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Beyond the Classroom:Investigating Learning and Motivation among EFL Undergraduate Students in Indonesia
Get PDFThe increasing importance of English as a global lingua franca necessitates effective language learning strategies, particularly for EFL (English as a Foreign Language) students in Indonesia. This research explores the factors influencing English language acquisition among EFL undergraduate students at Universitas Persatuan Guru Semarang. Employing a quantitative research design, the study utilised an online survey to collect data from 43 students. It focused on their engagement with online learning platforms, participation in extracurricular activities, informal learning environments and motivational factors. The findings revealed that while students actively engaged with online resources, their participation in curricular activities was notably low, contrasting with existing literature emphasising the significance of age development. Furthermore, informal learning environments were recognised as valuable yet underutilised, and intrinsic and extrinsic motivations played a role. In conclusion, this study highlights the need for a more integrated approach to English language education that harmonises various learning contexts. The research contributes to the field by proposing the "Integrated Engagement Model for EFL Learning," which emphasises the interconnectedness of online resources, extracurricular activities, informal learning and motivation. By providing a new conceptual framework and methodological approach, this study offers valuable insights for educators and policymakers aiming to enhance language learning experiences and outcomes for EFL students in Indonesia
The roots of reactionary tech oligarchy and the need for radical democratic alternatives
Get PDFThe aim for this commentary is two-fold: first, we seek to outline how decades of liberal “post-democratic” hegemony—prevalent across liberal democratic parliaments, journalism, and academia—have enabled the rise of reactionary tech oligarchy. Second, we call for cross-disciplinary and cross-societal alliances that not only reject depoliticized euphemisms such as “polarization,” “populism,” and “post-truth,” but also actively commit to building radical democratic alternatives to both the failed liberal democratic status quo and its authoritarian outgrowth. Departing from the growing overt involvements of tech billionaires in authoritarian movements—financially, politically, discursively—we build on emergent scholarship to highlight failures in understanding the rise of reactionary tech, through its historical roots, financial and political power, and discursive reach
Probing the effect of isomeric -OH group in heteroleptic Copper(I)-triphenylphosphine appended dithiocarbamates on their electrocatalytic properties for homogeneous hydrogen evolution reactions
Get PDFDue to increasing interest in alternative cost-effective electrocatalysts containing transition metals, three new heteroleptic triphenylphenylphosphine appended copper(I) dithiocarbamate complexes [Cu(S2CN(CH2C6H5)(CH2C6H4-o-OH))(PPh3)2] (Cu-o-OH), [Cu(S2CN(CH2C6H5)(CH2C6H4-m-OH))(PPh3)2] (Cu-m-OH) and [Cu(S2CN(CH2C6H5)(CH2C6H4-p-OH))(PPh3)2] (Cu-p-OH), have been synthesized, characterized spectroscopically and by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The single crystal X-ray studies suggest that for Cu-o-OH and Cu-m-OH, copper(I) possess a distorted P2S2 coordinate tetrahedral geometry. The solid-state framework of Cu-o-OH has been found to be majorly stabilized by O-H···S intermolecular interactions, while that of Cu-m-OH is sustained by C-H···C and O-H···S interactions, whose nature has been assessed by Hirshfeld surface analysis. The homogeneous electrocatalytic properties of the complexes for proton reduction reveal that the icat/iPc values of complexes are greater than 28, while utilizing trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) as a proton source. In all complexes, the ratio ic/iwc have been found to be greater than 1, indicating that these complexes can effectively catalyze proton reduction to hydrogen in acetonitrile. Amongst all the three complexes, Cu-p-OH has been found to be the best electrocatalyst with low overpotential (η) of 0.876 V and a highest turnover frequency (TOF) of 539.60 s−1 on adding 70 mM TFA. The best catalytic activity of Cu-p-OH has been attributed to its larger HOMO-LUMO energy gap and a more positive charge on copper(I) compared to other isomeric complexes that assists the complex to attract more electron density that could have readily enhanced its electrocatalytic performance.</p
Performance and Healthcare Team processes and structure impact player availability in professional men’s football
Get PDFObjectives To determine whether the structures and processes of an English Championship football club’s performance and healthcare team (PHCT) were associated with player availability (PA) during periods of match congestion (≤3 days between matches).Methods This sequential explanatory mixed-method case study included 10 practitioners from the PHCT. Participants completed team process/structure questionnaires two times per month during the 2017–2018 season. PA and match frequency data were provided by the PHCT, who also participated in a postseason focus group. Associations between PA and team structures/processes were assessed using Pearson correlations. Framework analysis was used to explore PHCT perceptions of teamwork effectiveness. Results synthesis was guided by the Integrated Team Effectiveness Model.Results Mean PA during match congestion was 78.1% (95% bias-corrected and accelerated bootstrap CI (BCa): 76.2%, 80.4%) compared with 84.2% (95% BCa: 80.6%, 87.3%) during uncongested periods. There were significant associations between match frequency and PA (r= −0.68; 95% BCa: 0.32, 0.93; p=0.008) and PHCT processes and PA (r=0.53; 95% BCa: 0.09, 0.89; p=0.035). Having more PHCT meetings (r=0.46; BCa 95%: 0.22, 0.82; p=0.048) and greater satisfaction with those meetings (r=0.41; BCa 95%: 0.04, 0.07; p=0.043) were associated with higher PA, irrespective of match frequency. During match congestion, the PHCT reported that resource and task coordination issues negatively impacted their processes.Conclusions Match congestion was associated with disruptions to PHCT processes and structure, with negative implications for PA
Mechanism and application of a coating-free microbial self-healing agent in cement-based composites
Get PDFOver the past two decades, the use of Microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) technology for self-healing concrete cracks has emerged as a feasible and environmentally friendly approach. In microbial self-healing concrete, microorganisms and nutrients are immobilized within suitable carriers to protect the microorganisms, thereby enabling concrete self-repair. The choice of carriers and preparation methods significantly influences the self-healing performance of concrete. Expanded perlite (EP), a porous carrier widely studied in microbial self-healing concrete, has shown great potential. Building on previous EP-based self-healing agent preparation methods, this study simplifies and improves the process by proposing an uncoated multi-species microbial self-healing agent to enhance healing efficacy. The results demonstrate that the coating-free EP self-healing agent exhibits excellent crack healing performance. When 1200 mL of healing agent was added to the basic mix ratio of the mortar sample, the healing rate for cracks measuring 1.4–1.6 mm reaches 70.9 %, with a maximum average water-tight crack width of 0.86 mm. The maximum healed crack width achieved is 1.772 mm. Additionally, the study reveals that the coating-free EP self-healing agent improves the compressive strength of mortar at lower dosages compared to traditional EP agents. By optimizing the preparation process, the cost of the coating-free EP self-healing agent is reduced, while the self-healing capability of concrete is significantly enhanced
Deconstructing and reconstructing African development studies through student engagement and cross-cultural collaboration at a UK university
Get PDFThis paper reflects on the authors’ experience of seeking student feedback and peer recommendations to reconstruct learning content for the delivery of a module on African development studies at a university in the United Kingdom (UK). This restructuring process relied on a form of Appreciative Inquiry that covered the four stages of discovery, dreaming, delivery, and destiny. The paper finds that most students enter university with a limited understanding of Africa framed by overwhelmingly negative associations and have difficulty accessing positive narratives about African countries in their programmes of study. Consequently, problematizing generalised perceptions of Africa must form an obligatory part of transformative change in UK universities, so that students can gain an education that provides them with a more rounded understanding of and appreciation for the continent and its people. The paper also highlights that for sustained, transformative change to occur, efforts to decolonise teaching must go beyond the fragility of siloed initiatives to institution-wide efforts that include establishing training programs and the targeted recruitment of staff with specialised knowledge. Through a discussion of its key findings, the paper seeks to contribute to a growing body of literature providing practical examples of how universities in the UK (and beyond) can decolonise, diversify, and update their social science curricula
Self-afirmation and openness to change
Get PDFTwo experiments examined the effects of self-affirmation on intellectual humility, which we conceptualise as openness to opposing views and a willingness to listen and engage with them in discussion. In the first experiment, 303 participants completed a manipulation of self-affirmation using values ratings. We then recorded 116 in-person group discussions, which were coded by linguists who were blind to condition. As expected, the self-affirmation task increased the coded intellectual humility, as well as participants’ humble emotions (e.g., humble, respectful, empathic) prior to the discussions. In a second experiment using a similar design, but with online discussions, we recruited 722 participants and replicated the effect of self-affirmation on humble emotions, but found no consistent impact on coded intellectual humility. A manipulation of which values were affirmed within the self-affirmation task did not moderate these effects. An aim for ongoing research is to discover whether the difference in impact between experiments is due to differences in the structure of in-person vs online dialogue or to the lesser availability of visual and tonal cues in online chats
Decision-making and acute behavioural disturbance (ABD):a qualitative thematic analysis of perspectives on decision-making by UK ambulance paramedics
Get PDFBackgroundIncidents involving severe agitation are complex emergencies which occur infrequently in the community but have high stakes for patients and responders. Acute behavioural disturbance (ABD), an umbrella term used to describe severe agitation, sometimes known as excited delirium, affects patients who typically present to police and ambulance paramedics and may require restraint. However, little is known about how paramedics make these restraint decisions. This research aimed to explore the decisions made by paramedics when managing restraint in the context of ABD in the UK ambulance setting.MethodsTen semi-structured interviews and one focus group were undertaken with one newly qualified and 12 experienced paramedics employed by a large metropolitan ambulance service. The resulting data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, informed by critical realism.ResultsWe identified three interrelated themes from the data: working in the context of fear, navigating complexity without consistent and adequate formal subject-specific training, and the nature of professional roles and relationships at incident scenes. These restraint decisions are a source of concern, with paramedics fearing patients coming to harm and the potential for detrimental professional repercussions. Decision-making was complicated by mismatched levels of education specific to restraint and the management of ABD patients, and the requirements of ‘real world’ clinical practice. The social relationships between paramedics and others at incident scenes were also important, with paramedics situating ABD incidents as healthcare rather than law enforcement encounters key to influencing restraint decisions.ConclusionsOur results indicated that paramedics would benefit from further education which is specific to identifying and managing the complex social interactions which occur at ABD scenes. High-fidelity simulation training delivered jointly with other agencies may be a helpful intervention in achieving this
Positional isomeric triphenylphosphine appended tetrahedral Cu(I) 2-/3-/4-methylpyridyldithiocarbonates as heterogeneous molecular electrocatalysts for OER and HER
Get PDFThree Cu(I) complexes with positional isomeric methylpyridyldithiocarbonates as main ligands and two triphenylphosphine as co-ligands with compositions [Cu{(P(C6H5)3}2(2-Py-CH2OCS2)] (2PyCu), [Cu{(P(C6H5)3}2(3-Py-CH2OCS2)] (3PyCu) and [Cu{(P(C6H5)3}2(4-Py-CH2OCS2)] (4PyCu) (Py = Pyridyl) are reported herein. The single crystal X-ray diffraction investigations for all three complexes suggest a distorted tetrahedral geometry around Cu(I) that is satisfied by two S centers of methylpyridyldithiocarbonate ligand in bidentate chelating mode and two PPh3 phosphorus centers. All three complexes exhibits interesting supramolecular frameworks sustained by C∙∙∙H, O∙∙∙H, S∙∙∙H and N∙∙∙H non-covalent interactions. The nature of these interactions have been assessed with the aid of Hirshfeld surface analyses and energy framework calculations. These complexes have been employed as molecular heterogeneous electrocatalysts in the oxygen/hydrogen evolution reactions (O/HERs). The electrocatalytic results indicate that 2PyCu exhibits the best electrocatalytic performance with onset potential of 1.67 V, η10 of 705.5 mV and a Tafel slope of 220 mV·dec‑1 for OER. For HER also 2PyCu displays superior performance with an onset potential, η10, and a Tafel slope of -0.507 V, -658 mV and 168 mV·dec‑1, respectively. Overall, because of the presence of Cu(I)-center, the electrocatalytic HER performances of all three complexes have been observed to be superior than their corresponding electrocatalytic OER performances.</p
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