Integrative motivation in a globalizing world

This article reports on research into the motivation of Indonesian children aged 11–12 years old, as they begin formal study of English in an urban junior high school. The research used closed and open questionnaire items, backed up by class observations and interviews with a selected group of learners. Very high levels of motivation to learn the language were found throughout the cohort, including both integrative and instrumental orientations, but these two traditionally distinct constructs were found to be almost indistinguishable. The article argues that as English loses its association with particular Anglophone cultures and is instead identified with the powerful forces of globalization, the desire to ‘integrate’ loses its explanatory power in many EFL contexts. Individuals may aspire towards a ‘bicultural’ identity which incorporates an English-speaking globally-involved version of themselves in addition to their local L1-speaking self. It is speculated that changes in individuals' motivation to learn the language may therefore be partly explained by reference to ongoing processes of identification, especially during the formative years of adolescence

Reflecting on English Lingua Franca today: Expanding scenarios and growing dilemmas. An overview with introductory notes

Introduction to the volume

Reflections on the use of Project Wonderland as a mixed-reality environment for teaching and learning

This paper reflects on the lessons learnt from MiRTLE?a collaborative research project to create a ?mixed reality teaching and learning environment? that enables teachers and students participating in real-time mixed and online classes to interact with avatar representations of each other. The key hypothesis of the project is that avatar representations of teachers and students can help create a sense of shared presence, engendering a greater sense of community and improving student engagement in online lessons. This paper explores the technology that underpins such environments by presenting work on the use of a massively multi-user game server, based on Sun?s Project Darkstar and Project Wonderland tools, to create a shared teaching environment, illustrating the process by describing the creation of a virtual classroom. It is planned that the MiRTLE platform will be used in several trial applications ? which are described in the paper. These example applications are then used to explore some of the research issues arising from the use of virtual environments within an education environment. The research discussion initially focuses on the plans to assess this within the MiRTLE project. This includes some of the issues of designing virtual environments for teaching and learning, and how supporting pedagogical and social theories can inform this process

Investigation on Students’ Personal Knowledge Management and Uses of Web 2.0 Technologies in Chinese Higher Education

Due to the impacts of a frenzied expansion of colleges and universities on Chinese higher education, there has been a gap between scale expansion and education quality improvement. Therefore, increasing attentions have been focused on personal knowledge management (PKM) and its applications in improving college students’ learning performance. This study collects the primary data through a sampling technique, aiming to examine how Chinese college students use Web 2.0 technologies for PKM. The author did a preliminary analysis on the survey data and summarized the current situation and deficiencies of college students’ practice on PKM with Web 2.0 technologies. The best practices and the lessons are discussed, and several future research directions are outlined

Fighting a Resurgent Hyper-Positivism in Education is Music to My Ears

In this article, I argue that one of the gifts of the Age of Enlightenment, the ability to measure, to experiment, to predict—turned rancid by hyper-positivism—is re-asserting itself globally in the field of education (including music education). I see a neoliberal, neocolonial connection—in terms of the ideologies that fuel them—between some of the homogenizing, epistemologically/culturally imperialist aspects of globalization and this resurgent hyper-positivism that has been accompanied by a corporatization of education. I posit that critical education, including critical music education, is an essential component of a necessary—if rancorous—dialogue in maintaining a definition of education that is as varied and diverse as those students we wish to educate. In essence, I argue that critical education is one of many tools to help us fight a ‘re-colonization’ by this resurgent hyper-positivism in education

Globalizing the Curriculum: A Workshop

Globalizing the Curriculum is the design for a workshop for high school history and social studies teachers. The written project includes a description of how the workshop has actually been presented and a discussion of how it may be presented again. This workshop focuses on the following: 1. Why a global approach is important and the goals for taking this approach. 2. Problems and concerns teachers have incorporating a global approach and how these can be overcome. 3. Specific teaching strategies for globalizing the curriculum. 4. Resources available for global studies and how to access them

Using Data in Undergraduate Science Classrooms

Provides pedagogical insight concerning the skill of using data The resource being annotated is: http://www.dlese.org/dds/catalog_DATA-CLASS-000-000-000-007.htm

Developing Point of Learning : an innovative approach to enhancing professional learning

In this paper we: * expand upon some of the issues with current approaches used in the development and assessment of professional practice, * outline the current emphasis upon a life of learning and why we need a new approach to assessment that enhances the development of professional practice, * introduce and provide a brief overview of Point of Learning (PoL) – a new approach that builds upon our growing understanding of learning and takes advantage of the power of digital technology, * explain how PoL overcomes problems with existing approaches, * develop the theoretical underpinning for this new approach and * present the overarching structure in which this new model can be developed. This is illustrated with an example from the schools sector – though it is important to remember that PoL is applicable to any professional development context