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In response to the needs of an international workforce, English for Specific Purpose courses are being promoted in higher education, and instructors are turning to learning technology to help design the instruction. In this paper, a needs analysis was conducted to guide the design of the system, materials and activities for context-aware ubiquitous language learning (CAULL) and English for Fitness Purposes (EFP) in a fitness center as part of a Design-Based Research project. The data collection methods included on-site observations, semi-structured interviews, and a questionnaire. The participants included 82 undergraduate students, seven physical education (PE) instructors, and six non-PE faculty members who frequently used the fitness center. All data forms were then triangulated and analyzed. The results show that all three groups consistently agreed that they need receptive language skills as well as specific terminology for fitness. Furthermore, it was suggested that the oral communication skills for EFP learners should also be developed for sharing ideas, experience, and suggestions. They pointed out that vocabulary related to diverse topics such as warm-up and cool-down stretches, cardiovascular exercises, and weight training are needed. Furthermore, participants reported that the CAULL system should be hypermedia-based, and contain a portfolio and a user-friendly interface. The findings were used to develop a blue print for a CAULL system based on design principles. The findings are of interest to context-aware language learning researchers, instructional designers, and the field of English for Specific Purposes.

To date, the concept of English for Specific Purposes has brought about a great impact on English language learning across various disciplines, including those in science education. Hence, this review paper aimed to address current English language learning in the science disciplines through the practice of computer-assisted language learning to identify the use of learning technologies in science-based literacy. In the literature review, the researchers found that science-based literacy instruction shares many pedagogical aims with English language teaching in terms of reading, writing, listening and speaking, allowing it to be classified as "English for Scientific Purposes" (EScP). To answer the research questions, the researchers conducted the survey by extracting related articles and teaching examples from the Web of Science. In the search procedure, the researchers used the keywords science OR "scientific" AND "technolog*" OR "comput*" in ten selected journals of social science citation index. Only articles which are specified as journal articles rather than other document types were included. After compiling the corpora, the researchers compared the trends, methodologies and results of EScP instruction in science education. The implications of this study include the opportunities, advantages and challenges for EScP instruction in science education to further develop better educational approaches, adopt new technologies, as well as offer some directions for researchers to conduct future studies.

In response to the needs of an international workforce, English for Specific Purpose courses are being promoted in higher education, and instructors are turning to learning technology to help design the instruction. In this paper, a needs analysis was conducted to guide the design of the system, materials and activities for context-aware ubiquitous language learning (CAULL) and English for Fitness Purposes (EFP) in a fitness center as part of a Design-Based Research project. The data collection methods included on-site observations, semi-structured interviews, and a questionnaire. The participants included 82 undergraduate students, seven physical education (PE) instructors, and six non-PE faculty members who frequently used the fitness center. All data forms were then triangulated and analyzed. The results show that all three groups consistently agreed that they need receptive language skills as well as specific terminology for fitness. Furthermore, it was suggested that the oral communication skills for EFP learners should also be developed for sharing ideas, experience, and suggestions. They pointed out that vocabulary related to diverse topics such as warm-up and cool-down stretches, cardiovascular exercises, and weight training are needed. Furthermore, participants reported that the CAULL system should be hypermedia-based, and contain a portfolio and a user-friendly interface. The findings were used to develop a blue print for a CAULL system based on design principles. The findings are of interest to context-aware language learning researchers, instructional designers, and the field of English for Specific Purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the tension between the rhetoric of children's rights and the realities of residential care for children in Taiwan. After reviewing Chinese and English literature, we present an empirical study of children's experiences of life in residential care, drawing on participant observation, participatory arts-based activities and semi-structured interviews with 50 children in two homes. Breaking new ground, we reveal children's accounts of happiness and unhappiness with institutional living, their strategies for developing resilience, and their understanding and experiences of children's rights. We discuss the implications of these findings for social work policy, practice and research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study examines the impact of COVID-19 on older adults in traditional nursing homes, Green Houses (GHs), and Continuing Care Retirement Communities-Nursing Homes (CCRCNHs)., Methods: COVID-19 cases and deaths from CMS and LTCFocus data across 11 states from 6/2020 to 9/2022 were used, and Poisson regressions to compare care settings while adjusting for covariates., Results: CCRCNH and GH residents were older (84.4 and 83.1 years) than those in traditional NHs (77.5 and 77.6 years, p < 0.0001), with more female and White individuals. COVID-19 risk was higher in CCRCNHs (RR 1.51, 95 % CI 1.10-2.07), large NHs (RR 1.57, 95 % CI 1.14-2.15), and highest in small NHs (RR 1.80, 95 % CI 1.32-2.47). Mortality rates across NH types showed no significant difference., Conclusion: The study shows that smaller, person-centered GHs are more effective in controlling COVID-19 infection, suggesting a need to rethink care models to incorporating GH features for better outcomes. GEORGE2 07-AUG-2024 11:31., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)