Teacher professionalism under the recent reform of performance pay in Mainland China

In 2009, a reform in teachers’ pay, linking remuneration to performance, was implemented in China. The intention was to improve the quality of education by making teachers more diligent and creative and removing the inequality in pay between teachers in different schools. A review of this reform reveals that it has resolved the problem of inequality between teachers working in different schools but has created a new inequality: between teachers within the same schools. Also, the performance evaluation, based mostly on quantitative data such as student test scores, has led to teachers formalising their work and adopting an approach of “compliant professionalism”. Teachers’ workloads have increased, and only teachers who perform well on empirical performance indicators are given opportunities for professional development and remuneration. The findings suggest that a focus on teaching and on teachers’ autonomy is needed to achieve the goal of improving the quality of education.     

Political bias in the news coverage of Taiwan's first presidential election: A comparative analysis of broadcast TV and cable TV news

This research examines how TV reported the campaign and the candidates during Taiwan's first‐ever presidential election in 1996.

A content analysis of evening news coverage of six TV stations indicated that the state‐owned broadcast TV stations were far more likely than the privately owned cable TV stations to give a greater amount of coverage and soundbites to the ruling party presidential and vice presidential candidates, using the ruling party officials as principal news sources. The TV Stations’ coverage also contained more news favourable to the ruling party candidates than to other candidates.

The future may well see a turning point in TV election coverage as well as in general news coverage in Taiwan. The three state‐owned broadcast TV stations face competition from privately owned cable TV stations and may soon be confronted with the loss of public trust and audience, unless they can provide fair and balanced news free from government control.     

语言教育类电子游戏设计的一个思路

文章阐述了非母语语言学习存在的主要困难，论述电子游戏《摇滚史密斯》对乐器学习促进作用，分析语言学习与乐器学习的共通性。以此为借鉴，探讨了如何将此款游戏中所包含的学习方法运用到语言学习中去。在此基础上，提出了一款不同于市面上常见的单词类学习软件的，针对句法学习的电子游戏设计思路并分析其发展前景。     

植物合成生物学课程实验教学初探

PAN Weisong;WANG Qiming;TAN Chengfang;LIU Qijun(College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan 410128)     

湖南部分普通高等学校教学质量状况调查报告

从1999年我国高校开始大规模扩招以来,湖南省的普通高等教育近几年实现了跨越式发展,1998年全省普通高校本专科在校生数只有15.67万人,到2001年在校学生就达32万人。高校扩招,一方面适应了我国社会和经济发展的需要;满足了人民群众渴望接受高等教育的需要;但在另一方面,又对保证高等教育教学质量提出了严峻的挑战,质量问题已成为高校扩招后人们关注的焦点和热点。2001年9月,教育部发布了《关于加强高等学校本科教学工作提高教学质量的若干意见》,湖南省教育厅也颁布     

The effects of forearm fatigue on baseball fastball pitching,with implications about elbow injury

This study investigated the contribution of flexor muscles to the forearm through fatigue; therefore, the differences in forearm mechanisms on the pitching motion in fastball were analysed. Fifteen baseball pitchers were included in this study. Ultrasonographical examination of participants’ ulnar nerve in the cubital tunnel with the elbow extended and at 45°, 90° and 120° of flexion was carried. A three-dimensional motion analysis system with 14 reflective markers attached on participants was used for motion data collection. The electromyography system was applied over the flexor carpi ulnaris, flexor carpi radialis and extensor carpi radialis muscles of the dominant arm. Flexor carpi ulnaris muscle activity showed a significant difference during the acceleration phase, with a peak value during fastball post-fatigue (P = 0.02). Significant differences in the distance between ulnar nerve and medial condyle on throwing arm and non-throwing arm were observed as the distance increased with the elbow movement from 0° to 120° of flexion (P = 0.01). The significant increase of the flexor carpi ulnaris muscle activity might be responsible for maintaining the stability of the wrist joint. The increased diameter might compress the ulnar nerve and cause several pathological changes. Therefore, fatigue in baseball pitchers still poses a threat to the ulnar nerve because the flexor carpi ulnaris and flexor carpi radialis all originate from the medial side of the elbow, and the swelling tendons after fatigue might be a key point.     

Organizational commitment,knowledge sharing and organizational citizenship behaviour: the case of the Taiwanese semiconductor industry

The semiconductor industry has made great contributions to Taiwan’s economy in the past 20 years. Because of competitive salaries and generous fringe benefits, some famous semiconductor manufacturers have become the best choice for students right after graduation. However, such magnetic effect has gradually faded away in the face of implementation of expensive employee bonuses. In a changeable environment, sharing knowledge will maintain organizational competitiveness and improve employees’ cohesion. As the semiconductor industry is characterized by a low-wage and high-turnover rate, the incurred job insecurities and career uncertainties have begun to force employees to change their cohesion, loyalty to organizations and even to reduce their willingness to share knowledge with others. This study aims to explore the relationships among organizational commitment (OC), knowledge sharing (KS) and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) in the Taiwanese semiconductor industry. On the basis of 428 subjects, the results show that KS has a partial mediating effect on the OC–OCB relationship.     

从“用人”到“成人”：学校管理的价值提升与实践变革

意识到教师在提升教育质量、促进教学有效性方面的价值,还仅仅是在＂人力＂的意义上来确认教师的价值。学校管理,应该在价值观上实现从＂用人＂到＂成人＂的转变,使学校不仅作为教师的工作职场,更成为其发展的舞台。为此,学校管理需要更好地突出服务性职能,满足教师的成长需要;通过制度变革和文化培育,实现学校与教师的协同发展。