Ting, Sum Pok. / "August 2011." / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2011. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 178-185). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / ABSTRACT --- p.i / ACKNOWLEDGMENTS --- p.v / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.VI / LIST OF TABLES --- p.x / LIST OF FIGURE --- p.x / Chapter CHAPTER ONE --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT STUDY --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- PURPOSE OF THE PRESENT STUDY --- p.2 / Chapter 1.3 --- RESEARCH QUESTIONS OF THE PRESENT STUDY --- p.3 / Chapter 1.4 --- SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PRESENT STUDY --- p.5 / Chapter 1.5 --- ORGANISATION OF THE THESIS --- p.6 / Chapter CHAPTER TWO --- LITERATURE REVIEW --- p.8 / Chapter 2.1 --- STANDARDISATION OF ENGLISH AND WORLD ENGLISHES --- p.8 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Standardisation of English --- p.8 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- World Englishes --- p.11 / Chapter 2.1.3 --- Non-standard English as a kind of deficiency --- p.12 / Chapter 2.2 --- B. KACHRU'S AND SCHNEIDER'S DEVELOPMENTAL MODELS OF N EW VARIETIES OF ENGLISH --- p.14 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- B. Kachru's three-stage developmental model of English --- p.14 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Schneider's five-stage dynamic model of post-colonial Englishes --- p.16 / Chapter 2.3 --- DEBATE OF H K E AS A N EW VARIETY --- p.21 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- HKE as an autonomous variety --- p.21 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- The non-readiness of HKE as an autonomous variety --- p.23 / Chapter 2.4 --- DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN FEATURES AND ERRORS --- p.27 / Chapter 2.4.1 --- """Innovation"" and ""selection.""" --- p.27 / Chapter 2.4.2 --- "“Mistakes,´ح ""errors,"" ""deviations,"" and “features.´ح" --- p.28 / Chapter 2.4.3 --- Bamgbose's five factors in determining the status of language features --- p.29 / Chapter 2.5 --- FACTORS AFFECTING ACCEPTABILITY OF NON-NATIVE FEATURES --- p.31 / Chapter 2.5.1 --- Intelligibility --- p.31 / Chapter 2.5.2 --- Social prestige and stigma --- p.33 / Chapter 2.5.3 --- Past experience and somatic markers --- p.33 / Chapter 2.6 --- STUDIES OF ATTITUDES TOWARDS LOCAL VARIETIES IN ASIA AND HONG KONG --- p.35 / Chapter 2.6.1 --- Studies in the Asian context --- p.35 / Chapter 2.6.2 --- Studies in the Hong Kong context --- p.37 / Chapter 2.7 --- GRAMMATICAL FEATURES OF HKJE --- p.40 / Chapter 2.7.1 --- Grammatical features identified in previous studies --- p.40 / Chapter 2.7.2 --- The targeted grammatical features in the present study --- p.42 / Chapter 2.8 --- SUMMARY --- p.46 / Chapter CHAPTER THREE --- METHODOLOGY --- p.48 / Chapter 3.1 --- RESEARCH QUESTIONS --- p.48 / Chapter 3.2 --- RESEARCH DESIGN --- p.48 / Chapter 3.3 --- TARGET PARTICIPANTS --- p.50 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Selection criteria --- p.50 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Respondents of the acceptability survey --- p.52 / Chapter 3.3.3 --- Interviewees of the semi-structured interview. --- p.53 / Chapter 3.4 --- INSTRUMENTATION --- p.53 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- Acceptability surveys --- p.54 / Chapter 3.4.1.1 --- Rationale for employing acceptability surveys --- p.54 / Chapter 3.4.1.2 --- Design of the acceptability surveys --- p.54 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- Semi-structured interviews --- p.58 / Chapter 3.4.2.1 --- Rationale for employing semi-structured interviews --- p.58 / Chapter 3.4.2.1 --- Design of the semi-structured interviews --- p.60 / Chapter 3.5 --- Two PHASES OF DATA COLLECTION AND PROCESSING --- p.61 / Chapter 3.5.1 --- Quantitative phase --- p.62 / Chapter 3.5.1.1 --- Data collection --- p.62 / Chapter 3.5.1.2 --- Data analysis --- p.64 / Chapter 3.5.2 --- Qualitative phase --- p.64 / Chapter 3.5.2.1 --- Case selection --- p.64 / Chapter 3.5.2.2 --- Interview protocol. --- p.66 / Chapter 3.5.2.3 --- Data collection --- p.68 / Chapter 3.5.2.4 --- Data analysis --- p.69 / Chapter 3.6 --- ETHICS --- p.70 / Chapter 3.7 --- LIMITATIONS --- p.71 / Chapter 3.8 --- SUMMARY --- p.72 / Chapter CHAPTER FOUR --- FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION - FACTORS AFFECTING ACCEPTABILITY OF THE TARGETED GRAMMATICAL FEATURES OF HKE --- p.74 / Chapter 4.1 --- ACCEPTABILITY OF THE TARGETED GRAMMATICAL FEATURES AN OVERVIEW --- p.74 / Chapter 4.2 --- FACTORS AFFECTING THE ACCEPTABILITY OF THE TARGETED GRAMMATICAL FEATURES --- p.79 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Intelligibility of the expression --- p.80 / Chapter 4.2.1.1 --- Perceived completeness of meaning. --- p.80 / Chapter 4.2.1.2 --- Perceived complexity of the sentence structure and the idea expressed --- p.83 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Past experience of learning English in school --- p.86 / Chapter 4.2.2.1 --- Negative feelings towards the feature --- p.87 / Chapter 4.2.2.2 --- Perceived level of difficulty of the feature --- p.89 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- Everyday exposure to English --- p.92 / Chapter 4.2.3.1 --- Prevalence of the grammar item --- p.93 / Chapter 4.2.3.2 --- Perceived familiarity with the feature --- p.95 / Chapter 4.2.3.3 --- Perceived distinctiveness of the feature as “Hong Kong style. ´ح --- p.97 / Chapter 4.2.4 --- Contexts in which the features appear. --- p.98 / Chapter 4.2.4.1 --- "Computer-mediated communication in MSN, SMS, and Facebook." --- p.100 / Chapter 4.2.4.2 --- Daily face-to-face conversation --- p.105 / Chapter 4.2.5 --- Perceived competence and status of the users of the feature --- p.109 / Chapter 4.2.5.1 --- Perceived competence of the users of the feature --- p.109 / Chapter 4.2.5.2 --- Perceived social status of the users of the feature --- p.111 / Chapter 4.3 --- IMPLICATIONS FROM THE INTERVIEWS --- p.113 / Chapter 4.4 --- SUMMARY --- p.116 / Chapter CHAPTER FIVE --- FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION - PERCEIVED STATUS OF HKE --- p.118 / Chapter 5.1 --- AWARENESS OF THE EXISTENCE OF THE TARGETED GRAMMATICAL FEATURES --- p.118 / Chapter 5.2 --- INTERVIEWEES' PREFERRED VARIETY OF ENGLISH --- p.124 / Chapter 5.2.1 --- Preference for standard native varieties of English --- p.125 / Chapter 5.2.1.1 --- Perceived international intelligibility of the targeted grammatical features --- p.127 / Chapter 5.2.1.2 --- Perceived public image of the varieties of English and their users --- p.129 / Chapter 5.2.2 --- Low preference for standard native varieties of English --- p.132 / Chapter 5.2.2.1 --- Limited capability of the people in Hong Kong. --- p.132 / Chapter 5.2.2.2 --- Communicative effectiveness of the standard native varieties --- p.133 / Chapter 5.3 --- PERCEIVED STATUS OF HKE AS AN AUTONOMOUS VARIETY --- p.137 / Chapter 5.3.1 --- The perceived current status of HKE --- p.137 / Chapter 5.3.1.1 --- The lack of intention for the adoption of the non-standard features --- p.138 / Chapter 5.3.1.2 --- The lack of a unifying set offeatures --- p.140 / Chapter 5.3.2 --- The perceived future status of HKE --- p.142 / Chapter 5.3.2.1 --- Inevitability of becoming an autonomous variety. --- p.142 / Chapter 5.3.2.2 --- Perceived limited usage of English in Hong Kong --- p.143 / Chapter 5.3.3 --- The prospect of HKE as an autonomous variety --- p.144 / Chapter 5.3.3.1 --- Negative influence on English learning. --- p.144 / Chapter 5.3.3.2 --- The lack of ownership of English --- p.145 / Chapter 5.4 --- RECOGNITION OF THE TARGETED GRAMMATICAL FEATURES AS FEATURES OF HKE --- p.147 / Chapter 5.4.1 --- One standard for using English --- p.147 / Chapter 5.4.2 --- Non-standard features as identity marker. --- p.150 / Chapter 5.4.3 --- Ownership of English --- p.151 / Chapter 5.5 --- THE STATUS OF HKE IN BECOMING AN AUTONOMOUS VARIETY --- p.152 / Chapter 5.6 --- SUMMARY --- p.155 / Chapter CHAPTER SIX --- CONCLUSION --- p.157 / Chapter 6.1 --- ADDRESSING THE RESEARCH QUESTIONS --- p.157 / Chapter 6.1.1 --- Addressing research question 1: Acceptability of the targeted features --- p.157 / Chapter 6.1.2 --- Addressing research question 2: Factors affecting acceptability --- p.159 / Chapter 6.1.3 --- Addressing research question 3: Features or errors? --- p.162 / Chapter 6.1.4 --- Addressing research question 4: Perceived status of HKE --- p.164 / Chapter 6.2 --- IMPLICATIONS --- p.165 / Chapter 6.2.1 --- Exposure to varieties of English --- p.166 / Chapter 6.2.2 --- The teaching of grammar in school --- p.168 / Chapter 6.3 --- LIMITATIONS --- p.172 / Chapter 6.3.1 --- English proficiency of the participants --- p.172 / Chapter 6.3.2 --- The modes and styles of English under investigation --- p.172 / Chapter 6.3.3 --- The methodological design --- p.173 / Chapter 6.4 --- DIRECTIONS FOR FURTHER STUDIES --- p.175 / Chapter 6.4.1 --- Computer-mediated communication (CMC) and HKE --- p.175 / Chapter 6.4.2 --- Linguistic identity of local Hong Kong people --- p.176 / REFERENCE --- p.178 / Chapter APPENDIX I - --- SAMPLE OF ACCEPTABILITY SURVEY --- p.186 / Chapter APPENDIX II - --- INTERVIEW PROTOCOL --- p.191

No description available.

No description available.

Abstract not available

What constitutes a quality solution to an authentic task from industry? This study seeks to address this question through the examination of two expert solutions to an authentic engineering task used in the Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering curriculum at Oregon State University. The two solutions were generated by two teams of expert engineers with varying backgrounds. The experts solved a process development problem situated in the semiconductor manufacturing industry. Transcripts of audio recordings, design notebooks, and other work products were analyzed to identify common features in the two expert solutions. The study found that both experts placed a large focus on information gathering, modeling before experimentation, and fine tuning of the process. These solution features define a core set of expert competencies and facilitate understanding of high quality solution traits. An additional goal of the study was to identify competencies unique to each expert solution. It was observed that the expert teams used different proportions of first principles modeling and statistical experimental design to solve the problem. This proportion was dependent on the problem solver’s background and therefore should be expected to vary among student solutions. Implications of the work regarding instruction and assessment in engineering education are discussed. / Graduation date: 2012

No research to date has involved ESL students as researchers in investigations of community language practices. This study examined the research processes of 23 international college students in an advanced ESL course. The students worked on an original curriculum, the Language Research Project, through which they performed ethnographic and discourse analytic tasks and engaged in collaborative action research. As the students uncovered the tacit rules that regulate communicative practices in the university community, they sought to improve their own performance in academic interactions. The teacher-researcher simultaneously observed and analyzed students' perspectives, seeking to improve her teaching practice. An analysis of the classroom dialogues showed that intertextual links made by the teacher and the students served to build a system of scaffolds for the group. These intertextual links acted as cognitive and affective support for reflection and evaluation of ideas. The students' comments to each other resembled comments made by the teacher, which indicates that they appropriated the teacher's expert role. Thus, this study reveals that learners of similar levels can offer each other expert assistance in the completion of tasks. The students developed a high level of metacognition. Their reflections uncovered serious conflicts between themselves and native English speakers. They observed that they performed better in social settings. Conversely, they felt awkward in academic settings when interacting with domestic classmates and professors, who were often unsupportive and unwilling to engage in communication. This denial of access by Americans resulted in feelings of inadequacy and inferiority for the students. Nevertheless, some students rejected and transformed certain dominant practices of the community. By adopting the identity of researchers, the students were empowered to engage in their own realities from a position of strength and to assert their individual needs. These findings demonstrate that the students developed a sense of critical language awareness. This dissertation portrays an emerging Vygotskian sociocultural perspective on second language acquisition research. The findings support social constructivist teaching approaches that incorporate students' lived experiences. Finally, this study reveals an urgent need to sensitize faculty and students in higher education in the United States about the experiences of language-minority students. / Graduation date: 2003

In 2000 the Electrical and Computer Engineering department at Oregon State University began a new and innovative program named TekBots[superscript TM]. This program was created to solve the problems of students in existing undergraduate engineering education not having sufficient skill when graduating in six program educational objectives; Depth, Breadth, Professionalism, Innovation, Community, and Troubleshooting. TekBots uses several core values such as personal ownership, curriculum continuity, contextual teaching, fun, and hands on learning, to encourage students to learn and improve. Since the inception of the program two courses have been greatly refined. An evaluation of the courses supports our indications of improvement our program educational objectives. This thesis presents the TekBots program and the details of the first two TekBots courses. / Graduation date: 2003

The present study was conducted to examine the effects of early orientation of counseling related students to the two most prevalent paradigms of psychodiagnostic decision-making on first, the integration of the model, and second, on the ability to make proficient diagnostic decisions while in training. Using an experimental, pretest posttest design, 60 participants from two higher educational sites were randomly assigned to two treatment groups. Participants in each group were oriented to one of two treatment conditions -- a binary decision tree model or a problem-solving model (multiple competing hypotheses). Participants were then introduced to DSM Axis II diagnostic categories utilizing a computer assisted learning laboratory. Results suggested that participants learned diagnosis during the experiment. However, no significant difference in diagnostic proficiency occurred as a result of the two treatment conditions. Additional analyses raised questions about use of case studies as a means of assessing diagnostic proficiency. Item difficulty appeared to be linked to diagnostic clusters and individual diagnoses. Item difficulty factors influenced the internal consistency and validity of test instruments. The assumption of the unidimensial weight of syndromes in the construction of assessment instruments is suspect. Considering the preponderance of case study use for counselor training assessment, caution during instrument construction and use is advised. Evidence also existed that treatment groups responded differently to particular DSM diagnostic clusters and items. This suggested that cluster and item difficulty may be important to consider for instruction of diagnosis in the classroom. Results also suggested that as diagnoses become more complex, problem-solving diagnostic decision-making may become more important. Secondary analysis of computer assisted learning resulted in significant evidence that nonsequential, user-friendly computer assisted instruction may overcome teaching-study style mismatch, resulting in more even distribution of learning over the sample population. / Graduation date: 1998

This follow-up study investigated the effect of a systems-oriented graduate training program upon system thinking among practitioners who had completed training, using a post-test only, treatment-comparison group design. The subjects consisted of practitioners matriculated through two counselor-related programs at a medium-sized college in the Northwest during the years 1985-1991. A family systems-oriented training program for clinical child and youth work (CCYW) counselors and a nonsystems- oriented training program for school and agency counselors (SAC), respectively, were the sources for treatment (n=40) and comparison (n=30) groups. The theoretical orientations of the two programs were the principal independent variable, and years of post-training experience, conjugal experience, and age (life experience) were the additional independent variables used for the study. The principal dependent variable was systemic thinking and the secondary dependent variable was executive skill (therapeutic intervention skills). Data was collected from the administration of the Family Therapy Assessment Exercise (FTAE), developed by Breunlin and Associates (1989). The FTAE consists of a 30-minute videotaped simulated family therapy session, followed by administration of a series of multiple-choice questions concerned with subject judgments of therapeutic steps portrayed in the simulation. The FTAE has been found to have high discriminative validity across studies for the measurement of systemic thinking among subjects with different levels of training in family systems therapy. The primary research hypothesis was that means scores for the treatment group would be higher for systemic thinking than for the comparison group. Descriptive and inferential statistics were derived from the data and multiple regression analysis was conducted. The statistical hypothesis of no difference was set at the .05 level of significance. From findings, the null hypothesis was rejected at the .01 level of significance and the research hypothesis was accepted. From correlational tests between systems thinking and the three secondary independent variables, and between Executive Skills and the two independent variables of years of experience and conjugal experience, differences for the null hypotheses were not found to be significant at .05 and were not rejected. These results indicated that relative to the variables considered for the study, systems-oriented training had an important effect upon the ability to predict systems thinking abilities. The implications of the findings and recommendations for future research were discussed. / Graduation date: 1995

As a reader and as a teacher of introductory reading and writing courses, I am persuaded by the concept of a genuine authority in which all readers both value and seek to examine their early readings of texts. What I have come to regard as a pretended authority or mastery, on the other hand, is troubling to me as a teacher and reader. This more traditional way of reading and writing, in which readers seek to "find" an author's "meaning" and to communicate this meaning with an assured and knowing voice, has seemed in my experience as both an instructor and student to ignore or brush over the real complexity in both written texts and in the texts of students' and others' lives. In spite of my belief in the importance and efficacy of a questioning rather than a masterful authority, I sometimes, in my teaching and reading and writing, still search for and value what I perceive as author's meanings. I have encountered this tendency in many of my students, as well, and in many of my own past reading and writing teachers; tradition has deeply lodged in us the looming image of the Great Author, and the notion that we must master this author's meanings to be successful readers of their texts. Perhaps one of the most powerful dilemmas facing instructors of reading and writing courses--a dilemma which helps to shape this thesis--is that of fostering an authority based on self-valuing, self-conscious reading while at the same time communicating to readers that the texts we are reading can be as complex as the meanings we make of them. While the formal, institutionalized authority of authors must be challenged by all readers, these authors' genuine authority as writers--as makers of meaning like ourselves and our students--must be respected as we respect our own developing and individual authority. / Graduation date: 1994