The Impact of an Erasmus Placement in Students’ Perception of their Intercultural Communicative Competence

Pre- and post-questionnaires answered by UK Nottingham Trent University (NTU) and Spain’s University of Salamanca (USAL) students on their placement abroad support a comparative analysis of its impact on their intercultural communicative competence, comprising the awareness, attitude, skills and knowledge dimensions. NTU students started their placements with better results in them all. Yet, while both groups completed their stay with a similarly increased awareness, the knowledge and skills of the USAL group matched the results of NTU students and, whereas the scores of the attitude dimension towards the host country of NTU students did not increase significantly, those of USAL students decreased.     

中国出口商品的技术结构与贸易竞争力研究--对1995-2012年10类商品MS、RCA、TC和IIT的综合评价

根据Lall（2000）提出的贸易产品技术分类体系进行商品分类,进而分别测算中国1995—2012年10类商品的国际市场占有率（ MS）、显示比较优势指数（ RCA）、贸易竞争力指数（ TC）和产业内贸易指数（ IIT）,分析表明：中国出口商品的技术结构和贸易竞争力都得到了很大提升,在保持传统低技术制成品强大竞争力的同时,部分中高技术制成品的出口取得突破性进展,以市场换技术的发展战略基本成功;但商品贸易竞争力仍主要来自劳动力成本优势,且出口商品的产业集中度过高,仍处于全球价值链的低端。应促进各类高技术产业的发展,抢占其价值链的高端,并在某些中高技术产业重点突破,提高整体贸易竞争力。     

Intercultural education in physical education: results of a quasi-experimental intervention study with secondary school students

Background: Due to migration processes, cultural diversity and strangeness are becoming characteristics of modern society. The competence to handle this heterogeneity – the so-called intercultural competence – is a key competence for all children and youths. Sports and physical education (PE) are often considered as a particular field for enhancing intercultural competence. However, until now there is no theory-based empirical study that proves this assumption. Purpose: This study was designed to examine the effects of a standardised, theoretically driven programme in PE on the development of underlying cognitive concepts of intercultural competence: acculturation attitudes and attitudes towards cultural diversity. Research design: The research design consists of a quasi-experimental design with four measurement points. The intervention group (N?=?69; mean age?=?11.6 years (SD?=?0.60)) followed standardised and theory-driven intervention lessons following the didactical guidelines of the concept of ‘Intercultural Movement Education’ (IME). The developed games tend to trigger ‘crises’ with the aim to insecure students. These experienced insecurities were afterwards reflected upon with the students. The internal control group (N?=?63; mean age?=?11.8 years (SD?=?0.62)) and external control group (N?=?93; mean age?=?10.8 years (SD?=?0.69)) were taught in a unspecific manner. The impact of the intervention study programme was tested with a reliable and valid questionnaire. Results: A significant time by group interaction effect for the subscale ‘assimilation/segregation’ of acculturation attitudes was found in boys and in girls. The attitudes increased significantly after the intervention. For the girls, the intervention group showed also a significant decrease of the attitude ‘integration’. No significant impact of the intervention study on the attitudes towards cultural diversity could be identified either with boys or girls. Discussion: The effects of the study are ambivalent. The significantly increased assimilative attitudes can be interpreted as a need for a sense of security. This is also underlined by the decrease of the integration attitude that values the maintenance of cultural integrity. It must be critically discussed whether the ‘crises’ were too intense and not adapted to the children’s skills to overcome them. Second, we have to critically analyse whether the discussions with the students about their experiences were sufficiently focused to debrief the students. Summary for practitioners: The competence to handle heterogeneity – the so-called intercultural competence – is a key competence for children and youths. Sports and PE are often considered as a particular field for enhancing intercultural competence. However, until now there has been no theory-based empirical study that proves this assumption. This paper describes the development, implementation and evaluation of an intervention programme on intercultural learning in PE along the didactic guidelines of IME. This programme tries to trigger ‘crises’ that stimulate the students to react and think about their self- and world relations. The statistical analyses show that the ‘crises’ were probably too intense as the students’ scores in assimilation attitudes increased. This lead to the didactical reflection of the implementation of intercultural learning processes in PE.     

Intercultural knowledge development: Evidence from student interviews during short-term study abroad

The goal of this investigation was to examine intercultural knowledge development during a short-term study abroad program focused on language and cultural learning. Interviews with students were conducted at the beginning and end of the program, allowing for a qualitative approach to analysis, supported by quantitative measures. While previous investigations have relied on qualitative data, this is the first analysis of intercultural knowledge development based on a qualitative, pre- and post-program design. Intercultural knowledge development was identified considering the change and growth in student knowledge. Results indicated that students experienced a change in the salience of intercultural knowledge themes over the period abroad, focusing on City life and Schedule differences more at the beginning of the program than at the end. Such shift may be indicative of cultural adaptation during the program. Results also demonstrated intercultural knowledge growth over the period abroad, with the greatest growth being related to knowledge themes of Big C (e.g., culture and history), daily life, food and drink, and values and politics. These results led to a distinction between types of knowledge that traditionally have been included in definitions of intercultural knowledge, an analysis of context as it intersects with knowledge development, and a theoretical consideration of the relationship between intercultural knowledge and intercultural communicative competence. Furthermore, practical considerations for cultivating intercultural knowledge during short-term study abroad programs were discussed.     

素质教育、跨文化能力与英语教学

分析了我国大学英语教学中目前所存在的问题,并且从素质教育的角度阐述了在大学英语教学中必须加强文化教育的重要性,讨论了适合于语言教学的文化项的选择办法。指出外语教育的核心应该是包含素质教育在内的跨文化教育。同时,还以培养学跨文化能力,强调了对比法等一些方法和技巧,是用以进行跨文化教育的有效手段。     

教育观念与英语交际能力的培养——以非英语专业博士研究生为例

传统的教育观念、语法翻译教学法和汉语教学模式对英语交际能力发展存在消极影响.交际法教学比语法翻译法更有利于英语交际能力的发展,本文以非英语专业博士研究生为研究对象,通过革新教学理念、课程体系、学习策略和教学手段等,对博士研究生英语教学进行改革,可以有效地提高博士研究生的英语交际能力.     

略论高校图书馆核心竞争力的提升

通过对高校图书馆核心竞争力的理论简述,分析了高校图书馆核心竞争力的内涵及其衡量标准,并从人本管理、学科馆员制度、信息化建设、知识联盟、品牌战略等方面探讨了提升高校图书馆核心竞争力的途径.     

‘Just don’t tell them what’s in it’: Ethics,edible insects and sustainable food choice in schools

Supporting young people with global crises mitigation strategies is essential, yet loaded with ethical dilemmas for the educator. This study explores whether young people will make ethical decisions regarding the sustainability of food choice in schools, and based on the processes identified, what educators’ needs are in supporting transformative learning. This study is the first of its kind, where young people under the age of 14 have been tasting edible insects and discussing their role in a more sustainable diet. The article draws on mixed-method research with over 180 young people and their teachers in three schools in Wales and examines responses to a possible introduction of edible insects into school canteens. Highlighted is the complexity of sustainable food choices—likely to be identifiable with other young people and educators in western countries. The article considers how educators and policy makers may need to frame routes to positive sustainable action and the associated impacts these may have on personal, social, political and environmental spheres.     

中国女子排球运动员后备力量相关指标剖析

调研以提高中国女子排球运动竞技水平为目的,以选拔、培养国家女排后备力量为组织核心的数届全国青年女排集训比赛的运动员为主要研究对象,采用文献资料、数理统计等方法,对其身体形态和专项身体素质数据进行分析。研究认为：近三年来全国青年女子排球运动员的年龄征象、身高水平相对稳定;主攻、副攻、二传、接应的体重、指高差异不显著、专位特色不鲜明;助跑摸高、6m×16次移动水平停滞不前;下肢垂直与水平爆发力等专项素质亟待提高;相关指标数据与国家女排运动员、甲A女排运动员有较大差距;身材高大的运动员仍较缺乏。