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This study investigated how students designed English academic oral presentations via a blended language learning environment. Data were collected from focus group interviews, observations of students, and instructor perspectives to explore how students develop academic presentation skills. In addition, a total of 36 oral presentations were assessed by a rubric and frequency counts of presentation language and features. By adopting an ecological approach, we identified the interactions between different factors that influenced learning. Interview findings and observations suggested students welcomed the immediacy of the technology and demonstrated signs of autonomous learning by self‐selecting the chat application Line for group collaboration. Participants preferred both online and face‐to‐face collaboration, as students discovered the limits of online communication. Results indicated that group oral presentations improved, with stronger introductions, linking devices, and visual elements. However, students had problems constructing conclusions and trouble linking the main ideas to the content. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic? Group oral presentation projects train students in 21st century competencies such as multimedia skills, critical thinking, problem solving, and collaboration.Cloud computing collaborative environments have the potential to help students develop language and communication skills.Users are aware of some of the affordances of mobile devices for language learning. What this paper adds? A description of the design and development of a blended language learning environment (BLLE) for English undergraduate oral presentations.Identified improvements in oral presentation introductions, cohesion, and visual elements from using this BLLE.Provides deep, qualitative insights on student perspectives for collaborative, mobile‐based learning from an ecological approach. Implications for practice and/or policy Oral presentation skills can be developed in a BLLE providing the instructor involves students in the design process.Instructors need to discover the right blend for language learners between online and face‐to‐face collaboration to facilitate project development.Collaboration, instruction, effective learning technology, and convenience are the four main factors that interact and influence how students develop and perform group oral presentations in a BLLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on codeswitching (CS) as a strategy employed by teachers in their EFL (English as a foreign language) classrooms in two commercial bushibans or cram schools in Taipei, Taiwan. More specifically, we are concerned with the perceived functions of CS in the EFL classroom context and the extent to which these constitute sources of conflict and tension. CS can be evaluated both positively and negatively. Policy makers, at both the national and school level, tend to view CS as undesirable within the language learning classroom, favouring an 'English-only' rule. However, the prevalence of CS among experienced teachers seems to suggest that it has some positive function in the educational process. Functional and temporal analysis of transcribed classroom interactions reveals the strategic ways in which the teachers use CS to shape and guide their classes. We conclude that 'English-only' is a lazy rule in that it means that we do not have to think about when and where CS is valid and useful and where and when it is pedagogically invalid and less than useful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taiwanese university educators' efficacy is traditionally associated with the belief in aligning teaching and learning outcomes. However, existing research on teacher efficacy involving modern university educators is limited. We bridge this gap by exploring university educators' perceived efficacy and the factors that influence those perceptions. We surveyed teachers from a national university in southern Taiwan using the Teacher Efficacy Scale and interviews about the source of efficacy beliefs. We obtained 74 survey responses and descriptive statistics and analysis of variance were performed. During the interviews, four qualitative data sets were collected, and we analyzed the data using a continuous comparison analysis method. Generally, participants had medium- to high-levels of perceived efficacy; however, levels differed by gender. Efficacy scores were also higher in course design, technology usage, and classroom management, compared to instructional strategies and learning assessments. The main sources of efficacy perception included mastery experience, role models, student-teacher relationship, professional growth, and student support. Our findings suggest several strategies for follow-up research to promote university educators' sense of efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficacy of urban teachers has been an important concern of school administrators. This study explores how teacher's intrinsic and extrinsic work motivation, relationships and school contexts affect teacher efficacy. The sources were surveys collected from elementary school teachers in Taipei City, Taiwan and data and demographic information collected from Education Statistical Data in Taipei City Government, Taiwan. The results of multilevel modeling indicated that school-level principal leadership and work environment enhance teaching. For teacher-level variables, only parent–teacher relationship has a significant influence on teacher efficacy. The implications and research limitations are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This paper reports on the prevalence of student victimization by teachers in junior high schools in a Chinese cultural context (Taiwan) and examines how student demographic variables (gender, grade level, and family socioeconomic status) and school social experiences (student–teacher relationships and involvement with at-risk peers) are associated with such victimization. Methods: Data were obtained from a large-scale random sample of 1,376 junior-high students (grades 7–9) in the city of Taichung, Taiwan. Students were given an anonymous structured questionnaire, including items regarding basic demographics and school social experiences. Results: Overall, 26.9% of students reported having been maltreated by teachers at least 1 time in the previous semester. Hitting, beating, or slapping was the most common maltreatment, and the most vulnerable students were boys and senior students. Students who perceived that student–teacher relationships were poor, and those who were involved with at-risk peers, were more likely to report victimization. Conclusion: Although there are clear guidelines and regulations prohibiting teacher aggression against students, Taiwanese students are still exposed to high levels of maltreatment. The findings provide empirical evidence to support school social workers and policymakers in taking immediate action to educate politicians, the general public, and the media about the severity of student victimization by teachers as well as to build up mechanisms to supervise the government's enforcement of regulation. These findings clearly imply that promoting positive social experiences for students is crucial for successful intervention. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Situated in an MA TESOL program in a large Taiwanese university, this study is a qualitative case study on two advising relationships. Three central issues were examined closely: (a) the nature of the advising relationships; (b) the challenges students encountered in the process of completing their theses; and (c) the advisors and advisee’s learning from the advising relationships. It was found that both advising relationships could best be described as hierarchical and largely fit description of the teaching model. Meanwhile, one of the biggest challenges the two students faced was the writing of their theses in English. Both advisors and advisees also learned from their advising relationships. To conclude the paper, a few future research directions are offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of 'English only' as the best teaching-learning method in English as a foreign language classrooms has been promoted in Taiwan over the last decade. During that time, the concept has been queried and debated. Teachers and learners have come to realise that for beginners and slow language learners, the use of codeswitching in the classroom is both inevitable and necessary. This study examines the use of codeswitching in two freshman English classrooms in a university in southern Taiwan. The two primary aims of this study are: to explore the nature of classroom talk, focussing specifically on how teachers and learners use more than one language to talk around monolingual textbooks and thereby successfully accomplish lessons; and secondly to investigate the conflict and accommodation in the use of languages between teachers and learners in English classrooms. This microethnographic study utilised in-class observations, together with field notes and audio recordings. Additionally, three sets of group interviews were conducted at the end of the semester. The study has found that in order to arouse students' interest in learning English, teachers often choose to switch between English and Mandarin in classrooms. Even though many participants have expressed the view that using English only is the ideal teaching and learning method, the teachers commonly choose to switch codes to unlock the meanings from the monolingual English textbooks, for classroom management and to promote harmony in the classrooms. Students, too, were allowed to use Mandarin and Taiwanese in the classrooms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research explores current teaching interventions in the development of school food education in urban schools of northern Taiwan, focusing on the relationship between teachers' teaching attitudes, teaching knowledge, and teaching commitments. As the urban schools of northern Taiwan (Taipei, New Taipei City, and Taoyuan City) are all classified as metropolitan areas, schools in these areas place a greater emphasis on students' dietary habits. This study therefore selected urban middle schools of these three connected municipalities as the research area. It adopted stratified random methods for sampling and designed questionnaires to collect data. A total of 748 urban middle school teachers were selected as research participants. A total of 652 valid questionnaires were recovered, which generated an effective recovery rate of 87.17% among 59 urban middle schools. The results for teaching attitudes, environmental awareness, and food awareness are important. For teaching knowledge, teachers' professional knowledge, class management knowledge, and academic research knowledge are significant. They will facilitate the development of school food education. Despite the limitations, the study can provide teachers with multiple technologies to fulfill food education through teaching interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study considered global self-esteem and academic self-efficacy as two contrasting precursors and distinctive pathways that could account for effective schooling experiences: (1) the social pathway (e.g., the predictive effect of teacher–student social relationship) and (2) the personal pathway (e.g., the predictive effect of a child's recognition of realistic best practice). This theoretical–conceptual model for examination, which we tested with a cohort of secondary school students from Taiwan (N = 750 Year 11) affirmed the direct and potential mediating effects of social relationships, personal well-being, best practice, positive emotions, and academic striving. Causal modeling techniques used showed a number of significant findings—for example: the direct effect of teacher–student social relationship on a student's experience of positive emotions, the direct effects of a student's belief of optimal best practice and academic striving on his/her academic achievement, and the potential mediating role of personal well-being between global self-esteem and a student's recognition of realistic best. This evidence, overall, makes substantive theoretical and methodological contributions to the study of positive schooling experiences, using social psychology and educational psychology theories as a basis for further development. One distinction, in this case, entails our intricate conceptualization of two contrasting courses of action that a student may experience. Moreover, from an applied practice point of view, our research inquiry has informed educators, researchers, and stakeholders of different viewpoints that could foster proactive social relationships, subjective well-being, positive emotional functioning, and academic performance at school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives: This study was designed to explore the psychological processes experienced by nursing students caring for suicidal patients during their first psychiatric clinical practicum. Background: Nursing students expressed fear when caring for patients who presented with suicidal behaviours. Yet, there is a lack of research exploring nursing students' feelings and thoughts when caring for suicidal patients. Design: A grounded theory study. Methods: A theoretical sample of 22 undergraduate nursing students who had cared for suicidal patients for at least 5 days during their psychiatric clinical practicum. Data were collected from 2016–2017, in three universities in Taiwan, using a semi‐structured interview and constant comparative analysis. COREQ reporting guidelines were utilised. Results: Four categories emerged depicting the psychological processes and revealing that the student nurses navigated four phases when caring for patients exhibiting suicidal behaviours. The phases were as follows: (a) apprehension and fear: involving students being frightened about patients attempting suicide; (b) frustration and powerlessness: concerning students finding it challenging to focus on changing patients' suicidal ideations; (c) support and catharsis: covering the students having to ask for psychological support from other people and explore their painful emotions; (d) confidence and empathy: meaning that the students incorporated enhanced confidence and cultivated advanced empathy, leading to the integration of competent care competencies towards suicidal patients. Conclusions: Findings could help nursing teachers to understand students' psychological processes when caring for suicidal patients. Teachers could provide appropriate support to help reduce students' negative thoughts and feelings and increase their care competencies when nursing suicidal patients during their psychiatric clinical practicum. Relevance to clinical practice: Clinical nurse teachers could support and facilitate students to develop their competencies and confidence as they negotiate the four phases and, actually, complete their internship goals on their clinical practicums. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To examine the effects of using different teaching sequences on knowledge acquisition, knowledge retention, self‐directed learning and teamwork in a nursing administration project. Background: Compared to other professional courses, nursing administration is relatively difficult, and it is important for nursing administration students to spend long hours working in hospitals. As such, better teaching strategies utilizing proper sequencing may yield better learning outcomes for students. Methods: A longitudinal quasi‐experimental design was used. A total of 129 students were assigned to two groups with which different teaching sequences were used. The investigated learning outcomes were knowledge acquisition, knowledge retention, self‐directed learning and teamwork. Generalized estimating equations were used to measure the learning outcomes. Results: There was no significant difference between the two teaching sequences in terms of learning effects. One teaching strategy, problem‐based learning (PBL), yielded effective student learning outcomes. Conclusion: PBL increased the students' self‐directed learning and teamwork. This strategy can be applied to side‐by‐side co‐teaching and post‐graduate year training programmes. Implications for Nursing Management: The results from this study may help hospitals retain nurses and find potential nursing leaders. Instructors and nurse managers should discuss learning goals with students in advance to enhance the students' learning outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To date, limited research has been conducted on and few educational tools exist regarding the romantic relationships of deaf adolescents. Although deaf male adolescents are supposed to pursue partners according to social norms, they are often afraid of expressing their feelings and being rejected. In particular, deaf male adolescents at deaf schools are accustomed to following their superiors and suppressing their autonomy. This study established a group counseling project to discuss the romantic relationships of deaf male adolescents in a deaf school, and understand the impacts of the counseling to later refine the project. The group was facilitated by three leaders who were assisted by a sign language interpreter, and ran for a total of 25 h over 12 sessions. Eight male adolescents joined the group. A mixed-method design, which emphasizes a qualitative approach, was adopted to collect and examine the data. Interviews with the group members and the teachers of members were conducted for qualitative content analysis, supplemented with score changes in the members' satisfaction between the midterm and final group counseling sessions. The results indicated that joining the group helped the deaf male adolescents learn new ways to care for their partners, improved their interactions with partners, peers, and teachers, and enhanced their esteem for themselves and other people. Finally, suggestions of themes to explore in the group, and the leadership skills required for romantic relationship group counseling targeted at deaf male adolescents, are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The English language has been recognised as an international language, enabling the globalisation of education and work opportunities. An institute in Taiwan has committed to strengthening English teaching by implementing a student-centred teaching and learning activity using role play. In addition, the involvement of a visiting teacher from Australia has been established. Method: Data collection consisted of a questionnaire that collected qualitative and quantitative data that revealed student perceptions and attitudes towards learning English including nursing terminology, teamwork and communication. Results: Fifty five of sixty students participating in the activity completed the questionnaire. Students regarded this as a positive experience for learning English, collegiality and teamwork. Conclusion: This project revealed that students who are not generally exposed to English-speaking people enjoyed this experience. They gained confidence in their ability to learn English in a collegial atmosphere where teamwork and supportive relationships were developed, despite the perception that learning English was difficult. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated university students' perceptions of their institutions' learning environments, and related those perceptions to students' academic aspirations and satisfaction with their universities. A sample of 12,423 juniors at 42 universities in Taiwan was used to confirm the validity and reliability of the instrument: CUEI-S. The study revealed diversity of students' perceptions among specific aspects of the learning environment. Students responded more positively for student cohesion, library resources and administrative support, but less positively for student-faculty relations, student services, enhancement of their language abilities and emotional development. The majority of students had low academic aspirations but felt satisfied with their universities. The learning environment on campus was shown to play an important role both in students' academic aspirations and in their general satisfaction, whether the individual student or the university was used as the unit of analysis. The relationship between faculty and students is the aspect that was most strongly associated with students' academic aspirations. On the other hand, both adequate library resources and university support for student services were the key correlates of students' general satisfaction at the individual student level. By identifying important relationships among variables, this study suggests initiatives for improving the learning environment at higher education institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: A disparity in smoking behavior exists between the general and minority populations residing in Taiwan's mountainous areas. This study analyzed individual and environmental factors associated with children's smoking behavior in these areas of Taiwan. METHODS: In this school-based study, data on smoking behavior and related factors for mountain-dwelling students were obtained from the 2008 and 2009 Control of School-aged Children Smoking Study surveys. A representative sample (N = 1239) from 26 primary schools was included. The association among 3 groups (never-, former-, and current-smokers) and the potential variables were simultaneously examined using unordered polytomous logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Between 13% and 34% of ever-smokers reported that their first smoking experience was in third grade. More than 70% were found to have bought cigarettes and 87% reported that the tobacco retailers had sold them cigarettes. The significant factors for current-smokers were predisposing factors, ie, attitude toward smoking (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.21); reinforcing factors, ie, family smoked in front of me (AOR = 2.44), friends smoked in front of me (AOR = 16.24), and school staff smoked in front of me (AOR = 2.98); and enabling factors, ie, cigarette availability and accessibility (AOR = 2.16 and 2.42, respectively). A student's perceived punishment for smoking at school had a positive significant effect on the risk of being former-smokers (AOR = 1.57). CONCLUSION: The findings provide a basis for school and community to design and implement effective anti-smoking programs for remote mountain-based students to further reduce youth smoking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elder respect in East Asia has a long history that could be derived from Confucian philosophy. However, with the rapid development of westernization, younger people have gradually depreciated the value of elder respect and seek a reciprocal relationship with the elderly. A literature search revealed that age stereotypes would be both negative and positive. This study employs the qualitative approach, mainly through interviews, to collect college students' attitudes towards older primary teachers. The research findings illustrate three characteristics: (a) the value of elder respect from college students seems to have gradually declined, particularly under the impact of westernization and industrialization, although some students did still believe in elder respect influenced by Confucian philosophy; (b) some students' negative stereotypes of older primary teachers include that older primary teachers are resistant to change, unwilling to accept new ideas, and less motivated to learn; (c) some students' positive stereotypes towards older primary teachers are that they are experienced in teaching and classroom management and role models for younger teachers. This study raises several issues and questions that may contribute to further research. In addition, the study proposes some implications for educational authorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes a culturally centered approach to supervision with "Wei," a Taiwanese, first year music therapy graduate student on the East Coast. A framework for international students outlined by Nilsson (2004) was used, addressing acculturation, cultural differences between Taiwan and the U.S., supervisory expectations, ethnic identity and developing a strong working alliance. Strength-based, music-centered interventions were also included to supplement this approach. Over the course of the year, culturally centered supervision allowed Wei to feel supported in her acculturation process, gain confidence and musical skills, and experiment with a new cultural and ethnic identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

School violence has become an international problem affecting the well-being of students. To date, few studies have examined how school variables mediate between personal and family factors and school violence in the context of elementary schools in Asian cultures. Using a nationally representative sample of 3122 elementary school students in Taiwan, this study examined a theoretical model proposing that negative personal traits, exposure to violence and parental monitoring knowledge have both direct influences as well as indirect influences mediated through school engagement, at-risk peers and poor student–teacher relationships on school violence committed by students against students and teachers. The results of a structural equation modeling analysis provided a good fit for the sample as a whole. The final model accounted for 32% of the variance for student violence against students and 21% for student violence against teachers. The overall findings support the theoretical model proposed in this study. Similar findings were obtained for both male and female students. The study indicated that to reduce school violence more effectively in the context of elementary schools, intervention may exclusively focus on improving students’ within-school experiences and the quality of the students’ relationships with teachers and school peers. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between teachers' teaching behaviors and students' learning satisfaction of the industrial pragmatic skills programs students in vocational high schools, and based on the results of correlation degree between teaching behaviors and learning satisfaction, if could serve as a reference to improve teaching in practical skill program at vocational high school. The population of the study was 3,824 students of vocational high school in Changhua County in Taiwan. The sample was drawn by cluster sampling, and it consisted of 600 subjects. The usable return rate was 90%. The collected data was analyzed by frequency distribution, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and stepwise regression. The results were as follows: 1. Based on descriptive statistics, the best was indirect instruction (M=3.71), in the factor of teaching behaviors, and the best was evaluation (M=3.73) in the factor of learning satisfaction. 2. The teaching behaviors and learning satisfaction of vocational high school students had significant differences by different background variables. 3. The indirect instruction in the factor of teaching behaviors and learning satisfaction of vocational high school students was significantly correlated. 4. The teaching behaviors were potential predictors toward learning satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study uses classroom videotapes to examine the phenomenon of students who are left behind during whole-class teaching. Zooming in via these videos enabled us to analyze these classroom situations by means of a compact, multi-perspective set of theories – van Hiele theory, conceptualization, and visual perception. The analysis provided a picture of the classroom interaction in which the sound of silence of those students who might not share understanding during the class discourse is ignored. Based on a sample of Taiwanese junior high school geometry classes, the study demonstrated how investigating situations of silence uncovered the possibility of teachers’ unawareness of student difficulties or their unsuccessful efforts to cope with them. Teachers’ post-lesson interviews and questionnaires shed additional light on the perspective of left-behind students. Implications of this method for pre- and in-service teachers’ programs are briefly discussed, and some recommendations for change are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the use of computer technology in classrooms is an innovative approach to teaching, teachers with creativity might not use technology as intensively as they use other creative strategies in the classroom. Eight teachers who won an award for creative teaching were interviewed in order to identify the factors affecting their use of technology in creative teaching. Teachers’ perceptions about technology use were studied. Two major issues were explored. First, we studied how teachers integrated technology into creative teaching; we then identified the factors that influenced teachers’ use of technology in teaching. The identified factors were classified into four categories: environmental, personal, social and curricular issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses teacher communication behavior and its association with students' cognitive and attitudinal outcomes in science in Taiwan. Three common approaches to studying teachers and their classrooms are systematic observation, descriptive case studies, and using student and teacher perceptions. Systematic observation and case studies have been used frequently in the past; however, now perceptual measures often are used, particularly when investigating a large sample of classes. Until about 20 years ago research involving science students' outcomes focused primarily on educational objectives in the cognitive domain, but in more recent times attention has been paid to outcomes in the affective domain; the study of student attitudes has formed a primary component of this research. When classroom environment perceptions have been used as predictor variables, associations between student cognitive and affective outcomes and the learning environment have been found. Much of the research on science learning environments has focused on student perceptions of teacher-student interpersonal behavior; however, it is possible to ask teachers for their perceptions of their classrooms.

Analyzes the interplay of a Taiwanese biology teacher's beliefs, practices and classroom interaction with either male or female students. Beliefs that most affect a teacher's pedagogical approach and interactions with either male or female students; Factors that affect gender-based student-teacher interactions.

Analyzes classroom teaching in Taiwan from the sociological foundation of teacher-student relationship. Analysis of the classroom group as a social system; Possibility of establishing the sociology of teaching.