The objectives of this study are to use different types of indexes to assess the current pollution status in Mengkabong lagoon and select the best index to describe the Mengkabong sediment quality.  The indexes used in this study were Enrichment Factor (EF), Geo-accumulation Index (Igeo), Pollution Load Index (PLI) and Marine Sediment Pollution Index (MSPI).  Different indexes give diverse status of Mengkabong lagoon sediment quality.  MSPI has an advantage over the earlier indexes and viewed as a simple summary of the state of the sediment.  However, the heavy metal assessment indices are not to be used as the only indicator for sediment quality.  Sitespecific, biological testing and ecological analysis of existing benthic community related to sediment contamination are needed for final decision making in the case of Mengkabong lagoon.

Concentrations of heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Cr, Pb and Zn) in tissues of Meretrix meretrix Roding (M. meretrix R.), water and sediments from two estuaries were determined. One estuary is located in an urban area of Kota Kinabalu (Likas estuary) and the other in a rural district of Kota Belud (Kota Belud estuary), where both are in Sabah, North of Borneo island. M. meretrix R. is a kind of mollusk commonly consumed by the inhabitants of many parts of the island. This study indicated that species of mollusk, water and sediment from the urban estuary (Likas) contained higher concentration of some heavy metals than those in rural estuary (Kota Belud). It was found that the mollusk has a potential to be used as bioindicator for the contamination of Cd and Zn in water and sediment of an estuarine environment, as indicated by its high bioconcentration factors (BCFs) values. Overall, this species seemed to accumulate certain metals in its tissue and resisted the entry of others from its surrounding environment.

It is aimed in this study to determine to what extent the geography teachers at high schools reflect their personality on their teaching experiences. It has been observed by researchers that teachers with different personalities affect their students in different ways. The personal characteristics of a teacher play a significant role in determining the limits of his studies and affect his teaching experiences. Those who remain indifferent to activities and undetermined in planning have a negative effect on both classroom relations and each student’s character development. Survey model was used in the study. The paper was formed through a questionnaire on 198 teachers, and showed that teachers reflected their personalities on their teaching experiences as their ages and seniority increased. The personal assets the teachers found in themselves were self-confidence, discipline, tidiness, justice and job-satisfaction.

This paper serves to review previously reported studies on students’ misunderstandings about the energy conservation principle (the first law of thermodynamics). Generally, studies in literature highlighted student’ misunderstandings about the energy conservation principle stem from preliminaries about energy concept in daily life. Since prior knowledge of students’ misunderstandings of scientific content knowledge is the first step in preventing these misunderstandings, it is considered that such a study will provide an important source for studies which aims to reduce or eliminate misunderstandings on the energy conservation principle.