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Publishing research papers in English journals is now a requirement for many scientists in developing countries. Writing journal papers in English, the lingua franca of the scientific world, however, often places an additional burden on non-native speaking scientists in EFL settings due to their lack of English proficiency. With these concerns in mind, this paper investigates science journal paper writing in an EFL context, Korea. Two types of questionnaires were administered, one to graduate students and the other to the faculty members of a science and engineering graduate school in Korea. In addition, students and faculty members were interviewed. The results of the questionnaires and interviews showed that the linguistic elements of journal papers were the most problematic areas, while the meta-linguistic features of papers such as the overall structure and paragraph development were perceived to be the most important features of journal papers. The results also revealed that the graduate students and professors were at a disadvantage when writing and publishing papers in English. Suggestions for further research and pedagogical implications are provided. (Contains 5 tables.)

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the validity and reliability of the electronic Compassion Competence Scale (e-CCS). Methods: A cross-sectional, randomized, two-period crossover design was used. Nursing students from four South Korean universities were surveyed between June 2017 and April 2018. The participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups-paper/paper, electronic/electronic, and paper/electronic or electronic/paper-and a test-retest procedure was implemented. The reliability and validity of the e-CCS were evaluated using linear weighted kappa coefficients and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). Internal consistency reliability was verified using linear weighted kappa coefficients and ICCs. Pearson's correlation coefficients between the initial test and retest scores were all statistically significant. Results: The newly developed e-CCS was found to have good reliability and validity. We suggest that future research should increase sample heterogeneity by recruiting diverse age groups, nurses working in different nursing fields, and students from multiple colleges. Conclusion: This electronic instrument will help determine the differences in the level of compassion competence and devise interventions to improve compassion competence in nurses and nursing students. Further studies on enhancing compassion competence among nurses and nursing students may rely on the use of this electronic format. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current advances in technology have enabled the development of a computer-based questionnaire that provides advantages over the paper-based mode of administration, such as automatic data entry, storage and calculations. However, before implementing a computer-based questionnaire, its equivalence with the original paper-based questionnaire must first be demonstrated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the measurement equivalence of the computerized Diabetes- Specific Quality-of- Life questionnaire ( cD- QOL) with its original paper-based counterpart. A two-period crossover design was used in this study. The measurement equivalence was evaluated using quadratic weighted kappa coefficients, intraclass correlations and Cronbach's alpha comparisons. The cD- QOL was equivalent to its original paper-based counterpart. Participants preferred the cD- QOL over the paper-based questionnaire and reported that it was easy to use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study observes and examines how upper intermediate to advanced level college students perform and perceive one-topic-for-each student presentation as a means of learning English. It is also to have the prospective medical doctors ready for their future use of English presentation and paper writing since such demand is on the rise in the medical field. The 49 second year medical students enrolled in English reading and writing class of spring semester 2008 were given a single topic for each at least two weeks prior to their presentation in class as part of writing assignment. They were encouraged to be creative, informative and fun to induce class participation. At the end of the semester, the questionnaire was given to learn of students' opinion on the presentation. Based on the presentation and questionnaire, the data were analyzed to see if preparing and giving presentation was conducive for medical students. The results revealed that students wrote an average of 51-sentence (587 words) paper, almost double the previous year writing assignment. And 92% of the students felt presentation on different topics was interesting and helpful for learning English, and 80% of them felt having presentation in class was more effective than the traditional face-to-face lecture classes. More than two-thirds of the students (69%) thought that preparing for their class presentation provided them with a chance to learn new vocabulary, expressions as well as knowledge in English. The results of the study show that presentation on various topics can be used as a means of learning English for upper intermediate to advanced level students. (Contains 4 tables and 1 figure.)

In this paper, we propose a community-based dance programme designed for North Korean female defectors in South Korea, with the aim of promoting their physical, psychological, and interpersonal aspects. We set up four research objectives: to look into social contexts of North Korean female refugees in South Korea, to identify the women's desire for dance experiences, to design dance classes for North Korean female refugees, and to conduct a pilot study. Based on their past and current situations and their wish to participate in dance practice, the class structure and content was developed, focusing on heightening self-awareness and stabilising mind and body; expressing their emotions and releasing psychological stresses; and enhancing their ability to interact with others. In order to assess the appropriateness and feasibility of the class structure and content, we carried out three sessions in a pilot study where twelve North Korean female refugees participated. As a result, this paper suggests the dance classes as a feasible education programme for North Korean defectors to advance their abilities to adjust to the new environment, thereby enabling them to perceive the self not as the Other in South Korean society.

Aim: To identify occupational conditions associated with anxiety and fatigue among Korean nurses in early pregnancy. Background: Pregnant nurses, like non‐pregnant hospital nurses, are exposed to dangerous and stressful work environments, which can affect fatigue and anxiety. Design and Methods: This cross‐sectional study enrolled 1490 nurses who participated in the early pregnancy module in the Korea Nurses' Health Study between 2014 and 2020. Hierarchical linear regression analyses were employed to identify the factors associated with anxiety and fatigue among nurses in early pregnancy. Results: One‐fifth of participants were working night shifts, and more than two‐thirds were working overtime. When using antineoplastic drugs and disinfectants, the rate of use of protective equipment varied depending on the size of the hospital. Working overtime and lifting heavy objects were associated with increased anxiety and fatigue among nurses. Conclusion: Overtime work was associated with both anxiety and fatigue among pregnant nurses. Pregnant hospital nurses were exposed to both night shift and overtime work. Therefore, hospital managers should improve hazardous working environments to protect the health of nurses in early pregnancy and their fetuses. Summary statement: What is already known about this topic? Nurses in early pregnancy are exposed to work environments that can affect their reproductive health.The relationship between mental health and work environment among nurses in early pregnancy is poorly understood. What this paper adds? Despite legal guidelines, some pregnant nurses performed potentially harmful work such as night shifts, overtime and heavy lifting.There were differences in the occupational risks to which the study participants were exposed depending on hospital size.Overtime and heavy lifting were related to anxiety and fatigue in study participants. The implications of this paper: To protect nurses in early pregnancy, an appropriate maternal safety programme should be developed for hospital work environments.Education programmes should be implemented for nurses in early pregnancy on safety guidelines such as the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).Physically difficult tasks can increase fatigue and anxiety among nurses in early pregnancy, so legal and institutional regulations focusing on safe working environments should be strengthened. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has proven the effectiveness of Flipped Classrooms (FC) for a variety of settings. However, more exploration needs to be done in regards to how FC can be used effectively in foreign language classrooms. The purpose of this study was to 1) explore student perceptions of FC in a Korean university general English course and 2) provide suggestions to inform better instructional practices. The FL model applied to the study was based on the University of Texas at Austin Center for Teaching and Learning and was conducted in a general English course for one semester at a university in South Korea. Both qualitative and quantitative data was collected in the form of a questionnaire administered to 80 students at the end of the course. The results were largely positive. Over half of students felt that the FC model aided their English studies. Students felt the FC gave them more chances to communicate in English, in addition to greater participation, preparedness, and feedback. Students also reported that the FC helped them have a deeper understanding of the course content. However, some students reported some dissatisfaction with the FC. When questioned regarding the disadvantages of FC, many reported the time requirement of the online homework and quizzes in addition to the video quality and variety of activities could be improved upon. Suggestions on how to use the FC more effectively are provided at the end of the paper.

This study aims to review the development of NWCCDL Project during the last 10 years from (2005 to 2014) and evaluate the effects of NWCCDL Project on the students' satisfaction of the project and their affective domain. The research data was analyzed from the results of the questionnaires which were conducted at the end of every semester. This research paper consists of three parts. The first is to review the development of NWCCDL Project from fall semester 2005 to fall Semester 2014. The second part is to prove that the participants are satisfied with this project. The students' satisfaction was analyzed on the results of the questionnaires focusing on several items. The third part is to prove that this project is very effective in cultivating the motivation and interest of EFL learners in the Korean university-level education context. This study can give much significant implication in the ELT area. First, this research is very important in the globalized educational context because NWCCDL Project is the international distance learning project designed to improve English proficiency through the interaction between Japan and Korea university students. Second, this research shows that the participants are satisfied with this project, which implies that using ICT in ELT area can be very effective in a foreign teaching and learning context. Third, this research can show that the interaction of non-native speakers of English through distance learning is effective in cultivating the motivation and interest of EFL learners in Asian countries. So the analytic results from the students' responses through the questionnaire provide significant implications for the effectiveness of NWCCDL Project in cultivating the motivation and interest of EFL learners in the Korean university, and also for the effectiveness of non-native speakers' interaction in learning English as a foreign language in Asian countries.

Many EFL learners seem to believe that they can come to grips with the problem of vocabulary learning with a 'hit-or-miss' approach. However, a growing number of recent research reports indicate that they need to learn a repertoire of vocabulary in a systematic way for effective communication. This paper explores the development and evaluation of the Cognitive English Vocabulary-Learning Program (CEVLP) for Korean university students. Drawing on the current research findings of vocabulary acquisition and Michael's notebook database (NDB) research, it aims to develop a prototype of English vocabulary-learning software to help Korean university students improve their learning of English vocabulary. EFL learners can learn vocabulary both explicitly and implicitly, but they need to be trained to become good vocabulary learners, e.g., by being instructed in useful learning strategies. The paper will describe the development of the NDB using the words chosen from Academic World List as well as the instructional design features of CEVLP that is developed with such cognitive elements as noticing, prediction, modeling, and automatization in order to ensure the effectiveness of English vocabulary learning by Korean university students. In addition, the preliminary results of the program evaluation are reported and discussed.

This paper focuses on the students' feedback after their participation in a WebQuest research project and aims to determine if the format of a WebQuest enhances student interest and engagement with a text compared to a traditional reading. It was hypothesized that students would respond favorably to this format, and that the increased engagement would lead to greater motivation; however, after analyzing student feedback, it was determined that the format alone wasn't successful in promoting student interest and some modifications would be necessary to increase student engagement and motivation.

This paper aims to investigate university students' perceptions of drama activities in terms of providing suggestions for constructing an effective drama class. A total of ten students who participated in Interactive English, an elective English course during the second semester of 2013 at a Korean university, took part in this study. The students' perceptions of the activities as written in their journals and in response to questionnaires were analyzed. The results show that the subjects perceived that (1) all the 10 activities used in the drama course improved their communication skills (2) all the 10 activities improved their confidence; (3) activities that involved Group Homework, Mantle Expert, Role Play and Nursery Rhymes enhanced students' cultural awareness of the target language; (4) awareness, competence, and thinking ability were considered effective results of a drama class. Regarding these results, it is suggested that an activity based drama course gave students the speaking opportunity to increase their confidence, the practice necessary to become self-aware, and through stories, myths and nursery rhymes, a taste of other cultures.

The aims of this study were to determine the underlying conceptual structure of the thermal concept evaluation (TCE) questionnaire, a pencil-and-paper instrument about everyday contexts of heat, temperature, and heat transfer, to investigate students' conceptual understanding of thermal concepts in everyday contexts across several school years and to analyse the variables--school year, science subjects currently being studied, and science subjects previously studied in thermal energy--that influence students' thermal conceptual understanding. The TCE, which was administered to 515 Korean students from years 10-12, was developed in Australia, using students' alternative conceptions derived from the research literature. The conceptual structure comprised four groups--heat transfer and temperature changes, boiling, heat conductivity and equilibrium, and freezing and melting--using 19 of the 26 items in the original questionnaire. Depending on the year group, 25-55% of students experienced difficulties in applying scientific concepts in everyday contexts. Years of schooling, science subjects currently studied and physics topics previously studied correlated with development of students' conceptual understanding, especially in topics relating to heat transfer, temperature scales, specific heat capacity, homeostasis, and thermodynamics. Although students did improve their conceptual understandings in later years of schooling, they still had difficulties in relating the scientific concepts to their experiences in everyday contexts. The study illustrates the utility of using a pencil-and-paper questionnaire to identify students' understanding of thermal concepts in everyday situations and provides a baseline for Korean students' achievement in terms of physics in everyday contexts, one of the objectives of the Korean national curriculum reforms. (Contains 9 tables and 1 figure.)

The foundation of education is the curriculum which is used in the teaching/learning process. People have varying views in the field of curriculum. The question of what and how to teach has been around as long as education. This paper takes a closer look at how a sample of university students studying English in South Korea feel about the curriculum they are presented. The goal was to ascertain the expectations of the students when it came to the curriculum they were presented with in class. Another aim was to determine whether they preferred a subject-centered or a learner-centered curriculum design method. The final objective was to see the benefits of their suggestions with regards to the materials and methods of presentation used in class. After reviewing the responses, a clear theme came to light among both English major students and the students of other majors taking their required course. That theme is a more learner-centered classroom. The research led to looking at curriculum-transmitting, curriculum-developing, and curriculum-making at the classroom level. Research suggests that aligning the class to the expectations of the students with regard to curriculum benefits the learning experience. This paper shows that students prefer that curriculum be based on a learner-centered design at the classroom level. (Contains 3 tables.)

This study analysed the effect of high schools' gender organization on Korean tenth-grade students' science achievements, and their attitudes towards science. The high schools involved included an all-male institution, an all-female institution, and a co-educational institution. Three schools, three principals, three science teachers, and 302 tenth-grade students from their respective school types responded to an initial survey, and eleven academically outstanding students were subsequently interviewed. Also, the students' pencil and paper tests--which included second semester midterms, and final exams containing their general science test scores--were collected from each school. The questionnaire responses and the transcribed interview sections were analysed using One-Way ANOVA, followed by Post Hoc analysis, constant comparison, and content analysis. Results indicated that the male and female students from the co-ed school had significantly higher science achievement and positive attitudes towards science. Interview transcripts of the selected students from the all-male, the all-female, and the co-ed schools confirmed the findings. Later discussion addresses the improvement of the Korean science curriculum, of learning environments, of the teachers' and students' roles in the classroom, and of education policies. (Contains 1 table.)

The Malaysian government is rigorously drawing up strategies to increase the already existing 60,000 foreign students currently studying in the country (The Star, 2009). With the influx of more foreign students and with English as the medium of instruction in local higher education, it is felt that a study to investigate international students' orientation, attitudes and aspects that drive and/or deter them in learning English would be beneficial. The sample for this study (N = 115) comprised of international students from China, Iran, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Korea, Vietnam, Maldives and the Middle East undertaking an Intensive English course at a local private college. Data collection was done via questionnaire which was designed based on a review of existing instruments in the field. Results show that orientation towards learning English does not vary according to nationality and gender; however, students from China and Korea tend to be more inclined towards instrumental orientation, while students from Kazakhstan and Iran are more inclined towards integrative orientation. Based on the findings, this paper also proffers recommendations for local higher education institutions to enhance ELT practices for incoming international students.

The paper investigates the effects of a project-based community participation course in which students chose research topics relevant to a local community. Specifically, the students undertook the following projects: (1) creating a virtual 3D model of a local government office, (2) creating interactive digitized versions of mountain trails using geotourism, (3) determining optimal locations for trash recycling bins using network analysis, and (4) assessing the water quality of a local river. Geographic information technologies, such as GIS and Google Earth, were employed as analytical and visualization tools. The answers to a questionnaire, course evaluations, reflective journals, and interviews found that participants positively evaluated their learning experiences. In addition, the projects received favorable reviews from community members and professional geographers.

This study investigates a Korean English as a foreign language (EFL) student teacher education programme which is intended to develop prospective teachers' digital literacy and to help them understand innovative pedagogy of computer-assisted language learning (CALL) in Korean EFL context. This paper presents ideas of effective curriculum development for a CALL-integrated EFL student teacher training programme while helping student teachers make effective and creative use of digital technologies both in their own language learning and in their future language teaching. Local voice and insight of implementing CALL into Korean EFL educational context was provided as well as global perspectives in CALL. The results revealed that the use of CALL could promote Korean EFL student teachers' confidence in developing technological skills and pedagogical expertise. This study may have implications that this CALL-integrated EFL student teacher training course can pinpoint and fill the existing gap between the current and upcoming educational situation regarding the use of CALL in Korean EFL context and help student teachers consider themselves as confident and competent users of CALL for the future.

Students often complain about unsatisfactory experiences resulting from disproportionate contributions to collaborative projects. To improve the experience, we applied regulation theory to design a process to document regulation on a blog and examined whether such documentation enhanced students' self-regulation and co-regulation skills while working on a collaborative project. The results indicate that students improved both their self- and co-regulation skills significantly and they were highly satisfied with their experiences in the collaborative task. In addition, the content analysis performed on the documented regulation reveals that students engaged in diverse types of regulation processes through social interaction with group members. A discussion of teaching and learning strategies when using a blog in a collaborative task is included in this paper.

Background: Kuhn's model of science has been widely influential, but in this paper, it is argued that it is more appropriate to consider constructivist learning within science education as a research program in the sense used by Lakatos. Purpose/Hypothesis: This study offers teaching strategies and their corresponding instructional sequences based on Lakatosian Methodology, and examines the effects of a Lakatosian Conflict Map using pre-service elementary teachers' conceptual understandings of the causes of seasons. Design/Method: The Lakatosian Conflict Map was applied to concepts of seasonal change held by pre-service elementary teachers. Results: Most pre-service elementary teachers consistently protect their hard-core beliefs about seasonal change by offering auxiliary hypotheses related to earth's elliptical orbit and the tilt of its rotational axis in response to activities designed to promote conceptual change around knowledge related to the cause of the seasons. Specifically, the critical event rather than the discrepant event in the Lakatosian Conflict Map was conducted in a Lakatosian conflict group and these students were allowed to explicitly express their representations about the phenomena derived from these events. The result of this study is that instruction using the new Lakatosian Conflict Map produced more favorable outcomes in terms of conceptual change than traditional instruction. Conclusions: This research concludes that the Lakatosian Conflict Map can help science teachers and students resolve the conflicts between students' existing ideas and target scientific concepts.

Numerous studies have been published heralding the benefits of physical education in school education. Sport and physical activities form the major content in learning and the arrangement serves as the major source of development in students. This paper identifies "quality" as an internationally concerned issue and within the concept, the perceptual framework in learning is then placed with focus. To conduct this study, a sample of N = 799 ("11 Asian cities") physical education professionals working in different levels were invited to participate in a questionnaire survey with 37 items designed to forge the conceptualization of quality learning in physical education. Results from statistical analysis showed 24 items grouped in 3 subfactors being retained after EFA, of 37 items that were framed through content analysis to assess the quality physical education learning among the PE professionals. The retained three factors from the EFA were further assessed with robust confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The 3-factor model demonstrated a good fit with the data (CMIN/DF = 7.367, NFI = 0.888, CFI = 0.901, PCFI = 0.748, RMSEA = 0.089). In this sample, the QPEL demonstrated an acceptable three-factor structure, internal consistency and inter-factor correlation. These items were appropriate to provide the necessary understanding of the diversified practice in the learning of quality physical education.

Aims: The study aimed to develop and evaluate the effects of a self‐determination theory‐based, nurse‐led, physical activity programme for postmenopausal women with rheumatoid arthritis. Methods: Between December 2019 and April 2020, this randomized controlled trial recruited 62 postmenopausal women with rheumatoid arthritis from a university‐affiliated hospital in South Korea. The intervention group participated in a self‐determination theory‐based, nurse‐led, physical activity programme that consisted of Tai Chi‐based physical activity, a supportive psychosocial strategy, and interactive counselling for 16 weeks, and the control group continued to undergo their usual care. Results: There were statistically significant group‐by‐time interactions in physical activity and perceived sarcopenia, which favoured the intervention group. Additionally, the intervention group showed significant improvements in the perceived therapeutic efficacy of physical activity, grip strength, walking speed, disease activity score, and health‐related quality of life. Conclusions: The programme developed in this study can be an effective and feasible approach for postmenopausal women with rheumatoid arthritis in improving physical activity, selected osteosarcopenic outcomes, and health‐related quality of life. Further research is required to investigate the long‐term effects of this theory‐based programme for postmenopausal women in diverse settings. Summary statement: What is already known about this topic? Tai Chi‐based physical activity has been known to be a component of self‐management for rheumatoid arthritis. What this paper adds? It highlights the efficacy of a theory‐based, nurse‐led, physical activity programme to improve the quality of life of postmenopausal women with rheumatoid arthritis.The evidenced‐based programme could be transferred to postmenopausal women with rheumatoid arthritis in clinical settings. The implications of this paper: The self‐determination theory‐based, nurse‐led, physical activity programme can improve physical and psychosocial outcomes in postmenopausal women with rheumatoid arthritis.Importantly, this nurse‐led and theory‐based programme is expected to be applicable to postmenopausal women with rheumatoid arthritis in clinical settings, including both hospitals and communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lack of motivation and of real-world relevance have been identified as reasons for low interest in science among children. Game-based learning and storytelling are prominent methods for generating intrinsic motivation in learning. Real-world relevance requires connecting abstract scientific concepts with the real world. This can be done by situating learning processes in real-world contexts, and by bridging the virtual content and the real world with augmented reality (AR). We combined these ideas into a Science Spots AR platform on which context-aware storytelling science learning games can be created. As proof-of-concept we developed and evaluated Leometry game, which contains geometry problems based on the Van Hiele model. This paper's contributions are as follows: (1) concept and architecture of Science Spots AR, (2) design and implementation of the Leometry game prototype, and (3) mixed-method formative evaluation of Leometry with 61 Korean 5th grade elementary school children. Data retrieved by questionnaires and interviews revealed that the students appreciated Leometry despite its minor shortcomings, that the platform's concept is feasible, and that there is potential for building science learning games. These results are useful to educators, computer scientists, and game designers who are interested in combining context-aware learning, AR, and games.

This paper explores the quality of school life (QSL) of two 'model pupils' in Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) tests, Finland and Korea, and investigates students' views on the central aspects of QSL ("general satisfaction," "peer relations" and "teacher-student relations") using PISA 2012 data. It also seeks to interpret how specific institutional and sociocultural aspects are linked to QSL. The analyses show that Finnish and Korean adolescents' views on QSL are less positive compared with the OECD average; Finnish adolescents' views on QSL are more positive than those of Korean adolescents regarding "general satisfaction" and "peer relations" but are not clearly related to "teacher-student relations." Since Finnish and Korean adolescents' views on QSL partly differ from those of their Nordic and East Asian counterparts, the distinct Nordic or East Asian image of QSL could not be revealed in the study. This article proposes that QSL demands more attention in the era of 'rankings and benchmarked educational models', with consideration to the universality and uniqueness of institutional, sociocultural and historical factors of one's own and others' schooling.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to empirically examine the fundamental process through which transformational leaders play a significant role in employees' knowledge sharing by investigating mediating roles of individual affects, particularly psychological empowerment, organizational commitment and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). Design/methodology/approach: Structural equation modeling, including confirmatory factor and path analysis, is conducted to test proposed hypothesis. Findings: The results of this study indicate significant direct effects of transformational leadership on psychological empowerment, organizational commitment and OCB. Moreover, transformational leadership also shows an indirect effect on employees' OCB, which, in turn, is identified as the primary factor that influences knowledge sharing. However, organizational commitment does not provide a significant influence on knowledge sharing. These findings highlight the importance of mediating roles, particularly OCB, to predict employees' knowledge-sharing intention. Originality/value: Identifying structural determinants of knowledge sharing is an important scholarly agenda. In particular, the mechanisms and processes by which leadership exerts influence to motivate employees to share knowledge deserve scholarly inquiry, and there, is a need for more research to understand the mechanisms and processes through which leadership influences individual motivation and attitudes toward pro-social behaviors, such as knowledge sharing.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate senior baccalaureate nursing students' knowledge and visual differentiation ability for the pressure injury classification system (PICS) and incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD). Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a paper-based questionnaire with 120 senior baccalaureate nursing students in South Korea. Data were collected using a knowledge test (KT) and a visual differentiation tool (VDT) based on 21 photographs with clinical information related to PICS and IAD. Results: Students had relatively high KT scores (62.6%), and low VDT scores (35.6%). Critical issues in this study were nursing students' lack of an adequate visual differentiation ability to accurately assess the stage of pressure injury and IAD and their higher level of confusion in identifying unstageable, deep tissue injuries, and IAD compared to stage 1-4 injuries. Satisfaction with education (r=.20, p<.05) and exposure to various teaching methods (r=.21, p<.05) exhibited significant correlations with higher VDT scores. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that increasing students' satisfaction with their education and applying various teaching methods can contribute to the improvement of visual differentiation ability in PICS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the underlying construct of both the English proficiency test for pilot and air traffic controller radiotelephony communication developed and administered in Korea and the ICAO language proficiency testing policy on which the test in Korea is based. It does so by canvassing the opinions of Korean airline pilots and air traffic controllers through 400 questionnaire and 22 interview sources. Results reveal a lack of fit between the policy construct and the reality through which the goals and objectives of the policy are accomplished and strong disapproval of the ICAO's espoused construct and the associated Korean English test from language users in the target domain. This study confirms the importance of eliciting views from such stakeholders (i.e., domain experts) who are well-placed to determine what really matters for communicative success in the context of concern.

In South Korea, "Damunwha" students (students from multicultural family backgrounds) have difficulties at school because of others' derogatory perception of them and the different linguistic and cultural settings. In light of this issue, this paper addresses the "Damunwha" students' identities and participation within the language communities from a community of practice perspective and a critical pedagogy perspective. Four students (two from international marriage families and two from immigrant workers' families), their teachers, and their supervisors participated in the study from March to April 2013. The findings suggest that "Damunwha" students' participation in Korean society depends on their resources, others' perception of the participants' identities, and cultural capital. The findings show that students are losing their connection with their first language communities and that their linguistic resources and cultural diversity are undervalued. The study implies that cultural sensitivity should be promoted and that explicit support for "Damunwha" students is needed.

Pervasive worlds are computing environments where a virtual world converges with the physical world through context-aware technologies such as sensors. In pervasive worlds, technology is distributed among entities that may be distributed geographically. We explore the concept, possibilities, and challenges of distributed pervasive worlds in a case study--an exergame entitled Running Othello. Combining a board game with sensor-enhanced physical activity, Running Othello aims at motivating young players to be physically active. Based on the analyzed literature and mixed-method evaluations of Running Othello, the following contributions emerged: (i) a total of 13 design principles for distributed pervasive exergames, (ii) the players' perceptions with distributed gameplay, (iii) an analysis of development challenges, and (iv) four dimensions of distribution in Running Othello. Player evaluations were conducted on university students and on children and young adults participating at a science festival. These results are useful to scholars and developers interested in the concept of pervasive worlds. With this exploratory paper, we have taken the first steps toward comprehending the conceptualization, design, implementation, and evaluation of distributed pervasive worlds.

When students look at their classmates in the classroom, consciously or unconsciously, they see competitors both for academic recognition and social success. How do they fit in relation to others and how do they succeed in achieving both? Traditional views on the drive to succeed and the fear of failure are well known as motivators for achieving academic success but is it that simple a dichotomy? Do students also view success through a fear of success and a purposeful intent to fail--referred to in this text as the drive to fail? Students recognize the importance of social position in class but how is this perceived and will they sacrifice social position for academic standing or vice versa? This paper considers these issues by analyzing the results of a student survey and opinions offered by the students. The discussion considers the survey, academic standing, social position, cultural variables, perception of success and failure, and concluding comments.

This paper reports findings from a survey of Korean special and general education teachers (n = 328) regarding the extent to which they value and deliver instruction to promote the self-determination of students with disabilities in their classrooms. The findings include (a) descriptive statistics summarizing the outcomes of questionnaire items, (b) the main effect of grade level on perceived importance of skills that lead to enhanced self-determination, and (c) the main effect of program type on teaching skills leading to enhanced self-determination. Detailed study results and implications for research and practice are discussed.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of students' understanding of science knowledge, attitude and decision making on socio-scientific issues (SSI), especially on the issues of nuclear energy in Korea. SSI-focused instructions were developed to encourage students to understand and reflect on knowledge, attitude and decision making on nuclear energy in the current society. Eighty-nine students attended the instruction and participated in pre and post questionnaires to understand their understandings of nuclear energy. In this study, science knowledge was categorized into content and contextual knowledge, attitude consisted of images, safety, risk, potential, benefits and future roles, and decision making section included preference and alternative about lifetime extension of nuclear power plant. The results of questionnaires were analyzed by correlation, cross-tabulation and regression. As a result, while students' understandings of science knowledge were significantly improved throughout the instruction, they maintained similar attitude and decision making on the issue. Regarding the relationship of the three domains, attitude showed some degree of connection to decision making whereas science knowledge did not show a significant relationship to decision making. This finding challenges SSI teaching in content-based science curriculum and classroom. Reflection and implications on the way of teaching SSI in the classroom were discussed further in this paper.

Background. Among the surgical methods for lumbar disc herniation, open lumbar microdiscectomy is considered the gold standard. Recently, percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy is also commonly performed for lumbar disc herniation for its various strong points. Objectives. The present study aims to examine whether percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy and open lumbar microdiscectomy show better results as surgical treatments for lumbar disc herniation in the Korean population. Methods. In the present meta-analysis, papers on Korean patients who underwent open lumbar microdiscectomy and percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy were searched, both of which are surgical methods to treat lumbar disc herniation. The papers from 1973, when percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy was first introduced, to March 2018 were searched at the databases of MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, and Cochrane Library. Results. Seven papers with 1254 patients were selected. A comparison study revealed that percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy had significantly better results than open lumbar microdiscectomy in the visual analogue pain scale at the final follow-up (leg: mean difference [MD]=-0.35; 95% confidence interval [CI]=-0.61, -0.09; p=0.009; back: MD=-0.79; 95% confidence interval [CI]=-1.42, -0.17; p=0.01), Oswestry Disability Index (MD=-2.12; 95% CI=-4.25, 0.01; p=0.05), operation time (MD=-23.06; 95% CI=-32.42, -13.70; p<0.00001), and hospital stay (MD=-4.64; 95% CI=-6.37, -2.90; p<0.00001). There were no statistical differences in the MacNab classification (odds ratio [OR]=1.02; 95% CI=0.71, 1.49; p=0.90), complication rate (OR=0.72; 95% CI=0.20, 2.62; p=0.62), recurrence rate (OR=0.83; 95% CI=0.50, 1.38; p=0.47), and reoperation rate (OR=1.45; 95% CI=0.89, 2.35; p=0.13). Limitations. All 7 papers used for the meta-analysis were non-RCTs. Some differences (type of surgery (primary or revisional), treatment options before the operation, follow-up period, etc.) existed depending on the selected paper, and the sample size was small as well. Conclusion. While percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy showed better results than open lumbar microdiscectomy in some items, open lumbar microdiscectomy still showed good clinical results, and it is therefore reckoned that a randomized controlled trial with a large sample size would be required in the future to compare these two surgical methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a public library, a public good, provides many external benefits for the community it belongs to, its public value needs to be carefully assessed. More specifically, the Korean Government demands information on the public value that ensues from the establishment of the Gwangju branch of the National Library. This paper therefore attempts to measure its public value by using the contingent valuation method and reporting the results of the contingent valuation survey. We adopted a strategy to use two split samples for on-site and off-site areas, which refer to one area surrounding the library and another that does not, respectively, and as such, the study focuses on the scale parameter of the contingent valuation model. The estimated value for the scale parameter is statistically significant at the 1% level. The statistical test of the hypothesis that the mean willingness to pay estimate for the on-site area is not different from that for the off-site requires estimating the mean willingness to pay separately for each area. The mean willingness to pay estimates for the on-site and off-site area are KRW 3330.5 (GBP 1.7) and KRW 3572.9 (GBP 1.8) per household per year, respectively. The national value expanded to relevant residents is about KRW 60bn (GBP 30m) annually for five years. The results are expected to be useful for policy makers in determining the economic feasibility of the branch. (Contains 6 tables.)

The purpose of this study was to examine students' satisfaction and investigate the potential of improved learning outcomes in smart and blended learning environments. This paper reflects on the experience of the delivery of a program at H University in Seoul, Korea using smart and blended learning. The goal was to apply the findings to current blended learning models in order to explore possible modifications that may enhance learning environments for Korean university students. The participants were 19 students enrolled in an English Language major course, Speaking 2: Presentation, which aimed to teach students to deliver oral presentations in English. Data was collected from student questionnaires, the smart/blended learning platform English 360, and an instructor reflection journal in order to address the following research questions: 1) What are the students' perceptions of smart/blended learning environments?; 2) What are the benefits of smart/blended learning environments?; and 3) What are the drawbacks of smart/blended learning environments? The analysis of the data indicated that the overall student perception of smart and blended learning environments is positive. One of the primary findings was the importance of clear and transparent communication and organization of a smart and blended learning environment. Students indicated that they would be interested in additional courses that utilized smart/blended environments. (Contains 5 tables and 5 figures.)

With science and technology playing profound roles in mediating human relationships with the environment, a key question concerns which expectations and views of science and technology have emerged and prevail in visions of the social and environmental development of contemporary societies. This study engages this question through examining children's views of science and technology in South Korea. Eighty-six sixth graders from Seoul, a highly urbanized city, were invited to share their views. A drawing and writing activity and an open-ended questionnaire were administered for data collection. The study found that the children's views are grounded in optimistic and positive expectations and visions of science and technology even as some of the children show awareness and concern about environmental destruction. They may also offer contradictory views toward social development and environmental destruction. The paper discusses these findings in light of the complex meanings of development in modern Korean society and the challenges teachers there may face in cultivating sustainable views and relations via science and environmental education. (Contains 5 figures, 2 tables, and 2 notes.)

This study was conducted to examine the role of child depression in the relations between deficits in competence and aggression by replicating and extending the study by Cole et al. (1996). In a two-wave longitudinal study, 6th-grade children (n = 329) completed self-report measures of three domains of competence (i.e. social, academic, behavioural), depression and aggression. Parents also reported information about their child's competence in the three domains, depression and aggression. The participants were all residents in lower-middle- to middle-class urban areas in a large southwestern city of Korea. Data were collected through paper/pencil questionnaires administered twice during the school year (near the end of the first and second semesters in 2008) approximately 6 months apart. Hierarchical regression analyses were implemented to examine whether Wave 2 depression moderates or mediates the relations between deficits in Wave 1 competence and Wave 2 aggression. To take account of the domain-specificity of child competence, separate hierarchical regression analyses for the three domains of competence were conducted. Self-reports and parent reports for each variable were standardized and combined into a composite index. The results of the hierarchical regression analyses were summarized as follows. First, depression did not moderate the relations between deficits in competence and aggression. Second, depression served as a mediator only in the relation between deficits in behavioural competence and aggression. In contrast, depression did not mediate the relation between lowered social or academic competence and aggression. The findings of this study provide partial evidence for the competence-based model of childhood depression and for the role of depression as a trigger of aggressive behaviours among children who lack in behavioural competence. The results imply that school psychologists and school counsellors should not overlook deficits in behavioural competence and depression among aggressive children while providing screening and intervention services for these children. (Contains 8 tables.)

This study examines university students' pre-university exposure to extra-curricular English instruction in tutorial or other private supplementary institutions in Korea and abroad. A questionnaire and an in-depth interview were administered to forty-three freshman students enrolled in a foreign language program at a comprehensive university in Korea. This study reports on the key findings in the questionnaire and on the personal language-learning experiences of seven interviewees chosen from the larger sample. The findings reveal that these students had undertaken widely different language instruction outside of school. Some had access to supplemental programs, while others relied completely on language training available in primary and secondary schools in Korea. Those with opportunities for study in venues outside the standard language sequence in Korean schools had significantly higher English proficiency and may affect their performance in their subsequent university-level English program. The paper concludes with the proposals for addressing discrepant English-learning backgrounds in order to remediate the significant differences in English language proficiency that characterize post-secondary programs at Korean universities. (Contains 6 tables, 4 figures and 8 footnotes.)