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Viewing teacher vulnerability as a pedagogical tool, this comparative case study examined two secondary literacy teachers' use of vulnerability in relation to various instructional goals. Through the analysis of eight video‐recorded lessons, we found that teachers demonstrated vulnerability through multiple ways within their literacy instruction through modeling ways of connecting personal experiences to texts, and establishing classroom norms that welcome difficult emotions and experiences. However, we also found that teacher vulnerability can sometimes lead to uncertainty, and even constrain student participation. We argue that teacher vulnerability helps establish a humanizing pedagogy, and offer possible strategies for teachers who are vulnerable within literacy instruction. We conclude with a discussion of different levels of appropriating vulnerability as a pedagogical tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The podcast is a tool that economic educators can employ in the classroom as an alternative approach to convey content. Using a unique quasi-experimental approach in four undergraduate economics classes, we measure student perceptions of podcast use and the effectiveness of the podcast as a pedagogical tool in the economics curriculum. This experiment controls for demographic characteristics, educational background, learning styles, instructor fixed effects, and class fixed effects while measuring the impact of podcast use on student learning outcomes. We find that exam scores of students assigned podcasts to supplement their learning were statistically no different than those of students assigned printed news articles to supplement their learning. However, in terms of perception, students believed they were learning more from podcasts than news articles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports an investigation into how a procedure to enhance their metaphor awareness assisted a group of university students in Canada in reflecting on multicultural society. Data were collected through semi‐structured interviews with 50 students who were invited to (a) express their views of Canadian multicultural society, (b) evaluate metaphors used for this topic and (c) reconsider their own metaphors. For most of the students, the metaphor evaluation task led to a better understanding of the implications of the metaphors, which helped them to assess their appropriateness. Through evaluating the metaphors, these students reflected on the matter of cultural diversity in Canada and on the characteristics of a truly multicultural society. The study illustrates how raising students' metaphor awareness can contribute to their reasoning about societal issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In higher education, critical thinking skills are essential for students to develop their ability to explore problems, questions, or situations, find a solution, and justify their positions. Such skills can be cultivated through sustained, authentic dialogue with peers or in groups. To provide a supportive environment for dialogue and interaction among students, a book club was utilized as an alternative and extension activity of Extensive Reading course within the English Education Study Program at a private university in Indonesia. The book club enables students to connect with others, expressing and exchanging ideas and thoughts, thereby sharpening their critical thinking skills. This mixed-method study investigated the students' reading and critical thinking skills after participating in the book club, the effectiveness of book club in developing these skills, and the ways in which the book club fostered critical thinking skills. Twenty-three freshmen from one class participated in the study. The instruments used were a reading test, a survey of critical thinking skills, and students' work. The reading test and critical thinking survey were administered sequentially after the treatment, while students' work was qualitatively analyzed. The findings reveal that book club is effective in developing student's critical thinking skills, particularly in terms of creating alternative t endings to a given story. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To facilitate engineering students’ understanding of engineering ethics and support instructors in developing course content, this study introduces an innovative educational tool drawing inspiration from the Rubik’s Cube metaphor. This Engineering Ethics Knowledge Rubik’s Cube (EEKRC) integrates six key aspects—ethical theories, codes of ethics, ethical issues, engineering disciplines, stakeholders, and life cycle—identified through an analysis of engineering ethics textbooks and courses across the United States, Singapore, and China. This analysis underpins the selection of the six aspects, reflecting the shared and unique elements of engineering ethics education in these regions. In an engineering ethics course, the EEKRC serves multiple functions: it provides visual support for grasping engineering ethics concepts, acts as a pedagogical guide for both experienced and inexperienced educators in course design, offers a complementary assessment method for evaluating students learning outcomes, and assists as a reference for students engaging in ethical analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the effectiveness of four game-based activities (GBAs) in teaching ecosystems to Grade 7 Biology students. Involving 69 students (34 control, 35 experimental), the quasi-experimental study used a mixed-methods approach. The researcher utilized a static-group comparison design for the quantitative phase and a thematic analysis for the qualitative phase. Quantitative analysis revealed significant improvements in the experimental group's social skills (p

Previous research has raised challenges in teaching gender theory in sociology courses. While many students appreciate such theories, some students resist sociological approaches to gender, sexualities, and social inequalities. There is a growing body of research that has recognized and explored pedagogical tools aiming to help students engage with sociological insights and concepts related to gender. However, more studies and pedagogical frameworks are needed to guide higher education teachers. Consequently, this perspective article aims to introduce and present how norm-critical design objects can be used as a pedagogical tool to enhance student learning and engagement. The article demonstrates how such objects have been incorporated into sociology courses and provides a springboard for reflective, thorough, and problematizing approaches to gender issues in sociology. Further, the article encourages a broader sociological discussion about the potential of using norm-critical design objects in sociology courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Educational tools based on the use of dance for professionals working with children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are scarce. The aim of this article is to highlight the benefits of dance therapy by presenting new research in the literature, and to describe the results of an intervention proposal that includes dance therapy in this field of education. The relevance of arts education as a strategy of attention to diversity in schools for the integrated development of academic and social skills is highlighted. The intervention proposal was designed with a programme of activities that included dance therapy and was implemented in children with autism. The aim was to determine whether it contributed to the development of their social skills. A descriptive qualitative methodology was used, with a purposive sampling of subjects affected by autism spectrum disorder attending the same educational centre. The results were collected in a field diary detailing the evolution of each subject in each module. Stufflebeam’s CIPP model was used to evaluate the results in terms of improvements in social skills. The results confirmed that dance therapy is an appropriate tool for the development of social skills in students with ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the implications of training English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students in reflective writing and its impact on their writing ability. Reflective writing refers to critical analysis of an experience, recording its impact on the self, and planning the use of the newly gained knowledge. The study was conducted with 28 EFL students at a Saudi university with half of them exposed to reflective writing techniques and writing output compared in the pre-post-test design. Results showed that students in the experimental group performed noticeably better on their writing assignments showing that reflective writing holds much promise as an instructional technique for enhancing EFL students' writing abilities. The study also found that the experimental group's attitude toward writing had improved as the intervention not only improved their writing abilities but also, helped them develop a more favorable attitude toward the writing process. Finally, it is reported that no correlation was found between students' attitudes and achievement in post experiment. The study emphasizes the need of reflective writing in the EFL setting on the premise that including these techniques in the writing curriculum would likely enhance students' writing in English. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently students have lost their reading habits with the consequent problems that it brings, if these situations are not worked on in time, in the long term there is no solution. Consequently, they lose the capacity for reflective interpretation in reading, and it hinders the reader's critical thinking. The use of fables as a pedagogical tool to improve children's reading comprehension is one of the didactic strategies that has been the object of interest in the educative community. The objective of this research is to analyze the fable as a didactic strategy within the teaching and learning process, to strengthen reading comprehension in the third-grade children of the John F. Kennedy School of Basic Education. Research was developed based on the quantitative, correlational approach, where a survey was applied to diagnose reading comprehension in 16 children. As a result, it was determined that 75% of the children had comprehension difficulties. To solve this, seven reading workshops were developed with the fable as a resource, subsequently an exam was applied, its results show that eight one percent of the students achieved a development of reading comprehension at a literal, inferential and analytical level. There was also an increase in communication skills, psychological, emotional, and spiritual development, what confirms the hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In Sweden, population‐based targeted health dialogues are an important part of health promotion and disease prevention in primary health care. Targeted health dialogues are performed with a pedagogical approach to allow individuals to reflect over their resources, situation and motivation to change lifestyle habits together with a healthcare professional. Aim: The aim of this study was to explore healthcare professionals' experiences of targeted health dialogues in primary health care. Methods: Three focus group interviews were conducted with 20 healthcare professionals. The interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Results: The main category A possibility to promote healthy behaviours and prevent disease describes how the targeted health dialogues were experienced as a valuable opportunity to promote health among inhabitants. The significance of the primary healthcare centre's health promotion and prevention strategies was emphasised to enable the targeted health dialogues as a part of the assignment to promote health. These strategies were expressed as shared focus and organisational space and support making it possible for example to reach all socioeconomic groups. The work with targeted health dialogue was described as a complex task requiring extensive competence. Furthermore, the pedagogical tool including the visual health profile was experienced to have an important impact on the dialogue offering direction for actions to promote health and prevent disease. Conclusions: Targeted health dialogues can be a valuable opportunity for healthcare professionals in primary health care to promote a healthy lifestyle among inhabitants. Certain preconditions at both the meso‐ and the micro level is however required for this to come about. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In translation teaching, sight translation has been used, for decades, as a pedagogical tool to enhance students’ interpreting skills in a myriad text genres. In this study, sight translation was used as a pedagogical tool to teach translation and interpretation of political texts to 37 undergraduate third year students of the academic year 2022/2023 at the university of Dodoma, Tanzania. The 3 collected English political speeches were chunked and organized in PowerPoint form to be sight translated into Kiswahili. The student sight translator displayed its content on the wall through a projector which was connected to a personal computer. When sight translating, the other students were comparing his/her verbal renditions into the target language with the content in the source language which was displayed on the wall through a projector. The study revealed that some English political expressions that refer to the address forms of the heads of state and government, the official residence of the heads of state and government, titles of foreign dignitaries, the etiquette of recognizing meeting attendees, and the capital city when used to denote a government or country could not be easily sight translated into Kiswahili for a number of reasons. Despite the challenges that sight translation may encounter during implementation, it remains a friendliest, adaptable, and inclusive pedagogical tool in translation and interpretation classes in all levels of learning.

Previous research has raised challenges in teaching gender theory in sociology courses. While many students appreciate such theories, some students resist sociological approaches to gender, sexualities, and social inequalities. There is a growing body of research that has recognized and explored pedagogical tools aiming to help students engage with sociological insights and concepts related to gender. However, more studies and pedagogical frameworks are needed to guide higher education teachers. Consequently, this perspective article aims to introduce and present how norm-critical design objects can be used as a pedagogical tool to enhance student learning and engagement. The article demonstrates how such objects have been incorporated into sociology courses and provides a springboard for reflective, thorough, and problematizing approaches to gender issues in sociology. Further, the article encourages a broader sociological discussion about the potential of using norm-critical design objects in sociology courses.

In today's world, technology is advancing really fast, so the integration of coding skills into engineering education has become essential. This paper explores the impact of coding clubs as an innovative pedagogical tool within the context of engineering education. These clubs bridge the gap between theoretical learning and practical application by providing students with an organized platform on which they can engage in hands-on coding experiences. This paper illustrates the benefits of engaging in coding clubs by doing an in-depth analysis of the events organized and conducting interviews with stakeholders. Some of the events held are code-it-out, face-it-out and codewars coding challenges. These activities demonstrate the benefits of coding clubs in engineering education. Some of the benefits highlighted in this paper include improved problem-solving abilities, increased inter-disciplinary collaboration, and enhanced career readiness. In this, we have presented participant testimonials and empirical proof to demonstrate that coding clubs should be a regular element of engineering courses, helping to produce a new generation of engineers who are fluent in the latest technologies and prepared for careers in the field of engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In translation teaching, sight translation has been used, for decades, as a pedagogical tool to enhance students' interpreting skills in a myriad text genres. In this study, sight translation was used as a pedagogical tool to teach translation and interpretation of political texts to 37 undergraduate third year students of the academic year 2022/2023 at the university of Dodoma, Tanzania. The 3 collected English political speeches were chunked and organized in PowerPoint form to be sight translated into Kiswahili. The student sight translator displayed its content on the wall through a projector which was connected to a personal computer. When sight translating, the other students were comparing his/her verbal renditions into the target language with the content in the source language which was displayed on the wall through a projector. The study revealed that some English political expressions that refer to the address forms of the heads of state and government, the official residence of the heads of state and government, titles of foreign dignitaries, the etiquette of recognizing meeting attendees, and the capital city when used to denote a government or country could not be easily sight translated into Kiswahili for a number of reasons. Despite the challenges that sight translation may encounter during implementation, it remains a friendliest, adaptable, and inclusive pedagogical tool in translation and interpretation classes in all levels of learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Tesla Revista Científica is the property of Puerto Madero Editorial Academica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper assessed teachers' perceived role and limitations on using ICT as a pedagogical tool in enhancing English language fluency. The study employed a descriptive case study design in which interviews, focus group discussions and document analysis were used to collect data. The collected data were analyzed qualitatively through recording the data for thematic procedures. It was found that teachers perceived ICT as an important pedagogical tool for enhancing grammar, vocabulary and accurate pronunciation. However, the use of ICT for teaching English language was limited due to poor ICT infrastructures, insufficient training, teachers' readiness and unclear policies. The study recommends the government to make a critical investment in ICT facilities and ensure high internet connectivity in secondary schools. A practical training for English teachers on the adoption and integration of ICT through virtual platforms would certainly improve the practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Google Cardboard (GC) has emerged as an affordable and user-friendly virtual reality (VR) viewer with significant potential as a pedagogical tool in educational settings. This article presents a systematic review of 35 empirical studies that investigate the application of GC as a VR technology for educational purposes. The review examines various aspects including the teaching subjects, educational levels, mobile applications, operating systems, advantages, and challenges associated with GC implementation, and identifies key areas for future research. The findings highlight that GC offers an accessible and user-friendly VR experience, making it well-suited for most of educational contexts. Its compatibility with both Android and iOS operating systems, along with its ability to motivate learners and facilitate immersive learning experiences, are notable advantages. However, challenges related to display quality, screen refresh rate, cybersickness, and technical issues must be addressed to maximize the effectiveness of GC. Furthermore, the review implicates that providing adequate training and support to users, developing pedagogical frameworks, and exploring subject-specific applications are crucial for successful integration into educational practices. Future research directions involve enhancing user experience, establishing comprehensive guidelines, improving user training and support mechanisms, investigating subject-specific benefits, and evaluating the long-term effects and learning outcomes associated with GC implementation.

Rhymes are popular tools in children's learning in many cultures, but the pedagogical underpinnings of rhyme practice are largely unknown. Drawing on insights from a study in China, this paper explores the pedagogical meaning and function of rhymes in early childhood education. Individual interviews were conducted with 10 Chinese early childhood teachers and a series of classroom observations of teachers' rhyme practices were undertaken. An overarching theme from the data was the multifunctionality of rhymes, or in teachers' words 'they can do many things'. Framed by the notion of tools in sociocultural theory and existing studies on rhymes as a pedagogical tool, this theme is discussed with reference to the discourses on mediation, habitual practice, and professional support which bring to the fore some issues in Chinese early childhood education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This theoretical review aims to explore the considerable potential of Virtual Reality (VR) in primary education, with a specific focus on its transformative impact on early learning. The aim is to conduct an in-depth analysis of the challenges faced in primary education and the role of VR technology in addressing these challenges. By examining the educational landscape, this paper seeks to elucidate how VR technology can substantially enhance the learning experience for young students. Through a meticulous evaluation of the theoretical framework and existing literature, it underscores the promising opportunities and complexities that arise from the integration of VR in primary education. This review primarily serves as a foundational resource for educators, researchers, and policymakers interested in leveraging VR's capabilities to enhance the educational journey of digital-native primary school students.

This paper focuses on the reception of the Torah by the Church Fathers who lived up to the beginning of the third century. Christians, having received the whole Torah through the Septuagint translation, became selective in the way they accepted it, adhering to it only with reservations. Christological and ethical concerns were at the heart of their acceptance or rejection of various aspects of the Torah. This article will gauge whether Christians had a positive, negative, or neutral evaluation of the Torah and will seek to identify the ways in which they perceived the Torah. By analysing the ways in which the Torah and at times other Old Testament texts were handled, their presentation of these Jewish Scriptures will be brought to light, highlighting different approaches employed in this regard. One notes the following stances: the Torah's commandments supplemented the Lord's teachings (the Didache); the Torah was read allegorically and typologically despite a Midrashic approach (Epistle of Barnabas); certain laws were believed to have been instituted as a result of the people's hardness of heart (Justin Martyr); natural law is distinct from the demands added to it after the Jews' wayward actions (Irenaeus); the temporal aspects of the law were superseded by its eternal aspects (Tertullian); whilst upholding the promises of the Law, the prophets were seen as going beyond the Law (Tertullian) or as giving the Law a spiritual interpretation (Epistle of Barnabas); and, rarely, the Law was held in very high regard (Clement of Alexandria). This paper is not concerned with any blatant rejection of the Torah and, indeed, the Tanakh at large (as was the case with Marcion), but rather with the subtler nuances that can be detected in other writers who had to rethink the validity and role/place of the Torah in the faith. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of mother tongue to teach a second language has been a controversial issue in the field of second language acquisition. This study aims to compare the effectiveness of using mother tongue (Vietnamese) to teach a foreign language (English) under the pressure of the implementation of an English-only policy at the tertiary level in Vietnam where English is taught as a foreign language. The mixed-methods approach was conducted to contrast the perspectives of 11 teachers participating in semi-structured interviews, and 255 students answering 5-point Likert scale questionnaires. These research instruments were carefully designed by the researchers adopting the factual and behavioural criteria proposed by Dörnyei and Taguchi (2009). The results show that the minimal use of Vietnamese is utilized as a necessary pedagogical tool to teach English. The empirical results propose that the English-only policy can be effective if the actions such as more English learning time, English entry tests, English materials and teaching aids with techno-facilities are seriously taken into consideration. To adopt the English-only policy in EFL classes, school administrators have to renovate the foreign language regulations while teachers must adapt their teaching methodology to meet the requirements of the learner-centered approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artikkeli käsittelee monikielisten kirjoittajien kirjoittamisprosessien sujuvuutta. Oppijakorpuksen keräämiseen ja analysointiin käytimme graafiteoriaan perustuvaa näppäilyntallennusohjelmaa GenoGraphiX-Log (GGXLog), jonka visualisointityökalut tarjoavat uuden lähestymistavan kirjoitusprosessin sujuvuuden analysointiin. Koko aineisto koostuu 21 yliopistoopiskelijan kirjoittamasta suomenkielisestä (L1) ja ranskankielisestä (L2) mielipidekirjoituksesta. Tässä tapaustutkimuksessa keskitymme kuitenkin vain kolmen opiskelijan kirjoitusprosesseihin ja kirjoittajaprofiileihin. Tulokset osoittavat, että kirjoitusprosessien visualisoinnin avulla pystymme tunnistamaan ja havainnollistamaan sujuvaa kirjoittamista edustavia purskeita yksityiskohtaisemmin. Lisäksi kirjoittajan tuottamat purskeet ja sanastokeskittymät voivat paljastaa kirjoittajien yksilöllisiä kirjoittajaprofiileja niin L1- kuin L2-kirjoituksessa. Tulokset auttavat parantamaan pedagogisia käytäntöjä eri koulutusympäristöissä. Lisäksi kirjoitus prosessien analyysi antaa oppijoille mahdollisuuden tunnistaa oman kirjoittajaprofiilinsa. *** A case study of multilingual writers’ writing processes: Using keystroke logging to identify formulaic sequences *** This article deals with the fluency of multilingual writers’ writing processes. To collect and analyze the learner-corpus of our case study, we used the graph theory-based keystroke logging software GGXLog, whose visualization functions provide a new approach to the analysis of writing process fluency. The material consists of three writings in Finnish (L1) and French (L2) written by university students. In this article, we focus on the writing processes and profiles of these three students, especially regarding their bursts and formulaic sequences during the writing process. The results show that the statistics and visualization allow us to identify and illustrate bursts of fluent writing in a more detailed way. Furthermore, sequences of fluent writing can reveal the patterns of individual writer profiles, which increases the knowledge of L1 and L2 writing processes. The results in L2 writing are closely related to students’ proficiency level. These results can contribute to enhancing pedagogical practices in different educational settings.

This article explores the challenges and possibilities in use of virtual reality (VR) as a pedagogical tool in vocational education at school level. VR has the potential to transform vocational education by providing immersive, interactive, and realistic simulations of real-world work environments to the students. The article discusses the advantages of using VR in vocational education, including increased engagement, motivation, and knowledge retention of the students. It also provides the case studies on successful integration of VR in vocational education and training. It also examines the challenges of implementing VR in vocational education, such as the cost of equipment and software, and the need for specialized technical support. The article concludes with a discussion of future directions for research on the use of VR in vocational education and the potential impact on the future of work.

This theoretical review aims to explore the considerable potential of Virtual Reality (VR) in primary education, with a specific focus on its transformative impact on early learning. The aim is to conduct an in-depth analysis of the challenges faced in primary education and the role of VR technology in addressing these challenges. By examining the educational landscape, this paper seeks to elucidate how VR technology can substantially enhance the learning experience for young students. Through a meticulous evaluation of the theoretical framework and existing literature, it underscores the promising opportunities and complexities that arise from the integration of VR in primary education. This review primarily serves as a foundational resource for educators, researchers, and policymakers interested in leveraging VR's capabilities to enhance the educational journey of digital-native primary school students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a long tradition of the value of using film as a pedagogical tool. Such use spans a variety of business disciplines including organizational behavior (Smith 2009), accounting (Bay & Felton 2012), business ethics (Fisher, Grant & Palmer 2015) and cultural competency (Greene, Barden, Richardson & Hall 2014). Presented here is a recently developed course, Business in Film, which engages students in deep reflection on business issues with an emphasis on ethics and values. The course is structured around a weekly film (mix of dramas and documentaries), 15 weeks, 15 films covering approximately 40 years. For each film, students prepare a 2-3 page reflection paper. Student feedback has been consistently positive, with comments along the themes of a greater appreciation of the intersection between business and the human experience, bringing to life ethical considerations, and a greater appreciation of the historical context of business events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the reception of the Torah by the Church Fathers who lived up to the beginning of the third century. Christians, having received the whole Torah through the Septuagint translation, became selective in the way they accepted it, adhering to it only with reservations. Christological and ethical concerns were at the heart of their acceptance or rejection of various aspects of the Torah. This article will gauge whether Christians had a positive, negative, or neutral evaluation of the Torah and will seek to identify the ways in which they perceived the Torah. By analysing the ways in which the Torah and at times other Old Testament texts were handled, their presentation of these Jewish Scriptures will be brought to light, highlighting different approaches employed in this regard. One notes the following stances: the Torah’s commandments supplemented the Lord’s teachings (the Didache); the Torah was read allegorically and typologically despite a Midrashic approach (Epistle of Barnabas); certain laws were believed to have been instituted as a result of the people’s hardness of heart (Justin Martyr); natural law is distinct from the demands added to it after the Jews’ wayward actions (Irenaeus); the temporal aspects of the law were superseded by its eternal aspects (Tertullian); whilst upholding the promises of the Law, the prophets were seen as going beyond the Law (Tertullian) or as giving the Law a spiritual interpretation (Epistle of Barnabas); and, rarely, the Law was held in very high regard (Clement of Alexandria). This paper is not concerned with any blatant rejection of the Torah and, indeed, the Tanakh at large (as was the case with Marcion), but rather with the subtler nuances that can be detected in other writers who had to rethink the validity and role/place of the Torah in the faith.

Copyright of Diversitas Journal is the property of Diversitas Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Pensamiento Americano is the property of Corporacion Universitaria Americana and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract: This paper presents a proposal for pedagogical use of MT in English for Specific Purpose (ESP) courses, aiming at investigating the efficiency of this technology as a support for reading scientific texts in English as a FL. The theoretical approach is on ESP, reading and comprehension and a proposal to use MT in ESP courses, aiming to understand the processing of MT and how this knowledge can raise benefits on reading comprehension for academic purposes. In addition, we discussed corpus linguistics and its relation to language teaching as well as its role in MT. The analysis shows that, due to the hybrid system that utilizes the rule-based system and the corpus-based system, Google Translate produces relatively understandable and readable texts. Despite its evident limitations, the tool can provide linguistic awareness when pedagogically explored by ESP teachers in academic context. Keywords: Machine Translation; pedagogical tool; reading; English for Specific Purposes. Resumo: Este artigo apresenta uma proposta de uso pedagógico de tradução pela Máquina (MT) em cursos de inglês para fins específicos (ESP), com o objetivo de investigar a eficiência dessa tecnologia como suporte para a leitura de textos científicos em inglês como L2/ LE. A abordagem teórica é sobre ESP, leitura e compreensão e uma proposta de uso de MT em cursos de ESP, com o objetivo de entender o processamento da MT e como esse conhecimento pode trazer benefícios na compreensão da leitura para fins acadêmicos. Também, discute-se a linguística de corpus e sua relação tanto com o ensino de línguas quanto seu papel na MT. Por fim, a partir da análise que se faz, devido ao sistema híbrido que utiliza o sistema baseado em regras com o sistema baseado em corpus, o Google Translate produz textos relativamente compreensíveis e legíveis. Apesar de suas limitações evidentes, essa tecnologia pode fornecer consciência linguística quando explorada pedagogicamente pelos professores de ESP no contexto acadêmico Palavras-chave: Tradutor Automático; ferramenta pedagógica; leitura; Inglês para Propósitos Específicos.

The purpose of this study was to introduce photovoice as a pedagogical tool in an in-service program for geography teachers, demonstrate the implementation of this methodology, and examine its outcomes, strengths, and weaknesses. The applicability of photovoice as a pedagogical tool for secondary school geography as well as its strengths and weaknesses were clarified. As a pedagogical tool for geography, photovoice not only allowed in-service geography teachers to develop critical thinking, but also fostered active citizenship. In addition, photovoice afforded in-service geography teachers the opportunity to capture the public geography learned in the classroom in the field and subsequently add their own voice to discover their own personal geography. Despite these strengths, in order for geography teachers to employ photovoice in their classes, issues such as time, evaluation, place, and safety as well as inviting decision-makers and policymakers to the presentation process are challenges that need to be addressed. As this study focuses on geography teacher education, further research needs to be done with younger students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper explores possibilities and constraints for adopting Information Communication Technology (ICT) as a pedagogical tool among teachers and students in community secondary schools (CSSs). The study used five CSSs located in rural peripheral in Serengeti District. Simple random and purposive sampling procedures were used to select a sample of 210 respondents including 180 students and 30 teachers. Data were primarily collected through standardized questionnaire and structured interview. The results revealed several possibilities for ICT adoption in some of CSSs namely, presence of electricity; presence of ICT devices; presence of technical support and positive attitude toward ICT use. Furthermore, the results showed several constraints for ICT adoption including insufficient of ICT devices: lack of technical support and lack of ICT skills and knowledge. The study findings suggest that teachers and students have positive attitudes towards the technology use. They are passionate and ready to use ICTs in teaching and learning because since other schools have possible determinants for ICT adoption like electricity power and few ICT gadgets. The recommends the government to invest adequately in CSSs residing in rural areas to reduce the digital divides between schools and/or teachers and students in the use of ICT as a pedagogical tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Biophilia has emerged as a relevant concept for design. The concept of biophilic design involves the integration of nature-based features to support wellbeing, which has created the need for guidance on how to identify and apply biophilic design features in interior environments. The Biophilic Interior Design Matrix (BID-M) was created for this purpose. This exploration involved using the BID-M as a pedagogical tool in an interior design undergraduate studio course. This article also shares student experiences with incorporating biophilic design into their studio project. The senior students were divided between two classrooms in a quasi-experimental method. Both classrooms were introduced to biophilic design. One classroom was further guided using the biophilic design attributes in the BID-M throughout the project. All students used the BID-M for a self-analysis of their final design solutions. The result of the comparative analysis showed there were varied perceptions between the two classrooms. The group using the BID-M's list of biophilic design attributes showed increased perceptions of importance, confidence and knowledge of biophilic design. Biophilic design also offered benefits to all students' design process and facilitated ideation and concept development. The students shared that the BID-M was a helpful pedagogical tool for biophilic integration. The students also suggested earlier integration of the BID-M in the curriculum and saw themselves using the BID-M in practice as a conceptual and design development aid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research presented in this article reports on the results of a case study examining the classroom practice of one early career Grade 4 teacher (Nox, pseudonym) as she teaches equivalent fractions. The goal was to explore the ways and extent to which her instruction reflected a dialogical teaching approach, defined as a pedagogical approach underpinned by five specific principles that can be enacted through a range of possible talk strategies to achieve sustained participation of learners and thus enhance meaningful learning. I provide a pedagogical activity to illustrate to teachers how, by instigating and developing classroom talk in the primary classes, a dialogic teaching sequence may be implemented. However, the majority of the existing literature on dialogic teaching stems from studies conducted in Asian, European, and North American countries, whereas systematic research on dialogic teaching across international contexts remains limited. Nox was interviewed after obtaining observational data to seek clarity on some of the observed instructional practices. Analysis of transcripts using the notion of dialogic teaching as a theoretical lens revealed that there was little evidence of Nox’s attempts to use talk to make learning of equivalent fractions a cumulative process. In addition, time constraint was the most significant factor in Nox’s teaching of equivalent fractions: she considered the curriculum too congested. Implications are drawn for evaluating dialogic teaching in primary mathematics classrooms. Future, larger studies may shed light on the extent of these results and, if need be, a significant investment on initial teacher training may be necessary to underscore the value of dialogic teaching in enhancing meaningful learning of, at least, equivalent fractions.

The purpose of the present study was to explore the effectiveness of the Voice Performance Chart (VPCH) as a pedagogical training tool to enhance vocal expressive ability of 1st year acting students. Forty recorded audio samples were perceptually assessed by six blinded raters, using a five-points Likert scale for each of the dependent variables observed. Results showed that loudness, pitch, and speech rate variations significantly differ when comparing the vocal condition before and after a 11 weeks training period. That suggests that VPCH can be an effective pedagogical tool to develop vocal expressive capabilities of acting students, by enhancing their expressive nuances level, according to the text content. Additionally, it might be argued that VPCH is an effective pedagogical tool not only for acting students, but also for individuals from any discipline requiring the use of the spoken voice in a professional context and/or in an expressive sense. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]