Month: February 2020
Attitudinal Evaluation of Accents from the Expanding Circle: A Saudi Perspective
This study quantitively examines attitudes held by Saudis towards three accents from the Expanding Circle (Kachru 1985, 1992) varieties of English: their own accent of English and two others. By means of Verbal-Guise Technique experimentation (see Garrett 2010; McKenzie 2010), stimuli of Spanish, Chinese and Saudi accents of English were employed to elicit attitudinal data …
(Re)thinking English Teacher Education in Brazil: Undergraduate Students and Teacher Educators’ Perspectives on Multiliteracies and English as a Lingua Franca
Globalization has challenged distribution and understanding of knowledge causing instability and uncertainty for teacher education. This paper presents the results of a doctoral research on teacher education and the challenges posed to educators involving multiliteracies, English as a lingua franca – ELF and translingual practices. Seven teacher educators and twenty-one undergraduates of the Portuguese-English languages …
Human Resource Policy in Leading Russian Universities: An Assembly Model
The presentation discusses the development of human resources management in leading Russian universities during the last 5 years. It demonstrates that such topic in the research literature is presented but fragmented, so a holistic picture of the transformation of human resource management in leading Russian universities has not been presented so far. The presented study …
Investigation of the Learning Effects of Presentation-style Lessons and the Basic Social Skills of Students With Spontaneous Beat Gestures
The purpose of this study is outlined in the following two points. First, an investigation into the effects of presentation activities conducted on the summary of the second language learning units. One hundred and eighteen (118) presentation-style learners and eighty-three (83) grammar-style learners participated. As predicted, the presentation group performed better than the grammar group …
A Comparative Study of Chinese and Japanese Female Characters Portrayed in Hirokazu Koreeda’s and Ang Lee’s Family Films
China and Japan are both in the circle of Confucian culture. Under the influence of Confucian culture, the basic unit of Chinese and Japanese society was the family rather than the individual. At the same time, the patriarchal-dominated social structure was derived. With the modernization process and the influx of western thoughts, the tolerant image …
Spaced Repetition (SR) for Long-term Vocabulary Retention: When Exactly to Repeat?
One of the most recurrent topics in education is the fact that learners tend to forget what they have learned rather quickly. Previous research studies have found that SR can indeed contribute to long-term retention of vocabulary. However, considering there are many variables involved, and since there is a lack of agreement among scholars of …
The Role of Voluntary Communities in Tackling Environmental Problem in Samarinda, Indonesia
The emergence of voluntary communities unavoidably influences the government’s work of way to solve problems. They mostly afford funds by themselves to run their activities and they work across organizations in a voluntary way to take part in tackling problems in various fields. The public engagement in solving public problems has emerged a new paradigm …
Tectonics and Technical Language | Development of and Research on a Language-sensitive Learning Design on Plate Tectonics
State of research & aims| Results of international studies such as PISA and PIRLS show that there is a significant correlation between language competencies, socio-economic background and knowledge (Mullis et al., 2017; OECD, 2019). At secondary schools, language requirements increase due to a higher level of school academic language (Gibbons, 2010; O’Reilly/McNamara, 2007; Prediger/Zindel, 2017). …
The Republic of Heaven: A Return to Mother Earth and Ancient Pagan Religions in ‘His Dark Materials’
Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy is primarily regarded as an attack on religion and is thought to specifically discredit Christianity. However, the novels show no signs of the cynicism expected from an apparent atheistic venture to free humanity from its faith. Instead, the series brims with uplifting themes that are traditionally religious, such as …
Development of an Automated Drinking System Using Microcontroller for Broiler Production
Although the broiler industry is one of the fastest growing industry in the Philippines, it still lacks the process of automation. Thus, this study sought to develop an automatic drinking system for broiler production that can monitor, control, record water quality and environmental data parameter. An automated drinking system was designed using the Arduino microcontroller …
The Habitat Differentiation for the Fairness
I am a developmentally disabled person. In this paper, we challenge considering formalizing the relationship between the fairness in econometric analysis of Rawls’s theory of justice and Barwise’s information flow and propose the realization of an equality society for persons with disabilities who can be distinguished from non-handicapped persons. Deterministic social structures are being created …
Development of a STEM Curriculum and Evaluating Its Effects on Promoting the Technology Literacy and Self-determination of Students With Disabilities
The purpose of this study was to develop a STEM curriculum integrated with educational robotics and the concept of self-determination and examine its effectiveness on promoting the science knowledge, basic math skills, robotics, literacy, and self-determination of junior high school students with disabilities. Research has showed that compared to their normally developing peers, students with …
Relationship Between Factors and Graduation Rates for Student Success in the U.S. Colleges
Graduation rates are essential indicators of students’ success and the indicators defined as the percentage of a school’s first-time, first-year college students who continue their studies at the school next year. Graduation rates are essential for student’s learning accountability purposes, and graduation rates need to be improved. The purpose of this study aims to find …
Success in an English Language Learning Class: Students’ Beliefs, Emotions and Experiences in a Communicative Language Teaching Context
The aim of this paper is to analyse the beliefs, emotions and experiences of English language learners in order to grasp the aspects that they regard as positive in an English language classroom. The participants are first-year university students enrolled in an English for Specific Purposes (ESP) course that were inquired about (1) their life-long …
The Birth of Smart Teachers: A Genealogical Examination of the Newest Teacher Subjectivity on the Matter of Technology Use
This study employs Foucauldian concept of “genealogy” to explore rules, norms and knowledge of popular educational discourses about ‘SMART education’ in South Korean contexts. This research is significant on the point that it shows the formation of a specific teacher subjectivity at this specific historical jSuncture which might be rather limited in relation to issues …
Classroom Diversity and Thoughtful Engagement
This presentation will discuss the Theory of Japanese Uniqueness 「Nihonjinron」which explores peculiarities of Japanese culture, psyche and behavior in the context of current trend in diversity in education. It assumes that regardless of Japan’s image as a “homogeneous” country, there is diversity represented by various ethno-social factors such as experiences abroad, family structure, and gender …
Gathering the Story: Documentary Film Research and Data Collection
The documentary film genre is a powerful and influential information and communication medium that educates, “embraces difference,” inspires, and motivates its audience. Its increasing utilization in education timely coincides with technological advances in film and video production today. What has historically been a prohibitive undertaking is now a progressively egalitarian vocation using inexpensive equipment and …
Telling Our Own Stories: A Phenomenological Study of Sub-Saharan African Immigrants
Many immigrants from Sub-Saharan Africa consider emigration towards the West as an opportunity for educational and economic self-fulfillment. Their needs and interests, along with their skills and talents remain poorly understood and underutilized with most countries not recognizing their presence and doing little to facilitate their integration. We undertook this phenomenological project in order to …
The Guidelines for Development of Agricultural Areas Based on Concepts from Participatory Ecological Agriculture to Solve Environmental Problems
This project is to design and develop agricultural areas in accordance with the concept of participatory agriculture ecology to solve poverty and protect the environment. Using the study of Landscape ecology and agriculture ecology concepts. In-depth interviews were used to explore the problems and impacts of agriculture affecting the economy Society and Environment of Wapi …
Sustainable Development Goals at the Heart of Portuguese as a Foreign Language University Classes: Study Cases in Portugal and Spain
The 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are today a transnational attempt to face a world full of inequalities and risks. However, for this agenda to be effectively accomplished and these goals to be achieved, a collective effort, commitment and action are required in every sphere of one’s life. We believe that the …
Experts and Students Advocate Andragogical Insights in Learning Beyond Pedagogy
Past research indicates that experts with more specialized knowledge criticized educational implementations and curriculum content sharply. Whether the intensity of these criticisms originates from domain-specific knowledge or expertise is unknown, as experts are highly independent, internally motivated, and self-directed learners. This study hypothesizes that when adults with specialized knowledge comment on educational implementations, they may …
International Tandem Learning: Technological Challenges of Inter-Institutional Projects
It is difficult to dispute that most significant changes in education over the past hundred years have resulted from the ubiquity, use, and availability of technology. This generation of university students is the first wave of participants in higher education for whom the entire knowledge-base of humanity throughout history is available in real time, in …
“The Human Condition” in Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot
In his essay about two brother-painters, the van Velde brothers, Samuel Beckett presents a view that both of them share a profound interest in “the human condition” which precedes their interest in painting. This view is related to Beckett’s own conception of art. He himself was interested in “the human condition” in his creation of …
Pictograms and Japanese Construal in Cognitive Linguistics
Recent scholarship in cognitive linguistics reveals that Japanese speakers prefer subjective construal, while English speakers prefer objective construal. Japanese speakers conceptualize a scene subjectively, where the speaker involved is submerged in it. English speakers tend to represent events objectively from the perspective of a bystander or observer outside the scene. This paper calls this paradigm …
Invention of “Self-Mummified Buddhas” in Japan and Its Historical Significance
Self-mummification is an aesthetic practice in which a monk goes into a hole underground and remains there without food, a fast designed to end in death and allow the monk to become a Buddha. As of today, six self-mummified monks are known to exist in Dewa Sanzan or The Three Mountains of Dewa in northern …
Japan and Ukraine: Strengthening Friendship and Partnership Ties in the Era of Reiwa
Notwithstanding the fact that Japan and Ukraine are separated by a great geographic distance, the two countries have many things in common. First of all, they experienced accidents at nuclear power plants. Secondly, Japan and Ukraine are united by the issue of occupation of their territories by Russia. Thirdly, both countries share universal values such …
Annotation and Practice of Reading: The Tale of Genji and Kakaisho
The Tale of Genji, by Murasaki Shikibu, is the most famous Japanese classic novel and the world’s oldest existing novel by a woman. My paper sheds light on the heretofore understudied Kakaisho, an earliest annotation of The Tale of Genji, written by Yotsutsuji no Yoshinari, in the late 14th century. Kakaisho is characterized by its …
Representation of Spirituality in Elizabeth Gilbert’s (2006) Eat Pray Love and its Reception in a Chinese Context
Elizabeth Gilbert’s (2006) memoir Eat, Pray, Love depicts her journey of self-discovery following a difficult divorce. Her travels consist of three phrases – (1) pleasure-seeking in Italy, (2) finding spirituality in India, and (3) maintaining a balance between the two in Bali. The author’s truth-seeking journey has resonated with a huge readership worldwide. The research …
Family Caregiving, Work-Family Conflicts, and Well-being in Contemporary Japan: Working Men and Women in Middle to Late Adulthood
The rapid aging of the population over the past decades has had several consequences in the lives of Japanese men and women. First, as the older population increases, more men and women today need to take care of their older relatives while in their in mid to late adulthood. Second, all adult citizens, regardless of …
Vietnamese Tertiary EFL Teachers’ Perception Towards Critical Thinking in the Classroom
Critical thinking has been emphasized as one of the paramount thinking skills in the 21st academic curriculum in the world. Especially in the context of language learning and teaching where traditional pure recitation seems to result in little positive outcomes, the engagement of thinking in learning proves to be necessary than ever before. Still, the …
Higher Education and Intercultural Relations: Empowering Indigenous Brazilian Students through Internationalization Programs
Understanding of both good practices and structural barriers that influence the academic experiences of indigenous students in higher education facilitates knowledge and continuous innovation to better support these students. This study examined the academic experience of indigenous Brazilian students who participated in an interuniversity internationalization program between the Federal University of São Carlos (Brazil) and …
Using Attendance Analytics as a Motivational Tool for First-Year University Students: The Live Engagement and Attendance Project (LEAP)
The process of transitioning into a third-level learning environment can present cognitive, behavioural and emotional challenges for first-year students (Chipchase et al., 2017). When these challenges are not adequately addressed, students’ motivation to engage with their academic programmes may suffer, hindering academic progression. Motivation underpins students’ ability to generate and accomplish goals (Locke & Latham, …
Teaching At-Risk Students Using UDL: Cure or Curse?
At-risk students exist in every college classroom. As of 2019, at-risk college student categories in the United States included indigenous (18%), neurodiverse (e.g., students with dyslexia, ADHD, or Autism Spectrum Disorders) (19%), and non-traditional (i.e., significantly older than their peers) (69%) (NCES, 2019; UAS, 2019). The common theme among these groups of students is that …
A Visual System for Grammar Instruction in Foreign Language Learning
Complementary to verbal explanations, visual techniques are often implemented in grammar instruction to help learners process information. Highlighting using typograhic features can help distinguish the structure in focus from its context, aiding information seeking and drawing attention to important features. Additionally, visual encoding can associate graphical traits to grammar categories to support the identification and …
Academic Staff Personal Variables and Utilization of ICT Resources for Research, Teaching and Records Management in Higher Education
There is currently an academic debate among researchers regarding the influence of age and gender as factors influencing ICT utilisation generally among lecturers. This study was designed to contribute to this debate and open up new paths to areas that researchers have focused little or no attention. This study examined academic staff personal variables (gender, …
Application of Adult Learning Principles to High Risk Equipment Operations Training
This paper considers the application of adult learning principles in training learners to operate high-risk equipment such that they develop a sense of responsibility and accountability for the choices they make for themselves both during and post training. A literature review was utilised to review currently applied adult learning principles and the discussion considers these …
System Innovations in Design for Aging – A Research-driven Multi-stakeholder Approach for Transforming Health Systems
In many cases design approaches use a systemic point of view in order to gain insights that inform the process of developing new products and services or improve existing ones. At its best, design uses research methods as well as scientific evidence and creativity tools to tackle wicked problems in fields such as sustainability or …
Advantages and Limitations of Older-adult Volunteers in Conducting a Well-being Course as ‘Facilitators’ in the Provision of a University’s Open Studies in Japan
As the proportion of those aged 65 and over has sharply risen in recent years, how to make use of their potential manpower as “volunteers” as well as “workers” has been generating an inordinate amount of attention in Japanese society. This study intends to indicate the advantages and limitations for older-adult volunteers by employing a …
Being Unreasonable – How to Teach Clinical Reasoning Amongst Medical Students
A poster examining the challenges and common themes across teaching clinical reasoning as well as the difficulties of engaging students during time-limited ad hoc clinical encounters such as the ward round or being on-call. We first explore the process of clinical reasoning, the dual theory of how we acquire it as well as the barriers …