bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SOME FEATURES OF MOODLE FOR ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES
Authors: Knežević Žana
Published: June 2023

It is now widely known that modern technologies offer numerous possibilities for language teaching and learning, which may also be applied to English for Specific Purposes (ESP). Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) are currently being globally used, as they present online spaces where teachers can organize their work, and the work of their students. Moodle, as one of the most popular VLEs, has been used at the Faculty of Information Technology, University “Mediterranean” Podgorica, Montenegro, since 2009, where it has proved itself to be one of the most beneficial technological means to be applied in ESP teaching and learning. The aim of the paper is to illustrate how Moodle supports communicative and collaborative learning, and how students can improve their communication and the four language skills, enhance specific vocabulary, and simulate some real-life situations. Some blocks and modules in Moodle for providing students with adequate teaching materials, and the ways of assigning different activities to students will be discussed. In conclusion, the vital role of teacher in applying Moodle in ESP will be emphasized.
TEACHERS AS MATERIAL DESIGNERS - INSIGHTS FROM DESIGNING AN ESP COURSE BOOK (ENGLISH FOR POLITICAL SCIENCE AND DIPLOMACY)
Authors: Kardaleska Ljubica , Nedelkoska Gabriela
Published: June 2023

The inexistence of ready-made context-responsive materials for English for Specific Purposes (ESP) areas is a major drawback, but in such an environment teachers can become active agents. This is a small-scale empirical study on the actual processes employed by a team of authors engaged in designing their own ESP materials to suit their unique realities. Material design for this practical pedagogical approach is a time consuming and challenging process, but by collaborative work teachers can explore new avenues for professional development and reflect on the ESP principles. The learning focus and the intended outcomes, as well as contributing to functional knowledge and skills, were the leading factors in these dual-focused materials integrating content and language. To that end, the focus in the ESP coursebook analyzed in this paper is on the vocabulary acquisition and reading comprehension.
El paisaje desde el confinamiento. Expectativas, preferencias y emociones
Authors: Jiménez Rosas Eric Orlando , Larrucea Garritz Amaya
Published: June 2023

En Ciudad de México se experimentaron condiciones estrictas de confinamiento durante la pandemia por Covid 19. Se investigó, a través de una encuesta, los sentimientos experimentados por 2,474 habitantes en 2020, 2021 y 2022, así como las preferencias y expectativas hacia diferentes espacios y paisajes. Los resultados mostraron una prevalencia de sentimientos negativos, pero también se reportaron positivos. Los paisajes con características biofílicas fueron los preferidos y se espera de ellos beneficios restauradores de la salud mental y física. Se discuten las implicaciones de los paisajes para fomentar la resiliencia y el bienestar de las personas durante periodos de confinamiento.
DEVELOPMENT OF PALM CELL CARBON AS MEDIA PRACTICUM OF SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS IN ELECTROMAGNETIC APPLICATIONS
Authors:   Fakultas Tarbiyah dan Keguruan UIN Imam Bonjol Padang, Zulpadrianto Zulpadrianto , Yohandri Yohandri ,   Universitas Negeri Padang, Putra Ananda
Published: June 2023

Research on science experiment practicum media has been carried out. This research is a laboratory experimental research. The aim of the research is to see the absorption of palm shell carbon against electromagnetic waves (RAM). Radar Absorber Material using palm shell carbon will be applied to anechoich chambers in science experiment practicums. Research procedure: carbonized palm shells were then activated using HCl. Activation was carried out with concentrations of 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 Molar. In addition to the differences in the concentration of the activation substance, variations in the thickness of the print resulting from the activation were also carried out. The thickness of the printed material varies from 4mm, 6mm, 8mm and 10mm. The results of reflection loss measurements using a Vector network analyzer (VNA) at a frequency of 4GHz - 8GHz show differences for each concentration. Maximum reflection loss of palm shells using 1M HCl activation agent (-13.72 dB); 2M (-13.62dB); 3M (-13.35 dB); and 4M (-13.04dB) and 5M (-11.4 dB) concentrations. Variations in print thickness also have a significant effect on the absorber value of a material, the thicker the print results, the absorber value also increases. From the observations that have been made, the maximum absorber value is obtained when the thickness is 10mm at a concentration of 1M for the substance being tested.
Formulation and Evaluation of Herbal Face Wash Gel
Authors: Chaudhari Mr. Hitendra S
Published: June 2023

Abstract: Acne is the common skin problem that 85% of the teenagers face today. Natural remedies are more acceptable in the faith that they are safer with less side effects than the synthetic ones. Natural remedies are more acceptable with the belief that they are safe and having less side effects. Herbal drugs have been used since many years not only in Asian countries but also worldwide for social well being. Herbal formulations have rising demand in the world market. In this study, herbal anti-acne face wash gels were prepared using polymers Carbopol and extract of aegle marmelos (bel patra). bel patra show the antibacterial property and are widely used in modern herbal medicine. Results showed that the gels were non-irritant, stable and posses anti-acne activity. From this study, herbal Gel was proved to be stable and considered as an effective herbal formulation for acne treatment. Prepared formulation was evaluated for various parameters like colour, appearance, consistency, pH, viscosity.
Solutions for Railway Platform Accidents
Authors: Chopde Prof. Abhay
Published: June 2023

Abstract: Railway accident prevention and protection are a key a part of a wider picture of transport safety. The rail sector thus needs to improve its knowledge of breaching and suicide, including at grade crossing, so as to figure out suitable responses by analyzing measures already taken in various countries. Governments, the rail industry and road organizations are implementing a spread of countermeasures for several years to enhance railway safety. These actions are substantial and have resulted during a continuing decrease within the number and therefore the severity of accidents. This paper presents existing suitable techniques that are utilized in the preventative measures targeted to scale back railway suicides, breaching and grade crossing casualties. It reports them in terms of their potentiality to effectively minimize accidents, their cost-effectiveness and their incorporation within the railway transport system as a whole.
Development of Application for Airfoil Generation and Testing
Authors: Choudahri Yash
Published: June 2023

Abstract: CAD automation works by utilizing tools and technology to increase the speed at which a design is completed. The CAD workflows that you set up can be carried out over and over again much like any other repetitive task in your office. This allows for multiple designs to be completed with reduced effort, freeing up valuable time for more important tasks and creativity. The application devloped automates the processes required to create an 3D part file of any airfoil.The application also provides a script to automate the next step i.e CFD analysis of the airfoil. The application is divided in 4 major parts according to the task automated. In the first section , the user can enter the parameters of desired airfoil,these parameters are then utilized by the software to create coordinates of the points that lie on airfoil. After this a curve is fitted to the airfoil points and the coefficients of the fitted curve are displayed and stored. In the section , the coefficients generated in the first section are utilized to generate CAD files of the airfoil. In the third section the software provides a python script that automates the task of carrying out the CFD simulation of airfoil. Lastly the “results” section provides a workspace to analyze the output of CFD simulation. Thus the application acts as a complete workstation for design life cycle of the airfoil.
Development of Methods and Techniques for Soil Stabilization Using Fly Ash and Plastic-Waste
Authors: Bramhankar Aryan , Badhiye Aditya , Sant Athrava , Nanoti Paras , Dewalkar S V
Published: June 2023

Abstract: In this study, it was tried to stabilize the soil by using fly ash and plastic waste. Because these two materials are becoming a big problem for the environment. If we use these materials for construction, it will be a win-win situation. Additionally, some areas have large enough soil with high enough shrinkage to indirectly produce most of the montmorillonite creating unsuitable conditions for construction, so construction must first be made of solid soil to prevent settlement, which will cause serious damage. building and cause damage. situation. Liming is a popular method of chemical stabilization as it reduces the activity of montmorillonite, and compaction is a popular stabilization method. In this article, we use fly ash and plastic waste, which are environmentally friendly, inexpensive, and easy to use. Here we run different tests. Try to find ways to use fly ash and plastic waste.
Handwritten Devnagari Character and Joint Devnagari Character Recognition Using Deep Learning
Authors: Shaikh Jiya
Published: June 2023

Abstract: In our day to day life we use devnagari to communicate with each other verbally. There are many people in our country who still like to write their documents in devnagari only. In our project we recognizing devnagari as well as joint devnagari characters. The character images in our dataset are imposed by joint characters, this particular aspect leads to various conflicting behaviors of the recognition algorithm which in turn reduces the accuracy of recognition. The training of joint devnagari character image samples are carried out by using one of the deep convolution neural networks known as CNN. The handwritten datasets is collected artificially from users in the age range of 18–21, 22–25, and 26–30. It consists of joint devnagari text that are used to evaluate the experiment's performance. The datasets are comprised of many classes. Those classes include devnagari characters, devnagari digits as well as joint devnagari characters. After performing essential steps. It is observed that the performance of CNN Classifiers like Random Forest is overall high. An overall accuracy of 94% is achieved during the recognition of devnagari character set and an accuracy of over 90% is accomplished with respect to handwritten data samples with training and testing proportions of 70% and 30% in both of the cases for the number of classes of over 58
Traffic Sign Recognition using ML and Image Processing
Authors: More Dr. Ninad
Published: June 2023

Abstract: TSRS (Traffic Sign Recognition System) may plays a significant role in self driving car, artificial driver assistances, traffic surveillance as well as traffic safety. Traffic sign recognition is necessary to overcome the traffic related difficulties. The traffic sign recognition system has two parts localization and recognition. In localization part, where traffic sign region is located and identified by creating a rectangular area. After that, in recognition part the rectangular box provided the result for which traffic sign is located in that particular region. In this paper, we describe an approach towards traffic signs recognition system
Human Activity Tracking System Using Pose Estimation Technique
Authors: Gaikwad Sakshi Atul , Sarde Shravani Shrikant , Khade Pooja Baloo , Gupta Ankita
Published: June 2023

Abstract: When some incident / any dangerous activity happens in the area the CCTV takes photos & video pieces of evidence of what happened there, but there are only few such system that can capture evidence in real-time and process it to conduct further actions of an incident. It waits for the police to come and resolve the issue and what happens is when police come the evidence are vanished. The drawbacks are that when such an incident happens out of 10 people only 1 or 2 will try tocall the police or ambulance but this also takes a lot of time, no quick decisions are taken to resolve the issue until the police gets informed about it. Also, if the accident / suspicious activityhappens on road then that road routes get blocked in some cases, the system’s model should be accurate enough to observethe situation and by predictions should proceed with the decision-making to help police to resolve the issue smoothly and as early as possible. Our solution for such a problem is to develop a system that uses CCTV surveillance systems with an advanced technological model with which it can capture required evidence. Also, we had developed a system that can recognize gestures of a person to detect if he/she is beating someone in the Realtime footage with the help of CNN, Keras, YOLO, MediaPipe and TensorFlow libraries. Quick notifications are sent to alert the police control rooms. At Control room police will allot the nearby required FRVs clusters by sending notifications to them of incident happened in a particular area
IOT Based Home Automation System over Cloud
Authors: Dawande Prof. N.A. , Morye Ravikant , Sarode Dinesh , Siddiqui Nisar
Published: June 2023

Abstract: The proposed home automation system capitalizes on the NodeMCU board's versatility and the Arduino IoT Cloud platform's capabilities to establish a robust and efficient solution. This powerful combination enables seamless connectivity, real-time data exchange, and remote control of home devices via the internet and Alexa Voice Assistance integration. Users can effortlessly monitor and manage their homes from anywhere using web or mobile interfaces, offering unparalleled flexibility. The IoT home automation system encompasses essential features such as device control, energy management, security, and environmental monitoring. Leveraging the Arduino IoT Cloud platform, users gain easy access to configure and personalize their automation settings. They can establish custom rules and receive notifications based on predefined events or specific conditions, enhancing their overall automation experience.
Development of Solar still using Thermosyphon Effect
Authors: Bergal Sneha , Deshmukh Onkar , Zope Prof. A. D.
Published: June 2023

Abstract: Thermal energy is a crucial important part of the economic growth of a country. The source of energy is constant, but consumption is growing exponentially over the last few years. In the traditional way of living, thermal energy is vitally used for air heating, water heating, cooking, etc. All these daily chores contribute to the huge amount of thermal energy consumption. A Solar still is designed to improve the performance and efficiency with the help of thermosyphon effect for fulfilling these daily needs. Brief experimentation was carried out to enhance the performance of Solar still compared to conventional solar still. Where conventional solar still have efficiency of mere 20% or less, the new proposed design provides higher efficiency and better utility .The purpose of this project is to design a water distillation system that can purify water from nearly any source, a system that is relatively cheap, portable, and depends only on renewable solar energy
Analysis and Design of Pre-Engineered Building Using Software
Authors: Vinod Navale Revati , Ambadas Hasnale Priti , Satish Zende Bhagyashree , Balasaheb Sudke Pavan , Nitin Wakale Niranjan
Published: June 2023

Abstract: Pre-engineered buildings have become quite popular in the last few years. The main advantage are speed of construction and control over quality. However, there is not much information on its economy. There are several parameters like inclination of the gable, spans, bay spacing which control the cost of structure and designed for the common loads DL, LL, EQ, & WL. In this involves comparison of PEB & conventional steel frame. The quality in each case is obtained & finally the structure which regulates the quality of steel is recommended. Cost of steel is increasing day by day & use of steel has increase in the construction industry. Hence to achieve economic sustainability it is necessary to use steel to its optimum quantity. Use pre-engineered building (PEB) & conventional structures, which fulfil our requirements. In present work, PEB & CSB is designed for static & dynamic forces, which includes seismic forces & wind forces.
Object Detection for Blind People Using Yolov3
Authors: Deshmukh Prof. Pranjali
Published: June 2023

Abstract: Vision constitutes one of the most important senses that humans utilise when interacting with their surroundings. There are over 200 visually challenged persons in the globe, while being visual impaired makes many daily activities difficult. As a consequence, it is critical to blind people to grasp their surroundings and the items with which they interact. In this project, we designed a website that assists blind persons to recognise various things in their surroundings by utilising the YOLO Version 3 algorithm. This combines many technologies to develop a rich website that not just helps individuals with vision impairments recognise different objects in their surroundings in real time, but also directs them through an auditory output. The You Only Look Once (YOLO) algorithms is employed.
Study of Lean Technique in Construction
Authors: Kulkarni Prof. Pradnya , Dubey Sanat , Yadav Pratik , Wankhede Saurav , Gaikwad Pritesh , Vishwakarma Shivmurat
Published: June 2023

Abstract: The objective of this analysis is testing the 1. usefulness of some lean construction tools, particularly, all those tools which may be utilized in medium size construction firms. Because of the results of the lean manufacturing process in 2. production, the building business has taken lean techniques to eliminate waste as well as increase revenue. This analysis offers a 3. historical past of evolution of philosophies and production 4. practices through the building sector from the standard methods 5. to present lean production. The variations in production concepts, the limits of theirs, plus the impacts of theirs in the building business may also be assessed. A field study is performed to assess the usefulness of some lean construction methods such as last planner, improved visualization, daily huddle meetings, first run reports, the 5s process, as well as fail protected for highly effective project management and site implementation.. The information collection techniques included direct observations, questionnaires, interviews, and documentary analysis. The usefulness of the lean construction equipment is examined from the lean implementation measurement standard & performance requirements. Results confirmed that by using lean construction reduced the amount of stages in the entire project by 57 %. The non-value extra decreased from 81 % to 14 % within the duration of the project. The entire cycle time on the project was lowered by 75 %.
Chronic Kidney Disease Prediction System Using Machine Learning
Authors: More Rohit
Published: June 2023

Abstract: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a life-threatening condition that can be difficult to diagnose early because there are no symptoms. The purpose of the proposed study is to develop and validate a predictive model for the prediction of chronic kidney disease. Machine learning algorithms are often used in medicine to predict and classify diseases. Medical records are often skewed. Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) or chronic renal disease has become a significant issue with a steady growth rate. A person can only survive without kidneys for an average of 18 days, which makes a huge demand for a kidney transplant and Dialysis. It is important to have effective methods for the early prediction of CKD. Machine learning methods are effective in CKD prediction. This work proposes a workflow to predict CKD status based on clinical data, incorporating data prepossessing, a missing value handling method with collaborative filtering and attribute selection. Out of the 11 machine learning methods considered, the extra tree classifier and random forest classifier are shown to result in the highest accuracy and minimal bias to the attributes. The project also considers the practical aspects of data collection and highlights the importance of incorporating domain knowledge when using machine learning for CKD status prediction.
Praktik perdagangan manusia dalam novel Jatisaba karya Ramayda Akmal
Authors: Sa'diyah Ilmatus , Savitri Adelia , Suyuti Ahmad
Published: June 2023

Korban perdagangan manusia di Indonesia, baik anak-anak, perempuan, maupun laki-laki, banyak disebabkan oleh faktor kemiskinan dan rendahya pendidikan sehingga mudah dikelabui oleh lembaga perdagangan manusia. Dalam novel Jatisaba, perdagangan manusia terjadi melalui pencarian TKI secara ilegal. Dengan rayuan bekerja ke luar negeri dan menghasilkan banyak uang, mereka pun berangkat tanpa mengetahui bahwa mereka akan dijual, baik organ tubuh maupun jasa dalam kegiatan kriminal, seperti jual beli narkoba dan prostitusi. Oleh karena itu, penelitian ini dilakukan untuk mendeskripsikan praktik perdagangan manusia dalam novel Jatisaba karya Ramayda Akmal pada aspek bentuk perdagangan manusia dan pola perdagangan manusia. Dalam novel itu, gambaran faktual tentang perdagangan manusia dinarasikan sangat detail dalam payung fiksi. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode penelitian deskriptif kualitatif dengan pendekatan sosiologi sastra lalu diinterpretasikan dengan teori perdagangan manusia di Indonesia oleh Syamsuddin dan teori pola perekrutan korban perdagangan manusia oleh Sakroni. Novel Jatisaba karya Ramayda Akmal menjadi sumber data bagi penelitian ini. Tentunya, data berupa paragraf, monolog, kalimat, atau pun dialog yang mengandung gambaran tentang perdagangan manusia. Ada pun metode penelitian ini meliputi pembacaan novel sebagai sumber data, pengumpulan data dengan menandai bagian yang mengandung perdagangan manusia, serta pencatatan dan pengelompokkan data. Terakhir, data yang sudah dikumpulkan dianalisis dengan menggunakan teknik analisis flow model oleh Miles dan Huberman untuk menjawab tujuan penelitian. Berdasarkan penelitian yang dilakukan, ada dua hal yang berkaitan dengan perdagangan manusia yang terjadi di Desa Jatisaba. Pertama, bentuk-bentuk perdagangan manusia yang digambarkan dalam novel berupa jual beli organ tubuh, prostitusi, perbudakan, dan narkoba. Seluruh bentuk itu dilakukan oleh tokoh Mae. Kedua, Mae merekrut korban dengan kekuatan uang dan janji mendapatkan pekerjaan layak sebagai TKI legal.
Analisis penggunaan gaya bahasa iklan layanan masyarakat bijak bersosial media di radio Kota Surakarta
Authors: Inderasari Elen , Hapsari Diah Arum , Rosita Farida Yufarlina , Ulya Chafit
Published: June 2023

Penggunaan sosial media dari tahun ke tahun mengalami perkembangan yang cukup signifikan dan menjadikan banyaknya berita hoaks yang beredar. Hal tersebut menjadikan lembaga penyiaran radio berlomba untuk menyajikan pesan berupa iklan layanan masyarakat untuk mengimbau audiensnya agar lebih bijak dalam menggunakan sosial media. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan penggunaan gaya bahasa iklan layanan masyarakat bijak bermedia sosial di radio Kota Surakarta. Radio sebagai media audio nonvisual sebagai penyampai pesan dengan berpedoman pada teori milik Gorys Keraf. Jenis penelitian yang digunakan adalah deskriptif kualitatif. Sumber data primer dalam penelitian ini, yaitu rekaman audio dan transkrip dari audio iklan layanan masyarakat di RRI Pro-2 FM dan Solo Radio dengan data berupa frasa, kalimat dan ungkapan yang terdapat dalam iklan layanan yang ditemukan. Teknik pengumpulan data dalam penelitian ini meliputi teknik rekam, simak, catat, dan wawancara. Teknik analisis data yang digunakan adalah melalui pendekatan stilistika dilanjutkan dengan analisis interaktif milik Miles & Huberman. Hasil dari penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa gaya bahasa iklan layanan masyarakat bijak bermedia sosial di radio Kota Surakarta berdasarkan pilihan kata ditemukan penggunaan kata formal, nonformal, dan juga kata percakapan. Gaya bahasa berdasarkan nada ditemukan penggunaan nada sederhana, menengah, serta mulia dan bertenaga. Gaya bahasa berdasarkan struktur kalimat ditemukan klimaks dan repetisi. Gaya bahasa berdasarkan langsung tidaknya makna ditemukan penggunaan gaya bahasa retoris; eufemismus, asindeton, asonansi, dan pertanyaan retoris, serta gaya bahasa kiasan; sarkasme dan personifikasi. Hasil tersebut membuktikan bahwa gaya bahasa yang hadir dalam iklan layanan masyarakat bijak bersosial media di radio Kota Surakarta sangat bervariasi dengan penggunaan kata, nada, struktur kalimat, dan majas-majas, sehingga iklan yang disajikan lebih menarik meskipun hanya disajikan menggunakan audio nonvisual.
Motif “Jaka Tarub” dan objektivitas perempuan dalam cerita rakyat nusantara
Authors: Nisa Ichda Nabilatin , Andalas Eggy Fajar
Published: June 2023

Cerita Jaka Tarub merupakan salah satu cerita rakyat yang hingga saat ini masih lestari dan dikenal banyak masyarakat Nusantara. Sebagai salah satu cerita yang sangat populer, ditemukan beberapa cerita rakyat yang memiliki kesamaan motif dengan cerita Jaka Tarub di beberapa wilayah Nusantara. Adanya kesamaan motif yang muncul di beberapa wilayah Nusantara, yang secara geografis terpaut cukup jauh, menandakan adanya suatu pandangan dunia yang sama dalam kehidupan kultural masyarakat pemilik cerita. Hal ini berkaitan dengan cara pandang dalam melihat posisi laki-laki dan perempuan dalam kehidupan sosial-budaya. Penelitian ini bertujuan mendeskripsikan kesamaan motif Jaka Tarub yang ada dalam cerita rakyat nusantara dan melakukan kritik sastra feminis atas gambaran objektivitasi perempuan yang ada dalam cerita rakyat Nusantara bermotif Jaka Tarub. Untuk melakukan hal tersebut digunakan metode perbandingan teks dengan perspektif Kritik Sastra Feminis (KSF). Sumber data penelitian adalah kumpulan cerita rakyat hasil dokumentasi Balai Kajian dan Pengembangan Budaya Melayu Yogyakarta. Data penelitian ini berupa kutipan, kata, kalimat, dan tindakan tokoh yang memperlihatkan kesamaan motif Jaka Tarub dan objektivikasi tokoh perempuan. Teknik pengumpulan data menggunakan simak-catat dan teknik analisis data menggunakan penyajian data, reduksi data dan penarikan kesimpulan. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa terdapat dua belas cerita yang memiliki kesamaan motif cerita dengan Jaka Tarub. Kesamaan motif berada pada unsur alur, tokoh, dan larangan/pantangan. Meskipun begitu, pada unsur lain, seperti nama tokoh, latar waktu, latar sosial, dan latar budaya pada masing-masing cerita berbeda sesuai dengan tempat cerita berasal. Penelitian ini berpendapat bahwa munculnya erita di wilayah nusantara bermotif Jaka Tarub ditengarai karena dua hal, yaitu popularitas cerita di masa lalu dan migrasi cerita sebagai akibat kontak budaya antarmasyarakat di masa lalu. Di sisi lain, meskipun cerita telah menyebar dan beradaptasi dengan kebudayaan lokal, tetapi gambaran terhadap objektivikasi perempuan masih ditemukan pada seluruh cerita. Hal ini memperlihatkan kesamaan prespektif masyarakat mengenai fantasi laki-laki terhadap tubuh perempuan meskipun berbeda daerah.
Global and Citizenship Competence Conceptualization Through Sustainability Paradigm
Authors:   Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music, Medne Dace , Oļesika Alise , Baranova Sanita ,   University of Latvia
Published: June 2023

Nowadays, the ideological focus of sustainable development is leading in all industries worldwide. Sustainable education enriches the understanding of the link between social, ecological, and economic needs; develops the ability to take responsibility for their own daily choices and contribute to a fairer future for present and future generations. All levels and areas of education invest in sustainable development, including higher education programs, which play a crucial role in putting sustainability ideas into practice. Therefore, in April 2022, the University of Latvia implemented the second round of the study, “Assessment of Competences of Higher Education Students and Dynamics of Their Development in the Study Period”, within which multidimensional research of students’ transversal competencies is continued. The first round of the study identified that the theoretical approaches to the distinction and consolidation of global and civic transversal competencies are contrasting. For that reason, this study aims to analyze civic and global transversal competencies’ common, diverse, and unifying aspects. The design of a cartographic review was chosen for conceptualization. The aim is to structure the literature items included in the study, based on which a classification scheme was created, and the field of aspect coverage was identified. The study data were analyzed using the qualitative data processing program NVivo 12.0. As a result, the various aspects of the two transversal competencies have been identified. The theoretical framework of global civic competence is formulated based on the aspects identified in the coverage field.
Student Teachers of English on the Lookout for Good Teaching
Authors:   University of Latvia, Latkovska Evija
Published: June 2023

Education has always been a subject to changes structure and content wise; its quality has been an issue all the time. In Latvia, the recent reform named School 2030, which essence is a competence approach to the curriculum, is introducing its requirements. Additionally, the government has planned to introduce a system monitoring the quality of education by 2023. Consequently, questions like what a good school, teacher and teaching are gain certain attention. The particular qualitative approach research concentrates on finding out student teachers’ answers to these questions as core values they remember to be the most significant ones to make them think of their schools, teachers and their teaching as good. The aim of the research is to examine how student teachers of English who have begun their teacher education studies recently perceive good teaching. To provide answers, they filled out Personal Statement – an introductory part of the European Portfolio for Student Teachers of Languages. The research sample of the case study consists of 55 second and fourth year full and part-time students who have decided to become teachers of English. They are studying at the faculty of Education, Psychology and Art, the University of Latvia. To analyse student teachers’ opinions, content analysis was used. The data allows concluding that student teachers’ perception of good teaching is characterised by three key elements: good classroom management techniques, relevant teaching methodology and teachers’ personalities. Furthermore, student teachers of English are of the opinion that in good teaching environment teachers take into account their pupils’ personalities. The same ideas prevail in the answers revealing what student teachers want to master in their studies. That implies student teachers of English long to see academic staff at the university as role models of good teaching.
Professional Development Used to Enhance K-5 Teachers’ Competencies Working with English Language Learners
Authors:   West Chester University, Bennett Tiffany Nichole Gardner
Published: June 2023

Over the past decade, the United States education system has predicted a significant increase in the number of English Language Learners (ELLs) enrolled in public schools. A substantial number of teachers who interact with ELLs lack the preparedness to support their student’s academic needs. Research has shown that the lack of professional development (PD) debars teachers from receiving efficacious resources to support English Language Learners. Most professional development (PD) provided for teachers excludes addressing ELL’s content. The absence of PD specifically focused on ELLs has left many teachers entering the profession not adequately trained to engage and support ELL students. The types of PD described by teachers tend to give the bare minimum coverage of how to work with ELLs rather than go in-depth on the issues that prohibit ELL students’ ability to understand the learning content. The conceptual framework incorporated in this exploratory research will be Thomas Guskey’s theory of teacher change to focus on the goals of professional development. This exploratory research will examine PD to further understand which delivery modes are optimal to address a major deficit in knowledge regarding PD training that limits teachers’ competencies to understand and support ELLs.
The Use of Online Dictionaries During Web-Based Collaborative Writing Among EFL Learners
Authors:   University of Latvia, Selcuk Hasan , Daniela Linda
Published: June 2023

This study is about an investigation of Turkish high school English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners’ use of online dictionaries during asynchronous web-based collaborative writing (CW) activity. 26 groups of three EFL learners (N = 78, 16 years) were involved in a-two-hour CW task in English outside the classroom setting in a Facebook group. Data were gathered from 78 online researcher-participant interviews and 8,700 discussion threads collected from 26 groups. The study’s findings revealed that 80% of participants used their mobile phones to undertake the activity, so they preferred online English dictionaries with mobile applications. Participants with high English proficiency mainly used online English dictionaries to search for the collocations of words to vivify their sentences. Also, those participants directed their group members to use the online dictionaries to independently identify their vocabulary mistakes and validate their existing vocabulary knowledge. Participants who had low English proficiency mainly used online bilingual dictionaries (Turkish-English) to look up the unknown words and then got their group partners to verify their use in their collaborative writing pieces. Additionally, Google Translate was utilised by those participants to serve a purpose of an online dictionary. This study provides useful insights for researchers and EFL teachers about how online dictionaries were used during the web-based collaborative writing process.
Music Teachers’ Job Satisfaction During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors:   University of Latvia, Stramkale Ligita
Published: June 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic has radically changed the nature of the music teacher’s job. The aim of the study is to determine music teachers’ job satisfaction on four study scales – emotional well-being, social involvement, self-expression and achievement orientation. The following research questions were raised: RQ1: At what level do music teachers assess each of the study scales that describe job satisfaction? RQ2: Is there a statistically significant correlation between music teachers’ job satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic and their emotional well-being, social involvement, self-expression and achievement orientation? RQ3: Is there a statistically significant difference in the levels of job satisfaction between music teachers who work only in comprehensive schools and those who have additional work in other music-related educational institutions? A questionnaire was created to achieve the study aim, in which the respondents (N = 73) had to assess the importance of various factors that affect the music teacher’s job satisfaction on a Likert scale from one to four points. The study involved music teachers working in comprehensive schools and other educational institutions where music is acquired. The study results were reflected in four scales: (1) emotional well-being scale, (2) social involvement scale, (3) self-expression scale, and (4) achievement orientation scale. The study revealed that the respondents rated all job satisfaction scales at a moderate level. Music teachers’ job satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic is most affected by the inability to control school activities and the lack of positive emotions in daily life. The results do not show a significant difference in job satisfaction levels during the COVID-19 pandemic between music teachers who work only at comprehensive schools and those who have additional work in other music-related schools.
Fostering Teachers’ Mathematical Competence in Problem Solving
Authors:   University of Latvia, Buliņa Elīna , Cibulis Andrejs
Published: June 2023

The problem of a growing shortage of qualified mathematics teachers, which is emerging in many countries today, is also quite acute in Latvia. Moreover, there are only few students in Latvia who want to study mathematics at a serious level and become mathematics teachers. A shortage of students and teachers is one of the reasons for the decline in the quality of mathematics teaching. Teaching and learning mathematics is impossible without understanding and problem solving, which, as noted by the famous mathematician Paul Halmos, is ‘the heart of mathematics’. It is a well-known idea that by developing problem-solving skills, we learn not only how to tackle mathematical problems, but also how to logically work our way through any problems we may face. Unfortunately, this idea does little to contribute to a successful tackling of the teacher shortage, which is not a mathematics problem for which somebody can find a quick and easy solution. This article offers some research topics that may be useful for teachers working with their gifted pupils; deals with a non-trivial problem of constructing magic polygons on a triangular lattice, which is recommended as a research topic for teachers to encourage them and their students to better master different solution strategies and so-called big ideas in mathematics; the article also gives some insights into mathematics teacher training education in Latvia.
Secondary-School Student Transversal Skills in Mathematics. Comparison Between Teacher Assessment and Student Self-Assessment
Authors:   University of Latvia, Lāma Gatis
Published: June 2023

In order to ensure attainment of educational objectives, the development of transversal skills has been identified as a key component of learning. The future is uncertain, and it is difficult to predict, which knowledge and skills will be needed for life. Education must not only prepare young people for work but also encourage the development of skills that are essential for students to become active and responsible citizens. The uncertainty about the future also changes accents in education by increasing the importance of transversal skills in secondary education, including in the subject of mathematics. In view of the fact that learning in school is mostly carried out in specific subjects and the context of the subject influences the expression of transversal skills, it is necessary to assess the student degree of transversal skill development in a specific subject. Therefore, the study assessed transversal skills of secondary school students in mathematics. Student transversal skills were measured from two perspectives: teacher assessment and student self-assessment. The mean values of pupils’ self-assessment were significantly higher than that of teachers. However, the analysis of the results shows the similarities between teacher assessment and student self-assessment as transversal skills that are evaluated higher are the same. Both teachers and students have highly evaluated their analysis and collaboration skills. Also, transversal skills that are evaluated as least developed by teacher and students are the same. Both teachers and students have evaluated their problem-solving skills and creativity as the less developed among all measured transversal skills. Although average values of teacher assessments and student self-assessments vary, there is consistency in both assessments, indicating that both students and teachers are well aware of students’ transversal skill development level. However, students’ self-assessments mean value tends to be higher than mean value of student assessment by teacher.
Introduction of Educational Robotics at Secondary School Level in the Latvian Education Curriculum
Authors:   University of Latvia, Veinberga Grieta , Rūdolfa Arta , Daniela Linda
Published: June 2023

The relevance of the present research is justified by the wide range of educational robotics applications and the rapid development of educational technologies in general. Technologies are produced faster than it is possible to develop methodical teaching materials or curricula, especially in the Latvian language. Educational robotics develops various skills and knowledge, such as algorithmic thinking, problem-solving, logical thinking, etc. However, despite the clear achievements in technology education, there are a number of related problems. These include the lack of teachers, the qualifications of teachers, the lack of funding, and the insufficient provision of teaching materials in line with the new approach in the Latvian education curriculum. The study aimed to develop, test, and improve instructional materials for the implementation of the curriculum for the use of digital technology in elementary schools, as well as to create a methodology for evaluating learning achievements in ICT lessons on the topic “What is programming and how to program in a visual environment” and promoting the development of algorithmic thinking (learning with the educational robot Photon). The study uses mixed research methods. The first part was the analysis of the literature on educational robotics and computational thinking. In the empirical part of the action research, both quantitative and qualitative research methods were used. The results obtained are important for a wider and more meaningful introduction of educational robotics in Latvian schools.
Promoting Ocean Literacy and Combating Chemical Pollution via Marine Education in Taiwan
Authors:   International Bilingual School at Tainan Science Park, Rajapakse Nethusari S.
Published: June 2023

In the rapidly industrializing world of the 21st century, the many negative environmental impacts of modern-day human practices are becoming substantially more evident. One such problem not brought into considerable focus is chemical pollution in the oceans. As Taiwan is an island that relies heavily on the surrounding ocean for many economic practices, the harms and preventive measures of ocean chemical pollution must be discussed forthwith. This paper aims to conduct an analysis on the current scientific literature published on the topic of ocean chemical pollution and its various impacts specifically on Taiwan’s oceans but also aims to conduct a study on Taiwanese university students to investigate the role the current education system plays in establishing the basic understanding of the risks of ocean chemical pollution. This study was organized by surveying 62 university students from the Tainan National University of the Arts and the National Taipei University of Technology. Results showed that 59.7% of students reported they had never learned about ocean chemical pollution in school before, 17.7% of students reported they were not sure, and only 22.6% of students reported that they did learn about ocean chemical pollution in school. This statistically correlates to how only 25.8% of students answered chemical pollution as the most serious problem Taiwan’s oceans are facing. A fundamental understanding of ocean chemical pollution in the upcoming generation of young workers, who ultimately will take part in future governmental decision-making, is necessary in that it leads to: 1) an overall increased public support when the government or other private organizations take charge to implement solutions 2) an ability to develop lifestyles that reduce the risk of man-made ocean chemical pollution 3) a willingness to contribute to preventive measures.
Implementation of Equal Opportunities for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Pre-School Education Institution
Authors:   Klaipėda University, Braslauskienė Rasa , Jacynė Reda
Published: June 2023

With the entry into force of the principles of democracy in modern society, inclusive education that means the right of all people to education, ensuring the presence, participation and progress and, above all, equal opportunities of all pupils, is becoming important. There are more and more children in the country who are being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, but their fate is determined not by the disorder itself, but by psychological, social and pedagogical rehabilitation. It is necessary to provide a child with special educational needs with the opportunity to use the services of specialists, help one constructively so that (s)he becomes as involved in the life of society as possible, could develop one’s personality and improve spiritually (Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989; Lithuania’s Progress Strategy “Lithuania 2030” 2012). The aim is to reveal teachers’ attitude about the possibilities of the implementation of equal opportunities for children with autism spectrum disorder in the pre-school education institution. To achieve the aim, a qualitative study using an in-depth interview method, was conducted. The qualitative content analysis was used to process the research data. The findings of the research revealed that teachers believe that opportunities to ensure equal rights for children with autism are limited: it is difficult to ensure the safety of children; teachers do not have assistants; premises are not fully adapted; it is hard to change the established negative attitude of other people. Nevertheless, teachers provide individualized education opportunities for children with autism spectrum disorder; provide them with appropriate and safe means of education; create a separate space in the group, communicate and cooperate with children’s parents, thus ensuring more effective education; involve the child in social activities.
Intervention in Speech Therapy in Reducing Phonological Insufficiency in Preschool Children
Authors:   University of Latvia, Vilka Ilze
Published: June 2023

This research examines the possibilities of promoting the development of phonemic perception among children of preschool age with phonemic insufficiency. Phonemic insufficiency is a complex and difficult disorder; in such cases, therefore, a specialist carries out an in-depth evaluation of a child’s speech development and language acquisition, which allows them to determine a precise program of speech therapy using the necessary correction methods and techniques, including games. The aim of the present study is first, to investigate theoretically and evaluate practically the possibilities of promoting phonological perception in children with phonological insufficiency using a collection of games created by the author; and second, to gather expert opinion to substantiate the efficiency of these games in interventions. The research was carried out using a literature review, speech and language therapist survey, an analysis of expert opinion of the developed games, and speech therapy sessions to improve phonological perception in pre-school children with phonological insufficiency. Results. Forty-nine children aged five and six years old with phonological insufficiency were involved in the empirical stage of the study, namely speech therapy sessions over a period of six months. An initial and a follow-up assessment of phonological perception were carried out and showed dynamic growth for all participants. The results of the speech and language therapist survey revealed that speech therapists included the presented games in interventions and viewed them as relevant and effective instruments to reduce phonological insufficiency. The comments by experts selected from among the survey respondents on the games created by the author indicate that they are relevant and effective instruments in phonological insufficiency reduction.