Intercultural Competence Development of Chinese Students After a Short-Term Study Abroad Experience

This study investigated Chinese students’ intercultural competence and linguistic growth during a six-week study abroad program. The students and their professor participated in pre- and post-tests covering written and oral language competency as well as intercultural competence. The Global Scale of English assessed student language development to determine linguistic growth and the Assessment of Intercultural Competence of Chinese College Students (AIC-CCS) was used to determine student growth of intercultural competence skills, specifically related to cultural knowledge, skills, attitudes, and awareness as a result of their experiences in a non-Western context. Results indicated that students experienced a change in the salience of intercultural knowledge themes over their period abroad, as well as improved their individual language abilities. This study provides suggestions for future programming focused on the development of Chinese student intercultural competencies during short-term study abroad experiences in Western university environments.

Associations between Rejective Parenting Style and Academic Anxiety among Chinese High School Students:The Chain Mediation Effect of Self-Concept and Positive Coping Style

Background:The phenomenon of academic anxiety has been demonstrated to exert a considerable influence on students’academic engagement,leading to the emergence of a phenomenon known as“learned helplessness”and undermining the selfconfidence and motivation of high school students.Using acceptance-rejection theory,this study elucidated how a rejective parenting style affects Chinese high school students’academic anxiety and explored the urban-rural heterogeneity of this relationship.Methods:Data were analyzed using a stratified whole-cluster random sampling method.There are a total of 30,000 high school students in the three regions of northern and central China(from Shanxi,Hebei and Henan).A sample of 2286 high school students aged 14–19 years was ultimately selected from 2760 respondents for this investigation,which was conducted at the beginning of the 2023 school year.Pearson correlation,ordinary least squares(OLS)regression analysis,path analysis,and Fisher’s permutation test(FPT)were used to examine the effects of rejective parenting style on high school students’academic anxiety.Results:Results indicated a significant positive predictive effect between rejective parenting style and academic anxiety among high school students(β=0.815,t=116.211,p<0.001).Students’self-concept was significantly positively related to positive coping style(β=0.424,t=21.208,p<0.001)and chain-mediated this relationship.Therefore,this parenting style may indirectly mitigate academic anxiety through these mediators.The study also found that the effect of rejective parenting style on academic anxiety varied by students’residential background and was more pronounced in urban areas(0.226)than in rural areas(0.130).Conclusion:The research underscores the imperative for Chinese families to reexamine their utilization of rejection parenting and to prioritize the cultivation of students’intrinsic attributes.These findings offer a theoretical framework and practical evidence for policymakers and educators to develop efficacious and targeted interventions.In particular,greater attention should be directed towards the discrepancies in the manifestation of emotional and academic anxiety between urban and rural students,and prompt guidance should be furnished.

Students’ perception of effective clinical teaching and teacher behaviour

Learning in the clinical environment is an integral part of nursing education programme. In tertiarybased nursing courses, students spend time learning in the clinical setting as they do in their classroombased studies. The purpose of this study was to explore teaching skills considered by undergraduate student nurses as effective in the clinical setting as well as qualities that make a clinical teacher effective. A descriptive design was employed using questionnaires to collect data. Respondents comprised year four undergraduate student nurses admitted through direct entry (DE) and university matriculation examination (UME) results. Using validated structured questionnaire, data were collected from 101 students who had completed their six months consolidated clinical experience on their perception of teaching skills and teacher qualities considered effective in the clinical setting. Data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Specifically, frequencies, percentage and standard deviation were used for descriptive analysis of scores while chi square and Mann-Whitney tests were used to test the mean differences in the teaching skills and to test whether there was a significant difference in their perception of teacher behaviours respectively at 0.05 level of significance. The result showed that having both clinical (professional) and teaching knowledge were the most important teaching skills for effective clinical teaching. Five qualities ranked by students as teacher behaviours important for effective teaching include being honest with students, motivation to teach, willingness to listen and using good communication skills, supervising students effectively and being positive role model. These factors could be considered when recruiting future clinical teachers and when planning inservice education programmes for clinical teachers to promote student learning.

Prevalence and Factors Associated with Refractive Errors among University Students at Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Uganda

Introduction: WHO estimated that uncorrected refractive errors are the leading cause of visual impairment and second leading cause of blindness globally. University students are prone to developing refractive errors due to their curriculum that requires a lot of near work affecting their performance and quality of life unknowingly. Genetic and environmental factors are thought to play a role in the development of refractive errors. This study addresses the paucity of knowledge about refractive errors among university students in East Africa, providing a foundation for further research. Objectives: To determine the prevalence and factors associated with refractive errors among students in the Faculty of Medicine at Mbarara University of Science and Technology. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional descriptive and analytical study in which 368 undergraduate students selected using random sampling were assessed for refractive errors from March 2021-July 2021. Eligible participants were recruited and their VA assessment done after answering a questionnaire. Students whose VA improved on pin hole had subjective retinoscopy and results were compiled and imported to STATA 14 for analysis. Results: The prevalence of refractive errors was 26.36% with (95% CI) among university students especially myopia. Myopia is most predominant at 60%, followed by 37% Astigmatism and hyperopia of 3% among medical students. Astigmatism consisted of largely myopic astigmatism 72% (26) and 28% (10) compound/mixed astigmatism only. Student positive family history of refractive error was found to have a statistically significant relationship with refractive errors with AOR 1.68 (1.04 - 2.72) (95% CI) and P (0.032). Conclusion: The prevalence of refractive errors among university students, especially myopia, was found to be high and family history was associated with students having refractive errors.

Posttraumatic stress symptoms among Chinese university students during the COVID-19 pandemic:Prevalence,correlates,and mental health help-seeking

BACKGROUND Revisiting the epidemiology of posttraumatic stress symptoms(PTSSs)among university students during the coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)pandemic as well as understanding the mental health help-seeking behavior of individuals with PTSSs has critical implications for public mental health strategies in future medical pandemics.AIM To investigate the prevalence and correlates of PTSSs among university students during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in China and to examine mental health help-seeking behaviors among these students.METHODS A total of 2507 Chinese university students were recruited via snowball sampling.The students completed the Seven-item Screening Scale for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in China.Sociodemo-graphic characteristics,pandemic-related characteristics,and mental health help-seeking behaviors of students with PTSSs were also collected.RESULTS The prevalence of PTSSs among the participants was 28.0%.Seven significant correlates of PTSSs were identified(odds ratio=1.23-3.65,P≤0.024):Female sex,being 19 years old or older,living with others or alone,a low level of family economic status,fair or poor interpersonal relationships,severe or very severe local pandemic,and having family members diagnosed with COVID-19.However,only 3.28%of the students with PTSSs reported seeking help from mental health specialists.Among the 23 students who sought help from mental health specialists,13 opted for online or telephone-based psychological consultation.CONCLUSION Our data suggest that there was a high risk of PTSSs among university students and a high level of unmet mental health needs during the COVID-19 pandemic.The delivery of mental health services online or via telephone is a promising approach to address these unmet needs.

Study on Paths of Affect Factors on Adaption to University Life of Chinese International Students in Korea —Choosing Korean Training Chinese Students as Main Investigation Objects

The purpose of this paper is to study effect factors of adaptation to university life of Chinese International Students in Korea. 374 Korean language trainees are chosen as investigation objects by means of random cluster sampling. Questionnaire data are collected by using the survey form and then paths of effect factors on adaption to university life of Korean training Chinese students in Korea are analyzed. The results indicate that Korean language proficiency, physical symptoms, loneliness, self-efficacy, acculturation stress are direct effect factors on Chinese students adapting to university life in Korea. Besides, Korean language proficiency, physical symptoms, loneliness are not only direct effect factors on self-efficacy and acculturation stress but also indirect effect factors on Chinese students adapting to university life in Korea. In order to improve ability of Korean training Chinese students adapting to university life in Korea, Korean language proficiency and self-efficacy should be improved. And, some effective interventions should be given to reducing physical symptoms, loneliness and acculturation stress.

Anthropometric studies on medical students of Nepal and Sri Lanka:height and weight

Nutritional status of a population or an individual could be assessed by clinical,biochemical and anthropometric means.It is widely used in the monitoring of growth and assessment of the nutritional status of children and adults.Even though a large number of anthropometric studies is done in Nepal and Sri Lanka,on various projects related to the nutritional aspects,but only few have been done on anthropometry and due to lack of information on anthropometric data of Nepalese and Sri Lankan medical students,the present study was initiated at Nepal Medical college and Faculty of Medicine,University of Peradeniya,Sri Lanka.The aim of the study was to measure height and weight of medical students of Nepal Medical College and Faculty of Medicine,University of Peradeniya.A total of 1228(males 681;females 547)medical students participated in the study.The ratio of male to female was 1.24:1.The height was measured,to the nearest 0.1 cm without shoes,using a measuring tape affixed to the wall.The weight was recorded using weighing scale,with minimum clothes and without shoes to the nearest 0.1kg.Two tail unpaired t’test was performed to compare mean values.The percentile values were obtained using Microsoft excel for Windows 98.The age of the students varied from 18-26 years with a mean±SD of 20.77±1.17 and 20.90±1.10 in males and females respectively.The heights of the male and female medical students werel.65±0.08 and 1.61±0.08 and the weight was 59.70±9.26 and 55.54±9.16 respectively.The percentile values obtained for height and weight were compared with National Centre for Health statistics(NCHS) standards.The 50th percentile value of males height and weight corresponded to the 20th percentile and below the 20th percentile values respectively of the NCHS standard.The 50th percentile value of female’s height and weight corresponded to less than 10th and 15th percentiles respectively.The height and weight of only 9 males and 8 females were above the 50th percentile value of NCHS standards.The study reveals that the Nepalese medical students and Sri Lankan medical students are underweight and shorter compared to western standards.

Differences in Self-Assessment Regarding Eating Behaviors among Female University Students Living in Japan, Korea, and Austria

Objective: To investigate cross-cultural differences in self-assessments of eating behaviors of female university students who bear responsibility for their own eating behaviors and who will, in the future, likely determine a family’s eating style. Design: A cross-cultural comparison. Setting: Japan, South Korea, and Austria. Subjects: Female university students from Japan (n = 276), Korea (n = 103), and Austria (n = 127). The survey comprised a questionnaire containing ten sections about eating behaviors (eating habits, regular meal times, and frequency of food intake) and eating attitudes. Results: Eating behaviors and attitudes differed significantly among the three cultures. Japanese students practiced healthier eating behaviors than did Korean and Austrian students, on the basis of their variety of food intake and regular consumption of three meals, but rated themselves lower on healthy eating behaviors. Austrian students tended to have more independent attitudes toward eating and food preparation (e.g., “I want to eat only my favorite dishes”) than Japanese or Korean students. Conclusions: Effects of cultural differences in psychological processes, such as self-cognition, emotion, motivation, and values, on self-assessment of eating behaviors is suggested.

Analysis on the Way of Integrating Educational Drama into Patriotism Education for Primary School Students

In the process of patriotism education for primary school students,educational drama can play a very important role.However,the premise is that educational drama should be successfully integrated into the process of patriotism education of primary school students,instead of simply and mechanically stuffing educational drama into patriotism education of primary school students.As far as the integration mode of educational drama is concerned,educational drama can be divided into three kinds,namely,discipline-oriented drama education,infiltration-oriented drama education and activity-oriented drama.Therefore,the integration methods are also divided into three categories,namely,setting up educational drama courses,using educational drama to infiltrate patriotic education into other disciplines and carrying out activity-oriented drama education.

Perspectives on Socialization Factors in University Students in the People's Republic of China and the United States

This paper focuses on the socialization factors of undergraduate students that lead to the readiness for education.Factors such as parental socialization,student background characteristics,pre college normative pressures and influences,and non college refernce groups will be helpful in relating to reality of undergraduate students.This information will help both faculty and administrators meet the needs of students by understanding the processes of development and change in their college years.

Evaluation of Students'Performance in Specialized Courses in Yanbian Agriculture College by Variance

The performance of college students'professional courses is an index to evaluate their academic status,so the performance of professional courses has a certain significance.In the process of assigning homework to teachers and taking exams in universities,the performance of specialized courses is regarded as the standard for students to study well.Because students'understanding and follow-up are often assessed on the basis of their usual seriousness and attendance in class,homework and exams,it is necessary to analyze their final grades to assess their actual situation.Test scores were evaluated using variances and covariances.This paper discusses how to evaluate the final achievement from the distribution of achievement.

Effects of supervised movie appreciation on the improvement of college students’ life meaning sense

The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of supervised movie appreciation on improving the life meaning sense among college students. The intervention combined by “pre-video, post counseling” was conducted on the experimental group, while the control group received no intervention. Results have shown that the scores on the subscales of will to meaning, life purpose, life control, suffer acceptance and on the total scale have improved significantly. No gender difference was found on the intervention effect, and participants receiving intervention maintained higher level on related subscales a week later, indicating that supervised movie appreciation is an effective way to improve the life meaning sense among college students.

Italian Psychometric Validation of the Multidimensional Students’ Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile Scale

The present study examines the factorial structure and assesses the psychometric properties of the adapted multidimensional Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II Scale, considering a sample of Italian university students who participated to an online survey. The original 52-items Scale showed a high overall internal consistency. Four of the six subscales were associated with good values of the Cronbach’s α coefficient, whereas two subscales had lower values. Hence corrected item-total correlation was calculated and 26 items that decreased the scale’s reliability were deleted. The remaining 26 items were first subjected to Principal Component Analysis that suggested a conceptually meaningful five-factor model. This result was further supported by the first-order confirmatory factor analysis, in which all the factor loadings were statistically significant. The internal consistency and the composite reliability for the reduced version of the Scale and its subscales have shown a good reliability for the measurement models. The multidimensionality of the scale was also confirmed by a second-order factor model.

The Social Media and Technology Addiction and Its Associated Factors among University Students in Lebanon Using the Media and Technology Usage and Attitudes Scale (MTUAS)

The contemporary developments of Information and Communication Technologies usage have fueled a popular concern. The young people are experiencing technology addiction behavior due to excessive media and technology usage. A valid instrument is required to detect individuals at high risk of social media and technology addiction. Objective: The objectives of this study are to assess prevalence of the technology addiction using the Media and Technology Usage and Attitudes Scale (MTUAS) and to investigate the impacts of online social networking on health and academic performance of young university students in Lebanon. Methods: During the academic year 2017-2018, a cross-sectional study which enrolled 705 young university students was conducted. Data was collected using MTUAS questionnaire. The translation and cultural adaptation of the MTUAS followed a standardized protocol. The psychometric properties were then evaluated. We used multivariate regression analyses to determine which characteristics were associated with the technology addiction among students. Results: 705 filled out the questionnaire aged 17 to 35 years (mean = 20.42;SD = 2.41), 74% of whom were females. The internal consistency was high for all subscales and ranged from 0.54 - 0.87. The MTUAS yielded statistically significant scores for subgroups (known group validity). Males’ students had a higher risk of addiction to social media and technology than females. The use of media was viewed common among the smokers (OR = 1.76;95% CI = 1.10 - 2.82, p = 0.02) and drinkers of alcohol (OR = 1.80;95% CI = 1.04 - 3.11, p = 0.04). Students that used e-mailing, smartphone, and TV viewing had a high academic performance level. Females and public university students had negative attitudes toward technology. In conclusion: The technology becomes a big problem on the universities students’ users that has an impact on their life and affects their academic performance. The MTUAS Arabic version has been evaluated as a valid and reliable instrument.

The Omani Technical Students’Knowledge of English for Specific Purposes(ESP)Lexis and Their Attitudes Towards Learning ESP

In Oman,research on ESP has been attracting a great deal of attention in English language education over the past decade.Nevertheless,little attention has been paid to discover the relationship between the technical students’knowledge of the ESP lexis and their attitudes towards learning ESP in the Omani technical context.Therefore,this research study was conducted to do so and to explore whether the Omani technical students’knowledge of ESP lexis is predictable and is affected by a combination of their attitudes to learning ESP,their gender,and their age.Forty-eight questionnaires were distributed among participants(24 males and 24 females)aged between 24 and 27 years old.The study confirmed the positive relation between people’s knowledge and their feelings;several recommendations were proposed.In addition,the study showed that technical students’attitude towards learning ESP is an issue that must be resolved as it negatively affects improving the students’knowledge of ESP lexes.

Mobile Based Learning and Examination: Students and Instructors Perceptions from Different Arab Countries

The online education market is expanding both globally and locally;Arab countries are paying special attention to the growth of this sector. Reports showed that the e-learning market arrived at $27.1 billion in the year 2009 and is expected to surpass $49.6 billion by the year 2014. This paper presents and surveys the perception of students and instructors regarding mobile learning and mobile examination system in some Arab countries. Many universities in the Arab world are under progress in the implementation of this new technology and many have already implemented it. Strong tools are required to improve e-learning system of education. This research supports the transition of education from conventional methods to m-learning and m-exam systems. The purpose of this research is to study the perception of both instructors and students regarding mobile learning and mobile examination systems. The introduction of such systems to the educational process requires people involved to have basic technical skills and to be aware of the benefits of such systems. Results showed different perspectives from three countries;also showed that online examination systems could be very helpful, but many factors should be considered and they should be implemented carefully to guarantee the successful adoption, fairness and reliability.

The Evil of ‘Reciting’

First of all it is necessary to point out that 'reciting' is the wrong term for what Chinese students are often asked to do when they are learning English. The correct terms are, 'learning by heart' or 'rote learning'. In this article the term 'rote learning' will be used.……

The Analysis of Scaffolding Instruction Application in Senior High School English Writing Teaching —— Based on Students of Zuoyun High School in Datong

This study aims to investigate the relationship between English Writing achievement and scaffolding instruction with 100 Students from Zuoyun high school as subjects in a quantitative method.Results show that:1)On the whole,high school students have good use of scaffolding in English writing.2)The application of scaffolding instruction in high school English writing teaching has a significant positive correlation with English writing performance.3)On the whole,there is a significant difference in the application of the scaffolds in English writing between high and low-score group students.

Factors Influencing Students Decisions to Enrollment in Sudanese Higher Education Institutions

There is a growing body of literature that recognizes the importance of data mining in educational systems. This recognition makes educational data mining a new growing research community. One way to achieve the highest level of quality in a higher education system is by discovering knowledge from educational data such as students’ enrollment data. Many mining tools that aim to discover exciting correlations, frequent patterns, associations, or casual structures among sets of items in educational data sets have been proposed. One of the widely used tools is association rules. In this paper, the Apriori algorithm is used to generate association rules to discover the importance and correlation between factors that influence student’s decision to enroll in higher education institutions in Sudan. The algorithm is applied using a student’s enrollment data set that was created using a questionnaire and 800 students enrolled in governmental and private sector universities as a sample. This paper classifies factors that influence enrollment into: student’s demographic factors and four categories of enrollment related factors (Student and Society, Educational Institution, Admission, and Employment related factors), and determines the most influential factors in determining student’s decision to enroll in Sudanese universities. The analysis result shows that the Educational Institution related factors (50%) and Admission related factors (40%) are strongly influencing students’ enrollment decision, while the Employment related factors (10%) and Student and Society related factors (0%) have weak influence. The factors out of the 14 Educational Institution related factors that have a high impact are: reputation, diversity of study, quality of education, education facilities, and feasibility.

reducing pre-school education norma 1 school students' affective filter in english learning though cooperative learning

during the past twenty year,many of the major developments in language teaching in some way related to the need to acknowledge affective factors in language learning.