A Model of Teaching and Learning Online in Asian Context

Online teaching and learning practices in Asian universities are different from that in western universities. Western universities give emphasis on student-student interaction for learning. Online courses offered by most Asian universities are a kind of mixed mode that comprised simultaneous face-to-face tutorials and online interaction facility. In this situation most students use the online facility to collect resources and to contact their teachers. The quantity of student-student interaction was sporadic in many courses. So research is needed to improve the situation and create an environment for students where they can learn what peer group interaction is and practice it. This paper has presented a model of teaching and learning online for Asian universities. Possible barriers in teaching and learning situations in Asia and students' abilities have been considered to develop the model.

Medicinal Plants, A promising Source of Natural Fungicides against <i>Magnaporthe oryzae Triticum</i>, Causal Agent of Wheat Blast

Wheat blast, caused by a fungal pathogen, Magnaporthe oryzae Tritichum (MoT) pathotype (wheat isolates), was first reported in Bangladesh among Asian countries in 2016. It is a serious disease of wheat causing yield failures and significant economic losses during epidemic years. Extensive use of persistent synthetic pesticides to control notorious wheat blast imposes enormous threat to human health and environment. In addition, the increasing demand for organic food has stimulated people to look for alternative methods. Nowadays, the need for synthetic chemical-free agricultural practices is gaining importance due to effective in managing crop pests, inexpensive, biodegradable, easily available and have low toxicity to non-target organisms. In order to identify active plants, 12 kinds of methanol extracts obtained from 12 medicinal plants were conducted in vitro to test the effect against Magnaporthe oryzae Triticum (MoT) pathotype. The remarkable inhibitory activity {(29.6 ± 01.5) mm, (25.1 ± 01.0) mm and (20.0 ± 02.0) mm zone of inhibition)} exhibited by the extracts (5 mg/disk) obtained from Artemisia indica (Nagdona), Persicaria orientalis (Bishkatali) and Clerodendrum indicum (Bamonhati), respectively. Other medicinal plant extracts did not show any significant or no activity at all. Therefore, the three plant extracts might be a promising source for developing natural fungicides against wheat blast.

Numerical Solution of MHD Convection and Mass Transfer Flow of Viscous Incompressible Fluid about an Inclined Plate with Hall Current and Constant Heat Flux

The present numerically study investigates the influence of the Hall current and constant heat flux on the Magneto hydrodynamic (MHD) natural convection boundary layer viscous incompressible fluid flow in the manifestation of transverse magnetic field near an inclined vertical permeable flat plate. It is assumed that the induced magnetic field is negligible compared with the imposed magnetic field. The governing boundary layer equations have been transferred into non-similar model by implementing similarity approaches. The physical dimensionless parameter has been set up into the model as Prandtl number, Eckert number, Magnetic parameter, Schmidt number, local Grashof number and local modified Grashof number. The numerical method of Nactsheim-Swigert shooting iteration technique together with Runge-Kutta six order iteration scheme has been used to solve the system of governing non-similar equations. The physical effects of the various parameters on dimensionless primary velocity profile, secondary velocity profile, and temperature and concentration profile are discussed graphically. Moreover, the local skin friction coefficient, the local Nusselt number and Sherwood number are shown in tabular form for various values of the parameters.