title: International Posture, L2 Motivation, and L2 Proficiency among South Korean Tertiary EFL Learners

authors: Courtney, Matthew Gordon Ray

subjects: International posture

abstract: Today, English is spoken by more non-native speakers than native speakers; current estimates by Graddol (2007) indicate five to one. With this transformation English has become the international language of business and intercultural communication. The emergence of English as Lingua Franca is apparent in Korean society where English plays a defining role in educational, career, social, cultural, and economic domains. Despite such inextricable links the acquisition of English in Korea has not been successful. This study examines the relationship between Korean university students' International Posture or  non-ethnocentric attitude  (Yashima, 2002, p. 57) and their L2 (Second Language) Learning Motivation, and L2 Proficiency in English, first described by Yashima (2002) in her study of Japanese EFL (English as a Foreign Language) tertiary students. The methodology used in this thesis was quantitative as it employed Likert scales in order to elicit students' International Posture, and L2 Motivation, and obtained L2 Proficiency from percentile grades in the TOEIC exam. With the use of path analysis software, AMOS 7, data from 118 university freshman (majoring in English literature) from Hannam University, South Korea were analyzed in order examine the relationship between International Posture, L2 Learning Motivation, and L2 Proficiency among South Korean EFL students. The results indicated a significant and very strong relationship between International Posture and L2 Learning Motivation and a significant and moderate relationship between L2 Learning Motivation and overall L2 Proficiency. The findings of the study conclude that EFL learner motivation can be understood by an agglomeration of integrative and instrumental motivational orientations. The findings in this study also suggest that the tendency for Korean EFL learners to approach, rather than avoid, interaction with people of different cultures is especially important to understanding Korean tertiary level students' attitude, motivation and performance in EFL. These findings could be implemented in the classroom by providing Korean EFL learners with safe and appropriate opportunities to interact with foreigners. Potential areas for further research include longitudinal studies (utilizing both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies) that look into the effect of EFL learner age, gender, and teaching pedagogy on International Posture, L2 Learning Motivation, and L2 Proficiency.

text: International Posture, L2 Motivation, and L2 Proficiency among South Korean Tertiary EFL Learners Today, English is spoken by more non-native speakers than native speakers; current estimates by Graddol (2007) indicate five to one. With this transformation English has become the international language of business and intercultural communication. The emergence of English as Lingua Franca is apparent in Korean society where English plays a defining role in educational, career, social, cultural, and economic domains. Despite such inextricable links the acquisition of English in Korea has not been successful. This study examines the relationship between Korean university students' International Posture or  non-ethnocentric attitude  (Yashima, 2002, p. 57) and their L2 (Second Language) Learning Motivation, and L2 Proficiency in English, first described by Yashima (2002) in her study of Japanese EFL (English as a Foreign Language) tertiary students. The methodology used in this thesis was quantitative as it employed Likert scales in order to elicit students' International Posture, and L2 Motivation, and obtained L2 Proficiency from percentile grades in the TOEIC exam. With the use of path analysis software, AMOS 7, data from 118 university freshman (majoring in English literature) from Hannam University, South Korea were analyzed in order examine the relationship between International Posture, L2 Learning Motivation, and L2 Proficiency among South Korean EFL students. The results indicated a significant and very strong relationship between International Posture and L2 Learning Motivation and a significant and moderate relationship between L2 Learning Motivation and overall L2 Proficiency. The findings of the study conclude that EFL learner motivation can be understood by an agglomeration of integrative and instrumental motivational orientations. The findings in this study also suggest that the tendency for Korean EFL learners to approach, rather than avoid, interaction with people of different cultures is especially important to understanding Korean tertiary level students' attitude, motivation and performance in EFL. These findings could be implemented in the classroom by providing Korean EFL learners with safe and appropriate opportunities to interact with foreigners. Potential areas for further research include longitudinal studies (utilizing both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies) that look into the effect of EFL learner age, gender, and teaching pedagogy on International Posture, L2 Learning Motivation, and L2 Proficiency.

year: 2008

title: The link between erosion, phosphorus and water quality

authors: Gibbs, Max M.

abstract: In lakes, the solubility of phosphorus (P) in water, and therefore its availability to aquatic plants (macrophytes and algae) for growth, is controlled by oxygen and pH. The supply of dissolved reactive P (DRP) to the lake water column is mostly from sediment release from
decomposing plant material and iron oxides during periods of low oxygen, although in Lake Rotorua and most of the other lakes on the central volcanic plateau, spring-fed streams carry relatively high concentrations of DRP into the lakes. The mechanism for releasing iron-bound DRP from the sediment focusses around the oxidation state iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn). In well oxygenated conditions iron exists in the oxidised state as ferric ions which form ferric oxides that are insoluble in water. These oxides sequester DRP as they precipitate and remove it from the water column. When the oxygen concentration falls to zero (anoxic conditions) iron exists in the reduced state as ferrous ions, which are soluble in water. As the ferric form reduces to the ferrous form it dissolves and the DRP bound to the iron is released into the water column where it is used by algae for growth. The algae eventually senesce and die, returning the P to the sediment as particulate P, where it can be recycled during the next period of anoxia.
Apart from recycling of algal biomass, P also comes from the catchment, bound to the iron oxides in soil particles. The P content of the soil is greatest in the finest soil particles, which are the first to be eroded by rainfall and do not settle until they reach the calm waters of a lake. There they augment the P load from the senescing algal biomass, thereby increasing the amount of DRP that can be released during the next anoxic event. Because of the high background concentration of dissolved inorganic nitrogen in the lake water, the addition of any DRP will stimulate algal growth and thus result in a deterioration of lake water quality. Land management strategies to reduce soil erosion include changes to the way land is farmed and the interception and retention of fine sediment using detention bunds.

text: The link between erosion, phosphorus and water quality In lakes, the solubility of phosphorus (P) in water, and therefore its availability to aquatic plants (macrophytes and algae) for growth, is controlled by oxygen and pH. The supply of dissolved reactive P (DRP) to the lake water column is mostly from sediment release from
decomposing plant material and iron oxides during periods of low oxygen, although in Lake Rotorua and most of the other lakes on the central volcanic plateau, spring-fed streams carry relatively high concentrations of DRP into the lakes. The mechanism for releasing iron-bound DRP from the sediment focusses around the oxidation state iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn). In well oxygenated conditions iron exists in the oxidised state as ferric ions which form ferric oxides that are insoluble in water. These oxides sequester DRP as they precipitate and remove it from the water column. When the oxygen concentration falls to zero (anoxic conditions) iron exists in the reduced state as ferrous ions, which are soluble in water. As the ferric form reduces to the ferrous form it dissolves and the DRP bound to the iron is released into the water column where it is used by algae for growth. The algae eventually senesce and die, returning the P to the sediment as particulate P, where it can be recycled during the next period of anoxia.
Apart from recycling of algal biomass, P also comes from the catchment, bound to the iron oxides in soil particles. The P content of the soil is greatest in the finest soil particles, which are the first to be eroded by rainfall and do not settle until they reach the calm waters of a lake. There they augment the P load from the senescing algal biomass, thereby increasing the amount of DRP that can be released during the next anoxic event. Because of the high background concentration of dissolved inorganic nitrogen in the lake water, the addition of any DRP will stimulate algal growth and thus result in a deterioration of lake water quality. Land management strategies to reduce soil erosion include changes to the way land is farmed and the interception and retention of fine sediment using detention bunds.

year: 2015

title: School leadership for Māori succeeding as Māori: A Mataatua perspective

authors: Barrett, Te Arani

subjects: tribal leadership

abstract: This thesis recounts how Ngāti Awa leadership principles from the past became evident in Te Kotahitanga schools. The thesis discusses Principals’ actions and reflections of fostering Māori students’ success as Māori in secondary schooling. Through case studies, it identifies the strategies engaged by these effective leaders and explores their undertakings in achieving successful outcomes for Māori with whom they have worked.
This study is an imperative to addressing the long-term levels of education under-achievement for Māori as indigenous people of New Zealand. The nexus for the study comes from Robinson (2007) who identified that ‘in many ways the question of how much impact [school] leaders have on student outcomes is a flawed one, because the answer surely depends on what it is that leaders do’. Marzano et al  (2005) also identifies ‘the relative paucity of empirical studies’ and ‘little specific guidance as to effective practices in school leadership’.
The purpose of this study is to identify the contribution effective leaders have made towards realising Durie’s (2001) landmark goals for Māori advancement, that is, for self-determining prosperity, good health and global participation. Identifying exceptional outcomes for Māori in a range of contexts establishes the criteria for selecting the case studies and therefore the foundation for the study. Successful outcomes include increased participation, better retention, improved academic achievement results and lesser disparities within the selected education sites.

text: School leadership for Māori succeeding as Māori: A Mataatua perspective This thesis recounts how Ngāti Awa leadership principles from the past became evident in Te Kotahitanga schools. The thesis discusses Principals’ actions and reflections of fostering Māori students’ success as Māori in secondary schooling. Through case studies, it identifies the strategies engaged by these effective leaders and explores their undertakings in achieving successful outcomes for Māori with whom they have worked.
This study is an imperative to addressing the long-term levels of education under-achievement for Māori as indigenous people of New Zealand. The nexus for the study comes from Robinson (2007) who identified that ‘in many ways the question of how much impact [school] leaders have on student outcomes is a flawed one, because the answer surely depends on what it is that leaders do’. Marzano et al  (2005) also identifies ‘the relative paucity of empirical studies’ and ‘little specific guidance as to effective practices in school leadership’.
The purpose of this study is to identify the contribution effective leaders have made towards realising Durie’s (2001) landmark goals for Māori advancement, that is, for self-determining prosperity, good health and global participation. Identifying exceptional outcomes for Māori in a range of contexts establishes the criteria for selecting the case studies and therefore the foundation for the study. Successful outcomes include increased participation, better retention, improved academic achievement results and lesser disparities within the selected education sites.

year: 2018