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Article
Publication date: 29 June 2012

Koji Nakane, Kosuke Mizutani, Ruonan Zhang, Kenta Sugimoto and Nobuo Ogata

A sol-gel process has been successfully utilized to form hybrid materials of poly(vinyl butyral) (PVB) and zirconium dioxide (zirconia). The gelation occurred due to the…

54

Abstract

A sol-gel process has been successfully utilized to form hybrid materials of poly(vinyl butyral) (PVB) and zirconium dioxide (zirconia). The gelation occurred due to the interaction between remaining hydroxyl group of PVB and zirconia. The hybrids showed good optical transparency and significant improvement in Young's modulus, dynamic mechanical property, abrasion resistance and impact resistance. The glass transition temperature of PVB shifted to higher temperatures by hybridization of PVB and zirconia.

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World Journal of Engineering, vol. 9 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1708-5284

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Article
Publication date: 25 February 2014

Mitsuyo Sakamoto and Lumi Tamanyu

The purpose of this study is to investigate a four-year mentorship program for Japanese graduate students at a private university in Tokyo, Japan. The following research questions…

434

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate a four-year mentorship program for Japanese graduate students at a private university in Tokyo, Japan. The following research questions were investigated: First, does mentorship provide effective and adequate preparation needed for graduate students to perform competitively (e.g. attending conferences, publishing in journals, etc.) in academic forums? Second, what kinds of benefits are gained by the mentees? Third, what factors are conducive to the benefits accrued by the mentees? Fourth, what are the obstacles to providing an effective mentorship program?

Design/methodology/approach

Adopting narrative approach as its research method, this study collected and analyzed reflective essays from 13 Japanese students in a TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) program.

Findings

Particular types of mentoring which encouraged active participation in scholarly activities through appropriately scaffolded inductions into academia led to increased mentee confidence in terms of making the transition from student to scholar.

Research limitations/implications

The students should not remain assistants on the periphery of academia, but rather play active roles to extend their knowledge and expertise to something that they can attain only with appropriate scaffolding (Vygotsky, 1981). In order to promote such mentorship, it is emphasized that institutional support is indispensable, and that the significance of solid mentorship programs should be re-acknowledged and discussed on an official level.

Originality/value

The study of mentoring within a Japanese context, in particular from the perspectives of sociocultural theory (Vygotsky, 1981) and Bandura's (1994, 1995) self-efficacy theory, is an under-researched area.

Details

International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education, vol. 3 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2046-6854

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