<span>The emergent of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education in Malaysia has embarked challenges in higher education system. Conventional teaching methods often cause lower learning gain, fear and bad perceptions among students. The old initiative may also be the cause of students’ demotivation, lower interest in learning a subject or even dropouts. This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of an inverted classroom by using the problem-based method in Biology subject among science foundation students. Students were divided into two groups; experimental (EG) and control (CG) group. A topic in Biology had been selected, and an assessment paper was given to both groups before and after the intervention session. The EG would experience self-learning through given materials and asked to conduct a problem-based learning study case. Meanwhile, the CG would obey the conventional teaching method before given a similar study case. The result reported significant improvement in assessment marks for EG group compared to the CG group. The students’ comparison between the pre- and post-test implies that they have shown positive improvement in understanding the content of the subject tested. This finding will serve as a primary platform to improvise and enhance teaching and learning methodology in biology subject for foundation level.</span>

This paper provides a brief enumeration of 22 species of plants and four species of fungi as wild edibles, and 13 species of plants that have been used for medicinal purposes by Dusun people of Kampung Pinolobu, Kadamaian, Kota Belud, Sabah. Seven informants were selected using snowball sampling technique, and data on edibles and medicinal plants were collected using semi structured interviews. This study reveals how Dusun people of Kampung Pinolobu used 13 species of medicinal plants to treat ailments and diseases like fever, high blood pressure, flatulence, rheumatism, cold, cough, and gastric pain. The flower of Carica papaya and fruit of Passiflora foetida are used for high blood pressure treatment, leaves of Manihot esculenta serve two purposes, as traditional vegetables and also consumed to avoid flatulence. Decoction made from the root of Ficus septica was given to women during postpartum recovery as they believed that it would help to keep the body warm, treat headache, and stomach pain. Paste made from leaves of Melastoma malabathricum is used to treat wounds. Meanwhile crushed leaves of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, root decoction of Imperata cylindrica, sap from Calamus sp. are used to treat high fever, crushed leaves of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is also used to subside carbuncle.  Decoction of young leaves of Psidium gujava and Leucosyke capitella are used to treat stomach pain. Meanwhile decoction of crushed tuber of Curcuma longa is used to treat gastric pain.

Medicinal plants have been widely used in healthcare based on traditional knowledge. We investigated the antimicrobial activities and phytochemical contents of a plant known as Blumea balsamifera (B. balsamifera), which Sabah native people have used for health benefits. Methanolic extracts and fractions of the leaves of B. balsamifera were tested for their phytochemical contents and their antimicrobial activities against four Gram-negative and five Gram-positive strains of bacteria. The extracts of B. balsamifera showed antimicrobial activities against three Gram-positive, and one Gram-negative bacteria, with the zone of inhibition ranging from 7.8 mm±0.41 to 10.5 mm±0.71. Fraction CE.F7 exerted the broadest antimicrobial activity towards four Gram-positive or Gram-negative bacteria. The phytochemical constituents identified in the extracts were alkaloid, flavonoid, steroid, and cardiac glycosides. The plant extract demonstrated antimicrobial activities and contained multiple phytochemical constituents. Further investigations into potential antimicrobial agents containing promising fractions would validate the medicinal properties of B. balsamifera used in Sabah.

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The difference of traditional vegetable species used in two predominantly Sama Bajau villages: Kampung Taun Gusi and Kampung Menunggui, in Kota Belud, Sabah were determined with different strategies. Similarity of listed species between different villages was determined by using Jaccard’s index of similarity and the most useful plants were evaluated using Frequency of Citation (FC). Use Value (UV) was used to determine the citation of plants during semi-structured interviews. A total of 46 species of traditional vegetables from 41 genera and 25 botanical families were listed from two villages. Jaccard’s index of similarity for ulam species between two localities; Kampung Taun Gusi and Kampung Menunggui is revealed at J = 0.348. Meanwhile Jaccard’s index of similarity for species that have been also served as traditional herbal medicine for both villages is revealed at J = 0.111. In average, informants cited 7.67 ± 3.89 vegetable taxa, the highest frequency citation (FC) calculated for Cosmos caudatus, Centella asiatica, Musa paradasiaca, FC = 0.83 for all three species. Meanwhile the FC calculated for Ipomea batatas, Cucumis sativus, Vigna unguiculata, Artocarpus heterophyllus value at 0.67. Use value for C. caudatus and C. asiatica are both recorded at UV = 1.67. Two species from family Fabaceae recorded UV ≥ 1.00; V. unguiculata (1.33) and Abelmoschus esculentus (1.00). Other species that recorded UV ≥ 1.00; C. sativus (1.33) and Capsicum annum (1.00). There was no significance difference (p > 0.05) between genders and knowledge on traditional vegetables. These data could provide the baseline for preservation of traditional knowledge and for bio-prospecting since some selected vegetables that are also used as traditional medicine. These three species, C. caudatus, C. asiatica, and M. paradasiaca, should be given priority in sustainable management of food plant species in Kota Belud.