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While scientific publications are key to communicating research findings to other scientists, students face barriers reading scientific literature, understanding the literature's importance, and thinking about the implications of research findings. To help students overcome these barriers, and to further hone their communication skills, we created and provide here a project to have students find a recent scientific paper of interest, carefully read the paper, and then write a letter with relevant questions to one of the authors. This work not only helps engage students with class concepts and increases scientific engagement, but is also important because students realize that scientists are people too, who can (and often do!) write back to interested students to answer their questions. We suggest that this project is a great way for students to form meaningful connections to a scientific topic of interest, regardless of whether they hear back from their scientist, and is a good way for students to further learn about campus resources and develop their writing and communication skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Critical thinking is essential in academia and the workforce. Although writing can be used as a pedagogical tool for fostering deeper subject matter understanding, increased retention, and critical thinking, relatively few science courses are writing based. This writing-based introductory science course provided an opportunity for students to learn biology content through writing while also developing critical thinking skills. In this undergraduate introductory biology course, a learning progression framework was applied to writing assignments in order to promote critical thinking. Early course assignments focused on lower-order critical thinking, including information gathering and concept connecting activities, and served as the foundation for writing an evaluative research paper (REP) that required the application and analysis of biology content knowledge within different contexts. Based on the analysis of REP assignments using standardized criteria for assessing critical thinking, students were found to significantly increase their ability to demonstrate critical thinking. Students also became more aware of their critical thinking development, made stronger connections between concepts and applications in other contexts, and displayed measurable increases in critical thinking from their first to final drafts of their papers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The introduction of mobile devices such as smartphones provides new opportunities to enhance the teaching–learning process of a foreign language. However, its use can affect not only the students' type and form of writing but also their ability to achieve the academic competencies targeted. Thus, aspects such as the development of linguistic and communicative competencies could be affected. In this paper, a comparative analysis of two different versions (a paper and a digital version) of the same learning task is carried out in order to analyze the impact of each on the development of students' linguistic and communicative competencies. The study is conducted with undergraduate students enrolled in a course called German II. Modern Language I (level A1.2, Common European Framework of Reference for Languages). The results obtained illustrate, on the one hand, the advantages of the paper version for developing students' linguistic competence and, on the other hand, that the digital version, despite facilitating students' interaction amongst each other, does not seem to be more suitable for developing students' communicative competence. Future studies will, therefore, focus on identifying those features that might increase the potential of the digital version for fostering the targeted competencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Profile: Issues in Teachers' Professional Development is the property of Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Facultad de Ciencias Humanas 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.)

Veterinarians have to face many communicative challenges in their professional capacity. Successful professional communication increases satisfaction among pet owners, staff members and colleagues, and ultimately also the veterinarians' own satisfaction. On the other hand, unsuccessful communication can easily lead to rejection, distrust and dissatisfaction. However, communicative skills are not explicitly taught as part of the compulsory courses in veterinary medicine in Germany. The position paper of the GMA Veterinary Medicine Committee and the DVG work group Didactics and Communication Competence describes the importance of successful communication for working veterinarians as well as the training situation in Germany and addresses topics that are often discussed in connection with the implementation. The authors come to the conclusion that there is both a necessity and a possibility for the introduction of communicative training contentand provide recommendations thatare intended to support the sustainable introduction of courses and exams to develop the communicative skills of veterinary students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aircraft flight simulators have good cost efficiency, high reusability, and high flight safety. All airlines and aircraft manufacturing companies choose it as sophisticated training equipment for ground simulation, effectively reducing pilot training costs, ensuring personnel safety and aircraft wear and tear. The new simulator proposed in this paper combines a digital motion-cueing algorithm, flight software and motion platform to make pilots feel as if they are in the real world. By using EtherCAT technology to drive the motion-cueing platform, it can improve the data transmission speed of the simulator as well as the strong anti-interference ability of communication and the control operation efficiency. Therefore, the simulated flight subjects can perform long-distance and large-angle training. Next, a set of measurement systems was established to provide monitoring items including attitude, velocity and acceleration, which can be displayed on the screen and recorded on the computer in real time and dynamically. Finally, seven training subjects were implemented to demonstrate the feasibility and correctness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Since there is sound evidence that communication skills training (CST) programs modify communication behavior of oncology clinicians, they have been widely implemented over the last decades. However, more recently, certain aspects of this training have been criticized. Methods Based on this background, a call to re-launch a discussion about the future of CST led to the third European consensus meeting on communication in cancer care, organized by the Swiss Cancer League. During this meeting, which brought together European experts in the field of clinical communication and training of communication in the oncology setting, oncology clinicians, representatives of the European Society of Medical Oncology and a member of the European Oncology Nursing Society, the recommendations of the second European consensus meeting were updated and expanded. Results The expanded recommendations recall the guiding principles of communication in cancer care, underline the important role of clinician's self-awareness, and of relational and contextual factors in clinical communication, and provide direction for the further development of communication training. Conclusion This third European consensus meeting defines key elements for the development of a next generation of communication training for oncology clinicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: MyDispense is a free online virtual simulation software developed by Monash University. The software facilitates students to practise, apply and hone the skills of a pharmacist in a realistic environment without the potentially life-threatening consequences of a real-life error. Although the focus of MyDispense was initially on exposure to community pharmacy practice scenarios, its modular build and customizability, indicate that there are a wide range of applications that could be incorporated into pharmacy education. Therefore, this study reviews and appraises the literature on the use of MyDispense within pharmacy education. Methods: A scoping review was conducted. The electronic databases (CINAHL, Ovid Embase, Ovid Medline, Google Scholar, and Scopus) were searched to identify scholarly articles related to MyDispense in pharmacy education from January 2011 and August 2022. Results: Forty-three papers met the inclusion criteria and were analysed in this scoping review. A total of 418 key sentences and segments of text were extracted from the papers and subsequently categorized into 10 subthemes. The 10 subthemes were dispensing skills, communication skills, decision-making/problem-solving skills, student performance, pharmacy law, applying theoretical knowledge, support educators, pharmacy practice, feedback/reflection and practice in a risk-free environment. In total, four overarching themes summarize how MyDispense is supporting pharmacy education: supporting education; skill development; application of knowledge and student outcomes. Conclusion: The scoping review found that MyDispense was mostly used to support education and student skill development. These findings can be used to support pharmacy educators globally on the various uses and applications of MyDispense in their teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Despite the decrease in the number of foreign visitors and residents in Japan due to the coronavirus disease 2019, a resurgence is remarkable from 2022. However, Japan's medical support system for foreign patients, especially residents, is inadequate, with language barriers potentially causing health disparities. Comprehensive interpretation and translation services are challenging, but "plain Japanese" may be a viable alternative for foreign patients with basic Japanese language skills. This study explores the application and obstacles of plain Japanese in the medical sector. Methods: A literature review was performed across these databases: Web of Science, PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, CINAHL Plus, Springer Link and Ichushi-Web (Japanese medical literature). The search covered themes related to healthcare, care for foreign patients, and scholarly articles, and was conducted in July 2023. Results: The study incorporated five papers. Each paper emphasized the language barriers foreign residents in Japan face when accessing healthcare, highlighting the critical role and necessity of plain Japanese in medical environments. Most of the reports focused on the challenges of delivering medical care to foreign patients and the training of healthcare professionals in using plain Japanese for communication. Conclusion: The knowledge and application of plain Japanese among healthcare professionals are inadequate, and literature also remains scarce. With the increasing number of foreign residents in Japan, the establishment of a healthcare system that effectively uses plain Japanese is essential. However, plain Japanese may not be the optimal linguistic assistance in certain situations, thus it is imperative to encourage more research and reports on healthcare services using plain Japanese. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As English has increasingly become the lingua franca in science and international journals require nativelike academic writing standards from nonnative researchers, there is more pressure on nonnative scholars to write their research articles more accurately and appropriately in English. This study was conducted to determine the most-occurring language-related errors which Iranian medical authors/ researchers commit while trying to have their research published in international English journals. Also, this article seeks to provide useful guidelines to reduce such linguistic mistakes. Methods: The present study investigated the most common language-related errors in Iranian medical specialists' research articles. To this end, the first drafts of 60 published research articles in medical sciences were cross-checked against their peer-reviewed published versions in order to identify the most frequent non-target language forms which received discoursal, lexical, grammatical, and mechanical revisions by peer editors. Results: The findings revealed that the editors had surprisingly dealt with discoursal errors more than any other linguistic aspects of these research articles. This was followed by lexical replacements. In third place were grammatical improvements, where erroneous structures mostly related to tenses, usage of articles and prepositions, and agreement between verbs and nouns were treated. The least common revisions were on the mechanics of academic writing, consisting of hyphenating, spelling, case lettering, spacing, and spacing with commas. Conclusion: Although most of the Iranian medical authors/researchers enjoyed a good level of proficiency in English, their manuscripts required discoursal, lexical, grammatical, and mechanical revisions before publication in credited international journals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the grounds that assessment stands for a mirror of teaching and learning practices, its value cannot be ignored in teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) programmes as all those involved in foreign language teaching in non-native settings need constant feedback about the effectiveness of their ventures. Assessment of young learners of English has been also receiving rising attention as this group of language learners at the preliminary stages of learning a foreign language differ from adult learners in nature and thereby their assessment requires great care. While there exist continuous amendments in foreign language teaching policies nationally to improve the quality of EFL teaching and its assessment, it is significant to look inside the classrooms to realize whether the actual assessment practices reflect the performance outcomes expected by the policy documents. This paper, therefore, attempts to investigate the consistency between the ELT policy and EFL teachers' in-class practices of assessment of young learners in middle schools in the Turkish context. The study was conducted at the end of the spring term of 2017-2018 academic year with 152 EFL teachers working in middle schools in the central districts of Denizli province. The study employed both quantitative and qualitative research methods: the quantitative method provided information about EFL teachers' preferences of item types in terms of traditional and alternative assessment types with the help of a questionnaire while the qualitative method provided information about how frequently EFL teachers assessed four skills through exam papers they used in their classrooms. Results showed inconsistency between the policy and assessment practices of EFL teachers in the study: EFL teachers tended to design traditional paper and pencil tests based on language structures and vocabulary rather than the assessment of learners' communicative competence or language skills through alternative assessment methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to provide instructors with a hands-on engaging and experiential class activity designed to teach undergraduate and graduate students about different organizational structures in management courses. Through this exercise, students will be able to self-identify the challenges and strengths of working under contrasting organizational structures. Split into two (or four) teams, students construct origami animals based on their team's organizational structure, using both mechanistic and organic structures to create a zoo based on a set of instructions and boundary conditions. Materials required include origami paper, markers, printed instructions, origami animal instructions, and role title cards for each student. The exercise takes approximately 30–45 min, including debriefing discussion. All materials/instructions needed are included with this paper (except origami paper and markers). Through this exercise, students internalize the challenges and strengths of working in organizations with contrasting structures. The debrief discussion will help solidify student understanding of what the day to day experience of working in different organizational structures might look like, the pros and cons of different structures, and what type of employees or industries might thrive under different structures. This paper is being submitted for the "Special Issue Call for Papers: Modern Day Experiential Exercises." This activity allows students to draw their own conclusions about organizational structure and to engage in a fruitful discussion about what working at different types of organizations looks like on a day-to-day basis. This activity allows students to strengthen their skills in communication, teamwork, and leadership by having them work in teams to complete a challenging, competitive task. While teaching organizational structure in management courses has traditionally been limited to traditional forms of instruction such as lecturing and reviewing different organizational charts, this activity gives students a fun competitive in-class activity in which they practice working as a part of contrasting organizational structures to see what type of structure they might thrive in. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores citizens' views regarding the application of participatory communication in the delivery of development services within the decentralised government system of Ghana. The participatory theory informed the core issues of this study. Data were obtained from 309 inhabitants selected from three administrative areas in the Central Region using the quota sampling technique. Questionnaires and researcher-administered survey were used to gather data and analysed using means, standard deviations, Kruskal Wallis test, independent samples t-test, and one-way ANOVA. The study revealed that issues of empowerment were moderately applied in development services. Again, people-centred approaches to the delivery of development services were lowly considered. Overall, participatory communication principles have not received adequate attention during the delivery of development services. The situation was the same across the three-tier decentralised government system. Despite their educational differences, respondents expressed similar opinions on the application of participatory development principles. Participatory communication faced challenges like the absence of well-trained development communicators, inadequate resources, low motivation on the part of local representatives, a low sense of ownership, and an absence of clear institutional policies on communication. The paper outlines key practical implications of the findings, including the need for governments to set up the necessary institutional framework to aid the incorporation of participatory communication techniques into the development strategies of Assemblies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Academic writing often poses considerable difficulties that have to do with the way academic writing courses are conceived and the skills students are taught within this context. Especially students in foreign language studies deal with additional difficulties that are related to their self-perception as scholars, to their somewhat limited experience within the academic environment and to expressing logical/epistemic thinking in the foreign language. The aim of the study presented in this paper is to explore the nature of academic writing as a sociolinguistic practice. Research questions are: how do (a) the lack of sociolinguistic lived experience within academia, (b) the discrepancies between first and foreign language, (c) the absence of the core skills of grammar, logic and rhetoric influence academic writing? Participants in the study attended an academic writing workshop. Data was gathered using Contextual Inquiry by means of observation grids and semi-structured interviews. Results show that (a) even high-achieving students exhibit feelings of incompetence when it comes to academic writing, (b) the material of academic writing courses should include logical/epistemic thinking tasks, based on the training of core skills, (c) achievement in academic writing correlates with a sense of scholarship, (d) a distinction between social communicative and academic communicative language might be helpful. Academic writing courses should take existential, declarative as well as linguistic knowledge into consideration. The study concludes that it is advisable to integrate logical and epistemic thinking training into academic writing courses, broadening their scope. Alternatively, introducing a separate logical and epistemic thinking course would be more advantageous. This approach is preferable because logical and epistemic thinking extends beyond writing (such as papers and theses) to encompass spoken communication (presentations) and reading (strategies for literature search and synthesis). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formulation of the construct of communicative competence (CC) was the consequence of the perceived "inappropriateness" of the theory of linguistic competence and performance. To obtain a comprehensive understanding of second language (L2) CC, a systematic review of 85 studies was conducted to assess how empirical studies have defined and operationalized the construct in the context of L2 learning and assessment. Four main themes emerged from the papers: (1) beliefs and perceptions about CC, (2) expansion of CC, (3) mixed specifications of CC, and (4) tests and measures of CC and communicative language ability (CLA). The analysis of these themes foregrounded several significant findings. First, the construct of L2 CC was significantly more prevalent in the body of research compared to L2 CLA. Second, CC has been perceived as a multifarious construct that has been researched from varied perspectives. It was found that older studies were more consistent with traditional approaches to defining CC and CLA, while the construct shifted focus to technology and self-appraisals in more recent studies. Third, there is no consensus amongst the reviewed studies about tests and methods of operationalization of CC, suggesting that the evidence provided is sample-specific and non-replicable. Importantly, it was found that over the years, CC has undergone a gradual evolution. With the multimodal and intercultural turn, CC has branched into new concepts namely intercultural and multimodal communicative competencies. Pertaining to these concepts, new notions such as telecollaboration, digital literacies, and multiliteracies have emerged. CC has also been, for long, analogous to performance, proficiency, social rules of language use, rules of appropriateness, willingness to communicate, self-perceptions of CC, and the goal of being a native speaker, which can add to the confusion surrounding the construct. The implications of the present research synthesis are two-fold. It becomes imperative to adapt world language classrooms to the rising trend in intercultural and multimodal communicative competencies. In addition, further replicable investigations should focus on developing optimal methods of operationalization that are in line with the new contemporary theoretical frameworks of language in the age of digital technologies and artificial intelligence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

English nowadays can no longer be related solely to Standard English and an Anglo-centred standpoint, but it needs to be understood from a wider perspective, one that takes into account World Englishes varieties and its use as a lingua franca (ELF). Indeed, English has developed into one of the most widespread means of communication in contexts where speakers do not always share the same linguistic and cultural background and need to coconstruct mutual understanding. In order for students to effectively and appropriately use English in today globalised world, they need to be prepared to a wide range of English practices and to be able to interact in diverse and complex communicative contexts. The development of students' ELF communicative skills entails the need to adopt and devise materials that provide a more complex conceptualisation of English, including how communication strategies represent important resources to reach mutual understanding in ELF intercultural communication. Adopting an ELF-aware pedagogical perspective, this paper aims at presenting and discussing some guidelines that could help teachers develop their own ELF-aware materials, especially focusing on the use of communication strategies and meaning negotiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper examines the academic writing experience amongst international psychology PhD students at a South African public university. The paper also discusses the challenges of academic writing and the support structures of academic writing. Sixteen (16) international students studying at PhD level in psychology were selected by purposive sampling from a public South African university in KwaZulu-Natal. Drawing from generated by iproposalss, findings suggest that participants experienced academic writing challenges in drafting PhD proposal, supervisor's feedback and plagiarism. Academic writing challenges were aggravated for international PhD students from non-native English-speaking countries. Findings also suggest that university support structures such as academic writing retreats improved the academic writing of participants and exposed them to the rigors of academic writing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents guidelines for writing scholarly papers on theory and examines ways in which authors have organized and presented their manuscripts in previous issues of the periodical. Topics include the significance of the manuscript's title and abstract and their ability to clearly communicate the paper's core content, the structure and organization of the manuscript's major sections, and the use of theoretical propositions in conveying subject material. Additional information is presented on the use of tables and figures as accessories in well-crafted manuscripts.

In this paper, the focus is on oral participation during lectures. Oral participation refers to the active engagement of learners in the lecture by speaking, asking, giving comments, and participating in pair or group discussions. The students are supposed to participate and practice the language to improve their speaking skills. The main question in this study is: Why students do not speak and engage during lectures? Hence, the aim of the paper is to find out the factors that affect their performance. In this study, the researcher examined the main reason behind the lack of participation of English Foreign Language students in the English department at Cihan University-Erbil to find solutions for improving their speaking skills. A questionnaire was prepared based on the most common reasons affecting class engagement and it was divided into four sections: Personal factors, the role of the teacher, environmental factors, and linguistic factors. The participants were students at the English department at Cihan University-Erbil. After conducting the questionnaire, the researcher had an interview with the students and their teachers. The results showed that there are many reasons and factors that hinder learners from speaking and turn them into passive listeners. The personal factors and the effect of the teachers were the most prominent factors that had an impact on the learner's performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine why theatre-business links are relevant to management. The focus is on two types of links: using theatre techniques as a training method for managers, and using corporate theatre as a change management tool. The paper seeks to share an experience and tries to explicate the processes involved in order to explain the success of these two kinds of courses, both training theatre and corporate theatre (specifically, action theatre in this case). Design/methodology/approach – This is a case study. Theatre has been taught for ten years at the Grenoble Graduate School of Business under the author's responsibility, and also the corporate theatre method is taught to initial students and to continuing training managers. This paper is based on those teaching experiences. To explain the relevance of both of theatre as a training tool and corporate theatre as a management tool, the author relates to both theories of body memory from neuroscientists and to the catharsis phenomenon. Findings – The goal was to make hypotheses from the above theories which explain the process that takes place inside the manager undergoing training and to open further research. Research limitations/implications – Main limitations come from the lack of established empirical and relevant measures of the effects of such theatre processes on participants' management abilities and from the lack of tools to measure the long-term effects of theatre. Practical implications – The most important implication is that practitioners could make more relevant use of such techniques when designing training sessions or utilizing corporate theatre interventions. Social implications – Social implications come from how the "human" face of theatre can help the personal development of managers, improving or changing their views on the world and other people. Originality/value – Although theatre and business links are more than 20 years old, nobody has previously tried to understand the inner processes involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This paper reports the results from a feasibility trial of an early parent-delivered social communication intervention for young children with Down syndrome ('ASCEND'). The intervention focuses on developing children's early social communication skills, in particular responding to shared attention. The aim was to inform the feasibility of running a full-scale trial through National Health Service (NHS) Speech and Language Therapy (SaLT) services, to assess whether the intervention is effective in improving language skills before children with Down syndrome start school. Methods: This was a two-arm feasibility randomised controlled trial (RCT), with 1:1 randomisation stratified by trial site, comparing the intervention plus standard NHS SaLT provision with standard NHS SaLT alone. We recruited 20 children with Down syndrome aged between 11 and 36 months through 3 NHS SaLT services, 19 of whom were randomised (10 — intervention group, 9 —control group). Pre- and post-intervention and 6-month follow-up assessments included language, social communication skills, adaptive behaviour, quality of life (parents and children), parental anxiety and depression. The intervention was parent delivered with parents having access to SaLT services and the research team during the intervention. Data were collected on recruitment and retention, standard care, treatment fidelity, acceptability of the intervention by the parents and speech and language therapists, feasibility of collecting health economic measures and suitability of the primary outcome measure. Results: The sample was sufficient for a feasibility study. The intervention (manual, support, materials) was positively received by the participating parents. Speech and language therapists also evaluated the acceptability of the intervention positively. Treatment fidelity which was measured by completion of weekly parent diaries and two adherence phone call was acceptable as 100% of the parent diaries were returned, over 90% of the parental diaries were completed correctly and 100% of adherence phone calls were completed. Retention was acceptable at 84% overall. The preliminary health economic data suggest that this intervention will be low cost. The sample size calculation suggests that 290 participants would need to be recruited, with 228 having a complete data set, for a full RCT. Conclusion: Based on recruitment, retention and treatment fidelity, as well as the acceptability of the intervention to parents and speech and language therapists, a full-scale trial would be feasible in order to assess the effectiveness of the intervention. Trial registration: ISRCTN13902755, registered on 25th August 2020, http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN13902755 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: The prevalence of the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been increasing globally, necessitating updates to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders with respect to ASD diagnosis. It is now recognised that ASD is related to sensory processing disorder, and sensory integration is considered a suitable intervention for treating children diagnosed with ASD. Methods: This paper provides a systematic review on a timeline from 2013 to 2023, based on the PRISMA model. Evidence was sought in the academic search engines Pubmed, Scielo, Eric, Dialnet, Springer, Base Search and Google Scholar, which produced 16 articles according to the inclusion criteria. Results: According to the results of this review, intervention with sensory integration in infants with ASD meets the criteria to be considered an evidence-based practice. The studies reviewed focused mainly on clinical settings and, therefore, we highlight the urgent need for further research to evaluate the effectiveness of sensory integration interventions in naturalistic settings such as homes and schools. Conclusions: This will help to obtain more representative data on how these interventions affect the daily lives of children with ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Environmental & Social Management Journal / Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental is the property of Environmental & Social Management 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.)

This systematic review aims to identify the elements of doctor-patient communication in telemedicine, emerging challenges, and proposed recommendations. Four databases, including Science Direct, PubMed, Cochrane, and ProQuest, were searched using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. The inclusion criteria consisted of original research papers, availability of free full text, and publications during the past 10 years. A total of 13 articles completed the selection process and satisfied the established criteria. The issues and recommendations of telemedicine communication were categorized into three distinct groups: pre-consultation, during-consultation, and post-consultation. Preparation encompasses the arranging of visual elements, safeguarding patient privacy and confidentiality, and addressing any technical challenges that may arise. The consultation encompasses nonverbal behavior, empathy, the doctor-patient connection, and a physical examination. Post-telemedicine consultations refer to medical appointments that occur after a telemedicine session, typically involving follow-up medical interactions. Telemedicine presents unique challenges in doctor-patient consultations that differ from face-to-face interactions. Therefore, clinicians must acquire communication skills specific to telemedicine to ensure effective consultations and achieve optimal health results [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) involves international online activities that allow the support of transversal competencies in diverse and multicultural environments without moving from home. This paper presents the learning experiences and satisfaction of undergraduate nursing students at the University of Girona (Spain) from a COIL activity involving clinical simulation in collaboration with the University of Coventry (United Kingdom). Methods: Qualitative study of content analysis. Twelve students from each of the two universities participated in the data collection process using reflective diaries. Results: The data analysis highlighted five topics related to the COIL activity involving clinical simulation: (a) initial attitudes towards the COIL activity; (b) main learning through the COIL activity; (c) positive aspects of the COIL activity; (d) weaknesses of the COIL activity and proposals for improvement; and (e) overall evaluation of the COIL activity. Conclusions: The main learning outcomes referred to by students were the relationships between transversal competencies and the skills for life, language skills, cultural skills, and more specific skills related to clinical standards. The students were most satisfied with the teaching activities and specified positive aspects and weaknesses that will add value to future versions of the activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As global migration increases, nurse managers' effectiveness in multi-cultural nursing work environments is crucial due to the rising cultural diversity within healthcare teams. Despite the increasing international recruitment of qualified nurses to address the worldwide nursing shortage, no studies have synthesised the impact of nurse managers' attributes on nurses in multi-cultural nursing teams. Therefore, it was conducted a literature review aimed to synthesise the available literature on how nurse managers' personality traits, competencies, behaviours, and leadership styles influence nurse outcomes in multi-cultural nursing teams. Methods: Scoping review conducted according to the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines to map the relationship or influence of nurse managers' personality traits, competencies, behaviours, and leadership styles on the outcomes of nurses in multi-cultural settings across various clinical environments. Searches were conducted across electronic databases such as CINAHL and MEDLINE, along with grey literature. Results: This review included 39 studies, highlighting 29 personality traits, 9 competencies, 115 behaviours, and 5 leadership styles that impact nurses' outcomes. Key findings emphasise the importance of nurse managers being supportive, culturally competent, and effective communicators, with transformational leadership style being particularly beneficial. Conclusions: These findings provide insights for planning and developing training programmes to equip current and future nurse managers with skills to effectively lead in multi-cultural care settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pediatric rehabilitation is fundamentally different from that of adults. Child physiology differs significantly from that of adults, necessitating specialized rehabilitation approaches. Unique injuries and varying metabolic rates underscore the need for tailored care, which changes over the years as the child grows and develops. Waiserberg's paper, "When Everyone is Responsible, No One Takes Responsibility": Exploring Pediatric Physiotherapy Services in Israel," sheds light on a critical issue. While senior practitioners oversee policy implementation and service delivery, practical physiotherapy treatment lacks continuous monitoring. This is a critical issue. Ideally, every child who requires long-term clinical therapeutic interventions to keep up with peers in mobility, communication and cognitive skills should be assessed by specialists several times throughout the school years, and their personalized rehabilitation plan discussed, reviewed, and adjusted according to their progress. The absence of a standardized protocol for overseeing and directing comprehensive rehabilitation plans leaves therapists feeling alone and adrift, whether working in schools or medical settings. Such an assessment would be an opportunity to create a registry, which is currently nonexistent. The collected data would be a priceless resource in policy decision-making and service planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Algerian English foreign language (EFL) baccalaureate is a high stake exam that assesses both students' learning and their critical thinking skills. Thus, devising appropriate and effective exam questions may be a problematic issue for tests designers. Under the requirements of the current Algerian English curriculum, the exam questions must cover the lower and higher-order thinking skills of Bloom's taxonomy. On this basis, this research paper seeks to investigate the effectiveness of the EFL baccalaureate exam papers, and aims to answer the research question: 'To what extent does the Algerian EFL Baccalaureate exam paper cover the lower and higher-order thinking skills of Bloom's taxonomy?' This research is a descriptive content analysis; the researcher analyzed the exam questions of the Algerian EFL Baccalaureate under the cognitive domains of Bloom's taxonomy. This study is significant as it helps tests' designers to design practical EFL exams that develop students' thinking skills and language competencies. The findings of this study revealed that the EFL baccalaureate exam does not establish the students' higher-order thinking skills and does not assess their communicative abilities. Accordingly, some recommendations are suggested to hopefully help test designers to improve the quality of the EFL Baccalaureate questions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quality of a research study application sends a distinct signal to the institutional review board (IRB) about the skills, capacities, preparation, communication, experience, and resources of its authors. However, efforts to research and define IRB application quality have been insufficient. Inattention to the quality of an IRB application is consequential because the application precedes IRB review, and perceptions of quality between the two may be interrelated and interdependent. Without a clear understanding of quality, IRBs do not know how to define quality and researchers do not know how to achieve quality. This position has not been systematically studied to date, and future research could provide much-needed empirical validation. This paper lays the conceptual groundwork for future investigation into what constitutes quality in an IRB application. It includes a landscape review of multidisciplinary research on quality, as well as a discussion of quality frameworks analogous to research with human participants that exist in the published literature. It also examines the background and significance of federal research regulations, regulatory burdens, researchers' regulatory literacy, and the roles and responsibilities of IRB professionals within this ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper highlights the advent of the English language into the Indian sub-continent during various decades of the 20th century. The momentum of English usage has increased since the 1970s. The paper reiterates that many Commissions have advocated for Project- Method and Activity- Method to teach communication skills in English. It further reinforces that English is truly considered global and transcends the boundaries. Thereby, making the English learners not local citizens but global citizens. English is widely recognized as the world's lingua franca since it unites all peoples of the world linguistically and serves as the main medium of communication for trade, aviation, entertainment, and diplomacy as well as for scientific and technological activities. The incredible increase of graduates, post graduates and doctoral degree holders in various disciplines such as engineering, medicine, arts, science, humanities and management, has further brought forth challenges and competitions in the global market, and this has, however, posed a threat to the job seekers, who lack communicative competence in English. The majority of the top national and international businesses, organizations, and academic institutions communicate in English for a variety of reasons, and the majority of online resources are in English. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Theory & Practice of Second Language Acquisition is the property of Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Slaskiego 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.)

Tourism service providers need to have expressive communication skills to be able to offer a better tourism product and create a pleasant tourist experience. To better understand, conceptualize, and achieve the multidimensional concept of communication skills, this paper aims to investigate the literature and propose a measurement scale adapted to the modern tourism workplace. Results, based on a literature review and questionnaire survey, show that five communication skill dimensions emerge: written, oral, listening, digital, and non-verbal communication skills. The paper's theoretical contribution is the systematization of the literature and the conceptualization of communication skills up to date, while its empirical contribution is based on the examination of collected data related to the validated scale measurement. The scale presented in this paper will assist future empirical research on communication skills required in the field of tourism. The paper will help generate novel research questions for identifying and analyzing acquired communication skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Competency in occupational English is crucial among university graduates in Malaysia. Nevertheless, there have been constant concerns regarding the graduates' need for English communication skills. In order to overcome the challenges and become competent, they need to employ strategies that would assist them to remain relevant and sustainable during their internship. This paper presents the challenges and strategies in workplace English Communication among undergraduate accountant internships. Attempts undertaken by the accounting interns in overcoming the challenges in English language communication during their six-month internship experiences at respective companies in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, are also discussed. The study employed a qualitative research method using face-to-face, semi-structured interviews with five (5) interns from the Faculty of Economics and Management of a public university in Malaysia. Interviews with two managers and a supervisor who were the persons in charge of the interns were also carried out. The interview data was transcribed verbatim and analysed using Braun and Clarke's six-step thematic analysis. The interns' data was triangulated with the supervisor and managers' views and later validated by three independent coders using Cohen's Kappa Reliability Test. The strategies employed by the accounting interns in overcoming the English language communication challenges included speaking English with non-Malay colleagues, seeking help from the supervisor, consulting colleagues or seniors' expertise, and reading work-related documents. The implications of the findings focus on university administrators to strengthen the teaching and learning of the English language and help undergraduates improve their communication skills in English are also discussed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Communication is an essential competence for medical students. Virtual patients (VP), computerized educational tools where users take the role of doctor, are increasingly used. Despite the wide range of VP utilization, evidence-based practical guidance on supporting development of communication skills for medical students remains unclear. We focused this scoping review on VP affordance for student learning especially important in the current environment of constrained patient access. Methods: This scoping review followed Arksey & O'Malley's methodology. We tested and used a search strategy involving six databases, resulting in 5,262 citations. Two reviewers independently screened titles, full texts (n= 158) and finally performed data extraction on fifty-five included articles. To support consideration of educational affordance the authors employed a pragmatic framework (derived from activity theory) to map included studies on VP structure, curricular alignment, mediation of VP activity, and socio-cultural context. Results: Findings suggest that not only the VP itself, but also its contextualization and associated curricular activities influence outcomes. The VP was trialled in the highest proportion of papers as a one-off intervention (19 studies), for an average duration of 44.9 minutes (range 10-120min), mainly in senior medical students (n=23), notably the largest group of studies did not have VP activities with explicit curricular integration (47%). There was relatively little repeated practice, low levels of feedback, self-reflection, and assessment. Students viewed VPs overall, citing authenticity and ease of use as important features. Resource implications are often omitted, and costings would facilitate a more complete understanding of implications of VP use. Conclusion: Students should be provided with maximal opportunity to draw out the VPs' full potential through repeated practice, without time-constraint and with curricular alignment. Feedback delivery enabling reflection and mastery is also key. The authors recommend educators to explicitly balance computerized authenticity with instructional design integrated within the curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper was to examine the literacy skills of deaf and hard of hearing people in electronic form writing and to compare these skills in relation to standard ("paper-pencil") writing. The sample included 50 deaf and hard of hearing students aged from 12 to 20 years. The students were supposed to have basic literacy to be able to answer questions by writing. The Questionnaire for determining basic electronic literacy, which consisted of 15 simple questions about the student's everyday life, was used. Variables used: correct response, vocabulary, and spelling mistakes, i.e., substitution, omission, addition, and metathesis. The test was performed at two different time intervals and in two different forms (standard and electronic forms). Data were processed by descriptive analysis and t-test. More favorable results were obtained in favor of standard writing compared to electronic writing on all variables except for vocabulary. Statistically significant differences were found for the variables vocabulary, omission, and substitution. It is important that there is also communication competence, and especially better language competence expressed in electronic form. More complex activities, such as education, studying, or doing business, require language competence for electronic expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern IoT ecosystems are the preferred target of threat actors wanting to incorporate resource-constrained devices within a botnet or leak sensitive information. A major research effort is then devoted to create countermeasures for mitigating attacks, for instance, hardware-level verification mechanisms or effective network intrusion detection frameworks. Unfortunately, advanced malware is often endowed with the ability of cloaking communications within network traffic, e.g., to orchestrate compromised IoT nodes or exfiltrate data without being noticed. Therefore, this paper showcases how different autoencoder-based architectures can spot the presence of malicious communications hidden in conversations, especially in the TTL of IPv4 traffic. To conduct tests, this work considers IoT traffic traces gathered in a real setting and the presence of an attacker deploying two hiding schemes (i.e., naive and "elusive" approaches). Collected results showcase the effectiveness of our method as well as the feasibility of deploying autoencoders in production-quality IoT settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an evaluation of an English for specific purposes (ESP) curriculum using the social semiotic perspective. This perspective highlights the importance of authenticity, multimodality, and communicative competence in ESP teaching and learning. Five main components of the ESP curriculum at the Port and Shipping Management Department of a Maritime Polytechnic in Indonesia were evaluated, including the syllabus, lesson plans, resources, teaching activities, and assessment. In conducting the evaluation, the authors developed an evaluation framework based on three existing frameworks, namely Stufflebeam’s context input process product (CIPP) model for evaluation, Kaewpet’s ESP program evaluation, and Tsou and Chen’s ESP program evaluation. Multiple data collection methods were used and multiple perspectives of research participants were invited. The findings of the study revealed that there were several problems in the ESP curriculum of the Port and Shipping Management Department. The main problem was the poorly designed syllabus that has caused drawbacks on the other components, such as irrelevant and unauthentic teaching materials and activities, low variety of teaching media, lack of multimodal resources used in the classroom, and low validity and reliability of assessments. Pedagogical implications regarding the results of the evaluation are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Ciencias Sociales (13159518) is the property of Revista de Ciencias Sociales de la Universidad del Zulia Venezuela 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 Doxa Comunicación is the property of Fundacion Universitaria San Pablo - CEU 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 manuscript responded to the call for the integration of evidence-based practice concept into the nursing curriculum. It aims to 1) review the importance of teaching evidence-based nursing in nursing education, 2) identify key principles and competencies associated with evidence-based nursing, and 3) provide evidence-based teaching strategies to foster critical thinking and research literacy among nursing students. Drawing from current pedagogical research and best practices, it provides a robust framework for enhancing teaching methodologies in the nursing field. Encompassing diverse evidence-based strategies ensures direct relevance and applicability in real-world clinical scenarios. Recognizing healthcare's dynamic, it serves as a comprehensive resource for nurse educators, fostering a profound understanding of evidence-based practices. By distilling insights from recent pedagogical studies, it establishes a strong foundation for continuous improvement in teaching methods, advocating for seamless integration of evidence-based strategies. In summary, this paper is vital for nurse educators to refine their instructional methodologies, offering evidence-based teaching strategies grounded in research and practical application. It significantly contributes to shaping a new generation of nursing professionals, equipping them with the requisite skills, knowledge, and the adaptive mindset necessary for effective evidence-based practice in the ever-evolving healthcare landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Abroad programs yield substantial linguistic advantages in addition to fostering academic and intercultural enrichment. Nevertheless, some students miss these programs due to financial constraints, academic commitments, or insufficient language skills. This paper reports the findings of a qualitative action research study that seeks to evaluate the impact of a multilingual and multicultural class, designed as a quasi-Study Abroad experience, on Hungarian medical students' perceived English linguistic development by the end of the semester. Semi-structured focus group interviews were carried out with 42 Hungarian medical students at the end of the spring and autumn semesters of the 2021–2022 and the 2022–2023 academic years. The outcomes of the focus-group interviews indicated that the students had a positive experience studying in a multilingual and multicultural environment; their willingness to engage in English communication, along with an increase in self-confidence, was apparent, ultimately showcasing improved perceived proficiency in English communication skills by the end of the term. Creating an educational setting abundant in linguistic and cultural diversity and integrating multicultural project-based learning activities within the curriculum to simulate a quasi-Study Abroad experience represent methodological frameworks that could serve as pivotal models for shaping similar courses in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Language & Law / Revista de Llengua i Dret is the property of Revista de Llengua i Dret 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.)

In the contemporary professional landscape, engineers are confronted with the dual imperative of not only excelling in the core subject expertise but also possessing linguistic competence to remain competitive in the global job market. The current employment scenario is marked by raise in demand but decline in the number of qualified professionals graduating from colleges. Graduates are now expected to embody the qualities of techno-managers, adept at multitasking in their roles. Relying solely on technical skills has proven inadequate for many individuals. Recognizing the evolving job market requirements, it became apparent that students must excel in communication, particularly English communication skills, to thrive professionally. Effective communication fosters the development of confidence, astuteness, and outward skills in students. Language acquisition is a lifelong, active process that commences at birth. Textbooks play a crucial role in achieving the objectives of a course, serving as prominent elements in the teaching process. Language learning, facilitated by learning strategies, involves a set of tactics individuals employ to take control of their learning processes. In today's educational landscape, teachers play a pivotal role in enhancing strategies in second or foreign language classrooms. Their responsibility extends to facilitating learning among students and making their thinking processes visible. Effectively teaching a second language (L2) requires educators to consider the unique needs and backgrounds of each learner. By doing so, they can employ methods that help students in utilizing strategies to enhance their L2 learning experience. This paper provides insights into the trailblazer learning strategies that augment the language skills repertoire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Working aboard an international cruise ship that travels to Europe is an exciting adventure with the many wonderful ports of call to visit, exquisite dining experiences, and a multitude of crew members who come from different countries. Because they have to serve foreign guests, crewmembers speak English frequently. This paper is an autoethnographic sketch of a pianist who works in an international cruise line and befriends a Polish musician who has English language issues such as inability to pronounce correct English words and phrases, excessive use of non-verbal cues in communication, and a generally low English comprehension level, but with an inquisitive spirit to learn the second language, the two communicators manage to foster a mutual understanding. Narratives are drawn from self-reflections, analyzed and interwoven as a self-culture assemblage of cross-cultural communication. Results of the study reveal that interpersonal communication hovers within diverse cultural settings despite certain language impediments, emphasizing that the English language as a second language spoken by both second language speakers tends to eliminate speech anxiety. European crew members mingling with multi-cultural individuals establish good interactive skills while fostering good relationships while they learn practical English in the exercise of their daily duties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the landscape of cancer treatment, particularly in the realm of breast cancer management, effective communication emerges as a pivotal factor influencing patient outcomes. This article delves into the nuanced intricacies of communication skills, specifically spotlighting the strategies embraced by breast radiologists. By examining the ramifications of communication on patient experience, interdisciplinary collaboration, and legal ramifications, this study underscores the paramount importance of empathetic and comprehensive communication approaches. A special emphasis is placed on the utilization of the SPIKES protocol, a structured method for conveying sensitive health information, and the deployment of strategies for navigating challenging conversations. Furthermore, the work encompasses the significance of communication with caregivers, the integration of artificial intelligence, and the acknowledgement of patients' psychological needs. By adopting empathetic communication methodologies and fostering multidisciplinary collaboration, healthcare practitioners have the potential to enhance patient satisfaction, promote treatment adherence, and augment the overall outcomes within breast cancer diagnosis. This paper advocates for the implementation of guidelines pertaining to psychological support and the allocation of sufficient resources to ensure the provision of holistic and patient-centered cancer care. The article stresses the need for a holistic approach that addresses patients' emotional and psychological well-being alongside medical treatment. Through thoughtful and empathetic communication practices, healthcare providers can profoundly impact patient experiences and breast cancer journeys in a positive manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses how we integrated critical thinking and academic literacy with disciplinary content in a communication skills module for Computing students. The module aims to develop students' academic literacy, and at the same time, their ability to critically question issues related to their discipline or profession. Previously, for the writing task, each student had to write an argumentative essay on a topic and question that they wish to explore within a given theme. However, feedback from students and some faculty members suggested that such a task may have limited relevance to Computing students. When redesigning the course, we approached it from the perspective of critical digital literacy (CDL). This approach emphasizes the need to re-balance between a competency-based digital literacy approach built around hard IT skills such as coding, and a capacity-based digital literacy approach focused on "distinctively human capacities" (Bass, 2018, p. 37) such as creativity and critical thinking. We adopted the five-resources CDL pedagogical model proposed by Hinrichsen and Coombs (2013) and framed the different communication tasks within this model. Instead of academic essays, students were to apply all five CDL resources to write an online commentary in response to a digital text within the given theme. To determine whether students found value in this task and in this novel CDL approach, pre- and post-course surveys were conducted. The rationale and implementation of this redesigned writing task are described in this paper, followed by the survey findings and our reflections on the course redesign process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Didasc@lia: Didáctica y Educación is the property of Universitaria de Las Tunas, Centro de Estudios de Didactica 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.)