Identity Gap: Mediator Between Communication Input and Outcome Variables

After introducing the concept of identity gap, this study investigated the roles of 3 identity gaps (personal-enacted, personal-relational, and enacted-relational) in the relations between 2 communication input variables (assertiveness and communication apprehension) and a communication outcome variable (communication satisfaction). The results showed that the communication input variables did not have significant direct effects on the communication outcome variable. The effects of the communication input variables were transmitted to the communication outcome through the identity gaps. A personal-enacted identity gap directly mediated the effects of the communication inputs on the outcome. Personal-relational and enacted-relational identity gaps indirectly mediated the effects via a personal-enacted identity gap—that is, both communication inputs significantly predicted a personal-enacted identity gap, but neither a personal-relational nor an enacted-relational identity gap. However, a personal-enacted identity gap significantly predicted the other 2 identity gaps. Then, all 3 identity gaps significantly predicted communication satisfaction.     

Doing poststructural ethnography in the life history of dropouts in South Korea: methodological ruminations on subjectivity,positionality and reflexivity

This paper addresses the issue of positionality in researching the researcher’s own culture and discusses its epistemological implications. Drawing on the researcher’s own field experience in which she entered teenage cultural space, this paper is an attempt at a self‐reflexive analysis of the relationships between the researcher and the participants (teenage youths, former dropouts). In so doing, it aims to discuss the methodological significance of the researcher’s subjectivity, positionality and reflexivity. The paper unpacks the researcher’s journey with first‐person voices, intending to illuminate a poststructural thesis regarding the knower’s implicatedness, multiple and shifting subjectivities, and the negotiated and situationally contingent nature of stories.     

Exercise intensity during wheelchair rugby training

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the ability of individuals with a cervical spinal cord injury to achieve and sustain a cardiorespiratory training intensity during wheelchair rugby. Nine wheelchair rugby players completed a continuous peak exercise test on a SciFit Pro I arm ergometer with stage increases each minute to determine peak heart rate and power output. Approximately one week after peak exercise testing, heart rate was recorded (every 5 s) during three regularly scheduled rugby training sessions. Data were analysed to determine the number of continuous minutes that participants spent above 70% of heart rate reserve under various rugby training activities. The percent of time spent at or above 70% heart rate reserve varied across participants and conditions. Continuous pushing was the least variable training condition among participants with the sample averaging greater than 73% of time above the target heart rate. Scrimmage training was highly variable across participants with a range of 0% to 98% of time above the criterion. Results of this study indicate that wheelchair rugby training enables some participants to reach a training intensity associated with improved cardiorespiratory fitness, and that the type (or kind) of training activity dictates the extent to which individuals sustain such a threshold.     

Determinants of Internet standards adoption: The case of South Korea

We develop an adoption model of infrastructure technologies and test it with survey data collected from companies in six industries in South Korea (hereafter: Korea). The implementation of a new Internet standard such as Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) depends on the usefulness of the technology to the adopting organizations and the environment in which they operate. The adoption of IPv6 in Korea is mostly driven by a governmental strategy that created user demand, and normative pressure. IPv6 adoption in Korea is also driven by perceived resource concentration and power due to the uneven allocation of IPv4 addresses. Conversely, killer applications, technical sponsorship and financial factors had no influence on the adoption decision by Korean companies. Taken together, the findings of our explorative study suggest the need to consider technical as well as social and policy factors to understand the adoption dynamics of infrastructure technologies.     

Construction of a large-scale test set for author disambiguation

Author disambiguation resolves same-name author occurrences in the bibliographic data into namesakes. This enables author-centered searches and high-quality social network analysis. As an attempt to promote much research in author disambiguation, KISTI have constructed a new large-scale test set for this field. This article describes its semi-manual creation procedures, characteristics especially in terms of author ambiguities and name diversities. In addition, the baseline performance of author clustering against the test set is provided.     

Higher education research in Asia: an archipelago,two continents or merely atomization?

This study analyzes higher education research in Asia since the 1980s, based on internationally indexed publication data, focusing on research approaches and themes. The analysis is based on scientometrics, science visualization, and social network analysis measures and methods. We find an increase in the number of higher education publications in both specialized and non-specialized higher education journals, although at a much faster rate in the latter. Based on the results of a community algorithm, research themes were grouped into two research approaches in line with theoretical expectations on the organization of higher education research: (1) teaching and learning approach and (2) policy approach. We found these approaches to have an equivalent representation in both specialized and non-specialized journals, although the system policy theme is found to be highly influential of other themes in specialized journals. However, a scholarship schism between the approaches is evident. Further, in the 1980s, the policy approach was dominant in Asia, while in the 2000s there is greater focus on the teaching and learning approach. A further analysis of eminent researchers of higher education in Asia confirmed the schism and indicated a slight cross-fertilization between higher research approaches, but also found evidence of the isolation/atomization of these scholars.     

Preliminary Study: Special Education Doctoral Students’ Perceptions of Self-determination

This preliminary study investigated 118 special education doctoral students’ knowledge of and attitudes toward self-determination. In addition, this study examined the relationship between self-determination coursework and special education doctoral students’ perceptions of how well they were prepared for implementing self-determination in their future careers. The results indicated that although the majority of respondents possessed adequate knowledge of self-determination concepts, they reported lacking confidence in identifying how it can be taught and assessed. Most of the respondents indicated that they would integrate self-determination knowledge and skills into their future teaching; however, more than one-half of the doctoral students felt that they were unprepared with regard to the instruction of self-determination. Also, the findings indicated that there were statistically significant relationships between pre-service courses and doctoral students’ perceptions of self-determination. The results of this study showed a gap in current doctoral students’ knowledge about self-determination and confidence related to application within pre-service teaching.     

An analysis of Asia–Pacific educational technology research published internationally in 2000–2013

The past fourteen years have seen a significant rise in the percentage of Asia–Pacific papers on educational technology (ET) published internationally: from 13.7 % in 2000 to 38.4 % in 2013. This study seeks to identify the overall trends and gaps in this research. Of the 4,332 articles published in five selected international journals between 2000 and 2013, 1,137 (26.2 %) from the Asia–Pacific region [the Asia–Pacific (AP) region includes countries specified by UNESCO and Western Asia (Middle East) countries defined by United Nations] were selected for analysis. It was found that the majority of these came from Taiwan, Korea, Australia, Singapore and China, revealing a need for more studies from such countries as Japan and Indonesia, West and Central Asia and the Pacific Islands. The papers most commonly addressed issues at the micro-level in formal education, particularly higher education, focusing on the introduction of digital technology into on- or off-campus settings. There were few macro-level studies into such areas as policy making, quality assurance or evidence of educational outcomes and impact. It is suggested that researchers should undertake more such comprehensive studies into ET integration, not only in formal education but non-formal, informal, incidental and implicit learning.     

Quality of life of elderly Chinese immigrants: focusing on living arrangements and social capital

This study examines the relationship between living arrangements, social capital, and quality of life of elderly Chinese immigrants in the United States. For this purpose, data were collected from 205 Chinese immigrants aged 65 years and above who did not have any cognitive disorders and were living in Los Angeles County. The primary variables considered included demographic data, living arrangements, social capital, and the quality of life. Results showed that the quality of life of elderly Chinese immigrants was significantly influenced by their life with a spouse or children and traits of social capital, such as trust, partnership with the community, and political participation. Findings indicate that trust, partnership, political participation, and living with a spouse or children are closely related to the quality of life of elderly Chinese immigrants. This study highlights the importance of developing a community atmosphere and policy to enhance elderly Chinese immigrants’ social participation, trust, and life with family members to further improve their subjective quality of life. Results may have implications for elderly immigrants from other countries, as well.