Problematic Skills Research Articles

End-Users Know Best: Identifying Undesired Behavior of Alexa Skills Through User Review Analysis

The Amazon Alexa marketplace has grown rapidly in recent years due to third-party developers creating large amounts of content and publishing directly to a skills store. Despite the growth of the Amazon Alexa skills store, there have been several reported security and usability concerns, which may not be identified during the vetting phase. However, user reviews can offer valuable insights into the security & privacy, quality, and usability of the skills. To better understand the effects of these problematic skills on end-users, we introduce ReviewTracker, a tool capable of discerning and classifying semantically negative user reviews to identify likely malicious, policy violating, or malfunctioning behavior on Alexa skills. ReviewTracker employs a pre-trained FastText classifier to identify different undesired skill behaviors. We collected over 700,000 user reviews spanning 6 years with more than 200,000 negative sentiment reviews. ReviewTracker was able to identify 17,820 reviews reporting violations related to Alexa policy requirements across 2,813 skills, and 131,855 reviews highlighting different types of user frustrations associated with 9,294 skills. In addition, we developed a dynamic skill testing framework using ChatGPT to conduct two distinct types of tests on Alexa skills: one using a software-based simulation for interaction to explore the actual behaviors of skills and another through actual voice commands to understand the potential factors causing discrepancies between intended skill functionalities and user experiences. Based on the number of the undesired skill behavior reviews, we tested the top identified problematic skills and detected more than 228 skills violating at least one policy requirement. Our results demonstrate that user reviews could serve as a valuable means to identify undesired skill behaviors.

THE ANALYSIS OF THE STUDENTS’ ANXIETIES IN LEARNING ENGLISH: THE CASE OF A PRIVATE ISLAMIC JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL

The present study analyzed the students’ anxieties in learning English. The study was conducted in a case study involving 44 respondents of a privately funded Islamic junior high school located in Tangerang. The respondents were recruited purposively. Due to the application of no physical contact during the class, a questionnaire was the only instrument used in the present study.
 The finding indicated that the primary cause of the students’ anxieties was their learning problem. In addition, the students’ problems were mainly caused by the students’ inability to cope with some learning materials. The finding also indicated that speaking and writing were the most problematic skills which could probably generate anxieties. Lastly, the students also considered that their teachers and the way they taught were the main factors that could trigger anxieties in learning English. Some suggestions are given to overcome this matter.

Comparison of Classification Methods used in Machine Learning for Dysgraphia Identification

Dysgraphia is a disorder that affects writing skills. Dysgraphia Identification at an early age of a child's development is a difficult task. It can be identified using problematic skills associated with Dysgraphia difficulty. In this study motor ability, space knowledge, copying skill, Visual Spatial Response are some of the features included for Dysgraphia identification. The features that affect Dysgraphia disability are analyzed using a feature selection technique EN (Elastic Net). The significant features are classified using machine learning techniques. The classification models compared are KNN (K-Nearest Neighbors), Naïve Bayes, Decision tree, Random Forest, SVM (Support Vector Machine) on the Dysgraphia dataset. Results indicate the highest performance of the Random forest classification model for Dysgraphia identification.

Perceived Barriers and Facilitators for Bedtime Routines in Families with Young Children.

Objectives: Bedtime routines are a highly recurrent family activity with important health, social and behavioural implications. This study examined perceived barriers to, and facilitators of, formulating, establishing, and maintaining optimal bedtime routines in families with young children. Design: Participants completed a semi-structured interview based on the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF). Analysis followed a deductive approach. Participants: A total of 32 parents participated in the study. Most participants (N = 30) were females, were white (N = 25) and stay at home parents (N = 12). Results: Key barriers included lack of appropriate knowledge and sources of information, problematic skills development, social influences, cognitive overload, and lack of motivation for change. Facilitators included social role, access to resources, positive intentions, beliefs about consequences and reinforcement. In particular, optimal bedtime routines were less likely to be enacted when parents were tired/fatigued and there was a strong effect of habit, with suboptimal routines maintained over time due to past experiences and a lack of awareness about the importance of a good bedtime routine. Conclusions: Several theory-based, and potentially modifiable, determinants of optimal bedtime routines were identified in this study, providing important information for future interventions. Several of the key determinants identified were transient (tiredness) and/or non-conscious (habit), suggesting that future interventions may need to be deployed in real time, and should extend beyond conventional techniques.

A Needs Analysis of Thai Massage Employees’ (Thai Massage Therapists, Receptionists, and Managers) English Communication Skills in the city of Pattaya, Chonburi

English communication has gained its importance for Thai massage employees who are required to interact and provide massage services to foreign customers due to the popularity of Thai massage among foreigners. This study attempts to explore and analyze the needs and problems of Thai massage employees towards English communication in their workplaces located in Pattaya City, Thailand. This is a mixedmethodology research collecting data from 132 Thai massage employees through an online questionnaire and semi-structured interviews with five Thai massage employees to obtain insight data and further information. The key findings show that speaking and listening skills are the most needed skills including English vocabulary knowledge. In terms of themost problematic skills, speaking, listening, and writing respectively were rated as high while reading skill reported as moderate. According to the interview, the results reveal that English competency may not greatly affect the quality of Thai massage service; however, being able to use English properly increases customers’ satisfaction and reduces time for the employees to communicate with foreign customers. The findings also indicate that the Thai massage therapists use their body languages, pictures, and memorized English patterns and sample phrases to communicate with foreign customers as their solutions for Englishcommunication problems. This research which was conducted under a fund of the Faculty of Management Sciences, Kasetsart University reports the needs and problems of these groups of people in order to design an English for Spa course based on English for Specific Purposes (ESP) principles to foster English communication skills for the Thai massage employees as well as for business students who are interested in ESP courses.

Problems and Challenges Faced by EFL Students of Saudi Arabia during COVID-19 Pandemic

The teaching of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) is very interesting but at the same time is considered difficult particularly for those students who have read most of the subjects of their courses in their mother tongue. The four skills viz, Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing are necessary for learning a foreign language and an imbalance in any skill can hamper the whole process. All the skills are important but during present pandemic situation listening skill is considered as a problematic skill particularly in a foreign language context where practice opportunities are limited because of the world pandemic COVID-19 that hampered all our teaching and learning process. This study aimed to explore the problems and challenges faced by EFL students because of the limited resources. An online survey method was followed to collect data from a group of Saudi EFL students (n = 100) using the Listening Comprehension Processing Problems Questionnaire. The results indicated that these students experienced moderate to high levels of difficulty in all the skills particularly in ‘Listening’ because of limited resources. The findings are expected to have useful implications for teachers who intend to address these problems of EFL learners. Analysis of the findings revealed that most of the students encountered problems in listening most of the times during online classes sometimes because of physical and sometimes other barriers. Discussion and implications of these findings are presented.

Alleviating Effects of Self-Regulating the Audio on Listening Comprehension Problems

ABSTRACT In language classrooms, listening is considered a problematic skill for various reasons. The uncontrollable nature of speech’s speed of delivery plays a major role in these issues. Tight teacher control over the audio input creates even more unfavorable conditions for listeners to sufficiently absorb input. This study explores the positive effects of self-regulating the audio on listening comprehension problems of foreign language (FL) listeners. Thirty Flemish secondary school English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners in Belgium participated in a quasi-experimental design in which the control group (N = 16) worked in pairs and listened to the audio input twice, while the experiment group (N = 14), also working in pairs, had the option to regulate the audio input. Despite having a common listening proficiency level (A2), a qualitative analysis reveals that there are prominent differences in the significance and frequency of listening comprehension problems between pairs with and without the self-regulation option. By documenting the listening problems students experience and self-regulation’s effect on them, the current study illustrates the possible benefits of more autonomy for listeners and suggests new insights into listening education from linguistic and pedagogical perspectives.

Design and Development of Competency-based Instructional Model for Instruction Delivery for Learning Disabled using Case Based Reasoning

Pedagogical policies are designed for organizing and sequencing the instruction plan provided to the learner, for supporting learning activities and deciding which learning environment will be suitable for what kind of learner. In this paper, a multi-level pedagogy model named competency-based instructional model (CBIM) is presented for LD learners. The pedagogy policies are recommended based on the CBIM model, it takes problematic skills of the learner as input and delivers a learner-centric instruction plan (IP) according to the problematic skill. For the implementation of CBIM model, case-based reasoning approach is used and CBRI and observation models are proposed.

PREPARING STUDENTS’ READING ABILITY FOR IR 4.0: UNDERSTANDING THEIR MOST PROBLEMATIC READING COMPREHENSION SKILLS AND THE SOLUTIONS

The Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR 4.0) signifying manufacturing digitalization has become a major concern around the globe. Not only does it deal with industrialists or engineers, but it also deals with teachers, and education policy makers. This new revolution requires educational institutions to prepare their students to be able to adapt themselves in this new era. English, serving as a global lingua franca, still plays an important role for all students in different majors that need to be mastered. One of the English language skills, reading, must be given sufficient attention by English teachers for their students to be able to read and comprehend English texts in their job fields in the future. This study attempts to reveal the reading comprehension mastery of the Business Administration students in a private university. It examines three series of English proficiency test (EPT) exercises and a final EPT they took as the requirements to complete their study in the university. Among the thirteen micro skills in this kind of test, the students’ most problematic skills are: answering transition questions correctly (25% correctly answered), determining the tone, purpose, or course (37%), and using context to determine meaning of difficult words (42%). Possible causes and recommendations to minimize those problems are also comprehensively presented.

A review of research on the effect of the use of web-based tools on speaking motivation

Speaking is one of the most problematic skills in which learners tend to be low in motivation. There are several factors that negatively and positively affect the motivation of learners regarding speaking. The purpose of this study is to present a review of research on the effect of the use of web-based tools on speaking motivation and making some conclusions and recommendations for further studies. Several studies investigating the effect of web-based tools on speaking motivation were analysed and some conclusions were drawn. In respect to the studies reviewed, it is concluded that web-based tools significantly improve speaking motivation. For further studies, it is recommended that creating a web-based environment before starting an experimental study will be vital in terms of the validity and reliability of the study. Keywords: English as a foreign language, speaking, motivation, web-based tools

How Explicit Listening Strategy Instruction Affects Listening Comprehension of Different Learners

Listening has been a growing interest of EFL/ESL researchers and teachers in the last 50 years because the majority of learners view listening as one of the most problematic skills. Recently, there have been discussions on teaching listening with the emphasis on strategy instruction for better achievement in listening comprehension. Hence, the researcher designed this quantitative study to help learners overcome their problem. The aim of this experimental research is to investigate whether explicit instruction of listening strategies s listening skill of different learner types. The study was conducted in an English language academy in Iran with 135 high-Intermediate EFL participants for 10 sessions. A pre-/post-test design was selected for data collection. The results revealed that all learners showed a higher mean score in the post-test than the pre-test but with a slight difference in improvement of listening comprehension of different learner types.

The Theory-Practice Gap in Physical Therapy Education in the Philippines

The study determined the presence of theory-practice gap in physical therapy education in the Philippines from the perspectives of three different groups: interns, clinical instructors, and internship coordinators. It utilized both quantitative and qualitative research designs using survey, interviews and focus group discussions in collecting data. The Clinical Internship Evaluation Tool was used as the primary data gathering instrument to measure the actual competencies of the interns. A survey questionnaire and interview guide was used to ascertain perceptions of the stakeholders on the clinical education process. Focus group discussions and interviews were audiotaped, and verbatim transcripts were produced. Descriptive statistics and t-test was used for data analysis. The result of t test revealed that the interns’ actual competencies are significantly different from the standards of competence expected of a competent clinician. Moreover, identified as the most problematic professional behavior and patient management skills were initiative and patient evaluation, respectively. Further, there were a pronounced gap between what they learned in school and what they are expected to do at the clinical sites. The highlighted gaps can contribute to quality appraisal, conformance to standards and enrichment of physical therapy education. Schools must facilitate better teaching-learning by more didactic instruction, laboratory skill mastery, and modification of academic contents. Clinical instructors in affiliation centers should have adequate education and preparation for their supervisory and teaching roles to enhance the clinical education process effectively.

Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury.

Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury.

English Related Difficulties Experienced By Turkish Students Studying In A Dual Diploma ELT Program In The U.S.A.

The purpose of this study was to investigate English language related difficulties experienced by 30 Turkish dual diploma students studying in an ELT (English Language Teaching) program established between a Turkish and an American university, and to see the effects of those difficulties on the students’ adjustment process in the U.S.A. The data of the study were collected through a 60-item questionnaire designed by the researcher and analyzed by using multiple regression analysis, paired-samples t-test, independent-samples t-test, and correlation coefficients. The results of the study indicated that students of this program experience English related difficulties at a moderate level; they experience more English related difficulties in their academic life as compared to their social life; and writing and speaking in academic settings are the most problematic skills for them.

Iranian EFL Students’ Listening Comprehension Problems

English as a Foreign Language (EFL) listening skill is considered a problematic skill particularly in a foreign language context where practice opportunities are limited. This study aimed to explore the listening comprehension problems of a group of EFL learners. Survey method was followed to collect data from a group of Iranian tertiary level EFL learners (n = 100) using the Listening Comprehension Processing Problems Questionnaire. The results indicated that the learners experienced moderate to high levels of difficulty in all three categories of listening comprehension problems, namely perception, parsing, and utilization. The findings are expected to have useful implications for syllabus designers and teachers who intend to address the listening comprehension problems of EFL learners.

Listening to German Native and Non-native Speakers: An Evaluation of Students’ Comprehension

Acquiring the German language in a non-native environment is a challenge to the students in UKM because the surroundings do not promote a conducive atmosphere for the students to communicate in the language. The students rely solely on their time in class to practice the four skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking. One of the most problematic skills to acquire is listening as the students are exposed to native German speakers only from the listening CD accompanying the text book ‘Studio D’. The previous research conducted by the instructor revealed that the students have difficulties in listening to native German speakers. However, the instructor could not determine whether articulation and accent of a native speaker, content difficulty or effect of background noise was the main factor leading to the problem. Thus, this research aims to evaluate the ability of the students to understand the dialogues spoken by native and non-native German speakers. For this research, authentic recordings of native and non-native speakers speaking were used as listening material. Students were divided into two groups: the first group listened to dialogues by native speakers and the second group listened to the same dialogue by non-native speakers. The students were then asked to answer multiple-choice and open task questions corresponding to the dialogues. It was found that the students who listened to the dialogues by non-native speakers performed slightly better. This suggests that the students‟ comprehension does not rely solely on native or non-native speakers but there are other contributing factors like contents and type of questions.

English

Needs analysis is an important step in terms of developing curriculum and syllabus for different courses. It is necessary to become familiar with students’ objectives, attitudes, learning habits and expectations of the course in order to have an appropriate and suitable syllabus and course design. This study was an attempt to investigate the perceived English language needs of students in university General English course in Iran. This is an obligatory three-credit course offered for all non-English majors, for which no specialized syllabus is proposed by the Ministry of Education and as a result different teachers would select different syllabuses, methods and textbooks based on their own beliefs and experiences while hardly considering students’ real needs and wants. In order to detect students’ views toward what they need to learn, their preferred learning style, and their attitudes, motivation and interest toward learning English, a revised version of questionnaire developed by Sihong (2007) was utilized. The results revealed that the students considered vocabulary as the most important component of the language which needed the most practice, whereas they found grammar as the component that they most resented and had the least expertise in. In addition, they perceived reading as the most important skill, while they considered listening and speaking as their most problematic skills. The students also showed positive attitudes and high motivation toward learning English. It is hoped that findings from this study can assist Iranian teachers and curriculum and syllabus designers to consider the importance of the students’ real needs and try to develop and design materials which can fulfill the present gap. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/GEMA-2014-1401-05

Students and teacher responses to a unit of student-designed games

Background: Despite the support in primary education that student-designed games enhance student contextualisation of skills and tactics, there has been little support in secondary education, nor any empirical research exploring these claims. This paper attempts to rekindle these beliefs and explores the use of student-designed games in an English secondary school. Aim: To provide a detailed account of classes of secondary students designing their own games, and to investigate their responses to the games-making process. Method: Two classes of boys (aged 14–16) at a school in England participated in the study. Each class was divided into three teacher-selected teams and attended one lesson per week, each lasting 40 minutes, for seven weeks. Lessons were adapted to give students four phases of development: a 2-week library-based planning and wiki construction phase; a 1-week outdoor modification and wiki update phase; three weeks of trials of the games with a wiki refinement phase; and a 1-week game and wiki finalization phase. In this time frame the pupils involved were challenged to design an invasion game that would be played in a subsequent unit. Data consisted of: teacher post-teaching reflections, interviews between a professor-researcher and the on-site participants, observations and analysis of wikis. Data analysis occurred on three levels. The first aspect was immediate and ongoing by the teacher-researcher to meet the ‘on the spot’ learning needs of his students. Secondly, the professor-researcher aided the teacher-researcher in systematic collection, organisation and analyses. Thirdly, peer debriefing occurred in which the research team analysed and critiqued the data during the collection and writing processes. Results: We found that students ‘bought into’ the process of games-making, were afforded an inclusive voice and worked as teams. Furthermore they engaged in immediate searches for innovation which were influenced by popular media, and shared ideas and learning with others to a degree that allowed them to exclude problematic skills. However, there was student frustration induced by watching others failing to properly play these games. Conclusions: We concluded that student-designed games ‘freed’ children to define competition at their own developmental level. This paper shows that by trusting pupils and supporting them to be creative in the games that they play it is possible to gain an insight into the processes by which students apply their knowledge about physical education.

“I don't see me like you see me, but is that a problem?” Cultural influences on rating discrepancy in 360-degree feedback instruments

360-degree feedback from a variety of rater sources yields important information about leaders' styles, strengths and weaknesses for development. Results where observer ratings are discrepant (i.e., different) from self-ratings are often seen as indicators of problematic leadership relationships, skills, or lack of self-awareness. Yet research into the antecedents of such self–observer rating discrepancy suggests the presence of systematic influences, such as cultural values. The present study investigates the variation of rating discrepancies on three leadership skills (decision making, leading employees, and composure) in dependence of one exemplary culture dimension (power distance) on data from 31 countries using multilevel structural equation modelling. Results show that cultural values indeed predict self–observer rating discrepancies. Thus, systemic and contextual influences such as culture need to be taken into consideration when interpreting the importance and meaning of self–observer rating discrepancies in 360-degree instruments.

Book Reviews: Building Blocks for Learning, Occupational Therapy Approaches: practical strategies for the inclusion of special needs in primary school – By Jill Jenkinson, Tessa Hyde and Saffia Ahmad

Book Reviews: Building Blocks for Learning, Occupational Therapy Approaches: practical strategies for the inclusion of special needs in primary school – By Jill Jenkinson, Tessa Hyde and Saffia Ahmad