• The Mathematical Education
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.81-100
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• 2017

The concept of variable is a big idea to develop algebraic thinking. Variable has multiple meanings such as the unknown, a tool for generalization, and the relationship between varying quantities. In this study we analyzed in what ways the meanings of variable were presented in the current elementary mathematics textbooks and workbooks. The results showed that the most frequent meaning of variable was 'the unknown', 'a tool for generalization', and 'the relationship between varying quantities' in order. A close look at the results revealed that the same symbol was often used in representing different values of variable as the unknown. In taking variable as a tool for generalization, questions to provoke generalization were sometimes included not in the textbooks but in the teachers' manuals. The main focus in dealing with variable as the relationship between varying quantities was on finding out the dependent values compared to the independent ones. Building on these results, this study is expected to suggest implications for how to deal with variable concept in elementary mathematics instructional materials.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.79-88
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• 2015

English vowels are difficult to teach and learn because both teachers and learners cannot show or see shapes of vocal tract inside their own mouth cavities. The aim of this study is to examine what kind of changes occur in production and perception of English vowels by college students before and after lessons in order to provide fundamental materials for teaching students English vowels. Fifteen volunteer female students attending an English phonetics course participated in the lessons for one and half a month period. Formant values of vowels produced and perceived before and after the lessons were obtained using Flying Popcorn and Praat. Results showed that a produced vowel space after the lessons was greater than that before the lessons with no significant difference. Distances between some adjacent corner vowels were too close to be distinguished. Secondly, perceived vowels before and after the lessons were almost the same. Here again, some adjacent vowels were closely spaced. Thirdly, three groups which were divided by the length of the distance between the vowel /i-${\ae}$/ showed similar patterns in their perception and production. Generally the vowel space expanded from [u] to [${\ae}$]. The author concluded that there was no drastic improvement of vowel perception and production within a short period of time. Further studies would be desirable to examine how successful any long-term English vowel lessons would be and which methods should be taken to evaluate students' achievements proposed here.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.43-50
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• 2010

English vowels can be divided into monophthongs and diphthongs depending on the number of vocal tract shapes. Diphthongs are usually produced with more than one shape. This study attempts to collect acoustical data of English diphthongs published by Hillenbrand et al.(1995) online and to examine acoustic features of the diphthongs for phoneticians and English teachers. Sixty three American males and females were chosen after excluding those subjects with different target vowels or ambiguous formant tracks. The author used Praat to obtain the acoustical data systematically at eleven equidistant timepoints over the diphthongal segment. Obvious errors were corrected based on the spectrographic display of each diphthong. Results show that the formant trajectories of the diphthongs produced by the American males and females appeared quite similar. When the female formant values were uniformly normalized to those of the males, almost a perfect collapse occurred. Secondly, the diphthongal movements on the vowel space appeared not linear due to the coarticulatory gesture for the following consonant. Thirdly, the average duration of the diphthongs produced by the females was 1.156 times longer than that of the males while the pitch ratio between the two groups turned out to be 1.746 with a similar contour over measurement points. The author concludes that English diphthongs produced by various groups can be compared systematically when the acoustical values are obtained at proportional timepoints. Further studies will be desirable on the comparison of English diphthongs produced by native and nonnative speakers.

• Journal of Information Processing Systems
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.595-612
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• 2011

Most organizations use performance appraisal system to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of their employees. In evaluating staff performance, performance appraisal usually involves awarding numerical values or linguistic labels to employees performance. These values and labels are used to represent each staff achievement by reasoning incorporated in the arithmetical or statistical methods. However, the staff performance appraisal may involve judgments which are based on imprecise data especially when a person (the superior) tries to interpret another person's (his/her subordinate) performance. Thus, the scores awarded by the appraiser are only approximations. From fuzzy logic perspective, the performance of the appraisee involves the measurement of his/her ability, competence and skills, which are actually fuzzy concepts that can be captured in fuzzy terms. Accordingly, fuzzy approach can be used to handle these imprecision and uncertainty information. Therefore, the performance appraisal system can be examined using Fuzzy Logic Approach, which is carried out in the study. The study utilized a Cascaded fuzzy inference system to generate the performance qualities of some University non-teaching staff that are based on specific performance appraisal criteria.

• Journal of Korea Multimedia Society
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• v.24 no.11
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• pp.1567-1579
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• 2021

This study describes a multicultural literacy program that can nurture multicultural people who can live in a multicultural society. A total of 10 20-hour programs were conducted for 22 youths in Busan. Through this, the current perception and acceptance of multiculturalism among young people in Busan was investigated, and a curriculum suitable for multicultural awareness, multicultural acceptance, and multicultural competency enhancement was constructed. In accordance with the goal of strengthening the multicultural competency required for multicultural activists through education, learners can exchange opinions through the activity sheet, so that learners can know the difference between themselves and others. Students could learn about each other's culture and values through cultural exchange with others, and through teachers with diverse cultures, they could learn various perspectives and cultures about culture and values. Through the results of the multicultural literacy program, I would like to suggest three methods of multicultural literacy education to strengthen multicultural competence in a multicultural society. Therefore, efforts should be made to develop various multicultural education courses to strengthen the multicultural capabilities of Koreans.

• Journal of Gifted/Talented Education
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.195-216
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• 2015

Students' perceived values of career play a core role in formation of their career motivation. In particular, science gifted students should build sound values of career in science and technology so that our society can retain the human resources for future science and technology. This study compared and analyzed the structure of science gifted and general middle school students' preferred job and values of career using semantic network analysis. Methodologically, we first collected science gifted and general middle school students' preferred careers and the reasons of the career choice using survey method. Then, we structuralize semantic networks of students' perceived values of their preferred careers using semantic network analysis. We identified the characters of networks that two different student groups showed based on the structure matrix indices of semantic network analysis. Findings revealed that science gifted students considered the creativeness as the most important value of career. Second, science gifted students considered more diverse values of career than general students. Third, science gifted students considered the self-realization such as displaying capability as a core value of career in STEM and medical science whereas general students considered the community service as a core value of the careers. This study identified the significant differences between science gifted and general middle school students' values of careers. The structures of students perceived values of careers can be used for teachers to counsel their students about students' future careers.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.69-89
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• 2012

This paper explored the effects of extensive reading (ER) on Korean university students' L2 reading proficiency and reading rates. This study also illustrated how ER can be integrated into a university English reading class. Seventeen students who took a summer reading course participated in this study. Data were gathered through pre- and post- tests in terms of participants' reading comprehension proficiency and reading rates and post- questionnaire with regard to their attitudes toward L2 storybook reading after they have experienced it. The analysis was carried out using the Paired Samples t-test. It was revealed that ER has a positive effect on the enhancement of the participants' reading comprehension and reading rates. The participants showed their continued intention to read in English and a strong belief that persistent reading in English in the long run will help improve their English. The results of this study confirm the educational values of incorporating ER into university English reading classes. The pedagogical implications for EFL instructors are described.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.211-218
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• 1991

The effects of dietary fiber on true digestibility of amino acids by growing pigs were studied, using semi-purified diets formulated from alfalfa meal, cassava leaf meal, rubber seed meal and leucacna meal at 20% level. A protein-free diet including 5% cellulose was formulated for correcting the endogenous amino acid loss. Across all the diets, arginine was the most digestible while the least at ileal level was threonine; methionine and/or histidine at fecal level respectively. The true digestibility value of amino acids at ileal level were higher than at fecal level except control diet (cellulose). The true digestibility values at ileal level were similar for all diets but differed at fecal level in different magnitude. These results indicate that undigestible compound in individual feedstuff might confound. True digestibility should be studied together for accurate diet formulation as apparent digestibility decreased when their amino acid concentration in the diet was reduced.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.167-187
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• 2005

This paper tries to follow Toni Morrison's postcolonial courses in her novels. In The Bluest Eye, Morrison examines the situation in which the white's values are the standard for the whole society through two little black girls, Pecola and Claudia. In Song of Solomon she recommends emulating Pilate's love and good attitude towards tradition to shape a positive identity for Afro-Americans, which Milkman comes to accept. In Tar Baby, Morrison suggests that Son's and Jadine's ideas, traditional and modern, should be combined. In Beloved, Morrison illustrates one of the ways in which all blacks can escape from their own trauma through Sethe's process of finding her self-worth. In Paradise Morrison shows that the real de-colonial way to overcome the effects of colonization is to create a new paradigm in which everyone is respected regardless of race. In her works, Morrison insists that by remembering and regretting slavery in America, people can overcome its aftereffects and trauma. Racial oppression still exists today, so Morrison will continue her beautiful, powerful and eye-opening work.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.67-85
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• 2007

The main concern of the study is the playwrights' perspectives toward the relationship between society and individuals rather than specific cultural or social circumstances. This study is justified in that the similarities of both playwrights not only provide an opportunity to bridge two different cultures, but they also help readers understand another culture and deepen the understanding of their own culture in the map of international literature. In their plays, both Miller and Cha express an individual's or a family's frustration, conflict, pleasure, and hope as reflected in the social circumstances. The characters take ideas and values from their social world and thrive or fail. Specifically, I have focused on three elements--obsession, generational value systems, and alienation. With three common features, I examine how closely Miller and Cha deal with ordinary people's tragedies.