Non-standard capitalisation and vocal spelling in intercultural computer-mediated communication

This study reports on a corpus analysis of samples of Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) on an electronic discussion board among a group of British and Taiwanese adolescents, paying specific attention to the most distinctive cues of CMC: non-standard capitalisation and vocal spelling. I evaluate a newly developed corpus of online discussion, the British and Taiwanese Teenage Intercultural Communication Corpus (BATTICC). I used Python programming to calculate all the instances of non-standard capitalisation (specifically, all upper-case words and the use of lower case instead of upper case) and vocal spelling from the corpus, and I also applied Wmatrix to identify the semantic and part-of-speech fields of all these instances. Moreover, initial quantitative analysis was employed to inform further qualitative analysis to identify the pragmatic functions of cues in this intercultural context. It was evident that the CMC cues perform important interpersonal functions, and the analysis demonstrates different preferences by the participants for different purposes.

Safe Patient Handling Perceptions and Practices: A Survey of Acute Care Physical Therapists

BackgroundAcute care physical therapists are at risk for developing work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) due to manual patient handling. Safe patient handling (SPH) reduces WMSDs caused by manual handling.ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to describe the patient handling practices of acute care physical therapists and their perceptions regarding SPH. Additionally, this study determined whether an SPH program influences the patient handling practices and perceptions regarding SPH of acute care physical therapists.MethodsSubscribers to the electronic discussion board of American Physical Therapy Association's Acute Care Section were invited to complete a survey questionnaire.ResultsThe majority of respondents used SPH equipment and practices (91.1%), were confident using SPH equipment and practices (93.8%), agreed that evidence supports the use of SPH equipment and practices (87.0%), and reported the use of SPH equipment and practices is feasible (92.2%). Respondents at a facility with an SPH program were more likely to use SPH equipment and practices, have received training in the use of SPH equipment and practices, agree that the use of SPH equipment and practices is feasible, and feel confident using SPH equipment and practices.LimitationsThe study might not reflect the perceptions and practices of the population of acute care physical therapists.ConclusionAcute care physical therapists are trained to use SPH equipment and practices, use SPH equipment and practices, and have positive perceptions regarding SPH. Acute care physical therapists in a facility with an SPH program are more likely to use SPH equipment and practices, receive training in SPH equipment and practices, and have positive perceptions regarding SPH. Quasi-regulatory organizations should incorporate SPH programs into their evaluative standards.

E-Collaboration in Distributed Requirements Determination

It is widely agreed that the trend toward distributed software development is growing. Although there are difficulties involved, this trend is here to stay, as organizations will continue to search for ways to develop software at lower cost but with same quality. Current research has focused primarily on the later stages of the software development life cycle, especially coding of software requirements. However, as organizations become more virtual, distributed development will become more apparent throughout the entire life cycle. In this study, we investigate distributed e collaboration in requirements determination in software development. We report on results from a field experiment with two graduate level Information Systems classes, one located in Porto Alegre, Brazil and one in Chicago, U.S. The students in Brazil played the role of users whereas the students in Chicago role-played analysts. The Chicago-based students developed a requirements document for an information system by interviewing the Brazil students using an electronic discussion board. Our findings provide insight into the distributed analysis process and identify sources of potential problems.

Peer to Peer

Ten elementary education student teachers communicated with each other on an electronic discussion board for thirteen weeks. Despite being overwhelmed at times with the demands of student teaching, participants posted 283 messages offering each other ideas and support. Students were grouped into two different discussion boards based on the grade level they were assigned to student teach, resulting in very specific help and feedback from peers who were experiencing the same or similar teaching topics or situations. Results indicate that 70% of the participants used an idea that had been posted on the discussion board by a peer and 100% of the participants stated that the discussion board was a means of support during student teaching. Although an electronic discussion board is not a new technology, it is underutilized, especially as a means to connect geographically distant student teachers so they can offer each other support and ideas for teaching.

A “Hybrid” Bacteriology Course: The Professor’s Design and Expectations; The Students’ Performance and Assessment

A basic bacteriology course was offered in two successive academic years, first in a conventional format and subsequently as a “hybrid” course. The latter combined (i) online presentation of content, (ii) an emphasis on online resources, (iii) thrice-weekly, face-to-face conversations to advance understanding, and (iv) frequent student postings on an electronic discussion board. We compared the two courses through statistical analysis of student performances on the final examinations and the course overall and student assessment of teaching. The data indicated that there was no statistical difference in performance on the final examinations or the course overall. Responses on an instrument of evaluation revealed that students less strongly affirmed the following measures in the hybrid course: (i) The amount of work was appropriate for the credit received, (ii) Interactions between students and instructor were positive, (iii) I learned a great deal in this course, and (iv) I would recommend this course to other students. We recommend clear direction about active learning tasks and relevant feedback to enhance learning in a hybrid course.

Writing Autobiographies on Brown in the History Classroom

About fifteen years ago, I heard Anne Firor Scott, W.K. Boyd Professor Emerita at Duke University, recount an exercise that she assigned to incoming Duke students: “How did your hometown respond to the Brown decision?” Students were required to consult local newspapers and public records, to interview relatives, neighbors, teachers, and public officials, and to carry out other research to address this query. Intrigued by this investigation, I devised an autobiographical version of this writing assignment for students at my northern campus. For the past several years, I have launched sections of my African American History II course with a first-person version of Scott's inquiry: “How has race, and especially the Brown decision, affected your educational history?” It began as a first-day, in-class writing assignment, but the most recent iteration asks them to draw upon course readings and library research resources to illuminate their personal experiences of race and education, from elementary grades to present-day college years. Students submit their first drafts near the beginning of the semester, reflect on historical readings and class discussions, and then revise their autobiographies by the end of the course. Student postings on our electronic discussion board make their reflections more public than traditional writing assignments, sparking discussions about how our perspectives have been shaped by different experiences of race and education.