The Functions Of Cultural Schemata In The Chinese Reading Comprehension And Reading Time Of College Students In Taiwan

The study examined the effects of cultural familiarity with a text on Chinese students’ reading comprehension performance and reading time. In the first phase of the study, participants were required to read a culturally familiar text, write down the time they spent reading the passage, and immediately complete a cloze test without referring back to the culturally-embedded text. In the second phase, they went through the same procedure for a culturally unfamiliar text. Upon completion of the reading tasks, a topic familiarity questionnaire was distributed to them to complete in order to screen out those who were culturally familiar with both reading texts. A survey about their attitudes toward the role that background knowledge played in their reading process was administered to them following the topic familiarity questionnaire. The results showed that the students’ reading comprehension performance and reading time were both significantly affected by their familiarity with the target culture. They spent less time on and comprehended better the culturally-embedded text they were familiar with. Analysis of the survey also substantiated the claim that they relied on the facilitative role of background knowledge in reading so as to read in a faster and more efficient way. The findings suggest that a reader’s cultural schemata impacts memory, reading comprehension, interpretation and reading time. Pedagogical implications of the study and suggestions for future research are also discussed in the article

Strategically Smart Or Proficiency-Driven? An Investigation Of Reading Strategy Use Of EFL College Students In Relation To Language Proficiency

Reading strategy use has long been considered an important factor in the evaluation of effective second language (L2) reading. It is generally believed that proficient and less-proficient readers differ in their reading process and strategy use. The purpose of this study was to examine the reading strategy use of high- and low-proficiency level college students in Taiwan and the reading problems that might arise in their reading process. A General English Proficiency Test (GEPT) and a modified reading strategy questionnaire, based on Carrell (1989), were administered to 45 Taiwanese college students. The results show that language proficiency has a significant effect on strategy choice and use, and high achievers and low achievers are different in the quality and quantity of their reading strategy use. More proficient learners in the study were found to utilize more top-down and context-related strategies, while less-proficient learners tended to focus on bottom-up and lexical-related strategies. Also, limited vocabulary knowledge is the most important reader factor of Taiwanese college students’ reading problems. The study concludes with a discussion of implications for L2 reading instruction and learning in the classroom setting

Using artificial intelligence to study the impact of jobseekers\u27 Facebook profile pictures on recruiters’ interview decision

Previous research has shown that jobseekers’ information on Facebook influences recruiters’ decision-making. This study extends previous research by using artificial intelligence to study the impact of jobseekers\u27 Facebook profile pictures sharing on recruiters\u27 decision-making during the pandemics. For most people, Facebook is an integral part of everyday life. Facebook allows its jobseekers to interact with passive and active jobseekers in a low-cost and relatively easy way. Facebook is a useful business tool for companies and individuals to promote their brands, personal image and personality types. Jobseekers are one of the largest groups of Facebook jobseekers. Smart business recruiters and recruiters are using many tools and strategies to find the best Jobseekers on Facebook. Jobseekers’ Facebook profile pictures sharing has been a topic of interest to searchers in recent years. This study collected data from 500 Jobseekers\u27 Facebook profile pictures and recruited 50 recruiters. The results show that the jobseekers\u27 Facebook profile pictures are positively correlated with recruiters\u27 interview decisions during the pandemic. This study uses artificial intelligence to judge the personality traits of jobseekers based on Facebook profile pictures and examines the impact of jobseekers\u27 Facebook profile pictures and recruiters’ interview decisions

4-Methyl-2-oxo-2,3-dihydro-1-benzopyran-7-yl benzene­sulfonate

The title compound, C16H12O5S, is a derivative of coumarin. The dihedral angle between the coumarin ring system and the phenyl ring is 65.9 (1)°. In the crystal structure, mol­ecules are linked by weak C—H⋯O hydrogen bonding to form molecular ribbons

An exploration of factors related to quality of life in Indonesian care workers in home-based care settings

Background Indonesians constituted 79% of foreign care workers for long-term care in Taiwan in 2015. Therefore, it is crucial to explore the effect of work stress and quality of life (QoL) on this population.Purpose This study aims to explore stress levels, social support requirements, and perceived QoL among Indonesian care workers (ICWs) who work in home care settings.Methods A cross-sectional design was used. Data were collected between 2014 and 2016 from a convenience sample of ICWs working in eastern Taiwan using a self-administered questionnaire that comprised the Stress Perception Scale (SPS), Social Support Scale (SSS), and World Health Organization Quality of Life-Brief scale. One hundred fifty-seven valid questionnaires were collected. The response rate was 80.51%. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and multiple regression analysis.Results The results found that the average SPS of the sample was 70.50, with low QoL scores and requirements for more social support. In addition, significant and positive correlations were found between QoL and SPS, SSS, duration of patient care, and hours of care per week. Stepwise regression analysis showed that the most predictive variables for QoL were time spent caring, preservice training, psychological stress, and emotional support, which together accounted for 60.9% of the total variance.Conclusions/Implications for Practice This study facilitated understanding of the stress on ICWs and the impact of social support on their QoL. The findings suggest that new immigrants in Taiwan should be introduced to foreign care workers or nursing attendants. Moreover, long-term-care-related teachers should work with home care institutions or agencies to develop a teaching model for innovative care skills to relieve the perceived stress of ICWs