English Immersion of Middle and High School Korean Students: Linguistic and cultural Experience of Relocation to the Southwest United States

With the onset of globalization, the Korean government has emphasized English education as a key issue for Korea to succeed in the global economy. The Korean public education system has faced dramatic shifts in English education; for example, English introduction at an early age. Koreans feel considerable social pressure to acquire English proficiency. This pressure has encouraged parents to send their children to English speaking countries in order for them to learn English. This study examines three Korean students who came to the U.S. with the purpose of studying English. The research questions were: how do Korean students experience English inside and outside the classroom; what are the difficulties that Korean students experience during this process in the United States; and what linguistic and cultural experiences do Korean students experience as a result of being exposed to English language and American culture. To answer these research questions, I used several types of data collection: classroom observations; interviews; student journals; analyses of students writing samples and other personal documents; and my own reflective journal writings as a researcher. These data collection methods contributed to this study\u27s findings. The data analysis was an ongoing process, which was performed as the data was collected. Constant comparison and thematic analysis methods were used to make sense of the data and to answer the research questions. As a result, several themes emerged across the three cases: emotional experiences; complexity of L2 learning and development; and social and cultural experiences in the classroom. When these Korean students relocated to the US, the role and influence of environment played a crucial role in their emotional and mental development and also in meaning making. The environment influenced how they perceived and internalized experience of social interactions. This study showed the complexity of L2 learning; namely, many factors played key roles in contributing to their language development. This study also displayed that the participants faced difficulties with different cultural values, but gradually they constructed a system of meaning in their L2 culture. Finally, this study provided insightful educational implications for US schools, educators, the Korean government and society, and Korean community. Additionally, it demonstrated implications for the classroom environment for the Korean students, and general implications for teacher education programs in the US.\u2

Interrelationship Among School Characteristics, Parental Involvement, And Children’s Characteristics In Predicting Children’s Victimization By Peers: Comparison Between The United States And Three Eastern Asia Countries

To identify ways that national culture, school characteristics, and individual attributes impact the victimization of students in Grade 8, data from the United States and three East Asian countries (i.e., Japan, S. Korea, and Taiwan) were compared using the 2011 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and Hierarchical Liner Modeling (HLM). The school-level factors measured by school size, school resources, and perceived behavioral problems on campus did not predict middle school students’ victimization in the United States, but significant positive parental involvement and negative school resources were found to impact the victimization of students in the East Asian countries. Regarding the effects of the student-level variables, boys, in comparison to girls and students showing less attachment to the schools, were more victimized in U.S. and East Asian schools. Individual students’ perceived parental monitoring was a significant and positive predictor of students’ victimization in the East Asian schools only. The standard test scores in mathematics were not predictive of victimization in U.S. and East Asian participants. The results indicated that understanding the ecological factors involved in victimization is important to intervene effectively, protect students, and prevent peer victimization on campus.

Technology for Equity and Social Justice in Education: Introduction to the Special Issue

In this Introduction to the IJME Special Issue on Technology for Equity and Social Justice in Education, Sherry Marx and Yanghee Kim highlight key trends in technology education research that address issues of equity and multicultural education. Seven articles are introduced

Gendered Socialization with an Embodied Agent: Creating a Social and Affable Mathematics Learning Environment for Middle-Grade Females

This study examined whether or not embodied-agent-based learning would help middle-grade females have more positive mathematics learning experiences. The study used an explanatory mixed-methods research design. First, a classroom-based experiment was conducted with one hundred and twenty 9th-graders learning introductory algebra (53% male and 47% female; 51% Caucasian and 49% Latino). The results revealed that learner gender was a significant factor in the learners’ evaluations of their agent (η2 = .07), the learners’ task-specific attitudes (η2 = .05), and their task-specific self-efficacy (η2 = .06). In-depth interviews were then conducted with 22 students selected from the experiment participants. The interviews revealed that Latina and Caucasian females built a different type of relationship with their agent and reported more positive learning experiences as compared to Caucasian males. The females’ favorable view of the agent-based learning was largely influenced by their everyday classroom experiences, implying that students’ learning experience in real and virtual spaces was interconnected

Korean Immigrants’ Perceptions of Library Services and Library Multicultural Programs for Asian Communities Before and During COVID-19

This study explored 141 Korean immigrant parents’ use of local libraries to enhance their families’ social and cultural capital and adjust to the host country. We searched resources in Korean, and multicultural programs planned for the public and immigrants, Asian immigrants in particular, at two libraries before and during COVID-19. Parents reported dissatisfaction with library services because of language barriers (38%) and the lack of Korean resources (38%) and cultural programs (25%). Except for 18 books and 24 e-resources, no library resources in Korean were published after 2008. Before COVID-19, one multicultural program was offered for children. At Branches B and C, the number of adult programs related to Asian culture decreased to 0% from 6% and increased to 3% from 0%, respectively, during COVID-19, when hate crimes against Asians increased by 77%. The respondents’ concerns about the lack of programs supporting their adjustment and fostering multicultural dialogue were validated

Formation of Artificial Lipid Membrane and their Photolysis in Mineral Water including Germanium

We have attempted to determine the Germanium ion (Ge 4+ ) effect on the human body by observing the formation of artificial lipid membrane and photolysis in the mineral water containing Ge 4+ ion. The artificial lipid membrane is prepared by using the phospholipid in the Germanium water and the formation efficiency of the liposomes is compared with those obtained in the plain mineral water without Ge 4+ ion. This work shows that the liposomes are formed in the Germanium water better than in the non-Germanium water. The liposomes can be photolyzed by superoxide anion (O 2 -. ) produced in the presence of some peptide such as NAT (N-acethyl-L-tryptophan). However, this is inhibited by superoxide dismutase (SOD), and it was found that the activity of SOD on the inhibition of the liposomes oxidative damage is higher in the Germanium water than in the non-Germanium water. It is concluded that the Ge 4+ ion in mineral water helps the formation of new cell as well as elevation of SOD activity for the lipid oxidation

Mobile Health App for Adolescents: Motion Sensor Data and Deep Learning Technique to Examine the Relationship Between Obesity and Walking Patterns

With the prevalence of obesity in adolescents, and its long-term influence on their overall health, there is a large body of research exploring better ways to reduce the rate of obesity. A traditional way of maintaining an adequate body mass index (BMI), calculated by measuring the weight and height of an individual, is no longer enough, and we are in need of a better health care tool. Therefore, the current research proposes an easier method that offers instant and real-time feedback to the users from the data collected from the motion sensors of a smartphone. The study utilized the mHealth application to identify participants presenting the walking movements of the high BMI group. Using the feedforward deep learning models and convolutional neural network models, the study was able to distinguish the walking movements between nonobese and obese groups, at a rate of 90.5%. The research highlights the potential use of smartphones and suggests the mHealth application as a way to monitor individual health