Re-envisioning L2 hybrid and online courses as digital open learning and teaching environments: Responding to a changing world

This article begins with a summary of the research literature that has been carried out over the last ten years regarding second language (L2) learning and teaching issues in college-level hybrid and online course environments. Next, I explore the open education movement and highlight characteristics that are shared between open educational resources and practices as well as open access scholarship and the interactions, activities, materials, and digital tools that are commonly used in L2 hybrid and online courses. As such, the primary focus of this article examines how L2 hybrid and online course environments can be conceptualized as—and are increasingly becoming—digital open learning and teaching ecologies (van Lier, 2004). Re-envisioning L2 hybrid and online courses as digital open learning and teaching environments presents both opportunities and challenges for L2 learners and teachers and the language education field as a whole. I therefore conclude with an overview of future empirical, pedagogical, and curricular issues and questions that will need to be addressed related to L2 digital open efforts as they continue to expand

Investigating Linguistic, Literary, and Social Affordances of L2 Collaborative Reading

This exploratory study analyzes learner–learner interactions within a virtual environment when collaboratively reading Spanish poetry in a Hispanic literature course at the college level via an ecological theoretical perspective (van Lier, 2004). The goals of the study are (a) to present empirical data that illustrate the theoretical construct of affordance in a virtual, collaborative reading environment, and (b) to investigate the pedagogical ramifications of using a digital annotation tool to involve learners in collaborative reading. Three distinct types of affordances emerged in the data: linguistic, literary, and social affordances. Our findings indicate that the number of literary and social affordances outnumbered the linguistic affordances that emerged in students’ threaded discussions while collaboratively reading and annotating poems. In addition, the primary challenges for learners when engaging in collaborative reading included others’ comments impeding some students’ understanding of the text, and having to make one’s comments distinct from others’ comments to avoid being socially viewed as an inactive reader or student. From a pedagogical perspective, the primary benefits of incorporating collaborative reading in a second language poetry course involve the ability to establish a more open learning community and allowing students to carry out a closer reading of literary texts

A self-compartmentalizing hexamer serine protease from Pyrococcus Horikoshii: Substrate selection achieved through multimerization

Oligopeptidases impose a size limitation on their substrates, the mechanism of which has long been in debate. Here we present the structure of a hexameric serine protease, an oligopeptidase from Pyrococcus horikoshii (PhAAP), revealing a complex, self-compartmentalized inner space, where substrates may access the monomer active sites passing through a double-gated "check-in" system: first passing through a pore on the hexamer surface, then turning to enter through an even smaller opening at the monomers' domain-interface. This substrate screening strategy is unique within the family. We found that among oligopeptidases a member of catalytic apparatus is positioned near an amylogenic beta-edge, which needs to be protected to prevent aggregation and found different strategies applied to such end. We propose that self-assembly within the family results in characteristically different substrate selection mechanisms coupled to different multimerization states

Changes in plasma biomarkers following treatment with cabozantinib in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: a post hoc analysis of an extension cohort of a phase II trial

BACKGROUND: Cabozantinib is an orally available inhibitor of tyrosine kinases including VEGFR2 and c-MET. We performed a post hoc analysis to find associations between select plasma biomarkers and treatment response in patients (pts) with metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) who received cabozantinib 100 mg daily as part of a phase 2 non-randomized expansion cohort (NCT00940225). METHODS: Plasma samples were collected at baseline, 6 weeks and at time of maximal response from 81 mCRPC pts with bone metastases, of which 33 also had measurable soft-tissue disease. Levels of 27 biomarkers were measured in duplicate using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Spearman correlation coefficients were calculated for the association between biomarker levels or their change on treatment and either bone scan response (BSR) or soft tissue response according to RECIST. RESULTS: A BSR and RECIST response were seen in 66/81 pts (81 %) and 6/33 pts (18 %) respectively. No significant associations were found between any biomarker at any time point and either type of response. Plasma concentrations of VEGFA, FLT3L, c-MET, AXL, Gas6A, bone-specific alkaline phosphatase, interleukin-8 and the hypoxia markers CA9 and clusterin significantly increased during treatment with cabozantinib irrespective of response. The plasma concentrations of VEGFR2, Trap5b, Angiopoietin-2, TIMP-2 and TIE-2 significantly decreased during treatment with caboznatinib. CONCLUSIONS: Our data did not reveal plasma biomarkers associated with response to cabozantinib. The observed alterations in several biomarkers during treatment with cabozantinib may provide insights on the effects of cabozantinib on tumor cells and on tumor micro-environment and may help point to potential co-targeting approaches

Open educational resources: Insights from foreign language directors

This study reports the results of a survey completed by 155 university foreign language (FL) directors in the United States (US) during Fall 2012. Survey respondents come from a variety of institutions and direct a range of FL programs. The objectives of the study are to (a) determine what FL directors know about open educational resources (OER), (b) understand respondents\u27 perceived benefits and challenges of using OER, and (c) determine what resources and support are critical to establish or expand the use of OER in FL courses in the US. Results indicate that while 66% of FL directors do not recognize the term OER, many are in fact utilizing them. Those who incorporate OER in their FL courses state they do so to go beyond what is offered in traditional, print-based textbooks suggesting that OER represent more authentic and relevant content. While few (26%) respondents indicate intellectual property concerns, many note challenges such as finding OER at the appropriate level for students, time involved in creating and using OER, and training others (e.g., teaching assistants) how to use technology-oriented OER. The paper concludes by highlighting additional training and resources to more completely and successfully incorporate OER into FL curricula