Over the last decade, online learning has grown to become an important part of higher education. However, despite the considerable volume of research in this area, many educators are still concerned ...about how online learning can be used in an effective way. This paper presents the results of research which set out to evaluate the efficacy of an online Business English course in higher education. The key findings of a comparison of student satisfaction in an online vs. face-to-face Business English course are discussed and the questions of how much the online learning environment benefits the student and what factors affect students' satisfaction with the course are addressed. The results indicate that there are significant differences in student satisfaction levels between online and face-to-face learning of English as a foreign language. Students taking the face-to-face course were generally more satisfied with the course on several dimensions than their online counterparts.
Emoticons have become a common phenomenon in email correspondence between students and professors. Even though the use of emoticons in formal writing is considered inappropriate and unprofessional, ...more and more students are using these nonverbal communication tools to add context or emphasis to their email messages to professors. This paper examines the association between the use of emoticons and professors’ perceptions of higher education students’ email messages with and without emoticons in two countries, Serbia and Slovenia. The students’ emails were collected and assessed on several levels. The students’ messages were examined with particular attention to the appropriateness of the students’ writing style. In addition, the students’ level of digital literacy, their attitude toward a professor, and gender differences in the use of emoticons were examined. Furthermore, an online questionnaire was used to identify characteristic differences between students who use emoticons and students who do not. The results show that messages with emoticons are rated lower on several dimensions than messages without emoticons. In addition, students who use emoticons show lower digital literacy and perceive their professors as more understanding and helpful. Emoticon use is not related to gender. The results suggest that students should avoid using emoticons even if they have a positive attitude toward their professor.
Los emoticonos se han convertido en un fenómeno común en la correspondencia por correo electrónico entre estudiantes y profesores. Para los estudiantes, estas herramientas de comunicación no verbal son una forma de agregar contexto o énfasis a sus mensajes. Sin embargo, para la mayoría de los profesores, el uso de emoticonos se considera inapropiado y poco profesional. A medida que más estudiantes incorporan emoticonos en sus mensajes de correo electrónico a los profesores, nos propusimos examinar la relación entre el uso de emoticonos y las percepciones de los profesores sobre los mensajes de correo electrónico de los estudiantes con y sin emoticonos. Examinamos los mensajes de los estudiantes con particular referencia a la adecuación del estilo de escritura de los estudiantes, evaluamos el nivel de alfabetización digital de los estudiantes, su actitud hacia un profesor y las diferencias de género en el uso de emoticonos. Recopilamos correos electrónicos de los estudiantes y los calificamos en varias dimensiones. Además, utilizamos un cuestionario en línea para identificar las diferencias características entre los estudiantes que usan emoticonos y los que no. Los resultados muestran que los mensajes con emoticonos tienen una calificación más baja que los mensajes sin emoticonos en varias dimensiones. Los estudiantes que usan emoticonos también muestran una menor alfabetización digital y perciben a sus profesores como más comprensivos y serviciales. Contrariamente a nuestras expectativas, el uso de emoticonos no está relacionado con el género. Los resultados sugieren que los estudiantes deben evitar el uso de emoticonos, puesto que el profesor espera un comportamiento apropiado a través de Internet.
Emoticons have become a common phenomenon in email correspondence between students and professors. Even though the use of emoticons in formal writing is considered inappropriate and unprofessional, ...more and more students are using these nonverbal communication tools to add context or emphasis to their email messages to professors. This paper examines the association between the use of emoticons and professors' perceptions of higher education students' email messages with and without emoticons in two countries, Serbia and Slovenia. The students' emails were collected and assessed on several levels. The students' messages were examined with particular attention to the appropriateness of the students' writing style. In addition, the students' level of digital literacy, their attitude toward a professor, and gender differences in the use of emoticons were examined. Furthermore, an online questionnaire was used to identify characteristic differences between students who use emoticons and students who do not. The results show that messages with emoticons are rated lower on several dimensions than messages without emoticons. In addition, students who use emoticons show lower digital literacy and perceive their professors as more understanding and helpful. Emoticon use is not related to gender. The results suggest that students should avoid using emoticons even if they have a positive attitude toward their professor.
The article discusses some key issues surrounding testing of English for Specific Purposes (ESP), a wide-ranging field which has now been established as an integral part of English Language Testing, ...and perceived as an independent activity within the ESP process. The first chapter provides a short general overview of the nature of ESP testing field, bringing into focus that ESP testing has been concerned with measuring specific uses of English language among identified groups of test takers. Next, some defining characteristics and principles common to all ESP tests are explored. The factors of authenticity and washback effect in ESP testing are examined in greater detail. Next, the importance of quality assessment is stressed, and ways of achieving it are examined. The chapter on the English Vocational Matura outlines the format of this ESP public examination in Slovenia, examining the tasks of reading and writing in at greater length.
Los emoticonos se han convertido en un fenómeno común en la correspondencia por correo electrónico entre estudiantes y profesores. Para los estudiantes, estas herramientas de comunicación no verbal ...son una forma de agregar contexto o énfasis a sus mensajes. Sin embargo, para la mayoría de los profesores, el uso de emoticonos se considera inapropiado y poco profesional. A medida que más estudiantes incorporan emoticonos en sus mensajes de correo electrónico a los profesores, nos propusimos examinar la relación entre el uso de emoticonos y las percepciones de los profesores sobre los mensajes de correo electrónico de los estudiantes con y sin emoticonos. Examinamos los mensajes de los estudiantes con particular referencia a la adecuación del estilo de escritura de los estudiantes, evaluamos el nivel de alfabetización digital de los estudiantes, su actitud hacia un profesor y las diferencias de género en el uso de emoticonos. Recopilamos correos electrónicos de los estudiantes y los calificamos en varias dimensiones. Además, utilizamos un cuestionario en línea para identificar las diferencias características entre los estudiantes que usan emoticonos y los que no. Los resultados muestran que los mensajes con emoticonos tienen una calificación más baja que los mensajes sin emoticonos en varias dimensiones. Los estudiantes que usan emoticonos también muestran una menor alfabetización digital y perciben a sus profesores como más comprensivos y serviciales. Contrariamente a nuestras expectativas, el uso de emoticonos no está relacionado con el género. Los resultados sugieren que los estudiantes deben evitar el uso de emoticonos, puesto que el profesor espera un comportamiento apropiado a través de Internet. PALABRAS CLAVE Habilidades de comunicación, comunicación, comunicación digital, emoticonos, género, correo electrónico. Emoticons have become a common phenomenon in email correspondence between students and professors. Even though the use of emoticons in formal writing is considered inappropriate and unprofessional, more and more students are using these nonverbal communication tools to add context or emphasis to their email messages to professors. This paper examines the association between the use of emoticons and professors' perceptions of higher education students' email messages with and without emoticons in two countries, Serbia and Slovenia. The students' emails were collected and assessed on several levels. The students' messages were examined with particular attention to the appropriateness of the students' writing style. In addition, the students' level of digital literacy, their attitude toward a professor, and gender differences in the use of emoticons were examined. Furthermore, an online questionnaire was used to identify characteristic differences between students who use emoticons and students who do not. The results show that messages with emoticons are rated lower on several dimensions than messages without emoticons. In addition, students who use emoticons show lower digital literacy and perceive their professors as more understanding and helpful. Emoticon use is not related to gender. The results suggest that students should avoid using emoticons even if they have a positive attitude toward their professor. KEYWORDS Communication skills, communication, digital communication, emoticons, gender, email.
Nowadays, email communication is considered the most common and widespread computer-based tool that students use to communicate with their professors. This paper provides a framework for evaluating ...email communication between students and professors and examines the factors that may influence students’ email style and professionalism. The research was conducted among Serbian and Slovenian students who contacted their professors by email. In order to evaluate the style of student email communication, the degree of formality, and the layout, we developed an evaluation form. Students were asked to complete an online questionnaire that assessed their attitudes toward culture, attitudes toward their professor and studies, digital literacy, use of social media, and self-perceptions of their communication skills. Responses were analysed and structural equation modeling was used to test seven hypotheses predicting the effects of factors that influence writing style in emails. As expected, the results show several differences in these factors in the two countries. First, in both countries, students’ perceptions of their own communication skills influence their email communication style. Second, grade point average has a significant effect on email communication in Serbia but not in Slovenia, while attitude toward the professor is a significant predictor of email communication in Slovenia but not in Serbia. Moreover, in both countries, attitude toward professor is influenced by attitude toward study. Third, digital literacy has a significant effect on students’ perceived communication skills in both countries, while culture affects communication skills only in Slovenia and social media use only in Serbia.
Članek najprej primerja nekatere vidike slovenske splošne in poklicne mature iz an gleščine, nato pa predstavi del rezultatov projekta »Umestitev izpitov iz angleščine v Skupni evropski referenčni ...okvir za jezike«, ki je potekal v obdobju 2008–10.
V doktorski disertaciji so uvodoma predstavljeni teoretični vidiki e-izobraževanja, opredeljena različna pojmovanja e-izobraževanja, od splošnih do bolj specifičnih, opisujemo pa tudi poglavitne ...značilnosti in različne oblike e-izobraževanja. Nadalje predstavljamo začetke in razvoj e-izobraževanja od študija na daljavo do sodobnih oblik mobilnega izobraževanja ter ključne razlike med klasičnim načinom izobraževanja v učilnici in e-izobraževanjem. E-izobraževanje se pojavlja v različnih izvedbenih modelih, ki jih po posameznih fazah razvoja predstavljamo v poglavju o modelih izobraževanja, prikazujemo pa tudi prednosti in pomanjkljivosti e-izobraževanja ter vlogo in kompetence različnih udeležencev e-izobraževanja. Specifičnost tujejezikovnega poučevanja zahteva uporabo drugačne metodike. Razvoj različnih metod za učenje in poučevanje angleščine ter razlogi za prelom od klasičnega načina izobraževanja so pojasnjeni iz različnih zornih kotov, teoretičnega, praktičnega kakor tudi z vidika uporabe informacijsko-komunikacijskih tehnologij. Eno od osrednjih poglavij naloge predstavlja razvoj modela e-izobraževanja angleškega poslovnega jezika, kjer se osredotočamo na opredelitev ciljev, pogojev in izhodišč za eksperimentalno uvedbo modela v pedagoški proces na Univerzi v Mariboru, Fakulteti za organizacijske vede ter razčlenjujemo posamezne faze razvoja modela. Poglobljeno se lotevamo tudi predstavitve zgradbe modela z opisom vsebine, študijskih gradiv in posameznih učnih aktivnosti. V empiričnem delu naloge analiziramo rezultate raziskave o testiranju modela, kjer smo ovrgli dve od treh zastavljenih hipotez, saj smo ugotovili statistično pomembne razlike med skupino, ki se je izobraževala prek modela e-izobraževanja, in skupino, ki je imela le klasično izobraževanje. Podatke za raziskavo smo pridobili z anketo o zadovoljstvu, kakovosti in uporabnosti modela e-izobraževanja, o vplivih na učni dosežek, o motivacijskih dejavnikih za učenje in o odnosu do predmeta oz. učenja poslovne angleščine. Posebna pozornost je bila pri testiranju modela usmerjena na stopnjo zadovoljstva udeležencev z izvedbo izobraževanja, oceno udeležencev glede strukture modela, zanimivosti in privlačnosti učnih vsebin ter aktivnosti, odgovorili pa smo na tudi vprašanje, kako model izpolnjuje svojo funkcijo in kakšen je njegov vpliv na učinkovitost e-izobraževanja.
The impacts of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in ALAD and VDR genes on Pb health effects and/or kinetics are inconclusive at low exposure levels, while studies including APOE SNPs are rare. ...In this study, we examined the associations of ALAD, VDR and APOE SNPs with exposure biomarkers of Pb and other trace elements (TEs) in Italian pregnant women (N = 873, aged 18–44 years) and their newborns (N = 619) with low-level mixed-element exposure through diet, the environment or endogenously. DNA from maternal peripheral venous blood (mB), sampled during the second and third trimesters, was genotyped for ALAD (rs1800435, rs1805313, rs1139488, rs818708), VDR (rs2228570, rs1544410, rs7975232, rs731236) and APOE (rs429358, rs7421) using TaqMan SNP assays. Personal and lifestyle data and TE levels (mB, maternal plasma, hair and mixed umbilical cord blood CB) from the PHIME project were used. Multiple linear regression models, controlling for confounding variables, were performed to test the associations between SNPs and TEs. The geometric means of mB-Pb, mB-Hg, mB-As and mB-Cd (11.0 ng/g, 2.16 ng/g, 1.38 ng/g and 0.31 ng/g, respectively) indicated low exposure levels, whereas maternal plasma Zn and Se (0.72 μg/mL and 78.6 ng/g, respectively) indicated adequate micronutritional status. Variant alleles of ALAD rs1800435 and rs1805313 were negatively associated with mB-Pb levels, whereas a positive association was observed for rs1139488. None of the VDR SNPs or their haplotypes had any association with Pb levels. Regarding APOE, the ϵ4 allele was associated with lower mB-Hg and CB-Hg, while a positive association was found with the ϵ2 allele and CB-Pb when the model included only newborn girls. The observed associations indicate possible modification effects of ALAD and APOE SNPs on Pb or Hg kinetics in women and their newborns with low exposure to non-essential TEs, as well as an adequate nutritional status of Zn and Se.
•Maternal ALAD and APOE SNPs influenced (cord)blood Pb and Hg in pregnant women.•ALAD rs1800435 and rs1805313 variant allele was associated with lower blood Pb.•ALAD rs1139488 variant allele was associated with higher blood Pb.•APOE ε2 allele was associated with higher umbilical cord blood Pb in female newborns.•APOE ε4 allele was associated with lower blood and umbilical cord blood Hg.
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