International Educational Institutions Research Articles

Improvement of the Quality of the Educational Process in the Multi-Level Higher Education System

The article is dedicated to the substantiation of approaches to the improvement of the quality of the educational process in the multi-level higher education system. It has been established that the time has come for the state-public management of the quality of higher education. It has been proved that to keep the high quality of higher education, public authorities need to draw for the accreditation of educational programs independent assessment institutions and to assure the quality of higher education, as well as to ensure the cooperation of national and international higher education institutions. It has been determined that when performing an external assessment of higher education and public professional accreditation independent bodies’ approaches and principles should be much wider than those used for state accreditation.

Independent educational auditor as an agent of public mechanism of quality assurance in higher education

Independent educational auditor as an agent of public mechanism of quality assurance in higher education

Disaster Risk Reduction Knowledge Service: A Paradigm Shift from Disaster Data Towards Knowledge Services

Earthquakes have caused tremendous damage in China and around the world; the Wenchuan earthquake that occurred in China 10 years ago is among the deadliest earthquakes in history. The importance of earthquake monitoring and seismic data analysis is now recognized in China. However, the effective dissemination of earthquake-related disaster risk reduction (DRR) knowledge to decision-makers and the public has not been adequately addressed. Under the auspices of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the International Knowledge Centre for Engineering Science and Technology (managed by the Chinese Academy of Engineering) launched the Disaster Risk Reduction Knowledge Service in 2016. This service, based on the development of disaster metadata standards, was constructed to share disaster information and provide thematic knowledge services; it facilitates the integration and sharing of disaster data, disaster maps, expert opinions, institutional knowledge, research literature, and videos. A series of earthquake DRR knowledge services applications have been implemented using this knowledge service platform, including (1) a global earthquake daily distribution map service, (2) a spatiotemporal map of historical earthquakes in the One Belt One Road region, (3) a Wenchuan earthquake disaster relief knowledge service, and (4) a thematic knowledge service for disaster relief work and contingency planning during the Jiuzhaigou earthquake. In the long term, this system will support the conversion of disaster data into DRR knowledge and provide services for international organizations, government institutions, research and educational institutions, enterprises, and the general public.

Decolonial Responsibility within International Higher Education: Institutional Commitment and Resistance Strategies

This article explores certain ways in which international higher education institutions can be informed by decolonial approaches. The examination is based on the author’s and other Latin American s...

Rediscovering the Nuances of Teacher Reflection in the Era of Cultural Imperialism: Some Insights on the Cultural Awareness into Learning Solutions and Learner Strategies in the Second Language Curriculum

<em>The idea of teacher reflection is always relevant in order to create cultural awareness on various types of learning solutions and learner strategies being recommended to the second language learners in the ESL curriculum studies. The pedagogic dimensions of cultural imperialism are yet to be actualized in the core tenets of second language curriculum development in the era of Electronic Colonialism. This research article aims at improvement of the existing set of learning teaching practices prevalent in the traditional canon with a scope for multicultural interface and inclusive curriculum whereby subaltern cultures and their curricula (or the curricula of the oppressed) will be taken up as part of mainstream academic discourse in the educational institutions across the third world and other international educational institutions.</em>

УДОСКОНАЛЕННЯ ПРОФЕСІЙНОЇ ПІДГОТОВКИ МАЙБУТНІХ ІНЖЕНЕРІВ-ПЕДАГОГІВ КОМП’ЮТЕРНОГО ПРОФІЛЮ З ВИКОРИСТАННЯМ ПЛАТФОРМИ ARDUINO

The article discusses some practical aspects of using the Arduino platform in the process of professional training of computer specialists. The analysis of pedagogical literature, scientific research on the problem of introducing information and communication technologies into the educational process and the experience of national and international higher education institutions has shown that the training of future engineers-teachers has not paid enough attention to the use of the Arduino platform in the process of study of computer disciplines.To identify the possible components of the future engineers-teachers’ training content, it was experimentally proved the feasibility of positioning means developing in the coordinate space using Arduino. An online questionnaire was conducted for people with visual impairment (“Google Forms”) and an online questionnaire, which was attended by respondents from the Educational and Production Enterprise of the Ukrainian Society of the Blind in Berdiansk.Among the existing forms of training, laboratory work is selected as a form that maximally brings the learning process closer to practical activity, aims at solving experimental tasks, increasing the interest of students, and contributes to improving the quality of their learning.The practical experience of using the Arduino platform in studying the discipline “Fundamentals of automated design systems” by students of Berdyansk State Pedagogical University is considered on the example of positioning means developing in the coordinate space, which is a continuation of the research within the framework of international cooperation between BSPU and the Honored Autonomous University of Puebla (Mexico). The content of the discipline includes laboratory works: “Connecting the ultrasound range finder to the Arduino board”; “Connecting the audio signal sensor and buttons to the Arduino board”, which are of a research nature, which is part of the research work of the Department of Computer Technologies in Management, Education and Informatics of the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics, Computer and Technological Education of BSPU. For the information provision of the discipline, the methodical recommendations “Using the web simulator Arduino Tinkercad” were developed.

Theories of Democratic Change III: Transitions from Conflict

The notion that robust democracy and violent conflict are linked is commonplace. Many observers of international politics attribute violent conflict in contexts as diverse as Myanmar and Syria to failures of democracy. Conversely, most agree that continuing political violence undermines any effort to build strong democratic institutions in Libya or South Sudan. As a matter of policy, democratization has often been promoted not only as an end in itself but as a means toward building peace in societies scarred by violence. Development professionals tackle these challenges daily, confronting vicious cycles of political violence and weak democratic institutions. At the same time, scholars have dedicated intense scrutiny to these questions, often finding that the interrelationships between conflict and democracy belie easy categorization. This report, the third in a series on democratic theories of change, critically engages with this literature to ask three questions: Under what circumstances do democratic practice or movement toward democracy quell (or exacerbate) the risk of different kinds of violent conflict? Under what circumstances do the risk and experience of violent conflict undermine democratic practice? How can external interventions mitigate risks and capitalize on opportunities inherent in transitions to democracy and peace? To answer these questions, a research team at George Mason University and Georgetown University spent eight months compiling, organizing, and evaluating the academic literature connecting democratic practice and violent conflict, which spans the fields of political science, economics, peace studies, anthropology, sociology, and psychology. This work was funded by USAID’s Center of Excellence on Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance (the DRG Center), under the Institute of International Education’s (IIE’s) Democracy Fellows and Grants Program. Beginning in May 2018, the authors organized a team of three research assistants, who read and summarized more than 600 journal articles, books, reports, and newspaper articles. The resulting White Paper was the subject of an August 2018 workshop with representatives from USAID and an interdisciplinary group of eight scholars with expertise in conflict and democracy. Based on their feedback, the authors developed a new Theories of Change Matrix and White Paper in October 2018. This draft received further written feedback from USAID and another three scholars. The core team then revised the report again to produce this final draft. This report’s approach to the literature differs from past phases of the Theories of Democratic Change project. While past reports detailed the hypothesized causes of democratic backsliding (Phase I) and democratic transitions (Phase II), this report focuses on the reciprocal relationship between democratic practice and conflict. The report therefore organizes hypotheses into two questions and then sub-categories within each question.

Russian as a foreign language textbook: at the crossroads of ways, opinions and interests

The paper discusses the issues of creating textbooks on Russian as a foreign language (RFL) for pre-university students. Nowadays a lot of Russian universities use study packs with course components developed by teams of teachers who work at these universities. The urgence of the study is stipulated by the necessity to analyze a rather chaotic process of creating and implementing varied course components at a specific university. The study is based on the analysis of RFL textbooks published by the Institute of International Education at Voronezh State University (hereinafter referred to as IIE VSU) from 2000 to 2017. The aim of the study is to substantiate the need for a multifaceted approach to creating textbooks and other course components. This aim suggests performing a number of specific tasks: analyzing course materials published by IIE VSU and defining a preferable structure of the study pack on Russian as a foreign language for pre-university students, determining the principles of dividing learning materials into units within the textbook and describing potential solutions in creating textbooks and online courses (which can accompany a textbook or used autonomously). As the result the study demonstrates the prospective structure of the RFL study packs of second generation and specific principles of data distribution in the main textbook and in accompanying course materials. The paper concludes with the idea of the necessity of combining traditional instructional principles (e. g., convergence and minimization) with relatively new principles, such as “the dialogue of cultures”, gradation of the data according to their informative value and frequency.

Assessing ESL Learners’ Online Learning Self-Efficacy in Thailand: Are They Ready?

Aim/Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine whether ESL students in Thailand felt comfortable and confident using online course management tools as indicated by the levels of their online learning self-efficacy. Background: While online learning has become commonplace in most US based universities, some international educational institutions are just now dealing with the enormous task of introducing online learning to their academic communities and working with both faculty and students for successful implementations. In Thailand, there is a national initiative to harness the power of online learning together with other technological innovations to facilitate an increase in learning outcomes and provide additional access to education for students within public educational institutions. Methodology: Online learning self-efficacy data was collected from 856 newly admitted English as a second language (ESL) students at a large public university in Thailand. Participants were provided an email link to an online survey either via a direct email solicitation or a web link posted by their course instructors. The survey consisted of 8 demographic items and 29 self-efficacy items on a 4-point Likert-type scale. Contribution: This paper adds to the body of research on self-efficacy in online learning context by examining the levels of online learning self-efficacy of ESL students in Thailand, where online learning is still not as prevalent as in the United States and many other regions. Findings: Significant correlations were found between online learning self-efficacy levels and demographic characteristics including self-report computer skills, comfort level using the internet, self-reported English proficiency scores, and prior online learning experience. ESL learners participating in this study were found to have high levels of online learning self-efficacy, which indicated a readiness for engagement in online learning courses. Recommendations for Practitioners: As indicated by the results of the study, ESL students who were better at using computers and more comfortable surfing the internet were found to be more confident that they would do well in online learning environments. Therefore, it is recommended that sufficient training should be provided to support this transition by helping students, especially those with lower computer skills and comfort levels using the internet, get started and supporting them along the way. Also, at the very first stage of transitioning into online learning, the institution may first start with partially online courses into which a mixture of both online and face-to-face elements is incorporated. This will allow students to gradually adjust themselves into the new instructional delivery system and technologies that come with it. Once students are well-adjusted and familiar with the new learning environment, and assessment of the effectiveness of the partial integration has been conducted, the institution can consider offering courses that are entirely online. Recommendation for Researchers: Faculty and institution readiness for the adoption of online learning should also be taken into consideration in future work. To address the identified limitations, we recommend that inclusion of participants from across content domain would provide a more representative and generalizable result. Impact on Society: Incorporation of online learning as a standard instructional strategy will improve access to the educational system within Thailand. Assessing student readiness for this non-traditional way of learning may facilitate institutions’ ability to better plan how to effectively incorporate online learning into its curricula. Future Research: This student focused study was a follow-up to a faculty focused study attempting to indicate the level of readiness for this institution to broadly adopt online learning. Future research could be conducted at the organization/institution perspective using appropriate frameworks to address the last element of readiness for online learning adoption that considers the three facets of student, faculty, and institution. After the completion of this phase of affective/attitudinal research and the implementation of online learning within this institution, we recommend moving on to the measure effectiveness of the new instructional methodology.

Operationalising recognition of prior learning (RPL): a case study from Bahrain Polytechnic

This case study describe how Bahrain Polytechnic maintains academic quality while responding to students’ expectations that prior learning will be recognized in a competitive market. Although recognising prior learning is important for enhancing the student experience, Higher Education Institutions (HEI’s) need confidence in the quality of transferring students prior learning. Bahrain Polytechnic differ from other HEI’s in the Kingdom of Bahrain in that it delivers applied, professional and technical qualifications. Graduates are expected to be work-ready; confident and competent, aware of what is expected of them in the professional world, and able to perform to their full potential (Bahrain Polytechnic, 2017). Programmes, qualifications and courses, and the underlying methodology of how they are delivered are developed in consultation with businesses, industries, professions, international education and training institutions to ensure that Bahrain Polytechnic graduates meet the needs of the labour market, thus supplying Bahrain’s economy with a source of highly skilled graduates. This enforces the use of a unique teaching and learning philosophy represented in Problem-based Learning (PBL) (Bahrain Polytechnic, 2017). Therefore, Bahrain Polytechnic need to be very cautious when assessing any RPL application. This paper identifies student mobility and internationalization as important and legitimate issues for both individual institutions and for educational quality assurance bodies. It then focuses on the Bahrain Polytechnic’s approach in acknowledging students prior learning through formal education. Following significant internal consultation, Bahrain Polytechnic has developed a more robust process for awarding credits/ exemptions to students based on formal education in other approved HEI’s.

Fundamental and Applied Problems of Mechanics - 2017

PREFACEIn October 24-27, 2017 Bauman Moscow State Technical University held the International Conference “Fundamental and Applied Problems of Mechanics” dedicated to the 170th anniversary of the birth of the great Russian scientist Nikolay Egorovich Zhukovsky. The primary goal of this conference is to present new research results in various branches of mechanics, carried out by Russian and international scientific and educational institutions. The anniversary of N.E. Zhukovsky suggests focusing in particular on the studies that evolve and elaborate on his scientific and teaching-oriented investigations, updating them for the world of today. The conference was attended by Dr. Christian Bizouard (Director of IERS Earth Orientation Centre, Observatoire de Paris), Prof. Dr. Shuanggen Jin (Head of Satellite Navigation and Remote Sensing Group, Chinese Academy of Sciences), Prof. V.V. Sadovnichii (Member of RAS, Rector of Lomonosov Moscow State University) and other famous scientists. The scientists showed their great potential in studying various problems in numerous fields of science and technology, as well as applying new approaches, which develop and improve methods of mechanics.Nikolay Egorovich Zhukovsky is the great Russian scientist, founder of applied aerodynamics, “father of the Russian aviation”, creator of TsAGI, the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute, founder of Theoretical Mechanics Department, Professor of the Imperial Moscow Technical School and Moscow University.Professor N.E. Zhukovsky’s scientific work initiated a new era in development of mechanical science and technology. N.E. Zhukovsky is not only responsible for a large number of important discoveries in mechanics, but he is also a scientist who dramatically changed the role of science in engineering. One of his biggest achievements is that he was able to combine the most subtle theoretical research with experience and direct all the power of these methods to study physical and technical phenomena, to solve major engineering problems. N.E. Zhukovsky realized and showed that mechanics can develop further, only being constantly enriched by experimental data, as it was in the days of Galileo, and in such a combination it will become an instrument of unprecedented strength for studying the phenomena of nature, for the advance of technology. All future and present day scientists, engineers, and researchers should know Nikolay Yegorovich Zhukovsky’s prophetic words, which he said in 1898 at the Tenth Congress of the Russian Naturalists: “A man … will fly, not leaning on the strength of his muscles, but on strength of their reason”.

Disrupted Brain Functional Networks in Drug-Naïve Children with ADHD Assessed Using Graph Theory Analysis

Background: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder in childhood characterized by multiple behavioral problems and executive dysfunctions. Neuroimaging studies revealed a variety of abnormalities, but the results were inconsistent, partly owing to confounding medication effects and psychiatric comorbidities. Thus, studies of drug- naive ADHD with limited comorbidities is needed to better define disorder-related abnormalities in brain networks. Methods: Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging was performed on 51 drug-naive ADHD patients (age 6 to 16) and 55 age-matched healthy controls. Brain functional networks were constructed by thresholding partial correlation matrices of 90 brain regions, and graph theory was used to analyze the network topological properties. The Stroop test was used to assess the cognitive inhibitory abilities in the subjects. The non-parametric permutation tests were used to compare the topological architectures in the two groups. Results: Compared with the healthy subjects, the brain networks in the ADHD patients demonstrated altered topological characteristics including lower global and local efficiency ( p=.002,.026), and longer path length (p=.002). Lower nodal efficiencies were found in the left inferior frontal gyrus and anterior cingulate cortex in the ADHD group (p<.05, corrected for the FDR). Altered global and nodal topological efficiency were associated with severity of inhibitory cognitive control deficits and hyperactivity symptoms in ADHD (p<.05). Conclusions: Alterations in network typologies in drug-naive ADHD indicate a weaker small-worldization with decreased segregation and integration of functional brain networks, notably involving a dysfunction of the cingulo-fronto-parietal attention network that was associated with inhibitory control deficits. Funding Statement: This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation (Grant Nos. 81621003，81761128023, 81220108013, 81227002, 81030027, 81671669, 81371536 and 81801358), the Humboldt Foundation, and the Program for Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Teams in Universities of China (PCSIRT, Grant No. IRT16R52). Dr. Gong would also like to acknowledge the support from his Changjiang Scholar Professorship Award of China (Award No. T2014190) and American CMB Distinguished Professorship Award (Award No. F510000/ G16916411) administered by the Institute of International Education, USA Declaration of Interests: None of the authors has conflicts of interests to report with regard to this manuscript. Ethics Approval Statement: This study was approved by the research ethics committee of West China Hospital of Sichuan University, written informed consent was obtained from the parents/guardians of all participants, and the assents were obtained from study participants prior to participation.

ЦЕЛЕСООБРАЗНОСТЬ ИМПЛЕМЕНТАЦИИ СТАНДАРТА ENQA ПО СТУДЕНТОЦЕНТРИРОВАННОМУ ОБУЧЕНИЮ ПРИ ИЗУЧЕНИИ ИНОСТРАННОГО ЯЗЫКА

Цель. Императивом для измененной парадигмы высшего образования после присоединения России к Болонскому процессу в 2003 стал переход к студентоцентрированному обучению, а также освоение и внедрение компетентностного подхода. Авторы ставят своей целью обосновать целесообразность имплементации стандарта ENQA по студентоцентрированному обучению при изучении иностранного языка в Институте международного менеджмента и образования Красноярского ГАУ.Методы. Основу исследования образуют общетеоретические и эмпирические методы исследования, такие как анализ и синтез теоретического опыта, имеющегося в психологической и педагогической литературе, а также анкетирование, включенное наблюдение и эксперимент.Результаты. В ходе проведения исследования, в результате анализа литературы, анкетирования студентов 1–4 курсов, непосредственного наблюдения за их деятельностью на уроках и опосредованного наблюдения за их самостоятельной работой, делается вывод о целесообразности имплементации студентоцентрированного подхода при изучении иностранного языка, который способствует повышению мотивации и развитию самостоятельности студентов. Также приводятся конкретные результаты практического применения стандарта кафедрой Делового иностранного языка.Область применения результатов. Результаты исследования могут представлять интерес для преподавателей, заведующих кафедр иностранных языков, реализующих положения Болонской декларации, стремящихся обеспечить и гарантировать качество образования.

Jean Piaget e a educação internacional: práticas pedagógicas de construção de um método de compreensão e reciprocidade nas crianças

Esse artigo apresenta a proposta de educacao internacional elaborada por Jean Piaget em meados de 1930. Para isso, analisamos publicacoes do autor visando identificar sua concepcao de espirito de cooperacao internacional e a maneira de desenvolve-lo nas escolas. Identificamos como o contexto socio-historico, marcado pela guerra e pelos nacionalismos, influenciou a construcao de conhecimentos sobre educacao e sobre psicologia. Por ter assumido a direcao de importantes instituicoes internacionais de educacao preocupadas com a promocao da paz pelas escolas, o autor aborda a problematica da educacao de forma objetiva e cientifica. A educacao internacional teria como objetivo principal propiciar a emergencia da compreensao e da posicao de reciprocidade diante dos pares e dos estrangeiros. O metodo a ser empregado, nas escolas, deveria aproveitar-se das tendencias a solidariedade interna e a pratica das regras de cooperacao e dos metodos do self-government.Palavras-chave: Jean Piaget, educacao internacional, Bureau Internacional de Educacao.

Engaging students through the VLE: comparing like with like using the #VLEIreland student survey

Virtual learning environments (VLEs) provide the core infrastructure for the digital learning experiences for many students in Irish and international higher education institutions. Hence the student experience and voice offer an important perspective to understand to what extent this proves a strategic choice, and investment of institutional resources and lecturers’ time. However, surveys comparing a diversity of institutions at different moments in time offer serious methodological limitations to data analysis. In this paper, results of the #VLEIreland student survey are presented for four Irish higher education institutions, which were surveyed using the common questionnaire with 3,332 student responses in 2011 and 5,170 when the survey was repeated in 2013. To some extent, this allows us to analyse the data while relatively controlling for institutional influences. This snapshot of students’ use and perceptions at two points allow for tentative trends to be drawn as to any changing patterns over time. The comparison of results indicate a consistent finding of high frequency of use (with almost half using daily in the more recent findings). The VLE thus provides a stable base for sharing learning resources, managing assignments and student communications. The consistency of the findings indicate a certain maturity of use of the VLE, albeit with a continued emphasis on disseminating notes and other learning resources to students. As the student VLE experience is largely determined by their lecturers’ use, a continued emphasis on the development of digital capacity of lecturers (as well as students) is needed.

Ubiquitous mobile use: student perspectives on using the VLE on their phone

With the rapid increase in the use of smart phones (and other mobile devices), students in Irish and international higher education institutions are increasingly accessing virtual learning environments (VLEs) using their phones via an app or their browser. This brings both welcome flexibility for the students’ digital learning experiences and wider opportunities to support both asynchronous and synchronous learning in innovative ways. However challenges exist, initially regarding the functionality, user interface, reliability and speed of mobile use of the VLE (specifically via a VLE app as well as a phone browser) but also how best to empower students and lecturers to harness the potential benefits. This article explores the 2017 results of the #VLEIreland student survey in one higher education institution, expanded to include questions about student experiences of using a VLE app. Almost all students have smart phones, with the VLE app used by 7 in 10 students surveyed and, despite the many limitations of the VLE app, two-thirds found it useful. Student comments highlighted the benefits of notifications on the student’s phone and the convenience of easy, flexible access to the VLE. Barriers to the use of the VLE app included poor design and working of the app, and limitations of the student’s own phone. A major implication of increasing mobile access is that the VLE design needs to be more responsive for users, that the VLE itself be fully functional and user-friendly on smart phones and the challenges to design, develop and deliver a rich functional VLE app are met. There is potential for flexible mobile access to the VLE outside of class to be complemented by increased in-class use to enrich innovative approaches to engage learners. Increased mobile VLE usage has consequences for how lecturers use the VLE; they need to be conscious of this mobile use when designing, creating and using their VLE course as well as utilising appropriate digital pedagogies.

Language Learning while Negotiating Race and Ethnicity Abroad

Despite institutional and national focus on the importance of study abroad (SA) in U.S. higher education, the number of students of color abroad is still disproportionately low (Institute of International Education, 2017). Moreover, there is limited literature examining how race and ethnicity shapes experiences abroad, despite SA research highlighting how identity negotiation influences language learning in the SA context (Kinginger, 2013). This study presents the cases of two U.S. students —an Iranian-American and an African-and Mexican-American —studying in Spain. Through journals, interviews, surveys, and the Versant for Spanishoral test, this study illustrates how these participants rejected negative racial and ethnic positionings by withdrawing from host country nationals and eventually re-evaluating experiences to align with their desired identities. Both learners improved their Versantpost-SA but their linguistic confidence in their Spanish language capabilities did not increase. The study concludes with implications for creating more inclusive and supportive SA programs.

Análisis de "serious games" anti-"bullying": recursos lúdicos para promover habilidades prosociales en escolares

La investigación se adscribe al Personal and Social Learning &amp; Ethics (PSLE) que propugna la implementación de serious games (SG) para fomentar aprendizajes personales y sociales desde una perspectiva ética. Estudia la potencialidad educativa de una muestra de SG anti-bullying online gratuitos (N=10) —promovidos por instituciones educativas internacionales—, orientados a desarrollar habilidades prosociales en escolares. Para ello, se utiliza una metodología cualitativa centrada en el análisis de contenido que sirve para identificar las estrategias que adoptan: 1) aspectos psico-lúdicos e interactivos que priman (tipología de agresiones expuestas, teoría del aprendizaje subyacente y estrategias lúdicas adoptadas); y, 2) grado en que promueven distintas habilidades (analíticas, metacognitivas y prosociales). Así, se constata que la mayoría de estos juegos recrea simulaciones de agresiones verbales y físicas a víctimas y daños a sus pertenencias, ciberbullying, amenazas, chantajes, humillaciones, etc., invitando al jugador a asumir roles para identificarse con la víctima o con amigos de ésta, y a protagonizar situaciones críticas. Sus mecánicas de juego ayudan a: discriminar actitudes y conductas negativas, reconocer los sentimientos propios y ajenos, favorecer la empatía para conectar con otros, tomar decisiones y resolver conflictos asertivamente. Sin embargo, adolecen de dinámicas que estimulen la comunicación (capacidad negociadora, escucha activa y asertividad). Este trabajo ofrece a los docentes de primaria 10 atractivas aplicaciones interactivas de carácter lúdico —simuladores o juegos de rol— que pueden integrarse como recursos didácticos en programas preventivos del maltrato entre iguales. Si bien requieren diseñar actividades que activen de forma complementaria habilidades ligadas a la comunicación interpersonal, e inviten al alumnado explícitamente a la reflexión y análisis crítico de sus actos, para favorecer el respeto y el entendimiento mutuo. También se presenta un instrumento para sistematizar el análisis de contenido y potencial didáctico de serious games anti-bullying.

Evaluation of a Pilot School-Based Group for Mandarin-Speaking Minors

The population of Mandarin-speaking, Chinese international students is rapidly expanding in the United States (Institute of International Education n.d.). Among them, there is a small subgroup of individuals who are minors and unaccompanied by parents (i.e., parachute kids). As part of its initiative to increase support for Mandarin-speaking minors, a private high school in the northeastern region of the U.S. offered a school-based psychoeducation/support group for its 17 Mandarin-speaking students for the first time. The purposes of the study were to (a) provide more general information on this particular group of adolescents by examining data obtained from the anonymous group evaluations and (b) explore the benefits and shortcomings of this pilot program. Results showed that the demographics of this population are changing and participants in general found the group useful for their transition to a new school system and the U.S. society. Future directions for practice and research are discussed.

Intercultural Competence in Short-Term Study Abroad

Assessment is growing for short-term study abroad as the majority of students (63.1%) continue to choose this option (Institute of International Education, 2016). This study examines possible gains and factors influencing such gains in students’ overall intercultural competency following participation in a short-term program. Using the Intercultural Effectiveness Scale (IES) survey distributed before, after, and three months following the study abroad experience, data was analyzed for fifty-five students across eight different short-term programs at three distinct institutions within the state of Texas. Document analysis of program syllabi also looked at connections to structured activities and assignments. The results demonstrate the potential for short-term study abroad programs ranging from two to five weeks to have significant impacts on students’ self-perceived intercultural competency that appear most affected by intentional structures. These findings support recommended practices of using well-defined activities and assignments, incorporating opportunities for meaningful local interaction, and providing planned re-entry.