The Power of Politeness Strategies in EFL Student-Teacher Interaction: Teacher’s Gender Perspective

The nature of student-teacher interaction is often influenced by the teachers’ actions and utterances. In fact, student-teacher interaction could be felt like either threatening or enjoyable. Teachers’ politeness will result in enjoyable student-teacher interaction. Very few studies about politeness on the teachers’ gender perspectives have been conducted. Therefore, this study is aimed to investigate the kinds of politeness strategies used by male and female teachers in powering EFL classroom, and to elaborate how the power of politeness strategies run the EFL student-teacher interaction. The participants are several teachers and students who conduct the English Intensive Course Program in an undergraduate university. Many students-teacher interactions using English are found in those course program, since the courses require the classroom participants to communicate in English. This research followed qualitative research design and used observation to collect data. Applying Brown and Levinson’s theory of politeness, the results show that politeness strategies bring a lively and friendly atmosphere during the classroom interaction. Specifically for female teachers who mostly use positive politeness strategy, they build more interaction with the student rather male teachers. Positive politeness strategy focused on the students’ positive face by expressing the number of utterances that want to be listened to by the students. It keeps students to have willingness to communicate so that the student-teacher interaction in EFL classroom can be maximized.

Frontiers of Soviet Resettlements: Cultural Borders and Cross-Cultural Interaction between Russians and Chuvashes in the South Part of Kama Region in the 1920-1930s

The article is devoted to the analysis of ethno-social resettlement campaigns of the USSR of the second half of the 1920s. The implementation of these practices in the Volga Region led to major migrations and the formation of ethnic enclaves on the territory of Urals and Siberia. Basing on various sources and field materials, the article describes the situation in the Southern Prikamye after several thousand of the Chuvash people migrated to the places inhabited by Russian Old Believers. The sources allow to reconstruct complex processes of ethno-cultural interaction that formed new specific complexes of spiritual and material culture of the Chuvash people of Prikamye. The authors noted that the resettlement in the 1920s took place in the conditions of the destruction of the traditional life characteristics in the whole country, a change in ideological attitudes, a significant transformation of ethnocultural complexes. Under the conditions of migration, these factors contributed to a more intensive course of assimilation processes. At the same time, a significant number of Chuvash migrants encamped in one area at a distance from large settlements, as well as preservation of the rural character of the outposts contributed to the functioning of institutions for keeping the traditional way of legacy transmission.

Acute critical care course for interns to develop competence

Background All medical graduates must know how to stabilize and manage critically ill patients. A 2-day intensive course, called the acute critical care course (ACCC), was conducted to train interns in technical and non-technical skills for managing a patient whose condition is deteriorating. This analysis aims to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of ACCC for interns. Methods We developed and conducted the ACCC to train interns. It included lectures and skill stations. Twenty-four interns participated in the course. Immediate, post-course, quantitative and qualitative feedback was taken online. Qualitative information was also collected verbally and later by email. These data were analysed both quantitatively and qualitatively. Thematic analysis was used to identify, analyse and report the patterns of responses and behaviour. Results The average score for the utility of the course was 4.7 and for the skill stations it was 4.6 on a scale of 5. The qualitative analysis of the feedback emphasized the need for the course before the clinical posting and more skill-based modules rather than lectures. The interactive style of teaching and training in communication using role-play was appreciated. Few suggestions to improve the course were provided. Conclusions Implementing the ACCC needed simulation, interactive discussions, role-play, modified Pendleton’s feedback, and reflective exercise that form the basis of a range of educational principles. The blended learning set of objectives of ACCC were the pillars for this successful internship training programme.

CHEMICAL TRANSFORMATIONS OF ARENES UNDER HYDRODYNAMIC CAVITATION ACTION OF AQUEOUS MEDIA ON ALUMINUM OXIDE

На примере эталонного бензола исследованы химические превращения аренов в водной и водно-кислой среде при гидродинамическом кавитационном воздействии на оксиде алюминия. На основе газовой хроматографии и газовой хроматографии с масс-спектральным детектированием установлено, что ведение процесса на поверхности твёрдого катализатора приводит к образованию н-алканов, алкилзамещенных производных циклогексана, алкилзамещённых моноядерных аренов и полиядерных ароматических соединений. Образующиеся соединения имеют в два-три раза большую, в сравнении с исходным ареном, молекулярную массу. Образование из арена новых классов органических соединений обусловлено интенсивным течением реакций гидрирования, алкилирования и дегедроциклизации. Кислая реакция среды подавляет течение свободно-радикального образования н-алканов. Using the example of reference benzene, the chemical transformations of arenes in an aqueous and aqueous-acid medium under hydrodynamic cavitation action on aluminum oxide are studied. Based on gas chromatography and gas chromatography with mass spectral detection, it was found that conducting the process on the surface of a solid catalyst leads to the formation of n-alkanes, alkyl-substituted cyclohexane derivatives, alkyl-substituted mononuclear arenes and polynuclear aromatic compounds. The resulting compounds have two to three times the molecular weight compared to the initial arene. The formation of new classes of organic compounds from arenes is due to the intensive course of hydrogenation, alkylation and dehedrocyclization reactions. The acidic reaction of the medium suppresses the process of free radical formation of n-alkanes.

Integrating active learning activities and metacognition into STEM writing courses

While active learning is highly recognized and recommended in the educational community, instructors are still struggling with how to incorporate active learning tools into writing courses. In this article, we have 1) described specific challenges that we have encountered in the course of Molecular Cell Biology Laboratory-Critical Thinking through Writing (BIOL3810-CTW); 2) introduced the active learning approaches and metacognition integrated into this writing-intensive course; 3) demonstrated the effectiveness of these active learning approaches, and 4) shared the principles of integrating active learning activities into writing courses in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and beyond.

EP.TU.153Face to face teaching in the covid era: Basic Surgical Skill Development

Aims According to literature,newly qualified doctors are at risk of being unable to perform practical procedures safely. This has been exacerbated by the disruptions to training and education which the covid-19 pandemic has caused. This intensive course has been developed to improve basic surgical skills and improve confidence in simple wound closure, to mitigate these disruptions. Methods Candidates attended a three-part course in small groups, where they learned hand ties, basic laparoscopic skills and wound closure on animal models. Self assessment data were collected pre and post workshop on a Likert scale. All data was assessed using basic descriptive analysis. Results Data was collected from 13 participants (M:F, 5:8) at the level of foundation year 1(61.5%,n=8) and foundation year 2(38.5%,n=5). Only 38.5% (n = 5) had previous basic surgical skills training. Our delegates reported an improvement in the following surgical skills: suturing (n = 11, 84.6%), hand tying (n = 10, 76.9%), laparoscopic skills (n = 10, 76.9%). Overall 61.5% (n = 8) of our delegates reported an improvement in all three domains. Conclusions Participants reported limited exposure prior to this course despite successfully completing an undergraduate curriculum. Overall, participants' self-scores improved in all three taught surgical skills. We believe ourcourse is a practical and reproducible solution to help bridge training gaps, which can be safely conducted with social distancing measures.