Preparing for re-entry; A program for the sojourning student

A visitor to a new country is assaulted by many changes, both environmental and cultural. Expecting things to be different the visitor is shocked by what he/she finds, thus the term culture shock. A second shock, possibly more traumatic, awaits the international sojourner upon his or her arrival home. The experiences of the returnee typically do not match his or her expectations. Frequently, the individual returning home is not anticipating adjustment difficulties. Compounding the problem is the fact that re-entry has not been widely recognized or researched and thus, little has been done to help individuals to prepare for it.Focusing on international students, who by definition return home, this paper refers to a wide range of social, cultural, political, educational and professional difficulties. The many variables which determine the extent of re-entry shock are identified and discussed. A group program is suggested as one strategy for assisting those about to return home. The results of a pilot study of such a program illustrate how it can be a powerful force to minimize the disorientation and shock of re-entry.This paper serves as a challenge to all those who are responsible or work with international students. Re-entry preparation is also a prerequisite if individuals, institutions, corporations, home countries and host countries are to maximize the benefits and minimize the problems of studying or working abroad.     

A Study on three categories of college students' FLA

The paper is concerned with an empirical study on three categories of college students' FLA. The aim is to enhance the efficiency of college English teaching and help students to improve English level.     

The effects of recognition and recall study tasks with feedback in a computer-based vocabulary lesson

Should computer-based study tasks use multiple-choice or constructed-response question format? It was hypothesized that a constructucted-response study task (CR) with feedback would be superior to multiple-choice study tasks that allowed either single or multiple tries (STF and MTF). Two additional recognition study task treatments were included that required an overt constructed response after feedback (STF+OR and MTF+OR) in order to control for possible confounding caused by response form mismatch between the recognition study task and recall posttest. Graduate students (N=133) were randomly assigned to one of the five computer-delivered treatments. Relative to STF, posttest effect sizes were: STF 相似文献   

Planning for student involvement in a program of supplemental instruction

Implementing a program of supplemental instruction (SI) in the present climate of transition in South Africa requires attention to involving students in planning and conducting the new program. Involved in this process are political opportunities and constraints. This paper recounts the steps (and missteps) taken in beginning an SI program in high risk courses in two academic departments at Border Technikon: Accounting and Management. It documents the steps taken to enlist support of the Student Representative Council (SRC) in setting policy, selecting tutors, and maintaining the program's funding base. We maintain that a successful SI program must draw upon the energies of tertiary level students, both in roles as learners in the high risk courses and as student leaders at an advanced level. Some students may experience both roles. For this process to be more than an imposition from the outside, the program must be a partnership with faculty and students sharing a stake in the outcomes. Both groups must see that they benefit from the smooth working of the SI system. Our results to date indicate that such a joint ownership is occurring. During 1996, he served as the Director of the Academic Development Centre at Border Technikon, East London, South Africa, under the Educators for Africa Program of the International Foundation of Education and Self-Help.     

A methodology for characterizing computer-based learning environments

This paper presents a methodology for characterizing computer-based learning environments, focusing on the cognitive, pedagogical, and interactive features. The framework for this characterization is explained in relation to the relevant theories and findings in cognitive and instructional research. The methodology is illustrated by a characterization of computer-based learning environments developed by student teachers and professionals. The usability of these environments is analyzed along the dimensions of the framework presented. The results showed that this methodology can systematically and precisely characterize the cognitive, pedagogical, and interactive features of computer-based learning environments. It can be used to predict and explain the success or failure that a given software program promotes for learning particular types of knowledge. The applications of this methodology for the evaluation and design of computer-based learning environments, for instructional research in various instructional contexts, as well as for the study of expertise in the development of computer-based learning environments, are discussed.     

日语精读课中词汇学习的活动设计方案

为改变日语精读课中教师单方向传授知识的现状,本文以精读课中词汇学习环节为对象,对其指导方法进行了设计和论述,提出了在课前要求学习者自学,在课上通过设置任务型课题进行考察来促使学习者掌握新单词的构想,并对任务型的词汇课题做了具体的阐述。     

Relationships of general vocabulary, science vocabulary, and student questioning with science comprehension in students with varying levels of English proficiency

This study investigated the influence of general vocabulary knowledge, science vocabulary knowledge, and text based questioning on the science reading comprehension of three types of students who varied in their English language proficiency. Specifically, grade 5 English-Only speakers, English Language Learners in the United States, and students learning English as a Foreign Language in a Spanish-speaking country were compared across the aforementioned variables to examine their relationship to reading comprehension. Findings indicated that general vocabulary, science vocabulary, and questioning contributed significant variance to the explanation of science reading comprehension. However, no particular variable was found to interact with language proficiency in their contribution to science reading comprehension. Findings are discussed in terms of the roles that each variable could play in content area comprehension. Implications for content-area literacy instruction of second-language students are considered.     

After the alternative elementary program: A promise of continued student success?

This study reports how students who had attended alternative elementary schools performed when they moved on to secondary schools and beyond. Almost no research has been conducted on the longitudinal effects of alternative elementary education on students. Alternative education intervention was found to positively affect student achievement as measured by GPA and standardized test scores, and, student completion of a formal education program. Parent investment opportunity appears to be the common denominator among the three alternative schools that report the greatest student successes over time. Further research is needed to confirm preliminary findings that link parent involvement to students' continued success, and to explore the alternative school as a means to stimulating parent involvement.     

The relationship between vocabulary and writing quality in three genres

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of vocabulary in writing across three genres. Fifth graders (N = 105) wrote three compositions: story, persuasive, and informative. Each composition revolved around the topic of outer space to control for background knowledge. Written compositions were scored for holistic writing quality and several different vocabulary constructs: diversity, maturity, elaboration, academic words, content words, and register. The results indicated that students vary their vocabulary usage by genre. Story text had higher diversity than informative text as well as higher maturity as compared to persuasive text. Persuasive text contained higher diversity than informative text, and higher register than both of the other genres. Informative text included more content words and elaboration than the other text types as well as more maturity than persuasive text. Additionally, multiple regression and commonality analysis indicated that the vocabulary constructs related to writing quality differed by genre. For story text, vocabulary diversity was a unique predictor, while for persuasive text, content words and register were unique predictors. Finally, for informative text content words was the strongest unique predictor explaining almost all of the total variance in the five factor model, although maturity was also a unique predictor.     

词汇刻意学习与词汇附带习得比较研究

在二语习得领域有两种词汇学习方式:词汇附带习得和词汇刻意学习。国外大量研究表明词汇附带习得是二语词汇学习的主要方式,但是对国内学生而言刻意学习词汇更为熟悉。因此,本文试图对这两种词汇学习方法效果进行比较研究,观测不同的学习方法对于中国英语专业学生的词汇学习有何影响。     

对研究生学科专业目录调整的回顾与思考

回顾了我国研究生学科专业目录的发展过程及目前存在的主要问题,分析了美国学科专业目录的设置情况,在此基础上,就研究生学科专业目录调整提出了相应的建议,以为今后的学科专业目录调整工作提供参考。     

Better science through rhetoric: A new model and pilot program for training graduate student science writers

Graduate programs in the sciences offer minimal support for writing, yet there is an increasing need for scientists to engage with the public and policy makers. To address this need, the authors describe an innovative, cross-disciplinary, National Science Foundation (NSF)–funded training program in rhetoric and writing for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) graduate students and faculty at the University of Rhode Island. The program offers a theory-driven, flexible, scalable model that could be adopted in a variety of institutional contexts.     

Blended teacher professional development: A synthesis of three program evaluations

This study synthesized the findings of three program evaluations of teacher blended professional development programs from the perspective of situated design and implementation, development of community, changes in teacher practice, and impact on students. We found that the blended programs were effective in providing teachers with an opportunity for learning on the job and collaborating with other teachers, and they influenced teacher classroom practice moderately and affected student learning to a limited extent. Our study supports the contention that blended learning is a viable model for teacher professional development.     

Credibly assessing reading and writing abilities for both elementary student and program assessment

The authors explored the credibility of using informal reading inventories and writing samples for 138 students (K–4) to evaluate the effectiveness of a summer literacy program. Running Records (a measure of a child's reading level) and teacher experience during daily reading instruction were used to estimate the reliability of the more formal Developmental Reading Assessment scores. Training of scorers was used to increase the reliability of writing scores; a second scoring was used to estimate the reliability of the scores. The results suggested that with minimal modifications to administration and scoring procedures, scores from both reading inventories and writing samples can be a dependable source of data for teachers, administrators, and policy makers. This result is significant because it suggests that formative literacy assessments can be reliably used instead of standardized multiple-choice tests to make more credible summative decisions without taking time away from instruction, and can truly match curriculum, instruction, and assessment.     

The role of the principal in the student teaching program

Can a school be improved by the presence of student teachers? It can, says Dr. Briggs, and the principal can make a significant contribution toward this improvement.