Numerical study of dc-biased ac-electrokinetic flow over symmetrical electrodes

This paper presents a numerical study of DC-biased AC-electrokinetic (DC-biased ACEK) flow over a pair of symmetrical electrodes. The flow mechanism is based on a transverse conductivity gradient created through incipient Faradaic reactions occurring at the electrodes when a DC-bias is applied. The DC biased AC electric field acting on this gradient generates a fluid flow in the form of vortexes. To understand more in depth the DC-biased ACEK flow mechanism, a phenomenological model is developed to study the effects of voltage, conductivity ratio, channel width, depth, and aspect ratio on the induced flow characteristics. It was found that flow velocity on the order of mm/s can be produced at higher voltage and conductivity ratio. Such rapid flow velocity is one of the highest reported in microsystems technology using electrokinetics.     

西方影响下的香港体育

研究集中于西方影响下之香港社区体育会(体育俱乐部)体制。一般认为会所制度是香港体制中一个较弱范围,在英国及世界上许多国家,社区体育会是体育制度的基石,也孕育出竞争性及团体精神,发掘体育潜能,加以锻炼,力求进步。故此,香港康体发展局设计出一个与西方类似的体育会制度,成功地协助13个不同体育项目成立了60多个社区体育会,会员人数达3000人以上。基于“自己参与自己付帐”的概念,这些社区体育会以自助形式运作,不需要政府额外财政负担。香港康体发展局采纳西方会所制度以推展香港中层体育发展。此计划不但提供机会给体育爱好者及青少年,同时亦有助提高香港整体体育水平。     

Singapore's response to the global war for talent: Politics and education

This paper describes and analyses how Singapore engages in the global war for talent. The paper discusses how Singapore demonstrates a Foucauldian perspective of ‘governmentality’ in trying to mould citizens into a way of thinking that is geared suitably to an engagement in a global talent war. It first examines the social, political and economic thinking of the government in responding to the talent war. It then analyses more deeply the initiatives in the education system to support the national strategy in competing globally for talent. It also discusses the challenges ahead for Singapore in this talent war.     

A multivariate analysis of personality, values and expectations as correlates of career aspirations of final year medical students

This study reports on the career intentions of 179 final year medical students who completed an online survey that included measures of personality, values, professional and lifestyle expectations, and well-being. Logistic regression analyses identified the determinants of preferred medical specialty, practice location and hours of work. Understanding the expectations and values of this generation of doctors will assist workforce planners to address expected shortages and mal-distribution of practitioners.     

Nonlinear mechanism of bed load transport

From the group movement of the bed load within the bottom layer, details of the nonlinear dynamic characteristics of bed load movement are discussed in this paper. Whether the sediment is initiated into motion cor-responds to whether the constant term in the equation is equal to zero. If constant term is zero and no dispersive force is considered, the equation represents the traditional Shields initiation curve, and if constant term is zero with-out the dispersive force being considered, then a new Shields curve which is much lower than the traditional one is got, The fixed point of the equation corresponds to the equilibrium sediment transport of bed load. In the mutation analysis, we have found that the inflection point is the demarcation point of breaking. In theory, the breaking point corresponds to the dividing boundary line, across which the bed form changes from flat bed to sand ripple or sand dune. Compared with the experimental data of Chatou Hydraulic Lab in France, the conclusions are verified.     

Mathematics teaching during the early years in Hong Kong: a reflection of constructivism with Chinese characteristics?

This paper characterizes early mathematics instruction in Hong Kong. The teaching of addition in three pre‐primary and three lower primary schools was observed and nine teachers were interviewed about their beliefs about early mathematics teaching. A child‐centered, play‐based approach was evident but teachers emphasized discipline, diligence and academic success. Observations also revealed practices reflective of both constructivist and instructivist pedagogies. Results from interviews suggest that teachers' traditional cultural beliefs about instruction were challenged by western ideologies introduced in continuing professional development courses and by notions promulgated by the educational reforms. Both consistencies and inconsistencies between teachers' beliefs and practices were identified. Implications of the findings are discussed.     

Developing Multicultural Competence Using the Structured Peer Group Supervision Model

Interest in the role of supervision in counselor training has increased concurrent with the interest in effective strategies for developing multicultural counseling competency. L. D. Borders (1991) proposed a model of group supervision appropriate for use with supervisees of differing skill levels; however, the model does not overtly provide for supervisees' development of multicultural awareness and skills. This article presents a format of peer group multicultural supervision in which supervisees work to increase their multicultural competencies while engaging in helper roles important for working with culturally diverse clients.     

Multiculturalism,Diversity, and Social Advocacy: A 17‐Year Content Analysis of Counselor Education and Supervision

The authors summarized (a) data regarding multiculturalism, diversity, and social advocacy represented in Counselor Education and Supervision (CES) over a 17‐year period (1989–2005, Volumes 28–45); (b) type of articles (i.e., research vs. theory) represented; (c) research methodology and applications used; (d) journal editor and related terms; (e) primary contributors and related institutional affiliations; and (f) the breadth and scope of the data regarding key topics represented. Seventy‐eight articles met inclusion criteria. Data indicate the extent to which multiculturalism, diversity, and social advocacy were represented in CES.     

Is effort praise motivational? The role of beliefs in the effort–ability relationship

In two studies, we investigated how beliefs in the effort–ability relationship moderated the effects of effort praise on student motivation. Study 1 showed that the more the participants believed that effort and ability were related positively (the positive rule) versus related negatively (the inverse rule), the more they would have positive self-evaluation and intrinsic motivation after effort praise. Study 2, with participants’ beliefs manipulated by a priming procedure, showed that the participants in the positive rule condition had better self-evaluation and more intrinsic motivation after effort praise than their counterparts did in the inverse rule condition. The results of the two studies converged to indicate that the motivational effects of effort praise depend on beliefs in the effort–ability relationship.