• Title/Summary/Keyword: practise

Search Result 82, Processing Time 0.031 seconds

Why A Multimedia Approach to English Education\ulcorner

  • Keem, Sung-uk
    • Proceedings of the KSPS conference
    • /
    • 1997.07a
    • /
    • pp.176-178
    • /
    • 1997
  • To make a long story short I made up my mind to experiment with a multimedia approach to my classroom presentations two years ago because my ways of giving instructions bored the pants off me as well as my students. My favorite ways used to be sometimes referred to as classical or traditional ones, heavily dependent on the three elements: teacher's mouth, books, and chalk. Some call it the 'MBC method'. To top it off, I tried audio-visuals such as tape recorders, cassette players, VTR, pictures, and you name it, that could help improve my teaching method. And yet I have been unhappy about the results by a trial and error approach. I was determined to look for a better way that would ensure my satisfaction in the first place. What really turned me on was a multimedia CD ROM title, ELLIS (English Language Learning Instructional Systems) developed by Dr. Frank Otto. This is an integrated system of learning English based on advanced computer technology. Inspired by the utility and potential of such a multimedia system for regular classroom or lab instructions, I designed a simple but practical multimedia language learning laboratory in 1994 for the first time in Korea(perhaps for the first time in the world). It was high time that the conventional type of language laboratory(audio-passive) at Hahnnam be replaced because of wear and tear. Prior to this development, in 1991, I put a first CALL(Computer Assisted Language Learning) laboratory equipped with 35 personal computers(286), where students were encouraged to practise English typing, word processing and study English grammar, English vocabulary, and English composition. The first multimedia language learning laboratory was composed of 1) a multimedia personal computer(486DX2 then, now 586), 2) VGA multipliers that enable simultaneous viewing of the screen at control of the instructor, 3) an amplifIer, 4) loud speakers, 5)student monitors, 6) student tables to seat three students(a monitor for two students is more realistic, though), 7) student chairs, 8) an instructor table, and 9) cables. It was augmented later with an Internet hookup. The beauty of this type of multimedia language learning laboratory is the economy of furnishing and maintaining it. There is no need of darkening the facilities, which is a must when an LCD/beam projector is preferred in the laboratory. It is headset free, which proved to make students exasperated when worn more than- twenty minutes. In the previous semester I taught three different subjects: Freshman English Lab, English Phonetics, and Listening Comprehension Intermediate. I used CD ROM titles like ELLIS, Master Pronunciation, English Tripple Play Plus, English Arcade, Living Books, Q-Steps, English Discoveries, Compton's Encyclopedia. On the other hand, I managed to put all teaching materials into PowerPoint, where letters, photo, graphic, animation, audio, and video files are orderly stored in terms of slides. It takes time for me to prepare my teaching materials via PowerPoint, but it is a wonderful tool for the sake of presentations. And it is worth trying as long as I can entertain my students in such a way. Once everything is put into the computer, I feel relaxed and a bit excited watching my students enjoy my presentations. It appears to be great fun for students because they have never experienced this type of instruction. This is how I freed myself from having to manipulate a cassette tape player, VTR, and write on the board. The student monitors in front of them seem to help them concentrate on what they see, combined with what they hear. All I have to do is to simply click a mouse to give presentations and explanations, when necessary. I use a remote mouse, which prevents me from sitting at the instructor table. Instead, I can walk around in the room and enjoy freer interactions with students. Using this instrument, I can also have my students participate in the presentation. In particular, I invite my students to manipulate the computer using the remote mouse from the student's seat not from the instructor's seat. Every student appears to be fascinated with my multimedia approach to English teaching because of its unique nature as a new teaching tool as we face the 21st century. They all agree that the multimedia way is an interesting and fascinating way of learning to satisfy their needs. Above all, it helps lighten their drudgery in the classroom. They feel other subjects taught by other teachers should be treated in the same fashion. A multimedia approach to education is impossible without the advent of hi-tech computers, of which multi functions are integrated into a unified system, i.e., a personal computer. If you have computer-phobia, make quick friends with it; the sooner, the better. It can be a wonderful assistant to you. It is the Internet that I pay close attention to in conjunction with the multimedia approach to English education. Via e-mail system, I encourage my students to write to me in English. I encourage them to enjoy chatting with people all over the world. I also encourage them to visit the sites where they offer study courses in English conversation, vocabulary, idiomatic expressions, reading, and writing. I help them search any subject they want to via World Wide Web. Some day in the near future it will be the hub of learning for everybody. It will eventually free students from books, teachers, libraries, classrooms, and boredom. I will keep exploring better ways to give satisfying instructions to my students who deserve my entertainment.

  • PDF

Critical Analyses of '2nd Science Inquiry Experiment Contest' (과학탐구 실험대회의 문제점 분석)

  • Paik, Seoung-Hey
    • Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
    • /
    • v.15 no.2
    • /
    • pp.173-184
    • /
    • 1995
  • The purpose of this study was to analyse the problems of 'Science Inquiry Experiment Contest(SIEC)' which was one of 8 programs of 'The 2nd Student Science Inquiry Olympic Meet(SSIOM)'. The results and conclusions of this study were as follows: 1. It needs to reconsider the role of practical work within science experiment because practical work skills form one of the mainstays in current science. But the assessment of students' laboratory skills in the contest was made little account of. It is necessary to remind of what it means to be 'good at science'. There are two aspects: knowing and doing. Both are important and, in certain respects, quite distinct. Doing science is more of a craft activity, relying more on craft skill and tacit knowledge than on the conscious application of explicit knowledge. Doing science is also divided into two aspects, 'process' and 'skill' by many science educators. 2. The report's and checklist's assessment items were overlapped. Therefore it was suggested that the checklist assessment items were set limit to the students' acts which can't be found in reports. It is important to identify those activities which produce a permanent assessable product, and those which do not. Skills connected with recording and reporting are likely to produce permanent evidence which can be evaluated after the experiment. Those connected with manipulative skills involving processes are more ephemeral and need to be assessed as they occur. The division of student's experimental skills will contribute to the accurate assess of student's scientific inquiry experimental ability. 3. There was a wide difference among the scores of one participant recorded by three evaluators. This means that there was no concrete discussion among the evaluators before the contest. Despite the items of the checklists were set by preparers of the contest experiments, the concrete discussions before the contest were necessary because students' experimental acts were very diverse. There is a variety of scientific skills. So it is necessary to assess the performance of individual students in a range of skills. But the most of the difficulties in the assessment of skills arise from the interaction between measurement and the use. To overcome the difficulties, not only must the mark needed for each skill be recorded, something which all examination groups obviously need, but also a description of the work that the student did when the skill was assessed must also be given, and not all groups need this. Fuller details must also be available for the purposes of moderation. This is a requirement for all students that there must be provision for samples of any end-product or other tangible form of evidence of candidates' work to be submitted for inspection. This is rather important if one is to be as fair as possible to students because, not only can this work be made available to moderators if necessary, but also it can be used to help in arriving at common standards among several evaluators, and in ensuring consistent standards from one evaluator over the assessment period. This need arises because there are problems associated with assessing different students on the same skill in different activities. 4. Most of the students' reports were assessed intuitively by the evaluators despite the assessment items were established concretely by preparers of the experiment. This result means that the evaluators were new to grasp the essence of the established assessment items of the experiment report and that the students' assessment scores were short of objectivity. Lastly, there are suggestions from the results and the conclusions. The students' experimental acts which were difficult to observe because they occur in a flash and which can be easily imitated should be excluded from the assessment items. Evaluators are likely to miss the time to observe the acts, and the students who are assessed later have more opportunity to practise the skill which is being assessed. It is necessary to be aware of these problems and try to reduce their influence or remove them. The skills and processes analysis has made a very useful checklist for scientific inquiry experiment assessment. But in itself it is of little value. It must be seen alongside the other vital attributes needed in the making of a good scientist, the affective aspects of commitment and confidence, the personal insights which come both through formal and informal learning, and the tacit knowledge that comes through experience, both structured and acquired in play. These four aspects must be continually interacting, in a flexible and individualistic way, throughout the scientific education of students. An increasing ability to be good at science, to be good at doing investigational practical work, will be gained through continually, successively, but often unpredictably, developing more experience, developing more insights, developing more skills, and producing more confidence and commitment.

  • PDF

A Study of Health Behavior through Comparative Analysis of Self-perceived Health Status and Health Examination Results (주관적 건강인식과 건강검진 결과의 비교분석을 통한 건강행위 연구)

  • 문상식;이시백
    • Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
    • /
    • v.18 no.3
    • /
    • pp.11-36
    • /
    • 2001
  • The purpose of this study is to analyze health behavior by comparing the difference between self-perceived health status and health examination results. The study subjects consist of 7,702 people aged over 20, surveyed by Health Interview survey, Health Examination survey, Dietary Life survey, Health Consciousness and Behavior survey. Data used in the study are drawn from raw data from a 1998 National Health and Nutrition survey. General characteristics variables are sex, age, education level, residential area, marital status, occupation, and living standard while dichotomous variables, ‘not healthy’ and ‘healthy’ are used to measure self-perceived health status. Variables for health examination results are high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, liver diseases, liver inflammation, kidney diseases, normal weight, regular diet, optimum sleeping time(7-8 hours), regular health examination and health behavior practice group. Major findings of the study are as follows: 1) Analysis of self-perceived health status and health behavior by disease: Variables significantly correlated with high self-perceived health status have strong associations with high health behavior practice, which supports the hypothesis that as one has high self-perceived health status, one is more likely to practice health promoting behavior. The results of analysis of health behavior differences by dividing subjects into two categories, ‘cases of illness’ and ‘cases of no illness’ indicate that drinking, sleeping time, health examination are significant variables (p〈0.001, 0.05) whereas smoking, weight control, regular exercise, regular diet are not significant. 2) Analysis of disparity patterns between self-perceived health status and health examination: The hypothesis that health behaviors would be different according to the disparity pattern between self-perceived health status and health examination is supported as a result of χ2 test. Among Type I : Self-perceived health status is high and actual health status is good (no disease) Type II: Self-perceived health status is high and actual health status is poor(have disease) Type III: Self-perceived health status is low and actual health status is good(no disease) Type IN: Self-perceived health status is low and actual health status is poor(have disease) Type I and Type IV show no disparity, Type I shows the highest health promoting behavior whereas Type IV shows the lowest health promoting behavior. Type II, and III, compared to Type I, practise lower health promoting behavior. Multi-logistics regression analysis was conducted to find out the degree of impact on health behavior. Independent variables are general characteristics, self-perceived health status and health examination result and presence of illness, while the dependent variable is health promoting behavior. The analysis of the impact of self-perceived health status on the health promoting behavior shows that smoking, drinking, weight control, regular exercise, health examination practice, and/or regular diet are significantly correlated to self-perceived health status. High self-perceived health status is inversely related to high health promoting behavior. This finding supports the hypothesis that the higher one perceives one's health, the more likely one is to practice health promoting behavior. On the contrary, the presence of illness has little impact on health promoting behavior. 3) Multiple logistics analysis on how disparity patterns between self-perceived health status and health examination affect health behavior: The results of multiple logistics analysis made on health behavior variables compared to the standard variable are as follows: When analyzed on the standard of Type I, smoking is a significant risk factor for the Type IV. In case of drinking, all the patterns show a high probability of relative risk ratio. With regard to weight control, it is a risk factor for Type II while all the patterns show high probability of not practising when analyzed on the standard of type IV. Type III and IV show high probability of not doing regular exercise while Type IV, shows a high probability of not taking appropriate sleeping time. When analyzed on the standard of type IV, all the patterns show a high probability of not taking health examinations. Type III and IV show a high probability of not having regular meals. As for overall health promoting behavior, Type III and IV show a high relative risk ratio. These two groups have low self-perceived health status. It implies that self-perceived health status has significant impact on health promoting behavior. This is also supported by the fact that Type I with high self-perceived health status and no illness shows a high practice rate of health promoting behavior. Types II and III the groups with high disparity between self-perceived health status and health examination results, show a low practice rate of health promoting behavior when compared to Type I. Type IV, that is the group with low self-perceived health status and actual illness, shows the lowest practice of health promoting behavior. It is highly probable that this type proves to be the poorest health group.

  • PDF

Effect of Double Layer Nonwoven Fabrics on the Growth, Quality and Yield of Oriental Melon(Cucumis melo L. var. makuwa Mak.) under Vinyl House (보온부직포 이중피복이 참외의 생육, 품질 및 수량에 미치는 영향)

  • Shin Yong Seub;Park So Deuk;Do Han Woo;Bae Su Gon;Kim Jwoo Hwan;Kim Byung Soo
    • Journal of Bio-Environment Control
    • /
    • v.14 no.1
    • /
    • pp.22-28
    • /
    • 2005
  • The use of blankets to preserve heat in oriental melon cultivation is a common practise without artificial heating and warming systems. Efficiency of blanket decreased with annually usage. This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of double layer nonwoven fabrics on heat conservation, plant growth, fruit quality and yield of oriental melon in greenhouse. The results were compared among the non-woven fabrics of 9+3, 6+6, 6+3 and 12 ounce from transplanting to April 20, 2001, 2002. Night temperature within tunnel was high at 9+3, 6+6, 6+3 and 12 ounce in order. In plant growth, stem length, leaf numbers and exudate, under double layer nonwoven fabrics were better than single layer blanket of 12 ounce especially, 9+3 double layer blanket was the best. Fruit weight, flesh thickness, soluble solid and marketable yield rate remained same in all treatments. Fermented fruit rate was the highest in 12 ounce as $32.9\%,\;19.6\%\;under\;9+3,\;17.1\%\;under\;6+6,\;16.6\%$ under 6+3 double layer nonwoven fabric, respectively. Compared to 2,260kg yield per 10a of 12 ounce single layer nonwoven fabrics, $7\%$ was increased under 9+3 but $3\%\;and\;13\%$ were decreased under 6+6 and 6+3 double layer nonwoven fabrics, respectively. Compared to income, 4,499-thousand-won per 10a, of 12 ounce single layer blanket, $13\%\;and\;3$ were increased under 9+3 and 6+6 double layer nonwoven fabrics, respectively. Whereas, $10\%$ decreased under 6+3 double layer nonwoven fabrics. From this results it is evident that 9+3 double layer nonwoven fabrics was the best for thermokeeping, fruit quality, and was most economic under non heating system.

The Contribution of Innovation Activity to the Output Growth of Emerging Economies: The Case of Kazakhstan

  • Smagulova, Sholpan;Mukasheva, Saltanat
    • Journal of Distribution Science
    • /
    • v.10 no.7
    • /
    • pp.33-41
    • /
    • 2012
  • The purpose of this study is to analyse the state of the energy industry and to determine the efficiency of its functioning on the basis of energy conservation principle and application of innovative technologies aimed at improving the ecological modernisation of agricultural sectors of Kazakhstan. The research methodology is based on an integrated approach of financial and economic evaluation of the effectiveness of the investment project, based on calculation of elasticity, total costs and profitability, as well as on comparative, graphical and system analysis. The current stage is characterised by widely spread restructuring processes of electric power industry in many countries through introduction of new technical installations of energy facilities and increased government regulation in order to enhance the competitive advantage of electricity market. Electric power industry features a considerable value of creating areas. For example, by providing scientific and technical progress, it crucially affects not only the development but also the territorial organisation of productive forces, first of all the industry. In modern life, more than 90% of electricity and heat is obtained by Kazakhstan's economy by consuming non-renewable energy resources: different types of coal, oil shale, oil, natural gas and peat. Therefore, it is significant to ensure energy security, as the country faces a rapid fall back to mono-gas structure of fuel and energy balance. However, energy resources in Kazakhstan are spread very unevenly. Its main supplies are concentrated in northern and central parts of the republic, and the majority of consumers of electrical power live in the southern and western areas of the country. However, energy plays an important role in the economy of industrial production and to a large extent determines the level of competitive advantage, which is a promising condition for implementation of energy-saving and environmentally friendly technologies. In these circumstances, issues of modernisation and reforms of this sector in Kazakhstan gain more and more importance, which can be seen in the example of economically sustainable solutions of a large local monopoly company, significant savings in capital investment and efficiency of implementation of an investment project. A major disadvantage of development of electricity distribution companies is the prevalence of very high moral and physical amortisation of equipment, reaching almost 70-80%, which significantly increases the operating costs. For example, while an investment of 12 billion tenge was planned in 2009 in this branch, in 2012 it is planned to invest more than 17 billion. Obviously, despite the absolute increase, the rate of investment is still quite low, as the total demand in this area is at least more than 250 billion tenge. In addition, industrial infrastructure, including the objects of Kazakhstan electric power industry, have a tangible adverse impact on the environment. Thus, since there is a large number of various power projects that are sources of electromagnetic radiation, the environment is deteriorated. Hence, there is a need to optimise the efficiency of the organisation and management of production activities of energy companies, to create and implement new technologies, to ensure safe production and provide solutions to various environmental aspects. These are key strategic factors to ensure success of the modern energy sector of Kazakhstan. The contribution of authors in developing the scope of this subject is explained by the fact that there was not enough research in the energy sector, especially in the view of ecological modernisation. This work differs from similar works in Kazakhstan in the way that the proposed method of investment project calculation takes into account the time factor, which compares the current and future value of profit from the implementation of innovative equipment that helps to bring it to actual practise. The feasibility of writing this article lies in the need of forming a public policy in the industrial sector, including optimising the structure of energy disbursing rate, which complies with the terms of future modernised development of the domestic energy sector.

  • PDF

The Formative Characteristics of Seogo-jeongsa & Sameun-jeong Byeolseo Gardens in Toerori Miryang (밀양(密陽) 퇴노리(退老里) 서고정사(西皐精舍)와 삼은정(三隱亭) 별서(別墅)의 조영(造營) 특성(特性))

  • Lee, Hyun-Woo;Rho, Jae-Hyun
    • Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
    • /
    • v.31 no.4
    • /
    • pp.70-83
    • /
    • 2013
  • To widen prospect of villa as Korea traditional garden, the result of the research about constructional characteristics of Seogo-jeongsa and Sameun-jeong of Yeoju Lee family at Toero-ri, Miryang-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea, is abstracted as below. Seogo-jeongsa(西皐精舍) and Sameun-jeong(三隱亭) was intended to practise retirement with sense of unity with the head residence, since Seogo-jeongsa was 340m far and sameun-jeong was 630m far away from head residence, which set within 1km. Although Seogo-jeongsa's basic prop, Sameun-jeong's timber, which are both from designer's pen name and head residence name, "Hangjae(恒齋)" and "Yongjae(庸齋)," and Hanseoam have each different exposure, it is homogeneous as space configurational side in order to optimize the gaze leading effect and appreciated domestic trees from the pond, which is center of the garden and the significant facility. Method of direction of Seogo-jeongsa's Hwalsudang(活水塘) and Sameunjeong's pond of Sameun-ji(三隱 池) gets attention by distinction. Especially, directing of 3 step water flow from behind to front and traditional pond method, called Bangji-Bangdo(方池方島), were very unique that any other place can be found. Also, the middle islet on the pond at both villa, which isn't more supper, but more for the symbolic molding that seek a stone pagoda(石假山), is more interesting directing method as considering the relationship of the 3 stone pagoda imageries on the surface of Ghwayukchon(果肉泉) At the same time, Seogo-jeongsa and Sameun-jeong shows very different characteristics from traditional villa that adopted both domestic trees and foreign trees. Particularly, it is extremely exceptional case to plant vigorous needleleaf tree, such as Chamaecyparis pisifera, C. obtusa, Pinus bungeana, P. palustris, Sciadopitys verticillata, Metasequoia glyptostroboides and Cedrus deodara, on Sameun-jeong. Moreover, adopting foreign wild needleleaf trees for landscaping trees, such as a Torreya nucifera, Taxus cuspidata, P. parviflora, and foreign landsacping trees, such as P. bungeana, Cryptomeria japonica and C. obtusa tells planting trend of the late Joseon dysnasty era. Also, as we can know from 2 Jipgyeong(集景), which is 'Seogo-jabyoung 17 young(西皐雜詠十七詠)', and 'Sameun-jeong 12 Gyoung(三隱亭十二景)' which are set on both villa, the intend to expand the garden area is strongly shown by the natural forest directing. As a result, Seogo-jeongsa and Sameun-jeong, located at Toero-li Miryang, are sharing the traditional Joseon dynasty era's custom, such as space and visual composition; however, it is different and attractive garden remains as a point of view of water directing, stone pagodas, and adopting foreign landscaping trees.

Changes of Microbial Community Associated with Construction Method and Maintenance Practise on Soil Profile in Golf Courses (지반 조성과 관리방법에 따른 골프장 토양내 미생물 군집의 변화)

  • Moon, Kyung-Hee;Kim, Ki-Dong;Joo, Young-Kyoo
    • Asian Journal of Turfgrass Science
    • /
    • v.23 no.2
    • /
    • pp.219-228
    • /
    • 2009
  • The construction procedures and artificial turf maintenance program on golf course definitely influence on the distortion of its environment. Soil microbial communities in soil profile were affected directly by those practises on turf areas. In Jeju island, the environmental impact assessment has been required to apply the first quality class granular activated carbon(GAC), which has a high absorbent character to agricultural chemicals, on the soil profiles of golf green system to reduce the pesticide leaching to ground water. This research was carried out to analyze the changes of microbial communities and chemical properties on soil profiles where GAC had been applied at the construction stage at two golf courses in Jeju. The changes of soil microbial population and chemical properties associated with construction methods of soil profile and agrochemical management program were analyzed by monthly at the surface and sub-soil profiles during April through October, 2007. The total numbers of bacteria and fungi, soil moisture content, soil physio-chemical properties were measured on greens and fairways of the both golf courses with different GAC treatment on the green and fairway soil profiles. The results showed that GAC had positive effects on the water holding capacity, pH and EC, however, it did not improved the holding capacity of available nutrients ${NO_3}^-,{NH_4}^+$, and phosphorus by its sorption phenomenon. In microbial count test, the total numbers of bacteria and fungi showed a great variation during sampling dates. That may directly relate to the agrochemical application, however, the ratio of total bacterial number versus total fungus number showed a constant value on a sub-soil of 15~30cm depth. Thus, the construction method of GAC in soil profile, and application of fertilizer and pesticide, both impacted on the changes of microbial population. It's means that the construction method of soil profile and turf management using agro-materials might greatly affect on the turfgrass culture and the environment of golf course.

Effect of Temperature and Water Content of Soil on Creeping Bentgrass(Agrostis palustris Huds) Growth (토양의 온도와 수분이 크리핑 벤트그래스(Agrostis palustris Huds) 생육에 미치는 영향)

  • Lim, Seung-Hyun;Jeong, Jun-Ki;Kim, Ki-Dong;Joo, Young-Kyoo
    • Asian Journal of Turfgrass Science
    • /
    • v.23 no.2
    • /
    • pp.229-240
    • /
    • 2009
  • The high temperature and water content in soil profile probably affect the physiological disorder especially on cool-season turfgrasses in warm and humid weather of Korean summer. The purpose of this research was to analyze the effect of soil temperature and water content on the growth and stress response of creeping bentgrass(Agrostis palustris Huds.) under a humid and warm temperature. USGA(United State of Golf Association) green profile in laboratory test, Daily temperature changes were tested under a dried sand, 70% water content of field capacity, and saturated condition at $34^{\circ}C$ of the USGA green in lab. In this test, the dried sand reached to $80^{\circ}C$, however, the surface temperature decrease of $10^{\circ}C$ on the saturated condition. In the thermal properties test in field, thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, and soil temperature were increased followed by irrigation practise. In the water-deficient condition, the highest soil temperature was reached temporally right after irrigation, however, the excessive soil water content higher than field water holding capacity showed the highest soil temperature after a while. This result indicated that a heat damage to root system was caused from the thermal conductivity of a high surface soil temperature. The excessive irrigation when a high turf surface temperature should occur a negative result on tufgrass growth, moreover, it would be fatal to root growth of creeping bentgrass, especially when associated with a poor draining system on USGA sand green. Overall, this study shows that high soil temperature with water-excessive condition negatively affects on cool-season grass during the summer season, suggesting that excessive irrigation, over 70% field capacity of soil condition, does not help to reduce soil temperature for summer season in Korea. In the study that cool-season grass were treated with different water content of soil, The soil had higher temperature and more water holding capacity when treatment rate of soil conditioner was increased. The best growth at the normal water condition and the worst state of growth at thee water-excessive condition were observed.

Vietnam in 2016: The Situations and Prospects of Politics, Economy, and International Relations (베트남 2016: 정치, 경제, 대외관계의 현황과 전망)

  • LEE, Han Woo;CHAE, Su Hong
    • The Southeast Asian review
    • /
    • v.27 no.1
    • /
    • pp.163-191
    • /
    • 2017
  • This article aims to review the recent, especially focusing on the year of 2016, situations and prospects of the Vietnamese politics, economy, and international relations. Politically, Vietnam completed the election of members for the National Assembly and organized new leadership at the 12th National Congress of the Vietnamese Communist Party in 2016. One characteristic of the new leadership is that the politicians, especially the members of politburo, from the North continue to occupy the position of majority. The other one is that the new leadership promised to carry out the restructuring of economy toward industries producing higher value-added commodities even though Vietnam industries admittedly need to accelerate present industrialization and modernization as a developing country under the seemingly contradictory slogan of "the development of market economy for socialism." The declared goals of the new leadership in Vietnam are inevitable in a sense since the development of Vietnamese economy has been heavily dependent upon Foreign Direct Investment(FDI) taking advantage of Vietnamese cheap labor and simultaneously it is evident that its future is unsecure if it maintains status quo. In fact, the Vietnamese economy has impressively showed high growth rate by the help of foreign capitals since 1990s despite the repetitive recessions of global economy but its growth is not likely to be sustainable anymore if it will not reduce foreign dependency and social economic inequality in a long term. In a short run, global economic recession, the financial and monetary policies of global powers, and recent protectionism and uncertainty of trade agreements will be three crucial variables to affect Vietnamese economy. In terms of international relations, Vietnam is continuously expected to practise the policy of checks and balances among the powerful countries. Vietnam has seriously disputed with China on islands sovereignty in the South China Sea and attempted to maintain close relationship with other powerful countries including especially America. However, mainly due to the new protectionism by the regime of American president Donald Trump, the Vietnamese government also need to keep close relationship with China increasingly for both economic and diplomatic security. Under the circumstances, Vietnam is expected to maintain more practical and balanced international relations.

Epidemiological Studies of Clonorchiasis - II. Current Status and Natural Transition of the Endemicity of Clonorchis sinensis in Goyang Gun, a Low Endemic Area in Korea (간흡충증(肝吸虫症) 역학(疫學) - II. 저도유행지(低度流行地) 고양지방(高陽地方)에 있어서의 간흡충감염(肝吸虫感染)의 현황(現況)과 자연추이(自然推移))

  • Kim, D.C.;Lee, O.Y.;Lee, J.S.;Ahn, J.S.;Chang, Y.M.;Son, S.C.;See, S.H.
    • Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
    • /
    • v.8 no.1
    • /
    • pp.66-80
    • /
    • 1983
  • As a part of the epidemiological studies of clonorchiasis in Korea, this study was conducted to evaluate the current endemicity and the natural transition of the Clonorchis infection in Goyang Gun a low endemic area in recent years, prior to the introduction of praziquantel which will eventually influence to the status of the prevalence. The data obtained in this study in 1983 were evaluated for natural transition of the infection in comparison with those obtained 16 years ago in 1967 by the author (Kim, 1974). The areas of investigation, villages and schools surveyed, methods and techniques used in this study were the same as in 1967, except for the contents of the questionnaire for raw freshwater fish consumption by the local inhabitants. 1) The current prevalence rate of Clonorchis infection among the inhabitants was 7.5% on the average out of a total of 479 persons examined. The prevalence rate was 9.0% in the riverside area and 4.2% in the inland area. Among the schoolchildren, the prevalence rate was 1.1% out of a total of 1 319 examined. By area, it was 1.4% in the riverside area and 0.7% in the inland area. By sex, the prevalence rate was 13.3% in the male and 1.3% in the female in the inhabitants and no difference was seen in the schoolchildren. 2) In the natural transition of the infection, the prevalence rate in the inhabitants has decreased from 22.5% in 1967 to 7.5% in 1983, and in the schoolchildren, from 9.5% in 1967 to 1.1% in 1983. The reduction rate was higher in the riverside area than in the inland area. 3) In the prevalence rate by age, 1.2% was seen in the 10-14 age group and gradually increased to 8.1% in the 30-39 age group and reached peak 18.1% in the 40-49 age group. By sex, in the male, the prevalence rates have increased to 31.9% and 33.3% in the 40-49 and 50-59 age groups, respectively and decreased thereafter. In the female, the prevalence rate less than 5% was seen only in between the 10-14 and 30-39 age groups. 4) In the natural transition of the prevalence rate by age, sharp decrease was seen in the male from around 50% in 1967 between 15-19 and 30-39 age groups. The generation over 40s showed less decrease. In the female, the prevalence rate has decreased from 13% in 1967 to 5% in 1983 in the middle age groups and dropped to 0% in the rest of the age groups. 5) The intensity of the infection among clonorchiasis cases by mean EPmg (number of eggs per mg feces) value was 1.4. In the inhabitants, the value was 2.0 in the riverside area and 0.4 in the inland area. While in the schoolchildren, the value was 0.2 in both riverside and inland areas. 6) In the transition of the intensity of the infection, EPmg among the inhabitants has decreased from 3.9 in 1967 to 2.0 in 1983 in the riverside area, and from 2.9 to 0.4 in the inland area. In the schoolchildren, the reduction was similar in both riverside and inland areas resulting from 1.0-1.1 in 1967 to 0.2 in 1983. 7) In the intensity of the infection by age, EPmg 3.4 was peak at the 40-49 age group and 0.2-1.0 was seen in the rest of the age groups. The mean value was 1.5 in the male and 0.6 in the female. 8) In the natural transition of the intensity of the infection, the EPmg has decreased from 2.7 in 1967 to 1.4 in 1983. By age, reduction was seen in all of the age groups, particularly in the young and the old age groups of 50s and over, except in the 40-49 age group in which reverse phenomenon was seen. By sex, it has decreased from 3.5 in 1967 to 1.5 in 1983 in the male and from 1.0 to 0.6 in the female. 9) In the distribution of the clonorchiasis cases by the range of EPmg value, 70.3% of the cases were placed in the range of 0.1-0.9 as the most and 16.2% in 1.0-4.9 as the next. With such figures, those included in the range less than 0.9 as light infection were 78.4% and under 5.0-9.9 up to moderate infection 99.3% of the cases were covered. The cases were distributed up to 20.0-39.9 in the male and to 1.0-4.9 in the female. 10) In the transition of the distribution of the clonorchiasis cases by EPmg, the highest intensity reached up to 60.0-79.9 in 1967 and to 20.0-39.9 in 1983. In the range of light infection, under 0.1-0.9, the distribution in rate was 64.5% in 1967 and 78.4% in 1983. Up to the range of moderate infection, under 5.0-9.9, 91.7% in 1967 and 97.3% in 1983 were seen respectively. 11) In a survey for raw freshwater fish consumption among the local inhabitants,78.3 of the clonorchiasis cases interviewed admitted their experience of the raw consumption. However, those who practised in the past two years were 34.8% 55.6% of those who have such experience in the past professed that they did not practise raw freshwater fish consumption in the past two years. 12) The major cause of the reduction of the raw freshwater fish consumption among the inhabitants were the wide spread water pollution in the locality. The most common reason professed for stopping raw freshwater fish consumption among the inhabitants was the risk of the fluke infection. 13) In animal survey, 3.1% of dogs were found infected with Clonorchis, decreasing from 21.6% in 1967. 14) The distribution of the first intermediate host, Parafossarulus manchouricus has greatly diminished in this locality and found only in two localized ponds. No Clonorchis infection was found from the snails examined. 15) The second intermediate freshwater fish host has been further limited by extended water pollution. No susceptible fish host could be examined. 16) In conclusion, the endemicity of Clonorchis infection in Croyang Gun, low endemic area, has significantly decreased during the past 16 years. The major cause of the regressive transition of the infection was the water pollution of the freshwater system of this locality. This has upset the ecosystems of the intermediate host of Clonorchis sinensis in many areas of waterbodies and further discouraged to a significant extent the local inhabitants from raw freshwater fish consumption.

  • PDF