“Only When I Am Not Ashamed of Myself Can I Teach Others”: Preservice English-Language Teachers in Vietnam and Code-Switching Practices

As the younger generation in Vietnam increasingly switches between the English and the Vietnamese languages, numerous linguistic and sociocultural strictures arise. Foregrounding the preservice English-language teachers of this generation, this article locates them in a dilemma between the discourse of globalization and their code-switching practices, on the one hand, and the moral-guide duty they are expected to fulfil within the discourse of linguistic nationalism on the other hand. Drawing on a case study conducted with survey questionnaires (N = 483) and focusing on interviews and focus groups (N = 15), this article reports the confusion, the decisions, and the negotiations made by different preservice teachers as they were faced with this dilemma. Particularly underlining the theme of negotiation, the article proposes certain changes to the English-language-teacher training curriculum in Vietnam.     

Switched controller design for stabilization of nonlinear hybrid systems with time-varying delays in state and control

This paper deals with the problem of stabilization for a class of hybrid systems with time-varying delays. The system to be considered is with nonlinear perturbation and the delay is time varying in both the state and control. Using an improved Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional combined with Newton–Leibniz formula, a memoryless switched controller design for exponential stabilization of switched systems is proposed. The conditions for the exponential stabilization are presented in terms of the solution of matrix Riccati equations, which allow for an arbitrary prescribed stability degree.     

An application of document filtering in an operational system

This paper describes an applied document filtering system embedded in an operational watch center that monitors disease outbreaks worldwide. At the initial time of this writing, the system effectively supported monitoring of 23 geographic regions by filtering documents in several thousand daily news sources in 11 different languages. This paper describes the filtering algorithm, statistical procedures for estimating Precision and Recall in an operational environment, summarizes operational performance data and suggests lessons learned for other applications of document filtering technology. Overall, these results are interpreted as supporting the general utility of document filtering and information retrieval technology and offers recommendations for future applications of this technology.     

ACADEMIC EXCHANGES: EXPERIENCE AND TRENDS

The coincidence that much of Eastern Europe is democratizing at the same time that much of Western Europe is moving towards greater integration gives the universities in both regions the chance to profit from both phenomena and to train their graduates in ways that will enable them to contribute to their further development. One of the best forms of preparation is student mobility. A listing of the perceived priorities and aims of student mobility is followed by a brief statement of the engagement of the Technical University of Budapest (TUB) in mobility and exchange activities.     

Linear and orthogonal models of acculturation and its relations to cultural variables: An examination of the Suinn-Lew Asian Self-Identity Acculturation Scale (SL-ASIA)

The Suinn-Lew Asian Self-Identity Acculturation Scale (SL-ASIA) is the most widely used measure of acculturation for Asians. The purpose of the current study was twofold: First, the study explored the consistency of the SL-ASIA in characterizing Asian American men's level of acculturation - Asian-Identified, Western-Identified, Bicultural - using the items of the scale in orthogonal versus linear approaches. Second, the study examined the association between the two scoring methods and characteristics indicative of Asian culture—family allocentrism, loss of face, and affect intensity. An orthogonal approach suggests individuals may identify both with Asian and Western cultures, whereas a linear approach indicates an individual identifies with one culture at the expense of the other (e.g., high Asian, low Western identified). We examined the classification rates of these two methods using a large sample of Asian-American collegiate men (n = 521) and then within each ethnic subgroup of Asian men (e.g., Chinese, Japanese, Korean). Results suggested the two methods of characterizing men consistently diverged. Across the Asian subgroups, the overall agreement rates using linear and orthogonal methods were approximately at chance. Furthermore, significant correlations were observed among acculturation scoring methods and variables indicative of social integrity and family attitude. The implications for these findings and potential future directions for the study of acculturation are discussed.     

‘Responsibility in mobility’: international students and social responsibility

Enhancing the educational experience and social connectedness for international students is the responsibility of different involved parties among whom international students themselves and host institutions play a key role. However, the question of how the condition of cross-border mobility has shaped and re-shaped international students’ responsibility towards the home and host country and other social relationships that have been formed via their mobility experiences is often neglected. This paper examines the social nature of international students’ responsibility. It is derived from a research project funded by the Australian Research Council that includes fieldwork and semi-structured interviews with 155 staff and international students from 25 institutions in Australia over 4 years. Using positioning theory as a conceptual framework, the study shows that it is important to take into account the tangible aspects of transnational mobility in understanding international student responsibility rather than merely locating their responsibility in simple cultural, personal or institutional parameters. The study suggests the important roles of host institutions and community in creating conducive conditions and opportunities for international students to exercise responsibility as social members and intercultural learners. Enhancing student social responsibility and capacity for enacting responsibility is essential for nurturing meaningful transnational citizenship.     

Towards a cross-cultural understanding of ageing and learning by senior adults in Hong Kong and Australia

Ageing and learning are value-laden concepts that are culturally relevant. Culture plays an important role in influencing what people think, resulting in different views and understandings by people from diverse cultural backgrounds. In the literature, there have been research and discussions relating culture with ageing and culture with learning to shed light on the value systems and predominant cultural values that have influenced the understanding of ageing and learning by people in different cultures. The aim of this paper is fourfold. First, it examines the concepts of ageing and learning and considers the role that culture plays in the understanding of these two constructs. Second, it draws on the predominant East–West cultural debate to shed light on the cultural values and views that have influenced the understanding and conceptualisation of ageing and learning. Third, limitations are identified for the East–West dichotomous view of ageing and learning using the Confucian perspective of learning to illustrate the inadequacies of the Eastern and Western ideas of learning, or lifelong learning, in particular. Finally, this paper draws on findings from a cross-cultural study to compare and contrast senior adults in Hong Kong and Australia, with regard to ageing and learning.