Devananda Eka Widagdo

Interest in learning is the primary driver of success in learning mathematics; however, many primary school pupils still view mathematics as a difficult, daunting and boring subject, resulting in low levels of interest that directly impact their learning outcomes. This situation requires teachers to face various challenges in the classroom whilst devising appropriate Strategyes to enhance pupils’ interest in learning, yet research examining both aspects simultaneously from the teachers’ perspective remains limited. This study aims to describe the challenges faced by teachers in enhancing pupils’ interest in learning mathematics, to analyse the Strategyes used by teachers to overcome these challenges, and to describe teachers’ perceptions of changes in primary school pupils’ interest in learning mathematics following the implementation of these Strategyes. The method used was a descriptive qualitative approach, with data collection involving semi-structured in-depth interviews with three primary school teachers: Ms EN, a Year 5 teacher with 12 years’ teaching experience; Ms ONR, a Year 2 teacher who began teaching in 2022; and Ms FD, a Year 2 form tutor with 9 years’ teaching experience. Data analysis was carried out through data reduction, data presentation and drawing conclusions following the Miles and Huberman model, with data credibility maintained through member checking and peer debriefing. The research findings indicate that the main challenges faced by teachers in fostering pupils’ interest in learning include pupils’ poor mastery of basic mathematics, negative perceptions of mathematics lessons, diversity in pupils’ personalities and abilities, a lack of parental involvement, and limited teaching time. To enhance pupils’ interest in learning, teachers implemented various innovative Strategyes such as Problem-Based Learning (PBL), the use of concrete materials, game-based learning, personalised approaches, and the provision of motivation and rewards. According to the teachers’ perceptions, the implementation of these Strategyes increased pupils’ enthusiasm, conceptual understanding, and interest in learning mathematics. These findings indicate that the success of teachers’ Strategyes in enhancing pupils’ interest in learning needs to be supported by active parental involvement and the provision of adequate school facilities; thus, the results of this study can serve as a practical reference for teachers and a basis for consideration by schools in designing more meaningful mathematics learning at primary school level.

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) transmission from dromedaries to humans has resulted in major outbreaks in the Middle East. Although some other livestock animal species have been shown to be susceptible to MERS-CoV, it is not fully understood why the spread of the virus in these animal species has not been observed in the field. In this study, we used rabbits to further characterize the transmission potential of MERS-CoV. In line with the presence of MERS-CoV receptor in the rabbit nasal epithelium, high levels of viral RNA were shed from the nose following virus inoculation. However, unlike MERS-CoV-infected dromedaries, these rabbits did not develop clinical manifestations including nasal discharge and did shed only limited amounts of infectious virus from the nose. Consistently, no transmission by contact or airborne routes was observed in rabbits. Our data indicate that despite relatively high viral RNA levels produced, low levels of infectious virus are excreted in the upper respiratory tract of rabbits as compared to dromedary camels, thus resulting in a lack of viral transmission.

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is a zoonotic pathogen that causes respiratory infection in humans, ranging from asymptomatic to severe pneumonia. In dromedary camels, the virus only causes a mild infection but it spreads efficiently between animals. Differences in the behavior of the virus observed between individuals, as well as between humans and dromedary camels, highlight the role of host factors in MERS-CoV pathogenesis and transmission. One of these host factors, the MERS-CoV receptor dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4), may be a critical determinant because it is variably expressed in MERS-CoV-susceptible species as well as in humans. This could partially explain inter- and intraspecies differences in the tropism, pathogenesis, and transmissibility of MERS-CoV. In this review, we explore the role of DPP4 and other host factors in MERS-CoV transmission and pathogenesis—such as sialic acids, host proteases, and interferons. Further characterization of these host determinants may potentially offer novel insights to develop intervention strategies to tackle ongoing outbreaks.