Abstract:Urban green spaces can mitigate urban warming problems to some extent. However, the cooling effect of plants differs spatially and temporally, and with plant features. To understand how plants affect urban surface and air temperature, 15 urban green spaces in Suzhou Industrial Park were selected to study the diurnal variation of summer air temperature. At the same time, the mitigation effect of different types of green spaces on the urban heat island (UHI) effect was investigated and further research was undertaken on the effect of green space area, perimeter area ratio, green space average canopy density, average leaf area index (LAI), and other factors influencing the cooling effect. Based on these studies, three representative parks were selected as samples to investigate the cooling effect of urban green space in terms of the water and wind environment. It was found that in the summer, large green spaces had a stable cooling and humidifying effect, while small green spaces had the opposite effect. The cooling and humidifying effect of large green spaces was more obvious and stable, and the cooling effect of small green spaces was more variable, with a heat preservation phenomenon occurring in some cases. The cooling effect of each green area was positively correlated with the green area, the average LAI of green space, and the average canopy density of green space. The cooling effect of each green area was significantly negatively correlated with the green area perimeter. Water bodies within green spaces did not contribute to cooling; however, the cooling effect was related to the wind environment. From the perspective of the planning and construction of city green spaces it is important to increase the green area and the reasonable planning green perimeter area ratio; however, suitable tree species should be selected in the greening process. The effect of urban greening in improving the urban ecological environment has been established. It was concluded that the cooling effects of such green areas are largely determined by plant type, canopy density, and park shapes. Therefore, it is suggested that a stronger emphasis is placed on the selection of plant species and the design of park shapes to achieve environmental cooling effects.

Abstract:In this case study, we evaluated the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) initiative at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU), an extracurricular programme that focuses on academic staff-student partnerships and collaborations. While not directly integrated into university degree programmes, SURF provides students with the opportunity to develop practical research skills related to knowledge they have acquired in class. Participating students receive an authentic research experience, which involves collaboration on research projects with academic staff. All students are required to present results of their projects at a public poster presentation event organised by the university. This case study is a partnership between Academic Enhancement Centre (AEC) staff, who organize and run SURF, SURF students, and a lecturer (M.B.N. Kouwenhoven), and it presents a reflection on their experiences of the SURF programme, and in particular on the notions of partnership and collaboration and the potential tension between those two concepts.

Abstract:网络的应用及其影响日益广泛和深入。近年来,网络在英语作为第二语言教学中的各种优势也日益受到人们的关注。学习和借鉴国外英语教育者在网络英语教学领域的成功经验,并结合我国高职英语教学的实际情况,将会促进我们的网络英语教学,使之得到更快的进步和发展。

Abstract:Although open educational resources (OERs) can help bridge high school-university vocabulary gaps, central questions remain unanswered regarding effective design that enables students to go beyond the "small chunks" that typically characterize vocabulary learning in mobile learning environments (MLEs). This bi-national study adopted a design-based research paradigm to collect input of students at two Chinese universities regarding design factors to overcome potential barriers to learning vocabulary in MLEs. The study iterated through a cycle of analysis, development, implementation, and evaluation with two cohorts of 222 and 136 students, respectively, over two years. Results showed that L1 translations correlated with significantly improved performance on basic-level vocabulary exercises and pop vocabulary quizzes. However, results suggest that moving mobile learning into the mainstream will require designing more effective scaffolding for complex vocabulary learning as well as clearer guidelines for optimal integration of PC and MLEs for supporting self-directed vocabulary study.

Abstract:This essay presents a glimpse of the task-based language teaching mode (TBLT) as one of the most influential language teaching approaches in second language acquisition. After giving a clear definition of the approach, the essay explores the theoretical rationale for TBLT, first by introducing quite a few discoveries and hypothesis concerned to illustrate present understanding of the teaching methodology and then by comparing it with the traditional methods of language instruction based on presentation, practice and production (PPP). Then the essay analyses the factors that must be taken into account in designing efficient task-based lessons, factors such as the classification of tasks, thematic contents to be chosen, criteria for task difficulty, and effect depending on performance conditions. The essay also probes into some of the limitations and drawbacks of this approach. So the essay concludes by suggesting maintenance of a balanced application of integrative approaches so that TBLT can be complemented and enriched by other approaches.

Abstract:Copyright © 2021, IGI Global. Virtual reality (VR) has garnered increasing attention as a pedagogical tool for language learning. Yet, despite the many affordances of using virtual reality learning environments (VRLEs), there remains a paucity of research investigating the use of VRLEs for English for academic purposes (EAP). While BALEAP’19 conference presentations related to VR were well attended, suggesting there is interest in VR and EAP, many practitioners and researchers may be hesitant to explore using VR for EAP due to difficulties in selecting suitable equipment, understanding VR related terminology, and selecting or creating appropriate VRLEs for their pedagogical and research purposes. The objective of this article is to reduce the difficulty of some of these initial obstacles by providing overviews of relevant literature, VR terminology, technology, and software, as well as providing examples of potential uses of VR for EAP and a framework for investigating VR in EAP pedagogy and research.

Abstract:This article examines the issue of cognates in frequency-based vocabulary size testing. Data from a pilot study for a cognate-controlled English vocabulary size test was used to assess whether a group of Japanese university English learners (n = 60) were more successful at responding to cognate items than noncognate ones in three 1000 word frequency bands on a Japanese-English translation task. The results showed a statistically significant difference between scores achieved on cognate and noncognate items at the 2000 and 3000 frequency levels, but not at the 1000 frequency level. The findings suggest that cognate items may be easier for test-takers to respond to than noncognate ones of similar frequency, indicating the importance of ensuring that their respective proportions in tests are representative of those inherent in the frequency bands they have been sampled from. It is also argued that such representativeness may best be achieved via a stratified item sampling approach.

Abstract:This is a critical reflection based upon the academic experience of the author who has taught English for Academic Purposes(EAP)for over 4 years to undergraduate students of various disciplines since 2014 when he joined the Language Centre at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University(XJTLU).The purpose of...

Abstract:Virtual reality is a rapidly developing technology and its applications are being explored in a variety of educational fields. While an increasing amount of attention is being paid to VR as a language learning tool, there remains less research on using VR with languages other than English. Adapting the Technology Acceptance Model, this study investigated learner attitudes towards Hubs by Mozilla, a multi-user VR learning environment, for the purpose of learning Chinese as an additional language. Data were collected by means of a post-participation questionnaire that measured seven constructs. It was hypothesized that the unique features of virtual reality technology would have a statistically significant positive association with the constructs of technology acceptance. Structural Equation Modeling was used to explore the relationships between the constructs. Results indicate varying degrees in significance between the impacts of different constructs, but an overall agreeable attitude towards using the virtual environment for Chinese language learning. Furthermore, difficulties in interaction within the virtual environment seemed to affect the learners' perceived ease of use of the technology, suggesting that increased consideration for the design of VR learning environments and for the virtual literacies of learners may help this technology be more successful in the classroom.

Abstract:This article presents a qualitative, comparative study of metadiscourse in the academic writing of two groups of undergraduate students working in two different disciplines. The groups of students were: 1) Native speakers of Mandarin studying in China through the medium of English: 2) Native speakers of Mandarin studying in the UK through the medium of English. For each group of students, we examined writing undertaken in two undergraduate disciplinary courses: Literary Criticism and Translation Studies. Our aim was to extend research into English writing by L1 Mandarin speakers, and to identify patterns of difference and similarity both between educational contexts and between disciplines. Results suggest that patterns of metadiscourse use in our corpus are associated with both disciplinary and contextual factors, but that contextual factors may have a stronger effect than disciplinary factors. For our data, local institutional culture seems to have a noticeable influence on student writers' use of metadiscourse. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Abstract:This software review evaluates the Moodle plugin Level Up, which aims to add a gamification element to this commonly-used online education platform. The reviewers report their use of the plugin, describing its strengths, weakness and future potential. In doing so, they share their experiences of using it during a recent project that developed a Moodle-based activity for study of the Academic Word List (AWL) at a Sino-British university in China. This activity aimed to enhance student engagement and motivation to learn more academic vocabulary, and Level Up was selected for its claimed gamification potential. The activity's end product, and student responses to it are considered, and positive recommendations are given regarding Level Up's potential for enhancing Moodle.

Abstract:Feedback practices for students' speaking activities in an online environment are very different from those on-site. This study investigated online feedback practices for speaking skills in a Sino-UK joint-venture university, as well as teachers and students' perceptions of the practices. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with four teachers and 11 students on a discipline-specific English for Academic Purposes (EAP) course. Overall, e-feedback was perceived as less effective than face-to-face feedback, which was mainly due to a lack of interpersonal ties. A range of specific e-feedback types was used; each type elicited both positive and negative perceptions, which were influenced by the nature of feedback type, opportunities for communication and psychological issues. This study concludes that for e-feedback to have the equal potential for clarifying expectations as face-to-face feedback, practitioners need to be well informed of the features of different types of e-feedback, and carefully choose the most appropriate type according to the learning outcomes and students' preferences. Students also need to develop an e-feedback literacy to fully use such feedback.

Abstract:The conceptualization of intercultural communication competence (ICC) has been updated tentatively since it was formulated in the 1970s. A common recognition is that development of ICC can only be realized through an individual's adaptation, which results from the integration of the multiple forces within the individuals themselves. However, most of the existing research on ICC has focused on the conscious aspects of competence like abilities or skills that are distinguishable, that is, what to adapt, rather than the less conscious aspect, or its correlation with the unconscious part, that is, the how to adapt, or what the process of adaptation is. The absence of investigation into the adaptation process may have been a consequence of the educational context of studies on ICC, which depends much on, or is heavily affected by, the Cartesian dualistic viewpoints that emphasize the dichotomy of mind-body while ignoring the "middle" in between. Based on our previous semiotic analysis that explained the process of intercultural communication as a form of semiosis, this paper adopts more perspectives from edusemiotics to conceptualize learning following a triadic framework with emphasis on the process as the "middle," which renders it possible to reflect on the process of individuals' adaptation in contexts of intercultural communication.

Abstract:In most existing research into the Software Defined Internet of Things (SDIoT), IoT devices are reprogramed and controlled using software. Security mechanisms are designed to ensure that the IoT devices can be legally reprogrammed. However, the crypto algorithms involved in this process may unnecessarily overburden the IoT devices. In this paper, we describe a hardware integrated SDIoT system which can lighten the computational burden of the IoT devices. A protocol, called Authenticated OpenFlow Handshake is proposed to enhance the security and performance of the handshake process in an SDIoT system, and an Elliptical Curves Cryptography (ECC) chip can be employed to accelerate the signature process in the proposed protocol. A series of experiments are carried out with the results showing that using this type of hardware chip can significantly reduce the runtime of the protocol.

Abstract:Learner autonomy has become a universally acknowledged benign notion and exercised in all levels of education, especially in tertiary settings, although some doubts have been cast on its suitability in teacher-dependent contexts. Learner autonomy entails capacity to take on responsibility for ones' own learning. This study aims to investigate students' perceptions of their own responsibility and their teachers', and then evaluate students' autonomy in English learning in an EAP curriculum in a Sino-British university in China. To these aims, a 30-item questionnaire was compiled to administer to 276 year 1 and year 2 students, and T-test and one-way ANOVA were used to analyze the data. It was found that students in this Sino-British context perceived themselves to assume more responsibility for their own learning compared to their Chinese counterparts, but teachers had more responsibility to stimulate their learning inside the classroom. The degree of autonomy increased accordingly by students' language proficiency level. Female students assumed more responsibility than male students while the latter were more autonomous than the former. Although students had a good understanding of course aims, they had low awareness of setting goals and plans. These findings have implications for promoting autonomy in tertiary settings in this specific context, as well as in other tertiary settings.

Abstract:全球胜任力的培养可以帮助学生学习和建构知识,培养可迁移技能,实现价值塑造,从而树立全球关怀意识和可持续发展意识。英语学科作为了解多元文化的重要窗口以及考核全球胜任力的语言载体,对大学生的未来发展具有重要意义。大学英语教学应在关注知识和技能的量化进步的同时,从人文性方面出发,重视态度和价值观的培养。

Abstract:上海,作为中国近代工业的发祥地,已经包含了很多珍贵的工业建筑遗产,它是城市发展的缩影,是城市工业建筑的重要组成部分。然而,在快速城市化进程中,人们对工业建筑遗产逐步消失的现状认识不够,如何保护并再利用工业建筑遗产是迫切需要考虑的问题。本文对城市日益老化的旧工业建筑进行了研究,从历史文献研究中,对工业建筑遗产的文化、历史、工业、社会经济价值进行了阐释。通过对几种旧工业遗产如1933年屠宰场和南市发电站等进行理论研究和分类,先研究其局限性和潜在的再利用价值,然后针对老工业建筑适应性再利用的目标、程序、方法和策略,提出一些实用性的建议和指导。希望这些方法能成为当代中国旧工业建筑再利用的一种持续评价的...

Abstract:本文调查分析双语学生通过“超语”及“认同”来开展批判性学习的具体行为。通过在一高校双语课堂里收集小组讨论录音并采用会话分析框架，本文考察了学生使用超语、操演认同的具体情景和过程，重点研究学生如何利用汉英语言资源、多样语篇知识及社会文化认同来激发认知思维能力及与同伴的协作。研究发现：第一，学生通过操演“中国社会文化的知情人”这项认同，能够调动共有的社会文化知识并开展对话式学习，进而不断提升讨论的精度和深度；第二，通过操演“故事的讲述者”，学生得以连接以二语为载体的学科专业知识和以母语为载体的背景知识及社会文化观察，进而创造新知识。本研究对调动双语学生的认同资源、激发学生在双语课堂里开展具有认知深...

Abstract:Source use is an important yet challenging feature of academic writing. Students may receive & nbsp;academic literacy & nbsp;support in their universities, but little research has focused on the support available on source use. This study addressed this gap by investigating two Chinese students & rsquo; engagement with a range of support on source use in one UK university over one-year taught Master & rsquo;s programmes, namely, the link between input, student perception and their source use performance in writing. Text analysis, discourse-based interviews and semi-structured interviews were conducted with each participant at four stages over the year. It was found that different focuses of source use were addressed in different ways through add-on support courses, yearlong in-sessional EAP courses, subject lecturer & rsquo;s guidance and feedback. The two students varied in their ability to recall the input and the actions they took, resulting in differences in their source use practices in writing. Implications on providing international students with support on source use will be discussed. (C) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.