Teaching English in preschool age - selection of methods and techniques

The main purpose of this article is to present methods and techniques that can be used in the process of teaching a foreign language at preschool age. The first aspects to be addressed are developmental features of children, such as mechanical memory, short attention span, emotions and physiology of brain. The following issue described in the article refers to conventional methods, such as the Direct Method and the Audiolingual Method. The third part is devoted to unconventional methods, such as the Natural Approach, CLT, the Spiral Language System, as well as methods based on action (TPR), or - observation and words. They are supported by interesting techniques that are considered key factors in the discussed topic.

Imaginative Leadership: A Conceptual Frame for the Design and Facilitation of Creative Methods and Generative Engagement

In the field of sustainability science, many scholars and practitioners are embracing a ‘humanistic turn’ that draws from psychology and cognitive sciences and from the arts and humanities. Contributing to a spirit of ‘exuberant experimentation’ in the field, this chapter asks: How can creative methods of engagement be operationalized to support the imaginative capacity of researchers and practitioners in the arena of sustainability? In order to address this question, I (a) propose the concept of imaginative leadership to describe the ability to understand and consciously influence the symbolic/metaphorical dimensions of self and others, and (b) explore the process of designing workshops that employ creative methods rooted in ‘transformative mindsets.’ Transformative mindsets refer to specific conceptual frames identified for their potential to disrupt default unsustainable and anthropocentric worldviews and open new spaces of possibility for action and perception. The broad goal of these workshops was to support imaginative leadership towards regenerative sustainability through collaborative experimentation with unconventional methods. Informed by research on metaphorical thinking, somatics, neurocognitive linguistics, and arts-based environmental education, the methods were designed to activate a set of specific transformative mindsets, which were subsequently refined through the process of experimentation and co-reflection during and after the workshops.

Continuous Mapping Identifies Loci Associated With Weevil Resistance [Cosmopolites sordidus (Germar)] in a Triploid Banana Population

The first step toward marker-assisted selection is linking the phenotypes to molecular markers through quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis. While the process is straightforward in self-pollinating diploid (2x) species, QTL analysis in polyploids requires unconventional methods. In this study, we have identified markers associated with weevil Cosmopolites sordidus (Germar) resistance in bananas using 138 triploid (2n = 3x) hybrids derived from a cross between a tetraploid “Monyet” (2n = 4x) and a 2x “Kokopo” (2n = 2x) banana genotypes. The population was genotyped by Diversity Arrays Technology Sequencing (DArTSeq), resulting in 18,009 polymorphic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) between the two parents. Marker–trait association was carried out by continuous mapping where the adjusted trait means for the corm peripheral damage (PD) and total cross-section damage (TXD), both on the logit scale, were regressed on the marker allele frequencies. Forty-four SNPs that were associated with corm PD were identified on the chromosomes 5, 6, and 8, with 41 of them located on chromosome 6 and segregated in “Kokopo.” Eleven SNPs associated with corm total TXD were identified on chromosome 6 and segregated in “Monyet.” The additive effect of replacing one reference allele with the alternative allele was determined at each marker position. The PD QTL was confirmed using conventional QTL linkage analysis in the simplex markers segregating in “Kokopo” (AAAA × RA). We also identified 43 putative genes in the vicinity of the markers significantly associated with the two traits. The identified loci associated with resistance to weevil damage will be used in the efforts of developing molecular tools for marker-assisted breeding in bananas.

Enhancement of Electrocatalytic Oxygen Evolution by Chiral Molecular Functionalization of Hybrid 2D Electrodes

A sustainable future requires highly efficient energy conversion and storage processes, where electrocatalysis plays a crucial role. The activity of an electrocatalyst is governed by the binding energy towards the reaction intermediates, while the scaling relationships prevent the improvement of a catalytic system over its volcano-plot limits. To overcome these limitations, unconventional methods that are not fully determined by the surface binding energy can be helpful. Here, we use organic chiral molecules, i.e., hetero-helicenes, to boost the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) by ca. 131.5% (at the potential of 1.65 V vs. RHE) at state-of-the-art 2D catalysts via a spin-polarization mechanism. Our results show that chiral molecule-functionalization is able to increase the OER activity of catalysts beyond the volcano limits. A guideline for optimizing the catalytic activity via chiral molecular functionalization of hybrid 2D electrodes is given.

Enhancement of Electrocatalytic Oxygen Evolution by Chiral Molecular Functionalization of Hybrid 2D Electrodes

A sustainable future requires highly efficient energy conversion and storage processes, where electrocatalysis plays a crucial role. The activity of an electrocatalyst is governed by the binding energy towards the reaction intermediates, while the scaling relationships prevent the improvement of a catalytic system over its volcano-plot limits. To overcome these limitations, unconventional methods that are not fully determined by the surface binding energy can be helpful. Here, we use organic chiral molecules, i.e., hetero-helicenes, to boost the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) by ca. 131.5 % (at the potential of 1.65 V vs. RHE) at state-of-the-art 2D catalysts via a spin-polarization mechanism. Our results show that chiral molecule-functionalization is able to increase the OER activity of catalysts beyond the volcano limits. A guideline for optimizing the catalytic activity via chiral molecular functionalization of hybrid 2D electrodes is given.

SOME ASPECTS OF BASIC COMPUTER TRAINING OF BACHELORS IN THE CONDITIONS OF TRADITIONAL AND UNCONVENTIONAL METHODS AND FORMS OF TRAINING

The work is devoted to methodological problems of basic computer training of bachelors with a focus on the use of unconventional methods and forms of education. Unconventional methods and forms of basic computer training of future bachelors are formed under the influence of a number of factors, among which today the main ones are the introduction of a competence approach in higher education and the transition to a mixed (fulltime-distance) form of education. In the process of basic computer training, the information and computer and technological competences of bachelors of technical specialties can be formed on the basis of the use of traditional methods and forms of training. For the formation of procedural and activity competence, unconventional approaches are proposed, based on the use of quasi-professional tasks and the orientation to the formation of such general competencies as the ability to abstract thinking, analysis and synthesis in future bachelors; the ability to make informed decisions; ability to apply knowledge in practical situations, etc. The corresponding structure of the main discipline of basic computer training with the allocation of two modules, the main topics of each module and their approximate volumes is proposed. To ensure readiness for the educational process in emergency situations, it is advisable to use the adaptive full-distance learning scheme AFDLS. Regarding the basic computer training of higher education student, the main methodological issue is the determination of rational proportions of the combination of classroom and distance work in the context of certain types of educational work, establishing criteria and procedures for the transition from one form of education to another. To ensure the possibility of promptly changing the calendar plan and eliminating the need for independent study of complex material, it is proposed in the working programs of computer disciplines to allocate blocks of as small a volume as possible that are little connected with each other.

What women want: a qualitative analysis of women’s motivation to pursue surgical careers

Objective: This study was undertaken to explore what motivates women to pursue surgical careers. Design: Qualitative methods were employed in this interview-based study. Interviews were recorded, manually anonymized and transcribed, and thematized using NVivo software. Setting: This study was conducted at Memorial University of Newfoundland in Canada. Participants: Recruitment for this study via email requested volunteers who identified as women and were medical students considering a career in surgery. Recruitment continued until data was saturated. A total of 8 participants volunteered and were included. Results: This study revealed five themes associated with women's motivation to pursue surgical careers; mentorship, inherent aspirations, lived experience, and proof of capability, preconceived ideals. The commonest theme was mentorship. The women who participated in this study employed unconventional methods when seeking mentorship, some of which are unique to this work. Conclusions: The most prevalent factors influencing women's motivation to pursue surgical careers are mentorship, inherent aspirations, participants' lived experience, a desire to prove their capability, and their preconceived ideals about surgery. All factors were deeply influential over one another. A greater understanding of these factors may help future researchers and educators create a more fulfilling career for women in surgery.

Mutual Dynamics of Certain Types of Bitcoin: Data from Wavelet Coherence

Unconventional methods of analysis are a good tool for studying new trends and phenomena. One of these objects of research is the cryptocurrency market. The paper shows the possibility and feasibility of applying the ideology of wavelets to analyze the dynamics of prices for cryptocurrencies. For this, the methodology of wavelet coherence is used. This methodology has been applied to various cryptocurrency pairs. The calculation results for real data are presented. It is shown that the results obtained agree with the theoretical conclusions and research results of other authors.

Unconventional Methods of Non-Destructive Tests. Part 3.

The article presents some testing methods applicable in the aviation industry. In addition to popular non-destructive methods, NDT methods used in the aviation industry (and discussed in the article) include optical holography or shearography. Structural materials used in the aviation industry as well as the importance of analyses, both at the manufacturing stage and during operation, require the performance of regular tests as a negligent approach to such activities could end up in a catastrophe.