Naresuan University Journal
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A Smart Naked-eye Detection for Fe(III) using Ethanol Extract of Purple Sweet Potato
No full text Simple naked-eye detection of Fe(III) in a water sample by using crude anthocyanin extracted from purple sweet potatoes as a chelating agent was investigated in terms of both qualitative and quantitative detections. Anthocyanin was extracted in ethanol from a purple sweet potato which is a local plant in Thailand. The selectivity of this method for detecting Fe(III) was examined by testing with different metal ions and by regulating the pH of the buffer solution varying from buffer pH 1-12. It was found that Fe(III) responded with a color change at buffer pH 4-11. However, the disodium hydrogen phosphate/sodium hydroxide buffer pH 11 was chosen because it showed no color change from others interference metals. The detection procedure was to add 100 µL of buffer pH 11 and 40 µL of Fe(III) solutions (0.5–100 ppm) to 20 µL of ethanol extract of purple sweet potato solution. The qualitative detection was by observing the color change from light green to brown by the naked eye whereas the quantitative detection was measured by UV-Vis spectrophotometer. The results obtained from naked-eye detection were evaluated by comparing them with the detection results from the UV-Vis spectrophotometer. Our results show that crude anthocyanin used as a natural chelating agent could be employed for semiquantitative determination by naked-eye detection of 3 color shades depending on Fe(III) concentrations. Importantly, this work could be potentially applied to real water samples as a simple, rapid, low-cost, highly accurate and environmentally safe procedure.
Keywords: Naked-eye, Purple Sweet Potato, Anthocyanin, Fe(III) detectio
Professional Learning Community with Interventions for STEM School Improvement: A Case Study of Surin Phitthayakom School, Surin Province, Thailand
No full text Professional Learning Community (PLC) is a school improvement strategy for building teacher competencies in cooperatively learning management focusing on improving student learnings and competencies. Interventions (InTs) help to facilitate PLC to increase high learning management. This research was conducted in Surin Phitthayakhom School as a STEM school in Surin Province, Thailand, which has been implementing PLC since 2018. The research objectives were to investigate and select the best practices as InTs of Teachers’ Council of Thailand to apply in developing competencies of students, teachers and principal in the school, to formulate and synthesize the mechanisms of PLC together with interventions (PLC-InTs) in order to develop the competencies of students, teachers and principal, and to study the effects of the applications of the mechanisms on the competencies. This research used experimental and qualitative methods that 49 best practices were selected by the committees of Teachers’ Council of Thailand, the mechanisms were formulated and synthesized by four educational experts, and the competencies of students, teachers and principal were evaluated using evaluation forms. The results found that the best practices as InTs, which were suitably applied to the school, were problem-based learning, 5E or inquiry-based learning, think-pair-share technique, paper walk technique, gallery walk technique, high impact practices, and co-5 steps. The mechanisms were formulated to SPK2 model (START, PERFORM and KEEN OF SUCCESS), mainly comprising five steps in PERFORM, i.e. study, plan, teach and observe, reflect, and revise. Besides, the competencies of students, teachers and principal were increased after the three-cycled PLC-InTs. Hence, PLC-InTs could increase those competencies as whole school approach.
Keywords: Interventions, Professional Learning Community, Whole School Approac
Robustness of Alternative and Classical Statistics in Two-sample Location Tests for Small Sample Sizes
Full text link When the sample size is small, there is a possibility that the two population groups do not follow assumptions. This includes population distribution and variance. Thus, proper statistical techniques must be selected for generalisation. This article classifies statistical techniques into two types: First, classical statistics consisting of independent t-test, Welch t-test, and exact Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test (WMW) and, second, alternative statistics consisting of nonparametric bootstrap t-test (NBTT), nonparametric bootstrap Welch t-test (NBWT), nonparametric bootstrap Welch test based on rank (NBWR), and an exact permutation t-test (PTT). The objective of this study was to propose an alternative statistical method for a small sample size study. The data simulation tested both normal and non-normal distributions including equal and unequal variances. The results revealed that when the populations had normal or non-normal distribution and equal variances, almost all test statistics had robustness at a significance level of 0.05. For a significance level of 0.01, if at least one group had normal distribution, the Welch t-test was the most robust. If there were other distributions, the independent t-test was most robust. For unequal variance, when at least one group had a normal distribution with higher variance than other groups, the Welch t-test could control type I errors in all conditions at significance levels of 0.05 and 0.01. In other cases, it was non-robust. Therefore, if a small sample size is applied, the results must be carefully generalized.
Keywords: two-sample location tests, small sample sizes, bootstrap test, permutation test, parametric test, nonparametric test, robustnes
The Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice for Managing Infectious Waste Management during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Survey in Thailand
No full text The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which started in late 2019, has had a significant impact worldwide. During the pandemic a massive amount of infectious waste has been produced, making the planning and creation of new waste management systems imperative. The objective of our research was to assess the Knowledge of, Attitude towards, and Practices (KAP) of, infectious waste management and disposal, particularly COVID-19 waste, of Thai people. This cross-sectional study was conducted over 6 months from October 2020 to April 2021. A self-administrated questionnaire was returned by 281 respondents and the data derived from the questionnaire was analysed using descriptive statistics. The results showed that 76.16% of respondents showed a good level of knowledge, 81.49% exhibited positive attitudes towards proper infectious waste management, and 43.77% of respondents had moderate practice levels. Analysis of the responses suggested that the ideal course of action for infectious waste management is to include the informal sector in strategies for managing infectious waste, drawing on their practices and knowledge while aiming to improve production and the living and working conditions of those involved. To lessen the risk of environmental contamination and the possibility of infection or harm to the general population, local authorities should develop a well-planned collection and transfer mechanism for infectious waste.
Keywords: knowledge, attitude, practice, infection, COVID-1
Exploring Pre-service Teachers’ Concept and Experience on DRRM: The Case of One TEI in the Philippines
Full text link The researchers aimed to explore the concept and experience of pre-service teachers in Disaster Risk Reduction Management, specifically in the Philippines, through conducting a qualitative case study. Specifically, the researchers interpreted the data through qualitative case analysis. The 79 respondents voluntarily participated in this research. The data gathered through the short answer questionnaires given after the DRRM seminar using Google Forms. The analysis of the responses revealed that the pre-service teachers were aware of Disaster Risk Reduction Management and encountered related challenges in their partner schools. Moreover, they shared their perspective on the effects of being exposed to Disaster Risk Reduction Management training and the programs and initiatives that the school should be implementing to increase the knowledge and skills of disaster-prepared teachers.
Keywords: Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, Pre-service Teacher
Migrant Worker Networks and Roles in Community Development through Resource Transfers
No full text The purpose of this paper is to examine the roles of migrant worker networks in community development through the transfer of resources in the context of Samut Sakhon province. Despite disagreement over whether resource transfers across the country facilitate or thwart development (see Bartram et al., 2014), this study claims that transactions of money and knowledge, practices, and values—particularly in the destination country— can lead to community development, and that migrant networks can be counted among development actors that engage in the process of transferring resources. This study focuses on the process of resource transfers in the destination country. To understand the roles of migrant worker networks in transferring resources in Samut Sakhon province, online surveys were conducted with 94 participants, in-depth interviews conducted with 6 Mon migrant workers, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 5 community leaders or individuals working for Mon groups. This study’s findings demonstrate that Mon migrant worker networks are engaged in the process of transferring resources through donations to network members and to Mon self-help group projects promoting Buddhism and providing for basic needs (i.e., education, food security during the COVID-19 pandemic, etc.) and through the provision of education. Furthermore, close ties (family and friends) and organizational ties (Mon self-help groups) are engaged in sharing information, knowledge, perceptions, and experiences within networks. Joining and collaborating with Mon self-help groups and participation in community activities are kinds of an engagement in the process of resource transfers seen in this context. Trust is a significant factor that encourages migrant workers to transfer resources within their networks. Actions of engaging in the process of resource transfers built on trust benefit the community and bring about community development in the destination country, since those actions’ outcomes represent a high level of agency and strengthened solidarity, as following Bhattacharyya’s (1995) community development perspective. Donation for religious-related projects, joining and working for Mon self-help groups and participating in community events/activities lead to strengthened solidarity due to shared interests being strengthened, while donation for promoting education, the provision of education and sharing the perceptions, experiences, knowledge, etc. within the migrant worker networks lead to a high level of agency because of migrant workers’ increasing capability indicated by their better job opportunity and income. However, when creating conditions conducive to community development, a balance between solidarity and agency is necessary.
Keywords: Migrant Worker Network, Migrant Workers, Resource Transfer, Community Developmen
Global Dynamics of Drug Use Model and Its Optimal Control Analysis
No full text In this paper, we propose and analyze a mathematical model of drug use involving rehabilitation. With our model, we assume that the use of drugs can be initiated by three groups of people; light drug users, heavy drug users and drug users under rehabilitation. In this model, the nonnegativity and boundedness of solutions are verified, and two equilibrium points (drug-free and drug-endemic) are obtained. The basic reproduction number is calculated. We show that each equilibrium point is stable locally and globally under some conditions. Further, an optimal control problem is applied to the model by adding three control variables; awareness and educational program control, family and friends care control, and rehabilitation campaign control. The numerical simulation of this optimal control model is performed, and the results show that each control alone could already reduce the number of drug users for some certain amount, however, a combination of all three controls gives the best result in reducing overall drug use.
Keywords: drug use, awareness and educational program, family and friends care, basic reproduction number, optimal contro