title: The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: A critical analysis of its impact on a sample of teachers and curricula within and beyond Europe

authors: Valax, Philippe

subjects: Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)

abstract: The situation facing European countries after World War II provided the social and political context in which the Council of Europe began its deliberations on language and culture, deliberations that eventually led (in 2001) to the release of the current version of The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, teaching, assessment (CEFR). Since then, the influence of the CEFR has increased steadily both within and outside of Europe. Following an introduction to the research and the rationale for it (Chapter 1), an outline of the CEFR and the political and social context out of which it emerged (Chapter 2) and a critical review of selected critiques of the CEFR (Chapter 3), this thesis reports on a questionnaire-based survey of responses to the CEFR of a sample of language teachers (Chapter 4) and an analysis of the impact of the CEFR in the area of curriculum design in two different contexts (Chapters 5 and 6), ending with and an overview of the research findings (Chapter 7). Of the 164 participants (from France, the UK, Taiwan, Hong Kong, New Zealand and Australia) who were involved in the questionnaire-based survey, only just over 20% claimed to have read the CEFR (26% in the case of those working in Europe). Over half claimed never to have heard of it (34%), to know of it by name only (5%) or to have only a vague idea of its content (19%). Of those with a view on the subject, only 31 agreed that it is becoming impossible to avoid the CEFR in the field of language teaching / learning (as opposed to 42 who did not). Asked to evaluate the overall impact of the CEFR in the countries where they worked on a six point scale (from 1 (very positive) to 6 (very negative)), 105 participants responded, with 57 (54%) selecting ‘I don’t know’. Among the remaining 47, the average rating was 3.23. Asked to evaluate the usefulness of the CEFR in the countries where they worked in a number of areas (on a six point scale - from 1 (very useful) to 6 (not useful at all)), just over 100 participants responded in each case, with just under half selecting ‘I don’t know’. For the remainder, the overall average rating was 3. These findings suggest there is little interest in, or enthusiasm for the CEFR among those frontline professionals who will ultimately determine whether it has any real impact on the teaching and learning of languages. Curriculum design was rated second in terms of usefulness in the survey (with a rating of 3.08). In order to determine how useful the CEFR actually is in this area, two different CEFR-influenced national, school-based language curriculum projects were analysed (one within Europe; the other outside of Europe). That analysis revealed a number of significant problems, particularly in relation to the articulation of achievement objectives and the association between achievement objectives and language-specific realizations. It was therefore concluded that the CEFR promises considerably more in the area of language curriculum design than it is capable of delivering.

text: The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: A critical analysis of its impact on a sample of teachers and curricula within and beyond Europe The situation facing European countries after World War II provided the social and political context in which the Council of Europe began its deliberations on language and culture, deliberations that eventually led (in 2001) to the release of the current version of The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, teaching, assessment (CEFR). Since then, the influence of the CEFR has increased steadily both within and outside of Europe. Following an introduction to the research and the rationale for it (Chapter 1), an outline of the CEFR and the political and social context out of which it emerged (Chapter 2) and a critical review of selected critiques of the CEFR (Chapter 3), this thesis reports on a questionnaire-based survey of responses to the CEFR of a sample of language teachers (Chapter 4) and an analysis of the impact of the CEFR in the area of curriculum design in two different contexts (Chapters 5 and 6), ending with and an overview of the research findings (Chapter 7). Of the 164 participants (from France, the UK, Taiwan, Hong Kong, New Zealand and Australia) who were involved in the questionnaire-based survey, only just over 20% claimed to have read the CEFR (26% in the case of those working in Europe). Over half claimed never to have heard of it (34%), to know of it by name only (5%) or to have only a vague idea of its content (19%). Of those with a view on the subject, only 31 agreed that it is becoming impossible to avoid the CEFR in the field of language teaching / learning (as opposed to 42 who did not). Asked to evaluate the overall impact of the CEFR in the countries where they worked on a six point scale (from 1 (very positive) to 6 (very negative)), 105 participants responded, with 57 (54%) selecting ‘I don’t know’. Among the remaining 47, the average rating was 3.23. Asked to evaluate the usefulness of the CEFR in the countries where they worked in a number of areas (on a six point scale - from 1 (very useful) to 6 (not useful at all)), just over 100 participants responded in each case, with just under half selecting ‘I don’t know’. For the remainder, the overall average rating was 3. These findings suggest there is little interest in, or enthusiasm for the CEFR among those frontline professionals who will ultimately determine whether it has any real impact on the teaching and learning of languages. Curriculum design was rated second in terms of usefulness in the survey (with a rating of 3.08). In order to determine how useful the CEFR actually is in this area, two different CEFR-influenced national, school-based language curriculum projects were analysed (one within Europe; the other outside of Europe). That analysis revealed a number of significant problems, particularly in relation to the articulation of achievement objectives and the association between achievement objectives and language-specific realizations. It was therefore concluded that the CEFR promises considerably more in the area of language curriculum design than it is capable of delivering.

year: 2011

title: The kinetics of the dissociation of dihydroxyacetone dimer in aprotic media

authors: Owens, Adrian

subjects: Dihydroxyacetone

abstract: The dissociation of the dihydroxyacetone (DHA) dimer in mānuka honey has previously been proposed to be the rate determining step in the overall conversion of DHA to methylglyoxal, the agent reported to be responsible for the non-peroxide anti-bacterial activity displayed by mānuka honey.

The ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra for the DHA dimer and the DHA monomer in DMSO-d6 were assigned using 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy.

¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy were utilised to investigate the kinetics of the dissociation of the DHA dimer in DMSO-d6, an anhydrous solvent chosen to mimic the dehydrating conditions present in the honey matrix.

Four series of kinetic experiments were conducted, one without catalysis, one with D₂O catalysis, one with CD₃COOD catalysis and one with CD₃COOD/CD₃COOD catalysis. Each of these experiments obtained the equilibrium constant, K and the rate constants k, k₁ and k₋₁ for the dissociation of the DHA dimer under different conditions that may be present in the honey matrix, with the exclusion of the CD₃COOD/CD₃COOD catalysed experiments which were conducted as part of the investigation to determine a proposed reaction mechanism.

Two reaction intermediates were observed in the CD₃COOD catalysed experiments, they were characterised and provided supporting evidence for a proposed acid-catalysed reaction mechanism for the DHA dimer dissociation. The absence of reaction intermediates in the D₂O catalysed experiments provided supporting evidence for a proposed base-catalysed reaction mechanism for the DHA dimer dissociation.

Reaction mechanisms for the DHA dimer dissociation in DMSO-d6 and mānuka honey were proposed based on the findings of previous studies and the findings associated with the kinetic experiments conducted in this study.

text: The kinetics of the dissociation of dihydroxyacetone dimer in aprotic media The dissociation of the dihydroxyacetone (DHA) dimer in mānuka honey has previously been proposed to be the rate determining step in the overall conversion of DHA to methylglyoxal, the agent reported to be responsible for the non-peroxide anti-bacterial activity displayed by mānuka honey.

The ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra for the DHA dimer and the DHA monomer in DMSO-d6 were assigned using 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy.

¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy were utilised to investigate the kinetics of the dissociation of the DHA dimer in DMSO-d6, an anhydrous solvent chosen to mimic the dehydrating conditions present in the honey matrix.

Four series of kinetic experiments were conducted, one without catalysis, one with D₂O catalysis, one with CD₃COOD catalysis and one with CD₃COOD/CD₃COOD catalysis. Each of these experiments obtained the equilibrium constant, K and the rate constants k, k₁ and k₋₁ for the dissociation of the DHA dimer under different conditions that may be present in the honey matrix, with the exclusion of the CD₃COOD/CD₃COOD catalysed experiments which were conducted as part of the investigation to determine a proposed reaction mechanism.

Two reaction intermediates were observed in the CD₃COOD catalysed experiments, they were characterised and provided supporting evidence for a proposed acid-catalysed reaction mechanism for the DHA dimer dissociation. The absence of reaction intermediates in the D₂O catalysed experiments provided supporting evidence for a proposed base-catalysed reaction mechanism for the DHA dimer dissociation.

Reaction mechanisms for the DHA dimer dissociation in DMSO-d6 and mānuka honey were proposed based on the findings of previous studies and the findings associated with the kinetic experiments conducted in this study.

year: 2016

title: Grounding our collective Talanoa, Enabling open conversations

authors: Fa'avae, David Taufui Mkiato

abstract: As co-editors in this special issue of the Waikato Journal of Education (WJE), we share our talanoa thoughts and open conversations from the University of Waikato in Kirikiriroa (Hamilton), a place and space that has a special relationship with Waikato-Tainui and the Kīngitanga. We acknowledge our ties with Māori as tangata moana (people of the ocean), noting the past as well as the existing vā connections between the Kīngitanga and other Pacific peoples and leaders, including the House of Tupou, the royal family of Tonga. We are also mindful of our responsibility to honour Te Tiriti and to the honouring of tangata whenua and their mana whenua. At the same time, we embrace the ancestral connections between Māori and Pacific people through shared common heritages (Te Punga Somerville, 2012), of voyaging, wayfinding, knowledge and ako by which they settled Moananuiākea (the Hawaiian term for the Pacific Ocean) in one of “the greatest feats in human history” (Hawaii State Legislature, 2021, n.p.). We hope this volume honours those relationships and our shared whakapapa, whanaungatanga, and kaupapa.

text: Grounding our collective Talanoa, Enabling open conversations As co-editors in this special issue of the Waikato Journal of Education (WJE), we share our talanoa thoughts and open conversations from the University of Waikato in Kirikiriroa (Hamilton), a place and space that has a special relationship with Waikato-Tainui and the Kīngitanga. We acknowledge our ties with Māori as tangata moana (people of the ocean), noting the past as well as the existing vā connections between the Kīngitanga and other Pacific peoples and leaders, including the House of Tupou, the royal family of Tonga. We are also mindful of our responsibility to honour Te Tiriti and to the honouring of tangata whenua and their mana whenua. At the same time, we embrace the ancestral connections between Māori and Pacific people through shared common heritages (Te Punga Somerville, 2012), of voyaging, wayfinding, knowledge and ako by which they settled Moananuiākea (the Hawaiian term for the Pacific Ocean) in one of “the greatest feats in human history” (Hawaii State Legislature, 2021, n.p.). We hope this volume honours those relationships and our shared whakapapa, whanaungatanga, and kaupapa.

year: 2021