Teachers' Pedagogical Competence as a Prerequisite for Entering the Profession

Since 1980, the recruitment of teachers in many countries has followed a systematic certification procedure, i.e. a selection procedure according to criteria set by the State which are considered the minimum qualification for entrance into the profession. The term used in the last few years to define the desired level of qualification of teachers is competence. The purpose of this article is two-fold: a) to review the relevant literature and research in order to record those qualifications that ensure teachers' pedagogical competence at international level, and b) to present the Greek case — a State that evaluates teachers' pedagogical competence before they become a part of the teaching profession — in order to reveal the strengths and limitations of this evaluation process. In brief, assessing teachers' pedagogical competence is a difficult and complex procedure, as competence is ensured through the acquisition of multiple — in terms of amplitude and content — qualifications. Assessing the acquisition of these qualifications is based, to a great extent, on the procedures followed and the practices of evaluation adopted. Given that contemporary research has triggered a relevant discussion in a context of pedagogical knowledge that secures pedagogical competence, assessing the acquisition of this knowledge is, to a certain degree, possible. The evaluation of pedagogical and teaching skills and opinions is more difficult, and the monitoring of viewpoints, attitudes and beliefs, as well as capabilities, is even more difficult.     

以能力本位思维,构建高等职业教育的人才能力结构

从学习知识的过程,分析能力结构的发展和组成,并结合高等职业教育学生的能力要求和特点,提出以能力本位思维构建高职生矩阵式网络化的能力结构的方法。     

商务英语教学中跨文化交际能力的培养

经济全球化使得跨文化的交流频繁;在商务英语教学中,广大教师认识到跨文化交际能力的重要性,开始注意如何对学生加强这方面的培养,作为英语教师,在商务英语教学中,应该让学生懂得这三方面内容：跨文化交际正在成为我们生活中的一部分;商务英语被广泛地运用于多方面的商务活动;用外语进行跨文化交际的能力被视为现代人的重要素质。     

(Not) swimming with the big fish: Primary school students’ competence satisfaction and frustration in high-ability pull-out classes

According to self-determination theory, one of the basic psychological needs is the need to feel competent. Within this theoretical framework, little attention has been paid to how comparisons with peers may affect students’ need for competence. The aim of this study was therefore to examine how reference group effects are associated with primary school students’ need for competence. Thereto, this study focused on high-ability pull-out classes as these provide the opportunity to compare competence perceptions both between students participating and not participating in high-ability pull-out classes and within high-ability students across their two educational contexts. Competence satisfaction and frustration were assessed twice in 3rd-6th graders (M_age = 9.83, SD = 1.20) with one year in between. Results of multilevel analyses showed that high-ability pull-out students (N = 221) reported higher levels of competence satisfaction and lower levels of competence frustration than their classmates not participating in pull-out classes (N = 1,754), while controlling for individual and class-average achievement. Furthermore, when fewer classmates were selected to participate in the pull-out program (i.e., higher selectivity) both pull-out students and non-participating students reported higher competence satisfaction and lower competence frustration. Pull-out students reported higher levels of competence satisfaction and lower levels of competence frustration in their pull-out class than in their regular class. In all, the findings suggest that assimilation effects outweighed big-fish-little-pond effects, possibly because of the high salience of membership of the high-ability pull-out class. When implementing a high-ability pull-out class in primary school, the consequences for students participating as well as for those not participating should be taken into account.     

模糊综合评价法下的信用担保机构实力评价

随着中小企业信用担保体系建设的不断推进,对担保机构的实力评价日益显得重要,评价指标体系分为基本素质、信用能力、财务能力、业务能力、成长与发展、社会效益六个方面.以模糊数学理论为基础的模糊综合评价法,有利于解决评价过程中出现的一些不确定事项.运用模糊综合评价法对担保机构实力进行评价,可明确知晓该机构的实力,在与其合作或对其进行监管中,能更加有的放矢,提高决策的科学性和准确性.     

大学英语口语教学与跨文化交际能力

跨文化交际能力是语言表达能力的重要组成部分,当前大学英语口语课程对于学生跨文化交际能力的培养还不够重视。本文从跨文化交际失误入手,分析增强学生跨文化意识的重要性和学生的跨文化交际能力滞后的原因,并且提出了促进学生跨文化交际能力的教学方案。     

Self-Perceived Communication Competence in Iranian Culture

Understanding of how different cultures value intercultural communication and communication competence is of considerable importance (Dilbeck, McCroskey, Richmond, & McCroskey, 2009 Dilbeck , K. E. , McCroskey , J. C. , Richmond , V. P. , & McCroskey , L. L. ( 2009 ). Self-percieved communication competence in the Thai culture . Journal of Intercultural Communication Research , 38 , 1 – 7 .[Taylor & Francis Online] , [Google Scholar]). This research aims to investigate Iranian culture values related to self-perceived communication competence, which is reported to be a strong predictor of willingness to communicate (McCroskey & Richmond, 1990 McCroskey , J. C. , & Richmond , V. P. ( 1990 ). Willingness to communicate: Differing cultural perspectives . Southern Communication Journal , 56 , 72 – 77 .[Taylor & Francis Online] , [Google Scholar]). The Self-Perceived Communication Competence (SPCC) instrument was used to measure the communication competence self-perceptions of more than 700 Iranian university students regarding various contexts and with various receivers. Results indicate that participants feel more competent communicating in dyads and group context and with friend and acquaintance receivers, while less competent when talking with strangers or in public and meetings.     

Communication Skills,Social Support,and Burnout among Advocates in a Domestic Violence Agency

Intimate partner violence affects millions of lives annually. Domestic violence advocates work to alleviate this problem; yet the nature of the work leaves them vulnerable to negative outcomes such as burnout. This study examined the relationships between communication anxiety, communication competence, perceived social support, and feelings of burnout among domestic violence advocates. Results from a survey of 69 individuals recruited from a US domestic violence agency show the combination of communication anxiety, communication competence, perceived emotional support, and perceived informational support accounted for approximately 13% of the variance in advocates' emotional exhaustion and 21% of the variance in advocates' experiences of reduced personal accomplishment. Responses also differ with the advocate's position in the agency. The following recommendations are offered: develop scenario-based communication skills training programs to reduce communication anxiety and increase communication competence, hold regular debriefing meetings to help advocates process their experiences and to receive peer support, and develop formalized mentoring programs that can provide social support for new workers.     

Perceptions of conflict strategies and communication competence in task‐oriented Dyads

Individuals in temporary task‐oriented dyads or groups must manage conflict competently if they hope to be successful in reaching their goals. Thus far, however, research on the associations between conflict styles and communication competence has focused on acquainted dyads, such as relational partners and coworkers, rather than unacquainted dyads assigned to work on tasks. The present study tests the applicability of the competence model of interpersonal conflict to temporary task‐oriented dyads. Dyads (N = 100) who had little or no relational history completed a simulated decision‐making task that involved choosing two out of four employees to lay off in response to a company's need to downsize. Results indicate people generally perceived the solution‐oriented strategy as appropriate and effective. Although people perceived their partners' use of the controlling strategy to be inappropriate, people rated themselves as more effective when they used the controlling strategy. People evaluated nonconfrontational strategies as particularly incompetent.     

第二语言习得者自动性语言能力测量探究

如何对二语(second language)能力的准确性、得体性和自动性三个维度进行评价,从而揭示自动性在语言能力中的重要性,阐明如何运用心理语言学的研究方法和范式来测量评价自动性,是二语习得(Second Language Acquisition)研究领域的重要课题。对自动性语言能力测量与评价的具体操作策略以及准确评价二语习得程度的方法进行充分的研究,是二语习得研究领域中的重要任务。