ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Student Preferences and Expectations: Some Practical Tips for Designers of English Enhancement Programmes
Author: Yeung, Marine
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Undergraduate Students,Student Attitudes,Preferences,Expectation,Instructional Design,Second Language Instruction,English (Second Language),Program Design,Student Journals,Diaries,Online Surveys,Focus Groups,Workshops,Learning Activities,Student Needs,Learning Motivation,Data Collection,Rating Scales,Mentors,Second Language Learning,Language Tests

As one of the essential skills for success in work and studies, English communication is often made a key component in the GE curriculum of tertiary study programmes. In addition to the provision of required English proficiency courses, many tertiary institutions have established English centres of some description to promote English learning on campus. Yet from students' perspective, what kinds of programmes and activities should be offered, and how they feel about these initiatives is not very widely discussed in the existing literature. This paper aims to address these questions with practical experiences gained from a project to establish an English language enhancement centre by one self-financing tertiary institution in Hong Kong. Funded by the Quality Enhancement Support Scheme (QESS), the centre, titled the Centre for Academic and Professional Language Enhancement (CAPLE), was set up in March 2016. Cognizant of the benefits of life-wide learning, independent learning and collaborative peer learning, CAPLE offers a series of workshops and various kinds of English and culture learning activities that adopt these pedagogical approaches. Centre usage figures and user feedback were continuously collected for evaluative purposes. Data collected through student diaries, online surveys, usage records of the online programmes and other resources and a focus group interview showed varying levels of popularity of different types of workshops/activities, suggesting there is a need for programme designers to have a more realistic view about students' actual English learning needs and learning motivation. Recommendations are made accordingly for more economical use of resources.
Exploring Construction of College English Writing Course from the Perspective of Output-Driven Hypothesis
Author: Ying, Zhang
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Language Proficiency,Writing (Composition),Difficulty Level,Writing Instruction,Student Motivation,Writing Processes,Linguistic Input,Language Styles,Linguistic Theory,Reading Processes,Reading Writing Relationship,Teaching Methods,College Students,Foreign Countries

English writing is regarded as the most difficult task by Chinese EFL learners. Due to the existing problems in present college English writing instruction, teachers fail to provide effective guidance in students' writing process and students report a low level of motivation and confidence in writing tasks. Through purposeful reading discussions driven by writing tasks, students are provided with sufficient opportunities to receive language input. Reading-to-writing activities, based on output-driven hypothesis, help students consolidate and internalize linguistic and stylistic knowledge acquired in reading. This study mainly focuses on integrated reading-to-writing mode applied in teaching college English writing based on output-driven hypothesis, aiming at helping teachers guide students to improve their language proficiency so as to enhance the efficiency of writing.
Role of Email in Intercultural Communication of Criticism in a Chinese English Curriculum Reform Context
Author: Lü, Linqiong
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Electronic Mail,Intercultural Communication,Criticism,Second Language Instruction,Second Language Learning,English (Second Language),Curriculum Development,Educational Change,Foreign Countries,Culture Conflict,Language Teachers,Foreign Nationals,Teacher Student Relationship,Undergraduate Students,Discourse Analysis,Prosocial Behavior,Language Usage,Computer Mediated Communication,Rhetoric,Preservice Teachers,Preservice Teacher Education,Content Analysis,Longitudinal Studies,Participant Observation,Qualitative Research,Statistical Analysis

Western teachers working in China often experience cultural conflicts arising from, for instance, the ways that Chinese students perceive face and express criticism. To better understand these face-concerned conflicts, this paper explores the role and significance of email for a group of Chinese students to communicate pedagogical criticism with their western teacher as part of an undergraduate program in Communicative Language Teaching (CLT). A quantitative and qualitative examination of the politeness strategies employed by the Chinese students in their critical emails revealed the three roles of email: email as a safe, polite and effective channel for the Chinese students to express critical views &quot;directly&quot; (without turning to a third party) and &quot;collectively&quot; (on behalf of the other students), email as a major means for their western teacher to be informed about problems &quot;privately,&quot; and email as a springboard for the western teacher to communicate later with more other students &quot;publicly.&quot; What was criticized in the emails indicated the fundamental disparities in their perceptions of knowledge, the identity of English, and the classroom behavior of silence. Interpretation and discussion of findings were informed by the studies of Chinese psychology and the writer's insider knowledge gained from her four-year longitudinal participant observation.
A Survey on Chinese Scholars&apos; Adoption of Mixed Methods
Author: Zhou, Yuchun
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Educational Research,Educational Researchers,Scholarship,Adoption (Ideas),Mixed Methods Research,Higher Education,College Faculty,Teacher Researchers,Structural Equation Models,Teacher Attitudes,Expertise,Decision Making,Hypothesis Testing,Intention,Likert Scales,Teacher Surveys,Statistical Analysis

Since the 1980s when mixed methods emerged as &quot;the third research methodology&quot;, it was widely adopted in Western countries. However, inadequate literature revealed how this methodology was accepted by scholars in Asian countries, such as China. Therefore, this paper used a quantitative survey to investigate Chinese scholars' perceptions and adoption of mixed methods in China. The data of the study were obtained from 247 Chinese scholars in higher education. Structural equation modelling was used to examine the relationship between participants' perceptions and use of mixed methods. The results revealed that Chinese scholars' research expertise of using quantitative and qualitative methods as well as their perceived advantage of using mixed methods has significantly influenced their adoption of mixed methods. This paper advanced the literature of the evolution of mixed methods by investigating the expansion and adaptability of mixed methods in an Asian context.
Self-Efficacy Beliefs of Pre-Service Science Teachers on Fieldtrips
Author: Köksal, Ela Ayse
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Science Teachers,Self Efficacy,Teacher Effectiveness,Teacher Attitudes,Preservice Teachers,Field Trips,Beliefs,Gender Differences,Institutional Characteristics,Secondary Education,Higher Education,Student Surveys,Coping,Instructional Program Divisions,Foreign Countries

Science is comprised of theory and practical work and to study either part is not enough to understand the whole. Practical work such as observation and fieldtrips should be used to develop students' inquiry skills as well as to support the theory. Teachers with high self-efficacy on fieldtrips will be more likely to use this technique. Self-efficacy can be described as the perception of individual capacity. When the teacher candidates and teachers are considered, self-efficacy beliefs affect teachers' classroom practices and teachers with a high self-efficacy level are more passionate about teaching. This study intended to construct a self-efficacy scale for pre-service science teachers on field-trips. The study also aimed to determine whether these beliefs vary by gender, class, secondary school type, whether the fieldtrip was used in high school and university courses. Survey design was used in this study and the population was determined as all science education students at Turkish universities. The sample consisted of all 265 students at Nigde Ömer Halisdemir University. Data were collected by administering the &quot;Self-Efficacy Beliefs on Fieldtrip Scale&quot; by Öztürk (2008) to 249 pre-service science teachers. The students' responses were analysed in order to construct a self-efficacy scale. Item and scale analyses were done to assess the reliability of the scale and validity of the scores. Nonparametric tests were used to determine whether the beliefs differ according to those factors. Results showed that self-efficacy beliefs are multidimensional (consisted of task efficacy, coping with problems efficacy, teaching efficacy, and pre-visit actions efficacy); and pre-service teachers' beliefs were positive except coping with problems efficacy. The results also revealed that efficacy beliefs of the pre-service science teachers differed with gender (for pre-visit actions efficacy girls had higher scores than boys), the class level (pre-service teachers at lower grades had high efficacy on pre-visit and task efficacy compared to those at higher grades), and whether fieldtrips were used in high school (for task efficacy pre-service teachers whose high school courses were taught with fieldtrips had higher scores than those whose high school courses were not taught with fieldtrips). On the other hand no significant differences were found among pre-service teachers on class level, secondary school type, and whether fieldtrips were used in university courses.
Competency-Based Evaluation in Higher Education--Design and Use of Competence Rubrics by University Educators
Author: Velasco-Martínez, Leticia-Concepción
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Competency Based Education,Higher Education,Scoring Rubrics,Evaluation Methods,Comparative Analysis,Minimum Competency Testing,Use Studies,Intention,Statistical Analysis,Qualitative Research,Student Records,Learning Activities,Skill Development,Educational Practices,Foreign Countries

Competency-based learning requires making changes in the higher education model in response to current socio-educational demands. Rubrics are an innovative educational tool for competence evaluation, for both students and educators. Ever since arriving at the university systems, the application of rubrics in evaluation programs has grown progressively. However, there is yet to be a solid body of knowledge regarding the use of rubrics as an evaluation tool. This study analyzes the use of rubrics by 150 teachers at 5 Spanish universities. The comparative analysis allows us to determine how these rubrics are being used to assess (or not) competencies. This study examines the educators' intentions and the pedagogical aspects that are considered in the design and application of rubrics. The results and conclusions may lead to suggestions for improvements and strategies that may be implemented by university professors when creating appropriate competency-based scoring rubrics.
How Do Tertiary Education Students Perceive Co-Curricular Activities under the New Education System?
Author: Wong, Helen
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: College Students,Student Attitudes,Extracurricular Activities,Foreign Countries,Comparative Analysis,Student Interests,Student Surveys,Student Participation,Correlation

Co-curricular activities in general are believed to be useful for students' development, such as improvement in academic performance, higher retention rate, enhancement of social and competency skills, and assistance of youth development and employment. With the expansion of the education sector and the implementation of a new 3-3-4 education system in Hong Kong, the background and training of students is different from the past, so it is worthwhile investigating students' interest, understanding and perceptions about co-curricular activities nowadays in an Asian context. Comparison between the perceptions of sub-degree and degree students is discussed. Similarities and differences are found in both groups of students. Based on the findings, suggestions are made to education institutions in planning their resources on co-curricular activities.
The Inclusion of Science Process Skills in Multiple Choice Questions: Are We Getting Any Better?
Author: Elmas, Ridvan
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Multiple Choice Tests,Grade 8,Science Education,Technology Education,Elementary School Science,Secondary School Science,High Stakes Tests,Science Process Skills,Science Tests,Qualitative Research,Documentation,Content Analysis,Foreign Countries

The goal of this study was to analyze the science and technology questions with respect to science process skills (SPS) included in the &quot;Transition from Primary to Secondary Education&quot; (TEOG) examination developed for use with 8th-grade students in Turkey. The 12 TEOG exams administered in the course of three academic years from 2014 through 2016 that included 238 science and technology questions were subjected to document analysis to determine whether the process is being made toward incorporating science process skills in this high-stakes exam. The number of science and technology questions that incorporated SPS increased from 49 in 2013-2014 to 53 in 2014-2015 and 76 in the most recent processing/modeling/hypothesis skills (n = 2). The document analysis showed that basic science process skills were included in science and technology questions more or less as often as integrated science process skills.
Varied Student Perception of E-Text Use among Student Populations in Biology Courses
Author: McDaniel, Kerrie
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Student Attitudes,Biology,Science Instruction,Comparative Analysis,Grade Point Average,Introductory Courses,Undergraduate Students,Formative Evaluation,Textbooks,Electronic Publishing,African American Students,White Students,Online Surveys,Statistical Analysis

The faculty in a biology department at a four-year public comprehensive university adopted e-texts for all 100 and 200 level biology courses with the primary motivation of reducing textbook costs to students. This study examines the students' perceptions of the e-texts adopted for these 100 and 200 level biology courses. An online questionnaire was developed and administered in multiple sections of six 100 and 200 biology level courses during the spring and fall semesters of 2014 to measure student perceptions of the e-texts used in these courses. Results suggest a bimodal distribution among our sample (N = 2,152) of student participants. However, there are statistically significant and noteworthy exceptions to this general pattern. Black students reported a significantly higher satisfaction with e-texts compared to white students, and students repeating one of these courses reported significantly higher levels of satisfaction with the e-text compared to students taking the course for the first time. Additionally, students with lower grade point averages (GPAs) preferred the e-text significantly more compared to those with higher GPAs. Further analyses reveal that the majority of student participants perceived the use of value-added technologies, such as e-homework, favorably.
Facebook, Twitter Activities Sites, Location and Students&apos; Interest in Learning
Author: Igbo, J. N.
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Social Media,Web Sites,Secondary School Students,Learner Engagement,Student Interests,Computer Uses in Education,Use Studies,Users (Information),Place of Residence,Hypothesis Testing,Statistical Analysis,Public Schools,Urban Areas,Rural Areas,Comparative Analysis,Questionnaires,Mass Media Effects,Educational Attitudes,Rating Scales

This study was carried out to ascertain the influence of social networking sites activities (twitter and Facebook) on secondary school students' interest in learning It also considered the impact of these social networking sites activities on location of the students. Two research questions and two null hypotheses guided the study. Mean and Standard Deviation were used to answer the research questions, while t-test statistics was applied in testing the null hypotheses. In carrying out the study, the researchers adopted Ex-post Facto research design. The sample of the study consisted of 240 senior secondary school Two (SSS11) students from public schools. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 120 students from the urban and 120 students from the rural areas. A 15-item Questionnaire was used in data collection. Cronbach Alpha was used to establish the internal consistency of the instruments. Cronbach Alpha Coefficients values of 0.88 and 0.72 were obtained. The findings of the study indicated that there is a significant influence of students' Twitter and Facebook activities over their interest in learning. Students in urban schools had higher Mean Score interest in learning than those in rural location. The result also indicated that there is no significant difference in the Mean interest ratings of urban and rural students.
Designing Cognitively Diagnostic Assessment for Algebraic Content Knowledge and Thinking Skills
Author: Zhang, Zhidong
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Algebra,Bayesian Statistics,Scores,Mathematics Achievement,Diagnostic Tests,Mathematics Instruction,Thinking Skills,Cognitive Processes,Statistical Analysis,Cognitive Structures,Models,Mathematics Tests,Difficulty Level,Simulation

This study explored a diagnostic assessment method that emphasized the cognitive process of algebra learning. The study utilized a design and a theory-driven model to examine the content knowledge. Using the theory driven model, the thinking skills of algebra learning was also examined. A Bayesian network model was applied to represent the theory model and the quantitative assessment structure. Simulated data was applied to the model to illustrate the purpose. The diagnostic assessment model was represented by a Bayesian network model. Four explanatory variables and nine evidential variables were identified. These were developed to describe the content domain and cognitive structure in an algebra learning process. The diagnostic assessment model both exhibited learning progresses and provided diagnostic feedback. Through students' performance examples model-based achievement scores were reported at three levels: 1) evidential variable level, 2) explanatory variable lower level, and 3) explanatory variable higher level. This study revealed that the diagnostic assessment model can effectively report learners' progress in algebra learning in both content knowledge and thinking skills.
Language Personality in the Conditions of Cross-Cultural Communication: Case-Study Experience
Author: Davidovitch, Nitza
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Case Studies,Intercultural Communication,Personality Traits,Heuristics,Verbal Communication,Nonverbal Communication,World Views,Behavior Patterns,Measurement,Cultural Differences,Semitic Languages,Dictionaries,Cultural Literacy,Second Language Instruction,English (Second Language),Cultural Pluralism,College Students,Foreign Countries,Statistical Analysis,Interviews,Questionnaires

The article is devoted to the problem of identification of a language personality's traits under conditions of cross-cultural communication. It is shown that effective cross-cultural communication is revised under globalization and increasingly intensive social interactions. The results of the authors' research prove that it is possible to develop a new perspective on the heuristic possibilities of the concept of language personality to ensure the effectiveness of cross-cultural communications. This applies above all to the understanding of culture, cultural codes, verbal, non-verbal communication and preverbal, development of value measurement and understanding, and behavior adoption patterns. We propose to identify a language personality as a nationally specific communicant type that has a culturally caused worldview and value system and is capable of cross-cultural transformation. We identified transitions from a &quot;mono&quot; language personality to a &quot;multi&quot; language personality. We offer communicative training as a way of resolving cultural gaps in communication. We insist that only a new type of a language personality can effectively integrate and communicate while taking into account cultural peculiarities. Language personality currently acquires multicultural traits resulting from two main types of mobility: virtual and physical. Empirical research shows that two types of mobility are widespread, with typical high demands for the study of an international communication language (English) and local culture (Hebrew).
The Relationship between EFL Learners&apos; Language Learning Strategy Use and Achievement
Author: Balci, Özgül
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Learning Strategies,Measures (Individuals),Correlation,College Students,Student Attitudes,Metacognition,Gender Differences,Memory,Statistical Analysis,Foreign Countries,Questionnaires

The primary purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between language learning strategy use and foreign language achievement, focusing on differences in gender. A total of 263 English as a foreign language students enrolled in English preparatory class program at Necmettin Erbakan University, School of Foreign Languages participated in the study. This was a descriptive study in relational screening model. The Turkish version of &quot;Strategy Inventory of Language Learning (SILL)&quot;, originally developed by Oxford (1990) and adapted into Turkish by Cesur and Fer (2007), was used as the data collection tool. Results from the study indicated that metacognitive strategies were the most frequently used strategies among the participants, while cognitive strategies were the least frequently used. There was no significant difference between the male and female students in terms of language learning strategy use except memory strategies. Also, low but statistically significant positive correlations were observed between foreign language achievement and cognitive (r = 0.23; p = 0.00), compensation (r = 0.16; p = 0.01) and metacognitive strategies (r = 0.15; p = 0.02). The findings reported in the study suggest that high-level strategy use could affect students' achievement in foreign language preparatory classes.