The Impact of the Seven Principles of Good Practice as a Teaching Technique on EFL Student –Teachers' Performance

The interest in pre-service teacher training has become influential in teaching English as a foreign language, and the purpose of this training course is to prepare qualified teachers to teach effectively through the application of this technique by undergraduate students. This research aims to find out the effect of using the seven principles of good practice as a teaching technique on the fourth stage student-teachers’ performance at the College of Education for Women/University of Baghdad, during the academic year 2017-2018. The sample includes (60) students selected according to the stratified sampling method. The observational checklist used by the department to assess the student teachers’ performance during the practicum period is used as a study instrument. This quantitative study used the quasi-experimental design of two independent samples, experimental control groups and the control group trained traditionally. The former group is designed to verify the hypothesis that states, “there is no statistically significant difference between the mean scores of the experimental group trained by seven principles of good practice and that of the control group trained traditionally in their teaching performance”. The study has concluded that the hypothesis is rejected according to the result of the T-test of two independent samples. Accordingly, the researcher recommends the university administration to use new techniques in learning and overcoming the difficulties that the student teachers face and the shortcoming encountered during the educational process.

Ontologies relevant to behaviour change interventions: a method for their development

Background: Behaviour and behaviour change are integral to many aspects of wellbeing and sustainability. However, reporting behaviour change interventions accurately and synthesising evidence about effective interventions is hindered by lacking a shared, scientific terminology to describe intervention characteristics. Ontologies are standardised frameworks that provide controlled vocabularies to help unify and connect scientific fields. To date, there is no published guidance on the specific methods required to develop ontologies relevant to behaviour change. We report the creation and refinement of a method for developing ontologies that make up the Behaviour Change Intervention Ontology (BCIO). Aims: (1) To describe the development method of the BCIO and explain its rationale; (2) To provide guidance on implementing the activities within the development method. Method and results: The method for developing ontologies relevant to behaviour change interventions was constructed by considering principles of good practice in ontology development and identifying key activities required to follow those principles. The method’s details were refined through application to developing two ontologies. The resulting ontology development method involved: (1) defining the ontology’s scope; (2) identifying key entities; (3) refining the ontology through an iterative process of literature annotation, discussion and revision; (4) expert stakeholder review; (5) testing inter-rater reliability; (6) specifying relationships between entities, and; (7) disseminating and maintaining the ontology. Guidance is provided for conducting relevant activities for each step. Conclusions: We have developed a detailed method for creating ontologies relevant to behaviour change interventions, together with practical guidance for each step, reflecting principles of good practice in ontology development. The most novel aspects of the method are the use of formal mechanisms for literature annotation and expert stakeholder review to develop and improve the ontology content. We suggest the mnemonic SELAR3, representing the method’s first six steps as Scope, Entities, Literature Annotation, Review, Reliability, Relationships.

Ontologies relevant to behaviour change interventions: a method for their development

Background: Behaviour and behaviour change are integral to many aspects of wellbeing and sustainability. However, reporting behaviour change interventions accurately and synthesising evidence about effective interventions is hindered by lacking a shared, scientific terminology to describe intervention characteristics. Ontologies are knowledge structures that provide controlled vocabularies to help unify and connect scientific fields. To date, there is no published guidance on the specific methods required to develop ontologies relevant to behaviour change. We report the creation and refinement of a method for developing ontologies that make up the Behaviour Change Intervention Ontology (BCIO). Aims: (1) To describe the development method of the BCIO and explain its rationale; (2) To provide guidance on implementing the activities within the development method. Method and results: The method for developing ontologies relevant to behaviour change interventions was constructed by considering principles of good practice in ontology development and identifying key activities required to follow those principles. The method’s details were refined through application to developing two ontologies. The resulting ontology development method involved: (1) defining the ontology’s scope; (2) identifying key entities; (3) refining the ontology through an iterative process of literature annotation, discussion and revision; (4) expert stakeholder review; (5) testing inter-rater reliability; (6) specifying relationships between entities, and; (7) disseminating and maintaining the ontology. Guidance is provided for conducting relevant activities for each step. Conclusions: We have developed a detailed method for creating ontologies relevant to behaviour change interventions, together with practical guidance for each step, reflecting principles of good practice in ontology development. The most novel aspects of the method are the use of formal mechanisms for literature annotation and expert stakeholder review to develop and improve the ontology content. We suggest the mnemonic SELAR3, representing the method’s first six steps as Scope, Entities, Literature Annotation, Review, Reliability, Relationships.

Parental and educational perception of mutual responsibility and the influence of certain factors on successful mutual partnership cooperation

The partnership of educators and parents is in the centre of scientific interest and is one of the fundamental principles of good practice in kindergartens. Often the educators experience such a partnership as stressful in their professional mode of action (Epstein, 2013; Bleach, 2015). This paper seeks to highlight the need to strengthen the professional knowledge and skills of educators to build and develop partnerships with parents. They can be achieved in the course of their professional development, by means of active participation and altering of the existing practices. Therefore, the aim of this research was to examine attitudes and the opinions of parents and educators about their cooperation and partnership. The sample consists of 203 parents and educators from the institutions for early and preschool education from the City of Zagreb and Zagreb County. Hypotheses have been set that are related to the assessment of the importance of cooperation through the participants' own responsibility and also the influence of factors that influence a successful parent educator partnership. Results suggest that respondents highly value mutual collaborative relationships, but do not recognize partnerships as a higher form of cooperation between educators and parents.

Ontologies relevant to behaviour change interventions: a method for their development

Background: Behaviour and behaviour change are integral to many aspects of wellbeing and sustainability. However, reporting behaviour change interventions accurately and synthesising evidence about effective interventions is hindered by lacking a shared, scientific terminology to describe intervention characteristics. Ontologies are knowledge structures that provide controlled vocabularies to help unify and connect scientific fields. To date, there is no published guidance on the specific methods required to develop ontologies relevant to behaviour change. We report the creation and refinement of a method for developing ontologies that make up the Behaviour Change Intervention Ontology (BCIO). Aims: (1) To describe the development method of the BCIO and explain its rationale; (2) To provide guidance on implementing the activities within the development method. Method and results: The method for developing ontologies relevant to behaviour change interventions was constructed by considering principles of good practice in ontology development and identifying key activities required to follow those principles. The method’s details were refined through application to developing two ontologies. The resulting ontology development method involved: (1) defining the ontology’s scope; (2) identifying key entities; (3) refining the ontology through an iterative process of literature annotation, discussion and revision; (4) expert stakeholder review; (5) testing inter-rater reliability; (6) specifying relationships between entities, and; (7) disseminating and maintaining the ontology. Guidance is provided for conducting relevant activities for each step. Conclusions: We have developed a detailed method for creating ontologies relevant to behaviour change interventions, together with practical guidance for each step, reflecting principles of good practice in ontology development. The most novel aspects of the method are the use of formal mechanisms for literature annotation and expert stakeholder review to develop and improve the ontology content. We suggest the mnemonic SELAR3, representing the method’s first six steps as Scope, Entities, Literature Annotation, Review, Reliability, Relationships.

Student Engagement for Quality Enhancement and Responding to Student Needs in the Moroccan University: The Case of the English Studies Track

The present article aims at providing some empirical evidence on the important role student engagement plays in responding to student needs and in enhancing the quality of the teaching and learning environment in Moroccan universities. Student engagement happens at many levels that correspond to the “principles of good practice in undergraduate education” that were suggested by Chickering and Gamson (1987). This article tries to identify these aspects of student engagement and good practice in the English Studies Track (EST) program from the EST students’ perspective. The data were collected in three Moroccan universities: Abdelmalek Essaadi University in Tetouan, Ibn Tofail University in Kenitra, and Cadi Ayad University in Marrakech. An adapted version of Student Engagement Questionnaire (Kember, Leung & McNaught, 2009 in Kember & Leung, 2009) was administered to 883 EST students. The data were submitted to a statistical analysis of frequencies using SPSS. The results of this study show that EST students experience a low level of engagement with their studies and that the EST program lacks some aspects of “good practice” in higher education. This study can help enhance the quality of university programs as it reveals some gaps and negative practices that need to be taken into account in the reform process Moroccan universities are going through. Another implication of this research is that students are aware of their needs and, hence, are able to provide useful feedback that can be used to improve the quality of the teaching and learning environment in Moroccan universities.

Model for BPM implementation assessment: evidence from companies in Indonesia

Purpose Enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementation commonly fails to recognize the need to treat it as a business process automation that must be managed and monitored continuously. Moreover, many studies on business process management (BPM) assessment focus on snapshots of different areas of BPM and not on the different stages of the lifecycle. The purpose of this paper is to propose a model that combines the BPM lifecycle, program/project implementation framework, principles of good practice, maturity and critical practices to assess how companies implementing ERP apply different BPM practices, as well as which areas are lacking and why. Design/methodology/approach The relevant literature was examined to develop the model for the study. Case studies of three companies in Indonesia were then conducted. The state of BPM implementation in each case was assessed through interviews, document reviews and observations. Findings This study found that three leading companies in Indonesia, implementing ERP for more than five years, obtained high scores for BPM implementation. They perform well in terms of process identification, implementation, monitoring and control, but are weak in process discovery and re-design, mainly because they do not optimally use specific tools for process modeling and there is a lack of process governance. The studies also pinpoint potential linkages between competition intensity and the nature of the industry with the need for good BPM. Research limitations/implications The model has only been tested in three cases in different industries and therefore the results, while providing good insights, cannot be generalized. More detailed assessment of certain BPM practices is needed. Furthermore, the assessment for each stage of BPM implementation was made at a single time, potentially yielding less detailed results than by assessing each stage of the BPM lifecycle. Practical implications The companies implementing ERP began with business process definition, but employ different process governance. The model developed here can be useful for leaders and teams to identify weak areas of practice within the stage of the BPM lifecycle; it can be used as an assessment tool for companies currently conducting BPM projects or programs including ERP implementation. It can also provide a roadmap for companies intending to conduct BPM programs. Originality/value Most of the BPM literature focuses on specific aspects. This study proposes a different perspective by providing a model to assess BPM implementation in each stage of its lifecycle and at the same time considers practical aspects of implementation, principles of good practice, maturity factors and critical practices.

CODES OF BANKING ETHICS AND BANKING SOFT LAW IN POLAND

Codes of banking ethics are increasingly common, but practice shows that they are not of major importance to bank customers. In the article it is assumed that the codes do not fulfill their functions, including the function of protecting the consumer against fraudulent practices and abuse of the dominant position of the bank in relation to the retail client. The codes contain norms specifying the most important general clauses that are used in banking law, in particular the clause of good morals and commercial honesty. In order to comply with the principles of good practice and banking ethics, it is necessary to “stiffen” the standards of soft law which are so important that they should be clearly sanctioned. To achieve it, it is necessary to introduce to the banking soft law the information that in the case of dispute with the bank a consumer may also refer to a breach of self-regulations.