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This action research was conducted to investigate the efficacy of networking, an adjusted cooperative learning method employed in an English literature class for non-English majors in China. Questionnaire was administered online anonymously to college students after a 14-week cooperative learning in literature class in a Chinese university, aiming to study whether the proposed cooperative learning method was an effective method in literature class and how it would impact students. The results indicated that it was an effective instructional practice with benefits in academic study, accountability and social skills.

BackgroundThe relationship between human serum albumin levels and the prognosis of critical care patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains controversial.ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between serum albumin levels and in-hospital mortality in critical care patients with COPD. METHODS: This study used a retrospective observational cohort from the Medical Information in Intensive Care database (MIMIC-IV) in the United States. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between serum albumin levels and in-hospital mortality. A restricted cubic spline line was also used to explore nonlinear relationship.ResultsA total of 3,398 critical care patients with COPD were included. The overall in-hospital mortality was 12.4%. We found a negative relationship between human serum albumin and in-hospital mortality (HR = 0.97, 95% CI 0.96–0.99, p = 0.002).ConclusionIn critical care patients with COPD, there was a negative association between human serum albumin and in-hospital mortality.

This article performs an exploratory study of the newly formulated "Guidelines" for College English Teaching ("Draft Exposure")("2015")("Guidelines"), aiming at exploring how different the latest Guidelines is from the previous ones, what challenges it brings to teachers and how these challenges can be countered. Therefore, comparisons are made among six syllabi to illustrate the developments college English has achieved and its existent problems as well. To address these problems, "Guidelines" (2015) is issued with three new features: the integration of instrumentality and humanity, the introduction of intercultural education and the system of multiple curriculum for multiple teaching objectives. Its issuing poses tremendous challenges to college English teachers, of which increasing demands on college English teachers' professional expertise, skillful employment of information technology and academic performance stand out. To help counter these challenges and difficulties, suggestions are made from three levels with the hope that improved teachers' quality can facilitate the implementation of "Guidelines" (2015) and guarantee the potential achievement of its expected objectives. These suggestions are: life-long learning and self-directed development consciousness, the establishment of teacher education system by faculties and universities and continued governmental support in and favorable policies to college English teacher education.

While extensive research supported the facilitative role of motivation in general self-regulated learning (SRL) strategy use, its connection to writing-specific SRL strategy use remains underexplored. Furthermore, the exploration of the interplay between motivation and SRL strategy use in second or foreign (L2) writing was absent within the motivational-self system. Even less is known about the mechanism between motivational factors and SRL strategy use in L2 writing. This study aims to fill the gap by testing the mediating role of positive emotions (enjoyment, pride, and hope) between future L2 writing selves (ideal L2 self and ought-to L2 self) and SRL strategy use in the Chinese English as a foreign language (EFL) writing context with a mixed method design incorporating both quantitative and qualitative methods. Three hundred and sixty students enrolled in College English writing classes were recruited and they reported their responses to standardized measures. Results of structural equation modelling (SEM) showed that positive emotions partially mediated the link between ideal L2 writing selves and SRL but not between ought-to L2 writing selves and SRL. Semi-structured interviews about students’ in-depth perceptions of the three constructs complemented our quantitative results. Theoretical and pedagogical implications are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]