Teacher learning： Reflective practice as a site of engagement for professional identity construction

This paper reports a qualitative study in response to the growing research interest in teacher learning. Informed by a sociocultural perspective, teacher learning is considered as a process of identity construction in the paper. This paper taps into the development of teacher identity embedded in teacher learning and views reflection as a social practice for enhancing teacher learning. Through a close analysis of a selected discussion thread, this paper aims to demonstrate that teacher-learners＇ reflective practice in the online learning community provided a site of engagement for developing their professional identity and shaping the practice of teaching in their process of learning to teach.     

The exploration of student-centred approaches for the improvement of learning programming in higher education

The author has undergone a major shift in the way of teaching his undergraduate computer programming courses. In the classroom, the teacher＇s computer is connected to a splitter and a video projector that display the computer＇s screen to the entire class. Using this technology, the programming language itself is used live in class to help the students learn how to program. The students are learning in a context by far livelier than those of previous methods. Teaching computer programming is not achieved by lecturing and writing the program instructions on board or by displaying program instructions to the class on transparencies or slides of electronic presentations. With the implementation of student-centered approaches, the students migrated from the state of passive receivers to constructors of computer programming concepts. Students are coached to develop a sense of exploration, individuality and autonomous thinking. The enthusiasm for technology has been facilitating and supporting the learner-centered approach. Everyone in this approach is a learner, including the teacher.     

Psychology of Language Classroom Practice

This paper is based on my personal observation and context, as well as some implications inspired trom theones, First, I shall give an evaluation of traditional language classroom practice I am familiar to. Second, relating to some implications in the theories of socialcultural psychology, I shall discuss some principled ways in which the classroom practices I have described and evaluated might be modified in order that we could enhance the effective opportunities for social and individual learning processes. I shall also provide my suggested structure of a lesson, in which some practices are implemented in this language classroom. Last but not the least, I shall give my reflection on how my own psychology of learning has been developed since I arrived at the university to begin my English teaching.     

Oral Presentation——Opportunity or Suffering

This paper is about a reflective practice happened in the author’ s College English teaching.Since 2005,a 5-minute oral-presentation was required for all the students in turn,in order to raise opportunities for them to practice oral English.But the students’ responses were always disappointing since they only took the task as a burden.After the teacher lift the limits on presentation time,form,sequence,partner,etc.,better learning outcomes were achieved.When reflecting on this change,Biggs’3P Models of "constructive alignment" is taken into account.Any teaching and learning activity (TLA) cannot put the students’ and the teacher’ s presage aside since the students’ ability,interests,motivation as well as the teacher’ s objective,assessment approach and so on are co-determinants of a successful TLA.Further suggestions are given based on this reflection at the end of the paper.     

The Application of Semantic Relations and Denotative and Connotative Meanings in Translation Practice

Semantics,the study of meaning,is closely connected with translation,the practice of transferring meaning.The paper uses a lot of examples based on real translation practice to prove that semantics plays a very important role in translation practice.Understanding and making good use of semantic relations,including synonymy,polysemy,homonymy and antonymy,are quite important for a translator to deal with some complicated semantic problems in translation practice.The paper also discusses the concept of denotative and connotative meanings,two basic types of meaning in Semantics.Denotation means the literal meaning of a word which is given in dictionaries;and connotation,the associative and suggestive meanings of a word in its context.Be cause of cultural difference,words with the same denotations may have totally different connotations,which is why the concept of denotation and connotation plays a very important role in English/Chinese translation.In order to translate a text into another language correctly,translator must totally understand the meaning of the original word,both denotative and connotative mean ing,and be aware of the potential connotations of the word in the target language.     

Pulling and Pushing Forces for ICT Use in Initial Teacher Preparation for Secondary Schools

The transformative use of ICT （information and communication technology） in the educational setting is demanding continually assessing bottlenecks and conducive conditions with the aim of consolidating the pre-conditions and to dry the drawbacks from their root. As a result, this qualitative research approach employed to explore enablers and barriers of using ICT in initial teacher preparation in the context of JU （Jimma University）, Ethiopia. The study employed in-depth interviews with student teachers and teacher educators. Participants＇ perception of ICT as a vehicle for quality learning and multiple access to ICT use pointed as supportive conditions. Whereas, mismatch of methodologies being used in teacher education and schools, resource constraints, marginalizing teacher education program, unsuccessful experience of learning via ICT, and lack of clear directive and expertise on the use of ICT were some of the major issues forwarded by the participants. Redesigning of the teacher education program in the way of using ICT is clearly indicated, the system that forces and reinforces the use of ICT in place is among the recommendations forwarded.     

Influence of Co-membership on Teacher’s Coauthoring on Student’s Narratives

This paper examines the specific research question of how co-membership in discourse style and life experience influences teacher’s coauthoring on student’s narratives in the ESL teaching and learning context in the United States. As a case study,a specific student’s classroom narratives are transcribed and analyzed. The research findings indicate that a shared discourse style and an overlap in life experience between the teacher and the student will exert positive influence on the teacher’s coauthoring on the student’s narratives. Above all,sharing the same discourse style makes it possible for the teacher to recognize the rhythm of the student’s narratives,to detect the moments when the student needs interactional support and offer help,and to quickly notice a potential ending of the student’s narrative and expand it with open-ended questions and comments. In addition,an overlap in life experience makes it possible for the teacher to go deep into the student’s narratives by contributing specific and concrete thoughts rather than responding with superficial ideas.     

Strategies and Reflection of Oral English Teaching in Vocational College

As a widely-used language,English is the most important tool of communication.In recent years,with the rapid social communicative development,English increasingly shows its importance.China’s English teaching in colleges and vocational colleges also increases emphasis on the teaching of spoken English.In this paper,that is,in my vocational college on the practice of oral English teaching,I analyze and explore Spoken English in the teaching process and the difficulties encountered by the setbacks.Vocational college English teaching briefly discusses the status of oral English teaching and teaching strategies.Spoken English Teaching strategy comes from the reflection.     

A Brief Analysis on the Relationship of Language,Culture and Translation

In recent years,it has become a hot topic for researchers to explore the relationships between language and culture,language and translation,or culture and translation.Indeed,the three aspects are inseparable.Language is the carrier of culture and also restricted by culture.Translation mostly takes place between languages and it is a kind of cross-linguistic and intercultural communicative activity.While translating,it is necessary to understand thoroughly the two languages,but also two cultures and cultural differences between them.In this paper,I firstly give a general review on both the conception of language,culture and translation and their relationship and then discussed the interaction and blending separately from the two phenomena of culture-orientation in translation and translation under culture context.Since culture is transmitted mostly by language,cultural elements and factors should be taken into consideration in translation practices.To achieve the goal of translation in a real sense,translation practices should be based on the principle of processing the discourse of source language and target language under the perspective of its cultural context.     

The Comparison between Audio-lingual Method and Communicative Language Teaching in the Foreign Language Teaching

To increase the efficiency of teaching and improve the quality of teaching, it is necessary to learn the English teaching methodology and put the theory into practice. Audio-lingual Method and Communicative Language Teaching are very important methods in English language teaching. In this essay, I made a comparison and analysis based on their theories and practices. It is beneficial for us to proceed from the reality and use these methods appropriately.     

Teacher generations in an era of reform

Danish upper-secondary school is currently undergoing remarkable changes. Comprehensive reforms and restructuring have transformed teacher roles and school organization. However, not all upper-secondary teachers welcome reform： on the one hand, they have to adopt norms, standards and values determined by colleagues, if they want to ＂fit in＂; on the other hand, they are confronted by governmental and educational claims, but also their own interest in doing things differently. This paper analyzes generational differences and similarities in the post-reform school in regard to leaming values and the competence discourse, which are an important part of the reform discourse. In addition, it explores the dilemmas which arise for young teachers their understanding of practical and theoretical teacher training. This paper combines theoretical approaches with data analysis being both quantitative and qualitative. Finally, this paper discusses team work as an important means to make dialogue between teacher generations possible and to enhance reflection on the relationship between practice and theory.     

Teaching and Learning from Case Studies:Classroom Application in a Bilingual MBA Program

Case methods of teaching and learning are now popular worldwide in practice-oriented disciplines,especially in business educa tion programs.This reality-and-problem based methodology has attested to be more effective than the traditional inputting mode by link ing theory with practice so as to develop students’ ability of creativity,analysis,leadership,communication,problem-solving and the like.However,it becomes more complicated in bilingual context due to the language difficulty.This paper,investigated under the environment of a bilingual(English-Chinese) MBA program in China through the research instruments of class observation,interview and question naire,tries to explore the perceptions of seven case leaders(professors) and their students on the case-based pedagogy in their bilingual courses,and meanwhile,analyze some features and challenges of the classroom practice of cases among these teachers and their English L2 Chinese students.     

An Evaluation on Coursebook (Cambridge English for the Media):A Case Study

Coursebook is an essential part in English language teaching. Evaluating a coursebook is very helpful task for teachers’ development. This paper reviews three methods of evaluating coursebook, which are the impressionistic method, the checklist method, and the in-depth method. Then the author adopts the hybrid of these three methods mentioned to evaluate a coursebook - Cambridge English for the Media - used by some Chinese students in a one-year exchange programme in UK. Questionnaire and semi- structured interviews are carried out with the students to get their views about the coursebook. At the end, this paper compares teacher’s view with the learners’based on the data from the questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The results of this study show that there are conflicts between the teacher’s views and the students’on the coursebook.     

Teacher Professionalism and Professional Development of Chinese Secondary Teachers

The paper refers to some classic texts on professionalism/professionalization which offer a spectrum of different interpretations and shed light on the possible confusion of the terms,with critique on the classic functionalist claims and the emergence of new professionalism.The paper illustrates the history of Chinese secondary teachers over the last few decades,and tries to examine the implications of western conception of teacher professionalism and the professional development of Chinese secondary teachers.With the current trend toward globalization,Chinese teachers professionalism will take on a look of global professionalism(dominated by western professionalism),while with China’s own context playing a role in its development.     

The Practice of Pragmatics in TEFL

In 1980s,Pragmatics was introduced into China and with its fast development Pragmatics has become the focus of Chinese researchers,who tend to study Pragmatics from grammar and Semantics.According to this,for a long time the college English teaching in China has been dominated by a combination of the audio-lingual method and the traditional grammar translation method.But,nowadays with the fast development of the economy and society,persons with high level of English proficiency are in great demand in every field of work.To meet the demand of times,language teaching should concentrate on training learners to be communicatively and pragmatically competent.This paper concerns how to improve students’ pragmatic and communicative competence via various teaching materials and methods.     

Exploring Teacher Identity： What Counts as Expertise of a Beloved Teacher

A good teacher is often depicted by virtue of certain isolated competencies, such as knowledge, skills and attitudes. Teachers＇ identity and their spiritual and emotional integrity are often ignored. This paper reports a qualitative study of the professional identity of an English teacher in a middle school to understand the identity and ex-pertise of a beloved teacher. Through interviews and classroom observation, the study reveals （1） that the teacher who owns a more advanced diploma or profes- sional certificate but confines himself/herself to transmitting only formal knowledge is not well received by his/her students, and （2） that the teacher who is appreci- ated by his/her students teaches with heart and integrity of identity, and possesses a capacity for connectedness among his/her personal experience, subject, social context and students＇ needs. The study triggers some implications for pre-service teacher education in China. The authors argue that teacher education programs must concern themselves with nourishing persons rather than technicians who are merely equipped with competencies.     

Analysis of the dynamics of the sharing knowledge between cooperating teacher and teacher-in-training： The partners＇ respective roles

Collaboration is becoming increasingly important in the realm of education （Novoa, 2004）. For instance, as soon as training is undertaken, the future teacher must develop an ability to cooperate in a pedagogical context. However, in order to learn to make a relevant contribution to a teaching team＇s undertakings and to provide innovative suggestions in pedagogical matters （Gouvernement du Quebec, 2001）, the student teacher needs solid backing from the cooperating teacher. A student teacher＇s willingness to reflect on and to question his own teaching practices will create a much more promising learning context （Portelance ＆ Durand, 2006）. Reciprocally, the cooperating teacher will make a positive contribution to the student teacher by accepting that his positions be questioned and even altered （Johnston, Wetherill ＆ Greenebaum, 2002）. It is the dynamics of sharing of knowledge and know-how in this partnership that retains our interest. From 2004 to 2007, the researchers carried out a study of the subject by examining four practicum sessions at high school level in a number of Quebec schools. To gather data, the researchers used written questionnaires, individual interviews, as well as recordings of conversations between student teachers and their cooperating teachers. These conversations pertain to the conception and to the execution, by the student teacher, of teaching-learning situations. These dialogues were integrally transcribed and processed by N＇vivo, software designed to analyze qualitative data. the researchers present a typology of the respective roles taken on by the two partners in their discussions. The cooperating teacher reveals himself to be an advisor, a transmitter of information and a teacher. The student teacher also takes on the role of transmitter of information, as well as that of reflective practitioner, among others, the researchers observed that the conversations are usually carried out in an egalitarian spirit and, in some cases, give rise to co-construction of practical knowledge.     

How to Develop College Students’Competence of Cross-Cultural Communication

Nowadays many college students lack the competence of cross-cultural communication.They can not communicate with each other appropriately.In response to the problem,this paper analyses its cause and puts forward two countermeasures:fostering students’cultural-awareness and positive attitude towards cross-cultural communication;creating an authentic or semi-authentic language environment.A teacher should combine them together and put them into practice in order to improve students’competence of cross-cultural communication.     

Web-Based Study on Rapid Prototyping DataIntelligent Processing Techniques

Representations of contemporary rapid prototyping (RP) technologies may not be able to manage and share data processing information based on network. This paper presents a new approach, together with its technical implementation, to solve this problem, and discusses web-based study on RP data processing techniques. At present STL files produced by 3D modeling systems contain triangular facet representation of surfaces and have become standard data inputs of RP and manufacturing systems. The paper proposes algorithms for correcting common errors, and optimizes the algorithm of gaps or hole errors leading to open loops in the data structure based on analyses of the rules and errors in the STL file. In addition, effectiveness of the approach is demonstrated by a simple model view example of STL files based on Java 3D technology.