Non-Perturbative Renormalization and the Fermilab Action

We discuss the application of the regularization independent (RI) scheme of Rome/Southampton to determine the normalization of heavy quark operators non-perturbatively using the Fermilab action.Comment: Lattice2003(improve), 3 pages, 2 figure

Semileptonic Form Factors

I report the current status of the heavy-light decay constants, the bag parameters and the semileptonic form factors. I compare the heavy-light decay constants with Wilson-Wilson and clover-clover fermions. Systematic errors such as scale setting and renormalization factors are also discussed. 1/M dependences for the heavy-light semileptonic form factors near $q^2 = q^2_max$ with clover-clover and NRQCD-Wilson fermions are found to be small.Comment: 12 pgs. 15 figures. Talk presented at LATTICE9

English Language Hegemonies in the Internationalization of Two State Universities in Brazil: Unintended Consequences of English Medium Instruction

A larger qualitative study, which we draw upon here, investigated the perceptions of academics and students, in two state funded universities, regarding internationalization and the use of English as a medium of instruction (EMI). In this article, we focus on their concerns about EMI policy, drawing on interviews and focus groups. The range of concerns that were identified during this study were: the negative impact on content learning, language hierarchization, the emotional impact (confidence in using English), low student enrolment, exclusion, (re) production of inequality, impact on identity and collegiality. Taking account of these findings, we argue that it is important for language policymakers in both institutions to consider the concerns of academics and students as part of their planning process, and to address them responsibly

Representações sobre o programa “Paraná Fala Idiomas – Inglês” sob as lentes do Ciclo de Política e da Análise do Discurso Crítica

In this article we analyze a network of texts related to the Parana Speaks Languages program - English, characterized as a state language policy. The study aims  at identifying the representations on the program and on the English language, based on the policy cycle analysis (BALL, 1994, 2006; MAINARDES, 2006). It is an interpretive, qualitative research, with data comprising official texts produced by the funding agency and responses to a questionnaire administered to teachers and students and analyzed through Critical Discourse Analysis tools (FAIRCLOUGH, 2003). The results demonstrate that both in the context of text production and the context of practice the representations are aligned with the hegemonic discourse that the English language is essential. They also reinforce ideologies of English as a commodity with instrumental and symbolic value. In relation to the program objectives, differences between program representations by the research participants and the funding agency discourse suggest non-alignment.Neste artigo analisamos uma rede de textos relacionados ao Programa Paraná Fala Idiomas - Inglês, concebido como uma política linguística no âmbito estadual, buscando identificar as representações do programa em si e da língua inglesa, com base no  referencial de análise do ciclo de políticas (BALL, 1994, 2006; MAINARDES, 2006) Trata-se de pesquisa de abordagem qualitativa-interpretativista, com dados compostos por textos oficiais da agência financiadora e respostas a questionário aplicado a instrutores e alunos participantes, analisados sob as lentes da Análise do Discurso Crítica (FAIRCLOUGH, 2003). Os resultados demonstram que tanto os contextos de produção de texto quanto o contexto de prática indicam alinhamento ao discurso hegemônico de que o conhecimento da língua inglesa é indispensável. Reforçam, ainda, ideologias do inglês como commodity, como bem de consumo com caráter estritamente instrumental e simbólico. No contexto da prática, as representações oscilam entre representações que ora valorizam o falante nativo, ora o falante não-nativo. Em relação às representações sobre os objetivos do programa, as diferentes percepções sobre o PFI sugerem não haver alinhamento das representações dos participantes àquelas promovidas pela agência financiadora do programa

Mixing of B mesons and Decay Constants with the Non-Perturbatively Improved Action

Several quantities relevant to phenomenological studies of the mixing of neutral B mesons are computed on the lattice. Our main results are: f_{Bd} sqrt(B_{Bd})=206(28)(7) MeV, f_{Bs} sqrt(B_{Bs})/f_{Bd}sqrt(B_{Bd})=1.16(7). We also obtain the related quantities f_{Bs}sqrt(B{Bs})=237(18)(8) MeV, f_{Bd}= 174(22)(+7-0)(-4-0) MeV, f_{Bs}= 204(15)(+7-0)(+3-0) MeV, f_{Bs}/f_{Bd}=1.17(4)(+0-1), f_{Bd}/f_{Ds}=0.74(5). After combining our results with the experimental world average (Delta m_d), we predict (Delta m_s)=15.8(2.1)(3.3) ps^{-1}. We have also computed the relevant parameters for mixing of neutral D mesons which may be useful in some extensions of the Standard Model. All the quantities were obtained from a quenched simulation with a non-perturbatively improved Clover action at beta=6.2, corresponding to a lattice spacing 1/a=2.7(1) GeV, on a sample of 200 gauge-field configurations. A discussion of the main systematic errors is also presented.Comment: 21 pages (LaTeX2e), 5 PostScript figure

Phenomenology from lattice QCD

After a short presentation of lattice QCD and some of its current practical limitations, I review recent progress in applications to phenomenology. Emphasis is placed on heavy-quark masses and on hadronic weak matrix elements relevant for constraining the CKM unitarity triangle. The main numerical results are highlighted in boxes.Comment: 18 pages, 14 postscript figures. Plenary talk at ICHEP 2002, 24-31 July 2002, Amsterdam, The Netherland

Charm Quark Mass

We report on the result for the charm quark mass as obtained from our lattice QCD computation in the quenched approximation. Our result in the MSbar scheme is m_c(m_c)=1.26(4)(12) GeV.Comment: 12 pages, 1 PostScript figure (version to appear in Phys.Lett.B

TEACHERS LEARNING ABOUT ENGLISH AS A LINGUA FRANCA ON FACEBOOK: INSIGHTS FROM A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE

Communities of practice is a concept widely adopted by teacher educators affiliated with a practice-based education and situated learning. It provides a lens to examine how experienced and novice teachers engage in collaborative problem-solving and learn from each other in emergent interactions. Both face-to-face and virtual communities of professionals provide room for learning opportunities, with dynamic trajectories from more peripheral to more central forms of participation. According to this theoretical framework (LAVE; WENGER, 1991; WENGER, 1998; WENGER et al., 2002, 2011), teachers learn from engagement with others and build their understandings upon interactions focused on the practice of the community. ELF is a concept that is not yet reified among English language teachers in Brazil but is beginning to catch the attention of a wider group of professionals, since English is now compulsory in basic education and the national curriculum defines English as a lingua franca. In this paper we analyze interactions in a Facebook community of teachers (BrELT Brazil´s English Language Teachers) who, over a period of two months, discussed the meanings of ELF and how it was/could be contextualized in their classrooms. We looked into the various ways in which the sharing of information and experiences were displayed and the strategic resources employed to advance their learning on this theme. The BrELT group reconstructed their knowledge on ELF, interacting in democratic ways and showing how they care about their domain. Also, the group revealed to be a potential learning site, as they engaged in the activity and negotiated new meanings. Finally, the BrELT community illustrates how social media can play an important role in teacher development, as it can bring together professionals with different levels of expertise who are willing to share their experience

An unquenched lattice QCD calculation of the mass of the bottom quark

We compute the b quark mass from dynamical lattice QCD with clover quarks. The calculation is done at a fixed lattice spacing with sea quark masses as low as half the strange quark mass. Our final result is m_b(m_b} = 4.25(2)(11) GeV, where the first error is statistical and the last error is the systematic uncertainty.Comment: 10 page

Idealizing solutions for English teaching in troublesome circumstances: An experience in an initial teacher education course

The teaching of English under troublesomecircumstances and the need to introduce technological literacy to prospective teachers were the main reasons for the development of ashort term course on a virtual platform as part of the initial education of English language teachers. This paper brings an analysis of one specific activity proposed by the course, entitled “Teaching English under troublesome circumstances”, which was offered as part of a university undergraduate degree. The task under analysis was one in which images about the public school, its students and teachers were elicited through the construction of a film synopsis. Those images revealed stereotypical views of public schools, with teachers and students either as heroes or victims due to their individual traits. We conclude that this kind of proposal needs to be supported by careful planning that allows feedback of the activities in a way that encourages critical reflection on the students’ production, especially when these activities involve pictured worlds that still carry strong links with a negative scenario in which no way out is envisaged.Key words: English language teaching, Public schools, critical reflection.</p