Stop Piling on: Assessing Efforts to Reduce Single-Use Water Bottles at Allegheny College

Plastic waste represents one of the largest environmental problems of the modern era and disposable water bottles comprise a substantial portion of that waste in the U.S. Colleges are in a unique position to create systems that foster sustainable behaviors among their constituents. Since 2015, Allegheny College has installed water refill stations, and initiated a free water bottle program and an awareness campaign to reduce single-use bottles on the college’s campus. Two surveys were distributed to the student body between 2018 and 2019 to assess the efficacy of those initiatives and learn about any barriers. Bottled water use has reduced significantly since 2014, with the majority of students stating that they most commonly drink water from refill stations while on campus. Demographic factors like income, sex, or place of origin were not related to the amount of bottled water consumption or type of water preference among students. The primary barrier to students eliminating disposable water bottle use was found to be a lack of water refill stations in dormitories. Research aimed at changing behaviors to benefit the environment should consider the barrier of convenience. This research provides a valuable lesson that can extend beyond college campuses and into public settings.

Impact of the Covid 19 pandemic on preclinical teaching in medical schools-Lessons learned

Objectives: The authors analyzed the weaknesses and areas of opportunities with the online teaching imposed by the COVID19 lockdown, and the new measures adopted to control the online examinations for medical students. Method: In addition to personalized question sets we had location mapping and Open Broadcaster Software (OBS) for monitoring students during the exams as well as disabling the back-button during examination. Results: The academic year was successfully completed on time. There was no change in the exams format or scope, yet the results were similar in terms of grade distribution, average and standard deviation as well as the validity and reliability scores. The students’ perception of online teaching was evaluated through a survey. It revealed the importance and added value of online teaching but also exposed the gaps related to lecturers’ preparedness and need for training. Conclusion: The online experience was a valuable lesson for us, as we discovered not only the weaknesses or areas to improve, but also new ways and opportunities that can be explored to enhance the learning experience. Our plan is to introduce online teaching gradually to all modules and align it with students’ readiness through direct implications of students; however, every center should develop its own long-term plan to address its own problems and weaknesses.

What is a Good Way to Visualize the Positive Correlation between Two Numerical Variables?

Most of the results of correlation analysis between variables are not equipped with visualization, so it is deemed necessary to explain how best to visualize the results of correlation analysis, especially for numerical variables. In this case, the best way to present correlations between numerical variables is a scatter diagram. If the points on the diagram are closer to the straight line, the higher the correlation coefficient, meaning that the degree of correlation is getting stronger. In this case, the positive correlation is indicated by the line from the lower left to the upper right. This visualization helps clarify the reader's understanding of the results of the correlation analysis, as well as being a valuable lesson for their similar research projects. Keywords: positive correlation; correlation coefficient; visualization; scatter diagram

Symbolism of sacred and profane animals in the Quran

The story of animal symbolism is associated with knowledge and wisdom. This is in order to be used as an example by humans as a valuable lesson. Humans can learn ethics from fables. In the modern view, the symbolism of animals in relation to the issue of eco-psychology has become a trending topic. This study aims to explore the symbolism of sacred and profane animals in the Quran through a hermeneutic-anthropological perspective. This study used a qualitative-descriptive method by describing the data narratively. The data analysis techniques used in this study are hybridization techniques. First, there is reciting the verses (hermeneutical-anthropological) in the Quran can be either universal or particular. Second, there is identifying the passages that relate to animals, whether real pets or unreal ones (symbolism). Third, there is the classification of the animals associated with the pattern of binary oppositions, and the Quran in the context of mytheme (unit of myths) and cheritheme (unit of the story). Fourth, there is the search for collective mediation functions for the community supporters who are in the Quran - mytheme and cheritheme animals. The findings of this study are that: 1) animal symbolism in the Quran appears in the form of either dyadic or triadic and 2) the symbolism of animals the Quran shows that animals in the Quran have a collective mediating function for the supporting community,i.e. a) animals as intermediaries towards holy people (through sacrifice); b) animals as medicine/human health; and c) animals as protectors. The conclusion of this study shows that animals in the Quran appear in both real and symbolic form.

Literackie obrazy kultury. Perspektywa glottodydaktyczna

The texts included in the volume are concerned with using literary works which contain important cultural content in teaching Polish as a foreign language. The book is a small anthology of texts portraying Polish culture as well as valuable lesson scripts.

REFRAMING STUDENTS’ NEGATIVE CONCEPTIONS OF FAILURE: AN ACTION RESEARCH

The fear of academic failure can compound other challenges that students are already facing in their lives, and this can take a toll on their mental and emotional states, their relationships with others, and their learning capacities. This article presents findings of an action research that was carried out with 35 postgraduate students from two classes, with aims to reframe their conception of fear of failure as valuable lesson opportunities, by means of getting them to participate in experiential and purposeful activities in a safe learning space. It aims to see if these students would have become less fearful of failures by Week 15. In addition to sharing personal anecdotes of failure, students were given challenging class work, reminded of failure-success catch-phrases, given honest and critical (but compassionate) feedback of their performance. The collected data include students’ fear of failure index scores, pre (Week 1) and post (Week 15) intervention course feedback of their fear of failure. The analysis shows that the methods seem to have a positive effect in mitigating fears of failure, however, the research also shows some caveats and variables that can inhibit the facilitation and the effectiveness of the pedagogical methods. It is hoped this research can also aid other educators in improving and innovating their pedagogy practices, in order to help students reframe their conceptions of failure. Keywords: Action research, experiential learning, fear of failure, reframing beliefs, safe learning space Cite as: Yoong, D., & Saffari, N. (2019). Reframing students’ negative conceptions of failure: An action research. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 4(2), 126-143. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol4iss2pp126-143

Radiology and Radiography

When you consider that, with direct vision alone, you can only see the coronal few millimetres of teeth and none of the surrounding alveolus, it becomes clear that, without additional visual aids, we can only assess and treat a relatively small proportion of our patient’s oral health needs. In 1895, only months after the very first medical radiograph, Dr Otto Walkhoff recorded the very first dental radiograph. This exposure was of his own dentition and lasted a lengthy 25 minutes. Since then, radiography has become a staple tool of the profession and refinement of the technology has allowed us to reduce exposure times down to milliseconds, with radiation doses smaller than those ex­perienced by people taking short- haul flights. Further advances in dose reduction and reformatting protocols have allowed for computed tom­ography to become increasingly popular for diagnostics and treatment planning in endodontic, oral surgery, and orthodontic cases. The benefits of dental radiography make them an indispensable resource, but since all types of radiation pose some degree of risk to human health, the clinician must consider how useful the information from the proposed exposure will be. There are no shortages of tragic stories of employees working with radiation who suffered ill health years after stopping work. Today dental radiography can be performed routinely and safely as a result of the valuable lesson learnt from the debilitating consequences suffered by past medical professionals, nuclear workers, and even the ‘radium girls’ who painted luminous material onto watch faces. Key topics include: ● Limitations of radiographs ● Image selection criteria ● Radiation physics, protection, and legislation ● Radiographic interpretation ● Types of dental radiographic imagery.

A Closer Look on the Main Characters’ Tendency: “BUMI MANUSIA” by Pramoedya Ananta Toer

A novel is a story that is related to real or fictional events imagined by the author through their observation of reality. The analysis of this present article aims to describe the magnitude of the characterization effect through a character figure and the position of the characters in the novel "Bumi Manusia" by Pramoedya Ananta Toer. The method used in this research is character description to explain individual characteristics tendency and the condition of a group more accurately, particularly the characters called Minke, Annelies, and Nyai Ontosoroh; the three most prominent figures. As the lead character, Minke fights against injustice; readers’ realize a most valuable lesson, seen in page 12, which says, “My personality becomes more different from my countrymen in general, violating my form as a Javanese person.”