scholarly journals Essay Writing Activities in Class: Bangladeshi Undergraduates’ Perspectives

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 16-24
Author(s):  
Iffat Jahan Suchona

Although smart writing skill is equally important in both academic and professional spheres, many Bangladeshi tertiary level learners find writing skills too difficult to be developed. In respect of this, the students are given many writing tasks (such as composing a five-paragraph essay) to improve their competencies in a language classroom. Anyhow, writing a good essay needs several cognitive steps that a student has to go through demanding a high level of motivation and constructive teacher feedback. Considering the fact, this paper has investigated tertiary level Bangladeshi learners’ perspectives about how the essay-writing tasks keep them motivated in class. This pilot project had been conducted using a set of 20 items (quantitative survey questionnaire), which was administered among thirty participants from the Department of English of a reputed Bangladeshi public university. The small-scale research revealed that the majority of the undergraduates stay motivated during the brainstorming part of essay writing tasks. However, many of them find the patterns of essays quite confusing. However, these learners believe more writing assignments, along with effective teacher feedback, can highly encourage them to develop their writing skills. 

ReCALL ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Uschi Felix ◽  
Michael Lawson

This paper reports on a pilot project which examined the effects on essay writing skills in advanced German of computer-based teaching which allowed a co-operative approach to writing and the pmvision of immediate teacher and peer feedback through the interactive display and networking of student work.Third year German students were assigned to computer-based or conventional teaching groups taught by two different teachers using common materials and the same task-based approach. Prior to implementation of the project and again at the end, students were given a standard writing task to allow the level of their writing skills to be evaluated structurally and linguistically. The major focus was on the development of arguments, together with appropriate intmductions and conclusions. Grammar and expression were also measured to check whether the absence of an explicit focus on grammar had a detrimental effect on accuracy.The students in these two groups along with all other third year German students completed a questionnaire that elicited information about their abilities and interest in German and their attitude to the use of computers. Teacher evaluation and qualitative data were obtained from participating students at the end of the project. Results indicated that the experimental students achieved significantly higher ratings for the logical linking of ideas in the body of their essays and were positive about the technology.


Author(s):  
Saga Pohjola-Ahlin

In May 2016, 48 third semester undergraduate students enrolled in the physiotherapy program at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden were given three sets of questionnaires; before the information literacy instruction (ILI) started, at the end of the first session, and a week after, at the end of the second and last session.The aim of this small-scale pilot study was to shed some light on students’ motivation to attend ILI, how they value the sessions afterwards and how they assess their learning outcome. Furthermore, it was an attempt to do a "students’ user experience study” in a pedagogical setting, with the intention to evaluate and improve teaching in ILI to meet student expectations.The average response rate for the three questionnaires was 92%. The results show that students’ expectations were similar to the actual content of ILI, and that the students were satisfied with their own learning outcome. Both motivation and the sense of relevance got higher scores after students attended ILI. Motivation rose from 7,4 to 8,12 out of 10. This is positive because a high level of motivation often improves the learning outcome (Schunk, 2012). When asked which areas most needed improvement in order to further enhance their learning outcome, the most common responses were “the pedagogy” and “my own achievement”. It would be interesting to start collaborating with a group of students in order to explore new methods and learning activities.


2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 963
Author(s):  
Gihan Sidky

This study aimed at enhancing students’ essay writing skills at the secondary stage through scaffolding techniques in a workshop forum. The participants of the study were 40 students at the first secondary stage in a governmental language school. Qualitative methods were used in data analysis; a sample of students’ writings was analyzed in light of the academic writing assessment criteria (Rose et al. 2008).  A pre-posttest was administered to highlight progress in students’ writing in the three genres. Scaffolding techniques proved to be effective in improving students’ writing skills, specifically in the selected writing genres the study focused on which was evident in their second and third drafts. Interviews with high school teachers of English emphasized students need for innovative scaffolding techniques to help them develop as efficient writers. The workshop forum encouraged students to work together as one team and to express their ideas fluently to excel in their writing assignments. Having an authentic reason for writing motivated them to do research and to refine their writing to be good enough to share with others.


Author(s):  
Ni Putu Dian Permata Prasetyaningrum

Surabaya Shipping Polytechnic emphasizes on certain areas of expertise that Taruna must possess. This is the basis after graduating from shipping polytechnics, cadets must have expertise and skills. The purpose of this study was to study the effect of inquiry, discovery learning, and creativity levels on the ability to write descriptive essays on nautical and technical cadets at Surabaya Shipping Polytechnic. This type of research is research. This research uses quantitative methods using experiments. The location used in this research is Surabaya Shipping Polytechnic. The subjects in this study were the cadets of the Nautika A, Nautika B, Teknika A, and Teknika B. classes. Based on the results of the research and discussion, the following conclusions are obtained: There are those that can be solved looking for description essays in the cadets. learning discovery method. The test results show better investigation methods than the discovery of learning, There is a difference in the ability to write a description essay about cadets who have a high level of creativity with cadets who have a low level of creativity, the test results show better who have a high level of creativity, there are related with learning methods and descriptions of the ability to write essay descriptions, the test results show learning methods and creativity descriptions of the ability to write essay descriptions.


Author(s):  
I. P. Danilov ◽  
N. I. Vlakh ◽  
V. I. Gugushvili ◽  
N. Ya. Paneva ◽  
T. D. Logunova

Introduction. A healthy lifestyle is one of the most eff ective methods of preserving health and preventing non-infectious diseases. The mechanisms and factors that infl uence the formation of motivation for health and a healthy lifestyle in employees engaged in harmful working conditions have not been suffi ciently studied. The study of these mechanisms will allow us to more eff ectively shape health-saving behavior.The aim of the study is to study negative aff ectivity, social suppression and anxiety in the formation of motivation to maintain health and a healthy lifestyle in coal industry workers.Materials and methods. A survey was conducted of 75 employees of mines and sections in the South of Kuzbass with an established diagnosis of occupational diseases, as well as 54 people who do not work in harmful working conditions (engineering and technical workers). Surveys were conducted using the method “Index of motivation to health and a healthy lifestyle”, the presence of personality type D was conducted using the DS14 questionnaire, the level of personal and situational anxiety was assessed using the Spielberger — Hanin questionnaire.Results. Th e level of motivation for health and a healthy lifestyle among patients with occupational diseases is signifi cantly lower than the level of motivation for the health of engineering and technical workers. Th e infl uence of negative reaction and social suppression on the level of motivation for health and a healthy lifestyle was not found. Th e level of situational anxiety also has no eff ect on health motivation. A higher level of personal anxiety among people with a high level of motivation for a healthy lifestyle was determined.Conclusions. Personal anxiety aff ects the level of motivation for health and a healthy lifestyle in people with occupational diseases. 


2019 ◽  
pp. 68-72
Author(s):  
E. A. Volkova

A monograph “Vegetation and biotopes of the “Narochansky” National Park was published in Minsk, Belarus in 2017, edited by A. V. Pugachevsky (Grummo et al., 2017). It includes the Map of terrestrial vegetation (S. 1 : 60 000) and the Map of biotopes (S. 1 : 60 000). Some small-scale maps such as the Map of changes in forest cover of the “Narochansky” National Park for the period 1985–2016, the Map of forest loss in the “Narochansky” National Park for the period 1985–2016 and a series of inventory and analytical maps on the basin of the Naroch Lake are given. This monograph can be considered as a small regional Atlas with detailed explanatory texts to the maps. It presents the experience on vegetation mapping accumulated in the Laboratory of Geobotany and Vegetation mapping of the Institute of Experimental Botany of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. Despite some critical comments, mainly concerning the biotope map, this publication of Belarusian geobotanists deserves an approval. They received the full answers to the questions posed: “What do we protect?” and “What is a current state of the vegetation of the National Park and the main trends of its dynamics? Cartographic design is made at a high level; the maps have both scientific and practical importance in the planning of environmental and economic activities.


Author(s):  
Sri Mures Walef

This research is motivated by problems in the learning process, namely students have difficulty in expressing their ideas into writing or essays. The formation of words or sentences used by students is inaccurate or inappropriate, as well as the use of punctuation and spelling. In learning activities writing the teacher is more likely to apply teaching writing by prioritizing the results of the process. This study aims to improve narrative writing skills using the scientific method of class VI SDN 07 VII Koto Talago, Guguak District, Lima Puluh Kota Regency. The method used in this study is qualitative and quantitative methods. Qualitative research is research that intends to understand phenomena, about what is experienced by research subjects such as behavior, perceptions, motivations, actions and others. The results of the study describe learning using the Scientific method can improve student learning outcomes which initially in pre-cycle only reached 64 who are in sufficient qualifications. In the first cycle increased to 74 who were in qualifications more than enough, after the second cycle, the students' scores increased again being an average of 90 who are in excellent qualification. The increase includes three indicators, namely (1) narrative characteristics, (2) use of punctuation, (3) capital letters. Third, improving narrative writing skills using the Scientific method of class VI SDN 07 VII Koto Talago District of Guguak, Lima Puluh Kot Regency can be achieved due to several factors including teachers and students. Based on the results above it can be concluded that the narrative text writing skills using the scientific method increased, from sufficient qualifications to more qualifications until they were in excellent qualifications. Thus it can be concluded that, through the cooperative method the type of make a match improvement in students' essay writing skills increased significantly from stage to stage.Key Words: escritura de narrativas, métodos científicos


2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 104-115
Author(s):  
Chungmann Kim ◽  
Peter Goldsmith

Background: The ability for women to operate as food entrepreneurs presents opportunities to leverage at-home production technologies that not only support family nutrition but also generate income. To these ends, the Feed the Future Malawi Agriculture Diversification Activity recently launched a development project involving a new technology, the Soy Kit. The Activity, a USAID (United States Agency for International Development) funded effort, sought to improve nutrition utilizing an underutilized local and highly nutritious feedstuff, soybean, through a woman’s entrepreneurship scheme. Objective: The USAID funded effort provides the overarching research question, whether the Soy Kit is a sustainable technology for delivering nutrition and income through a women’s entrepreneurship scheme. If true, then development practitioners will have a valuable tool, and the associated evidence, to address the important crosscutting themes, of nutrition, poverty, entrepreneurship, and women’s empowerment. To answer this research question, the research team first evaluates the underlying production economics of the kit to measure profitability, return on investment, and operational performance. Second, the team qualitatively and quantitatively assesses the kit’s overall appropriateness as a technology for the developing world. Methods: The team follows the schema of Bower and Brown and utilizes descriptive statistics, and financial techniques to conduct an assessment of the economics and technical appropriateness of the Soy Kit technology. Results: The results show a high level of appropriateness across a number of metrics. For example, the payback period from cash flow is under 6 months and the annual return on capital is 163% when entrepreneurs utilize a domestically sourced kit valued at US$80. Conclusion: The technology matches well with the rhythm of household economy, in particular women’s labor availability and resource base. Businesses earn significant returns on capital thus appear to be sustainable without donor subsidy. At the same time, available capital to finance kit entrepreneurs appears to be scarce. More research needs to take place to address the credit access question, in order to make small-scale kit entrepreneur truly self-reliant; the effects on poverty reduction at the household and village level; and nutrition improvement among the consumers.


Author(s):  
Оксана Михайловна Голембиовская ◽  
Екатерина Владимировна Кондрашова ◽  
Михаил Юрьевич Рытов ◽  
Максим Михайлович Голембиовский

В статье рассматривается подход, связанный с определение уровня мотивации нарушителя к совершению того или иного противоправного деяния относительно ресурсов организации. Предлагаемый подход, возможно, применять службам безопасности предприятия относительно работников как при приеме на работу, так и в процессе работы с целью выявления высокого уровня мотивации к совершению противоправного деяния и выполнению различных мер по нейтрализации или минимизации данного уровня. Уровень мотивации напрямую влияет на потенциал нарушителя и на вероятность реализации им угрозы, так как не только наличие на объекте средств защиты или наличие у нарушителя современных средств атак приводит к реализации угрозы. В первую очередь к ней приводит заинтересованность в совершении данного деяния, мотивируемость и цели, которые преследует нарушитель. The article considers an approach related to determining the level of motivation of the violator to commit a particular illegal act with respect to the resources of the organization. The proposed approach can be applied by the security services of the enterprise in relation to employees both when hiring and in the process of work in order to identify a high level of motivation to commit an illegal act and to implement various measures to neutralize or minimize this level. The level of motivation directly affects the potential of the violator and the probability of the threat implementation, since not only the presence of protective equipment on the object or the presence of modern means of attack on the violator leads to the implementation of the threat. First of all, it leads to the interest in the commission of this act, the motivation and goals that the violator pursues.


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