Journal Articles

This essay explores the novelistic practice of poetic citation as a response to literary influence and the continuing relevance of poetic insight with respect to the contemporary novel’s concern with the value of literature in the political present. I argue for a new understanding of the exchange of textual energies between poetry and the novel as a dislodging and reframing of frames of reading, a critical perspective that best reflects the impact of the event of catastrophe on the novel’s registering of trauma and the marking of wounded bodies and psyches. Through an analysis of Ian McEwan’s Saturday and Michael Cunningham’s Specimen Days, I present two opposed novelistic investments in poetry and literary tradition, differences that hinge upon the need to enlist poetic truth in favor of a consolidation of ethical vision. I examine the ways and extent through which poetry resists this outside appropriation by articulating its urgent truths at the boundaries of textual situations, unfolding an otherness within novelistic prose which shifts interpretation and adjusts our image of contemporary conditions as represented through the novels analyzed.

Microorganisms play a significant role in biofouling and biocorrosion within the maritime industry. Addressing these challenges requires an innovative and integrated approach utilizing marine natural products with beneficial properties. A comprehensive screening of 173 non-toxic EtOAc and H₂O extracts derived from diverse marine organisms collected in Indonesian waters was conducted using a robust panel of assays. These included antimicrobial tests and classical biosurfactant assays (drop collapse and oil displacement), as well as anti-quorum-sensing (QS) and anti-biofilm assays. These screening efforts identified five active extracts with promising activities. Among these, EtOAc extracts of the marine tunicate Sigilina cf. signifera (0159-22e) and the marine sponge Lamellodysidea herbacea (0194-24c) demonstrated significant anti-biofouling activity against Perna indica and anti-biocorrosion performance (mpy 10.70 ± 0.70 for S. cf. signifera; 7.87 ± 0.86 for L. herbacea; 13.60 ± 1.70 for positive control Tetracorr CI-2915). Further chemical analyses of the active extracts, including LC-HR-MS/MS, MS-based molecular networking, and chemoinformatics, revealed the presence of both known and new bioactive compounds. These included tambjamines and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), which are likely contributors to the observed bioactivities. Subsequent investigations uncovered new anti-QS and anti-biofilm properties in synthetic and natural PBDEs 1–12 previously derived from L. herbacea. Among these, 8 exhibited the most potent anti-QS activity, with an IC50 value of 15 µM, while 4 significantly reduced biofilm formation at a concentration of 1 µM. This study highlights the potential of marine-derived compounds in addressing biofouling and biocorrosion challenges in a sustainable and effective manner.

This study examined the impact of an Information Communication and Technology (ICT) intervention program on teaching and learning in Physical Education (PE). The research involved 47 PE teachers from 47 Singapore schools and 838 students across primary and high schools. Teachers with little or no ICT experience (n = 24) and their students (n = 430) were placed in the intervention group. Data were collected using accelerometers, the Activity Perception Questionnaire, a K-12 rubric assessing psychomotor, cognitive and affective domains, an ICT integration rubric, and lesson videos. A two-way repeated measures ANOVA was conducted to analyse the intervention’s effects. The results showed that ICT use did not reduce students’ physical activity time or motivation levels. However, teachers’ ability to design meaningful ICT-integrated lessons significantly improved, as did students’ affective domain. The findings underscore the importance of incorporating both theoretical and practical components in PE teacher training, using contextualised examples and flexible learning modes. School leaders and policymakers should enhance professional development opportunities and support teachers in integrating ICT effectively, thereby improving student engagement and learning outcomes.

The benefits of parental educational involvement (PEI) are well documented in the literature, specifically on children's learning outcomes and social-emotional development. Thus, it is important to explore the factors that influence PEI. This paper is a qualitative study on the motivators, facilitators, and barriers to PEI among low-income parents in the Philippines. Through purposive sampling, 31 parents were engaged in semi-structured interviews or pakikipagkwentuhan, a data collection method informed by indigenous Filipino Psychology. Participant responses were coded and summarized using thematic analysis. Findings represent a broad range of factors that influence PEI that were categorized into three themes. Theme 1 encompasses parent-related factors, which includes parental aspirations, access to learning and financial resources, efficacy in helping the child, finding time to be involved, and perception of what other people would think. Theme 2 represents social support from spouse, other family members, and fellow parents and friends as facilitators of PEI. Theme 3 involves school-and teacher-related factors, specifically invitation to be involved from teachers and the school and unpleasant past school experiences as a barrier. Findings from this study contribute to our understanding of the factors driving PEI, particularly among vulnerable populations that remain underrepresented in the literature. Moreover, findings also have implications for acknowledging the challenges experienced by low-income parents in supporting their children's education, while also highlighting their resilience and resourcefulness in employing PEI strategies. The crucial role of teachers and school in effectively promoting PEI and supporting educational equity is also discussed.