M. oleifera leaves (MOL) incorporated sausages and two controls without MOL (one with added artificial antioxidant and other without any antioxidant) were prepared. TBARS value, pH, microbial analysis, sensory panel scores and instrumental color were assessed. Sausages with 0.5%, 0.75% and 1% MOL showed significantly lower (p < 0.05) TBARS value compared to 0.25% MOL and the two control samples. Sausages with 0.5%, 0.75% and 1% MOL showed significantly (p < 0.05) low pH values from the 2nd week to the 5th week of storage and significantly (p < 0.05) low Total Plate Count throughout the storage period, compared to 0.25% MOL and the two control samples. The sensory panel did not detect any difference in any sensory attribute in chicken sausages with 0.25% and 0.5% MOL compared to the controls. The study identifies the significant antioxidant and antimicrobial potential of Drumstick leaves in chicken sausages.

Mechanistic understanding of crystal violet dye sorption by woody biochar: implications for wastewater treatment.

Abstract: Dye-based industries, particularly small and medium scale, discharge their effluents into waterways without treatment due to cost considerations. We investigated the use of biochars produced from the woody tree Gliricidia sepium at 300 °C (GBC300) and 500 °C (GBC500) in the laboratory and at 700 °C from a dendro bioenergy industry (GBC700), to evaluate their potential for sorption of crystal violet (CV) dye. Experiments were conducted to assess the effect of pH reaction time and CV loading on the adsorption process. The equilibrium adsorption capacity was higher with GBC700 (7.9 mg g−1) than GBC500 (4.9 mg g−1) and GBC300 (4.4 mg g−1), at pH 8. The CV sorption process was dependent on the pH, surface area and pore volume of biochar (GBC). Both Freundlich and Hill isotherm models fitted best to the equilibrium isotherm data suggesting cooperative interactions via physisorption and chemisorption mechanisms for CV sorption. The highest Hill sorption capacity of 125.5 mg g−1 was given by GBC700 at pH 8. Kinetic data followed the pseudo-second-order model, suggesting that the sorption process is more inclined toward the chemisorption mechanism. Pore diffusion, π–π electron donor–acceptor interaction and H-bonding were postulated to be involved in physisorption, whereas electrostatic interactions of protonated amine group of CV and negatively charged GBC surface led to a chemisorption type of adsorption. Overall, GBC produced as a by-product of the dendro industry could be a promising remedy for CV removal from an aqueous environment.