title: Iranian EAP practitioners’ competences, practices, and professional development

authors: Kaivanpanah, Shiva

abstract: Given the importance of teaching methodology in English for Academic Purposes (EAP) and professional development (PD) for EAP teachers, this survey examined and explored the differences of the self-adjudged perceptions of EAP practice competences and PD activities of two main groups of Iranian teachers: those with an English language teaching (ELT) background and subject content teachers who teach EAP. A sample of 105 EAP teachers (53 English language teachers and 52 content teachers) responded to two questionnaires: a granulated, 72-item questionnaire exploring competences in a wide variety of aspects of EAP practice and a smaller 19-item questionnaire relating to frequency of participation in PD activities. Additionally, the teacher data sets were triangulated by the use of a 58-item questionnaire completed by 502 Iranian undergraduate students taking EAP courses. The teacher questionnaire findings indicated higher self-adjudged competences by the ELTbackground teachers in the areas of receptive and productive skills, grammar and vocabulary, feedback and error correction, and assessment and evaluation. Similarly, the student questionnaires rated those teachers with an ELT background more highly in the same five areas. The implications of the findings for the future development of EAP in Iran in terms of teacher development and further research are then discussed.

text: Iranian EAP practitioners’ competences, practices, and professional development Given the importance of teaching methodology in English for Academic Purposes (EAP) and professional development (PD) for EAP teachers, this survey examined and explored the differences of the self-adjudged perceptions of EAP practice competences and PD activities of two main groups of Iranian teachers: those with an English language teaching (ELT) background and subject content teachers who teach EAP. A sample of 105 EAP teachers (53 English language teachers and 52 content teachers) responded to two questionnaires: a granulated, 72-item questionnaire exploring competences in a wide variety of aspects of EAP practice and a smaller 19-item questionnaire relating to frequency of participation in PD activities. Additionally, the teacher data sets were triangulated by the use of a 58-item questionnaire completed by 502 Iranian undergraduate students taking EAP courses. The teacher questionnaire findings indicated higher self-adjudged competences by the ELTbackground teachers in the areas of receptive and productive skills, grammar and vocabulary, feedback and error correction, and assessment and evaluation. Similarly, the student questionnaires rated those teachers with an ELT background more highly in the same five areas. The implications of the findings for the future development of EAP in Iran in terms of teacher development and further research are then discussed.

year: 2021

title: Using machine learning techniques to track individuals & their fitness activities

authors: Reichherzer, Thomas

subjects: wearable fitness device

abstract: The use of wearable devices for fitness and health tracking is on an upward curve with a range of devices now available from a number of manufacturers. The devices work with smart devices to exchange data via Bluetooth communication protocol. This paper presents the results of an initial study on the security and privacy weaknesses of wearable fitness devices. It discusses methods to 1) capture and process data sent from a wearable device to its paired smartphone during synchronization and 2) analyze the records to track individuals and make predictions. The data analysis methods use supervised machine-learning techniques to train a classifier for associating synchronization records with the individuals, their physical activities, and conditions under which they were performed. Results of the study show that the methods allow individuals and their activities to be tracked, both of which infringe on the privacy of the user. The paper also provides recommendations on improving the security of wearable devices based on the initial research results.

text: Using machine learning techniques to track individuals & their fitness activities The use of wearable devices for fitness and health tracking is on an upward curve with a range of devices now available from a number of manufacturers. The devices work with smart devices to exchange data via Bluetooth communication protocol. This paper presents the results of an initial study on the security and privacy weaknesses of wearable fitness devices. It discusses methods to 1) capture and process data sent from a wearable device to its paired smartphone during synchronization and 2) analyze the records to track individuals and make predictions. The data analysis methods use supervised machine-learning techniques to train a classifier for associating synchronization records with the individuals, their physical activities, and conditions under which they were performed. Results of the study show that the methods allow individuals and their activities to be tracked, both of which infringe on the privacy of the user. The paper also provides recommendations on improving the security of wearable devices based on the initial research results.

year: 2017

title: Supervision and continuing professional development: Supervisors’ hopes for meaningful, supervision-supported CPD

authors: Flanagan, Paul G.

abstract: Continuing professional development (CPD) is now embedded into the New Zealand Association of Counsellors (NZAC) practices, such as its members’ supervision, processes for membership renewal and applications for annual practicing certificates. Since its implementation in 2017, a number of developments have been made to NZAC CPD requirements, and in 2020 the process went online. During the same year, six experienced supervisors participated in a small-scale study in which they were interviewed about their experiences of the CPD process and its effects on supervision. The research project was part of a postgraduate paper in professional supervision and worked to introduce and engage researcher-students, all of whom were experienced counselling practitioners, in a supervised collaborative project. This article offers a review of literature on CPD and supervision, and presents the new findings about supervisors’ hopes for meaningful, supervision-supported CPD. The findings highlighted limitations with current competencies for CPD and questioned these competencies as reflecting dominant Pākehā constructions of counselling and therefore, having effects for Māori practitioners. The study also revealed a tension between treating professional development as a requirement to be accounted for and hopes for supervision as a space to reflect on and shape future professional development.

text: Supervision and continuing professional development: Supervisors’ hopes for meaningful, supervision-supported CPD Continuing professional development (CPD) is now embedded into the New Zealand Association of Counsellors (NZAC) practices, such as its members’ supervision, processes for membership renewal and applications for annual practicing certificates. Since its implementation in 2017, a number of developments have been made to NZAC CPD requirements, and in 2020 the process went online. During the same year, six experienced supervisors participated in a small-scale study in which they were interviewed about their experiences of the CPD process and its effects on supervision. The research project was part of a postgraduate paper in professional supervision and worked to introduce and engage researcher-students, all of whom were experienced counselling practitioners, in a supervised collaborative project. This article offers a review of literature on CPD and supervision, and presents the new findings about supervisors’ hopes for meaningful, supervision-supported CPD. The findings highlighted limitations with current competencies for CPD and questioned these competencies as reflecting dominant Pākehā constructions of counselling and therefore, having effects for Māori practitioners. The study also revealed a tension between treating professional development as a requirement to be accounted for and hopes for supervision as a space to reflect on and shape future professional development.

year: 2021