ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Gap Analysis: An Innovative Look at Gateway Courses and Student Retention
Author: Bloemer, William
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Courses,Success,Academic Persistence,School Holding Power,Educational Practices,Educational Strategies,Dropout Prevention,Dropout Rate,Withdrawal (Education),Undergraduate Students,Student Records,Predictive Validity,Predictor Variables,Prediction,Performance Factors,Regression (Statistics)

In this paper we argue that simply identifying gateway courses in which a large number of students fail or withdraw and focusing attention on them may not always be the best use of limited resources. No matter what we do, there will always be courses with high D/F/W rates simply because of the nature of their content and the preparation of the students who must take them. However, some gateway courses defy expectations and produce fewer DFWs than might be expected while others produce more. Moreover, the timing of course taking can make a difference between success or failure for particular types of students, and failing or withdrawing from a course does not always lead to stopping out. In this paper we use examples from our work with the analyses of student records to show how one can use student type and point in their academic life to predict success in particular gateway courses. Relating predictions to observed DFW rates can highlight courses exceeding expectations and those which fall below them, and support a more nuanced understanding of where attention is needed. Further, we look at whether or not actionable information can be found by looking at whether the general connection between DFW's and attrition holds up for different groups of students in specific courses.
Using Facebook to Improve L2 German Students&apos; Socio-Pragmatic Skills
Author: Harting, Axel
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: German,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Social Media,Social Networks,Pragmatics,Foreign Countries,Blended Learning,Speech Acts,Teaching Methods,Computer Mediated Communication,Accuracy,Qualitative Research,Statistical Analysis,Student Attitudes,Student Surveys,Computer Assisted Instruction,College Students

This study explores ways of using Facebook as a tool to improve the pragmatic competence of students of German as a foreign language in Japan. Nine students of a textbook-based German class (CFER level A2) voluntarily participated in this blended learning approach, in which they were assigned weekly online tasks aimed at eliciting speech acts commonly used in online interaction. The tasks required the students write posts concerning their daily routines onto the timeline of a dedicated Facebook Group page and to comment on each other's posts. In order to find out what difficulties learners face when producing certain speech acts, the students' posts and comments were analysed qualitatively and quantitatively by determining the frequency, accuracy, and appropriateness of speech acts performed per task. The results suggest that the tasks developed seemed to be appropriate for eliciting a large number of speech acts, while types, frequency, and appropriateness of the speech acts produced varied significantly. As was revealed, difficulties in task performance did not only stem from a lack of L2 (socio-pragmatic) knowledge, but also from inexperience in the use of the network itself. For task performance, students strongly relied on the expressions provided in pre-task activities. As the results of a post-course students' survey indicate, most students agreed that using Social Networking Sites (SNS) is an appropriate tool for language learning, and that they were able to increase their knowledge and use of German speech acts significantly during this course. However, only those students who frequently used SNS in their everyday lives seemed to be able to reap the full benefits of the project.
A Freely-Available Authoring System for Browser-Based CALL with Speech Recognition
Author: O'Brien, Myles
Date: 2017-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Computer Assisted Instruction,Educational Technology,Second Language Instruction,Computational Linguistics,Interactive Video,Teaching Methods,Feedback (Response),Programming

A system for authoring browser-based CALL material incorporating Google speech recognition has been developed and made freely available for download. The system provides a teacher with a simple way to set up CALL material, including an optional image, sound or video, which will elicit spoken (and/or typed) answers from the user and check them against a list of specified permitted answers, giving feedback with hints when necessary. The teacher needs no HTML or Javascript expertise, just the facilities and ability to edit text files and upload to the internet. The structure and functioning of the system are explained in detail, and some suggestions are given for practical use. Finally, some of its limitations are described.
Profiling Language Learners in Hybrid Learning Contexts: Learners&apos; Perceptions
Author: Lintunen, Pekka
Date: 2017-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Profiles,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Foreign Countries,Undergraduate Students,Student Attitudes,Majors (Students),Technological Literacy,Informal Education,Telecommunications,Handheld Devices,Learning Experience,Student Surveys,Online Surveys,Task Analysis,Age Differences,Technology Uses in Education,Independent Study,Social Media,Computer Assisted Instruction,Elementary Secondary Education

This article discusses formal and informal foreign language learning before university level. The focus is on beginning university students' perceptions of their earlier learning experiences, especially in digital contexts. Language learners' digital competence is a part of their everyday lives, but its relationship to learning in and outside educational settings is still relatively seldom studied. The article discusses learning in formal and informal (i.e., hybrid) contexts and digital learning profiles--that is, a learner's own personalized style in acquiring language competence by creating affordances in personalized digital or mobile learning environments--in primary and secondary education identified in a language learning survey. The results are based on an online survey sent to all beginning university students majoring in languages at a Finnish university (N = 87/192), which was complemented by a short narrative task (N = 47) a few months later focusing on earlier education and the use of language learning technologies. The results suggest that the use of technologies seems to differ between extramural and in-school language learning. The learners were well aware of various possibilities to create affordances for learning, and their own involvement increased with age. Most participants had positive attitudes towards the use of technologies to enhance language learning, but critical views emphasized the importance of inspiring contact teaching. Three different digital learning profiles were identified: a digiage learner, a hybrid learner, and an in-school learner. These can be useful when planning differentiated foreign language instruction.
Comparing the Efficacy of Digital Flashcards versus Paper Flashcards to Improve Receptive and Productive L2 Vocabulary
Author: Dizon, Gilbert
Date: 2017-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teaching Methods,Vocabulary Development,Second Language Instruction,Visual Aids,Receptive Language,Expressive Language,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,English (Second Language),College Students,Pretests Posttests,Likert Scales,Student Surveys,Student Attitudes,Experimental Groups,Control Groups,Foreign Countries

Several researchers have compared the efficacy of digital flashcards (DFs) versus paper flashcards (PFs) to improve L2 vocabulary and have concluded that using DFs is more effective (Azabdaftari &amp; Mozaheb, 2012; Basoglu &amp; Akdemir, 2010; Kiliçkaya &amp; Krajka, 2010). However, these studies did not utilize vocabulary learning strategies (VLSs) as a way to support the vocabulary development of those using PFs. This is significant because DFs often offer a range of features to promote vocabulary development, whereas PFs are much more basic; thus, learners who study via paper materials are at a disadvantage compared with those who use DFs. Given the success that VLSs have had in fostering L2 vocabulary enhancement (e.g., Mizumoto &amp; Takeuchi, 2009), their incorporation could have influenced the previous studies. Therefore, one of the primary aims of this study was to find if there were significant differences in receptive and productive L2 vocabulary improvements between students who used PFs in conjunction with 3 VLSs -- dropping, association, and oral rehearsal -- and those who used the DF tools Quizlet and Cram. Additionally, the researchers examined the learners' opinions to see if there was a preference for either study method. A total of 52 EFL students at two Japanese universities participated in the 12-week study. Pre- and post-tests were administered to measure the vocabulary gains in the PF group (n = 26) and the DF group (n = 26). Results from a paired t-test revealed that both groups made significant improvements in receptive and productive vocabulary. However, the difference between the gains was not significant, which contrasts with past comparison studies of DFs and PFs and highlights the importance of VLSs. A 10-item survey with closed and Likert-scale questions was also administered to determine the participants' opinions towards the study methods. Higher levels of agreement were found in the experimental group, indicating that the students viewed DFs more favorably than PFs.
The Perceptions of a Situated Learning Experience Mediated by Novice Teachers&apos; Autonomy
Author: Booth, Paul
Date: 2017-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Beginning Teachers,Professional Autonomy,Teaching Skills,Language Teachers,Online Courses,Technological Literacy,Educational Technology,Material Development,Technology Integration,Teaching Methods,Semi Structured Interviews,Teacher Attitudes,Teacher Education Programs,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Masters Programs,International Cooperation,Foreign Countries,Graduate Students,French,English (Second Language),Workshops,Creativity,Computer Assisted Instruction,Computer Simulation

With the development of online language learning comes a growing need for courses in language teaching to incorporate educational technologies into course content. The challenge this development poses is how to incorporate educational technologies in teacher education programmes to prepare teachers for online language teaching. This study explores the way in which an authentic environment of English online and at a distance is facilitated by novice teachers and how their perceptions of the experience influence their own autonomy. The article presents how novice teachers cope with the complexity of the design of online materials, their pedagogy and their expectations. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews and novice teachers' own evaluations of the course. The study found the opportunities and challenges for novice teachers in materials design, more complex roles and course expectations as they self-direct themselves in terms of both their learning and pedagogical skills. These findings suggest that teachers' perceptions of situated learning can be shaped by their own teacher autonomy.
Testing Audiovisual Comprehension Tasks with Questions Embedded in Videos as Subtitles: A Pilot Multimethod Study
Author: Núñez, Juan Carlos Casañ
Date: 2017-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teaching Methods,Audiovisual Instruction,Comprehension,Second Language Instruction,Video Technology,Questioning Techniques,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Language Proficiency,Mixed Methods Research,Spanish,Control Groups,Experimental Groups,Program Effectiveness,Language Tests,Student Attitudes,Student Surveys,Foreign Countries,College Students,Questionnaires

Listening, watching, reading and writing simultaneously in a foreign language is very complex. This paper is part of wider research which explores the use of audiovisual comprehension questions imprinted in the video image in the form of subtitles and synchronized with the relevant fragments for the purpose of language learning and testing. Compared to viewings where the comprehension activity is available only on paper, this innovative methodology may provide some benefits. Among them, it could reduce the conflict in visual attention between watching the video and completing the task, by spatially and temporally approximating the questions and the relevant fragments. The technique is seen as especially beneficial for students with a low proficiency language level. The main objectives of this study were to investigate if embedded questions had an impact on SFL students' audiovisual comprehension test performance and to find out what examinees thought about them. A multimethod design (Morse, 2003) involving the sequential collection of three quantitative datasets was employed. A total of 41 learners of Spanish as a foreign language (SFL) participated in the study (22 in the control group and 19 in the experimental one). Informants were selected by non-probabilistic sampling. The results showed that imprinted questions did not have any effect on test performance. Test-takers' attitudes towards this methodology were positive. Globally, students in the experimental group agreed that the embedded questions helped them to complete the tasks. Furthermore, most of them were in favour of having the questions imprinted in the video in the audiovisual comprehension test of the final exam. These opinions are in line with those obtained in previous studies that looked into experts', SFL students' and SFL teachers' views about this methodology (Casañ Núñez, 2015a, 2016a, in press-b). On the whole, these studies suggest that this technique has potential benefits for FL learning and testing. Finally, the limitations of the study are discussed and some directions for future research are proposed.
A Note on Using Eigenvalues in Dimensionality Assessment
Author: Zopluoglu, Cengiz
Date: 2017-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Correlation,Item Response Theory,Multidimensional Scaling,Factor Analysis,Factor Structure,Simulation

The dimensionality of a set of items is important for scale development. In practice, tools that make use of eigenvalues are often used to assess dimensionality. Parallel analysis is featured here as it is becoming an increasingly popular method for assessing the number of dimensions, and computational tools have recently been made available which will likely increase its use by practitioners. The current paper argues that methods that use eigenvalues to ascertain the number of factors may perform poorly under certain conditions, particularly for increasing levels of variable complexity and/or inter-factor correlations in the latent structure. A simulation study and an example are offered to substantiate this assertion.
Writer L1/L2 Status and Asynchronous Online Writing Center Feedback: Consultant Response Patterns
Author: Weirick, Joshua
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Writing (Composition),Laboratories,Computer Mediated Communication,Asynchronous Communication,Writing Evaluation,Feedback (Response),Writing Teachers,Consultants,Second Language Instruction,Case Studies,Interviews,Tutoring,Online Courses,College Students,Coding,Statistical Significance,Comparative Analysis

This case study examines the differences in comments offered by asynchronous online writing center consultants to L1 and L2 speakers and examines the potential disconnects in consultant perceptions of their practice. The researchers collected and coded sample papers and interviewed participants to contextualize data from the quantitative portion of the study. The researchers found that in addition to differences between comments to L1 and L2 writers in each category of comment, there was a significant difference in the number of comments offered. Participants accounted for some--but not all--of these differences, indicating some implications for training and assessment.
Perception of Workload and Its Relation to Perceived Teaching and Learning Environments among Finnish and Chinese University Students
Author: Hernesniemi, Elina
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Well Being,Foreign Countries,Student Attitudes,Cross Cultural Studies,Academic Achievement,Statistical Analysis,Factor Analysis,Learning Processes,Educational Experience,Student Characteristics,Graduate Students,Undergraduate Students,Assignments,Multiple Regression Analysis

Earlier research has shown that an excessive workload has a substantial negative effect on students' well being. The present study examines how Finnish and Chinese university students' perceptions of workload are related to their perceptions of the teaching and learning environments (TLE). This is done in order to determine whether the perceived workload of students could be reduced by improving the quality of their TLE. Also the levels of experienced workload of Finnish and Chinese students are compared in this study. The group of participants consisted of 3035 Finnish students and 2309 Chinese students. Since this work is cross-cultural in nature, the adequacy of the level of structural equivalence of the research instrument was confirmed, and, when appropriate, the effect of different response styles on the results was taken into account. Both standard and robust statistical methods were used for the analyses. The results show that in both the Finnish and the Chinese groups the students' perceptions of their workload and TLE are significantly but rather weakly related. Furthermore, irrespectively of whether the response styles are accounted for or not, the results indicate that Chinese students perceive a heavier workload than do Finnish students.
The Influence of Organizational Image on Academic Success for International Students
Author: Küçüksüleymanoglu, Rüyam
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Students,Academic Achievement,Reputation,Regression (Statistics),Correlation,Student Attitudes,College Students,Universities,Grade Point Average,Foreign Countries,School Culture,Educational Quality,Physical Environment,Extracurricular Activities

Image as a concept that develops through personal, environmental, cultural, and organizational factors throughout history. Organizational image is the overall evaluation of people's views regarding an organization or system. The purpose of present study was to determine the relationship between international university students' academic achievement and perceived organizational image. As this is a descriptive research for it measures the image perceptions of the participants at a single time, quantative research methods were used. The population of the research was 2208 international students at Uludag University in Bursa. Randomly selected 1718 students (%77,8) who provided anonymous responses were the sample of the study. To examine the relation between organizational image and academic achievement, correlation analysis was used. To control the effect of the organizational image on the academic achievement regression analysis was used. Students' academic achievement was mostly affected by reputation and recognition, provided services and general view and physical infrastucture at moderate level. As the students' image perception towards the university increases, their academic success also increase. Perceived organizational image affected students' academic achievement significantly and explained 16% of the variance of academic achievement. General view &amp; physical infrastructure provided services, reputation and recognition, and extra curricular activities from the sub-dimensions of organizational image perception have a meaningful effect on the academic success of students. Key findings are discussed and recommendations offered to address issues related to organizational image.
The Examination of the Relation between Teacher Candidates&apos; Problem Solving Appraisal and Utilization of Motivated Strategies for Learning
Author: Turgut, Ozden
Date: 2017-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Preservice Teachers,Problem Solving,Motivation Techniques,Correlation,Regression (Statistics),Predictor Variables,Gender Differences,Departments,Instructional Program Divisions,Learning Strategies,Questionnaires

This study examines the relation between teacher candidates' problem solving appraisal and utilization of motivated strategies for learning. The study has been carried out with 416 teacher candidates. A correlation has been used between problem solving appraisal and utilization of motivated strategies for learning. Besides, regression analysis has been used to find out whether problem solving appraisal predicts utilization of motivated strategies for learning. In addition, it has been questioned whether various variables (gender, department, class level) and problem solving appraisal have a common effect on utilization of motivated strategies for learning. Results indicate that for both women and men, there is a significant and negative sided relationship between problem solving appraisal and utilization of motivated strategies for learning. Besides, except Elementary Science Education and Early Childhood Education departments, for all the departments, there is a significant relationship between problem solving appraisal and utilization of motivated strategies. Finally, it has been found that problem solving appraisal predicts utilization of motivated strategies significantly, but there is not a common effect of problem solving appraisal and various variables (gender, department, class level) on utilization of motivated strategies for learning.
Data-Based Program Reform: A Shift from Supplemental Instruction to Weekly Tutoring Groups
Author: Mendes, Skyler H.
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Pilot Projects,STEM Education,College Students,Teaching Methods,Comparative Analysis,Student Behavior,Attendance Patterns,Grades (Scholastic),Program Effectiveness,Tutoring,Supplementary Education,Scheduling,Academic Persistence,Student Surveys,Student Attitudes,Statistical Analysis

The aim of this analysis was to determine from a pilot project whether a new style of course-connected learning support for students in gateway STEM courses could be more successful on the University of Rhode Island's campus than the traditional Supplemental Instruction (SI) model. The new model, Weekly Tutoring Groups (WTG), addressed several of the challenges (attendance, timing, group size) students and staff reported with the SI model. In the pilot semester, 212 students enrolled in courses previously supported by SI participated in WTG. Compared to SI, the new program saw an increase in students attending regularly, a significant difference in proficient grades between participants and nonparticipants, and a significant difference in the actual grades received by the participants compared to the grades they reported they would have received without participation in the WTG program. The success of the pilot semester has led learning center staff to continue with the WTG program rather than return to SI.