title: Reactions of isonitriles with [Fe₃(CO)₁₂] and [Ru₃(CO)₁₂] monitored by electrospray mass spectrometry: structural characterisation of [Fe₃(CO)₁₀(CNPh)₂] and [Ru₄(CO)₁₁(μ₃-η²-CNPh)₂(CNPh)]

authors: Decker, Corry

subjects: iron carbonyl

abstract: The reactions of [Fe₃(CO)₁₂] or [Ru₃(CO) ₁₂] with RNC (R=Ph, C₆H₄OMe-p or CH₂SO₂C₆H₄Me-p) have been investigated using electrospray mass spectrometry. Species arising from substitution of up to six ligands were detected for [Fe₃(CO)₁₂], but the higher-substituted compounds were too unstable to be isolated. The crystal structure of [Fe₃(CO)₁₀(CNPh)₂] was determined at 150 and 298 K to show that both isonitrile ligands were trans to each other on the same Fe atom. For [Ru₃(CO)₁₂] substitution of up to three COs was found, together with the formation of higher-nuclearity clusters. [Ru₄(CO)₁₁(CNPh)₃] was structurally characterised and has a spiked-triangular Ru₄ core with two of the CNPh ligands coordinated in an unusual μ₃-η² mode.
The substitution reactions of [M₃(CO)₁₂] by RNC have been investigated by electrospray mass spectrometry showing up to six COs can be replaced. [Fe₃(CO)₁₀(CNPh)₂] has both PhNC axially on the same Fe atom, and [Ru₄(CO)₁₁(μ₃-η²-CNPh)₂(CNPh)] has a spiked-triangular cluster core with two PhNC ligands in an unusual coordination mode.

text: Reactions of isonitriles with [Fe₃(CO)₁₂] and [Ru₃(CO)₁₂] monitored by electrospray mass spectrometry: structural characterisation of [Fe₃(CO)₁₀(CNPh)₂] and [Ru₄(CO)₁₁(μ₃-η²-CNPh)₂(CNPh)] The reactions of [Fe₃(CO)₁₂] or [Ru₃(CO) ₁₂] with RNC (R=Ph, C₆H₄OMe-p or CH₂SO₂C₆H₄Me-p) have been investigated using electrospray mass spectrometry. Species arising from substitution of up to six ligands were detected for [Fe₃(CO)₁₂], but the higher-substituted compounds were too unstable to be isolated. The crystal structure of [Fe₃(CO)₁₀(CNPh)₂] was determined at 150 and 298 K to show that both isonitrile ligands were trans to each other on the same Fe atom. For [Ru₃(CO)₁₂] substitution of up to three COs was found, together with the formation of higher-nuclearity clusters. [Ru₄(CO)₁₁(CNPh)₃] was structurally characterised and has a spiked-triangular Ru₄ core with two of the CNPh ligands coordinated in an unusual μ₃-η² mode.
The substitution reactions of [M₃(CO)₁₂] by RNC have been investigated by electrospray mass spectrometry showing up to six COs can be replaced. [Fe₃(CO)₁₀(CNPh)₂] has both PhNC axially on the same Fe atom, and [Ru₄(CO)₁₁(μ₃-η²-CNPh)₂(CNPh)] has a spiked-triangular cluster core with two PhNC ligands in an unusual coordination mode.

year: 2004-05-01

title: The teaching and learning of English at secondary school level in South Korea: The curriculum and its implementation

authors: Oh, Kyoungja

subjects: English language teaching in South Korea

abstract: This thesis explores the professional attitudes and practices of a sample of teachers of English in South Korean secondary schools in the context of a focus point-based analysis of the South Korean national curriculum and a sample of widely used textbooks.

There has been widespread criticism of the teaching of English in South Korea since the curriculum reforms that were first manifested in the 6th national curriculum. That curriculum, later superseded by the 7th national curriculum and a number of curriculum amendments, was the first major attempt to respond on a national level to the impact of globalisation and, in particular, to the rapidly increasing use throughout the world of English as a lingua franca.

At the core of the research reported here is language teacher cognition. The backgrounds, beliefs, attitudes and professional practices of a sample of Korean teachers of English in secondary schools are explored using a mixed methods approach that combines questionnaire-based surveys and semi-structured interviews with classroom observation. Surrounding and contextualising this aspect of the research is analysis of the 7th South Korean national curriculum as it relates to English and a sample of English language textbooks used in South Korean secondary schools.

Problems associated with the teaching and learning of English in South Korean schools have been widely attributed to three main factors - teachers’ lack of an adequate level of oral proficiency in English, the fact that the national examination system is inconsistent with the general direction of teaching reforms, and student resistance to communicatively-orientated teaching. The findings of this research project suggest that although these issues are very real ones, there are other issues which are of equal or greater significance but which have been the subject of very little criticism. The first of these is the nature of the national curriculum itself. Close analysis of the 7th national curriculum documentation uncovered a number of critical issues associated with the authors’ interpretation of some of the literature in the area of communicatively-orientated language teaching along with a number of internal inconsistencies. These things, taken together, were found to result in an overall lack of transparency and coherence. The second problem identified relates to the nature of the textbooks which are made available to teachers. The authors of the textbooks analysed as part of this research project had clearly attempted to be as faithful as possible to the curriculum, selecting much of their content directly from lists of decontextualised phrases and sentences that appear in appendices to the curriculum document and providing, in teachers’ guides, actual lesson scripts in English which are, in some cases, accompanied by anticipated student utterances (which are uncannily correct and/ or appropriate).

In view of all of this, it was not surprising to find that many of the teachers who took part in this research project indicated that they were struggling to cope with what they believed was expected of them. What was surprising was the nature of the language lessons that were analysed. It is widely claimed that grammar translation is still practised in parts of Asia, including South Korea. However, grammar translation was not in evidence in these lessons. Nor were audio-lingual methodology or any of the various manifestations of communicative language teaching. Although each of the lessons was very different, what they shared was a sense of theatre in which the teachers, generally occupying centre stage, seemed concerned, above all, to demonstrate their own oral proficiency in English.

The South Korean government has spent a vast amount of money in an attempt to resolve problems associated with the teaching and learning of English. Much of that money has been spent on providing in-service teacher training opportunities. However, unless the problems relating to the nature of the curriculum documentation itself are resolved, it seems unlikely that any of that expenditure will result in a significant change for the better.

text: The teaching and learning of English at secondary school level in South Korea: The curriculum and its implementation This thesis explores the professional attitudes and practices of a sample of teachers of English in South Korean secondary schools in the context of a focus point-based analysis of the South Korean national curriculum and a sample of widely used textbooks.

There has been widespread criticism of the teaching of English in South Korea since the curriculum reforms that were first manifested in the 6th national curriculum. That curriculum, later superseded by the 7th national curriculum and a number of curriculum amendments, was the first major attempt to respond on a national level to the impact of globalisation and, in particular, to the rapidly increasing use throughout the world of English as a lingua franca.

At the core of the research reported here is language teacher cognition. The backgrounds, beliefs, attitudes and professional practices of a sample of Korean teachers of English in secondary schools are explored using a mixed methods approach that combines questionnaire-based surveys and semi-structured interviews with classroom observation. Surrounding and contextualising this aspect of the research is analysis of the 7th South Korean national curriculum as it relates to English and a sample of English language textbooks used in South Korean secondary schools.

Problems associated with the teaching and learning of English in South Korean schools have been widely attributed to three main factors - teachers’ lack of an adequate level of oral proficiency in English, the fact that the national examination system is inconsistent with the general direction of teaching reforms, and student resistance to communicatively-orientated teaching. The findings of this research project suggest that although these issues are very real ones, there are other issues which are of equal or greater significance but which have been the subject of very little criticism. The first of these is the nature of the national curriculum itself. Close analysis of the 7th national curriculum documentation uncovered a number of critical issues associated with the authors’ interpretation of some of the literature in the area of communicatively-orientated language teaching along with a number of internal inconsistencies. These things, taken together, were found to result in an overall lack of transparency and coherence. The second problem identified relates to the nature of the textbooks which are made available to teachers. The authors of the textbooks analysed as part of this research project had clearly attempted to be as faithful as possible to the curriculum, selecting much of their content directly from lists of decontextualised phrases and sentences that appear in appendices to the curriculum document and providing, in teachers’ guides, actual lesson scripts in English which are, in some cases, accompanied by anticipated student utterances (which are uncannily correct and/ or appropriate).

In view of all of this, it was not surprising to find that many of the teachers who took part in this research project indicated that they were struggling to cope with what they believed was expected of them. What was surprising was the nature of the language lessons that were analysed. It is widely claimed that grammar translation is still practised in parts of Asia, including South Korea. However, grammar translation was not in evidence in these lessons. Nor were audio-lingual methodology or any of the various manifestations of communicative language teaching. Although each of the lessons was very different, what they shared was a sense of theatre in which the teachers, generally occupying centre stage, seemed concerned, above all, to demonstrate their own oral proficiency in English.

The South Korean government has spent a vast amount of money in an attempt to resolve problems associated with the teaching and learning of English. Much of that money has been spent on providing in-service teacher training opportunities. However, unless the problems relating to the nature of the curriculum documentation itself are resolved, it seems unlikely that any of that expenditure will result in a significant change for the better.

year: 2016

title: A step into the light: developing a culturally appropriate research prcoess to study Maori Rangatahi perspectives of leisure in one setting.

authors: Harvey, Geraldine

subjects: research -- methodology

abstract: There is little knowledge of Maori peoples' leisure understandings, experiences and participation. This article reports on the development of a culturally appropriate research process that investigated the leisure participation, perspectives, and experiences of five Rotorua Maori Rangatahi in one research setting'. Within this exploration there is a focus on the need to conduct leisure research with Maori people in culturally appropriate ways. This research approach incorporates focus group methodology within a Kaupapa Maori research framework which addresses issues of research for Maori. The research process revealed that focus group methodology can be adapted into a Kaupapa Maori research framework and that this research approach could be an important tool when conducting research with Maori Rangatahi, including in educational contexts.

text: A step into the light: developing a culturally appropriate research prcoess to study Maori Rangatahi perspectives of leisure in one setting. There is little knowledge of Maori peoples' leisure understandings, experiences and participation. This article reports on the development of a culturally appropriate research process that investigated the leisure participation, perspectives, and experiences of five Rotorua Maori Rangatahi in one research setting'. Within this exploration there is a focus on the need to conduct leisure research with Maori people in culturally appropriate ways. This research approach incorporates focus group methodology within a Kaupapa Maori research framework which addresses issues of research for Maori. The research process revealed that focus group methodology can be adapted into a Kaupapa Maori research framework and that this research approach could be an important tool when conducting research with Maori Rangatahi, including in educational contexts.

year: 2002