The evaluation of computer‐mediated technology by second language teachers: collaboration and interaction in CALL

This study presents the results of a web‐based questionnaire administered to 166 second language teachers and designed to obtain information about their use and needs of information and communication technologies (ICTs) as related to language learning (LL). Analyses revealed that, although teachers believe that second language acquisition is primarily driven by social interaction, they seldom use computers as a means to foster collaboration or interaction. ICTs are thought to be very helpful in individual learning scenarios but not for the interactive dimension of LL. Very few teachers incorporate interaction‐oriented digital tools in their language teaching, probably due to their self‐acknowledged deficient training in ICTs. However, instructors stated that they would like to introduce new interaction tools in their computer‐aided courses, which clearly shows the need for both teachers’ training in ICT and the technological development of proper interactive functionalities.

Die Auswertung computervermittelter Technik von Zweit‐Sprachlehrern: Kollaboration und Interaktion in CALL

Diese Studie zeigt die Ergebnisse einer Umfrage, die dafür entworfen wurde, Information darüber zu erhalten, die etwa Zweit Sprachlehrer verwenden, und den Bedarf an Informations‐ und Kommunikationstechniken (ICTs), die mit Sprachlernen (LL) generell verbunden sind. Analysen ergaben, dass, obwohl Lehrer glauben, dass der Erwerb einer zweiten Sprache in erster Linie von sozialer Interaktion angetrieben wird, sie selten Computer als Hilfsmittel verwenden, um Kollaboration oder Interaktion zu fördern. Es wird angenommen, dass ICTs sehr in einzelnen Lernzenarien, aber nicht für die interaktive Dimension von LL hilfreich sein kann. Sehr wenige Lehrer integrieren interaktionsorientierte digitale Werkzeuge in ihre – möglicherweise durch ihre selbstanerkannte unzulängliche Ausbildung in ICT – eigene Sprachlehre. Jedoch gaben Ausbilder an, dass sie neue Interaktionswerkzeuge in ihren computergestützten Verläufen einführen möchten. Das zeigt den Bedarf nach Ausbildung beider eindeutig: Lehrer in ICT und der technologischen Entwicklung von korrekten interaktiven Funktionalitäten.

L’évaluation dela technologie informatisée chez les professeurs de langue seconde :collaboration et interaction dans l’enseignement des langues assisté par ordinateur (CALL)

Cette étude présente les résultats d’une enquête conçue pour recueillir des renseignements sur la façon dont les professeurs de langue seconde utilisent et ont besoin des TICE spécifiques pour l’apprentissage linguistique.

Des analyses ont révélé que les professeurs utilisent rarement les ordinateurs pour stimuler la collaboration et l’interaction et ce, bien qu’ils croient que l’acquisition d’une langue seconde est avant tout entraînée par l’interaction humaine. Ils pensent que les TICE sont très utiles dans des situations d’apprentissage individuel mais pas pour la dimension interactive de l’apprentissage des langues. Très peu nombreux sont les professeurs qui intègrent des outils numériques à orientation interactive dans leurs cours de langues, ceci étant probablement dÛ à une formation informatique déficiente qu’ils reconnaissent eux‐mêmes. Certains professeurs ont toutefois indiqué qu’ils voudraient introduire de nouveaux outils interactifs dans leurs cours assistés par ordinateur ce qui fait clairement apparaître le double besoin de formation aux TICE pour les professeurs et d’un développement technique de fonctionnalités interactives appropriées.

Una evaluación de la tecnología basada en ordenadores por parte de los profesores de la segunda lengua: colaboración y interracción en aprendizaje de idiomas asistido por ordenador

Esta investigación presenta los resultados de una encuesta diseñada para conseguir información sobre las necesidades específicas para el aprendizaje de lenguas y el uso de las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación (TICs) por parte de 166 profesores de segunda lengua. Los análisis han revelado que, aunque los profesores creen que la adquisición de una segunda lengua está fundamentalmente impulsada por la interacción social, en realidad hacen poco uso del ordenador para incentivar la colaboración y la interacción. Los docentes piensan que las TICs son muy útiles para la modalidad de aprendizaje individual pero no para la dimensión interactiva del aprendizaje de idiomas. Son pocos los profesores que incluyen herramientas digitales con orientación interactiva en sus cursos de idiomas, probablemente, como confiesan ellos mismos, debido a las carencias de su propia formación digital. No obstante, algunos profesores señalan que quieren introducir nuevas herramientas interactivas dentro de sus cursos asistidos por ordenador, lo que claramente demuestra la necesidad tanto de una buena formación en TICs para los profesores como del desarrollo tecnológico de nuevas funcionalidades interactivas adecuadas.     

Scaffolding young children’s understanding of symbolic objects

Symbolic objects are cognitive tools children must learn to master very early in life. A crucial factor in cognitive development is the instruction or informational support children receive in social contexts. While numerous studies have investigated the relation between instruction and development in various domains, like language or symbolic play, still little is known concerning the role of this factor in the comprehension of symbolic objects. The purpose of this article is to illustrate with an overview of the results of the authors’ research how instruction scaffolds the comprehension and use of symbolic objects. In this framework instruction is conceived as a process that mediates the skills that children develop and meanings they build. Some educational implications are discussed.     

La percepción de contingencias y el conocimiento social temprano

Resumen

La «hipótesis del juego» («Game hipothesis»), propuesta por Watson en 1972, establece que la percepción de relaciones contingentes entre acciones y estímulos ambientales es, con independencia de la naturaleza de tales estímulos, un determinante poderoso del desarrollo social del bebé. Se investiga la posible influencia de la naturaleza de los estímulos contingentes mediante el uso de estímulos «sociales» (emisiones lingüísticas) y «no sociales» (música) en una situación de percepción de contingencias, que se estableció para 6 bebés, con una edad media de 3 meses y 2 días. Los resultados demuestran que existen diferencias entre los estímulos sociales y no-sociales tanto en lo referente a los patrones de adquisición de las «operantes» o «respuestas circulares» ante las contingencias, como en las respuestas emocionales que acompañaban a los procesos de adquisición y extinción. Estas diferencias sugieren la necesidad de reconocer la importancia de la naturaleza de los estímulos contingentes en la interpretación del papel social de los procesos de percepción de contingencias.     

The portrayal of minorities and women in selected elementary science series

The purpose of this study was to determine the quantitative and qualitative portrayal of females and minorities in the illustrations of seven contemporary elementary science textbook series. An evaluation instrument was devised to determine the current status of the targeted groups. Illustrations were evaluated on the basis of minority/nonminority and male/female repesentation. The activity and assumed role of the individuals were also tabulated. More than 5900 human illustrations were evaluated. The results reveal that female children as a group are represented with greater frequency than are other child groups. Minority children are represented less often than nonminority children and female and minority adults are depicted less often than nonminority male adults. The textbooks evaluated in this study display science positively for most societal groups. However, minorities are underrepresented and illustrated in a limited number of career roles. Implications and suggestions for teachers, supervisors, and teacher educators are provided.     

Influence of football match time–motion parameters on recovery time course of muscle damage and jump ability

ABSTRACT

We analysed the time course of recovery of creatine kinase (CK) and countermovement jump (CMJ) parameters after a football match, and correlations between changes in these variables and match time–motion parameters (GPS-accelerometry) in 15 U-19 elite male players. Plasma CK and CMJ height (CMJ_H), average concentric force (CMJ_CON) and average eccentric force (CMJ_ECC) were assessed 2 h before and 30 min, 24 h and 48 h post-match. There were substantially higher CK levels 30 min, 24 h and 48 h (ES: 0.43, 0.62, 0.40, respectively), post-match. CMJ_ECC (ES: ?0.38), CMJ_H (ES: ?0.35) decreased 30 min post, CMJ_CON (ES: ?0.35), CMJ_ECC (ES: ?0.35) and CMJ_H (ES: ?1.35) decreased 24 h post, and CMJ_CON (ES: ?0.41) and CMJ_H (ES: ?0.53) decreased 48 h post. We found correlations between distance covered at velocities ≤21 km · h^?1 and changes in CK at 24 h (r = 0.56) and at 48 h (r = 0.54) and correlations between CK and distance covered >14 km · h^?1 (r = 0.50), accelerations (r = 0.48), and decelerations (r = 0.58) at 48 h. Changes in CMJ_CON 30 min and 24 h post (both r = ?0.68) correlated with impacts >7.1·G. Decelerations >2 m · s^?2 correlated with changes CMJ_CON (r = ?0.49) at 48 h and CMJ_ECC (r = ?0.47) at 30 min. Our results suggest that match GPS-accelerometry parameters may predict muscle damage and changes in components of neuromuscular performance immediately and 24–48 h post-match.     

The effect of different foot and hand set-up positions on backstroke start performance

Foot and hand set-up position effects were analysed on backstroke start performance. Ten swimmers randomly completed 27 starts grouped in trials (n = 3) of each variation, changing foot (totally immersed, partially and totally emerged) and hand (lowest, highest horizontal and vertical) positioning. Fifteen cameras recorded kinematics, and four force plates collected hands and feet kinetics. Standardised mean difference and 95% confidence intervals were used. Variations with feet immersed have shown lower vertical centre of mass (CM) set-up position (0.16 m), vertical impulse exerted at the hands, horizontal and vertical impulse exerted at the feet (0.28, 0.41, 0.16 N/BW.s, respectively) than feet emerged with hands horizontal and vertically positioned. Most variations with feet partially emerged exhibited higher and lesser vertical impulse exerted at hands than feet immersed and emerged (e.g. vertical handgrip, 0.13, 0.15 N/BW.s, respectively). Variation with feet emerged and hands on the lowest horizontal handgrip depicted shorter horizontal (0.23, 0.26 m) and vertical CM positioning at flight (0.16, 0.15 m) than the highest horizontal and vertical handgrip, respectively. Start variations have not affected 15-m time. Variations with feet partially or totally emerged depicted advantages, but focusing on the entry and underwater biomechanics is relevant for a shorter start time.     

Are the new starting block facilities beneficial for backstroke start performance?

We aimed to analyse the handgrip positioning and the wedge effects on the backstroke start performance and technique. Ten swimmers completed randomly eight 15 m backstroke starts (four with hands on highest horizontal and four on vertical handgrip) performed with and without wedge. One surface and one underwater camera recorded kinematic data. Standardised mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used. Handgrip positioning did not affect kinematics with and without wedge use. Handgrips horizontally positioned and feet over wedge displayed greater knee angular velocity than without it (SMD = ?0.82; 95% CI: ?1.56, ?0.08). Hands vertically positioned and feet over wedge presented greater take-off angle (SMD = ?0.81; 95% CI: ?1.55, ?0.07), centre of mass (CM) vertical positioning at first water contact (SMD = ?0.97; 95% CI: ?1.87, ?0.07) and CM vertical velocity at CM immersion (SMD = 1.03; 95% CI: 0.08, 1.98) when comparing without wedge use. Swimmers extended the hip previous to the knee and ankle joints, except for the variant with hands vertically positioned without wedge (SMD = 0.75; 95% CI: ?0.03, 1.53). Swimmers should preserve biomechanical advantages achieved during flight with variant with hands vertically positioned and wedge throughout entry and underwater phase.     

Insights into user engagement on social media. Case study of a higher education institution

ABSTRACT

The interactions of users in social networks have been analyzed in the literature as sources of information on their ability to generate engagement among stakeholders in higher education institutes, which make more tactical than strategic use of social networks. This study helps identify which variables generate greater participation in Instagram users, providing strategic proposals for digital marketing. From the codification of all the publications published by a university in a social network site during the period of one year, a comparative analysis was carried out through a multivariate model. The results provide important and timely implications for both universities and higher education professionals. Our findings suggest that higher education marketing specialists should develop stronger and more consistent communication strategies to establish more valuable relationships with stakeholders. The administrators of the social networks of higher education institutions can find patterns in those publications that generate a greater participation in this study.