Mobile Learning Revolution: Implications for Language Pedagogy

Mobile technologies including cell phones and tablets are a pervasive feature of everyday life with potential impact on teaching and learning. “Mobile pedagogy” may seem like a contradiction in terms, since mobile learning often takes place physically beyond the teacher's reach, outside the walls of the classroom. While pedagogy implies careful planning, mobility exposes learners to the unexpected. A thoughtful pedagogical response to this reality involves new conceptualizations of what is to be learned and new activity designs. This approach recognizes that learners may act in more self-determined ways beyond the classroom walls, where online interactions and mobile encounters influence their target language communication needs and interests. The chapter sets out a range of opportunities for out-of-class mobile language learning that give learners an active role and promote communication. It then considers the implications of these developments for language content and curricula and the evolving roles and competences of teachers

Educational objectives in worship for young people

Thesis (M.A.)--Boston Universit

Gesture in speaking tasks beyond the classroom: An exploration of the multimodal negotiation of meaning via Skype videoconferencing on mobile devices

This qualitative study attempts to explicate the role of gestures formed with learners’ hands and technology during second language speaking tasks via Skype videoconferencing tools, accessed on mobile devices. The theory of negotiation of meaning according to the Varonis and Gass model of non-understandings (1985) underpins the study. Data was collected from ten intermediate English language learners via recordings of their task-based interactions and stimulated recall interviews. The study found that gestures support forms of negotiation through affording participants a range of visual and embodied clues which operate in close conjunction with their language use. Findings suggest that gestures play a role in the establishment of joint attention and negotiation of vocabulary; and they are exploited to appeal for assistance and scaffold interlocutors. In some instances, gestures also potentially confuse learners. The deployment of mobile technologies was found to transform and mediate gestures in complex ways. Learners also experience challenges in their co-ordination of multimodal talk from beyond the classroom

An insight of marxist-feminism in thomas hardy's tess of the d'urbervilles

Marxist-Feminism highlights the unjustifiable inequality faced by the working class citizen. The effect is especially evidently shown on women who have been subjugated and oppressed in so many ways by men. This study addresses the issues of subjugation and subordination faced by Tess, the Victorian woman, in Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the D’Urbervilles. The impact of cultural hegemony is carefully structured and presented by Marxist-Feminism. Such constructed ideology is brilliantly created to show the misleading superiority of men over women. The huge influence of Capitalism in the 19th Century is shown through the treatment women received in both public and private spheres. The active enrolments of women as Productive and Reproductive labours go unrecognised. Textual evidences are extracted to facilitate, support, and solidify the purpose of study

Impact of innate immunity in a subset of children with autism spectrum disorders: a case control study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Among patients with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) evaluated in our clinic, there appears to be a subset that can be clinically distinguished from other ASD children because of frequent infections (usually viral) accompanied by worsening behavioural symptoms and/or loss/decrease in acquired skills. This study assessed whether these clinical features of this ASD subset are associated with atopy, asthma, food allergy (FA), primary immunodeficiency (PID), or innate immune responses important in viral infections.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This study included the ASD children described above (ASD test, N = 26) and the following controls: ASD controls (N = 107), non-ASD controls with FA (N = 24), non-ASD controls with chronic rhinosinusitis/recurrent otitis media (CRS/ROM; N = 38), and normal controls (N = 43). We assessed prevalence of atopy, asthma, FA, CRS/ROM, and PID. Innate immune responses were assessed by measuring production of proinflammatory and counter-regulatory cytokines by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in response to agonists of Toll-like receptors (TLRs), with or without pre-treatment of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a TLR4 agonist.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Non-IgE mediated FA was equally prevalent in both ASD test and ASD control groups, occurring at higher frequency than in the non-ASD controls. Allergic rhinitis, atopic/non-atopic asthma, and atopic dermatitis were equally prevalent among the study groups except for the CRS/ROM group in which non-atopic asthma was more prevalent (52.6%). CRS/ROM and specific polysaccharide antibody deficiency (SPAD) were more prevalent in the ASD test group than in the ASD control, FA, and normal control groups: 23.1% vs. < 5% for CRS/ROS and 19.2% vs. < 1% for SPAD. However, CRS/ROM patients had the highest prevalence of SPAD (34.2%). When compared to ASD and normal case controls, PBMCs from 19 non-SPAD, ASD test group children produced: 1) less IL-1β with a TLR7/8 agonist, less IL-10 with a TLR2/6 agonist, and more IL-23 with a TLR4 agonist without LPS pre-treatment, and 2) less IL-1β with TLR4/7/8 agonists with LPS pre-treatment. These are cytokines associated with the neuro-immune network.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Clinical features of the ASD test group were not associated with atopy, asthma, FA, or PID in our study but may be associated with altered TLR responses mediating neuro-immune interactions.</p

Towards a theory of substance and form: a contextual analysis of Kiau Dusun plant knowledge in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo

The debate over the substance and form of indigenous plant knowledge is often characterised by a divide between cultural (Harris, 1988) and biological (Boster, 1987) explanations that have proven to be theoretically weak. A holistic approach is needed to account for the interactive influence of a variety of variables on the development of indigenous plant knowledge (Boyd and Richerson, 1985). Efforts such as the Human Ecosystems approach advocate a processual study of how indigenous knowledge is influenced by dynamic circumstances found in a variety of social, cultural, biological and physical environments (Wyndham, 2002). I explore the contextual nature of Kiau Dusun plant knowledge in three ways: first, variations in the knowledge about different kinds of plants; second, variations in the knowledge that different people have about plants; and third, variations in the expression of plant knowledge in relation to circumstances in normative reality. I argue that Kiau Dusun plant knowledge reflects how the Kiau Dusun fit within the wider and localised frameworks of their human and natural ecologies. Free listing exercises and semistructured interviews along a plant trail resulted in quantitative data that, combined with surveys and participant observation, reveal intriguing patterns of how Kiau Dusun plant knowledge is fragmented. There is a growing body of declarative plant knowledge that no longer has a viable form of sustained practical application. Results also suggest that enacted plant knowledge concentrates mainly on plants that are directly relevant to the daily routine, in addition to innovative ways of interacting with the plant world such as tourism. Focus is given to the complex historical processes that continue to shape Kiau Dusun interactions and conceptualisations of the plant world, such that a salient body of Kiau Dusun plant knowledge reflects an ongoing and proactive negotiation about the relevance of plants in contemporary Kiau Dusun contexts

Integrating Nanomembrane Separation with Plasmonic Detection for Real-Time Cell Culture Monitoring

To further understand cellular responses to drug treatment the dynamics of a reduced secretome shall be investigated. Currently there is no method for the detection of secreted small molecules in real time, label-free and with a high resolution. We present a novel design, which integrates nanopore filtration technology with highly sensitive plasmonic detection that allows real time monitoring of filtered molecules with a high spatial resolution and label free. The cell culture chamber is separated from the site of detection only by our biocompatible nanomembrane filter with a thickness of less than 100 nm to exclude the majority of background signals from the cell culture. The fast filtration of the cell culture constituents through the nanomembrane to the detector allows the observation of the dynamics of secreted molecules during cell culture and/or drug application. The setup offers new possibilities for drug screening and cell assays and may reveal new insights into cell signaling and drug responses. This setup shall be used to monitor cell culture or tissue culture without the necessity of labeling. This can be particularly important for the very popular “organ-on-a-chip” or “patient-on-a-chip” approaches to monitor tissue reactions to drug treatments with a high spatial resolution. Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract

Photobiomodulation may enhance cognitive efficiency in older adults: a functional near-infrared spectroscopy study

IntroductionThe relative oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO) measured using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) has been considered as an index for cognitive loading, with the more difficult the task, the higher the level. A previous study reported that young adults who received transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM) showed a reduced HbO of a difficult task, suggesting that tPBM may enhance cognitive efficiency. The present study further investigated the effect of tPBM on cognitive efficiency in older adults.MethodsThirty participants received a single tPBM on the forehead for 350 s. Before and after tPBM, their HbO in the visual span task with various difficulties was measured with fNIRS.ResultsAfter tPBM, participants exhibited significantly lower HbO in a harder (span 7) but not an easier level (span 2) of the task, but their behavioral performance remained unchanged. In addition, factors affecting the reduction of HbO were examined, and the results showed that individuals with better memory (as measured by a 30-min delayed recall test) showed more reduction of HbO.DiscussionThe results suggest that tPBM may enhance cognitive efficiency, with individuals with better memory tend to benefit more

From Community Laywomen to Breast Health Workers: A Pilot Training Model to Implement Clinical Breast Exam Screening in Malawi

BackgroundBreast cancer burden is high in low-income countries. Inadequate early detection contributes to late diagnosis and increased mortality. We describe the training program for Malawi’s first clinical breast exam (CBE) screening effort.MethodsLaywomen were recruited as Breast Health Workers (BHWs) with the help of local staff and breast cancer advocates. The four-week training consisted of lectures, online modules, role-playing, case discussions, CBE using simulators and patients, and practice presentations. Ministry of Health trainers taught health communication, promotion, and education skills. Breast cancer survivors shared their experiences. Clinicians taught breast cancer epidemiology, prevention, detection, and clinical care. Clinicians and research staff taught research ethics, informed consent, data collection, and professionalism. Breast cancer knowledge was measured using pre- and post-training surveys. Concordance between BHW and clinician CBE was assessed. Breast cancer talks by BHW were evaluated on a 5-point scale in 22 areas by 3 judges.ResultsWe interviewed 12 women, and 4 were selected as BHWs including 1 breast cancer survivor. Training was dynamic with modification based on trainee response and progress. A higher-than-anticipated level of comprehension and interest led to inclusion of additional topics like breast reconstruction. Pre-training knowledge increased from 49% to 91% correct (p<0.0001). Clinician and BHW CBE had 88% concordance (kappa 0.43). The mean rating of BHW educational talks was 4.4 (standard deviation 0.7).ConclusionsMalawian laywomen successfully completed training and demonstrated competency to conduct CBE and deliver breast cancer educational talks. Knowledge increased after training, and concordance was high between BHW and clinician CBE