Curriculum Guidelines for Undergraduate Programs in Data Science

The Park City Math Institute (PCMI) 2016 Summer Undergraduate Faculty Program met for the purpose of composing guidelines for undergraduate programs in Data Science. The group consisted of 25 undergraduate faculty from a variety of institutions in the U.S., primarily from the disciplines of mathematics, statistics and computer science. These guidelines are meant to provide some structure for institutions planning for or revising a major in Data Science

Language learning and language acquisition in online forums

Innovations in computer technology have made possible new platforms for supporting and building shared knowledge in meaningful and creative ways to enhance language learning and acquisition. Platforms like web forums, webinars, and bulletin boards in most Learner Management Systems (LMS) provide the additional platform for learning but are seldom utilized effectively to promote student interaction in language learning and acquisition. This paper reports on English Language Studies (ELS) students’ voices of how they participated and benefitted in online forums (OLFs) during their language courses. Findings from the focus group interviews with undergraduate students showed that they are more than ready to adopt OLFs as a learning platform in addition to classroom interactions. However, better effort on the part of the instructors is needed for OLFs to be beneficial. The issues that emerged in the utilization of these forums will propose future directions in the implementation of OLFs to enhance learning and acquisition among ESL students

English-language writing instruction in Poland: Adapting to the local EFL context

This paper is intended to foster reflection about the development of a locally-suitable approach to English-language writing instruction in Poland. In order to provide background information to contextualize a subsequent discussion of English-language writing, the paper starts with a brief overview of the history of L2 writing instruction, including an overview of the four most influential approaches to teaching ESL composition in the U.S. from 1945–1990: Controlled Composition, Current-Traditional Rhetoric, the Process Approach, and English for Academic Purposes. This is followed by a discussion of the concept of a „needs analysis,” where it is noted that needs analysis is complex in foreign language contexts such as Poland, where students may not have obvious, immediate needs for writing in English after graduation. The notion of needs analysis is illustrated with an example drawn from the English Institute at the University of Łódź. The needs analysis indicated that some students of English had negative attitudes and/or anxiety towards writing in English, but some had positive attitudes based on previous experiences with creative and expressive writing. Additionally, it was determined that students needed to learn many skills for writing academic papers that they had not learned in secondary school and that require extensive instruction and practice. Based on the needs analysis, it was determined that the purposes of a new writing course for first-year English majors should be to foster and develop positive attitudes toward writing and to support students’ academic work. The assignments and activities for the course are described. Additionally, a description is provided of the possible purposes that Polish students in general might have for writing in English, the goals that instructors might pursue in assigning writing, and the types of writing teachers might assign. Recommendations are provided for responding to student writing

Jesuit response to the communication revolution

This essay will consider both. In order to offer a context, it begins with a review of the impact of the communication revolution on our individual and collective lives. Communication, the process of exchanging information and influence, occurs through interpersonal methods or through the mass media. However, recent technological advances lead me to focus more on mass communication

Teacher educators beliefs on EFL pre-service teachers willingness to communicate in the L2

Tesis (Profesor de Inglés para la Enseñanza Básica y Media y al grado académico de Licenciado en Educación)This qualitative study is set up on the perceptions that four English teachers, from a private university in Santiago, have regarding their beliefs on EFL pre-service teachers’ willingness to communicate. In order to discover their beliefs, semi-structured interviews and observations were carried out. The motivation of this study is to contribute with information regarding willingness to communicate in the Chilean context, especially concerning higher education, also add to the reflection of teachers on their practices inside the classroom. Based on that information, the aims of this study were the following. Firstly, to explore teacher educators’ beliefs about their influence in developing EFL pre-service teachers’ willingness to communicate. Secondly, to investigate teacher educators’ beliefs about the factors that influence EFL pre-service teachers’ willingness to communicate. Thirdly, to understand teacher educators’ beliefs about the practices that can best help EFL pre-service teachers to develop willingness to communicate. Lastly, to explore to what extent the beliefs of teacher educators are reflected in their classroom practices. The main results showed that most of the beliefs that teachers mentioned to hold, matched with what they actually do in their lessons.Este estudio cualitativo se basa en las percepciones que tienen cuatro profesores de inglés de una universidad privada en Santiago con respecto a sus creencias sobre la disposición de los estudiantes de la carrera de Pedagogía en inglés para comunicarse en una segunda lengua. Para descubrir sus creencias, se realizaron entrevistas semiestructuradas y observaciones. La motivación de este estudio es contribuir con información sobre la voluntad de comunicarse en el contexto chileno, especialmente en lo que respecta a la educación superior, además de aumentar la reflexión de los profesores sobre sus prácticas dentro del aula. Con base en esa información, los objetivos de este estudio son los siguientes. Primero, explorar las creencias de los educadores de docentes acerca de su influencia en el desarrollo de la disposición de los futuros profesores de inglés para comunicarse en una segunda lengua. En segundo lugar, investigar las creencias de los educadores de docentes sobre los factores que influyen en la disposición de los futuros profesores de inglés a comunicarse. En tercer lugar, para comprender las creencias de los educadores de docentes sobre las prácticas que pueden ayudar mejor a los futuros profesores de inglés a desarrollar la voluntad de comunicarse. Por último, explorar hasta qué punto las creencias de los educadores de docentes se refleja en sus prácticas en el aula. Los principales resultados arrojan que la mayoría de las creencias que los maestros mencionaron que tienen a lo largo de las entrevistas, coinciden con lo que realmente hacen en sus clases

Designing a scenario-based syllabus for young learners

As we tentatively proceed into this brave new teaching world of the 21st century, much debate is centering on the effective teaching of English to young learners. Key to this discussion has been the role of the young learner syllabus. While this article makes reference to the teaching of English to young learners in an ESL context based on documentation developed within the European Union, the issues raised are by no means particularly specific to this region nor merely to the teaching of the English language. On the contrary, this article aims to show how to use the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (the CEFRL) to effectively design a scenario-based syllabus and complementary materials suitable for young learners, regardless of location. The need for appropriate target setting is stressed, and the case is put forward for a scenario-based syllabus. The underlying rationale is that a second language syllabus must reflect the world of the young learner and facilitate the acquisition of language in the classroom

Expectations eclipsed in foreign language education: learners and educators on an ongoing journey / edited by Hülya Görür-Atabaş, Sharon Turner.

Between June 2-4, 2011 Sabancı University School of Languages welcomed colleagues from 21 different countries to a collaborative exploration of the challenging and inspiring journey of learners and educators in the field of language education.\ud \ud The conference provided an opportunity for all stakeholders to share their views on language education. Colleagues met with world-renowned experts and authors in the fields of education and psychology, faculty and administrators from various universities and institutions, teachers from secondary educational backgrounds and higher education, as well as learners whose voices are often not directly shared but usually reported.\ud \ud The conference name, Eclipsing Expectations, was inspired by two natural phenomena, a solar eclipse directly before the conference, and a lunar eclipse, immediately after. Learners and educators were hereby invited to join a journey to observe, learn and exchange ideas in orde