Language use and novice teacher identity in an online Community of Practice

This paper investigates how novice Singaporean teachers indicate their professional and personal identities through language in an online Community of Practice (CoP). The six research participants were asked to post daily about their professional experiences of teaching using a social networking site and these were analyzed by Alsagoff’s (2010) Cultural Orientation Model which posits that standard and vernacular English use should not be considered as exclusive categories. The findings reveal that novice teachers shift their deployment of linguistic resources alongside a global and local orientation, expressing a multitude of identities. They index themselves as ‘friends’, a semi-professional identity that assumes supporting and encouraging their peers; as ‘beginning teachers’, recognizing the need for development, while at the same time expressing their confidence. Other identities expressed through language are ‘expert’ offering advice to their peers, and ‘insiders’, who converse in a jargon specific to their field. The data also highlights how growing professional confidence, personal emotions, and negotiations of status within a community contribute to the formation of teacher identities

SCHOOL-BASED TEACHER LEARNING: A REFLECTIVE APPROACH

Professional development is an important issue for every teacher. The recent trends in education favour teacher-centred, participant initiated and managed, school-based teacher development programmes, for example action research, lesson study, communities of practice, etc. Although there is no doubt that such initiatives offer ample learning opportunities for practitioners, it is important that higher level school or institutional development strategies be also considered, besides teachers’ individual learning agendas. This paper argues that it is possible to merge the needs of both individual practitioners and schools through a reflective, school-based developmental programme which is organised and supported by the school administration for the benefit of all involved. Being conceptual, the paper outlines a model for such a professional development course and discusses the principles it should be based on, its knowledge base, including possible content areas, skills, and learning processes. This paper may initiate professional discussion and further our knowledge of teacher development.  Keywords: Developmental strategies, individual practitioner, school administration, teacher-centred, teacher professional developmentCite as: Kiss, T. (2016). School-based teacher learning: A reflective approach. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 1(2), 50-62.  http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol1iss2pp50-6

Developing intercultural communicative competence: An example of the New College English textbook series

The development of intercultural communication has received renewed attention in the professional literature in the past decade. In response to changes brought about by a globalizing world and educational industry, our understanding of culture – and its role in language teaching - has changed. This is clearly indicated by the emerging 21st century educational frameworks that put inter- and cross-cultural skills as one of the core competencies for students to be successful in a rapidly changing world. Research on language teaching materials has found that there has been a shift in cultural representations, moving from mono-cultural portrays to more dynamic, inter-cultural, even hybrid cultural depictions. Yet, two areas need further consideration: a) While the above might be true for materials developed for international markets, how is culture represented in locally produced English language textbooks? b) What tasks are used in the materials to develop the skills, attitudes, and knowledge needed for successful intercultural communication? This paper set out to examine a widely used and locally published English language textbook series by using Byram’s (1997a) framework and found that although the material has a potential to develop intercultural competence, it does not provide tasks that would engage students in such learning

Developing intercultural communicative competence: An example of the New College English textbook series

The development of intercultural communication has received renewed attention in the professional literature in the past decade. In response to changes brought about by a globalizing world and educational industry, our understanding of culture – and its role in language teaching - has changed. This is clearly indicated by the emerging 21st century educational frameworks that put inter- and cross-cultural skills as one of the core competencies for students to be successful in a rapidly changing world. Research on language teaching materials has found that there has been a shift in cultural representations, moving from mono-cultural portrays to more dynamic, inter-cultural, even hybrid cultural depictions. Yet, two areas need further consideration: a) While the above might be true for materials developed for international markets, how is culture represented in locally produced English language textbooks? b) What tasks are used in the materials to develop the skills, attitudes, and knowledge needed for successful intercultural communication? This paper set out to examine a widely used and locally published English language textbook series by using Byram’s (1997a) framework and found that although the material has a potential to develop intercultural competence, it does not provide tasks that would engage students in such learning

Developing Intercultural Communicative Competence: an Example of the New College English Textbook Series

The development of intercultural communication has received renewed attention in the professional literature in the past decade. In response to changes brought about by a globalizing world and educational industry, our understanding of culture – and its role in language teaching - has changed. This is clearly indicated by the emerging 21st century educational frameworks that put inter- and cross-cultural skills as one of the core competencies for students to be successful in a rapidly changing world. Research on language teaching materials has found that there has been a shift in cultural representations, moving from mono-cultural portrays to more dynamic, inter-cultural, even hybrid cultural depictions. Yet, two areas need further consideration: a) While the above might be true for materials developed for International markets, how is culture represented in locally produced English language textbooks? b) What tasks are used in the materials to develop the skills, attitudes, and knowledge needed for successful intercultural communication? This paper set out to examine a widely used and locally published English language textbook series by using Byram's (1997a) framework and found that although the material has a potential to develop intercultural competence, it does not provide tasks that would engage students in such learning

CONNECTING MULTILITERACIES AND WRITING PEDAGOGY FOR 21ST CENTURY ENGLISH LANGUAGE CLASSROOMS: KEY CONSIDERATIONS FOR TEACHER EDUCATION IN SINGAPORE AND BEYOND

Background and Purpose: Given the dynamic, global and multimodal character of English in the 21st century, it should be reasonable to expect English language (EL) teaching to accommodate the influences of media and technology on modern communication practices. In Singapore, education policy therefore highlights multiliteracies as one of three foci for the EL classroom. Yet, scant attention has been paid in research and practice to the impact of technology-mediated communication on writing pedagogy. This paper presents the findings of an extensive multiple-case study research project which sought to establish how multiliteracies pedagogy was being utilized in Singaporean secondary teachers’ classrooms and the significant internal and external factors that contributed to classroom practice.   Methodology: The research explored six EL teachers’ practices within one unit of work, focusing on writing skills. Data were gathered through video recorded lesson observations, pre- and post-lesson interviews to explore rationales and justifications for planning and implementation, and focus group discussions to establish common practices, values and beliefs towards writing pedagogy.   Findings: The study found that although teachers were aware of and trained in multiliteracy practices, they dominantly addressed writing as a monomodal form of communication, limited student autonomy and critical development, and neglected culture in their instruction.    Contributions: We argue that writing instruction must be socially situated and multimodal and teacher education must prepare practitioners to empower learners to become critical and effective writers. We also assert that examination-oriented practices make writing in the classroom inauthentic and largely incomprehensible, despite belief that the opposite is true.   Keywords: Language teacher education, literacy, multiliteracies, multimodality, writing.   Cite as: Mizusawa, K., & Kiss, T. (2020). Connecting multiliteracies and writing pedagogy for 21st century English Language classrooms: Key considerations for teacher education in Singapore and beyond. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 5(2), 192-214. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol5iss2pp192-21

Tidally Induced Oscillations and Orbital Decay in Compact Triple-Star Systems

We investigate the nature of tidal effects in compact triple-star systems. The hierarchical structure of a triple system produces tidal forcing at high frequencies unobtainable in binary systems, allowing for the tidal excitation of high frequency p-modes in the stellar components. The tidal forcing exists even for circular, aligned, and synchronized systems. We calculate the magnitude and frequencies of three-body tidal forcing on the central primary star for circular and coplanar orbits, and we estimate the amplitude of the tidally excited oscillation modes. We also calculate the secular orbital changes induced by the tidally excited modes, and show that they can cause significant orbital decay. During certain phases of stellar evolution, the tidal dissipation may be greatly enhanced by resonance locking. We then compare our theory to observations of HD 181068, which is a hierarchical triply eclipsing star system in the Kepler field of view. The observed oscillation frequencies in HD 181068 can be naturally explained by three-body tidal effects. We then compare the observed oscillation amplitudes and phases in HD 181068 to our predictions, finding mostly good agreement. Finally, we discuss the past and future evolution of compact triple systems like HD 181068.Comment: 19 pages, 8 figures, published in MNRA

Chromospheric Macrospicules: Connection to the Solar Dynamo?

Introduction: This study aims to provide further evidence for the potential influence of the global solar magnetic field on localized chromospheric jets, the macrospicules (MS). Macrospicules are localized small-scale jet-like phenomena in the solar atmosphere, which have the potential to transport a considerable amount of momentum and energy from the lower solar atmospheric regions to the transition region and the low corona. Methods: Using state-of-the-art spatial and temporal resolution observations yielded by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly of Solar Dynamics Observatory, we constructed a database covering a seven-year-long period, containing 358 macrospicules that occurred between June 2010 and June 2017, detected at 30.4 nm wavelength. The results are based on the long-term variation of the height, length, average speed, and width of MS in coronal holes [CH-MS] and in Quiet Sun [QS-MS] areas both in the northern and southern hemispheres of the Sun. Results: Three of the five timesets of the investigated physical properties of MS show a clear long-term temporal variation. Wavelet analyses of the temporal variation of maximum length, maximum area, and average velocity reveal a strong pattern of periodicities at around 2 years. A comparison with solar activity proxies also uncovers that the minima and maxima of quasi-biennial oscillations [QBOs] of MS properties and solar activity proxies occur at around the same epoch. Spatially, the characteristic values of these parameters are found to be slightly greater for QS-MS than for CH-MS all around the solar disk. We have also discovered evidence towards supporting the hypothesis that there is a connection between the migration pattern of the formation cradle of MS and the nearly two-year-long oscillations. Furthermore, MS tend to exhibit parabolic motion, which indicates the strong effect of gravity. We have modelled this motion of MS in the atmosphere

From Science Gateways to Commercial solutions

ABSTRACT The European CloudSME project that incorporated 24 European SMEs, besides five academic partners, has finished its funded phase in March 2016. This presentation will provide a summary of the results of the project, and will analyze the challenges and differences when developing "SME Gateways", when compared to "Science Gateways". CloudSME started in 2013 with the aim to develop a cloud-based simulation platform for manufacturing and engineering SMEs. The project was based around industry use-cases, five of which were incorporated in the project from the start, and seven additional ones that were added as an outcome of an open call in January 2015. CloudSME utilized science gateway related technologies, such as the commercial CloudBroker Platform [1] and the WS-PGRADE/gUSE Gateway Framework [2] that were developed in the preceding SCI-BUS project As most important outcome, the project successfully implemented 12 industry quality demonstrators that showcase how SMEs in the manufacturing and engineering sector can utilize cloud-based simulation services. Some of these solutions are already market-ready and currently being rolled out by the software vendor companies. Some others require further fine-tuning and the implementation of commercial interfaces before being put into the market. The CloudSME use-cases came from a very wide application spectrum. The project implemented, for example, an open marketplace for micro-breweries to optimize their production and distribution processes, an insole design validation service to be used by podiatrists and shoe manufacturers, a generic stock management solution for manufacturing SMEs, and also several "classical" high-performance computing case-studies, such as fluid dynamics simulations for model helicopter design, and dualfuel internal combustion engine simulation. As the project generated significant impact and interest in the manufacturing sector, 10 CloudSME stakeholders established a follow-up company called CloudSME UG for the future commercialization of the results. Besides the success stories, this talk would also like to highlight the difficulties when transferring the outcomes of an academic research project to real commercial applications. The different mindset and approach of academic and industry partners presented a real challenge for the CloudSME project, with some interesting and valuable lessons learnt. The academic way of supporting SMEs did not always work well with the rather different working practices and culture of many participants. Also, the quality of support regarding operational solutions required by the SMEs is well beyond the typical support services academic institutions are prepared for. Finally, a clear lack of trust in academic solutions when compared to commercial solutions was also imminent. The talk will highlight some of these challenges underpinned by the implementation of the CloudSME use-cases. ACKNOWLEDGMEN