Peer mediation for conflict management: a Singaporean case study

The burgeoning interest in conflict and its management has recently begun to impact on schools and school systems worldwide. Motivated by a concern for increasing levels of violence in schools and student�student conflict, many school administrators are looking at conflict management programs as a means of dealing with the problem. Most of the more widely used programs have their origins in the United States; their appropriateness and effectiveness in other countries and cultures is, at best, unknown, and in some respects open to conjecture. In this paper the cultural appropriateness of a peer mediation program in a primary school in Singapore is the subject of investigation. The study also addresses, in an exploratory manner, the effectiveness of peer mediation as a mechanism for student�student conflict management

Bilingual negotiation via e-mail: an international project

This article examines selective results of an international e-mail project between 24 students studying law with German (in England) and English (in Germany).1 It refers to outcomes as manifested in the students' written reports and oral assessments, but concentrates on samples of bilingual negotiation between partners as expressed in their e-mails. The article focuses on the design of the project and the socio-cultural environment in which it is situated. Taking into account the relevant research in computer-mediated communication, the design of the project follows two primary objectives: the acquisition of (1) language and (2) content as part of a task-based e-mail exchange

Teaching Authentic English Pronounciation

Most of the evidence from different research and literature indicates that learners beyond the age of puberty cannot acquire authentic pronunciation of a second language, because the articulation muscles have already lost their flexibility to be able to make new sounds which has not been in the first language. However, there are some adult learners who have the ability to achieve a perfect native like pronunciation of English. In relating Howard Gardner?s (1983) theory of multiple intelligences (MI) to second language learning, we can more easily discern the acquisition of authentic accent by adult learners in spite of the flexibility loss of the vocal cords. According to Gardner?s theory, which attaches important features to the notion of intelligence, learners within a wide range of IQs can be successful in acquiring a second language. In this regard, “musical intelligence” -the forth intelligence in Gardner?s theory- can explain the relative ease that learners have in perceiving and producing the intonation patterns of a language. This research aims to seek ways to enhance the ability of language learners to acquire more native-like pronunciation by the aid of their musical intelligence which is almost an innate ability in everyone. Keywords: Teaching, English & Pronounciatio

The efects of peer corrective feedback trainning in face to face interaction and synchronousvideo-based computer-mediated comunication

Tesis (Profesor de Inglés para la Enseñanza Básica y Media y al grado académico de Licenciado en Educación)This quasi-experimental study was conducted in a private school, in Santiago, Chile, with four groups formed by 9th graders with the same L1 (Spanish) immersed in an EFL context. The purpose of the study was to examine ways in which the potential of peer interaction on learning is maximized. Specifically, the study examined two instructional techniques, both of which have been gaining increasing attention from second language acquisition researchers: (a) training learners how to correct each other (corrective feedback: CF), and (b) synchronous communicative interaction via video-based computer-mediated communication (SVCMC). Participants were divided into four groups depending on their experimental conditions. Group A (SVCMC+CF training) engaged in communicative peer interaction via SVCMC and received CF training. Group B (SVCMC-CF training) was given the same peer interaction tasks but did not receive any CF training. Groups C (FTF+CF training) and D (FTF-CF training) engaged in the same tasks in face-to-face in the classroom while only Group C received CF training. The intervention period lasted two weeks, consisting of four classes of 45 minutes for each of the four groups. The analysis involved (a) learners’ interactional behaviors, namely, language-related episodes, (b) their developmental outcomes with pre- and posttests focusing on past tense and locative usages, and (c) their perceptions based on exit questionnaire with close- and open-items. The results of this study reflected 3 main findings in peer interaction, corrective feedback, and SVCMC. With regard to interactional patterns (peer interaction), corrective feedback training promotes collaboration and so FTF environments, yet in SVCMC dominant patterns were more likely to arise. Meanwhile, CF training helped enhance learners’ language development as their results in the post-test were higher than in the pre-test and, in turn, SVCMC groups outperformed FTF groups. Concerning students’ perceptions, they overtly expressed positive beliefs regarding Peer Corrective Feedback and SVCMC activities. In short, clear differences were found among groups with different interventions resulting in distinct patterns, L2 development outcomes, and learner perceptions.Este estudio cuasi-experimental fue conducido en un colegio privado en Santiago de Chile, con cuatro grupos formados por estudiantes de primer año medio, cuya lengua nativa es el español. Los estudiantes estuvieron inmersos en un contexto EFL. El propósito del estudio fue examinar medios por las cuales el potencial de la interacción entre pares en el aprendizaje sea maximizado. Específicamente, este estudio examinó dos técnicas instructivas, las cuales han recibido recientemente atención paulatina de los investigadores en el campo de la adquisición de un segundo idioma: (a) capacitar a los estudiantes en como corregir a sus pares (retroalimentación), e (b) interacción comunicativa sincronizada a través de video conferencias (ICSV) mediadas por computadores. Los participantes fueron divididos en cuatro grupos según sus condiciones experimentales. El Grupo A (ICSV+ capacitación en retroalimentación) involucrado en interacción comunicativa— entre pares— a través de ICSV y recibieron instrucción en retroalimentación entre pares. Al Grupo B (ICSV – capacitación en retroalimentación) se le dio las mismas tareas, pero no recibió capacitación en retroalimentación. El Grupo C (cara a cara + capacitación en retroalimentación) y el Grupo D (cara a cara – capacitación en retroalimentación) participaron en las mismas tareas cara a cara en la sala de clases mientras que solo el Grupo C recibió capacitación en retroalimentación. El periodo de intervención fue de 2 semanas, compuesto de 4 clases de 45 min para cada uno de los grupos. Este análisis involucró (a) comportamientos interaccionales de los estudiantes, es decir, episodios relacionados con el lenguaje, (b) los resultados que reflejaron el desarrollo del lenguaje de los estudiantes fueron obtenidos mediante una evaluación previa a la intervención y otra posterior a la intervención; las evaluaciones se enfocaron en el uso del pasado simple y locativos, finalmente (c) las percepciones de los estudiantes obtenidas mediante un cuestionario de preguntas cerradas y abiertas. Los resultados de este estudio reflejaron 3 hallazgos principales en cuanto a interacción entre pares, retroalimentación, e ICSV. En cuanto a los patrones interacciónales (interacción entre pares), la retroalimentación y la comunicación cara a cara resultaron promover la colaboración, a diferencia de ICSV en la cual los patrones dominantes tuvieron más probabilidades de surgir. Mientras tanto, la capacitación en retroalimentación ayudó al mejoramiento del desarrollo del lenguaje de los estudiantes ya que sus resultados a lo largo de las evaluaciones pre y post presentaron un alza y, en consecuencia, los grupos que interactuaron a través de ICSV superaron a los grupos que interactuaron cara a cara. Tomando en cuenta las percepciones de los estudiantes, ellos expresaron abiertamente ideas positivas en cuanto a las actividades la capacitación en retroalimentación e ICSV. En resumen, diferencias claras fueron encontradas entre los grupos con diferentes intervenciones resultando en distintos patrones de interacción, resultados en el desarrollo del lenguaje, y percepciones de los estudiantes

An application of statistical interference in DEA models: An analysis of public owned university departments' efficiency

This paper uses Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model formulations in order to determine the performance levels of 16 departments of the University of Thessaly. Particularly, the constant returns to scale (CRS) and variable returns to scale (VRS) models have been applied alongside with bootstrap techniques in order to determine accurate performance measurements of the 16 departments. The study illustrates how the recent developments in efficiency analysis and statistical inference can be applied when evaluating institutional performance issues. The paper provides the efficient departments and the target values which need to be adopted from the inefficient departments in order to operate in the most productive scale size (MPSS). Moreover it provides bias corrected estimates alongside with their confidence intervals. The analysis indicates that there are strong inefficiencies among the departments, emphasizing the misallocation of resources or/and inefficient application of departments policy developments.University efficiency; DEA; Bootstrap techniques; Kernel density estimation, Economic research; Europe; University rankings.

Blog-based online journals for English As A Second Language learners

The research on the use of blogs as online journals was carried out with a group of twenty five Form Four students in a secondary school in Kuantan, Pahang. The aim of the research is to find out the effects of blogs as a tool in developing writing in English as A Second Language. The instruments include questionnaire, semi-structured interviews and analysis of the blogs content. The research covered students’ perspectives of blogs as the medium for online journals, the effectiveness of blogs as a tool to assist students’ writing skill and to what extent blogs could help students to enhance their writing skills. From the findings, it is discovered that there is a positive impact on the development of students’ writing throughout the research as gained through the instruments. From the research, the students claimed that blogs is an interesting medium for them to write their journals as compared to writing in their log books. Blogs also could help them developed their writing skill in English Language; and through the various features in blogs, students were able to write more effectively

Theoretical perspectives on mobile language learning diaries and noticing for learners,teachers and researchers

This paper considers the issue of 'noticing' in second language acquisition, and argues for the potential of handheld devices to: (i) support language learners in noticing and recording noticed features 'on the spot', to help them develop their second language system; (ii) help language teachers better understand the specific difficulties of individuals or those from a particular language background; and (iii) facilitate data collection by applied linguistics researchers, which can be fed back into educational applications for language learning. We consider: theoretical perspectives drawn from the second language acquisition literature, relating these to the practice of writing language learning diaries; and the potential for learner modelling to facilitate recording and prompting noticing in mobile assisted language learning contexts. We then offer guidelines for developers of mobile language learning solutions to support the development of language awareness in learners

Negotiation of Meaning in the English as a Foreign Language Classroom Interaction

Studi ini difokuskan pada negosiasi makna di dalam bahasa Inggris sebagai interaksi kelas bahasa asing. Dua pertanyaan penelitiannya adalah: 1) Tipe-tipe transaksi, pertukaran,perpindahan dan tindakan apakah yang terjadi pada negosiasi makna dalam bahasa Inggris sebagai sebuah Interaksi Kelas Bahasa Asing antara dosen dan mahasiswa? 2) Sampai padatingkatan apakah dosen dan mahasiswa memerankan peranan di dalam proses negosiasi makna dalam bahasa Inggris sebagai sebuah Interaksi Kelas Bahasa Asing? Penelitian ini menggunakan metode kualitatif-deskriptif. Subjek studi ini adalah dosen dan mahasiswa semester enam padaProgram Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris pada kelas Metodologi Penelitian. Analisis ini pada dasarnya didasarkan pada analisis wacana kelas yang diajukan oleh Sinclair dan Coultharddengan sistem yang disebut: transaksi, pertukaran, perpindahan, dan tindakan. Hasil dari studiini menunjukkan bahwa (a) tiga tipe transaksi pokok yang terjadi pada wacana kelas EFL adalah; 1) melaporkan transaksi sebanyak 44 kali (45,36%), 2) memunculkan transaksisebanyak 35 kali (35.05 %), dan 3) mengarahkan transaksi sebanyak 19 kali (19.59 %). (b) Tipe-tipe pertukaran yang terjadi pada wacana kelas EFL meliputi 14 jenis pertukaran, yangterjadi sebanyak 128 kali, tetapi yang paling sering terjadi adalah membatasi (boundary), yaitu sebanyak 51 kali (39.84 %) dari keseluruhan kejadian pertukaran, sedangkan memperkuat (reinforce) dan menerima (accept) menempati posisi terendah, yaitu satu kali (0.78 %) dari keseluruhan kejadian pertukaran. (c) Tipe-tipe perpindahan yang terjadi pada wacana kelas EFL di dalam kelas Metode Penelitian adalah: 1) Perpindahan Awal (pembukaan) terjadi sebanyak 36 kali (37.5 %), 2) Perpindahan Respon (memberikan jawaban) terjadi sebanyak 34 kali (35.42 %), dan Perpindahan Umpan-Balik (tindak lanjut) terjadis sebanyak 26 kali (27.08 %).(d) Pada tipe-tipe tindakan yang terjadi pada wacana kelas EFL, terdapat 22 jenis tindakan yang terjadi, sebanyak 1.106 kali, tetapi yang paling sering terjadi adalah yang membenarkan(acknowledge), yaitu sebanyak 238 kali (21.52 %) dari seluruh kejadian tindakan, sementara memeriksa (check) menempati posisi terendah yaitu 3 kali (0.27 %) dari seluruh kejadiantindakan. Peran dosen dan mahasiswa di dalam proses negosiasi makna antara lain: 1) proses ritual yang dilakukan oleh dosen, sebanyak 8 kali (53.33 %), proses ritual yang dilakukan oleh mahasiswa, sebanyak 7 kali (46.67 %); sementara ritual negosiasi yang dilakukan sebanyak 12kali dibagi ke dalam Data I sebanyak 6 kali atau 50 % dan Data II sebanyak 6 kali atau 50 % pula. Diharapkan bahwa hasil dari studi ini akan memberikan informasi kepada para dosenbahsa Inggris di Indonesia sebagai konteks EFL mengenai beberapa strategi yang dapat digunakan untuk mengoptimalkan makna negosiasi antara dosen dan mahasiswa di dalam wacana kelas. Partisipasi mahasiswa di dalam wacana kelas EFL tergantung kepada bagaimana dosen menciptakan situasi, dengan menggunakan metode-metode yang tepat, karakteristik mahasiswa, serta alat-alat instruksi pilihan serta tidak didominasi oleh dosen