TEACHING GREEK AS L2 IN NON-FORMAL EDUCATIONAL SETTINGS: INVESTIGATING TEACHERS’ INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE

For immigrants/refugees, it is important to learn the language of their host country and to familiarize themselves with its culture. This is closely related to the intercultural competence not only of the immigrant/refugee students but also of their instructors. The present study attempts to examine the attitudes of instructors who teach Greek in non-formal educational settings regarding the importance of intercultural competence and the approaches they use. The findings show that, although the instructors have very positive attitudes toward intercultural competence, multiculturalism and multilingualism, in practice they do not really adopt intercultural practices.  Article visualizations

De como pratiquei e pratico (parte de minha) antiarte

From an approach that recognizes the non-separation between life and work (in the work of trans and racialized people), the author walks through part of her researchAction, production and training, which is directly linked to the anti-capitalist struggles and the anti-art movement of her time. In this journey, bringing singular elements of her experience, she maps processes that demonstrate the displacement of her practice and the updating of its radicality, throughout 16 years of experimentation.Desde un enfoque que reconoce la no separación entre vida y obra (en el trabajo de las personas trans y racializadas), la autora recorre parte de su investigAcción, producción y formación, que se vincula directamente con las luchas anticapitalistas y el movimiento antiartístico de su época. En este recorrido, aportando elementos singulares de su experiencia, traza procesos que demuestran el desplazamiento de su práctica y la actualización de su radicalidad, a lo largo de 16 años de experimentación.Desde uma abordagem que reconhece a não separação entre vida e obra (no trabalho de pessoas trans y racializadas), a autora percorre parte de sua pesquisAção, produção e formação, que está diretamente ligada as lutas anticapitalista e ao movimento antiarte de sua época. Nesse percorrido, trazendo elementos singulares de sua vivência, cartografa processos que demonstram o deslocamento de sua prática e a atualização de sua radicalidade, ao longo de 16 anos de experimentação

Ultrasensitive Piezoresistive and Piezocapacitive Cellulose-Based Ionic Hydrogels for Wearable Multifunctional Sensing

Tactile sensors, namely, flexible devices that sense physical stimuli, have received much attention in the last few decades due to their applicability in a wide range of fields like the world of wearables, soft robotics, prosthetics, and e-skin. Nevertheless, achieving a trade-off among stretchability, good sensitivity, easy manufacturability, and multisensing ability is still a challenge. Herein, an extremely flexible strain sensor composed of a cellulose-based hydrogel is presented. A natural biocompatible carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) hydrogel endowed with ionic conductivity by sodium chloride (NaCl) was used as the sensitive part. Both the sensible layer and electrodes were investigated with an innovative approach for wearable sensor applications based on electrochemical impedance spectroscopy to find the best device configuration. The sensor, exploitable both as a piezoresistor and as a piezocapacitor, presents high sensitivity to external stimuli, together with an extreme stretchability of up to 600%, showing the best strain and temperature sensitivity among the ionic conductive hydrogel-based devices presented in the literature. The very high strain sensitivity enables the hydrogel to be implemented in wearable strain sensors to monitor different human motions and physiological signals, representing a valid solution for the realization of transparent, easily manufacturable, and low-environmental-impact devices

Ultrasensitive Piezoresistive and Piezocapacitive Cellulose-Based Ionic Hydrogels for Wearable Multifunctional Sensing

Tactile sensors, namely, flexible devices that sense physical stimuli, have received much attention in the last few decades due to their applicability in a wide range of fields like the world of wearables, soft robotics, prosthetics, and e-skin. Nevertheless, achieving a trade-off among stretchability, good sensitivity, easy manufacturability, and multisensing ability is still a challenge. Herein, an extremely flexible strain sensor composed of a cellulose-based hydrogel is presented. A natural biocompatible carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) hydrogel endowed with ionic conductivity by sodium chloride (NaCl) was used as the sensitive part. Both the sensible layer and electrodes were investigated with an innovative approach for wearable sensor applications based on electrochemical impedance spectroscopy to find the best device configuration. The sensor, exploitable both as a piezoresistor and as a piezocapacitor, presents high sensitivity to external stimuli, together with an extreme stretchability of up to 600%, showing the best strain and temperature sensitivity among the ionic conductive hydrogel-based devices presented in the literature. The very high strain sensitivity enables the hydrogel to be implemented in wearable strain sensors to monitor different human motions and physiological signals, representing a valid solution for the realization of transparent, easily manufacturable, and low-environmental-impact devices

Prevalence of Comorbidities Associated With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus In Ksa: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objective: To determine the prevalence of comorbidities associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus among the Saudi adult population. Methods: A cross-sectional study design will be employed to investigate the prevalence of comorbidities associated with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) population. This design allows for the collection of data at a single point in time, providing insights into the existing relationship between T2DM and comorbidities.Results: The study included 601 participants. The most frequent body mass index BMI value among study participants was overweight 25-29.9 kg/m2 (n= 196, 33%), followed by Normal 18.5-24.9 kg/m2 (n= 177, 29%). The frequent gender among study participants was male years (n= 356, 59%) and female (n= 245, 41%). The most frequent age among study participants was 40-50 years (n= 145, 24%), followed by 18-28 years (n= 140, 23%). The most frequent marital status among study participants was married (n= 360, 60%), followed by single (n= 160, 27%). The perceived physical activity per week among study participants, most of whom did not do any activity (n=231,38%) followed one-time activity (n=98,16%). Conclusion: The results showed that most of the study participants were overweight according to their BMI. The majority of patients had normal blood pressure. Most of the participants suffer from diabetes. In addition, most of the participants do not do any activity, and the majority of participants are non-smokers

Learning greek as a second language in non-formal educational contexts

The purpose of this thesis was to investigate the process of teaching Greek to adult immigrants/refugees in the context of non-formal educational settings and to discuss the degree it responds to the needs of immigrant/refugee learners. It was investigated whether instructors utilized the learners’ hybrid identity and the factors that led to the immigrants/refugees participating in the courses and attending classes in the specific settings. In addition, the motivation of the instructors who teach there was examined as well as their methodological approaches regarding teaching Greek as L2. The research was based on qualitative methods of data analysis, employing data gathered from semi-structured interviews of instructors who teach Greek as L2 and learners who attend Greek classes in non-formal educational settings, observation of the classes of the aforementioned instructors and data from the research diary of the researcher regarding issues related to the research and teaching procedure. The research results illustrate the particularly positive response of the learners regarding the way the teaching of Greek as L2 in non-formal educational settings is organized and realized. The role of the instructors in the specific settings is very friendly towards the learners and the motivation that drives them to offer lessons as volunteers is mainly political, ideological and personal. The teaching methods they use comprise of a mixture of different approaches, mainly structural and text-centered. As shown by the research results, they do not particularly utilize the learners’ linguistic capital, culture or identity while conducting the lessons, however, they take into account psychological factors involved in teaching a second language and aim to create a friendly atmosphere, something which is perceived as very important by the learners as well. Additionally, the investment the learners make in learning the second language is taken into account and the creation of a community and a third space in the classroom is sought after, where learners interact socially with native speakers and other immigrants/refugees. The motives that drive the learners to attend the classes in the specific settings are basically instrumental, cognitive, social/integrative/interpersonal, educational, practical and emotional. They believe that knowledge of the L2 contributes to their professional development, greater confidence and facilitation of their integration, and consequently they invest their free time attending the classes. This investment is directly connected to the identity the learners construct as immigrant/refugee students. Additionally, socialization in different environments results in the construction of a hybrid identity in a third space, where the atmosphere is friendly and the people share common experiences and goals.Σκοπός της διατριβής ήταν να διερευνηθεί η διδασκαλία της ελληνικής γλώσσας σε ενήλικες μετανάστες/ριες-πρόσφυγες στο πλαίσιο δομών μη-τυπικής εκπαίδευσης και να συζητηθεί ο βαθμός που αυτή ανταποκρίνεται στις ανάγκες των εκπαιδευόμενων με μεταναστευτική εμπειρία. Διερευνήθηκε ο βαθμός αξιοποίησης εκ μέρους των εκπαιδευτών/τριών της υβριδικής ταυτότητας των εκπαιδευομένων και οι παράγοντες που ώθησαν τη συμμετοχή των μεταναστών/τριών και προσφύγων στην παρακολούθηση των μαθημάτων στις συγκεκριμένες δομές. Παράλληλα διερευνήθηκαν τα κίνητρα των εκπαιδευτών/τριών που διδάσκουν σε αυτές και η γλωσσοδιδακτική τους προσέγγιση αναφορικά με τη διδασκαλία της ελληνικής ως Γ2. Η έρευνα βασίστηκε σε ποιοτικές μεθόδους ανάλυσης δεδομένων, αξιοποιώντας δεδομένα από ημι-δομημένες συνεντεύξεις με εκπαιδευτές/τριες και εκπαιδευόμενους/ες, από την παρατήρηση διδασκαλιών σε δομές μη-τυπικής εκπαίδευσης και από το ερευνητικό ημερολόγιο της ερευνήτριας αναφορικά με θέματα της ερευνητικής και διδακτικής διαδικασίας. Τα αποτελέσματα της έρευνας αναδεικνύουν την ιδιαίτερα θετική ανταπόκριση των εκπαιδευομένων στον τρόπο οργάνωσης/πραγματοποίησης της διδασκαλίας ελληνικής ως δεύτερης γλώσσας σε δομές μη-τυπικής εκπαίδευσης. Ο ρόλος των εκπαιδευτών/τριών στις εν λόγω δομές είναι πολύ φιλικός απέναντι στους εκπαιδευόμενους και τα κίνητρα που τους/τις ωθούν στην εθελοντική προσφορά μαθημάτων είναι κυρίως ιδεολογικής και προσωπικής φύσης. Οι διδακτικές μέθοδοι που χρησιμοποιούν είναι μείγμα από διάφορες προσεγγίσεις, κυρίως δομικές και κειμενοκεντρικές. Δεν διαφάνηκε ιδιαίτερη αξιοποίηση του γλωσσικού κεφαλαίου των εκπαιδευομένων, της κουλτούρας τους ή της ταυτότητάς τους κατά τη διεξαγωγή των μαθημάτων, όμως λαμβάνονται υπόψη ψυχολογικοί παράγοντες που εμπλέκονται στη διδασκαλία της δεύτερης γλώσσας και επιδιώκεται η δημιουργία φιλικού κλίματος, στοιχείο που εκλαμβάνεται πολύ θετικά από τους/τις εκπαιδευόμενους/ες. Επίσης, λαμβάνεται υπόψη η επένδυση των μαθητών/τριών στην εκμάθηση της δεύτερης γλώσσας και επιδιώκεται η δημιουργία κοινότητας και ενός τρίτου χώρου στην τάξη, όπου οι εκπαιδευόμενοι/ες αλληλεπιδρούν κοινωνικά με φυσικούς ομιλητές και με άλλους/ες με μεταναστευτική εμπειρία. Τα κίνητρα που ωθούν τους/τις εκπαιδευόμενους/ες στην παρακολούθηση των μαθημάτων στις συγκεκριμένες δομές είναι κατά βάση εργαλειακά, γνωστικά, κοινωνικά/ενσωματωτικά/διαπροσωπικά, εκπαιδευτικά, πρακτικά και συναισθηματικά. Θεωρούν ότι η γνώση της γλώσσας-στόχου συντελεί στην επαγγελματική τους αποκατάσταση, στην απόκτηση μεγαλύτερης αυτοπεποίθησης και στη διευκόλυνση της ένταξής τους, συνεπώς επενδύουν τον ελεύθερο χρόνο τους στην παρακολούθηση των μαθημάτων. Αυτή η επένδυση σχετίζεται άμεσα με την ταυτότητα που δομούν οι εκπαιδευόμενοι/ες ως μετανάστες/τριες-πρόσφυγες μαθητές/τριες. Επιπροσθέτως, η κοινωνικοποίηση σε διαφορετικά περιβάλλοντα συνεπάγεται τη δημιουργία μιας υβριδικής ταυτότητας σε έναν τρίτο χώρο, όπου επικρατεί φιλικό κλίμα και τα άτομα μοιράζονται κοινές εμπειρίες και στόχους

Virtual experimentation towards the development of early environmental responsibility skills

Environmental training is gaining momentum in European school education, often starting early on at the primary level. This is partly a result of elevated global awareness on the importance of education towards the development of environmentally aware future citizens. National level curricula in most European countries include high level objectives on environmental education as, for example, building respect towards the living world. However, input from the field demonstrates a lack of supporting deployment guidelines, applied learning activities, and tools especially in digital form. This paper presents an explorative and collaborative learning framework that takes advantage of virtual experimentation towards the development of environmental responsibility skills among young children. To ensure effective adoption, the proposed learning methodology builds upon existing school practices on in-class collaboration and project-based learning taking them a step further through virtual experiments. The approach is designed for deployment in wider blended learning scenarios that integrate in-class instruction, on-line learning, and site visits. Game-based, story-telling, and project-based didactical methodologies are combined towards the development of virtual on-line learning experiments that take advantage of children's natural curiosity to contribute towards the development of critical minds through exploration of alternative solutions and a focus on impact of actions. Mostly graphical interfaces hide underlying computational complexity that is not appropriate for the targeted age group; at the same time they help overcome language barriers promoting European wide deployment of proposed methodologies and tools. The proposed learning activities do not aim to replace existing environmental education practices; instead, they are designed as complementary tools that help enrich in-class instruction. Early validation based on proof-of-concept virtual demonstrators on natural resource management, energy, and pollution have demonstrated positive reaction among teachers and learners on the tools which promote learner engagement and help children build upon each other's knowledge through collaboration under teacher mediation. © 2010 IADIS

Three-Dimensional Printing of Triboelectric Nanogenerators by Digital Light Processing Technique for Mechanical Energy Harvesting

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) represent intriguing technology to harvest human mechanical movements for powering wearable and portable electronics. Differently, compared to conventional fabrication approaches, additive manufacturing can allow the fabrication of TENGs with good dimensional resolution, high reproducibility, and quick production processes and, in particular, the obtainment of complex and customized structures. Among 3D printing technologies, digital light processing (DLP) is well-known for being the most flexible to produce functional devices by controlling both the geometry and the different ingredients of printable resins. On the other hand, DLP was not exploited for TENG fabrication, and consequently, the knowledge of the performance of 3D printable materials as charge accumulators upon friction is limited. Here, the application of the DLP technique to the 3D printing of triboelectric nanogenerators is studied. First, several printable materials have been tested as triboelectric layers to define a triboelectric series of DLP 3D printable materials. Then, TENG devices with increased geometrical complexity were printed, showcasing the ability to harvest energy from human movement. The method presented in this work illustrates how the DLP may represent a valuable and flexible solution to fabricate triboelectric nanogenerators, also providing a triboelectric classification of the most common photocurable resins

Optic Disc Cupping: Four Year Follow-up from the WESDR

Change in optic disc cupping was evaluated in a 4-year follow-up of a well defined cohort of people with diabetes mellitus. Cup-to-disc ratios were computed for both vertical and horizontal diameters of each eye at the baseline and 4-year follow-up examinations. Graders were masked as to the identity of participants and to the dates of the photographs. Increases of at least 0.1 between baseline and follow-up were used as clinically significant change in the ratios. None of the following factors at baseline were consistent predictors of such a change: intraocular pressure, age, duration of diabetes, hypertension or severity of diabetic retinopathy. People who developed proliferative retinopathy by the follow-up examination were not more likely to have such an increase in ratio at the follow-up. We conclude that clinically significant increases in cup-to-disc ratio cannot be consistently predicted in people with diabetes from the risk factors evaluated with the grading system used in this study. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 30: [310][311][312][313][314][315]198