FACTORS AFFECTING NON-MAJORED ENGLISH STUDENTS’ LOW PARTICIPATION IN EFL SPEAKING CLASSROOM: A CASE IN VIETNAM

EFL learners’ low level of participation is reported as a problem commonly found in English speaking classrooms. This study aims to investigate students’ perceptions of factors hindering their participation in English speaking classrooms. Questionnaires and interviews were conducted as data collection instruments of the study. 153 first-year non-majored English students from two Advanced programs and seven High-quality programs in a major university in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam responded to the questionnaire and then 6 of them participated in the semi-structured interview sessions. The results strongly endorsed that students’ lack of vocabulary, fear of being judged by peers and lecturers and feeling overwhelmed by interactive activities in Speaking classes were significant factors causing students’ low level of participation. Recommendations are suggested to educators or lecturers in formulating future teaching strategies that promote students’ participation in the context of higher learning. Article visualizations

Vietnamese EFL High School Teachers’ Self-assessment of their English Language Proficiency in Relation to the Official Assessment Test Results

The current study explored how Vietnamese EFL high school teachers self-assessed their current English proficiency. It also compared teachers’ self-ratings with the results they obtained in the Project 2010 test, which was  used to assess English level of EFL teachers across Vietnam as part of the implementation of the National Foreign Language Project 2020. The data were drawn from 15-item online questionnaire with 94 teacher participants. The findings revealed that teachers perceived themselves as being more proficient in skills of writing and reading, compared to listening, spoken production (e.g., making presentations) and spoken interaction (e.g., making conversations). Most of them rated their current English proficiency level lower than the level they achieved in the Project 2020 test.  The findings offer information  about the language aspects that teachers were least proficient, which can be used to specify what support they actually desire from in-service training courses.  Also, as teachers are at the centre of the Project 2020, their perceptions of their own English proficiency provide insightful input to enhance the effectiveness of this educational reform

Time-Frequency Nexus between Tourism Development, Economic Growth, Energy Consumption, and Ecological Footprint in Singapore

Singapore has been listed as one of the top-visited countries and has the highest ecological deficit. Despite the abundance of previous studies, the distinction between short, medium, and long term by decomposing tourism development, economic growth, energy consumption, and ecological footprint has been largely ignored. This study aims to investigate the lead-lag nexus structures between ecological footprint and Singapore's economic activities from 1978 to 2016. By adopting the wavelet analysis and scale-by-scale Granger causality test, the outcomes show that energy consumption positively impacts ecological footprint at high frequencies, while tourism and economic growth positively drive ecological footprint at high and medium frequencies. We also find that the positive impact of macroeconomic variables on ecological footprint has not been evident since 2003. Additionally, the wavelet-based Granger test confirms a bi-directional causal between economic growth and ecological footprint at all frequencies, whilst there is a bi-directional relationship between tourism, energy consumption, and ecological footprint at high frequency. Based on these findings, the research may further strengthen the belief of Singapore’s policy-makers on the promotion of tourism and suggests some helpful lessons for emerging countries

Investigating brand image and brand trust in airline service: Evidence of Korean Air

Purpose: Branding is a predominant part of a marketing strategy. When the brand building is implemented effectively, it delivers customer satisfaction, nurtures customer loyalty to a higher level, and ensures greater airline success. This study explores the relationships of price, safety, and in-flight service quality with airline customers’ perceptions of the brand image and trust and clarifies their impact on customer satisfaction and loyalty. Methods:A sample of 367 valid responses adopting a convenience sampling method was collected from customers of Korean Air. Data analysis was conducted using Partial Least Squares SEM method. Results:The findings connote that price, safety, and in-flight services are the core factors determining the creation of a strong impression in customers’ minds about airline brands and have different impacts on customer satisfaction and loyalty. The mediating effects of brand trust and customer satisfaction on the relationship between brand image and customer loyalty were also highlighted. Implications:This study underlines that airlines should focus on controlling and maintaining the brand stance in consumer perception. Therefore, there is a need to provide a flight experience that meets consumer expectations in terms of providing a positive brand image and building brand trust in order to generate customer satisfaction and loyalty

Determinants of capital structure and speed of adjustment to target capital structure: Evidence from US-listed companies

This study investigates the factors affecting financing decisions and speed of adjustment of U.S. corporations from 2004 to 2015 with nearly 13,000 observations. The difference and system Generalised Method of Moments estimators are applied in the dynamic panel data to control for endogeneity problems. The findings reflect that size and non-debt tax shield experience significant and positive effects on capital structure, while profitability and liquidity show negative influences on total leverage. Furthermore, growth opportunities and uniqueness do not illustrate any pattern in impacting capital structures. The collaterals value of assets indicates weak effects on total leverage, whereas the collateral values and liquidity strongly and positively affect long-term debt. Furthermore, the results confirm the existence of optimal capital structure and the partial adjustment toward target debt ratios. It is exhibited that firms quickly adjust towards their optimal point with speeds of adjustment around 24% per year, suggesting small adjustment costs. These estimated rates have negligible variation between different measures of leverage. The determinants of adjustment speed that are expected to vary over time and across firms are also estimated. It is suggested that firms with larger size and distance take a longer time to restructure. Moreover, growth opportunities significantly negative influence speeds of adjustment by using market leverage, while profitability is an insignificant factor. This analysis may provide a deeper understanding of U.S. firms when making financial decisions to maximise firms’ value

Impact of Vocational Education and Training On Decent Job Opportunities Regarding Information and Communication Technology

Vocational education and training plays a crucial part in the creation of decent job. The fast growth of information and communication technology (ICT) during the past ten years has increased work opportunities for laborers. This research uses the yearly labor force survey data to study the impact of vocational education and training on decent job opportunities for employees in the context of Vietnam's information and communication technology development. The logit model results indicate that the 2020 rate of decent jobs is still low, at approximately 25.6 percent. However, vocational education and training and the advancement of ICT positively affect decent job opportunities. This long-lasting impact affects laborers in various areas, regions, and industries. These findings suggest that vocational education and training and ICT must play a significant role in transitioning from precarious to more secure employment, so laborers must acquire professional knowledge and information technology skills

EXTRACURRICULAR SPORTS: POPULAR CONTENTS AND FORMS AMONG STUDENTS IN THE DORMITORY OF VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY HO CHI MINH CITY

This article is written to provide thorough information about popular contents and forms of extracurricular sports performed by university students at a dormitory of Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City (VNUHCMC). The study uses document references, surveys, and statistical mathematics to investigate what extracurricular sports are favored by the students and how they organize their practices. The results indicate that the majority of students choose to practice football, volleyball, badminton, athletics, and martial arts. They play with themselves and/or in teams, without instructors, from 30 minutes to 02 hours in the afternoon after school time and/or in the morning, at the dormitory and/or sports centers.  Article visualizations

PHYSICAL CONDITION OF MALE STUDENTS AT VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF HO CHI MINH CITY DORMITORY

The purpose of the study is to provide information about the current physical condition of 19-year-old male students of the Vietnam National University of Ho Chi Minh City (VNUHCMC) dormitory. The research used the methods of synthesizing sport-related documents, interviewing experts, applying pedagogical tests, and statistical analysis to determine appropriate physical fitness assessment tests. Afterward, the figures for the physical condition of male students at the VNUHCMC dormitory were compared with that of the average Vietnamese people, of Hanoi National University (HNU), University of Danang (UD), Can Tho University (CTU), and Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) students at the same age and gender, and with the standard shown in Decision 53/2008/BGDDT of the Ministry of Education and Training. The results show that the “good” group accounts for 28.75%, the “acceptable” group for 23.19% and the “failed” group for 48.06%. It is notable that the agility, leg muscular strength, endurance, and motor skills of 19-year-old male students at the VNUHCMC dormitory are greater than the average physical fitness of Vietnamese people, as well as students of the same age and gender at HNU, UD, and CTU. Their endurance is also higher than that of male HCMC pupils of the same age, but their leg muscular strength and motor abilities are almost comparable.  Article visualizations

Chemical profiles and biological activities of acetone extracts of nine Annonaceae plants

This study investigated the chemical components and bioactivities of acetone leaf extracts of nine Annonaceae plants collected in the Binh Chau-Phuoc Buu Nature Reserve, Vietnam. A total of 182 constituents were identified, with linolenic acid, diaeudesmin, germacrene D, 1-octadecenoic acid, 8-(3-octyl-2-oxiranyl)-1-octanol, oleic acid, and phenylmethyl ester being the major compounds. The antimicrobial activity of the extracts was evaluated using a disc diffusion assay. Eight of the nine extracts, except for the Mitrephora thorelii extract, showed an inhibition effect against Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus. The antioxidant activity of the extracts was determined using DPPH assay, and the cytotoxic activity was deter mined using SRB assay. The results showed that the acetone extracts of Artabotrys hexapetalus, Uvularia grandiflora, Polyalthia luensis, Xylopia pierrei, Sphaerocoryne affinis, Desmos cochinchinensis, Uvaria littoralis, Mitrephora thorelii, and Goniothalamus touranensis had significant activity with IC50 for the DPPH radical scavenging activity ranging from 18.56 to 702.33 μg/mL, and the IC50 for the cytotoxic effects ranged from 5.39 to 251.77 μg/mL. Overall, the results obtained provide experimental evidence for the potential use of these plants in medicine and other related fields

The impact of financial inclusion on income inequality in transition economies

inancial inclusion is considered as a critical factor that contributes to the reduction of income imbalance. This paper uses a two-stage least squares (2SLS) model and two different financial inclusion index to examine the impact of financial inclusion on income inequality in 22 transition economies over 11 years from 2005 to 2015. The paper finds that there was a negative relationship between the financial inclusion index and the GINI coefficient. The paper also suggests some policy recommendations to reduce income inequality through developing financial inclusion