title: Making use of and adapting MOOCs text resources for language learning

authors: Wu, Shaoqun

subjects: computer science

abstract: Massive Open Online Courses are becoming popular educational vehicles through which universities reach out to non-traditional audiences. Many enrollees hail from other countries and cultures, and struggle to cope with the English language in which these courses are invariably offered. Moreover, most such learners have a strong desire and motivation to extend their knowledge of academic English, particularly in the specific area addressed by the course. Online courses provide a compelling opportunity for domain-specific language learning, a growing trend in language teaching and learning. Typical MOOCs supply a large corpus of interesting linguistic material relevant to a particular area, including supplementary images (slides), audio and video. Such corpus provides an excellent context to study domain-specific lexico-grammatical features of any word or phrase, a challenging aspect of English productive use even for quite advanced learners.
We contend that this corpus can be automatically analysed, enriched, and transformed into a resource that learners can browse and query in order to extend their ability to understand the language used, and help them express themselves more fluently and eloquently in that domain. To illustrate this idea, an existing online corpus-based language learning tool (FLAX) is applied to a Coursera MOOC entitled English Common Law offered by University of London. We will illustrate how this resource has been augmented for language learning, and then review how learners can use it to explore language usage. This article uses a single running example, a Coursera MOOC course, but the approach is fully automated and can be applied to any collection of English writing.

text: Making use of and adapting MOOCs text resources for language learning Massive Open Online Courses are becoming popular educational vehicles through which universities reach out to non-traditional audiences. Many enrollees hail from other countries and cultures, and struggle to cope with the English language in which these courses are invariably offered. Moreover, most such learners have a strong desire and motivation to extend their knowledge of academic English, particularly in the specific area addressed by the course. Online courses provide a compelling opportunity for domain-specific language learning, a growing trend in language teaching and learning. Typical MOOCs supply a large corpus of interesting linguistic material relevant to a particular area, including supplementary images (slides), audio and video. Such corpus provides an excellent context to study domain-specific lexico-grammatical features of any word or phrase, a challenging aspect of English productive use even for quite advanced learners.
We contend that this corpus can be automatically analysed, enriched, and transformed into a resource that learners can browse and query in order to extend their ability to understand the language used, and help them express themselves more fluently and eloquently in that domain. To illustrate this idea, an existing online corpus-based language learning tool (FLAX) is applied to a Coursera MOOC entitled English Common Law offered by University of London. We will illustrate how this resource has been augmented for language learning, and then review how learners can use it to explore language usage. This article uses a single running example, a Coursera MOOC course, but the approach is fully automated and can be applied to any collection of English writing.

year: 2019

title: Managed Aquifer Recharge in the Poverty Bay Flats

authors: Hampton, G. W.

abstract: In 2012 a report was commissioned by the Gisborne District Council (GDC) to examine groundwater resources in the Poverty Bay flats. This report found that groundwater elevations within the Makauri Gravel aquifer (the aquifer subject to the greatest groundwater abstractions), were declining at statistically significant rates, probably due to groundwater abstractions (White et al., 2012). As a result, the GDC is investigating whether managed aquifer recharge (MAR) can be used to help achieve the sustainable management of groundwater resources within the Poverty Bay flats. MAR is “the purposeful recharge of water to aquifers for subsequent recovery or environmental benefit” (Dillon et al., 2013, p. 2). Though MAR is uncommon in New Zealand, increasing pressures on groundwater may change this. GDC is investigating two different methods of MAR, well-injection (in conjunction with Golder Associates), and infiltration basins, which is the focus of this study.

text: Managed Aquifer Recharge in the Poverty Bay Flats In 2012 a report was commissioned by the Gisborne District Council (GDC) to examine groundwater resources in the Poverty Bay flats. This report found that groundwater elevations within the Makauri Gravel aquifer (the aquifer subject to the greatest groundwater abstractions), were declining at statistically significant rates, probably due to groundwater abstractions (White et al., 2012). As a result, the GDC is investigating whether managed aquifer recharge (MAR) can be used to help achieve the sustainable management of groundwater resources within the Poverty Bay flats. MAR is “the purposeful recharge of water to aquifers for subsequent recovery or environmental benefit” (Dillon et al., 2013, p. 2). Though MAR is uncommon in New Zealand, increasing pressures on groundwater may change this. GDC is investigating two different methods of MAR, well-injection (in conjunction with Golder Associates), and infiltration basins, which is the focus of this study.

year: 2015-11

title: Haumanu Hauora: Strengthening health institution responsiveness to climate change

authors: Masters-Awatere, Bridgette

abstract: The “Haumanu Hauora: Strengthening health institution responsiveness to climate change” project (Haumanu Hauora) is funded by the Deep South National Science Challenge. Our research team has 
been working to determine how health institutions (for example DHBs) develop Māori responsive policy as a preparatory step in anticipation of climate change impacts on Māori health. The project 
has involved several components, one of which involved speaking with tāngata whenua and DHB staff from the Bay of Plenty, Lakes and Waikato DHB regions about their experiences of climate 
change and involvement with health services. Another component was an environmental scan of available website information on the 17 other DHBs to ascertain the extent of policy that speaks to 
both the Treaty of Waitangi and climate change. This report presents an overview of the findings. 

This report begins with some context setting. We provide a summary of our literature reviews before a brief outline of the establishment of DHBs, which are the “health institution” of focus for 
this research. As the primary health provider and funders around the country, DHBs have been engaged as the site through which to understand the Māori health and climate change policy needs. 
Although DHBs were disestablished at the conclusion of our project, there are still lessons to learn from the ‘old’ health system. We present themes from tāngata whenua and rangatahi interviews as 
a way to foreground policy development information provided by DHB staff.

text: Haumanu Hauora: Strengthening health institution responsiveness to climate change The “Haumanu Hauora: Strengthening health institution responsiveness to climate change” project (Haumanu Hauora) is funded by the Deep South National Science Challenge. Our research team has 
been working to determine how health institutions (for example DHBs) develop Māori responsive policy as a preparatory step in anticipation of climate change impacts on Māori health. The project 
has involved several components, one of which involved speaking with tāngata whenua and DHB staff from the Bay of Plenty, Lakes and Waikato DHB regions about their experiences of climate 
change and involvement with health services. Another component was an environmental scan of available website information on the 17 other DHBs to ascertain the extent of policy that speaks to 
both the Treaty of Waitangi and climate change. This report presents an overview of the findings. 

This report begins with some context setting. We provide a summary of our literature reviews before a brief outline of the establishment of DHBs, which are the “health institution” of focus for 
this research. As the primary health provider and funders around the country, DHBs have been engaged as the site through which to understand the Māori health and climate change policy needs. 
Although DHBs were disestablished at the conclusion of our project, there are still lessons to learn from the ‘old’ health system. We present themes from tāngata whenua and rangatahi interviews as 
a way to foreground policy development information provided by DHB staff.

year: 2022-07-12