Teacher gesture in a post-secondary English as a second language classroom: A sociocultural approach

Vygotsky (1978) uses the example of gesture in a child, stating that finger pointing represents an interpersonal relationship, and only after this cultural form is internalized can an intrapersonal relationship develop. Language learning must be viewed in the context of social interaction, and the gesture of others, specifically language instructors toward their students, is a form of social interaction worthy of attention. Newman and Holzman (1993) discuss the idea of performance as a mode of semiotic mediation related to meaning making. Daniels, Cole, and Wertsch (2007) also discuss the concept of performance, stating that gestures are tools which assist performance. Wells (1999) adds performance to Vygotsky’s modes of semiotic mediation when discussing learning and teaching within the ZPD, considering these sources of assistance to learners in the ZPD. This study examined the discourse and corresponding gestures used in the classroom by one female instructor and her students in a university ESL pronunciation course. Specifically, the observations are of the teacher in interaction with students concerning the subject matter. The instructor and students were video recorded for the first five weeks of an eight-week course, meeting twice per week for one hour. The findings are discussed in relation to the instructor’s embodied practices. The data revealed that the instructor gestured and mimetically illustrated in order to concretize the language. In addition, her performance included nearly constant instantiations of language in terms of gesture. The gestures observed are organized into the different linguistic categories of grammar, pronunciation, and lexis. In addition, gestures related to classroom management are described. This organization reinforces the notion that the instructor was trying to concretize the language and codify it. Gestures in this study are considered in relation to pedagogy. Therefore, not only the gesture types, but also the functions, are discussed

Growing up with migration : impacts on Oaxacan youth culture and identity

While studying social change and grassroots organization in Oaxaca, Mexico I discovered that every community I visited in Oaxaca City, the surrounding pueblos and the Mixteca region, were heavily impacted by migration. While immigration is playing out in high profile media coverage and in the economies of the U.S. I became interested in the impacts of migration on the people living in Mexico, especially those who are left behind by family and friends who migrate. From these experiences in Oaxaca, Mexico my Capstone developed into an exploration of the identity of Oaxacan youths who have never migrated. I found that their cultural circles, social networks and identities were still influenced heavily by migration even though they have never left the country. The paper includes what some of these influences were, how they were being integrated into Oaxacan communities, and the subsequent changes that were occurring among the youth population. The paintings displayed as part of this project were done by a group of art students at the Casa de Cultura in Oaxaca City. Their opinions and emotions came alive in the colors and figures on the canvases displaying sadness, anger, pride, frustration and much more. Their finished works I think added a different and very necessary dimension to this Capstone, one that I could never have represented in my own words

Policy Brief: UNSCR 1325: The Challenges of Framing Women’s Rights as a Security Matter

While UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 has certainly increased awareness among international actors about women’s and gender issues in armed conflict, opened new spaces for dialogue and partnerships from global to local levels, and even created opportunities for new resources for women’s rights, successes remain limited and notably inconsistent. To understand some of these shortcomings and think creatively about how to move the women, peace and security agenda forward, it is essential to understand the conceptual assumptions underscoring UNSCR 1325

Gender, Human Security and the United Nations: Security Language as a Political Framework for Women

This book examines the relationship between women, gender and the international security agenda, exploring the meaning of security in terms of discourse and practice, as well as the larger goals and strategies of the global women\u27s movement. Today, many complex global problems are being located within the security logic. From the environment to HIV/AIDS, state and non-state actors have made a practice out of securitizing issues that are not conventionally seen as such. As most prominently demonstrated by the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (2001), activists for women\u27s rights have increasingly framed women\u27s rights and gender inequality as security issues in an attempt to gain access to the international security agenda, particularly in the context of the United Nations. This book explores the nature and implications of the use of security language as a political framework for women, tracing and analyzing the organizational dynamics of women\u27s activism in the United Nations system and how women have come to embrace and been impacted by the security framework, globally and locally. The book argues that, from a feminist and human security perspective, efforts to engender the security discourse have had both a broadening and limiting effect, highlighting reasons to be skeptical of securitization as an inherently beneficial strategy. Four case studies are used to develop the core themes: The campaign to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1325 The strategies utilized by those advocating women\u27s issues in the security arena compared to those advocating for children The organizational development of the UN Development Fund for Women and how it has come to securitize women The activity of the UN Peacebuilding Commission and its challenges in gendering its security approach. The work will be of interest to students of critical security, gender studies, international organizations and international relations in general

The Effect of Functionalized versus Unmodified Graphene Oxide on Polyimide Nanocomposite Properties

Abstract Polyimides are a commercially useful material, typically used in air and space applications due to high heat resistance, impressive mechanical strength, and self-extinguishing properties. In recent years, graphene has come of interest in the material science world. However, the pristine, carbon-honeycomb allotrope is extremely hydrophobic, chemically unreactive and it is therefore difficult, if not impossible, to disperse graphene nanoparticles as single nanosheets into polar solvents used typically used for polymerization and synthesis. Focus has shifted to graphene oxide (GO); the honeycomb structure of graphene with oxygen-containing functional groups on the surface. Incorporation of GO into polyimides is shown to improve mechanical properties, increase gas barrier properties and to increase water solvent resistance along with other solvents. Functionalization of GO sheets with monomer components of the chosen polymer results in further improvements of these properties. Here we demonstrate that tailoring of GO to be compatible with polyimide resins is a valuable technique in enhancing GO-polymer composite properties

What Is Really New in the “New” Urban Environment?

Established in 2009, The Jean Augustine Chair in Education in the New Urban Environment presented the learning community opportunity to define new urbanism through debates, conversations and other learning encounters. As the inaugural chair, Dlamini began conversations with faculty, students and community in order to unpack the meaning of the new urban environment and its associated characteristics and encounters. This article follows ongoing conversations between, Dlamini and three graduate students from her urban education class, which tackled these and many other questions throughout the course. Following the seminar, we find ourselves continually questioning what is meant by new and if this term is only foregrounded by the understanding of what is old? This article takes these questions of newness to Education. Throughout the paper, we consider the new ways of understanding pedagogy in urban environments; meanings found in geographical spaces; the understanding of Shakespeare coupled with the newness of Hip Hop; and finally, questions of local and community based pedagogy. Fondé en 2009, la Jean Augustine Chaire d’Éducation dans le nouvel environnement urbain a présenté à la communauté éducative, l’opportunité de définir le nouvel urbanisme, à travers des débats, des conversations et d’autres formes de rencontres éducatives. En tant que première présidente, Dlamini a entamé des discussions avec des professeurs, des étudiants et la communauté afin d’étendre la signification de ce nouvel environnement urbain, des caractéristiques et rencontres qui y sont associés. Cet article suit les récentes conversations entre Dlamini et trois étudiants diplômés de sa classe d’éducation en urbanisme, qui a abordé ces questions et bien d’autres encore tout au long du cours. Suite au séminaire, nous nous interrogeons continuellement sur ce qu’on entend par nouveau et si ce terme est seulement placé au premier plan par notre compréhension de ce qui est ancien? Cet article s’attaque donc à ces questions de nouveauté en Éducation. À travers ce document, nous considérons les nouvelles manières de appréhender la pédagogie en milieux urbains; les significations trouvées dans les espaces géographiques; le sens de Shakespeare lié à la nouveauté du Hip Hop; et finalement, les questions de pédagogie basée sur la localité et la communauté

Enhancing polyimide\u27s water barrier properties through addition of functionalized graphene oxide

Graphene oxide produced by Tour\u27s method (GO) and GO functionalized with 4-4\u27 oxydianiline (ODAGO) are incorporated at 0.01 to 0.10 weight percent (wt%) into a polyimide (PI) made from 3,3\u27-benzophe-nonetetracarboxylic dianhydride (BTDA) and 4-4\u27 oxydianiline (ODA). The performance properties of these two systems GO-PI and ODAGO-PI at extremely low GO concentrations are compared. ODAGO-PI nanocomposite\u27s performance properties are comparable to previous results citing concentrations 10 times higher and displayed significantly greater improvement than unfunctionalized GO-PI films. The 0.01 wt% ODAGO-PI film demonstrated a factor of ten decrease in water vapor permeability. The 0.10 wt% ODAGO-PI film displayed the maximum increase of 82% in Young\u27s modulus. The water vapor permeability results were fit to the Nielsen law. We found that the model yielded unphysically large aspect ratios for the 0.01 wt% ODAGO-PI, 100 times larger than the AFM-measured value. For the GO-PI, we observe less enhancement of the barrier properties. The large aspect ratio indicates tortuosity effects alone cannot explain the enhanced barrier properties. We propose that the improved barrier properties are also due to a stabilizing effect of the flakes on the polymer matrix, where reduced mobility of the PI chain reduces diffusion through the polymer matrix. ATR-FTIR, WAXS, Raman and T-g results support this view. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Local Voices in Transnational Spaces Diaspora Activists and the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda

This article sheds light on the status of women diaspora activists in transnational advocacy working to advance the WPS Agenda. Despite calls for solidarity, even “feminist” spaces face challenges for linking the Global North and South to advance advocacy efforts, challenges that are magnified when dealing with the issue of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV).  We focus on the stories of women diaspora activists working on active conflicts in the Global South and the ways these activists sought to embed themselves discursively in the WPS framework. We adopt an insider-outsider perspective to study their participation and draw insights on gender-related aspects of diaspora inclusion. We argue that the constraints on including local voices and perspectives in WPS advocacy is certainly contributing to some of the cracks in implementation. However, the construction of transnational solidarity by women for women’s security issues is improving the possibilities for meaningful participation

Gender, Research, and Advocacy: What We’ve Learned and What Work Lies Ahead

From the global Women’s Marches to the #metoo movement and SDG 5, women’s rights and gender equality are clearly among the most urgent issues for the international human rights movement today. Long-held commitments and established language on women’s rights and gender equality are under threat at all levels of governance and in issue areas ranging from sexual violence to reproductive health to political participation. If history has made one thing clear, it’s that women’s rights are fragile and constantly at risk of being extinguished for political purposes. This panel will explore the following four themes from the conference in light of this global reality: Connecting Scholars and Practitioners: What are the opportunities and limitations of connecting research and advocacy when working on women’s rights and/or gender equality issues? Which research methods are ideal for bridging scholars and practitioners on these issues? Movements: To what extent do we or should we distinguish between studying (and doing) women’s activism and using a gender perspective in human rights advocacy? Are there ways in which greater visibility to women’s issues has narrowed our understandings of women? To the exclusion of other gender-related issues? Technology: What role does technology play in creating visibility for gender issues and voices? For sharing research on human rights advocacy or aiding mobilization? Neoliberal Solutions: What is the status of philanthropy and funding for work on gender issues? Have market-based solutions to raise funds for NGOs become dominant in ways that perpetuate stereotypes

Increasing interest in social studies: Social perspective taking and self-efficacy in stimulating simulations

This study examined the potential of simulations to bolster interest in middle school social studies classrooms. Using a pre-post design, we examined 305 middle school students (49% female) who participated in the web-based GlobalEd simulation. Unlike the motivation declines middle school students usually experience, participants in this simulation became more interested in social studies. We investigated four hypotheses as to why these increases may have occurred. We found no support for the possibility that, (a) students’ interest in a particular issue area or (b) their increased valuing of the subject matter, were related to their increased interest. However, results suggested that, (c) the challenging nature of the activity may have bolstered their interest in social studies and (d) students’ increased propensity to engage in social perspective taking. The discussion explores future research directions and whether implications for classroom teachers are warranted given the correlational nature of the research