title: Automating vocabulary tests and enriching online courses for language learners

authors: König, Jemma Lynette

subjects: Computer science

abstract: The past decade has seen a massive growth in online academic courses, most of which are offered in the English language. However, although more people speak English as their second language than as their first, online course providers do not offer language assistance. Providing online learners with language resources would allow them to both learn about a subject through a foreign language and learn the foreign language through the subject. This is referred to as “content-based language learning”. 

Supporting content-based language learning using online courses raises several challenges, three of which are addressed in this thesis. First, courses teach subjects in particular domains, but supporting domain-specific language requires knowledge of specialised vocabulary. This thesis develops an automated approach to generating domain-specific corpora and wordlists, extracting domain-specific vocabulary in a way that can be applied to any online course. 

Second, acquiring and measuring language come hand-in-hand. Tools that help learners acquire new language should also include methods for testing. This thesis takes an existing vocabulary test and automates it. This has two main advantages: it requires no assumed knowledge of the language, allowing automatic generation of vocabulary tests; and the tests reflect the wordlists used to create them, allowing them to be targeted toward a particular domain.

Finally, for content-based language learning to be used successfully, the language components must be smoothly integrated into courses without disturbing the original content. Furthermore, vocabulary support should include multi-word lexical items as well as single words. The thesis describes a tool that enhances online course content, via a browser extension. It is completely automated, though would also lend itself to selective teacher intervention. It is illustrated here with reference to courses offered by the FutureLearn MOOC consortium.

text: Automating vocabulary tests and enriching online courses for language learners The past decade has seen a massive growth in online academic courses, most of which are offered in the English language. However, although more people speak English as their second language than as their first, online course providers do not offer language assistance. Providing online learners with language resources would allow them to both learn about a subject through a foreign language and learn the foreign language through the subject. This is referred to as “content-based language learning”. 

Supporting content-based language learning using online courses raises several challenges, three of which are addressed in this thesis. First, courses teach subjects in particular domains, but supporting domain-specific language requires knowledge of specialised vocabulary. This thesis develops an automated approach to generating domain-specific corpora and wordlists, extracting domain-specific vocabulary in a way that can be applied to any online course. 

Second, acquiring and measuring language come hand-in-hand. Tools that help learners acquire new language should also include methods for testing. This thesis takes an existing vocabulary test and automates it. This has two main advantages: it requires no assumed knowledge of the language, allowing automatic generation of vocabulary tests; and the tests reflect the wordlists used to create them, allowing them to be targeted toward a particular domain.

Finally, for content-based language learning to be used successfully, the language components must be smoothly integrated into courses without disturbing the original content. Furthermore, vocabulary support should include multi-word lexical items as well as single words. The thesis describes a tool that enhances online course content, via a browser extension. It is completely automated, though would also lend itself to selective teacher intervention. It is illustrated here with reference to courses offered by the FutureLearn MOOC consortium.

year: 2019

title: Sustainability practices of SMEs: the case of NZ

authors: Lawrence, Stewart R.

subjects: SMEs

abstract: While individually small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) may have small social, environmental and financial impacts, cumulatively their impact is significant. One of the fundamental questions is how a single economic entity, especially a small-scale enterprise, can be engaged in the uptake of sustainability practices. This question is particularly pertinent to New Zealand, where 98% of enterprises are SMEs. In this paper questions are raised about the conventional models of  business ethics  and accountability and their relevance to SMEs. The paper reports on actual practices and discusses the possibility of small enterprises having accountability for their social and environmental impacts. Ways of linking individual firm activities to sustainability, such as a communitarian model of accountability, are discussed and illustrated. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.

text: Sustainability practices of SMEs: the case of NZ While individually small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) may have small social, environmental and financial impacts, cumulatively their impact is significant. One of the fundamental questions is how a single economic entity, especially a small-scale enterprise, can be engaged in the uptake of sustainability practices. This question is particularly pertinent to New Zealand, where 98% of enterprises are SMEs. In this paper questions are raised about the conventional models of  business ethics  and accountability and their relevance to SMEs. The paper reports on actual practices and discusses the possibility of small enterprises having accountability for their social and environmental impacts. Ways of linking individual firm activities to sustainability, such as a communitarian model of accountability, are discussed and illustrated. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.

year: 2006

title: Sharemilking with the Te Raparahi Lands Trust (Wāotū)

authors: Hutcheson, Gail Yvonne

subjects: Place

abstract: This paper discusses sharemilking  in New Zealand.

text: Sharemilking with the Te Raparahi Lands Trust (Wāotū) This paper discusses sharemilking  in New Zealand.

year: 2017