This article details a mixed methods study conducted during the [2007][2008] academic year at the National Chengchi University (NCCU) in Taipei Taiwan. It contributes to discourse examining the opportunities and challenges of international student enrollments in institutions of higher learning around the globe. In scope it details an empirical study exploring the dispositions of NCCU international students in terms of their academic and social spheres. Trends in Taiwan reflect traditional East Asian patterns; substantial numbers of university students from Taiwan studied in the United States and Britain while very few incoming international students chose the island nation as a host destination. In recent years the influx of international students to Taiwan has increased significantly, rising from 6,380 in 2001 to 21,005 in 2007 (Ko, http://www.taipeitimes. com/News/taiwan/archives /2008/02/12/2003400913, 2008). The use of both quantitative and qualitative methods provided clarity and extended critical interpretations of the issues and dilemmas surrounding the international student experience in Taiwan. Results indicate that the capability of the NCCU as a host institution to sustain and attract increasing numbers of incoming international students is linked to factors such as the unique opportunity to study traditional as opposed to simplified Chinese characters, the availability and accessibility of Taiwan government sponsored scholarships, and the high standard of the NCCU Mandarin Studies program. Implications suggest that universities committed to internationalization are called to address the realities-both positive and negative-of operating as globally competitive institutions. As such, attracting the right kind of international students at the NCCU and determining standards for their contribution to campus life are more important goals than the total number of international students.

Trends in Taiwan higher education reflect traditional East Asian patterns, which show a substantial numbers of university students from Taiwan studying in the United States and Britain. In a recent worldwide student mobility report, findings suggest that an increased flow of international students coming from the United States and European countries to the Asia Pacific Rim is at an all time high. However, if the number of inbound international students' is subtracted with the number of outgoing Asian students, results are still not that promising.Hence, in order to increase the influx of international students in Taiwan, a deeper understanding of their perceptions and norms should be undertaken. This article details a quantitative study conducted during the 2009-2010 academic year in Taiwan. In scope it details an empirical study exploring the dispositions of international students in terms of their academic and social spheres. The use of quantitative method provided clarity and extended critical interpretations of the issues and dilemmas surrounding the international student experience in Taiwan.

This study explored pre-service teachers’ (N = 37) perceptions about teaching controversial global and local topics. Additionally, it examined participants’ level of preparedness, motivation and perceived hindrances to teaching controversial issues. To do so, the study used a interpretive phenomenological approach (IPA). Data from written reflections and semi-structured interviews showed 80 percent of participants lacked exposure to college work that examined controversial issues prior to taking Social Studies Methods course. However, after taking the course, participants were able to identify controversial topics, but they still displayed limited critical awareness and conceptualization of teaching controversial issues. Other findings pointed to the benefits of teaching controversial topics in a planned and intentional manner.

Background Percent body fat equations are usually developed in specific populations and have low generalizability. Objectives To use a nationally representative sample of the American youth population (8–17 years old) from the 1999–2004 NHANES data to develop gender-specific percent body fat equations. Methods Percent body fat equations were developed for girls and boys using information on weight, height, waist circumference, triceps skinfolds, age, race/ethnicity, and menses status compared to dual-emission X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Terms were selected using forward and backward selection in regression models and in a 2/3 development sample and were cross-validated in the remaining sample. Final coefficients were estimated in the full sample. Results Final equations included 10 terms in girls and 8 terms in boys including interactions with age and race/ethnicity. In the cross-validation sample the adjusted R2 was 0.818 and the root mean squared error (RMSE) was 2.758 in girls. Comparable estimates in boys were 0.893 and 2.525. Systematic bias was not detected in the estimates by race/ethnicity or by BMI categories. Conclusion Gender-specific percent body fat equations were developed in youth with a strong potential for generalizability and utilization by other investigators studying adiposity-related issues in youth.

These findings indicate that investigators should use caution in the selection of an equation to predict PBF in youth given that results may vary systematically in important subgroups.