ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
KungFu Writing, a New Cloud-Based Feedback Tool
Author: Rybicki, Jan-Mikael
Date: 2012-08-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Computer Software,Feedback (Response),Writing Instruction,Second Language Learning,Writing Assignments,Second Language Instruction,Grammar,Teaching Methods,Revision (Written Composition),Computer Mediated Communication,Computer Assisted Instruction,Blended Learning,Foreign Countries,Undergraduate Students,College Faculty,Secondary School Students,Secondary School Teachers

As a part of language learning at schools and universities, students write a variety of texts, such as essays, short compositions and reports, which are then read by teachers who typically comment on the content and grammar of these texts to help the students improve their skills as writers. Although teachers can simply use pen and paper, or a text processor, to provide written feedback, the traditional annotation methods do not usually allow easy and systematic re-use of self-explanatory comments for helping the students to revise their writing. For these reasons, we have developed a new online-based commenting/annotation tool, KungFu Writing, which was designed for giving more elaborate feedback on written assignments. As the system is accessible online through a web browser, the tool also allows new opportunities for teachers to collaborate in teaching writing skills at all levels of education. This paper describes the main features and typical uses of this new feedback tool. [For the complete volume, see ED574893.]
Collaborative Strategic Reading on Multi-Touch and Multi-User Digital Tabletop Displays
Author: Maslamani, Jaber Ali
Date: 2012-08-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Reading Strategies,Cooperative Learning,Electronic Learning,Reading Comprehension,Second Language Instruction,English (Second Language),Computer Assisted Instruction,Blended Learning,Computer Oriented Programs,Reading Tests,Scores,Mixed Methods Research,Cloze Procedure,Recall (Psychology),Computer Software,Foreign Students,English Language Learners,Foreign Countries

This paper is part of a work-in-progress that reports on the design, development, and evaluation of a Digital Collaborative Strategic Reading (DCSR) application with regard to its effectiveness in improving English as a second language (ESL) reading comprehension. The DCSR application allows users to read collaboratively on multitouch and multi-user digital tabletop displays that support both face-to-face and computerbased interaction. The application is designed to provide systematic instruction on tabletop computers using four main comprehension strategies that form the Collaborative Strategic Reading (CSR) instructional approach. The paper addresses one main research question: &quot;How does the use of the tabletop-based reading application (DCSR) affect learners' reading processes and outcomes?&quot;, and the following sub-questions: (1) What is the impact of the tabletop-based reading system on learners' reading scores with regard to the reading assessments? (2) How do learners collaboratively construct meaning on the tabletop? To answer these research questions, the subjects used the DCSR application on tabletop computers in groups of four, once a week for 5 weeks. Data were collected and analysed using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Each reading session was preceded by a cloze test and followed by two types of assessment: a written recall test and a cloze test; both tests were designed to reflect the students' comprehension of the reading passages. The paper will report on the design of the software and the administration of the study, but will focus on the analysis of the data from the different sources, and present insights into the nature of collaborative reading using the DCSR application on a tabletop computer. [For the complete volume, see ED574893.]
The Effectiveness of Computer-Mediated Communication on SLA: A Meta-Analysis and Research Synthesis
Author: Lin, Huifen
Date: 2012-08-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Meta Analysis,Computer Mediated Communication,Effect Size,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Outcomes of Education,Educational Research,Coding,Language Skills,Teaching Methods,Comparative Analysis,Interpersonal Communication

Over the past two decades, a large body of research has been conducted on the effectiveness of computer-mediated communication (CMC) employed as either standalone or instructional tools in SLA classrooms. Findings from this large body of work, however, are not conclusive, making it important to identify factors that would inform its successful implementations. This meta-analysis of empirical studies was conducted to examine the effects of CMC on language learning outcomes by calculating Cohen's d effect sizes (Cohen, 1988) for each study on different learning outcomes. Altogether 56 primary studies were retrieved as eligible studies between 2000-2011, including 27 journal articles, 12 dissertations, 12 theses and 5 conference papers. Each study went through a two-level coding, the first level being study-feature coding and the second level effect-size coding. Twelve substantive and methodological features were coded for each study in the first level, 6 of which were identified as potential moderator variables that would affect the effectiveness of CMC differently. Tentative findings of this meta-analysis include: (a) there was a small to medium effect for CMC compared to face-to-face communication, (b) the effect of CMC was not equal for all language skills, and (c) small group sizes produced the largest effect compared to no grouping at all or groups with more than 3 students. [For the complete volume, see ED574893.]
Get Networked and Spy Your Languages
Author: Rico, Mercedes
Date: 2012-08-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Young Adults,Language Acquisition,Second Language Programs,Second Language Learning,Cooperative Learning,International Educational Exchange,Interaction,Course Descriptions,Computer Mediated Communication,Technology Uses in Education,Social Networks,Social Media,College Second Language Programs,Foreign Countries

Our proposal describes ISPY, a multilateral European K2 language project based on the development of an Online Networking Platform for Language Learning (http://www.ispy-project.com/). Supported by the Lifelong Learning European Programme, the platform aims to help young adults across Europe, secondary and vocational school programs, learn a new language and gain insights into the cultural knowledge implicit to those languages. Conducted by the University of Wolverhampton in collaboration with five other countries in Europe (Spain, Poland, Netherlands, Germany and Romania), the project will promote interaction between learners from different countries who will partly work together to learn a new language via a set of spy missions promoting problem-solving challenges, deductive tasks and collaboration through extension activities in the Moodle platform. The ISPY platform can be used to support face to face in class teaching or outside instruction to enhance language acquisition. It is designed in short scenes in flash movies and comprises a set of ten espionage missions. Available in each of the target languages, all of these multimedia pills consist of a range of activities including photo stories, video presentations, Webquests, quizzes, listening and extended tasks that call for collaboration through a moderated forum. Each country will also have the option to add extra activities in a Moodle application created purposely for the project, additional tasks which, in essence, are new spy missions for those who have already been awarded as &quot;Qualified&quot; spies. [For the complete volume, see ED574893.]
How Learners Use Automated Computer-Based Feedback to Produce Revised Drafts of Essays
Author: Laing, Jonny
Date: 2012-08-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Computer Mediated Communication,Feedback (Response),Automation,Writing Evaluation,Revision (Written Composition),Essays,Writing Strategies,Foreign Countries,College Students,Second Language Learning,English for Academic Purposes

Our previous results suggest that the use of &quot;Criterion&quot;, an automatic writing evaluation (AWE) system, is particularly successful in encouraging learners to produce amended drafts of their essays, and that those amended drafts generally represent an improvement on the original submission. Our analysis of the submitted essays and the feedback provided on the first drafts suggests, however, that the students use a variety of quite different strategies when using the automated computer-based feedback to produce amended drafts. These include simply accepting a suggested correction, interpreting a feedback comment to modify the text, and avoidance strategies such as leaving out text that was highlighted as incorrect or problematic. Our data suggest that the strategies the students use are at least partly influenced by the confidence they have in the feedback, and therefore in the system itself, but may also be influenced by their interpretation of how marks are awarded by the system. This presentation will discuss the findings of an in depth analysis of the changes made in second drafts submitted to the system, linking the changes to the automatic feedback provided on the first draft, and exploring the reasons for the changes made by the students. We will suggest ways in which teachers can explore the utility of various strategies with their learners. [For the complete volume, see ED574893.]
Online Scientific Language Teaching and Web 2.0
Author: Sisti, Flora
Date: 2012-08-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Online Courses,Teaching Methods,Web 2.0 Technologies,Scientific Literacy,Computer Science Education,English for Science and Technology,Undergraduate Students,College Second Language Programs,Distance Education,Course Organization,Curriculum Implementation,Foreign Countries

This presentation examines the application of Web 2.0 to an online scientific language course. The online Computer Science English Course (CSEC), funded by a national PRIN project and targeted to students enrolled in the undergraduate course in Applied Computer Science (ACS) at the University of Urbino-Italy, aims to promote the acquisition of applied computer science micro-language. The CSEC aspired to a CEFR B1/B1+ level of competency in reading, writing, grammar and vocabulary skills. The innovative element was its foundation on a blog, posted regularly by a senior bilingual student attending the university ACS course while in the US for an internship. Tested during the experimental phase of the project (2007-08), the course has been recently augmented in order to develop the oral skills which were not sufficiently practised and to create more personal teacher-student and peer relationships. Web 2.0 tools have been used to enhance learners' English professional oral language skills in an engaging learning environment. The decision to implement Web 2.0 was also influenced by the targeted students' interests in information and communication technology (ICT). Student motivation therefore played an important role in the design and implementation of the new activities aimed to encourage an autonomous active learning of the foreign language (FL). The implemented version of the course will be offered to the first year students of the 2012/13 academic year enrolled in the distance-learning degree programme in ACS. New interaction modes will be fostered to cater for collaborative learning and knowledge building by means of web 2.0 social spaces (Bates, 2011) and through constant tandem learning organized with other ACS English speaking students. [For the complete volume, see ED574893.]
Building Corpus-Informed Word Lists for L2 Vocabulary Learning in Nine Languages
Author: Charalabopoulou, Frieda
Date: 2012-08-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Second Language Learning,Vocabulary Development,Second Language Instruction,Teaching Methods,Computational Linguistics,Word Lists,Computer Assisted Instruction,Intentional Learning,Incidental Learning,Program Descriptions,Semitic Languages,English (Second Language),Greek,Italian,Norwegian,Polish,Russian,Swedish,Chinese,Language Proficiency,Bilingualism,Databases,Foreign Countries

Lexical competence constitutes a crucial aspect in L2 learning, since building a rich repository of words is considered indispensable for successful communication. CALL practitioners have experimented with various kinds of computer-mediated glosses to facilitate L2 vocabulary building in the context of incidental vocabulary learning. Intentional learning, on the other hand, is generally underestimated, since it is considered out of fashion and not in line with the communicative L2 learning paradigm. Yet, work is still being done in this area and a substantial body of research indicates that the usefulness of incidental vocabulary learning does not exclude the use of dedicated vocabulary study and that by using aids explicitly geared to building vocabularies (such as word lists and word cards), L2 learners exhibit good retention rates and faster learning gains. Intentional vocabulary study should, therefore, have its place in the instructional and learning context. Regardless of the approach, incidental or intentional, the crucial question with respect to vocabulary teaching/learning remains: which and how many words should we teach/learn at different language levels? An attempt to answer the above question was made within the framework of the EU-funded project titled &quot;KELLY&quot; (Keywords for Language Learning for Young and Adults Alike) presented here. The project aimed at building corpus-informed vocabulary lists for L2 learners ranging from A1 to C2 levels for nine languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, Greek, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Russian and Swedish. [For the complete volume, see ED574893.]
Scoring Rubrics and Google Scripts: A Means to Smoothly Provide Language Learners with Fast Corrective Feedback and Grades
Author: Thouësny, Sylvie
Date: 2012-08-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Scoring Rubrics,Feedback (Response),Error Correction,Grading,French,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Writing Assignments,College Second Language Programs,Courseware,Web Based Instruction,Teaching Methods

Language teachers, as one might expect, are often confronted with the task of assessing and grading students' assignments, which should ideally be addressed with respect to not only reliability and validity, but also functionality. Based on Knoch's (2011) taxonomy features with regards to design and development of writing assessments, an analytic approach was devised to assign scores to a certain amount of independent aspects of language learners' performance through the means of specific rubrics. The rubrics, elaborated with the graders and students in mind, describe the rating of the various tasks intermediate learners of French had to undertake. Following a brief description of one assignment, this short paper highlights the significance of following the scoring grids to maintain a relatively constant grading style across students and teachers alike. Additionally, it illustrates how Google documents and forms, used in conjunction with simple and undemanding scripts, assisted in the process of correcting and providing students with timely feedback. [For the complete volume, see ED574893.]
A Facebook Project for Japanese University Students: Does It Really Enhance Student Interaction, Learner Autonomy, and English Abilities?
Author: Hamada, Mayumi
Date: 2012-08-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Social Media,College Freshmen,Computer Assisted Instruction,Second Language Learning,English (Second Language),Language Skills,Skill Development,Personal Autonomy,Independent Study,Writing Assignments,Student Attitudes,Computer Mediated Communication,Student Surveys,Friendship

Facebook is the most popular social network service (SNS) in the world and a great platform for a link to the world. It can also be used effectively for language learning in EFL environments. However, that is not the case in Japan. The number of Facebook users accounts for less than 6% of the population. This is partly because the most popular SNS in Japan is MIXI, which is available only in the Japanese language. This study examined the potential of Facebook for Japanese university students to develop their English skills as well as student interaction and learner autonomy. It describes how to introduce and integrate Facebook into a freshmen English course in a Japanese university. The survey conducted at the beginning of the semester revealed that only 15% of the students had a Facebook account. In order to habituate the students to using Facebook and improve their English skills, a writing task on Facebook was assigned every week. The results of the project, based on the feedback from the students and two surveys conducted at the beginning and the end of the semester, will be presented. I will also discuss how Facebook can facilitate not only the language learning of students, but also the interaction between the students, and access to the outer world. [For the complete volume, see ED574893.]
Improving the English Proficiency of Native Japanese via Digital Storytelling, Blogs, and E-Mobile Technologies
Author: Obari, Hiroyuki
Date: 2012-08-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Undergraduate Students,Private Colleges,Second Language Learning,English (Second Language),Language Proficiency,Computer Mediated Communication,Story Telling,Electronic Journals,Student Journals,Handheld Devices,Blended Learning,Learning Activities,Instructional Effectiveness,Communication Skills,Language Tests,Computer Assisted Testing,Pretests Posttests,Scores,Outcomes of Education,Listening Skills,Questionnaires,Student Satisfaction,Student Motivation,Electronic Learning

This paper reports on the use of digital storytelling and blog activities to make CALL classes more dynamic and personalized for both instructors and learners alike. An empirical research study was carried out to determine if a blended-learning environment incorporating m-learning could help improve the English listening, presentation, and blogging skills of native Japanese undergraduate students at a private university in Tokyo, Japan. The blended-learning activities included three components: &quot;iUniv&quot; lectures, digital storytelling, and student blog activities. The goal of the study was to examine the effectiveness of the blended learning activities in improving the English language proficiency of native Japanese students, including their presentation skills through the use of blogs and PowerPoint. An assessment of pre-training and posttraining computerized assessment system for English communication (CASEC) scores revealed that the students had adequately comprehended the iUniv lecture contents and their overall listening skills improved. A questionnaire administered to students after their exposure to the activities indicated they were satisfied with and motivated by their exposure to the blended learning environment incorporating m-learning. [For the complete volume, see ED574893.]
A Plurisemiotic Study of Multimodal Interactive Teaching through Videoconferencing
Author: Codreanu, Tatiana
Date: 2012-08-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Foreign Countries,College Students,Second Language Learning,French,Semiotics,Multimedia Instruction,Computer Mediated Communication,Tutors,Online Courses,Learning Modalities,Discourse Analysis,Teacher Behavior,Nonverbal Communication,Affordances,Teacher Competencies,Teaching Methods,Qualitative Research

The aim of the study is to describe and analyze webcam pedagogical communication between a French Foreign Language tutor and two students during seven online classes. It tries to answer the following question: how does the tutor in a multimodal learning environment change her semio-discursive behavior from the first to the last session? We analyze the tutor's discourse and gestures and the tools that support her communication. Our hypothesis is that the tutor should improve her semio-discursive competencies intuitively, taking into account her interlocutors and the affordance of different interaction tools. We will emphasize the pedagogical, socio-affective and multimodal competencies of the tutor. [For the complete volume, see ED574893.]
Developing an Open-Source Web-Based Exercise Generator for Swedish
Author: Volodina, Elena
Date: 2012-08-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Swedish,Open Source Technology,Web Based Instruction,Learning Activities,Computer Assisted Instruction,Natural Language Processing,Programming,Computer System Design,Courseware

This paper reports on the ongoing international project &quot;System architecture for ICALL&quot; and the progress made by the Swedish partner. The Swedish team is developing a web-based exercise generator reusing available annotated corpora and lexical resources. Apart from the technical issues like implementation of the user interface and the underlying processing machinery, a number of interesting pedagogical questions need to be solved, e.g., adapting learner-oriented exercises to proficiency levels; selecting authentic examples of an appropriate difficulty level; automatically ranking corpus examples by their quality; providing feedback to the learner; and selecting vocabulary for training domain-specific, academic or general-purpose vocabulary. In this paper we describe what has been done so far, mention the exercise types that can be generated at the moment as well as describe the tasks left for the future. [For the complete volume, see ED574893.]
Blogs: Learning through Using and Reusing Authentic Materials
Author: Coppens, Julian
Date: 2012-08-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Electronic Journals,Web Sites,Shared Resources and Services,Instructional Materials,Reading Materials,Second Language Learning,English (Second Language),Web 2.0 Technologies,Reliability,Information Dissemination

Language learning and acquisition requires exposure to a language whether in a formal or informal learning environment as well as opportunities to produce the target language in a meaningful context. Therefore, it is unsurprising that the development of tools and web-based applications that allow written, audio, visual, and audio-visual material to be produced and shared--Web 2.0--have been embraced by language teachers and learners. Authentic materials, those derived from the culture of the target language rather than specially produced for language learners, can not only be easily adapted to language learning using these new tools, they are potentially more relevant to learners because they increase opportunities for the creation of meaningful contexts for language learning. The objective of this paper is to assess the authenticity of English language learning materials shared by bloggers on blogs aimed specifically at English language learners or teachers. To reach this objective, the blog ranking site Technorati was used to select the most popular blogs for English language learners and teachers and each blog was analysed according to the authenticity of the cultural material used for language learning. The analysis reveals that more than 80% of the material posted on English as a foreign or second language (EFL/ESL) blogs is authentic material reused for language learning. The results show Web 2.0 technologies to be conducive towards providing contemporary authentic material for language learning--the technology itself encourages the use of authentic materials. [For the complete volume, see ED574893.]