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We examined the relations between mothers' reading skills, home literacy environment (HLE), and children's emergent literacy skills and word reading and whether their relations vary across urban and rural contexts in China. Four hundred third-year kindergarten Chinese children (M[subscript age] = 74.50 ± 3.77 months) were recruited from Jining (N = 232) and the small towns of Luqiao and Mapo (N = 168). The children were assessed on emergent literacy skills (pinyin letter knowledge, phonological awareness, rapid automatized naming [RAN], and vocabulary) and word reading. Their mothers were also assessed on reading skills and completed a questionnaire on HLE (direct teaching, shared book reading, and access to literacy resources [ALR]). Results of structural equation modeling showed that (a) mothers' reading skills correlated with shared book reading and ALR in both groups, (b) direct teaching predicted children's pinyin letter knowledge, and ALR predicted phonological awareness and vocabulary in both groups after controlling for mothers' reading skills and parents' education, and (c) mothers' reading skills had an indirect effect on children's word reading through vocabulary (in the urban group) or phonological awareness (in the rural group). Multigroup analyses further showed that the effect of direct teaching on RAN was stronger in the rural group. These findings suggest that HLE exerts its effect on children's emergent literacy skills and word reading across contexts, even after controlling for mothers' reading skills.

We examined the relation between home literacy environment (HLE), parents' reading skills, and children's emergent literacy skills (pinyin letter knowledge, phonological awareness, and vocabulary) and reading (word reading and reading comprehension) in a sample of 168 Chinese children (M[subscript age] = 74.26 months) followed from kindergarten to Grade 1. Results of structural equation modeling showed that code-related HLE activities and access to literacy resources continued to predict children's emergent literacy skills after controlling for the effects of family's socioeconomic status and both parents' reading skills. Parents' reading skills also exerted a direct effect on children's reading comprehension. These findings suggest that HLE exerts a true environmental effect on children's reading skills that is not due to a genetic confound.

The Nature of Science (NOS) is an important component of scientific literacy. Science teachers' Views of the Nature of Science (VNOS) directly affect their teaching behaviors. Therefore, it is of great significance to explore science teachers' VNOS and find ways of improvement. This study was designed to comparatively investigate preservice science teachers' VNOS between China and Canada. The study employed a survey design to explore how Chinese and Canadian preservice science teachers understood the seven different aspects of NOS. Data showed that preservice science teachers in China and Canada both hold a modern view about science education. The level of Chinese and Canadian participants' understanding of NOS was above the relatively naive level. Chinese teachers had better macro-understanding toward science education, but their micro-mastery was insufficient. The Canadian participants had a better understanding of the NOS than their Chinese counterparts. The study suggested that there is a need to reconstruct the preservice science teacher education curriculum in China and promote the transformation in the science teacher educational system.

Purpose: The Canadian university where this study took place has established an international exchange program in teacher education with a large Chinese university. This study was designed to examine how the international exchange program influenced Chinese science teacher candidates' understanding of science education and how such learning impacted their teaching in China. Design/Approach/Methods: The study adopted a qualitative research design with interview and reflective journal as the main approaches for data collection. Findings: Participants greatly appreciated the opportunity of exchange. They reported an improved understanding of Canadian school education and its science curriculum and pedagogy, which changed many aspects of their original values about the relationship between the teacher and students, classroom environment, and so on. Although they faced many constraints to implement what they learned from the exchange in Chinese science classrooms, what they learned had never been forgotten. Participants tried to apply them here and there at the level they could control. Originality/Value: There are many reported studies in the literature about Chinese international students on Western campuses. However, research on Chinese students who participate in international exchange programs is very rare. The findings of this study can inform policymakers and education practitioners about student international exchange programs and benefit future exchange participants.

The impetus for this conceptual article was the authors' reflections on their experiences as teachers and teacher educators in various Asian countries (China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan, Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam), combined with their support for Social-Cognitive Theory and student-centered learning. Of course, great variations exist within and between countries in terms of development programs for educators. The present article examines actions by lecturers, policy makers, and other stakeholders which might enhance teacher education by helping it evolve to be more student-centered, thereby better preparing teachers to be lifelong learners and for those teachers to use a student-centered approach with their own students. These actions involve five possible areas: (1) students doing more research; (2) increasing learners' roles in course design; (3) going beyond basic teaching skills and the basic curriculum; (4) building the social side of learning; and (5) searching for new knowledge and learning tools.

This study sought to investigate how a cohort of American preservice graduate students in music education reconceptualize their pedagogical lens after participating in an immersive cultural music exchange program in China. By embracing a critical ontology framework, we interwove Western ways of knowing alongside local knowledge to examine the ways in which participants explored their cultural competence through self-reflection. Data indicated that participants in this study were receptive to non-Western social and musical experiences within learning environments that minimized power dynamics, such as peer-to-peer instruction and informal music making. This finding suggests that music teacher educators preparing a cultural immersion program could construct multiple types of learning opportunities in an effort to build preservice teachers' cultural competence. In addition to careful research, design, and implementation of immersion programs, music teacher educators might also prepare students for the messiness of the cultural competence work, including cultural misunderstandings, issues of authenticity, and varying interpretations.

Purpose: We examined the role of distal (parents' education, family's income, parents' expectations, and parents' attitudes to the home teaching of literacy) and proximal (formal and informal home literacy environment, access to literacy resources, and extracurricular activities) parental factors in children's early literacy skills and whether the relations vary across affluent and disadvantaged societies in China. Method: Five hundred fifty-three third-year kindergarten Chinese children (M[subscript age] = 74.59 months) were recruited from Jining, Luqiao, and Mapo and were assessed on measures of phonological awareness, vocabulary, pinyin knowledge, and word reading. Their parents filled out a questionnaire on their education and income as well as on the frequency of engaging in different home literacy activities, their expectations and attitudes to the home teaching of literacy, and their children's extracurricular activities. Results: Results of multigroup analyses and mediation analyses revealed both direct and indirect effects of both distal and proximal parental factors on emergent literacy skills and word reading. In addition, the models were strikingly similar across the two settings. Conclusion: The findings suggest that the pathways of differential influences from parental factors to children's early literacy skills may be similar across socioeconomic contexts.

Purpose: Although the importance of teacher induction is widely acknowledged, how teachers experience inductions, particularly those conducted in under-resourced areas, remains underexplored. Design/methodology/approach: This study narrates a novice teacher's induction experience in a Chinese high school, from the perspectives of professional capital and community, social realist theory, practice architecture and teacher agency. The participant, Ming, reflected on a broad array of formal and informal induction activities and participated during the induction period. Findings: Through the three-dimensional narrative space, namely broadening, burrowing and storying and re-storying, five themes emerged from Ming's induction experience--(1) heightened awareness of the meaning of teaching, (2) interacting with various professional communities, (3) professional identity tension and development, (4) the discursive influence of various aspects of culture and (5) the influence on future professional development. Overall, this narrative study shows that teacher expertise and identity development play central roles in teacher induction, and context acts as an important mediating factor in teacher induction. These findings echo the importance of teachers' agency in inductions. The implications for facilitating novice teacher induction are also discussed. Originality/value: This study contributes to a nuanced understanding of a novice teacher's induction experience in China from the perspectives of practice architectures, professional capital and professional community. The conclusion highlights the importance of professional capital and agency during Ming's induction period. This paper unpacks the complexity of teacher induction by revealing new ways of thinking about induction.

The Triangle Model of Reading proposes that phonology, orthography, and semantics are crucial to understand word reading and reading disability (RD). Morphology has been added as a binding agent to this model. However, it is unclear how these variables relate to word reading in children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or comorbid ADHD and RD (ADHD+RD). This study examined the performance of Chinese children with RD, ADHD, or ADHD+RD in phonology, orthography, semantics, and morphology, and investigated whether morphology made an additional contribution beyond the other skills in explaining word reading fluency. Participants were 151 Grade 1 to 3 Chinese students: RD (n = 31), ADHD (n = 43), ADHD+RD (n = 27), and typically developing controls (TD, n = 50). Results indicated that children with ADHD+RD (a) showed similar performance to RD and ADHD in tone awareness, orthographic legality, and homophone morpheme awareness; (b) had similar performance to RD but worse than ADHD in phonology, semantics, and morpheme production; and (c) had more severe deficits than RD and ADHD in orthographic reversal, morpheme identification, and homograph awareness. Morphology significantly predicted word reading fluency beyond the other skills, and its predictive effect was more salient for ADHD+RD, ADHD, and TD. The findings provide evidence of both shared and additive effects of RD and ADHD. Morphology may be an important diagnostic factor in identifying Chinese reading and behavioral deficit groups and a worthwhile target for intervention.

The doctorate degree ranks third on the academic hierarchy, and is commonly viewed as an approval on a student by an institution, to conduct original research in at least one academic discipline. Several motivations drive the need to acquire a doctorate degree, and they include intrinsic interest, employment considerations, personal, and professional development. To achieve this feat, some students pursue their PhD abroad for several reasons as discovered by this study. Using a quantitative approach, this paper reports on the findings of an online survey distributed to 1901 Asian and African students pursing their PhD to investigate their experiences, and determine their satisfaction, and its relationship with their personal and professional growth. Findings reveal that most students were satisfied with their decision to pursue a PhD in another continent, but were dissatisfied with some properties that made up the process. This included their relationship with their supervisors, their study-work-life balance, and its effects on their mental health. As you are reporting on a study that has already happened, write in past tense.

This paper reports on the first stage of an international comparative study for the project "'Digital educational architectures: Open learning resources in distributed learning infrastructures--EduArc,'" funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. This study reviews the situation of digital educational resources (or (O)ER) framed within the digital transformation of ten different Higher Education (HE) systems (Australia, Canada, China, Germany, Japan, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Turkey and the United States). Following a comparative case study approach, we investigated issues related to the existence of policies, quality assurance mechanisms and measures for the promotion of change in supporting infrastructure development for (O)ER at the national level in HE in the different countries. The results of this mainly documentary research highlight differences and similarities, which are largely due to variations in these countries' political structure organisation. The discussion and conclusion point at the importance of understanding each country's context and culture, in order to understand the differences between them, as well as the challenges they face.

In China, there exists many factors such as girls' socialized gender norms and the values and pedagogy incorporated in the science curriculum that may discourage female students from choosing science courses. In order to ensure that female students have the same opportunities to reach their potential in STEM areas, it is important to understand these factors that influence their choices. This study investigates the potential reasons why female high school students in China are less likely to choose STEM subjects. By conducting qualitative interviews with six female students, from two Chinese high schools, the study discovers several factors behind their decision-making in course selection, including the influence of current science curriculum, teachers, labor market, parents, and peers. The findings of this study enrich existing research on gender equity in Chinese high school education and provide insights about relevant policies to address gender disparities in science programs.

Since 2000, an increasing number of Chinese international students have been entering North American universities, and many have experienced issues with a sense of belonging, which in turn can impact their academic and social performance and psychological well-being. However, limited research on this topic focuses exclusively on Chinese international students. Therefore, in order to establish the direction that future research should take, a thorough literature review has been conducted with the aim of exploring those students' perceptions and experiences regarding sense of belonging, establishing the factors that shape this phenomenon, and identifying the impact it has on students and institutions.

The 24 Nature Notes project was part of the China-Canada Reciprocal Learning Program. Two sister schools participated in the project. Following the same set of dates, students from both schools conducted outdoor observations and collected data. Skype meetings were arranged to exchange ideas and share student work. This study aims to understand the impact of the project on Canadian and Chinese teachers and students, what they learned from each other, and what challenges they faced. Data was collected through observation notes, meeting minutes, student work, and interviews with both Chinese and Canadian teachers and students. Data analysis revealed that the project was a positive opportunity for participants from both countries to gain cross-cultural understanding. The Canadian students enjoyed the freedom in topic selection and presentation formats. They particularly liked the life lessons that the Chinese students shared through their work. The Canadian teachers also valued the idea as it allows students to reflect their observations from a different context. The Chinese teachers and students appreciated the Canadian students' creativity. They gained inspiration from Canadian teachers and students and as a return their project work became more creative.

A long-standing question in developmental science is how the neurodevelopment of the brain influences cognitive functions. Here, we examined the developmental change of resting EEG power and its links to vocabulary acquisition in school-age children. We further explored what mechanisms may mediate the relation between brain rhythm maturation and vocabulary knowledge. Eyes-opened resting-state EEG data were recorded from 53 typically-developing Chinese children every 2 years between the ages of 7 and 11. Our results showed first that delta, theta, and gamma power decreased over time, whereas alpha and beta power increased over time. Second, after controlling for general cognitive abilities, age, home literacy environment, and phonological skills, theta decreases explained 6.9% and 14.4% of unique variance in expressive vocabulary at ages 9 and 11, respectively. We also found that beta increase from age 7 to 9 significantly predicted receptive vocabulary at age 11. Finally, theta decrease predicted expressive vocabulary through the effects of phoneme deletion at age 9 and tone discrimination at age 11. These results substantiate the important role of brain oscillations at rest, especially theta rhythm, in language development. The developmental change of brain rhythms could serve as sensitive biomarkers for vocabulary development in school-age children, which would be of great value in identifying children at risk of language impairment.

Open Educational Resources (OER) in higher education cannot be put into practice without considering institutional contexts, which differ not only globally but also within the same country. Each institutional context provides educators with opportunities or limitations where Open Educational Practices (OEP) and OER for teaching and learning are involved. As part of a broader research project, and as a follow-up to national perspectives, an international comparison was conducted, based on institutional cases of nine different higher education systems (Australia, Canada, China, Germany, Japan, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Turkey). Aspects regarding the availability of infrastructure and institutional policies for OER, as well as the existence of measures directed at OER quality assurance and at the promotion of the development and use of OER were covered. The resulting theoretical contribution sheds light on an international comparative view of OER and points towards country-specific trends, as well as differences among institutions. These aspects could provide an impetus for the development of institutional guidelines and measures. In line with international literature on the topic, recommendations are derived to promote/enhance the use of OER in teaching and learning in higher education at the institutional level.

We examined the developmental relationship between cognitive-linguistic skills (nonverbal IQ, vocabulary, phonological awareness, rapid automatised naming [RAN]), home environment factors (direct teaching, shared book reading, access to literacy resources, parents' expectations, family's socioeconomic status [SES]), and pinyin letter knowledge in kindergarten, pinyin reading accuracy at the beginning of Grade 1, and pinyin reading fluency at the middle of Grade 1 in a sample of 159 Chinese children (mean age = 72.70 months). Results showed that phonological awareness, RAN, and direct teaching were associated with pinyin letter knowledge. RAN consistently predicted pinyin reading accuracy and fluency. Moreover, parents' expectations and family's SES predicted pinyin reading indirectly through RAN and direct teaching. These findings suggest that the cognitive-linguistic and home environment predictors of pinyin reading are similar to those for Chinese reading, except that vocabulary and access to literacy resources may be less important for pinyin reading.

This paper explores faculty's perspectives and use of open educational resources (OER) and their repositories across different countries by conducting a multiple case study to find similarities and differences between academics' awareness, perceptions and use of OER, as well as examining related aspects of institutional policy and quality that may influence individual views. Data were collected through nine expert reports on each country studied (Australia, Canada, China, Germany, Japan, South Africa, South Korea, Spain and Turkey) and were analyzed through qualitative content analysis using thematic coding. Findings show the impact on individual OER adoption with regard to the individual control of diverse factors by faculty members; of institutional policies and quality measures on the externally determined factors (by the institution); and of institutional professional development and provision of incentives in more internally determined factors (by the faculty members themselves). These findings carry implications for higher education institutions around the world in their attempt to boost OER adoption by faculty members.

As part of the SSHRC partnership grant on Reciprocal Learning between Ontario, Canada and Southwest, China, we examined the commonalities and differences in secondary school Inquiry-based Teaching (IBT) in science between sister schools in Ontario, Canada and Southwest, China. Canadian and Chinese teachers' interpretations of inquiry through video-recorded lessons, qualitative observational annotations, and quantitative data collected via the EQUIP instrument were analyzed. Results suggest that there is a non-significant difference in application of IBT between secondary science teachers in Ontario, Canada and in Southwest, China between the reciprocal learning populations. Both populations are perceived to use inquiry-based teaching methods in their classrooms proficiently, and that students are more receptive at a higher cognitive level when teachers incorporate IBT.

This study investigated foreign language students' perceptions about their Information and Communication Technology (ICT)-based College English Course (CEC) in China. The research used a five-point Likert-scale questionnaire based on Simsek (2008). A factor analysis confirmed the construct validity of the questionnaire and 6 factors were delineated. 200 non-English majors who responded mentioned that ICT was well integrated into the CEC. They reported that the ICT-based CEC gave them a good environment for independent learning and they were more motivated to learn English as they had more opportunities to communicate, interact and cooperate with other students in English using authentic language in a variety of contexts. They found learning was more effective compared to the traditional learning environment; it provided freer learning environment, less restricted communication, more time flexibility and more self-scheduled study plan ensuring learner-centeredness and learning autonomy.

For the last few decades there has been an increased growth for practice in Educational Drama in China. This pedagogical approach has caught the attention of Chinese language arts educators, who teach Chinese as a first language. Recent research points to how these Chinese language arts educators recognize drama as a positive and effective medium for learning language and literature. By considering and analyzing literature in the field, the authors of this article shed light on ways drama is being introduced in Chinese language arts classrooms in Mainland China, as well as provide insights on its history and challenges.

Although several studies have examined the role of home literacy environment (HLE) in learning to read in Western societies, little is known about the role of HLE in Chinese reading. In addition, the few studies in Chinese have not tested the possible effects of HLE on reading comprehension. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the direct and indirect effects of different aspects of HLE (formal literacy experiences, informal literacy experiences, and access to literacy resources) on reading comprehension in Chinese. One hundred fifty-nine third year kindergarten children (70 girls and 89 boys; M[subscript age] = 72.62 months) participated in the study. In kindergarten, they were assessed on emergent literacy skills (vocabulary, phonological awareness, pinyin knowledge, rapid naming), in Grade 1, on word reading, and, in Grade 2, on reading comprehension. In addition, parents filled out a questionnaire on their education and income, the frequency of different HLE activities, the number of children's books at home, and their expectations, when their children were in kindergarten. Results of structural equation modeling showed that formal literacy experiences predicted reading comprehension through the effects of pinyin knowledge on word reading. Access to literacy resources predicted reading comprehension through the effects of rapid naming, phonological awareness, and vocabulary. Finally, informal literacy experiences did not predict any of the emergent literacy skills or reading outcomes. Our findings provide only partial support of the home literacy model and suggest that the culture in which environmental effects take place may determine what aspects of the home literacy environment contribute to children's reading performance and what not.

The purpose of this study was to examine which of the components of executive functions (EF)--inhibition, shifting, and working memory--predict reading and mathematics achievement and if the effects of these components are the same across two cultures (Western and East Asian). One hundred twenty English-speaking Canadian (65 females, 55 males; M[subscript age] = 82.12 months) and 181 Mandarin-speaking Chinese (82 females, 99 males; M[subscript age] = 85.85 months) children were assessed on nonverbal IQ, speed of processing, rapid naming, inhibition (Color-Word Stroop), shifting (Planned Connections), working memory (Digit Span Forward and Backward), reading (word identification and reading comprehension), and mathematics (numerical operations and math reasoning). The results of structural equation modeling indicated first that among the EF components only working memory predicted reading and mathematics in the Canadian sample, while inhibition and working memory predicted reading and mathematics in the Chinese sample. The results also showed that inhibition was a stronger predictor of reading and mathematics in the Chinese sample. Taken together, these findings suggest that not all EF components are equally important for reading/mathematics and that culture may influence the relations between specific EF components and academic achievement.

Although multiple cross-sectional studies have supported moral disengagement and school climate being associated with bullying perpetration, few have examined how these 3 factors interact with each other over time. Guided by the social-ecological theory and social-cognitive theory, a multilevel approach was used to examine the longitudinal associations between students' moral disengagement and bullying perpetration and the moderating effect of students' perceptions of school climate in the longitudinal association across 18 months. The main effects of moral disengagement and perceived school climate and the effects of their interaction on bullying perpetration were explored at the between-person, within-person, and across between-person and within-person levels. Participants were 2,997 adolescents (M[subscript age]= 14.9 years, SD = 1.53; 49.7% male) from 6 secondary schools in Southwest China. At the between-person level, students with higher moral disengagement and more negative perceptions of school climate perpetrated more bullying than those with lower moral disengagement and more positive perceptions of school climate. At the within-person level, students with high moral disengagement and negative perceptions of school climate had high levels of bullying perpetration over time. Moreover, significant between-person, within-person, and cross-level interactions revealed that the association between moral disengagement and bullying perpetration was weaker and nonsignificant for students with more positive perceptions of school climate. Findings indicated a buffering effect of students' perceptions of positive school climate in the longitudinal association between moral disengagement and bullying perpetration. Implications for school-based individualized bullying intervention were discussed.

Staying abreast of developments in Chinese higher education is challenging. In addition to geopolitical circumstances, language, history, and culture can make it difficult for U.S. university leaders and policy makers to establish deep, meaningful relationships with Chinese colleagues. In addition, China is a huge country, with nuanced regional cultural differences that make accurate portrayals and understandings of its large education system more difficult. Moreover, accelerated innovation and adaptation of promising educational practices have changed the higher education system so fast that it can only be accurately understood through on-the-ground analysis. The purpose of this article is to provide an informative overview by addressing eight questions. The answers to these questions reveal many of the defining contours of the recent past. The queries cover a lot of ground, including governance, participation patterns, expansion, and funding. To keep the analysis manageable, the article focuses primarily on regular universities and colleges and do not discuss other aspects of the tertiary system such as adult education, continuous education, and professional development institutions and programs. The questions include: (1) What Is the Profile of Chinese Higher Education Institutions?; (2) What Is the Role of Government Entities in Chinese Higher Education?; (3) What Are the Characteristics of Faculty at Chinese Universities?; (4) Who Are the Senior Academic Leaders at Chinese Universities?; (5) What Are the Characteristics of Students at Chinese Universities and Colleges?; (6) What Are the Employment Prospects for Chinese University Graduates?; (7) How Did China Achieve Such Rapid Scaling?; and (8) How Does China Assure Higher Education Quality?

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine differences between American and Chinese students in their perceptions of school climate and engagement in school, and in the relation between school climate and engagement. Method: Confirmatory factor analyses were used to support the factor structure and measurement invariance of the two measures administered: The Delaware School Climate Survey-Student and the Delaware Student Engagement Scale. Differences in latent means were tested, and differences in relations between variables were examined using multilevel hierarchical linear modeling. Participants consisted of 3,176 Chinese and 4,085 American students, Grades 3-5, 7-8, and 10-12. Results: Chinese students perceived school climate more favorably than American students, particularly beyond elementary school. Findings were more complex for student engagement. In elementary school, American students reported greater cognitive--behavioral and emotional engagement, and especially the former. In middle school and high school, Chinese students reported greater emotional engagement; however, no significant differences were found for cognitive-behavioral engagement. Most intriguing were results of multilevel hierarchical modeling that examined associations between school climate and student engagement: They were significant in American schools but not Chinese schools. Conclusion: Chinese students, compared with American students, perceived the climate of their schools more favorably, especially after elementary school. However, among Chinese students, their perceptions of school climate were unrelated to their self-reported engagement in school--school climate did not seem to matter as much.

The authors examined whether different measures of print exposure assess the same underlying concept and how these different measures relate to vocabulary breadth and depth. One hundred forty-seven students attending the third year of kindergarten in Jining, China, were assessed on nonverbal IQ, vocabulary breadth and depth, and their knowledge of book titles. Parents also participated in the study by filling out a questionnaire on the frequency of shared book reading and the number of children's books at home, recording their daily parent-child reading activities (diary), and completing the children's title and author recognition checklists. Results of exploratory factor analysis indicated that the measures of print exposure were loading on three interrelated factors. The items measuring the frequency of shared book reading at home along with diary formed one factor, the children's title recognition checklist and number of children's books at home formed a second factor, and children's knowledge of book titles formed a third factor. In addition, the results of hierarchical regression analyses indicated that whereas all factors accounted for unique variance (3-6%) in vocabulary breadth, only children's knowledge of book titles predicted vocabulary depth, after controlling for children's age, parents' education and income, and children's nonverbal IQ. Taken together, these findings suggest that different measures of print exposure may capture different aspects of print exposure and that these aspects may exert a different role in vocabulary breadth and depth.

Precipitation is the basic component of the Earth's water cycle. Obtaining high-resolution and high-precision precipitation data is of great significance. This paper establishes a precipitation retrieval model based on a random forest classification and regression model during the day and at night with FY-4B/AGRI Level1 data on China from July to August 2022. To evaluate the retrieval effect of the model, the GPM IMERG product is used as a reference, and the retrieval results are compared against those of the FY-4B/AGRI operational precipitation product. In addition, the retrieval results are analyzed according to different underlying surfaces. The results showed that compared with the FY-4B/AGRI operational precipitation product, the retrieval model can better identify precipitation and capture precipitation areas of light rain, moderate rain, heavy rain and torrential rain. Among them, the probability of detection (POD) of the day model increased from 0.328 to 0.680, and the equitable threat score (ETS) increased from 0.252 to 0.432. The POD of the night model increased from 0.337 to 0.639, and the ETS score increased from 0.239 to 0.369. Meanwhile, the precipitation estimation accuracy of the day model increased by 38.98% and that of the night model increased by 40.85%. Our results also showed that due to the surface uniformity of the ocean, the model can identify precipitation better on the ocean than on the land. Our findings also indicated that for the different underlying surfaces of the land, there is no significant difference in each evaluation index of the model. This is a strong argument for the universal applicability of the model. Notably, the results showed that, especially for more vegetated areas and areas covered by water, the model is capable of estimating precipitation. In conclusion, the precipitation retrieval model that is proposed herein can better determine precipitation regions and estimate precipitation intensities compared with the FY-4B/AGRI operational precipitation product. It can provide some reference value for future precipitation retrieval research on FY-4B/AGRI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although rapid automatized naming (RAN) is one of the best predictors of reading across languages, its nature remains elusive. In the present study, we aim to elucidate the nature of RAN by examining the cognitive and environmental correlates of RAN. One hundred forty-one second-year kindergarten Chinese children (71 girls, 70 boys; mean age = 58.99 months) were assessed on measures of nonverbal cognitive ability, attention, visual processing, conceptual processing, semantic processing, phonological processing, short-term memory, articulation, speed of processing, RAN (digits and objects), and discrete naming. We also collected information on mothers' education and occupation, and children's home learning experiences. The results showed that formal home learning experiences, visual processing, phonological processing, and articulation were unique correlates of both RAN tasks. Semantic processing also correlated significantly with RAN objects. However, controlling for the effects of discrete naming eliminated the effects of most subprocesses on RAN. These findings suggest that RAN is indeed multicomponential, but not all components contribute the same way to RAN performance. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

The profound advances in the biomolecular sciences over the last decades have enabled similar advances in biomedicine. These advances have increasingly challenged our abilities to deploy them in an equitable and ethically acceptable manner. As such, it has become necessary and important to teach biomedical and scientific ethics to our students who will become the researchers, medical professionals, and global citizens of the future. As advances in the biosciences and medicine are made, developed, and used across the globe, our survival on an endangered planet requires global dialog and consensual action. To that end, a group of us from around the world have come together to describe the differing foundations of our ethical beliefs, and how ethical issues in biomedicine and in science are described and confronted in our countries. We hope to show the commonality in our beliefs and practices and to encourage readers from around the world to contribute to a continuing discussion through a new section of the journal, The Global Ethics Corner.

The study of clouds and their characteristics provides important information for understanding climate change and its impacts as it provides information on weather conditions and forecasting. In this study, Earth observation (EO) data from the FY4A AGRI and Himawari-8 CLP products were used to classify and identify distinct cloud types in southeastern China. To reduce the impact of parallax between geostationary satellites, we proposed adopting a sliding detection method for quality control of cloud-type data. Additionally, the Bayesian optimization method was employed herein to tune the hyperparameters of the LightGBM model. Our study results demonstrated that Bayesian optimization significantly increased model performance, resulting in successful cloud-type classification and identification. The simultaneous use of visible and shortwave infrared channels, and brightness temperature difference channels, enhanced the model's classification performance. Those channels accounted for 43.79% and 21.84% of the overall features, respectively. Certainly, the model in this study outperformed compared with the traditional thresholding method (TT), support vector machine (SVM), and random forest (RF). Results showed a model prediction accuracy of 97.54%, which was higher than that of TT (51.06%), SVM (96.47%), and RF (97.49%). Additionally, the Kappa coefficient of the model was 0.951, indicating the model's classification results were consistent with the true values. Notably, this performance also surpassed TT (0.351), SVM (0.929), and RF (0.950). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a network analysis of the international flow of students among 210 countries and the factors determining the structure of this flow. Among these factors, bilateral hyperlink connections between countries and the number of telephone minutes (communication variables) are the most important predictors of the flow's structure, followed by trade, the physical distance between countries, a common border between countries and a common language between two countries. The USA is by far the most central country in the flow of international students, followed by China, the UK, France, Germany, Australia and India. These results are discussed in light of World-System Theory. Future research should examine how the network of international student flows changes over time and consider additional factors to provide a better understanding of the network as an international system.

This study assessed the third-person perceptions (TPP) regarding attitude and knowledge among journalists in China and explored factors that may affect such perceptions. Based on a stratified sample of media professionals in two different regions, it was found that TPP regarding attitude was present and stronger than TPP regarding knowledge. The results also revealed that the media environment affected TPP regarding knowledge, while political identity and perceived news quality (PNQ) affected TPP regarding attitude. In addition, the study found that key personal factors interacted with each other in affecting TPP through the mediation of two components, the perceived effect on others (PEO) and the perceived effect on self (PES). The theoretical and methodological implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several previous studies have found that Chinese students perceive teacher-student relationships and student-student relationships more favorably than American students. In this study we examined if the same holds true with respect to teachers' perceptions. Also examined were both students' and teachers' perceptions of conduct problems. The sample included 3,253 students and 345 teachers in China and 2,192 students and 540 teachers in the United States. Results of a multivariate analysis of variance revealed the greatest differences in mean scores between countries were in teachers' and students' perceptions of student-student relationships and student conduct problems. American students perceived their schools much less favorably, and particularly so in middle school and high school. Students tended to report less favorable relationships and greater conduct problems than their teachers, especially in the United States compared with China. Cultural differences are discussed that may account for the findings, including differences in the valuing of education, filial piety, social harmony, self and peer regulation of behavior, classroom management, and the socialization of cultural values.

Although the construct of student climate has been studied extensively in the United States, we know little about how school climate is perceived in other countries. With large class sizes yet higher academic achievement and less disruptive and aggressive student behaviors, schools in China present a contrast to many schools in the United States. Differences in school climate between the two countries were examined in this study. The sample consisted of 10,400 American and 3,435 Chinese students across three grade levels (elementary, middle, and high school) in 85 American and 22 Chinese schools. Factor structure and measurement invariance across countries were first established for the Modified-Delaware School Climate Survey-Student. Differences in latent means were then tested. Across all three grade levels Chinese students scored significantly higher than American students on all four subscales (Teacher-Student Relations, Student-Student Relations, School Liking, and Fairness of School Rules). Effects sizes tended to be smallest in elementary schools and largest in middle schools. Significant differences between American and Chinese students exist in their perceptions of school climate. It is likely that those differences can be attributed to cultural differences in respect of authority, academic and social values, self-regulation and peer-regulation of behaviors, and teachers' classroom management. (Contains 3 tables, 1 figure and 2 footnotes.)

This study investigated intellectual development in 4-7 years old Greek and Chinese children. They were examined on speeded performance, working memory, reasoning, and self-awareness tasks in order to investigate possible effects of learning the Chinese logographic system on possible differences in intellectual development between these ethnic groups. Speeded performance was examined with commonly familiar objects and tasks related to reading (i.e., Latin, Arabic, and Chinese characters). Chinese outperformed Greeks in (1) reading-related processing efficiency tasks but not in common objects (2) spatial but not verbal WM, (3) cognitive, and (4) the self-awareness tasks. Structural equation modeling showed that performance is organized in four systems (i.e., domain-specific problem solving, representational capacity, inference, and consciousness) integrated by g, in both ethnic groups. There were differences between the two ethnicities in the strength of relations between constructs, attributed to Chinese logographic experience. That is, the massive practice in visuo/spatial processing and memory seemed to provide an advantage in the communication between systems of the mind causing increased general cognitive fluidity, expressed in higher intellectual performance among the Chinese. (Contains 3 tables and 7 figures.)

In Pacific Rim countries parents of children with developmental disabilities have organized peer support organizations. One form of peer support is Parent to Parent based on one to one connections between two parents. The movements to create and sustain peer support in the U.S., New Zealand, China, and Korea are described. Qualitative evidence from interviews in the US indicates several reasons why Parent to Parent is effective for some of the people who obtain social provisions from the organizations. Peer support helps parents resist social stigma, gain hope, and obtain persuasive guidance. They are able to exchange situated knowledge from their lived experiences with children with disabilities (Brown, Collins & Duguid, 1989). This kind of information may not be available through other sources.

The purpose of the present study was twofold: (a) to examine the extent to which Chinese dyslexic children experience deficits in phonological and orthographic processing skills and (b) to examine if Chinese dyslexia is associated with deficits in Planning, Attention, Simultaneous, and Successive (PASS) processing. A total of 27 Grade 4 children with dyslexia (DYS), 27 Grade 4 chronological age (CA) controls, and 27 Grade 2 reading age (RA) controls were tested on measures of phonological awareness, rapid naming, phonological memory, PASS, reading accuracy, and reading fluency. The results indicated that the DYS group performed significantly poorer than the CA and RA groups on both measures of phonological awareness and on a measure of orthographic processing but comparably to the RA group on a measure of rapid naming and both measures of phonological memory. In regard to the PASS processing skills, the DYS group performed worse than the CA controls on Successive and Simultaneous processing but comparably to the RA group on all PASS processing skills. Implications of these findings for early identification and intervention of reading difficulties are discussed. (Contains 3 tables.)

There has been an increased interest and debate regarding the adaptiveness of continuing bonds with the deceased. The authors used data from a cross-cultural study of 61 participants from the United States (US) and 58 participants from the People's Republic of China (PRC) who completed measures of continuing bonds and adjustment at 4 and 18 months of bereavement. Higher levels of continuing bonds in the PRC at 4 months were related to better adjustment at 18 months. In contrast, results in the US showed that higher levels of continuing bonds were related to poorer adjustment at 18 months. The data suggest that culture should be addressed in the development of effective grief therapies, especially when considering continuing bonds with the deceased.

Because cohesion is important both to the reader and the writer to create and comprehend a text, teachers have placed much emphasis on text cohesion and coherence in their teaching and evaluation of writing. Using Halliday and Hasan's [Halliday, M.A.K., Hasan, R. (1976). "Cohesion in English." Longman, London] taxonomy of cohesive devices and their framework for analysis, this study investigated the use of cohesive devices in 50 argumentative compositions created by Chinese undergraduate non-English majors. It was found that the students were able to use a variety of cohesive devices in their writing, among which lexical devices formed the largest percentage of the total number of cohesive devices, followed by references and conjunctives. The quality of writing was also revealed to significantly co-vary with the number of lexical devices and the total number of cohesive devices used. Apart from that, certain problems were identified in the writing in terms of the use of reference and lexical devices. (Contains 6 tables.)

China, with a continuous existence of more than four millennia, represents one of the oldest civilisations in world history. Today's People's Republic of China is the second economic superpower of the world. It is not only the second-biggest economy in the world but also the largest trading nation. The aim of our paper is twofold: on the one hand, to define the concept of economic growth and, on the other hand, to briefly present and analyse China's economic growth since Xi Jinping has taken the power in 2012. In this sense, the author used a qualitative research method. The paper demonstrated that China's economic growth constitutes one of the most important issues on Xi Jinping's agenda. Also, it showed that in the past decade the Asian colossus attained remarkable achievements in the evolution of its gross domestic product and growth rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]