Radiocarbon dates from the Highland Jar and Coffin burial site of Phnom Khnang Peung, Cardamom Mountains, Cambodia

The Cardamom Mountain Jar and Coffin burial site of Phnom Khnang Peung is the most extensive example of the distinctive burial ritual first reported by Beavan et al. (2012a). The 40 intact Mae Nam Noi and late Angkorian-era ceramic jars used as burial vessels held a total of up to 152 individuals, representing the largest corpus of skeletal remains of any of the 10 known Jar and Coffin burial sites that have been discovered in the eastern ranges of the Cardamom Mountains of Cambodia. We report here on the radiocarbon dating of this site and notable burial phenomena, using a Bayesian approach to model the start and end date of activity as well as its overall span. The results of the dating and Bayesian analyses indicate that the Phnom Khnang Peung site’s earliest burials began cal AD 1420–1440 (95% probability). Interestingly, the concen- tration of burial activity spans only 15–45 years (95% probability), despite the large number of inhumations at the site. The 14C chronology presented for the site places the Highland burial ritual coincident with a period of economic, political, and societal transformations in the lowland Angkorian polity, but the unique burial practice and trade relationships evidenced by the burial goods and maritime trade ware ceramics employed in the burial ritual suggest these Highland people were a culture apart from Angkorian cultural influences

Buenas prácticas de transferencia del conocimiento en la Universidad de Córdoba

El estudio de la dinámica del agua en cuencas mediterráneas, la transferencia de método y conocimiento en el ámbito de zonas costeras, el trabajo continuo con la Agencia Andaluza del Agua y la transferencia de los resultados a empresas públicas y privadas son algunos de los ejes del proyecto, que también incluye la oferta de un master especializado en el tema. Se trata de una iniciativa cuya aplicación llega a la agricultura, el turismo, el desarrollo urbano, la calidad del agua y la conservación de los sistemas acuáticos

Asserting rights, defining responsibilities: perspectives from small-scale fishing communities on coastal and fisheries management in Cambodia

In preparation for the Workshop and Symposium on “Asserting Rights, Defining Responsibilities: Perspectives from Small-scale Fishing Communities on Coastal and Fisheries Management in Asia”, held in Siem Reap Cambodia, from 3 to 8 May 2007, case studies were undertaken in six countries in Asia—Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand. Among other things, the studies aimed to document and explore the understanding that fishing communities have about their rights to fisheries and coastal resources, as well as the obligations and responsibilities associated with these rights, and to document and discuss their initiatives to assert these rights and fulfill their responsibilities. The studies formed the basis for discussions at the Workshop and Symposium. This case study from Cambodia will be found useful by NGOs, regional and national organizations of artisanal fishworkers, and anyone interested in fisheries and fishing communities in Cambodia

AN EXAMINATION OF EXTRINSIC MOTIVATION EFFECTS ON STUDENTS IN LEARNING ENGLISH IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Researchers in developed countries have explored various types of motivation effects on students' English language learning, yet these are not broadly studied in developing country contexts, especially in higher education institutions. Hence, the objective of the current study is to examine four types of extrinsic motivation in order to evaluate which one is the most effective factor for motivating students to study English better than before. A quantitative method was employed, and data was collected through a survey questionnaire. 105 students were randomly selected from a university, which is one of the best private universities in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The findings show that all four types of extrinsic motivation were crucial in being catalysts to push students to learn English better than before. The findings also revealed that external regulation (M = 4.89, SD = 0.17) was the most important factor among the other three types of extrinsic motivation. The results are vital for teachers of English and relevant stakeholders to motivate students to learn English. Finally, similar topics with a larger sample size should be conducted at other institutions across the country. Qualitative and mixed-method designs should also be considered. Keywords:  Cambodia, Motivation, Extrinsic Motivation, Four Types of Extrinsic Motivatio

Variation in the growth parameters and biomass of Rhizophora mangle seedlings with distances from Playa Estrella, Bocas del Toro, Panama

Mangrove is a salt-tolerant, intertidal, tropical tree or shrub and make up a rich community of various organism. On the Caribbean coast of Panama, in Bocas del Toro, mangrove forests cover 28 km2 and are dominated by R. mangle, followed by L. racemosa and A. germinans. Simultaneously, Isla Colón, the most populated and developed among all islands in the Bocas del Toro Archipelago, is a tourist center. Unfortunately, tourism comes at the price of environmental degradation via alteration of natural habitats, solid and wastewater pollution. Therefore, this study aims to gain a preliminary understanding on how the growth parameters of R. mangle seedlings and dry biomass vary with distances from a tourism site, Playa Estrella, Bocas del Toro, Panama. Three sites with different linear distances from Playa Estrella were studied. Results showed that stem diameter and number of nodes were larger in Site 3, the furthest from Playa Estrella. Larger diameter and node count in Site 3 may indicate less impact by pollution created by human on the beach. However, no significant differences were found between total and stem heights across study sites. Thus, the lack of differences in total and stem height in this study may be accounted for the similarity in environmental condition between the sites, and the heights were not as sensitive as the stem diameter and node count. The first two to four internodal heights were larger in Site 1 and Site 2. It’s unclear why this was the case, but these differences may be accounted by variation in the availability of nutrients in the hypocotyl reserve, or the ability to of the seedlings to absorb nutrients to allocate to the stem. Furthermore, dry biomass analysis showed high allocation towards the hypocotyls and low leaf mass ratio (LMR). The result found is potentially a preliminary insight on the impact of human activities on Playa Estrella on the growth parameters of R. mangle seedlings. However, it is not sufficient to draw a holistic conclusion about human impact from Playa Estrella definitively. Future studies should consider not just environmental factors that may impact R. mangle seedlings growth, but also factors that are clearer proxy of human impact such as presence of trash, and nutrient enrichment from waste

Literacy Skills and Practices in Cambodian-American Families: A Portraiture of Ten Women

Abstract:This research article describes the literacy skills and practices in ten Cambodian-American (CA) families within their home environment. It also investigates such contextual problems as CA students not being a part of the Asian model minority and the invisibility that some experience at school.Its literature review addresses the evolving concept of family literacy scholarship, specifically diversity scholarship, with a conceptual framework focusing on Dewey’s (1916) ideas linking family literacy ultimately to human empowerment, hope, progress, growth, and meaning within society. A narrative inquiry technique called portraiture is employed to collect the data of its ten participants’ experiences. This research’s key finding is skewed toward educated women. Recommendations included quantitative methodology, culturally-relevant pedagogy and funds of knowledge be applied for further research