Realizing internationalization at home through English-medium courses at a Japanese University: Strategies to maximize student learning

In 2009, the Japanese government launched the Global 30 (G30) Project, a new initiative to internationalize universities. Selected universities had to create English-medium degree programs at undergraduate level in order to stimulate “internationalization at home.” The G30 Project represented a major shift in the focus of internationalization efforts from quantitative to qualitative outcomes. Using a case study approach, this paper investigates one G30 program and the attempts made to open up English-medium course offerings to the wider student body. It explores two related issues: level setting and student attrition. A mixed methods approach was used with data gathered from students and course instructors. Sanford’s (1966/2009) “support and challenge” conceptual framework, as adapted by J. M. Bennett (1993), and Vygotsky’s (1978) “zone of proximal development and scaffolding” were employed. Results showed that to maximize learning it was important to have strategies to maintain a high level of course content while also providing targeted support to students at appropriate times. Effective strategies for reducing course attrition were identified.DOI: 10.18870/hlrc.v5i1.23

チョウジカン ジキュウセイ ウンドウ パフォーマンス ニ タウリン トウヨ ガ オヨボス エイキョウ

筑波大学博士 (体育科学) 学位論文・平成23年5月31日授与 (乙第2547号)筑波大学（University of Tsukuba）201

Acute effects of beta-blocker with intrinsic sympathomimetic activity on stress-induced cardiac dysfunction in rats

AbstractBackgroundWe have reported that α and β adrenergic blockers could protect against emotional stress-induced cardiac dysfunction but those protective effects of β adrenergic blockers with intrinsic sympathomimetic activity (ISA), such as celiprolol, are unknown. The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether ISA could relate with this protective effect.Methods and resultsRats medicated with celiprolol (8mg/kg), metoprolol (4mg/kg), or vehicle, were restrained for 30min (immobilization stress: IMO) to reproduce emotional stress, and anesthetized to release stress. We measured the fractional area change (FAC) using an echocardiography (SONOS5500) with s12 probe (frequency: 5–12MHz, frame rate: 120Hz) at the end of IMO and every 10min for 1h. During IMO, FAC in rats with a premedication of metoprolol was lower than in those with a premedication of vehicle or celiprolol. At 20min after IMO, FAC in rats with a premedication of celiprolol was significantly higher than that with a premedication of metoprolol or vehicle (84±9% vs. 65±3% or 60±7%, p<0.05). At 60min after IMO, FAC in rats with a premedication of vehicle or celiprolol recovered, but FAC in rats with a premedication of metoprolol did not.ConclusionAcute premedication with celiprolol could prevent a sudden drop of cardiac function after acute stress such as IMO. ISA might have an important role in preventing stress-induced cardiac dysfunction

Analysis of Superconducting Microstructures: Critical Temperature of Two-Dimensional Structures

Critical temperatures of two-dimensional microstructures with superconducting proximity effect in the dirty limit are evaluated for various geometrical constructions. As a numerical method, the finite element method is applied. Guidelines in estimating critical temperatures are given for the case where the decay of superconducting order parameter is either sufficiently slow or fast in comparison with the scale length of the structure

Rainfall-induced Soil Erosion and Sediment Sizes of a Residual Soil under 1D and 2D Rainfall Experiments

AbstractRaindrop impact and surface flow trigger the downstream movement of soil particles by the processes of rainfall-induced soil erosion. A set of laboratory simulated rainfall experiments was carried out to study soil loss and size characteristics of discharged sediments of a soil under a rainfall intensity of 70mm/h, controlled initial soil suctions and moistures. The rainfall simulation was instrumented with tensiometers and moisture sensors. A new device capable of deriving impact force, velocity, and kinetic energy of a falling waterdrop was developed. Sediment sizes in runoff were characterized by a laser particle size analyzer in order to correlate with the properties of rainfall. 1D simulated rainfall experiments were also employed to study soil detachment and soil susceptibility to rainfall under both saturated and unsaturated soil conditions. The processes of soil erosion and outflow size characteristics of sediments relating to effect of suction were discussed. The proposed set of experiments will be a viable tool for measuring soil loss, sediment runoff, and sediment sizes discharged from a farmland pertaining to properties of rain, soil and flow