6,969 research outputs found
Broughton Archipelago Clam Terrace Survey : final report
During a 1995 aerial video survey of the coastline
of Johnstone Strait, an unusual shoreline feature
was noted and termed “clam terraces” (inset)
because of the terrace-type morphology and the
apparent association with high clam productivity
on the sandflats. Typical alongshore lengths of the
terrace ridges are 20-50m, and across-shore widths
are typically 20-40m.
An area with an especially high density of clam
terraces was noted in the Broughton Archipelago,
between Broughton and Gilford Islands of
southeastern Queen Charlotte Strait. Clam terraces
in this area were inventoried from the aerial video
imagery to quantify their distribution. The terraces accounted for over 14 km of shoreline and
365 clam terraces were documented.
A three-day field survey by a coastal geomorphologist, archeologist and marine biologist was
conducted to document the features and determine their origin. Nine clam terraces were
surveyed. The field observations confirmed that: the ridges are comprised of boulder/cobblesized
material, ridge crests are typically in the range of 1-1.5m above chart datum, sandflats are
comprised almost entirely of shell fragments (barnacles and clams) and sandflats have very high
shellfish production. There are an abundance of shell middens in the area (over 175) suggesting
that the shellfish associated with the terraces were an important food source of aboriginal
peoples.
The origin of the ridges is unknown; they appear to be a relict feature in that they are not actively
being modified by present-day processes. The ridges may be a relict sea-ice feature, although the
mechanics of ridge formation is uncertain. Sand accumulates behind the ridge because the supply
rate of the shell fragments exceeds the dispersal rate in these low energy environments.
The high density areas of clam terraces correspond to high density areas of shell middens, and it
is probable that the clam terraces were subjected to some degree of modification by aboriginal
shellfish gatherers over the thousands of years of occupation in the region. (Document contains 39 pages
Using Byram’s Savoirs to Ensure the Incorporation of Intercultural Communicative Competence into Language Teaching
Although the term “intercultural communicative competence” (ICC) is often used in academic literature, studies indicate that the ICC element is often not included in the actual teaching practices of tertiary institutions. Due to the lack of ICC instruction across the curriculum, foreign language (FL) courses seem to stand out as logical sites for instruction in ICC. FL instructors, however, are not necessarily trained in matters of ICC, and the standard default method of acquiring ICC outside the language class (i.e., study abroad) is clearly not available to all students. In a global society, ICC is relevant for all students. This paper uses Byram’s 1997 savoirs (i.e., competences desirable of the “intercultural speaker”) as a starting point to provide evidence of tried and tested FL teaching practices that reveal ways in which ICC instruction may be incorporated into FL courses even in academic environments in which direct intercultural contact is unlikely. While recognizing the obstacles of teaching ICC in such environments, the study reveals that the inclusion of ICC is not only possible but necessary in them
Enhancing Willingness to Communicate through Team Building: A Marriage of Theory and Practice
Closely related to the well-researched areas of motivation and language-learning anxiety is the area of willingness to communicate (i.e., WTC). Many researchers (e.g., Clément, Dörnyei, & Noels, 1998; Liu & Jackson, 2008; MacIntyre & Doucette, 2009) have conducted studies concerning the factors surrounding learners’ willingness or unwillingness to communicate in a second language. The emphasis of such research has been on causes and not on solutions. This paper, through a study of the existing literature, examines the causes of a lack of WTC. It then argues that some well-known techniques and methodologies, by promoting team building, are well suited to enhance WTC. The paper concludes that the traditional warmup activity, the case-study method, cooperative learning techniques, and task-based learning techniques, when implemented with team building in mind, may aid in increasing WTC
College Students\u27 Perceptions of Cell Phone Use in Class
Since the turn of the century, cell phones have increasingly become prevalent within modern society. The widespread use of these mobile devices has proliferated in academic settings in recent years. Ownership of cell phones among college students has soared during the same period. This dissertation joins a growing conversation in education research about the challenges that cell phone use in the classroom has caused. I explored what college students’ experiences are with text messaging during class and how they perceive policies for cell phone use for the classroom. This research study was guided by six research questions: (1) What are college students’ general experiences with text messaging? (2) What are college students’ observations of cell phone use by others? (3) What are college students’ practices of cell phone use in the classroom? (4) What are college students’ experiences with issues related to cell phone use in the classroom? (5) What are college students’ perceptions about cell phone policies for class? (6) Do college students’ perceptions of appropriate cell phone policies for class vary by select demographic variables (age, gender, ethnicity, class standing, and community college experience)? A quantitative cross-sectional research design was utilized to describe college students’ perceptions of cell phone use during class and to identify what the perceptions of appropriate cell phone policies for class are among certain demographics of students. A web-based survey consisting of 28 questions was sent 264 undergraduate and graduate Political Science students with 43 (16%) responding. Descriptive statistics and Pearson’s chi-squared statistical test was used to analyze the data. The findings from this research revealed that perceptions of appropriate cell phone policies for class differ among certain demographic variables. Additionally, students think that they should be allowed to use their cell phones during class but agree that policies to govern the use of cell phone during class are needed
Supplementing Coursebooks--How, Why, and to What Effect: A Case Study
This article reports on a case study of one instructor’s use of supplementary materials in an English as a Foreign Language course in China. Starting with the notion that no coursebook can be perfect and that supplementary materials therefore should form part of an English course, the study employed qualitative research methods to analyze the types of supplements used, the instructor’s rationale behind his use of the supplements, and the students’ interpretations of the supplements. Class observations, semi-structured interviews with the teacher, and focus-group discussions with students allowed for the triangulation of data. Findings indicated that the instructor provided a variety of types of supplementary materials in order to cater to different learner needs (specifically, affective needs, language-learning needs, course-content needs). While findings also indicated that learners generally appreciated the instructor’s use of supplementary materials, significant mismatches between instructor goals and learner interpretations suggested that the purpose of the supplements was not always clearly defined. The article addresses these mismatches and provides suggestions for their future avoidance
- …