When the textbook is not enough: How to shape an ELF classroom?

This chapter is devised for English language teaching (ELT) practitioners to reflect on how language and culture are portrayed in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) textbooks, and explore how an English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) approach can be further integrated into their teaching practices through supplementary activities and teaching materials. The target audience is pre-service and in-service teachers as well as course-book designers. After reading the chapter, readers will be informed of several ELF-related teaching activities and materials that focus both on language and culture, so that they could explore and apply them in their teaching contexts

English as a Lingua Franca in Portugal: What students want, what teachers teach

This study seeks to show how Portuguese students and teachers view learning and using English today and how their attitudes can influence or be influenced by ELT policies and practices. It made use of two semi-structured questionnaires, one for students (N=247) and another for teachers (N=26). The subjects were part of four educational institutions – two universities and two polytechnic institutes. The methodology used in the analysis of attitudes toward the English language should be diversified, integrating several means of data collection and focusing on the identification of central aspects related to learning and teaching the language such as native and non-native varieties and cultures, native and non-native speakers’ use of English, learner’s goal, ownership of English, intelligibility of English, native and non-native teachers and motivation to learn English. Essentially, subjects displayed positive attitudes toward learning and using English as a Lingua Franca. Furthermore, most subjects viewed learning about culture positively, displayed a favourable attitude towards non-native speakers and their English, attached intrinsic value to both native and non-native teachers, and referred that the Portuguese learner should aim to become a competent user of English as an alternative to aiming to achieve native proficiency. However, at the same time they seemed to adopt a linguacentred view of English which emphasized the British variety and culture. By recognizing students’ and teachers’ attitudes toward learning and using English, this study also hopes to contribute to the ELT field by helping set approaches of investigation into the role of English as a Lingua Franca suggesting relevant areas and methodologies such as ELT in basic and secondary education, basic and secondary school teacher training programmes in universities, materials writers, teaching ESP in universities, and ELT policies for basic and secondary schools

Digital Networks in Language Learning: Instant Messaging and the Practice and Acquisition of Writing Skills

The advance of globalization and the information technology revolution call for fundamental changes in foreign language teaching and learning. However, according to Kern and Warschauer [1], “the computer, like any other technological tool used in teaching (…) does not in and of itself bring about improvements in learning.” Instead, they propose that we should “look to particular practices of use in particular contexts” so that we might be able to ascertain if the use of network-based language teaching leads to better language learning. In other words, we should describe and evaluate the social context of a specific practice of use as far as the learners, their motivation, the setting and features of their social interaction and their use of language are concerned. This paper aims to address some pedagogical issues in the use of software applications in foreign language teaching. More specifically, it attempts to examine the results of an online written interaction activity among advanced (C2) students of English as a foreign language at the University of Évora, Portugal, through Skype, a software application that allows users to communicate by voice calls and instant messaging over the internet. It also examines some of the potential benefits of synchronous conference as pointed out by Kern et al., namely: (1) encouragement of a collaborative spirit among students, and (2) enhanced motivation for language practice and, in particular, greater involvement of students who rarely participated in oral discussions [2]. Moreover, it analyses some features of language use, the role of the teacher, and the fulfillment of instructional goals. In sum, this study hopes to briefly explore the relationship between the use of computer networks and language teaching

The Innovation and Entrepreneurship Latinamerican Scoreborard: The impact of University-Industry Cooperation in Ecuador

One of the structural problems in Latin-American has been the lower innovative capacity and lower generation of economically exploitable knowledge. This phenomenon has been produced by the absence of government’s incentives and strategies in order to be competitive inside the Knowledge Based Economy. More concretely, political, institutional and social factors have contributed negatively within this reality. As a consequence, the knowledge generation in this region is insufficient not only to satisfy its necessities but also to be competitive in the global context. At difference, the developing regions have recognized the significance impact of R&D investment and Education in their sustainable growth.This report uses the methodology proposed by the European Commission in the study about the “European Innovation Scoreboard 2007”. Specifically, this methodology is adapted at the Latin-American reality. In summary, the results will provide the current picture of the innovation and entrepreneurship in Latin-American Countries.Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Economic Growth

Measures of Science & Technology in Ecuador

One of the structural problems in Latin-American has been the lower innovative capacity and lower generation of economically exploitable knowledge. This phenomenon has been produced by the absence of government’s incentives and strategies in order to be competitive inside the Knowledge Based Economy. More concretely, political, institutional and social factors have contributed negatively within this reality. As a consequence, the knowledge generation in this region is insufficient not only to satisfy its necessities but also to be competitive in the global context. At difference, the developing regions have recognized the significance impact of Science and Technology (S&T) and Education in their sustainable growth. In the Latin-American context, this analysis requires robust indicators that help to evidence the causes of this problematic. In this respect, the absence of harmonized politics and common variables that allows studying the evolution of S&T in the Latin-American region is the main limitation for this analysis. Based on that, this report brings an exploratory analysis that allows identifying the critical factors and the possible solutions of this S&T problematic. In parallel, the case of the National Innovation System implanted in Ecuador is presented and evaluated.Science, Technology, Entrepreneurship, Innovation

The Multipliers and Key Sectors of Entrepreneurship Spillover: An input-output approach

The Entrepreneurship Spillover evaluates the systemic effect of creating enterprises in different sectors and industries from a new firm created in a given sector. One way to estimate these Entrepreneurship Spillovers is doing an adaptation of the methodology applied by Dietzenbacher, (2002); Dietzenbacher and Los, (2002a,b) Diezenbacher and Volkerink (1998) that they used to determinate the Knowledge Spillover through R&D multipliers. In this regard, the objectives of this paper are: (a) to develop a methodology that allows calculating the concept of entrepreneurship spillover; (b) to identify the key sectors of entrepreneurship; and (c) to determinate the multipliers of business creation. With these aims, the methodological design is based on an adaptation of the model of input-output matrix (Leontief, 1936; Dietzenbacher and Los, 2002 a y b).Entrepreneurship, Multipliers, Input-Ouput, Economic Growth

Using Translation to Teach Native and Non-native Varieties of International English

The term ‘New Englishes’ attempts to cover the large number of varieties of English, far from uniform among themselves in their features and use and different from the historically and culturally established British and American standards. Over the past years, these New Englishes have been more acknowledged in the foreign language class. Linguists have called attention to the importance of increasing the learner’s linguistic awareness by covering topics of “linguistic variation and varieties of many types: national, regional, social, functional, international” (Gnutzmann 167). This paper aims at discussing the advantages and possibilities of teaching native and non-native English varieties in the foreign language class. It presents some data included in a Foreign Language and Translation course which attempted to integrate linguistics and translation by analysing the features of African American Vernacular English, Singapore English, Indian English and Australian English in terms of their phonological, morphological, lexical and syntactic levels

A Solid State Transformer model for power flow calculations

This paper presents the implementation of a Solid State Transformer (SST) model in OpenDSS. The goal is to develop a SST model that could be useful for assessing the impact that the replacement of the conventional iron-and-copper transformer with the SST can have on the distribution system performance. Test distribution systems of different characteristics and size have been simulated during different time periods. The simulations have been carried out assuming voltage-dependent loads and considering that power flow through either the HV/MV substation transformer or any of the MV/LV distribution transformers can be bidirectional. Simulation results prove that a positive impact should be expected on voltages at both MV and LV levels, but the efficiency of current SST designs should be improved.Postprint (author's final draft

A virtual power plant model for time-driven power flow calculations

This paper presents the implementation of a custom-made virtual power plant model in OpenDSS. The goal is to develop a model adequate for time-driven power flow calculations in distribution systems. The virtual power plant is modeled as the aggregation of renewable generation and energy storage connected to the distribution system through an inverter. The implemented operation mode allows the virtual power plant to act as a single dispatchable generation unit. The case studies presented in the paper demonstrate that the model behaves according to the specified control algorithm and show how it can be incorporated into the solution scheme of a general parallel genetic algorithm in order to obtain the optimal day-ahead dispatch. Simulation results exhibit a clear benefit from the deployment of a virtual power plant when compared to distributed generation based only on renewable intermittent generation.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Reliability analysis of distribution systems with photovoltaic generation using a power flow simulator and a parallel Monte Carlo approach

This paper presents a Monte Carlo approach for reliability assessment of distribution systems with distributed generation using parallel computing. The calculations are carried out with a royalty-free power flow simulator, OpenDSS (Open Distribution System Simulator). The procedure has been implemented in an environment in which OpenDSS is driven from MATLAB. The test system is an overhead distribution system represented by means of a three-phase model that includes protective devices. The paper details the implemented procedure, which can be applied to systems with or without distributed generation, includes an illustrative case study and summarizes the results derived from the analysis of the test system during one year. The goal is to evaluate the test system performance considering different scenarios with different level of system automation and reconfiguration, and assess the impact that distributed photovoltaic generation can have on that performance. Several reliability indices, including those related to the impact of distributed generation, are obtained for every scenario.Postprint (published version