ACEID2023 Pre-Recorded Virtual Presentations

Higher Education

68857 | Japanese University Students’ Learning Experiences and Attitudes Toward Computer Programming

Harumi Kashiwagi, Kobe University, Japan

Min Kang, Kobe University, Japan

Kazuhiro Ohtsuki, Kobe University, Japan

Information technology using computer programming is firmly established in our lives. In Japan, the development of human resources with programming skills has become an urgent issue. Meanwhile, the experience of learning programming varies by learner. Interest in programing may differ depending on the learner’s area of expertise. Thus, learners’ learning experiences and attitudes toward computer programming are investigated in this study. A questionnaire study using a five-point Likert scale is conducted on 117 Japanese university students from three classes: one in science and two in humanities. The findings suggest three main points: (1) 44% of students in humanities and 67% in science do not have programming experience—these numbers are higher than we expected. (2) Regarding the students’ awareness of programming skills in their future careers, the average scores for all three classes are 4 or higher, suggesting that both science and humanities students are fully aware of the importance of programming skills. (3) Regarding interest in computer programming, the average score for both of the humanities classes is 3.1, whereas that for the science class is 4.5, which shows that interest in programming is significantly lower among humanities students. Furthermore, the results indicated that 50% and 70% of the students in the two humanities classes, respectively, had never studied programming, and that they indicated little or no interest in programming. For liberal arts students, their experience in learning programming may be related to their interest in it.

69409 | The Impact of Low Birth Rate on Higher Education in Taiwan: University Teachers’ Work stress and Coping Strategies

Pey-chewn

Duo, Ming-Chuan University, Taiwan

MIn-Hsun Su, Ming-Chuan University, Taiwan

The decreasing birth rate in Taiwan has caused a significant enrollment drop among many universities in Taiwan. In the year of 2022, a total of 19 universities have failed to reach a 60% enrollment rate. According to the statistics provided by the Ministry of Education in Taiwan, at least twelve universities have been shut down and six more are on the observation list due to difficulty in student recruitment. This in return has forced all the universities into a battle of recruitment scramble. To secure their job positions, faculties and teachers are shouldering more responsibilities and tasks to compensate for the loss of tuition income. Under such circumstance, teachers in higher education are experiencing an elevated level of stress and workload. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate teachers’ work stress and have a better understanding of their coping strategies by using a triangulation method. Results of the study showed that teachers showed symptoms of burnout, stress-related health problems, lower work productivity and motivation and etc. Strategies that teachers use to cope with stress include self-adjustment, peer support and delaying problems; they also reported to have thought of job changing and early retirement. It is hoped that this study may provide suggestions and insights for teachers and administrators amid the educational crisis caused by low birth rate.

Interdisciplinary, Multidisciplinary & Transdisciplinary Education

64183 | Language, Communication and Culture: Higher (Virtual) Education for the Future Professions

Niina Kovalainen, Laurea University of Applied Sciences, Finland

Today’s professionals in various fields need skills in intercultural communication, perhaps even in a transnational context. Intercultural communication can be effective if the participants share a common understanding of what communicative and professional practices are appropriate and meaningful. However, intercultural communication can be challenging on virtual courses, where students can work individually, perhaps even asynchronically, not meeting face-to-face with either the teacher or their peers. Perhaps one method for achieving effective intercultural communication could be to create a new common culture through reciprocal communication, perhaps not even using one’s native language. (Cf. Berry 2011, Byram 1997, Cai et al 2000, Kramsch 1993 & 2006). In this case study, intercultural communication is seen as communication in a given social context that requires various different skills from different participants. Communicative competence in turn can be seen as a combination of a cognitive dimension, skills, and attitudinal orientation towards others manifested in a given context. This case study investigates positive student attitudes during a virtual foreign language course in contexts that require different types of communication from the students. The research question is: How are we able to help in teaching communicative skills that are relevant in future professions?

68356 | Digital Piracy Case of Learning Materials in China: A Tough Challenge to Chinese Copyright Law

Dan Liu, University of the Cordilleras, Philippines

Agnawa Jr. Marcelino M., University of the Cordilleras, Philippines aceid.iafor.org/aceid2023-virtual-presentations

Digital piracy of learning materials is arguably considered as unlawful behavior of students under Copyright Law of the People's Republic of China (hereinafter referred to as “Chinese Copyright Law”), which has caused great harm to the copyright owners and licensed users. This study aims to examine the reasons for digital piracy of learning materials and the defense against copyright infringement, i.e. fair use regarding private study and research, classroom teaching and scientific research according to Article 24 (1) and Article 24 (6) of Chinese Copyright Law. This study focuses on three questions: whether university students have the awareness of digital piracy of learning materials and the copyright infringement arising from digital piracy, what is the attitude of university students toward digital piracy of learning materials, and how to protect the copyright of digital learning materials under Chinese Copyright Law. There are two instruments in collecting data, questionnaire and semi-structured individual interviews with different university students currently studying in Beijing. Findings suggest that most students had the experience of piracy of learning materials without the awareness of copyright infringement, and they supported digital piracy of learning materials due to the habit, ease, common practice and no charge of digital learning materials. The copyright of digital learning materials could be effectively protected by not charging fees for digital learning materials, collaborating with relevant academic associations to allow students to download at a lower price, and utilizing technical barriers to prevent illegal downloading.