What Makes a Good Teacher in Vocational Education? Students Talk Back

Vocational education plays an important role in promoting socio-economic develop-ment. Yet, it is under-researched, especially in terms of what constitutes quality teaching and what is attributed to good vocational teachers through the lens of the student. The present study aims to explore concepts of exemplary teachers and the effective teaching of vocationally-oriented higher diploma students. Adopting a thematic analysis, four themes and fourteen subthemes have been identified: i) teacher’s knowledge and skills (subject knowledge and specific vocational knowledge, technical skills, and pedagogical content knowledge); ii) teaching approaches and con-tent (teaching in an interesting way, teaching in a clear way, teaching in an adaptive way, exam-oriented teaching, practical skills and knowledge of professional work, and integration of theory and practice); iii) teacher-student relationships (caring for students and friendliness); and iv) the teacher’s personal characteristics and roles (enthusiasm, dual identity, and role modelling). The findings reveal that vocational teachers play a distinct dual role: not only do they need to be pro-fessionals in their subject and industry and competent in its pedagogy, they also have to possess practical skills and up-to-date expertise relevant to the broader workplace. Keywords: Good teacher, good teaching, higher education, vocational educationVocational education plays an important role in promoting socio-economic development. Yet, it is under-researched, especially in terms of what constitutes quality teaching and what is attributed to good vocational teachers through the lens of the student. The present study aims to explore concepts of exemplary teachers and the effective teaching of vocationally-oriented higher diploma (HD) students in Hong Kong. Adopting a thematic analysis, four themes and fourteen subthemes have been identified: i) teacher’s knowledge and skills (subject knowledge and specific vocational knowledge, technical skills, and pedagogical content knowledge); ii) teaching approaches and content (teaching in an interesting way, teaching in a clear way, teaching in an adaptive way, exam-oriented teaching, practical skills and knowledge of professional work, and integration of theory and practice); iii) teacher-student relationships (caring for students and friendliness); and iv) the teacher’s personal characteristics and roles (enthusiasm, dual identity, and role modelling). The findings reveal that good vocational teachers play a distinct dual role: not only do they need to be professionals in their subject and industry and competent in its pedagogy, they also have to possess practical skills and up-to-date vocational expertise relevant to the broader workplace. This research not only sheds light on the interrelationship between various attributes but also yields implications for various stakeholders

Factors Influencing Intelligibility and Comprehensibility: A Critical Review of Research on Second Language English Speakers

The varieties of English have led to the paradigm of Global Englishes, which describes the ideologies of English as a lingua franca (ELF) and World Englishes (differential uses of English internationally) in diverse sociolinguistic contexts. Global Englishes literature complicates intelligibility and comprehensibility since it tends to problematize “native norms” as the only benchmarks for successful lingua franca use. Intelligibility and comprehensibility studies have recently been concerned with the interaction between non-native speakers using English as a second language for communication. Thus, this paper critically evaluates research on intelligibility and comprehensibility of second language (L2) English speakers. It is observed that various speaker, listener, and contextual factors may affect intelligibility and comprehensibility. Based on the influencing factors, this paper also makes several recommendations for how intelligibility and comprehensibility can be improved. It is suggested that further research is needed for L2 instruction that may be promising for improving intelligibility and comprehensibility

Quantification of vocal tract configuration of laryngectomees by acoustic reflection technology (ART)

This study compared the vocal tract configuration, including the length and volume, of alaryngeal and laryngeal speakers. Thirty alaryngeal speakers and 30 laryngeal speakers were recruited for the study. Pharyngometry, which is an acoustic reflection technology (ART), was used to measure the vocal tract parameters of the participants. Results showed that there was no significant difference in the length and volume of the vocal tract of the alaryngeal and laryngeal speakers. The finding suggested that the difference in the formant frequency during vowel production by alaryngeal and laryngeal speakers may be due to factors other than vocal tract configuration. The finding also suggested that the independence of the source and the filter (Fant, 1960; Pickett, 1999) may not be applicable to alaryngeal speakers.published_or_final_versionSpeech and Hearing SciencesBachelorBachelor of Science in Speech and Hearing Science

The real interest rate differential: international evidence based on nonlinear unit root tests

This paper aims at testing international parity conditions by using nonlinear unit root tests advocated by Kapetanios et al. (2003, KSS). Results from the KSS tests based on 17 countries (G7 and 10 Asian countries) overwhelmingly show that the adjustment of real interest rates towards the RIP follows a nonlinear process except for the Malaysian relationships with both the US and Japan. Overall, the empirical results are in favor of RIP using the US and Japan as the center countries but only if nonlinearities are accounted for in the data generating process. Our findings confirm that interest rate differentials, like the real exchange rates reported in recent literature, display a nonlinear mean reversion process.real interest parity; nonlinearities; unit root tests

Evaluation of the economic impact of operational tactics at an electronics manufacturer

Operational tactics of non-value added time, setup time and lot size reduction for reducing manufacturing cycle time at a large electronics manufacturer were evaluated with economic measures. Features of one of the assembly lines were modeled using actual production data. The simulation model developed covers all assembly operations of the line from board preparation to final system assembly and test. Details of the assembly line modeled are presented. Parameters of the simulation model are described. Experimental design, performance measures, statistical analysis are discussed. The dollar value of both work-in-process (WIP) and finished goods (FG) inventory is used to evaluate the effectiveness of alternative tactics. Managerial implications and recommendations are presente

The real interest rate differential : international evidence based on nonlinear unit root tests

This paper aims at testing international parity conditions by using nonlinear unit root tests advocated by Kapetanios et al. (2003, KSS). Results from the KSS tests based on 17 countries (G7 and 10 Asian countries) overwhelmingly show that the adjustment of real interest rates towards the RIP follows a nonlinear process except for the Malaysian relationships with both the US and Japan. Overall, the empirical results are in favor of RIP using the US and Japan as the center countries but only if nonlinearities are accounted for in the data generating process. Our findings confirm that interest rate differentials, like the real exchange rates reported in recent literature, display a nonlinear mean reversion process

The real interest rate differential: international evidence based on nonlinear unit root tests

This paper aims at testing international parity conditions by using nonlinear unit root tests advocated by Kapetanios et al. (2003, KSS). Results from the KSS tests based on 17 countries (G7 and 10 Asian countries) overwhelmingly show that the adjustment of real interest rates towards the RIP follows a nonlinear process except for the Malaysian relationships with both the US and Japan. Overall, the empirical results are in favor of RIP using the US and Japan as the center countries but only if nonlinearities are accounted for in the data generating process. Our findings confirm that interest rate differentials, like the real exchange rates reported in recent literature, display a nonlinear mean reversion process

Foreign Direct Investment Volatility And Economic Growth In Asean-Five Countries

This study examines the role of foreign direct investment (FDI) volatility as a source of variability in five major ASEAN economies. Using bounds testing approach, we show that while FDI has positive and significant effect in all the ASEAN economies considered, its volatility retards long-run economic growth in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand. Moreover, FDI volatility can be welfare reducing even after controlling for other country-specific growth correlates. This finding is robust to different measures of FDI volatility