ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
On Experience of Integrating CALL in Everyday Practice of Language Teaching
Author: Kogan, Marina
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Computer Assisted Instruction,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Linguistics,Course Descriptions,Information Technology,Educational Practices,Computer Software,Technology Integration

This paper discusses the results of experiment on teaching CALL elements to second year Linguistics students as a part of syllabus of practical studies in IT course. The syllabus of the CALL part of IT course is described which is followed by the discussion about experience in implementing it, achieved results and arisen difficulties.
The &quot;VoiceForum&quot; Platform for Spoken Interaction
Author: Fynn, Fohn
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Feedback (Response),Courseware,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,English (Second Language),Foreign Countries,Tutors,Acoustics,Teaching Methods,Management Systems,Computer Mediated Communication,Audio Equipment,Enrollment,College Students

Showcased in the courseware exhibition, &quot;VoiceForum&quot; is a web-based software platform for asynchronous learner interaction in threaded discussions using voice and text. A dedicated space is provided for the tutor who can give feedback on a posted message and dialogue with the participants at a separate level from the main interactional activity. In this way, the pedagogical input is always based on the contextualized needs of the participants, can be accessed as often as required and even searched as a resource for future reference. The software features a built-in sound recorder/player, a rich text editor and management tools to enrol participants, and create forums. Although still in the development stage, this software can be downloaded freely but must be installed on a web server. &quot;VoiceForum&quot; has been used extensively with French university students of English since 2006. (Contains 1 figures.)
In Search of the Optimal Path: How Learners at Task Use an Online Dictionary
Author: Hamel, Marie-Josee
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Online Searching,French,Second Language Instruction,College Students,Computer Assisted Instruction,Second Language Learning,Dictionaries,Internet,Task Analysis,Teaching Methods

We have analyzed circa 180 navigation paths followed by six learners while they performed three language encoding tasks at the computer using an online dictionary prototype. Our hypothesis was that learners who follow an "optimal path" while navigating within the dictionary, using its search and look-up functions, would have a high chance of successfully completing the tasks. We have found that learners who indeed followed such an optimal path were systematically successful in completing the tasks. While alternative paths mostly led to failures, some did, nevertheless, lead to success. One didactic implication that emerged from this experimental study suggests that "optimal" navigation paths can be taught to learners so as to enhance their navigation strategies while they use dictionary search and look-up functions for specific language learning tasks, and in turn, increase their chances of task success. Appended are: (1) The online dictionary prototype; (2) Distribution of navigation paths leading to success; (3) Distribution of navigation paths leading to failure; and (4) Example of a failed navigation path ending with a search in the "Liste de collocatifs".
Integrating Cross-Cultural Interaction through Video-Communication and Virtual Worlds in Foreign Language Teaching Programs: Burden or Added Value?
Author: Jauregi, Kristi
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Second Language Instruction,Intercultural Communication,Foreign Countries,Video Technology,Second Language Learning,Teaching Methods,Educational Benefits,Computer Mediated Communication,Questionnaires,Interviews,Pretests Posttests,Student Motivation,Indo European Languages,Spanish,Russian,Portuguese,Program Descriptions,Learning Experience,Computer Simulation

Organizing and implementing telecollaboration projects in foreign language curricula is not an easy endeavour (Belz & Thorne, 2006; Guth & Helm, 2010), as pedagogical, organizational and technical issues have to be addressed before cross-cultural interaction sessions can be carried out (O'Dowd & Ritter, 2006). These issues make many teaching practitioners reluctant to try to integrate telecollaboration in their teaching, as they are more aware of the burden such initiatives might impose than of the benefits they might have for language learners. Within the European NIFLAR project we attempted to address the question under which circumstances and for what purposes integrating synchronous collaboration projects through video-communication or Second Life in language teaching might have an added value in language learning, taking organizational and technical issues into account. In order to answer this question different sources of data were gathered and analysed: questionnaires and interviews, oral pre- and post-tests and recordings of interaction sessions. Results show that telecollaboration experiences have an added value on cultural, linguistic, interpersonal and motivational issues. (Contains 2 figures and 1 footnote.)
One Quiz File, Several Modes of Delivery
Author: Herbert, John C.
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Educational Policy,Online Courses,Open Source Technology,Online Systems,Instructional Materials,Tests,Computer Assisted Testing,Cooperation,Telecommunications,Handheld Devices,Test Content,Cloze Procedure,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction

This report offers online course designers, particularly those keen on using Moodle CMSs, a means of diversifying accessibility to their educational materials via multiple modes of delivery that do not require the creation of numerous files and formats for just one activity. The author has made contributions to the development of an open source module for Moodle known as QuizPort and has collaborated with the creator of QuizPort to explore methods for using the module such that content added to it can be more smoothly delivered via smart phone, tablet, or handheld game console. Key points to consider when designing online content for a variety of devices are addressed.
Design Perspectives on Technology, Language Teaching and Language Teacher Education
Author: Jalkanen, Juha
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Preservice Teacher Education,Sustainable Development,Expertise,Language Teachers,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Information Technology,Teaching Methods,Educational Change,Theory Practice Relationship,Role,Foreign Countries,Student Projects,Problem Based Learning

Despite the national strategies and major efforts to promote pedagogical use of ICTs in education, training programs for in-service teachers have often failed to develop sustainable pedagogical practice. For sustainable development, teachers need to be offered opportunities to explore the role of technology in relation to their concept of language and learning, and reforms should be designed in negotiation with teachers and students. In teacher education, aspiring teachers are being informed of the latest research results, but bringing the theory down to practice is a major task that calls for development work soundly based on research. In this paper we suggest that design-based research (DBR) may help to meet some of the challenges related to integrating technology in language teaching and language teacher education. We claim that teachers need to develop their expertise in multimodal pedagogy, not so much in the use of specific technological applications. To support our claims, we draw from a study where the pedagogical thinking of aspiring language teachers was analysed during the subject studies and new research-based pedagogical structures were developed. (Contains 1 footnote.)
Changing Teachers' Attitudes Towards ICT-Based Language Learning Tasks: The ETALAGE Comenius Project (the Portuguese Case)
Author: Lopes, Antonio
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Information Technology,Second Language Learning,Language Teachers,Second Language Instruction,Foreign Countries,Expertise,English (Second Language),Teacher Attitudes,Attitude Change,Inservice Teacher Education,Surveys,Task Analysis,Teaching Methods

Many foreign and second language teachers are reluctant about shifting from traditional language instruction to TBLT. Another challenge has been the use of ICT in the classroom, a problem addressed in previous Comenius projects. The ETALAGE project aimed to build on the achievements of such projects and to address these challenges, by collecting, re-designing, adapting and disseminating samples of good practice of ICT-based language learning tasks (A1-B2 CEF levels) in primary and secondary education. Partners produced in-service teacher training courses adjusted to local needs. Independent experts in language teaching monitored the quality of the products at a national level. This paper explains the project setup and its implementation in Portugal, describing a) the specific challenges and constraints that the local reality poses to an international project like this and; b) the perceptions of the Portuguese trainees in pre- and post-course surveys concerning the use of ICT in TBLT.
Facebook Used in a German Film Project
Author: Leier, Vera
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Films,Second Language Learning,German,Second Language Instruction,Teaching Methods,Social Networks,Competition,Audiences,Computer Mediated Communication,College Students

Looking for a way to make German language study more relevant and to step out of the conventional classroom setting, I introduced Facebook (FB) as a learning platform to my intermediate German students at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand. The students took part in a film competition. A FB group was created and the films were uploaded. The students and a selected audience commented on the individual entries. German was exclusively used as the language in the group. (Contains 2 figures.)
Identifying Identity: Using Second Life in the Teaching of Sociolinguistics for the Rasing of Gender Awareness
Author: Deutschmann, Mats
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Teaching Methods,College Students,Sociolinguistics,Cross Cultural Studies,Foreign Countries,Metalinguistics,Gender Differences,Self Concept,Computer Simulation,Intercultural Communication,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Computer Assisted Instruction

This paper presents further innovative use of virtual worlds under the pilot stages of ASSIS (A Second Step in Second Life), a project funded by Umea University. One of the aims of the project is to make use of the affordances offered by Second Life in order to raise sociolinguistic language awareness among teacher trainees and other students studying courses in sociolinguistics. Several experiments were conducted where creative use of the avatar in combination with so-called &quot;voice morphing&quot; (a tool which allows the voice of the speaker to be distorted so that a male speaker can sound more feminine and vice versa) allowed students to enter the virtual world incognito in order to &quot;experience&quot; a different linguistic identity. Activities were conducted in cross-cultural settings involving students from Sweden and Chile. The paper presents the initial stages of development of a model for how language awareness issues can be internalised through first-hand experience in virtual worlds. (Contains 3 footnotes.)
What Is the Impact of Video Conferencing on the Teaching and Learning of a Foreign Language in Primary Education?
Author: Gruson, Brigitte
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Elementary Schools,Native Speakers,Learning Strategies,Video Technology,Videoconferencing,French,Oral Language,Language Skills,Sociocultural Patterns,Games,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Language Teachers,Teacher Educators,Researchers,Cooperation,Elementary School Teachers,Intercultural Communication,English,Computer Mediated Communication,Foreign Countries,Interviews,Teacher Attitudes

Under the French national project &quot;1000 video conferencing systems for primary schools&quot;, a growing number of schools are being equipped of video conferencing systems. The assumption underlying this project is that, by putting students in a position to communicate with distant native speakers, it will enable them to improve their oral and socio-cultural skills. Indeed, by giving young learners the possibility to be in direct visual interaction with native speakers, it seems that video conferencing enhances mutual understanding and develops specific skills both on the students' and the teachers' sides. Yet trying to understand to what extent video conferencing affects teaching and learning strategies is not an easy task. This text focuses on video conferencing sessions taking place between young French and English learners as they play a well-known game &quot;Cluedo&quot;. It presents the first results of a study that relies on a collaborative project in which researchers, teacher-trainers and French and English teachers are involved.
Correcting Erroneous N+N Structures in the Productions of French Users of English
Author: Garnier, Marie
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Error Correction,Language Research,English (Second Language),French,Native Speakers,Second Language Learning,Grammar,Classification,Computational Linguistics,Computer Software,Semantics,Morphology (Languages),Form Classes (Languages)

This article presents the preliminary steps to the implementation of detection and correction strategies for the erroneous use of N+N structures in the written productions of French-speaking advanced users of English. This research is carried out as part of the grammar checking project "CorrecTools", in which errors are detected and corrected using linguistic-based NLP techniques. We use information from comprehensive and student grammars as well as the results of linguistic research in order to identify a set of constraints on the formation of N+N structures. We use these constraints to propose a classification of the N+N errors found in our corpus and design detection and correction strategies for each error type. (Contains 1 table.)
Using a Quest in a 3D Virtual Environment for Student Interaction and Vocabulary Acquisition in Foreign Language Learning
Author: Kastoudi, Denise
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Virtual Classrooms,Adult Students,Native Speakers,English (Second Language),Feedback (Response),Second Language Learning,Incidental Learning,Vocabulary Development,Second Language Instruction,Advanced Students,Qualitative Research,Video Games,Case Studies

The gaming and interactional nature of the virtual environment of Second Life offers opportunities for language learning beyond the traditional pedagogy. This study case examined the potential of 3D virtual quest games to enhance vocabulary acquisition through interaction, negotiation of meaning and noticing. Four adult students of English at advanced level and a native speaker of English formed two groups, one group of two students and one group of two students and the native speaker. The groups took part in the Pot Healer Adventure Quest in Second Life. Qualitative analysis showed that a) there was a great amount of output and meaningful interaction, as well as negotiation of meaning and negative feedback for the words tested, b) small but substantial quantities of incidental learning of vocabulary occurred, together with some small samples of incidental learning from some students, and c) noticing worked very well in the activity, due to the combination of the written chat, the virtual environment and the game itself. There is a need to promote the creation of quests that will combine the attractive elements of games with the aim of second language learning. More research is needed to see how we can have effective language learning while interacting in virtual environments. More study cases with various samples should be conducted for more conclusive evidence.
Promoting Language and Literacy Skills in Children with Down Syndrome. FPG Snapshot #60
Author: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, FPG Child Development Institute
Date: 2010-06-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Literacy,Language Skills,Language Acquisition,Speech Skills,Down Syndrome,Children,Child Language,Skill Development,Communication Skills,Intervention

Most young children begin developing language skills at a rapid pace, early in their lives. Children with Down syndrome, the most common known genetic cause of intellectual disability, typically experience delays in language development that persist as they grow older. Parents and teachers can naturally reinforce the language skills of a child with Down syndrome by always responding when the child asks for clarification. Language and literacy interventions for children with Down syndrome should target the following areas: (1) Early communication; (2) Speech skills; (3) Complex language; and (4) Literacy skills. The foundations of language and literacy skills are learned during infancy, and intervention at even very young ages will improve a child's potential for later success. The existing research emphasizes the importance of early--and continued--interventions that focus on language and literacy.
Un Nuevo Dia: As Latino Population Grows, so Must College Attainment. Lumina Foundation Focus[TM]. Spring 2011
Author: Brennan, Patricia L.
Date: 2011-05-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Hispanic American Students,College Students,First Generation College Students,Nontraditional Students,Educational Attainment,Community Colleges,Public Colleges,Student Recruitment,School Holding Power,Intercollegiate Cooperation,Scholarships,STEM Education,Summer Programs,Academic Support Services

Recently released figures from U.S. Census Bureau make one point with stunning clarity: The face of America is changing. And rapidly. Consider the numbers: The U.S. population grew by about 9 percent between 2000 and 2010, rising from 281 million to nearly 309 million. During that decade, the number of Latino residents increased by 43 percent--nearly ten times the growth rate of the nation's non-Latino population. Today, Latinos make up almost one-sixth of the U.S. population. By 2050, experts say, one in four Americans will be Latino. The current &quot;Focus&quot; takes a detailed look at this historic demographic shift and shows how it affects college-going and college success among Latino students throughout the nation.
Working Credentials: Sub-Baccalaureate Degrees, Certificates Are Paying off for Students and Employers. Lumina Foundation Focus[TM]. Fall 2012
Author: Pulley, John
Date: 2012-11-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Associate Degrees,Credentials,Education Work Relationship,Labor Force Development,Nontraditional Students,Adult Students,Dislocated Workers,First Generation College Students,Two Year College Students,College Readiness,Career Readiness,Dual Enrollment,High Schools,Community Colleges,Vocational Education

When one hears the word &quot;college&quot;, the first image one might have is of ivy-covered buildings on a tree-lined campus. The thing is, this image is largely inaccurate, and everyday it becomes further removed from reality. It belies the fact that less than 20 percent of today's college freshmen fit the traditional profile--that is, young people who graduate from high school and enroll immediately as full-time students at four-year residential institutions. It ignores millions of community college students, the ever-growing populations of adult students, displaced workers and part-time students. It overlooks the massive growth of online programs and institutions. Finally, this nostalgic image of &quot;college&quot; makes no room for anything less than a four-year degree. That omission is a critical shortcoming. This issue of &quot;Lumina Foundation Focus&quot; makes those facts come alive--through the stories of several real people in a particular place: Dayton, Ohio.
Parents' Decisions to Screen Their Newborn for Fragile X Syndrome. FPG Snapshot #63
Author: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, FPG Child Development Institute
Date: 2011-08-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Screening Tests,Genetic Disorders,Mental Retardation,Parents,Disabilities,Hospitals,Disadvantaged,Decision Making,Individual Characteristics

State newborn screening (NBS) programs have expanded in recent years, and more tests may be added in the future. The expansion of neonatal screening raises ethical, legal, and social questions. The questions surrounding NBS for fragile X syndrome (FXS) typify these concerns. FXS is an X-linked genetic condition that is the most common inherited cause of intellectual disability. Recognizing that there has been little empirical investigation focused on the risks and benefits of expanded NBS, FPG researchers in collaboration with RTI International conducted a pilot study at the University of North Carolina Hospitals, which serve a socioeconomically and ethnically diverse patient population. Using a newly available and cost-effective screening test, the study offered voluntary NBS for both the fragile X full mutation and premutation. The study then examined parental consent rates, characteristics of parents who consented or declined, and parents' reasons for their decisions.
Rejecting the "At-Risk" Stereotype: Project U-STARS-PLUS Helps Kids "At-Potential." FPG Snapshot #61
Author: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, FPG Child Development Institute
Date: 2010-07-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Educational Environment,Stereotypes,Neighborhoods,Elementary School Teachers,At Risk Students,Disadvantaged Youth,Social Justice,Elementary School Students,Emotional Development,Cognitive Development,Observation,Educational Opportunities,Hands on Science,Inquiry,Problem Solving,Thinking Skills,Academic Persistence,Parent Participation,Family Involvement,Change Strategies,Achievement Gap

Every day, schools and communities across the U.S. identify millions of young children as "at risk"--especially those with a minority background, who live in poor neighborhoods or are learning English as a second language. FPG's Project U-STARS-PLUS (Using Science, Talents, and Abilities to Recognize Students-Promoting Learning for Under-Represented Students) has turned the "at-risk" stereotype on its head. Rather than assuming children are at-risk, U-STARS-PLUS assumes "at-potential." Project U-STARS-PLUS works with school districts to support elementary teachers in the early recognition and nurturing of outstanding potential in children. The philosophy of U-STARS-PLUS is to recognize children's strengths by: (1) providing an environment that nurtures students intellectually and emotionally; and (2) observing students systematically. The project is characterized by five components: (1) High-end challenging learning opportunities; (2) Systematic observation of students to identify potential to inform instruction; (3) Hands-on, inquiry-based science lessons that focus on exploration, problem solving, higher-level thinking, creativity, and persistence and that can be meaningfully integrated across the curriculum; (4) Parent and family engagement in school and academic areas of interest; and (5) Systemic change through capacity building.