Tandem Partners Research Articles

Development of individual competencies and team performance in interprofessional ward rounds: results of a study with multimodal observations at the Heidelberg Interprofessional Training Ward.

Interprofessional training wards (IPTW) aim to improve undergraduates' interprofessional collaborative practice of care. Little is known about the effects of the different team tasks on IPTW as measured by external assessment. In Heidelberg, Germany, four nursing and four medical undergraduates (= one cohort) care for up to six patients undergoing general surgery during a four-week placement. They learn both professionally and interprofessionally, working largely on their own responsibility under the supervision of the medical and nursing learning facilitators. Interprofessional ward rounds are a central component of developing individual competencies and team performance. The aim of this study was to evaluate individual competencies and team performance shown in ward rounds. Observations took place in four cohorts of four nursing and four medical undergraduates each. Undergraduates in one cohort were divided into two teams, which rotated in morning and afternoon shifts. Team 1 was on morning shift during the first (t0) and third (t1) weeks of the IPTW placement, and Team 2 was on morning shift during the second (t0) and fourth (t1) weeks. Within each team, a tandem of one nursing and one medical undergraduate cared for a patient room with three patients. Ward round observations took place with each team and tandem at t0 and t1 using the IP-VITA instrument for individual competencies (16 items) and team performance (11 items). Four hypotheses were formulated for statistical testing with linear mixed models and correlations. A total of 16 nursing and medical undergraduates each were included. There were significant changes in mean values between t0 and t1 in individual competencies (Hypothesis 1). They were statistically significant for all three sum scores: "Roles and Responsibilities", Patient-Centeredness", and "Leadership". In terms of team performance (Hypothesis 2), there was a statistically significant change in mean values in the sum score "Roles and Responsibilities" and positive trends in the sum scores "Patient-Centeredness" and "Decision-Making/Collaborative Clinical Reasoning". Analysis of differences in the development of individual competencies in the groups of nursing and medical undergraduates (Hypothesis 3) showed more significant differences in the mean values of the two groups in t0 than in t1. There were significant correlations between individual competencies and team performance at both t0 and t1 (Hypothesis 4). The study has limitations due to the small sample and some sources of bias related to the external assessment by means of observation. Nevertheless, this study offers insights into interprofessional tasks on the IPTW from an external assessment. Results from quantitative and qualitative analysis of learners self-assessment are confirmed in terms of roles and responsibilities and patient-centeredness. It has been observed that medical undergraduates acquired and applied skills in collaborative clinic reasoning and decision-making, whereas nursing undergraduates acquired leadership skills. Within the study sample, only a small group of tandems remained constant over time. In team performance, the group of constant tandems tended to perform better than the group of random tandems. The aim of IPTW should be to prepare healthcare team members for the challenge of changing teams. Therefore, implications for IPTW implementation could be to develop learning support approaches that allow medical and nursing undergraduates to bring interprofessional competencies to team performance, independent of the tandem partner or team.

“Three months on, I still sound like an Anglophone”: Tales of Success and Failure told by English and French Tandem Partners

This paper reports on two ways in which success and failure can be operationalized and quantified in a non-institutional L2 learning context such as language tandem setting. We draw on the SITAF database, where we gathered 25 hours of video-recorded conversations held by 21 pairs, each consisting of a native speaker of English and a native speaker of French. The tandems performed collaborative tasks in both languages, thus giving each participant ample opportunity to be both the ‘expert’ and the ‘novice’ (learner) part of the dialogue. The tandem partners met regularly and autonomously outside of the recording sessions, and making progress in their L2 was one of their declared goals. Two possible measures of success in achieving this goal are: (1) the quality and quantity of learner uptake which followed the expert’s corrective feedback (CF) during the recorded conversations. Significant differences between the two L1 groups were observed: while 52% of the CF given by the native French speakers met with total uptake, over 52% of the English CF generated no uptake at all; (2) the participants’ own narratives of progress, as both the experts and the learners, obtained through questionnaires they filled out at the end of the program. Our study aims to contribute to the discussion on the stakes of successful L2 informal learning (with a focus on the acquisition of L2 pronunciation) by adopting a perspective which combines learners’ spoken output data and learners’ perceptions of their own language learning activity.

Promoting Learner Autonomy through Tandem Learning in a Japanese ESL Context

Computer-mediated form of language learning provides the opportunity to engage in meaningful and authentic interaction in the target language. Through interaction and collaboration, learners are said to develop a sense of autonomy (Little, 2001). Studies from the literature show that Japanese learners do not lack the capacity for self-directed learning but rather, the language learning environment that has been created by most Japanese institutions has implicitly discouraged learners from becoming autonomous learners (Holden Usuki, 1999; MEXT, 2013). This study seeks to explore how tandem learning could foster an autonomous learning environment in an EFL classroom in Japan. It will describe learners’ perception of the Facebook Project, and whether it has helped this group of learners assume more responsibility for the learning process. Findings show that the project enhanced intrinsic motivation, promoted learner reflection, and students took the initiative to reciprocate with their tandem partners’ language needs. Implications of the study suggest that learners need to be involved in the design of learning environments and adequate levels of technological proficiency are necessary to prepare learners for more self-directed learning.

Characteristics of postural control during fixed light-touch and interpersonal light-touch contact and the involvement of interpersonal postural coordination.

Haptic feedback by light touch with a fingertip influences the postural control of the human body by postural orientation. Postural control might therefore differ depending on the characteristics of the contacting object. The main experimental targets of contact have been a fixed object (fixed light touch: FLT) and an individual (interpersonal light touch: ILT), but the postural control characteristics of FLT and ILT have not been directly compared within the same study. Nor has there been a study comparing frequency characteristics in these conditions. We hypothesized that (1) the frequency of postural sway would be higher in FLT and that no such change would be observed in ILT, and (2) the interpersonal postural coordination that is specific to ILT, i.e., sway that resembles the other person's sway, would be observed in the low-frequency component (≤0.4 Hz) rather than the high-frequency component (>0.4 Hz). We applied a closed-eyes tandem stance by adult subjects as the standard condition, and the center of pressure was measured when they performed four standing conditions: no-touch, FLT, stable ILT with a bipedal partner, and unstable ILT with a tandem partner. The results demonstrated that the FLT condition and both the stable and unstable ILT conditions also stabilized the posture, but the stability was superior in the FLT condition. Further, the difference in postural stability depending on the axis is not clear in any conditions for velocity, whereas for amplitude, stabilization by contact is more easily captured in the medio-lateral (ML) axis than in the anterior-posterior (AP) axis. The mean power frequency (MPF) in the FLT condition was higher than the no-touch condition, and the stable ILT condition in the ML axis and was higher than any other conditions in the AP axis. Moreover, the stable ILT condition in both axes was not significantly different from the no-touch condition. The unstable ILT condition in the AP axis was also not significantly different, though the ML axis was higher than the no-touch condition. The interpersonal postural coordination in both the stable and unstable ILT conditions was observed in the low-frequency component (except for the ML axis of the unstable ILT condition) and not in the high-frequency component. These results support our hypotheses and suggest that although FLT and ILT exert effects on reducing postural sway to some certain extent, in actuality, these conditions result in different postural controls in the frequency domain due to postural coordination based on the low-frequency component.

BICYCLE TOURING EXPERIENCES AS A SOCIALINCLUSION ACTIVITY FOR VISUALLY DISABLED INDIVIDUALS

Purpose - This study is aimed towards examining the experiences of visually impaired people participating in tourism and recreational activities with tandem bicycles and to explain the social integration function of cycling. Design - The research was conducted using qualitative research methods in an exploratory study. Methodology - Data were collected through in-depth interviews with a total of six visually impaired touring cyclists in Turkey. Approach - An inductive approach was used in the study. Findings – After the analysis, four themes were identified: ‘embodied experiences,’ ‘equal difficulties,’ ‘friendships’ and ‘social inclusion.’ First, the analysis revealed that participants embodied experiences of nature, socialisation, freedom, entertainment, and exploration through body performance in a multisensory manner. Second, disabled people have similar challenges as non-disabled people. Third, friendships rather than acquaintances developed between tandem partners with and without visual impairments, which contributed to long-term social inclusion. Finally, cycling tours play an important role in the social inclusion of people with disabilities by facilitating access to the social environment and raising disability awareness Originality of the research - This study contributes to the expansion of theoretical and practical knowledge about the cycling experiences of disabled individuals in tourism and leisure.

Teachers’ interaction in combined physical and virtual learning environments:

The development of the Internet and digital tools for interaction has enabled computer-mediated communication as part of the communicative approach to language learning and teaching. This creates affordances for learners of any target language from any location to communicate with each other, for example, through tandem language learning – that is, reciprocal two-way learning in dyads of two students with different first languages. Previous studies on tandem learning have mainly focused on the interaction between tandem partners in informal learning situations. In this study, we explore the teacher’s role in virtual classroom tandem applied to curriculum-based language teaching. The aim is to describe teachers’ engagement in interactional situations in the classroom, including the interplay between the physical classroom and virtual learning environments (VLEs). The data comprise video and screen recordings of teacher activities and interactions. The results reveal that virtual classroom tandem is a strongly student-centred approach where the teacher interaction during tandem lessons is notably narrower compared with tandem language learning based entirely on face-to-face meetings in a formal school context and in classroom instruction generally.

Discursive constructions of language variation in a Chinese-German eTandem

ABSTRACT The starting point for this research is an eTandem initiative between learners of Mandarin Chinese and German. The participants mainly learnt the dominant variety of their target languages (German Standard German, Mainland Chinese Standard Mandarin), however, their tandem partners are speakers of a non-dominant variety (Austrian Standard German, Taiwanese Standard Mandarin). Due to this pairing, some speakers felt prompted to position themselves in relation to the discussed varieties. The empirical study analyses the discursive construction of language variation of one eTandem dyad that elaborated on this topic at length. For this purpose, we adopted a critical discourse analysis approach and focused on three aspects (nomination, predication, perspectivisation). The results reveal that language variation in the Chinese context, especially the concept of Fāngyán, was difficult to grasp and explain, while the discussion on German was more clear-cut. Standard language was conceptualised as a tool for inclusion, whereas non-standard varieties were conceived as excluding but also as a means to create community belonging. Based on our results we conclude that diversity in varieties in tandem learning has the potential to offer valuable opportunities not only to learn about target language variation, but also to increase language awareness regarding one’s expert language.

Effects of pre-service teachers’ collaboration on children’s competencies and motivation in (non-)inclusive primary school science lessons

ABSTRACT Teachers’ collaboration is an important prerequisite for children’s academic achievement in inclusive education. There are various challenges in teacher collaboration, with one being difficult personal relationships. Studies on the role of the team composition for children’s competence and motivational development in (non-)inclusive education are still missing. Thus, we investigated children’s competence development depending on a variation of the team composition. In our study, N = 142 pre-service primary school teachers and pre-service special needs teachers were assigned to one of our study groups. Half of the pre-service teachers could choose their tandem partners and the other half was randomly arranged in pairs. Pre-service teacher tandems planned science lessons and collaboratively taught groups of children in regular or in inclusive settings. On the basis of pre- and post-questionnaires, we investigated N = 804 children’s competence and motivational development. Children who were taught by pre-service teachers in freely selected teams showed significant knowledge growth in a test on the subject of renewable energies compared to children who were taught by pre-service teachers in not freely selected teams. The setting (inclusive versus regular) had no significant impact on this effect. Significant differences between the study groups could not be proven concerning children’s motivation.

Cesium-Containing Triple Cation Perovskite Solar Cells

Cesium-containing triple cation perovskites are attracting significant attention as suitable tandem partners for silicon solar cells. The perovskite layer of a solar cell must strongly absorb the visible light and be transparent to the infrared light. Optical transmittance measurements of perovskite layers containing different cesium concentrations (0–15%) were carried out on purpose to evaluate the utility of the layers for the fabrication of monolithic perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells. The transmittance of the layers weakly depended on cesium concentration in the infrared spectral range, and it was more than 0.55 at 997 nm wavelength. It was found that perovskite solar cells containing 10% of cesium concentration show maximum power conversion efficiency.

Bi-National Tandem Leadership in German-Chinese Joint Ventures - A Context-Embedded Analysis

Leadership researchers suggest plural leadership as effective mechanism to cope with increasing complexity outside and inside of organizations. This paper examines a special form of plural leadership: tandem leadership (TL) which means two persons formally share the leading function of an organization or an organizational unit. In particular, I study role divisions between tandem partners in the under-researched context of international joint ventures (IJVs) and middle management and integrate context explicitly in the explanatory framework for TL. Based on a qualitative-interpretative multiple case study in three German-Chinese JVs, I found that German- Chinese tandem partners divide their roles in configurations of complementarity and dominance. I also found that national culture and institutional environment at the macro level as well as organizational culture and structure at the meso level serve as important contextual influencing factors on TL. This paper contributes to the understanding of leadership practices by demonstrating both complementary, cooperative and asymmetric, competing relationship dynamics between tandem partners in their negotiation of shared leadership role space. It also contributes to the understanding of contextualizing leadership theory by showing both isolated and interrelated effects of the national and the organizational context on TL. This paper also shows that tandems are not only influenced by the organizational context, but also have an impact on it.

A Thermally Induced Perovskite Crystal Control Strategy for Efficient and Photostable Wide‐Bandgap Perovskite Solar Cells

Wide‐bandgap perovskite solar cells (WBG PSCs) have gained attention as promising tandem partners for silicon solar cells due to their complementary absorption, superb open‐circuit voltage, and an easy solution process. Recently, both their performance and stability have been improved by compositional engineering or defect passivation strategies, due to the modulation of perovskite crystal size and reduction of crystal defects. Herein, a report on the thermally induced phase control (TIPC) strategy is provided, which enables efficient and photostable WBG PSCs without compositional engineering by exploring a thermal annealing process window (100–175 °C and 3–60 min) of the WBG perovskite films. Within this window, a key annealing regime is found that produces preferred crystal orientations of lead iodide and the WBG perovskite, suppressing phase segregation and reducing charge recombination in the perovskites. The WBG PSCs (composition of FA0.75MA0.15Cs0.1PbI2Br and Eg of 1.73 eV) optimized by TIPC exhibit an excellent power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 18.60% and improved operational stability, maintaining >90% of the maximum PCE (during maximum power point tracking) without encapsulation after 12 h of operation (air mass 1.5 global irradiation in ambient air conditions) or after 500 h of operation (white light‐emitting diode irradiation (100 mW cm−2) in N2 conditions).

A Hybrid Electric and Thermal Solar Receiver

Summary Solar energy offers a promising renewable energy source; however, it is expensive to store electricity from photovoltaics (PV), the most widely deployed solar electricity technology. Solar thermal energy technologies can be paired with inexpensive thermal storage, but are more expensive overall. We have developed a solar receiver that combines PV and solar thermal systems to efficiently convert solar radiation to electricity (to be used immediately) and thermal energy (to be stored and converted to electricity on demand). This paper describes the Hybrid Electric And Thermal Solar (HEATS) receiver and models its performance. An idealized model predicts high solar-to-electricity efficiency (35.2%) with high dispatchability (44.2% of electricity from thermal energy) at an operating temperature of 775 K. Modeling using measured performance values for HEATS subcomponents predicts 26.8% efficiency and 81% dispatchability with silicon PV and 28.5% efficiency and 76% dispatchability with gallium arsenide PV, both operating at 700 K.

Tandem translation classroom: a case study

ABSTRACTThe transition to student-centred learning, advances in teleconferencing tools, and active international student exchange programmes have stimulated tandem learning in many parts of the world. This pedagogical model is based on a mutual language exchange between tandem partners, where each student is a native speaker in the language the counterpart wants to learn. Based on autonomy and reciprocity, tandem learning facilitates the acquisition of authentic language and intercultural competences through paired works and peer tutoring. Its application to translation learning has the potential of fostering tandem co-translation, where the co-translators are the native speakers of the source and target languages, which often enhances the quality of translation. In preparation for a full-fledged tandem translation programme, this research reports on a case study of an undergraduate tandem translation classroom. Specifically, it compares a traditional translation classroom with a tandem one to explore effective tandem strategies for translator training. The Community of Inquiry was employed as a framework to explore how students perceive their traditional and tandem learning experiences.

Selecting tandem partners for silicon solar cells

Combining silicon and other materials in tandem solar cells is one approach to enhancing the overall power conversion efficiency of the cells. We argue that top cell partners for silicon tandem solar cells should be selected on the basis of their spectral efficiency — their efficiency resolved by wavelength.

A possible role of DNA methylation in functional divergence of a fast evolving duplicate gene encoding odorant binding protein 11 in the honeybee.

Although gene duplication is seen as the main path to evolution of new functions, molecular mechanisms by which selection favours the gain versus loss of newly duplicated genes and minimizes the fixation of pseudo-genes are not well understood. Here, we investigate in detail a duplicate honeybee gene obp11 belonging to a fast evolving insect gene family encoding odorant binding proteins (OBPs). We report that obp11 is expressed only in female bees in rare antennal sensilla basiconica in contrast to its tandem partner obp10 that is expressed in the brain in both females and males (drones). Unlike all other obp genes in the honeybee, obp11 is methylated suggesting that functional diversification of obp11 and obp10 may have been driven by an epigenetic mechanism. We also show that increased methylation in drones near one donor splice site that correlates with higher abundance of a transcript variant encoding a truncated OBP11 protein is one way of controlling its contrasting expression. Our data suggest that like in mammals and plants, DNA methylation in insects may contribute to functional diversification of proteins produced from duplicated genes, in particular to their subfunctionalization by generating complementary patterns of expression.

Preparation of Ethylene/1-Hexene Copolymers from Ethylene Using a Fully Silica-Supported Tandem Catalyst System

A silica-supported tandem catalyst system, capable of producing ethylene/1-hexene copolymers from ethylene being the single monomer, has been investigated. As tandem couple a phenoxyimine titanium catalyst for ethylene trimerization was combined with a metallocene catalyst for α-olefin polymerization. Two different approaches were pursued to combine the two catalysts as silica-supported tandem partners. The co-immobilization of the catalysts on the same support particles led to low polymerization activities and yielded products with low comonomer content due to interference of the two catalysts on the support. Immobilization of the two catalysts on separate supports prevented this interaction and led to high polymerization activities while the comonomer content of the product was controlled by the employed catalyst ratio. The copolymers obtained via the latter method were thoroughly analyzed with respect to their chemical composition distribution (CCD) by DSC-SSA, Crystaf, and HT-HPLC. The obtained data indicate a broad and in some cases bimodal CCD, which was explained by the synergy of composition drift during the polymerization and increasing diffusion limitation within the expanding polymer particle.

Structural insights into the functional versatility of WW domain-containing oxidoreductase tumor suppressor.

Recent work on WW domain-containing oxidoreductase (WWOX) tumor suppressor is beginning to shed new light on both the molecular mechanism of action of its WW domains as well as the contiguous catalytic domain. Herein, the structural basis underlying the ability of WW1 domain to bind to various physiological ligands and how the orphan WW2 tandem partner synergizes its ligand binding in the context of WW1-WW2 tandem module of WWOX is discussed. Notably, the WW domains within the WW1-WW2 tandem module physically associate so as to adopt a fixed spatial orientation relative to each other. In this manner, the association of WW2 domain with WW1 hinders ligand binding to the latter. Consequently, ligand binding to WW1 domain not only results in the displacement of WW2 lid but also disrupts the fixed orientation of WW domains in the liganded conformation. Equally importantly, structure-guided functional approach suggests that the catalytic domain of WWOX likely serves as a retinal oxidoreductase that catalyzes the reversible oxidation and reduction of all-trans-retinal. Collectively, this review provides structural insights into the functional versatility of a key signaling protein with important implications on its biology.

L3-Task: Language acquisition in a multilingual context

L3-Task is a pilot project based on a European project proposal by the University of Vienna (Austria), the University of Alicante (Spain), the University of Barcelona (Spain), the UNED of Madrid (Spain), and the University of Jena (Germany). The pilot project aimed at implementing and investigating peer-to-peer interaction between students of a third language (L3) through blended online tandems organized by the universities involved in the project, all of which offer formal courses of third languages. The present paper focusses on the participation in oral peer-to-peer interaction in German by students who are native speakers (NSs) of Spanish (L1), have studied English as a second language (L2) and are acquiring German as an L3 within a university program based on an A1 CEFR-based framework. In order to provide these non-native speakers (NNSs) of German with opportunities to develop oral competence, online tandems were organized with students at the University of Vienna who are NSs or near-native-speakers of German (NNSs-high). During their online encounter, the tandem partners carried out task-based interactions related to the formal German language course in university education. The interactions were carried out outside the classroom, and recorded and stored by the students themselves with the help of a common video-conference platform. In this article we present samples of transcribed interactions in German by 11 tandems composed of a NNS and a NS or NNS-high. The interactions were initially set up through the use of English, which is the tandem partners´ common L2.

Ligand binding to WW tandem domains of YAP2 transcriptional regulator is under negative cooperativity.

YES-associated protein 2 (YAP2) transcriptional regulator drives a multitude of cellular processes, including the newly discovered Hippo tumor suppressor pathway, by virtue of the ability of its WW domains to bind and recruit PPXY-containing ligands to specific subcellular compartments. Herein, we employ an array of biophysical tools to investigate allosteric communication between the WW tandem domains of YAP2. Our data show that the WW tandem domains of YAP2 negatively cooperate when binding to their cognate ligands. Moreover, the molecular origin of such negative cooperativity lies in an unfavorable entropic contribution to the overall free energy relative to ligand binding to isolated WW domains. Consistent with this notion, the WW tandem domains adopt a fixed spatial orientation such that the WW1 domain curves outwards and stacks onto the binding groove of the WW2 domain, thereby sterically hindering ligand binding to both itself and its tandem partner. Although ligand binding to both WW domains disrupts such interdomain stacking interaction, they reorient themselves and adopt an alternative fixed spatial orientation in the liganded state by virtue of their ability to engage laterally so as to allow their binding grooves to point outwards and away from each other. In short, while the ability of WW tandem domains to aid ligand binding is well documented, our demonstration that they may also be subject to negative binding cooperativity represents a paradigm shift in our understanding of the molecular action of this ubiquitous family of protein modules.

LANGUAGE LEARNING IN TANDEM: ELEMENTS, PRINCIPLES AND PERSPECTIVES

The article describes the method of tandem learning and defines its key elements – the roles of tandem partners, the form of learning sessions and learning material. Tandem language learning takes place between two native speakers who are learning each other‘s language. Based on the principles of autonomy and reciprocity, the method provides a different way of learning a foreign language, where the process is organised and planned solely through collaboration between tandem partners. While learning in tandem, they improve foreign and native language knowledge and develop intercultural communication, learning in collaboration, learning to learn and other important competences. The article presents the results of a survey which was designed to find out whether tandem learning is known in Lithuania. The survey also reavealed the apeal of tandem learning to the respondents. It was interesting to know how many respondents would be motivated to improve foreign language skills or to start learning a new language via tandem learning. The results of the survey show that only one fifth of the respondents knows the concept of tandem learning and more than a third doubts that this method could become popular in Lithuania. However a majority of the respondents would agree to learn in tandem. The most acceptable learning methods for the respondents are learning in groups or privately. Individual learning was mentioned only by a minority of the respondents. Lack of time and money were the most popular among the factors hindering learning languages. The survey established that tandem learning is not well known in Lithuania and is rarely employed. Although it is claimed that tandem learning is more an auxilliary method, it would be useful both for language learners and scientists researching learners‘ behaviour in various situations, motivation, learning achievements and other areas. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7220/2335-2027.4.7