大学生の言語学習に関する認識的信念 : コレスポンデンス分析による探索的研究

The aim of this study was to gain more knowledge about college students\u27 beliefs about english learning. With an aid of correspondence analysis that helps us to comprehend visually underlying relationships among categorical variables, this study particularly focused on exploring patterns in english learning beliefs and its relations to english proficiency. Fifty-eight first-year college students, who enrolled in an introductory english course, completed a questionnaire regarding beliefs about english learning. As a result of correspondence analysis, four clusters of english learning beliefs emerged. The first cluster consisted of three beliefs, "persistence," "interests in foreign cultures" and "goals." Such beliefs as "experiences of studying abroad" and "current conditions of learning english" formed the second cluster. The third cluster included two beliefs of "starting age of learning english" and "memory." "Quality of teachers," "past conditions of learning english" and "good sense of language" were the three beliefs constituting the last cluster. Furthermore, the group of students with high english proficiency was close in space to the first and second clusters where internal factors of learners and positive attitudes toward learning seemed to be emphasized. The group of students with low english proficiency was closely located to the third and fourth clusters in which external, uncontrollable factors in learning english appeared to be stressed. These results indicated that learning beliefs possessed by high english proficiency students were different from those possessed by low english proficiency students. Although the nature of correspondence analysis did not allow the author to draw any conclusion regarding the causal effect of these beliefs on english proficiency, this study showed a possibility that a type of learning beliefs promoting english proficiency might exist

大学生の「知」の意識 : グループ面接による探索的研究

本研究の目的は大学生の認識論的信念を明らかにし、それらの学習への影響を探るとともに、特定の信念と社会・文化的な環境との関連性を検討することである。先行研究から知見が限られているため、探索的研究法を採用し47名の大学生および大学院生を対象にグループ面接を実施した。テーマ分析の結果、4つの認識論的信念が見出された：（a）知の相対性と絶対性－知識は相対的な特徴をもつか、絶対的な特徴をもつか、（b）情報の取捨選択の基準－情報収集に際し合理的・論理的思考をどの程度重視するか、（c）教師の役割－指導力と人間的な関わり合いを教師にどの程度期待するか、（d）暗記と学習－学習において暗記は重要か。米国での調査結果とほぼ一致する信念が見出された一方で、知を相対的にみる信念のように日本の社会・文化的環境と関連性が高い信念の存在が明らかになった。また一部の参加者は教師との間に認識論の食い違いを感じ、それらは学習における戸惑いに繋がっていることが示された。これらの結果が示唆することは、教育者が（a）自身のもつ信念の確認を通して認識論的信念に関して意識を高め、（b）学生が身につけるべき認識論的信念について、学問分野の特性だけでなく社会・文化的な視点も考慮に入れた検討を行うことである。The purpose of this study was to explore epistemological beliefs among Japanese college students. We conducted focus group interviews with 43 undergraduate and 4 graduate students who majored in either social sciences or humanities. With aid of thematic analysis for data reduction, we identified four epistemological beliefs: (a) relativistic view of knowledge, (b) criteria for information gathering, (c) role of teacher for knowledge acquisition, and (d) role of memorization in learning. The results indicated that Japanese students had various beliefs about the nature of knowledge and knowing and some beliefs were closely related to Japanese societal and cultural values. Based upon identified features of these epistemological beliefs, educational implications were discussed

Fundamental physics activities with pulsed neutron at J-PARC(BL05)

"Neutron Optics and Physics (NOP/ BL05)" at MLF in J-PARC is a beamline for studies of fundamental physics. The beamline is divided into three branches so that different experiments can be performed in parallel. These beam branches are being used to develop a variety of new projects. We are developing an experimental project to measure the neutron lifetime with total uncertainty of 1 s (0.1%). The neutron lifetime is an important parameter in elementary particle and astrophysics. Thus far, the neutron lifetime has been measured by several groups; however, different values are obtained from different measurement methods. This experiment is using a method with different sources of systematic uncertainty than measurements conducted to date. We are also developing a source of pulsed ultra-cold neutrons (UCNs) produced from a Doppler shifter are available at the unpolarized beam branch. We are developing a time focusing device for UCNs, a so called "rebuncher", which can increase UCN density from a pulsed UCN source. At the low divergence beam branch, an experiment to search an unknown intermediate force with nanometer range is performed by measuring the angular dependence of neutron scattering by noble gases. Finally the beamline is also used for the research and development of optical elements and detectors. For example, a position sensitive neutron detector that uses emulsion to achieve sub-micrometer resolution is currently under development. We have succeeded in detecting cold and ultra-cold neutrons using the emulsion detector.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, Proceedings of International Conference on Neutron Optics (NOP2017

Ethnic differences in choices of health information by cancer patients using complementary and alternative medicine: an exploratory study with correspondence analysis

This study examined patterns in the use of health information among Caucasian, Japanese, and non-Japanese Asian Pacific Islander cancer patients in Hawaii and explored the relation of ethnicity and educational level to choices of health information sources. Information from 140 cancer patients, most of whom were users of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), was analyzed using correspondence analysis. Three clusters of health information pertinent to the three ethnic groups emerged from the data. The results of this study revealed that Caucasian patients preferred objective, scientific, and updated information obtained through medical journals or newsletters from research institutions, telephone information services, and the internet. Japanese patients relied on media and commercial sources including television, newspapers, books, magazines and CAM providers. Non-Japanese Asians and Pacific Islanders used information sources involving person-to-person communication with their physicians, social groups, and other cancer patients. A higher educational level was closely related to a cluster of health information stressing objective, scientific and updated information, while a lower educational level was associated with interpersonally communicated information. The three ethnicity-specific patterns of health information use remained relatively stable at different educational levels, implying that the effect of patients' ethnicity overrides their educational level in shaping their choices of health information. The results of this study indicate the importance of recognizing cancer patients' culturally developed world views when understanding their health information-seeking behavior. For medical practice, these findings indicate the need for healthcare providers to assist cancer patients to obtain accurate health information in a culturally sensitive way.Cancer Health information Ethnicity Complementary medicine Japanese-Americans Asians Pacific Islanders