Teacher students’ narratives about their language identities and future as language-aware teachers

Abstract. This study examined teacher students’ narratives about their language identities and future as language-aware teachers. The importance of the topic arises both from the current educational discussion around the topic, and the lack of research examining the connection between language identity and language awareness. In the theoretical framework, identity was explored through its flexible and multidimensional nature, as well as its connection to language and language learning. The complexity of multilingual identity and the importance of supporting multilingual identity in a classroom setting were discussed. Language awareness was studied from the societal perspective, and linguistic and critical approaches to the concept were introduced. The linguistic approach was found to comprise metalinguistic and cross-linguistic awareness, while the critical approach emphasized appreciation of multilingualism in the society. Language-aware practices connected to these approaches were examined. A narrative approach was used to conduct the study. Three narratives were collected in the form of theme interviews and the data was analyzed through thematic narrative analysis. The themes found from the data were divided under three main categories: personal themes, social themes, and themes related to the participants’ future role as language-aware teachers. The study revealed that language identity was a sensitive issue for the participants and that they saw language awareness essential in supporting students’ language identities. The study emphasized that by supporting students’ language identities and through language-aware practices, equality, learning and the holistic development of students are enhanced.Tiivistelmä. Tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli tarkastella opettajaopiskelijoiden kertomuksia heidän kieli-identiteeteistään sekä tulevaisuudestaan kielitietoisina opettajina. Aiheen tärkeys nousee esiin ajankohtaisesta kasvatustieteellisestä keskustelusta aiheen ympärillä, sekä vähäisestä tutkimuksesta kieli-identiteetin ja kielitietoisuuden yhteydestä. Teoreettisessa viitekehyksessä tutkittiin identiteetin joustavaa ja moniulotteista luonnetta, sekä sen yhteyttä kieleen ja kielen oppimiseen. Lisäksi tarkasteltiin monikielisen identiteetin kompleksisuutta ja sen tukemisen tärkeyttä koulukontekstissa. Kielitietoisuutta tutkittiin yhteiskunnallisesta sekä kielellisestä ja kriittisestä näkökulmasta. Kielellisen näkökulman todettiin viittaavan metakielelliseen tietoisuuteen sekä tietoisuuteen kielten välisistä suhteista. Kriittisen näkökulman nähtiin painottavan monikielisyyden arvostamista yhteiskunnassa. Lisäksi tutkimuksessa tarkasteltiin kielitietoisiin käytänteisiin liittyviä näkökulmia. Tutkimus toteutettiin soveltamalla narratiivista lähestymistapaa. Aineisto koostui kolmesta narratiivisesta teemahaastattelusta, ja sen analyysissä sovellettiin temaattisen narratiivisen analyysin periaatteita. Aineistosta löytyneet teemat jaettiin kolmen pääkategorian alle: yksilöllisiin teemoihin, sosiaalisiin teemoihin sekä teemoihin liittyen osallistujien tulevaisuuteen kielitietoisina opettajina. Tutkimus osoitti, että kieli-identiteetti oli sensitiivinen aihe osallistujille, ja he näkivät kielitietoisuuden välttämättömänä osana oppilaiden kieli-identiteetin tukemista. Tutkimus painottaa oppilaiden kieli-identiteetin tukemisen tärkeyttä sekä kielitietoisten käytänteiden merkitystä oppilaiden oppimisen ja kokonaisvaltaisen kehityksen sekä tasa-arvon edistämisessä

The role of social networks in students’ learning experiences

The aim of this research is to investigate the role of social networks in computer science education. The Internet shows great potential for enhancing collaboration between people and the role of social software has become increasingly relevant in recent years. This research focuses on analyzing the role that social networks play in students’ learning experiences. The construction of students’ social networks, the evolution of these networks, and their effects on the students’ learning experience in a university environment are examined

Activity theory, complexity and sports coaching: An epistemology for a discipline

The aim of this article is two-fold. Firstly, it is to advance the case for Activity Theory (AT) as a credible and alternative lens to view and research sports coaching. Secondly, it is to position this assertion within the wider debate about the epistemology of coaching. Following a framing introduction, a more comprehensive review of the development and current conceptualisation of AT is given. Here, AT’s evolution through three distinct phases and related theorists, namely Vygotsky, Leont’ev and Engeström, is initially traced. This gives way to a more detailed explanation of AT’s principal conceptual components, including ‘object’, ‘subject’, ‘tools’ (mediating artefacts), ‘rules’, a ‘community’ and a ‘division of labour’. An example is then presented from empirical work illustrating how AT can be used as a means to research sports coaching. The penultimate section locates such thinking within coaching’s current ‘epistemological debate; arguing that the coaching ‘self’ is not an autonomous individual, but a relative part of social and cultural arrangements. Finally, a conclusion summarises the main points made, particularly in terms in presenting the grounding constructivist epistemology of AT as a potential way forward for sports coaching

Game-Play Breakdowns and Breakthroughs: Exploring the Relationship Between Action, Understanding, and Involvement

Game developers have to ensure their games are appealing to, and playable by, a range of people. However, although there has been interest in the game-play experience, we know little about how learning relates to player involvement. This is despite challenge being an integral part of game-play, providing players with potential opportunities to learn. This article reports on a multiple case-study approach that explored how learning and involvement come together in practice. Participants consisted of a mix of gamers and casual players. Data included interviews, multiple observations of game-play, postplay cued interviews, and diary entries. A set of theoretical claims representing suggested relationships between involvement and learning were developed on the basis of previous literature; these were then assessed through a critical examination of the data set. The resulting theory is presented as 14 refined claims that relate to micro and macro involvement; breakdowns and breakthroughs in action, understanding, and involvement; progress; and agency, meaning and compelling game-play. The claims emphasize how players experience learning via breakthroughs in understanding, where involvement is increased when the player feels responsible for progress. Supporting the relationship between learning and involvement is important for ensuring the success of commercial and educational games

A review on development and application of plant-based bioflocculants and grafted bioflocculants

Flocculation is extensively employed for clarification through sedimentation. Application of eco-friendly plant-based bioflocculants in wastewater treatment has attracted significant attention lately with high removal capability in terms of solids, turbidity, color, and dye. However, moderate flocculating property and short shelf life restrict their development. To enhance the flocculating ability, natural polysaccharides derived from plants are chemically modified by inclusion of synthetic, nonbiodegradable monomers (e.g., acrylamide) onto their backbone to produce grafted bioflocculants. This review is aimed to provide an overview of the development and flocculating efficiencies of plant-based bioflocculants and grafted bioflocculants for the first time. Furthermore, the processing methods, flocculation mechanism, and the current challenges are discussed. All the reported studies about plant-derived bioflocculants are conducted under lab-scale conditions in wastewater treatment. Hence, the possibility to apply natural bioflocculants in food and beverage, mineral, paper and pulp, and oleo-chemical and biodiesel industries is discussed and evaluated

“We come together as one…and hope for solidarity to live on”: On designing technologies for activism and the commemoration of lost lives

On the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers (IDEVASW), sex worker rights advocates and support services commemorate lives lost due to violence. In this paper we describe and reflect on a Feminist Participatory Action Research project that supported the activities of IDEVASW over two years in North East England. Working alongside a charity that provides services to women who are sex workers or have experienced sexual exploitation, we co-organised the first activist march on the day. As researchers and service providers, we present detailed reflections on the use of digital technologies during the public activist march, a private service for commemoration, and the development of a semi-public archive to collect experiences of the day. We develop three implications for the design of digital technologies for activism and the commemoration of lost lives: as catalysts for reflection and opportunities to layer experience