如何在大学英语教学中传授英美文化

大学英语教学的目的是培养学生的综合应用能力,适应全球化趋势下频繁的国际交流。纯粹学习语言知识而缺乏对中西方文化差异的了解,是无法进行有效交际的。教师应该在传授语言知识的同时,重视对学生文化背景知识的培养,有效提高学生跨文化交际的能力     

Variation in Raven's Progressive Matrices scores across time and place

The paper describes a cross-cultural and historical meta-analysis of Raven's Progressive Matrices. Data were analyzed of 798 samples from 45 countries (N = 244,316), which were published between 1944 and 2003. Country-level indicators of educational permeation (which involves a broad set of interrelated educational input and output factors that are strongly related to economic development), the samples' educational age, and publication year were all independently related to performance on Raven's matrices. Our data suggest that the Flynn effect can be found in high as well as low GNP countries, although its size is moderated by education-related sample and country characteristics and seems to be smaller in developed than in emerging countries.     

International field experiences: The impact of class,gender and race on the perceptions and experiences of preservice teachers

We explore ways class, gender and race complicate perceptions and experiences of preservice teachers during an international field experience in Honduras. Data were collected over 5 years through observations, group discussions, course assignments, and on-site focus group interviews and post-trip individual interviews. An inductive approach combined with cross-comparative analysis reveal diverse ways class, gender and race shaped and re-shaped preservice teachers' perceptions of self, peers, and host community members. We conclude with a call for international cross-cultural experiences that encourage preservice teachers to critically examine their perspectives, positions in the host community, and learning during study abroad.     

Keeping their attention: Classroom practices associated with behavioral engagement in first grade mathematics classes in China and the United States

This study investigated variation in students’ behavioral engagement across mathematics classes in China and the United States. Student behavioral engagement was examined along with two aspects of the classroom (group size and teacher instructions given about classroom behavior). Video observational data were collected and coded over 1051 time intervals in 35-minute mathematics sessions in Chinese classrooms (n = 8) and comparable American classrooms (n = 7). Latent growth analyses revealed that overall, behavioral engagement declined over time, although the drop-off was dramatically sharper in American classrooms relative to Chinese classrooms. In addition, larger group size and the timing of teacher instructions (given before versus after the behavior) were significantly associated with increased engagement. This study revealed compelling cultural differences as well as patterns in student and teacher behaviors associated with students engaging in on-task behaviors in the classroom. Implications for ways to promote effective classroom behavior are discussed.     

大学生文化背景与非言语行为语用失误

对西安工业大学100位学生所作的英语语用能力和文化背景知识的测试与调查显示出：由于缺乏文化背景知识,大学生在语用能力测试中出现了大量的非言语行为语用失误。这说明,从文化背景角度探讨大学生非言语行为语用失误的原因,继而针对问题提出相应策略,具有重要的意义。     

Muscle Soreness Following Resistance Exercise With and Without Eccentric Contractions

The present study reported on translating the Exercise Identity Scale (EIS: Anderson &; Cychosz, 1994) into Greek and examining its psychometric properties and cross-cultural validity based on U.S. individuals' EIS responses. Using four samples comprising 33, 103, and 647 Greek individuals, including exercisers and nonexercisers, and a similar sample comprising 800 U.S. individuals, the concurrent validity, factor structure, internal reliability, test-retest reliability, external validity, gender invariance, and cross-cultural validity of the EIS responses were examined using confirmatory factor analytical procedures. The results supported the concurrent validity, an adequate unidimensional factor structure for the translated EIS and the internal reliability and test-retest reliability over a 6-week interval. Further, cross-gender configural, partial metric, partial strong factorial, and partial strict factorial invariance and cross-cultural configural and partial metric invariance supported the cross-cultural equivalence of the EIS versions. Moreover, the external validity of the translated EIS responses was also supported. Overall, the findings supported the validity of the exercise identity construct outside North American boundaries and the EIS items' equivalence, providing initial evidence for its cross-cultural applicability.     

Effects of Ventilation on Segmental Bioimpedance Spectroscopy Measures Using Generalizability Theory

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of three ventilation conditions (i.e., normal, regimented, and no-ventilation) on the reproducibility of bioimpedance scores in humans for the forearm and trunk segments. One hundred able-bodied North American men and women, from 18 to 71 years of age, volunteered as participants. The experimenters used a Xitron Bio-Impedance Analyzer System model 4200 instrument with Hydra software (Xitron Technologies, San Diego, California, USA) to collect bioimpedance data on extracellular fluid and intracellular fluid scores. The experimenters analyzed the data using the generalizability theory,with persons as the facet of differentiation and time as the facet of generalization. The major findings were (a) ventilation conditions did not have a significant impact on the reproducibility of the test scores, (b) the forearm segment produced consistently higher intracellular fluid generalizability coefficients across three ventilation conditions for both gender groups when compared to the trunk segment, (c) the trunk segment produced intracellular fluid generalizability coefficients that were higher for the male group, and (d) the measurement error affected extracellular fluid scores less than segmental intracellular fluid scores.     

The happy-fish-little-pond effect on enjoyment: Generalizability across multiple domains and countries

Academic enjoyment is an important educational construct given that it benefits students' engagement, persistence, wellbeing, and mental health. In this study, we examine two factors that determine this crucial emotion, namely student- and class-level achievement. Past research has been restricted to single-country or single-domain examinations of secondary school students, limiting generalizability of findings. To bridge this gap, we utilize the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study and the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (TIMSS-PIRLS) combined 2011 data (N = 180,084 4th-grade students, 37 countries). Our results provide robust evidence that student-level achievement positively predicts enjoyment in math, science, and reading, while the effects of class-level achievement are negative—the Happy-Fish-Little-Pond Effect. These results showed relative universality across the domains and countries examined.     

Happiness as a Goal of Counseling: Cross-cultural Implications

The article examines the construct of happiness within the context of counseling and holistic health (body, mind and spirit). It discusses happiness as a goal of counseling as reflected in selected counseling theories that focus on humanistic principles, holistic health, positive psychology, personal growth and the client’s intentional choice-making in life. Moreover, the article considers within-cultural and cross-cultural implications of happiness, and presents recommendations for counseling professionals who counsel clients or train future counselors.     

Metaphysics and learning

Is it possible to learn and simultaneously articulate the metaphysical basis of that learning? In my contribution to the forum I tell of how I came to recognise that bilingual Yoruba children could articulate the contrasting metaphysical framings of Yoruba and English numbering. The story introduces an arena I call 'ontics' that recognises the contingencies of metaphysical commitments in the present. My claim is that learning to recognise and strategically articulate ontics as enacted metaphysical commitments in the present is useful in cross-cultural and transdisciplinary learning and crucial in inquiring into learning.