Asian Efl Teaching Articles: - The Japanese EFL Classroom
Raffini (1996) has proposed five psychoacademic needs (autonomy, competence, self-esteem, belongi... more Raffini (1996) has proposed five psychoacademic needs (autonomy, competence, self-esteem, belonging/relatedness, and fun and enjoyment) the satisfaction of which "fuels" intrinsic motivation in an educational setting. However, the repeated failure to have these needs met may result in students forming entrenched self-defeating beliefs about language learning, learning in general, and themselves as learners, resulting in a lack of value perception in a course and/or activity that a student may be required to engage. Thus, even with an attempt by a teacher to satisfy these needs, a student's previously entrenched self-defeating beliefs may prevent her/him from perceiving value in the course or activity. Hence, what is necessary in order to reignite the motivational fire is a shift in beliefs and hence a shift in perceptions. How might teachers achieve such a seemingly difficult feat? This paper through the intertwining of anecdotal experiences and theory will demonstrate...
While a good number of studies have demonstrated that modern, man-made ambient electromagnetic fi... more While a good number of studies have demonstrated that modern, man-made ambient electromagnetic fields can have both stimulatory and inhibitory effect on immune system function, the precise mechanisms have yet to be completely elucidated. It is hypothesized here that, depending on the parameters, one of the means by which long-term electromagnetic field exposure has the potential to eventually lead to immunosuppression is via downstream inhibition of the enzyme calcineurin-a protein phosphatase, which activates the T-cells of the immune system and can be blocked by pharmaceutical agents. Calcineurin is the target of a class of pharmaceuticals called calcineurin inhibitors (e.g., cyclosporine, pimecrolimus and tacrolimus). When organ transplant recipients take such pharmaceuticals to prevent or suppress organ transplant rejection, one of the major side effects is immunosuppression leading to increased risk of opportunistic infection: e.g., fungal, viral (Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus), atypical bacterial (Nocardia, Listeria, mycobacterial, mycoplasma), and parasitic (e.g., toxoplasmosis) infections. Frequent anecdotal reports, as well as a number of scientific studies, have shown that electromagnetic field exposures may indeed produce the same effect: a weakened immune system leading to an increase in the same or similar opportunistic infections: i.e., fungal, viral, atypical bacterial, and parasitic infections. Furthermore, numerous research studies have shown that man-made electromagnetic fields have the potential to open voltage-gated calcium channels, which can in turn produce a pathological increase of intracellular calcium, leading downstream to the pathological production of a series of reactive oxygen species. Finally, there are a number of research studies demonstrating the inhibition of calcineurin by a pathological production of reactive oxygen species. Hence, it is hypothesized here that exposures to electromagnetic fields have the potential to inhibit immune system response by means of an eventual pathological increase in the influx of calcium into the cytoplasm of the cell, which induces a pathological production of reactive oxygen species, which in turn can have an inhibitory effect on calcineurin. Calcineurin inhibition leads to immunosuppression, which in turn leads to a weakened immune system and an increase in opportunistic infection.
Kunming City is also called the City of Eternal Spring since the weather here is quite pleasant t... more Kunming City is also called the City of Eternal Spring since the weather here is quite pleasant throughout the year. However, it might as well be called "The City of The Silent Spring." It is eerily odd but this city is strangely devoid of bugs-I see virtually no insects in this city-except for the occasional mosquito or the occasional cockroach. No ants, no spiders, no butterflies, no bees, no flies, no caterpillars, and so on down the line. I also see virtually no birds-I look up in the sky and there are no birds traversing it. When I go to bed at night I do not hear the sounds of crickets; and when I wake up in the morning I do not hear the chirping sound of birds. And from what I can tell by reading media reports on the Internet, this phenomena of the sudden disappearance of life forms (insects, amphibians, fish, bats, birds, etc.) is happening all over the world. Just last year, the fact that there is (and has been) a worldwide die-off of bees was finally taken up by the media. The frogs have been dying for years-(although originally they were "mysteriously" showing up with deformities). Now, just at the beginning of January 2008 a Swedish journalist sent me a report by the Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC) about the disappearance of tens of millions of birds across North Americahttp://rawstory.com/rawreplay/?p=372. What the heck is going on? And when are we going to do something about this? This is pretty serious stuff. If all the insects, amphibians, and birds are disappearing, how much longer will it be until we mammals start disappearing? (After all, many of us are already getting sick. There are about 80 immune system disorders we didn't have 20 years ago.) Albert Einstein made some kind of prediction that once the bees are gone, mankind would only have four or so more years left. While the CBC report mentioned things like pesticides, urban sprawl, factory farming, deforestation, and so on, as possible causes, they conveniently failed to mention one other highly likely reason-Microwave Radiation from Cell Phone Antennas (which the CBC also conveniently installs on its own towers-a visible sign of CBC's cushy relationship with the cell phone industry and perhaps the reason they failed to mention the latter possible-if not probable-reason for the Avian Decline). While the media is failing to direct our attention at the possible real cause of this extremely ominous situation-possibly because of its lucrative and cushy relationships with the mobile phone industry-one agency of the United States government is taking a more sober interest into this grave problem. Under the auspices of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services (USFWS) and under the direction
A number of different parties in Japan have been discussinghigher educational reform for over thi... more A number of different parties in Japan have been discussinghigher educational reform for over thirty years. Many of theseideas finally started to take form in the 1990s as the Ministryof Education's University Council began implementing many of thepropositions that had been put forth during the deliberations ofthe 1970s and 1980s. As Japan enters the 21st century, its18-year-old population has decreased by over half a million since1992. It will decrease another 300,000 by the year 2010. This has added an increased urgency to make reforms, especially atthird-tier universities, which are now starting to have troublerecruiting students. Japan's Ministry of Education would alsolike to bring the quality of its university educational standardsup to par with the rest of the advanced nations. Moreover, industryis demanding a new breed of employee – and one much different thanthe Japanese educational system has been known to produce. Finally, a new generation of Japanese is starting ...
Asian Efl Teaching Articles: - The Japanese EFL Classroom
Raffini (1996) has proposed five psychoacademic needs (autonomy, competence, self-esteem, belongi... more Raffini (1996) has proposed five psychoacademic needs (autonomy, competence, self-esteem, belonging/relatedness, and fun and enjoyment) the satisfaction of which "fuels" intrinsic motivation in an educational setting. However, the repeated failure to have these needs met may result in students forming entrenched self-defeating beliefs about language learning, learning in general, and themselves as learners, resulting in a lack of value perception in a course and/or activity that a student may be required to engage. Thus, even with an attempt by a teacher to satisfy these needs, a student's previously entrenched self-defeating beliefs may prevent her/him from perceiving value in the course or activity. Hence, what is necessary in order to reignite the motivational fire is a shift in beliefs and hence a shift in perceptions. How might teachers achieve such a seemingly difficult feat? This paper through the intertwining of anecdotal experiences and theory will demonstrate...
While a good number of studies have demonstrated that modern, man-made ambient electromagnetic fi... more While a good number of studies have demonstrated that modern, man-made ambient electromagnetic fields can have both stimulatory and inhibitory effect on immune system function, the precise mechanisms have yet to be completely elucidated. It is hypothesized here that, depending on the parameters, one of the means by which long-term electromagnetic field exposure has the potential to eventually lead to immunosuppression is via downstream inhibition of the enzyme calcineurin-a protein phosphatase, which activates the T-cells of the immune system and can be blocked by pharmaceutical agents. Calcineurin is the target of a class of pharmaceuticals called calcineurin inhibitors (e.g., cyclosporine, pimecrolimus and tacrolimus). When organ transplant recipients take such pharmaceuticals to prevent or suppress organ transplant rejection, one of the major side effects is immunosuppression leading to increased risk of opportunistic infection: e.g., fungal, viral (Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus), atypical bacterial (Nocardia, Listeria, mycobacterial, mycoplasma), and parasitic (e.g., toxoplasmosis) infections. Frequent anecdotal reports, as well as a number of scientific studies, have shown that electromagnetic field exposures may indeed produce the same effect: a weakened immune system leading to an increase in the same or similar opportunistic infections: i.e., fungal, viral, atypical bacterial, and parasitic infections. Furthermore, numerous research studies have shown that man-made electromagnetic fields have the potential to open voltage-gated calcium channels, which can in turn produce a pathological increase of intracellular calcium, leading downstream to the pathological production of a series of reactive oxygen species. Finally, there are a number of research studies demonstrating the inhibition of calcineurin by a pathological production of reactive oxygen species. Hence, it is hypothesized here that exposures to electromagnetic fields have the potential to inhibit immune system response by means of an eventual pathological increase in the influx of calcium into the cytoplasm of the cell, which induces a pathological production of reactive oxygen species, which in turn can have an inhibitory effect on calcineurin. Calcineurin inhibition leads to immunosuppression, which in turn leads to a weakened immune system and an increase in opportunistic infection.
Kunming City is also called the City of Eternal Spring since the weather here is quite pleasant t... more Kunming City is also called the City of Eternal Spring since the weather here is quite pleasant throughout the year. However, it might as well be called "The City of The Silent Spring." It is eerily odd but this city is strangely devoid of bugs-I see virtually no insects in this city-except for the occasional mosquito or the occasional cockroach. No ants, no spiders, no butterflies, no bees, no flies, no caterpillars, and so on down the line. I also see virtually no birds-I look up in the sky and there are no birds traversing it. When I go to bed at night I do not hear the sounds of crickets; and when I wake up in the morning I do not hear the chirping sound of birds. And from what I can tell by reading media reports on the Internet, this phenomena of the sudden disappearance of life forms (insects, amphibians, fish, bats, birds, etc.) is happening all over the world. Just last year, the fact that there is (and has been) a worldwide die-off of bees was finally taken up by the media. The frogs have been dying for years-(although originally they were "mysteriously" showing up with deformities). Now, just at the beginning of January 2008 a Swedish journalist sent me a report by the Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC) about the disappearance of tens of millions of birds across North Americahttp://rawstory.com/rawreplay/?p=372. What the heck is going on? And when are we going to do something about this? This is pretty serious stuff. If all the insects, amphibians, and birds are disappearing, how much longer will it be until we mammals start disappearing? (After all, many of us are already getting sick. There are about 80 immune system disorders we didn't have 20 years ago.) Albert Einstein made some kind of prediction that once the bees are gone, mankind would only have four or so more years left. While the CBC report mentioned things like pesticides, urban sprawl, factory farming, deforestation, and so on, as possible causes, they conveniently failed to mention one other highly likely reason-Microwave Radiation from Cell Phone Antennas (which the CBC also conveniently installs on its own towers-a visible sign of CBC's cushy relationship with the cell phone industry and perhaps the reason they failed to mention the latter possible-if not probable-reason for the Avian Decline). While the media is failing to direct our attention at the possible real cause of this extremely ominous situation-possibly because of its lucrative and cushy relationships with the mobile phone industry-one agency of the United States government is taking a more sober interest into this grave problem. Under the auspices of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services (USFWS) and under the direction
A number of different parties in Japan have been discussinghigher educational reform for over thi... more A number of different parties in Japan have been discussinghigher educational reform for over thirty years. Many of theseideas finally started to take form in the 1990s as the Ministryof Education's University Council began implementing many of thepropositions that had been put forth during the deliberations ofthe 1970s and 1980s. As Japan enters the 21st century, its18-year-old population has decreased by over half a million since1992. It will decrease another 300,000 by the year 2010. This has added an increased urgency to make reforms, especially atthird-tier universities, which are now starting to have troublerecruiting students. Japan's Ministry of Education would alsolike to bring the quality of its university educational standardsup to par with the rest of the advanced nations. Moreover, industryis demanding a new breed of employee – and one much different thanthe Japanese educational system has been known to produce. Finally, a new generation of Japanese is starting ...
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