Learning English Speaking through Mobile-Based Role-Plays: The Exploration of a Mobile English Language Learning App called Engage

[EN] Engage is a new form of mobile application that connects students studying English with teachers in real-time via their smartphones. Students receive target language through preparation dialogues, and then apply it to a role-play with a teacher. The conceptualization and development of Engage follows the user-centred design approach; and the product was built through multiple iterations: in the first iteration, students were invited to try out a paper mock-up; in the second iteration, students tried out a mobile prototype; in the external test, a fully functional application was released to App Store between October 25 and November 20, 2012, and 326 users downloaded it. The application was well-received by these test users, reflected in the post-study survey, student ratings, and students’ usage records. The external tests proved that the technical environment of the application was feasible for production; and the operationalization of the teacher service and cost model were also proven to be feasible and scalable.Yang, B.; Zhou, S.; Ju, W. (2013). Learning English Speaking through Mobile-Based Role-Plays: The Exploration of a Mobile English Language Learning App called Engage. The EuroCALL Review. 21(2):27-38. https://doi.org/10.4995/eurocall.2013.9788OJS2738212Burke, T. & Guest, A. (2010). Using role playing as a teaching strategy: an interdisciplinary approach to learning. Proceedings of the 2nd Annual Conference on Higher Education Pedagogy, 34-35.Buzan, T. (1989). Use both sides of your brain. New York: Penguin.Demouy, V. & Kukulska-Hulme, A. (2010). On the spot: using mobile devices for listening and speaking practice on a French language programme. Open Learning: The Journal of Open, Distance and e-Learning, 25(3), 217-232. https://doi.org/10.1080/02680513.2010.511955Edge, D., Searle, E., Chiu, K., Zhao, J. & Landay, J.A. (2011, May). Micromandarin: mobile language learning in context. 2011 Annual Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. Symposium conducted in Vancouver, BC, Canada.Hyerle, D. (2004). Student successes with thinking maps: school-based research, results, and models for achievement using visual tools. CA: Corwin Press. ISO 13407 (1999). Human-centred design processes for interactive systems. London: British Standards Institution.Karat, C. (1997). Cost-justifying usability engineering in the software life cycle. In M. Helander, T.K.Landauer and P.Prabhu (Eds.), Handbook of Human-Computer Interaction (pp. 653-688). Amsterdam: Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-044481862-1.50098-4Kondo, M., Ishikawa, Y., Smith,C., Sakamoto, K., Shimomura, H., and Wada,N. (2012). Mobile assisted language learning in university EFL courses in Japan: developing attitudes and skills for selfregulated learning. ReCALL, 24, 169187. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0958344012000055Kukulska-Hulme, A. and Shield, L.(2008). An overview of mobile assisted language learning: from content delivery to supported collaboration and interaction. ReCALL, 20(3), 271-289. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0958344008000335Kujala,S. (2003). User involvement: a review of the benefits and challenges. Behavior & Information Technology, 22(1),1-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/01449290301782Liu, T.-Y. (2009). A context-aware ubiquitous learning environment for language listening and speaking. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 25(6), 515-527. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2729.2009.00329.xMiangah, T. M., and Nezarat, A. (2012). Mobile-assisted language learning. Journal of Distributed and Parallel Systems, 3(1), 309-319. https://doi.org/10.5121/ijdps.2012.3126Parrish, B. (2004). Teaching adult ESL: a practical introduction. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies.Rubin, J. (1994). Handbook of usability testing: how to plan, design, and conduct effective tests. New York: Wiley.Schafer, R. W. (1994). Scientific Bases of Human-Machine Communication by Voice. In D.B. Roe (Eds.), Voice communication between humans and machines(pp.34-75). Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.Senf, M. (2012, Dec). Role-play, simulations and drama activities. DocumBase. Retrieved from http://en.convdocs.org/docs/index-44311.htmlSnyder, C. (2003). Paper prototyping: the fast and easy way to design and refine user interfaces. San Diego, CA: Morgan Kaufmann Pub.Sousa, D. A. (2006). How the brain learns. CA: Corwin Press.Traxler, J. (2007). Current state of mobile learning. International Review on Research in Open and Distance Learning, 8(2), 9-24

K-BERT: Enabling Language Representation with Knowledge Graph

Pre-trained language representation models, such as BERT, capture a general language representation from large-scale corpora, but lack domain-specific knowledge. When reading a domain text, experts make inferences with relevant knowledge. For machines to achieve this capability, we propose a knowledge-enabled language representation model (K-BERT) with knowledge graphs (KGs), in which triples are injected into the sentences as domain knowledge. However, too much knowledge incorporation may divert the sentence from its correct meaning, which is called knowledge noise (KN) issue. To overcome KN, K-BERT introduces soft-position and visible matrix to limit the impact of knowledge. K-BERT can easily inject domain knowledge into the models by equipped with a KG without pre-training by-self because it is capable of loading model parameters from the pre-trained BERT. Our investigation reveals promising results in twelve NLP tasks. Especially in domain-specific tasks (including finance, law, and medicine), K-BERT significantly outperforms BERT, which demonstrates that K-BERT is an excellent choice for solving the knowledge-driven problems that require experts.Comment: 8 pages, 2019091

Transvaginal versus transabdominal specimen extraction surgery for right colon cancer: A propensity matching study

BackgroundThe transvaginal route for specimen extraction is considered ideal for colorectal surgery, but its safety is still questioned. There has been little research on transvaginal natural orifice specimen extraction surgery (NOSES) in the right hemicolectomy. As a result, we conducted a study comparing transvaginal NOSES to traditional transabdominal specimen extraction surgery.Patients and methodsData on female patients who underwent radical right hemicolectomy at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University between January 2015 and December 2020 were collected retrospectively. A total of 847 patients were compliant, with 51 undergoing the transvaginal specimen extraction surgery (NOSES) group and 796 undergoing the transabdominal specimen extraction surgery (TISES) group. A propensity score matching method (1:2) was used to balance the clinicopathological characteristics of the two groups.ResultsFinally, 138 patients were enrolled in our study, with 46 in the NOSES group and 92 in the TISES group. Compared to the TISES group, the NOSES group had less intraoperative blood loss (p = 0.036), shorter time to first flatus (p < 0.001), shorter time to first liquid diet (p < 0.001), lower postoperative white blood cell counts (p = 0.026), lower C-reactive protein levels (p = 0.027), and lower visual analog scale (VAS) scores (p < 0.001). Regarding the quality of life after surgery, the NOSES group had better role function (p < 0.01), emotional function (p < 0.001), and improved symptoms of postoperative pain (p < 0.001) and diarrhea (p = 0.024). The scar satisfaction was significantly higher in the NOSES group than in the TISES group. Overall survival and disease-free survival in two groups were similar.ConclusionThe short-term results of transvaginal NOSES were superior to conventional transabdominal specimen extraction surgery. At the same time, transvaginal NOSES could improve the abdominal wall appearance and quality of life. The long-term survival was similar in the two surgical approaches. Therefore, transvaginal NOSES is worthy of our implementation and promotion

Variability and Stability of Dynamic System Applied to Movement Evaluation

Greater variability is traditional viewed as associated with a decline of sport performance and pathologic problems during locomotion (such as impaired postural and gait control). However, with the development of dynamic system theory in the field of movement science, the above-mentioned concept has been challenged. Recent studies suggested variability during movement was very important both theoretically and clinically. Variability had become an essential evaluation tool by using the dynamic system method to evaluate human movement stability. This paper reviewed the application of the dynamic system theory and method in postural control and gait transition studies. The analysis and quantification of the variability and stability in coordinated movement can 1) help researcher better understanding the relationship between the variability and stability; and 2) provide a theoretical basis for injury prevention and clinical diagnosis of pathological conditions

A Study of Industry-university-institute Cooperative Education in Colleges and Universities against the Background of Emerging Engineering Education

With emerging engineering education becoming a new strategic direction of the higher engineering education reform in China, it is an important issue faced by colleges and universities to comprehensively improve their abilities of training talent, conducting scientific research and serving the society. Promoting industry-university-institute cooperation is a key measure for colleges and universities to keep up with the pace of higher education and socio-economic development. Colleges and universities need to improve the industry-university-institute cooperative talent training mechanism, and establish an industry-university-institute cooperative education system based on public technology service platforms, to promote the combination of technology and production through cooperative education based on their current situation of research, push forward the supply side reform of higher education, and provide human resources, technical support and industrial services for social development against the background of emerging engineering education. While enhancing their levels of scientific research and education, colleges and universities can promote social progress and help enterprises create economic benefits, to achieve win-win cooperation with all relevant parties in the society