Examining Chinese vocabulary knowledge in Taiwanese first- and second graders using confirmatory factor analysis

How the construct of vocabulary is defined remains unclear although multiple theories have been put forth. In light of the lack of empirical work investigating the dimensionality of vocabulary knowledge in Chinese, the present study investigated the factor structure of Chinese print vocabulary in a sample of 111 Taiwanese children in Grades 1 and 2. Participants completed six written measures designed to assess breadth and depth of vocabulary knowledge in receptive or expressive formats. Three hypothesized models corresponding to (1) a unidimensional model on which all six measures loaded onto, (2) a 2-factor model comprising breadth and depth dimensions, and (3) a 2-factor model consisting of receptive and expressive dimensions, were compared using confirmatory factor analyses. Results indicated that the unidimensional model was preferred over two dimensional models, indicating that it is useful to view Chinese vocabulary as a holistic construct rather than as comprising separable dimensions among young Taiwanese children.

     

Thermal mixing of two miscible fluids in a T-shaped microchannel

In this paper, thermal mixing characteristics of two miscible fluids in a T-shaped microchannel are investigated theoretically, experimentally, and numerically. Thermal mixing processes in a T-shaped microchannel are divided into two zones, consisting of a T-junction and a mixing channel. An analytical two-dimensional model was first built to describe the heat transfer processes in the mixing channel. In the experiments, de-ionized water was employed as the working fluid. Laser induced fluorescence method was used to measure the fluid temperature field in the microchannel. Different combinations of flow rate ratios were studied to investigate the thermal mixing characteristics in the microchannel. At the T-junction, thermal diffusion is found to be dominant in this area due to the striation in the temperature contours. In the mixing channel, heat transfer processes are found to be controlled by thermal diffusion and convection. Measured temperature profiles at the T-junction and mixing channel are compared with analytical model and numerical simulation, respectively.     

A strategy to improve pre-service teachers’ self-efficacy towards inclusive physical education for students with intellectual disability and autism

This study sought to investigate the effect of adapted physical education (APE) courses and practica on pre-service teachers’ self-efficacy (SE) towards inclusive physical education (PE) for students with intellectual disability (ID) and autism. Three hundred and fifty-six students (male?=?254, female?=?102) enrolled in adapted physical education teacher education (APETE) programmes in Korea participated in a specially developed survey which was analysed using multilevel modeling. The results of a multilevel modeling analysis revealed that APE courses and practica do indeed have a significant effect on the pre-service teachers’ SE towards teaching students with ID and autism in general PE classes. Study participants reported that taking more than 15 APE credits significantly improved their level of SE.     

资深教练对培养新教练的结构化指导课程的评价：基于自我决定理论的个案研究

探讨资深教练对一个旨在推动和促进新篮球教练员培训质量的结构化指导课程的评价为目的。12 名资深教练（其中 1 名女性教练）受邀参与了本研究,采用自我决定理论设计培养教练员的训练课程项目,采用关注性小组访谈作为资料收集法,让资深教练针对应用自我决定理论的训练课程提出意见。结果显示,此训练课程提供学员一个独特而积极的学习经验。教练员认为,可以通过这个课程获得教练知识并促进技能。本研究结果为今后推广有效的教练培训框架,以及结构化的辅导计划,提高新教练员学习专业知识和提高培训质量提供了新方向。     

Effects of Practical Experience and Sequential Skills in Map Reading

The study was carried out to examine the effects of practical experience and sequential skills on achievement in map reading among secondary one pupils in Singapore. A total of 144 pupils in four secondary one (Express) classes participated in the study. Each class ws randomly assigned to one of the four treatment groups, where two teaching methods, i.e. practical learning and direct-teaching, and two types of curriculum structure, i.e. hierarchical sequence and non-hierachical sequence, were compared. The experiment consisted of eight weeks of teaching after which a post-test and a delayed post-test were administered to establish the effects of each treatment. Findings showed that practical experience and sequential skills in map reading would have a positive effect on pupil performance and retention of the acquired skills.     

Stakeholders’ perceptions and recommendations of a high school leadership development programme for athletes in Singapore

ABSTRACT

This study examined the perceptions of key stakeholders of a high school athlete leadership development training programme. Participants included 36 athletes (males = 23, females = 13) from two team sports (rugby n = 11 and volleyball n = 6) and two individual sports (bowling n = 8 and table tennis n = 11), as well as four coaches representing each of these sports and four teachers. Individual interviews were conducted for coaches, teachers, and athlete leaders, while athletes took part in focus group interviews. Inductive thematic analysis was used to analyse all data sets. Results showed that the athlete leadership programme developed qualities such as responsibility, role modelling, motivation, communication, perseverance, and team unity that would help athlete leaders perform their roles and responsibilities. The results also highlighted some limitations including earlier involvement from key stakeholders, tailored training for athlete leaders, and a more effective transfer of learning.     

高校教师隐性知识转移与共享因素分析

利用对高校教师隐性知识转移的调查,分析了高校教师隐性知识转移的现状、影响因素及对绩效的影响.分析表明,个人接触是最好的隐性知识转移方式,而对人际关系忠诚、情感距离及团队的目标、氛围、领导风格是影响团队成员隐性知识共享的重要因素;在隐性知识共享对绩效的影响方面,普遍认为,隐性知识共享能够增加团队成员科研成果的数量、质量,节约科研时间、成本,同时也有利于团队成员获得更多的发展机会.     

Group work as a strategy for attribution retraining in the Asian educational context of Singapore

The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of group work as a strategy for attribution retraining and improving students’ motivational styles. Students were first categorised into one of three motivational styles: learned helplessness, self-worth motivation and mastery orientation. In the intervention procedure, selected students from each of these three categories were subjected to an intervention procedure requiring the students to work in groups, with the emphasis on personal effort as the major contributor to group success. Post-intervention assessment of motivation showed an improvement in the motivation of self-worth motivated students although there was generally a decrease in mastery orientation amongst students in both the control as well as the experimental groups.