FED

Issue 40 January - February 2016

Newsletter

http://www.umac.mo/fed/newsletter/articles_en

FED House Programme Chinese New Year Gathering 2016

Psychometrics and Scale Development in Educational Research

HKU Delegates' Visit

How time files! Our bilingual UM FED Newsletter has accompanied you for seven years. Thanks to your kind support, we have come to the 40th issue. The FED Newsletter team will make renewed efforts to innovate the newsletter, in form and presentation, with the aim of providing a more user-friendly platform for academic and student activities.

The updated FED Newsletter will make the following changes,1. Select three headlines randomly and place them on cover; 2. Put more emphasis on composing articles with more appeal and pleasure;3. Add Q & A between the speaker and the participants.

FED Newsletter connects teachers and students, reporting the most colorful campus life and thought-provoking seminars and workshops. We are here waiting for you to discover and share!

The Editorial Office of FED Newsletter welcomes and values all contributions and suggestions from people in all walks of life. Please feel free to tell us your story or your academic activity information actively. We are striving to provide you with a professional and all-around platform recording academic activities. We will use the brand new layout meanwhile share the most valuable contents with you.

Some Changes to FED Newsletter

FED Newsletter

FED NEWSLETTEROBJECTIVES

To disseminate educational ideals and report on faculty and student activities of FED;

To provide an easy and user-friendly platform for academic staff;

To promote a sharing culture and boost teacher education and professional development.

FED Newsletter

EDITORIAL BOARD Prof. Sylvia S.L.Ieong SLIeong@umac.mo

Margo Hsiang MB34734@umac.mo

Rebecca Wu MB54126@umac.mo

Phone 88224144

Add E33,3030

CONTENTSFED Newsletter

Academic Staff Activities

Student Activities

FED House Programme Chinese New Year Gathering 2016...................5

The University of Hong Kong Delegates’ Visit........................................1

FED ERC Seminar Series 19: Native versus Non-Native Models for Learning English as an L2: Some Observations on Learners’ Competence and Agency...........................................................................2

FED ERC Seminar Series 20: Psychometrics and Scale Development in Educational Research................................................................................3

FED ERC Seminar Series 21: Online Chinese-Cantonese Language Mixing - Implications for Young Adults’ Personal and Group Identity in China’s Pearl River Delta Region.............................................................4

2016/2017 Principals’ Recommended Admission (PRA) Lunch Gathering..................................................................................................7

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FED Newsletter

The University of Hong Kong Delegates’ Visit

The Faculty of Education received a delegation from the University of Hong Kong on 16 January 2016. Prof. Shuh-Ren JIN, Professor

of FED of UM and Prof. Bi Ying HU, Director of Centre for Early Childhood Education and Child of FED of UM, welcomed all the guests.

In response to the question “What are the critical elements in indigenousness and localization of career counselling in Chinese communities?”, raised by the delegation, Prof. Jin pointed out that self-perception was regarded as the pyramid with the individual at the top in the West, while people in the east consider self-perception as the inverted pyramid with the individual at the bottom. The western value system emphasizes that people feel more

the control of their own lives and the realization of the self-potential. However, the traditional Chinese individual is not an independent entity, which dwells in the self-other relation. It is not considered to have traits that are constant across situation, but to manifest according to the nature of the relationship.

Mr. Elvo Kuai Long SOU, section head of Student Counselling and Development Section of Student Affairs Office, expounded his views on the history of professional psychological counseling in Macao. Social workers and psychological counsellors are interrelated due to the distinct culture. He gave more information about student counselling, stressing that, “The student counselling aims at helping students by enhancing their self-understanding and personal development, self-empowerment to cope with daily problems, facilitating students’ adjustment to university life and making healthy life changes.”

Prof. Hu started with the development of preschool education in Mainland China and Macao. She said, “Currently, the special education at the preschool education level in Mainland is still insufficient. We should build up the ranks of teachers and raise their professional ethics and competence.”

The delegates were shown around FED, UM Counseling Room and then the UM Wu Yee Sun Library.

Prof. Jin presented the delegates with souvenirs and they took pictures together.

The delegates presented Prof. Jin with souvenirs.

All the participants took pictures together.

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Prof. Wang indicated that the non-native models for learning English as an L2 has its pros and cons. It helps the learners to be aware of their bilingual identity and motivates their creativity. However, it is hard to apply this model to the classroom setting for the complicated conditions, such as the local bilingual teachers, the appropriate curriculum, assessment criteria, etc.

Prof. Wang took the examples of Jin HA and college students who wrote English essays for a web-based magazine in Macao, such as “Dai gut lei si”, to show the relationship between the native versus non-native models for learning English as an L2 and the Chinese EFL learners. He concluded that there was the possibility that the native and non-native models are complementary rather than conflicting in L2 learning.

FED NewsletterFED ERC Seminar Series 19:Native versus Non-Native Models for Learning English as an L2: Some Observations on Learners’ Competence and Agency

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FED ERC Seminar Series 19: “Native versus Non-Native Models for Learning English as an L2: Some Observations on Learners’

Competence and Agency”, organized by the Educational Research Centre of FED, was held on Wednesday 20 January 2016, FED. Prof. Xian WANG, Department of English, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, University of Macau, was the speaker of the seminar.

Prof. Wang’s research about English acquisition attracted many FED academic staff, PhD students and master students. He began the seminar by sharing a story showing that native and non-native speakers used different English sentences when ordering food in the restaurant. Prof. Wang pointed out that this phenomenon exactly brought out the “what a native speaker is” concept and helped us to be aware of the fact that different language speakers have different language systems. That is why we need to pay attention to the native versus non-native models for learning English as a second language.

FED Newsletter

FED ERC Seminar Series 20: “Psychometrics and Scale Development in Educational Research”, organized by the Educational Research Centre of Faculty of Education, was held on 21 January 2016 at Tin Ka Ping

Lecture Hall. Dr. Amandeep DHIR, Postdoctoral Fellow of University of Helsinki, Finland, was the speaker. His research focuses on New Media and Society, Computers and Education, etc.

Dr. Dhir shared his academic life—the journey from postgraduate student to a Postdoctoral Fellow. He talked about how he has faced and overcome challenges while building his career in academic. He strove to motivate students to find the passion to pursue their academic life and the courage to face the challenges and difficulties as they pursue their own path to success.

Dr. Dhir gave some information about the psychometrics and scale development in educational research. He indicated that, the scholars engaged in educational research considered the process of scale development as laborious, lengthy, time consuming, methodologically rigorous and somewhat were prone to “criticism” with no imminent chance of success. These “stereotypes” or “beliefs” have also affected ongoing as well as upcoming educational research investigations. Consequently, educational scholars are content with single cross-sectional studies, while longitudinal and repeated cross-sectional studies are still rarely performed. Dr. Dhir took the photo-tagging gratification scale for an example, with the aim of outlining the main benefits, associated challenges and risks involved in the process of scale development research.

FED ERC Seminar Series 20:Psychometrics and Scale Development in Educational Research

Dr. Dhir has made several research visits to Taiwan, India, Japan, Jordan, Namibia, South Africa and Norway, and he is currently engaged in several large-scale cross-cultural research projects in Asia, Africa and Europe.

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FED ERC Seminar 21: “Online Chinese Putonghua-Cantonese Language Mixing—Implications for Young Adults’ Personal and

Group Identity in China’s Pearl River Delta Region”, was held on February 24 at Tin Ka Ping Lecture Hall. Prof. Todd Lyle SANDEL, Department of Communication, UM, was invited to share his research findings on online language mixing.

Prof. Sandel briefed on Macao’s history and highlighted the research significance of Macao—mixed language environment. “Language choice points to or indexes a number of things, points to the sense of self and social economic order.” Prof. Sandel said. He found the man speaks mostly English in Indonesia but switches to colloquial Malay or Indonesian when he leaves the office. This mixed code also happens in China, especially in Macao. Prof. Sandel elaborated on the differences between Mandarin and Cantonese in both pronunciation and syntax. He fingered out the source of this difference from the angle of history—Cantonese vernacular or southern dialect can be dated back to Ming Dynasty. Prof. Sandel separately illustrated W. Labov’s idea “Language is outward directed” and P. Eckert’s proposal “Language or dialect change is led by rebellious youth”. Inspired by their ideas, he added, “Language and dialect are always changing and it’s changing not from the top, but from the bottom.”

Prof. Sandel had just completed a mentoring session of his student’s (Trista QJU) dissertation. He shared the methods and results of Qju’s research. He exhibited Qju’s online language practices, which were the mix of Cantonese and Mandarin, mixed characters, the mix of Cantonese and English and Emoji, the mix of Cantonese and English, mixing and voicing, and repair. Prof. Sandel deduced several emerging rules in Wechat messages: 1. Emoji “accent” the message, impacts the mood, emotion; 2. Technology may impact a code switch. Prof. Sandel predicted new media communication technologies were catalyzing change and innovation at the local level.

Prof Todd’s talk was followed by further interactions with the audience in the form of Q and A:

FED ERC Seminar Series 21: Online Chinese-Cantonese Language Mixing—Implications for Young Adults’ Personal and Group Identity in China’s Pearl River Delta Region

FED Newsletter

So given this mixing, emerging moves, do you think we, as educators, school teachers, or even curriculum designers, need to respond to this change in the school improvement? (Prof. Mingming Zhou, FED)

You need the standard, but at the same time, you also need to create space where other languages, other expressions can be used and valued. This makes the children feel better. Language is always changing, in order to succeed you need to know the standard. Learn the standard, and learn something else too. You need the standard, but at the same time you need fun, to play with. Then you should make children feel good about going to school. (Prof. Todd Lyle SANDEL, FSS)

Does this kind of symbols and emoji really have certain meaning? Or is it just emoji? Maybe this can be a kind of over-reading? (A student from UM )

There are different realities—fixed and interpreted realities. Emoji belongs to the latter. But it does have the potential, over time, to index on part of this group or part of that group. You need to know another context—with different people, you do it in different ways. (Prof. Todd Lyle SANDEL, FSS)

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FED House Programme Chinese New Year Gathering 2016

The Lunar New Year is by far the most important traditional Chinese festival. To celebrate the Year of

the Monkey, “FED House Programme Chinese New Year Gathering 2016” organized by Faculty of Education was held in FED Learning Commons, University of Macau, on 27 January, 2016. FED academic and administrative staff members, as well as students from the FED House Programme attended the Chinese New Year Gathering.

Prof. Xitao FAN, Dean of FED, extended his best wishes to all the participants and hoped all the FED students achieve greater success in the new year.

Prof. Xitao FAN presented awards to the winners of the FED Second Calligraphy Competition.

Prof. Timothy TEO presented awards to the winners of the FED Second Calligraphy Competition.

Prof. Zhisheng WANG presented awards to the winners of the FED Second Calligraphy Competition.

Prof. Elizabeth Tien Ping HSIANG presented awards to the winning house in the FED Second Calligraphy Competition.

Prof. Elizabeth Tien Ping HSIANG presented awards to the winning house in the FED Second Calligraphy Competition.

Prof. Xitao FAN, Prof. Timothy TEO, Prof. Zhisheng WANG and Prof. Elizabeth Tien Ping HSIANG presented awards for the winners in the FED Second Calligraphy Competition respectively and took pictures together.

FED academic and administrative staff members joined in the refreshment and had a nice chat with the students.

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FED Newsletter

Students from FED enriched the gathering with wonderful music.

Students began to play games, which they enjoyed to their hearts content.

The Chinese New Year Gathering strengthened their sense of belonging. The FED family members would work hand in hand to embrace a better tomorrow. Students also enjoyed the gathering and showed willingness to initiate and join these relaxing activities in FED.

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2016/2017 Principals’ Recommended Admission (PRA) Lunch Gathering

FED Newsletter

“The Reception for Principal’s Recommend Admission (PRA) Academic Year 2016/2017 Recipients” hosted by Faculty of Education was recently held at Learning Commons of Faculty of Education on Saturday 20 February 2016. FED academic and administrative staff, current PRA students and their parents, peers, school principals, school directors and teachers joined the gathering.

Prof. Xitao FAN, Dean of FED, welcomed the participants on behalf of FED and said that the University of Macau is a dynamic education institution and is developing rapidly into an outstanding research institution. FED has received a large number of applications from outstanding local students, which is ascribed to the FED’s efforts in curriculum reform and programme enhancement.

New PRA students meeting with academic staff

After lunch, Dr. Zihao LI together with his dance team, FED students performed both pop and classic dance.

Singing by FED students.

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A sharing session was added to this gathering. Some students who had been recommended by their respective school principals the previous year and have been studying in FED, shared their stories with the new recommended outstanding students and thus learned more about FED and the residential college system. Following is a Q and A session:

FED Newsletter

The courses are so diversified provided by the FED. How did you select the courses? (Brendan Chi Hang LEI, FED administrative staff)

How do the students define or feel about the residential college system? (Brendan Chi Hang LEI, FED administrative staff)

UM’s residential college system, which serves as an important instrument for the implementation of the university’s unique ‘4-in-1’ model of education. They are: discipline-specific education, general education, research and internship education, and community and peer education. Life is colorful at residential college. Just like the “High Table Dinner”, teachers and students came together to share their enjoyable college life. (Kwok Wai LEUNG, FED year two student from English Education)

To select the courses that you are really interested in. If you have any further question, just feel free to contact the FED office administrative staffs. They are keen to help us. (Yi LIN, FED year one student from Chinese Education)

There are various houses in FED, would you please tell us more about the FED House Programme? (Brendan Chi Hang LEI, FED administrative staff)

The House just like a home and family, share love and solicitude and make every member feel warm. Students from different grades living in the same house would benefit from strengthened interaction skills, sense of belongings, and finally the whole house make progress together. (Hio Teng AO IEONG, FED year two student from Primary Education)

Are there any differences between university and high school? (Brendan Chi Hang LEI, FED administrative staff)

Currently, you are a university student. The way you used to study in high school may no longer work. Think about it deeply, and try to widen and deepen your knowledge. (Weng Si LAI, FED year one student from Pre-Primary Education)

One of the greatest differences between a high school student and a university student is that the latter must have more initiative in order to get the most out of the college years. Joining student organizations allows us to make friends and develop organizational skills. (Chi Im LAM, FED year two student from Primary Education)

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At the end of the reception, the UM Student Ambassadors guided the campus visit with participants, visiting the facilities of UM.

PRA students visiting the FED buildings.

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