70 research outputs found

    Does experience matter? A comparative study of efl teachers’ challenges

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    Even-though teaching experience has been identified as one of the main variables affecting student academic gains, teacher cognition, and practices, research focusing on the influence of experience on language teacher challenges is still rare. Hence, the study aims to analyse comparatively the challenges encountered by EFL teachers with varying lengths of teaching experience. Quantitative data were collected utilising a questionnaire involving 208 language teachers. The respondents self-reported being especially challenged by teaching speaking, learner motivation, teaching writing and listening, learner engagement, differentiating instruction, and providing effective learning. The overall challenge rate was moderate. Notably, a statistically significant difference in the perceptions of challenges was established between groups of teachers with varying lengths of teaching experience. As expected, novice teachers reported being more challenged than their most experienced counterparts. Contrary to popular belief, challenge estimates of a group of experienced teachers (10-15 years) were higher than that of less experienced teachers (1-5 years). The principal implication of the current study is that experienced language teachers also need assistance in dealing with professional challenges arising from the complexities of language teaching. To serve well, teacher development courses should be sensitive to language teacher needs and challenges, aligned with transformations they undergo as they move along the career stages

    Модернизация механизма реформирования системы социальных услуг в Украине

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    У статті розглядається механізм реформування системи соціальних послуг в умовах децентралізації влади в Україні. Обгрунтовано, що впровадження нової моделі системи соціальних послуг в Україні неможливе без реформування різних сфер господарської системи країни та реалізації наявного управлінського потенціалу сучасної системи менеджменту на всіх рівнях управління. Наведено модель механізму реформування системи соціальних послуг, яка містить комплекс інструментів та методів реалізації реформи соціальної сфери. Показано, що основною метою впровадження такого механізму має виступати забезпечення стійкого розвитку соціальної сфери та системи надання соціальних послуг шляхом посилення її спроможності до адаптації до стабільно мінливих економічних, геополітичних, правових умов у межах моделі, що задовольняє потреби та відповідає очікуванням громади щодо якості та обсягу соціальних послуг.The article considers the mechanism of social services reforming in terms of decentralization of power in Ukraine.It is proved that the introduction of a new model of social services in Ukraine is impossible without reforming of different sectors of the economic system of the country and the implementation of existing managerial capacity of modern management systems at all levels of government. The model of the social services mechanism reforming, which comprises the complex of instruments and methods of social reforms implementing, is given.It is shown that the main purpose of such a mechanism introducing should act a maintenance of steady development of social sphere and social services system by strengthening its ability to adapt to constantly changing economic, geopolitical, legal terms within the model that meets the needs and the expectations of the community regarding the quality and scope of social services.The author believes that presented mechanism should ensure implementation of principles of management and coordination of social services in Ukraine by strengthening the accountability of management (providers, representatives of authorities, responsible for ensuring the people’s rights to receive social services), ensuring consistency reform processes, coordination of actions of these processes, and the flexibility of the whole system.Given the nature of social sphere and system for providing social services, the author argues that the new role of the state and its competent authorities for the management of this area is to promote the formation of effective models and effective mechanisms to guarantee social rights and freedoms of citizens of Ukraine at their place of residence and direct social services that are not at variance with the economic interests of the state and the players of these services market.At the same time, the role of local authorities is manifested in the performance of the provider function – conductor, mediator – of social services to the recipient who will receive it – a citizen of Ukraine who has the right to appropriate service receiving. The provider should ensure the effectiveness of the mechanism of social services on the territory entrusted to him, to ensure high quality of these services in accordance with the legal framework that regulates relations in this field.Such presentation of the role of local authorities (regional administrations, district administrations, local administrations) as providers, intermediaries in the model of social services provision, is determined by emphasis on innovation development of management activities in a decentralized governance model that, according to the best achievements of European and international experience in this field, is a prerequisite for the implementation of positive transformations and reforms in social sphere.Accordingly, the coordination of interests plays a key role into the ensuring the success of the institutional stability of the social sector and social services system. Since this area is essentially multifactorial system of social relationships between the forms and types of institutions’ activities, it is a priori can’t be denied the contradictions that arise inevitably and will arise in a progress within it because of various kinds of interests.В статье рассматривается механизм реформирования системы социальных услуг в условиях децентрализации власти в Украине. Обосновано, что внедрение новой модели системы социальных услуг в Украине невозможно без реформирования различных сфер хозяйственной системы страны и реализации имеющегося управленческого потенциала современной системы менеджмента на всех уровнях управления. Приведена модель механизма реформирования системы социальных услуг, которая содержит комплекс инструментов и методов реализации реформы социальной сферы. Показано, что основной целью внедрения такого механизма должно выступать обеспечение устойчивого развития социальной сферы и системы предоставления социальных услуг путем усиления ее способности к адаптации к стабильно меняющимся экономическии, геополитическии, правовыи условиям в рамках модели, удовлетворяющей потребности и соответствует ожиданиям общества в отношении качества и объема социальных услуг

    Fast oxygen dynamics as a potential biomarker for epilepsy

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    Canadian Institutes of Health Research (GCT: MOP#130495, JGH: MOP#125984).Peer ReviewedChanges in brain activity can entrain cerebrovascular dynamics, though this has not been extensively investigated in pathophysiology. We assessed whether pathological network activation (i.e. seizures) in the Genetic Absence Epilepsy Rat from Strasbourg (GAERS) could alter dynamic fluctuations in local oxygenation. Spontaneous absence seizures in an epileptic rat model robustly resulted in brief dips in cortical oxygenation and increased spectral oxygen power at frequencies greater than 0.08 Hz. Filtering oxygen data for these fast dynamics was sufficient to distinguish epileptic vs. non-epileptic rats. Furthermore, this approach distinguished brain regions with seizures from seizure-free brain regions in the epileptic rat strain. We suggest that fast oxygen dynamics may be a useful biomarker for seizure network identification and could be translated to commonly used clinical tools that measure cerebral hemodynamics
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