ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Learning Based on the Project Entitled &quot;Design and Construction of a Wooden Bridge&quot;
Author: Barris, Cristina
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Active Learning,Student Projects,Engineering Education,Foreign Countries,Structural Elements (Construction),Design,Construction (Process),Construction Materials,Engineering,Design Requirements,College Students

This article presents the results of a case involving the application of project-based learning carried out with students in the Mechanical Engineering degree program at the University of Girona. The project, entitled &quot;Design and construction of a wooden bridge&quot;, was conducted at the Polytechnic School in the third-year Structures course. This project required students to address, consider and solve different problems related to the resistance of materials, structural calculations, material optimization and structural design. The project also included the building of the bridge based on the calculations made, thus enabling the students to verify the suitability of the theoretical calculations as compared to real results. Furthermore, a competition was held to reward those teams who obtained the best ratio between the failure load and the weight of the bridge. The main conclusion observed from the implementation of only two editions of this project is the acquisition of the different proposed competences (both specific and cross-curricular) by the students. Finally, it was interesting to note that after completing the activity, the students were observed to be more motivated by the course content.
An Investigation of the Self-Related Concepts and Foreign Language Motivation of Young Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Learners in Hungary
Author: Csizér, Kata
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Deafness,Hearing Impairments,Second Language Learning,Motivation,Individual Differences,Learning Motivation,Mixed Methods Research,Interviews,Self Concept,Language of Instruction,English (Second Language),Sign Language,Elementary School Students,Secondary School Students,Special Schools,Questionnaires,Likert Scales

In recent years increased attention has been given in applied linguistics to the learning processes of various groups of special needs (SN) students, especially to those whose achievement is impeded by dyslexia or other learning difficulties. However, students with sensory impairment, particularly those who are Deaf or severely hard of hearing (HOH), seem to have remained on the periphery of second language acquisition (SLA) research although they constitute a highly interesting group both from a linguistic as well as a cultural point of view. Since the best approach to understanding how this special minority handles foreign language learning is by first exploring their so-called individual differences, a nationwide research project was launched in Hungary to investigate students' language learning beliefs, motivation, strategy use and motivated learning behavior. As part of that project, the present paper intends to detail how self-related concepts of hearing impaired students at eight different SN schools can be described. In order to gain an in-depth understanding, a mixed-method research design was employed. First, a barrier-free instrument was used to measure learner variables among 105 14-19-year-old Deaf and HOH learners. Then 31 individual interviews were conducted with selected students using maximum variety sampling. The quantitative data indicate that Deaf and HOH (D/HH) learners lack pronounced, well-developed and detailed future ideal L2 selves and corresponding visions to guide their learning. Another important finding is the paramount importance of language learning experience for our D/HH participants. Based on the analysis of the qualitative data, we can conclude that students' language learning experiences are largely shaped by the choice of language used as the medium of education, the intensity and content of the English classes as well as how far students internalize extrinsic motives.
Second Language Learners' Reflections on the Effectiveness of Dictogloss: A Multi-Sectional, Multi-Level Analysis
Author: Gallego, Muriel
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Student Attitudes,Grammar,Teaching Methods,Feedback (Response),Language Proficiency,Student Surveys,Task Analysis,Instructional Effectiveness,Spanish,Undergraduate Students,Statistical Analysis,Likert Scales

Despite the extensive research conducted regarding Focus on Form instruction, no conclusive results have been provided concerning (a) the issue of which techniques contribute most effectively to L2 acquisition, and b) at which level of proficiency those techniques should be implemented for best results. Dictogloss, one of these techniques, has been proven to be effective (Fortune, 2005; Kowal &amp; Swain, 1994; Malmqvist, 2005; Nabei, 1996; Swain, 1998). While previous studies evaluating dictogloss explored feedback opportunities and the amount and type of language related episodes produced, fewer studies have reported on the effectiveness and its applicability according to proficiency level (Fortune, 2005; García Mayo, 2002) and none have explored learners' conceptions about the task. Therefore, this study seeks to determine which proficiency level might be most appropriate for the implementation of dictogloss and to gather learners' opinions regarding its usefulness and effectiveness. A total of 497 participants enrolled in novice-mid (N = 275) and advanced- low (N = 222) levels took part in the study. All participants engaged in two dictogloss tasks and completed a survey afterwards. Overall, results indicate that dictogloss was better received by advanced-low level students and that most students found it both useful and effective for learning.
The Development of Professional Competences Using the Interdisciplinary Project Approach with University Students
Author: González-Carrasco, Mònica
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: College Students,Interdisciplinary Approach,Foreign Countries,College Faculty,Higher Education,Active Learning,Student Projects,Competency Based Education,Teamwork,Questionnaires,Qualitative Research

This work describes an experience conducted by a group of professors from different departments at the University of Girona (Catalonia, Spain) which arose from the need for interdisciplinary work in university classrooms in order to promote competences relevant to the professional sector. As part of this experience, students from different degree programs were challenged to work collaboratively and in an interdisciplinary manner on a project related to the management of a school cafeteria designed for a real educational center. The work promoted the development of competences that are otherwise difficult to attain through activities that lack an interdisciplinary approach, which are key in today's professional world, such as multi-professional teamwork. Based on this experience, the feasibility of students from different areas of study carrying out a final degree project (FDP) that meets real, contextualized needs and requires the contribution of knowledge from different disciplines is considered.
Topic Prominence in Chinese EFL Learners' Interlanguage
Author: Li, Shaopeng
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Interlanguage,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Chinese,Transfer of Training,Native Language,Discourse Analysis,Linguistic Theory,Foreign Countries,Graduate Students,Phrase Structure,Language Proficiency,Comparative Analysis,Language Usage,Statistical Analysis

The present study aims to investigate the general characteristics of topicprominent typological interlanguage development of Chinese learners of English in terms of acquiring subject-prominent English structures from a discourse perspective. Topic structures mainly appear in Chinese discourse in the form of topic chains (Wang, 2002; 2004). The research target are the topic chain, which is the main topic-prominent structure in Chinese discourse, and zero anaphora, which is the most common topic anaphora in the topic chain. Two important findings emerged from the present study. First, the characteristics of Chinese topic chains are transferrable to the interlanguage of Chinese EFL learners, thus resulting in overgeneralization of the zero anaphora. Second, the interlanguage discourse of Chinese EFL learners reflects a change of the second language acquisition process from topic-prominence to subject-prominence, thus lending support to the discourse transfer hypothesis.
On-Line Quizzes to Evaluate Comprehension and Integration Skills
Author: Badia Valiente, José David
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Computer Assisted Testing,Comprehension,Foreign Countries,Web 2.0 Technologies,Competence,Student Participation,Higher Education,Teacher Student Relationship,College Students,College Faculty,Teaching Methods,Questionnaires,Handheld Devices,Telecommunications,Technology Uses in Education,Computer Software,Computer Oriented Programs

This work demonstrates the use of a 2.0 tool, namely, Socrative, to evaluate one of the cross-curricular competences indicated by the Universitat Politècnica de València, specifically, comprehension and integration. It has been applied to the courses in different areas: sciences, engineering and languages. As part of its implementation, activities were proposed that could be done at the beginning, during or at the end of the class to, on the one hand, help students acquire the knowledge associated with the course(s), and on the other, gather evidence that demonstrates acquisition of said competence. The results show a high level of satisfaction by the students with the use of the Socrative tool as an element to promote active participation and the acquisition of the cross-curricular competence of comprehension and integration; therefore, its extension to other courses has been suggested.
The Use of Technology in a Model of Formative Assessment
Author: García López, Alfonsa
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Models,Technology Uses in Education,Formative Evaluation,Foreign Countries,Higher Education,Mathematical Concepts,Electronic Learning,Pilot Projects,Integrated Learning Systems,Mathematics Instruction,Mathematics Curriculum,Mathematics Skills,Tests,Feedback (Response),Engineering Education,Computer Software

This work describes a formative assessment model for a Mathematical Analysis course taken by engineering students. It includes online quizzes with feedback, a portfolio with weekly assignments, exams involving the use of mathematical software and a project to be completed in small groups of two or three students. The model has been perfected since 2009, and during the 2014-15 academic year the creation of a pilot online learning community was added. Based on Google+, it has been used for a peer assessment experiment involving student projects, among other uses.
Q Methodology for Post-Social-Turn Research in SLA
Author: Irie, Kay
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Qualitative Research,Statistical Analysis,Educational Research,Research Methodology,Epistemology,Criticism,Factor Analysis,English (Second Language),Student Attitudes,Q Methodology

Q methodology, an approach to inquiry on the subjective views about a complex phenomenon/issue which has been increasingly employed in a wide range of social science fields has not yet been applied in language learning and teaching research. It is a unique approach that has characteristics of both qualitative and quantitative research methods. The purpose of the present paper is to introduce Q methodology as an alternative approach and demonstrate its potential to respond to the needs of the field that has been expanding in its epistemological diversity since the social turn (Block, 2003; Ortega, 2012). The relevance of the methodology for SLA research will be discussed with a particular focus on the parallels between the development of the methodology in the 1930s and current criticisms towards the traditional cognitive approach in SLA. Using a published study (Irie &amp; Ryan, 2014), the author explains how the focus on the holistic understanding of subjectivity is built into the procedure. Suggestions for possible areas of research and teaching in which Q methodology could be applied are discussed.
The Effectiveness of Early Foreign Language Learning in the Netherlands
Author: de Bot, Kees
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Foreign Countries,English (Second Language),Native Language,Language Skills,Language Proficiency,Program Descriptions,Syntax,Vocabulary Development,Elementary School Students,Age,Outcomes of Education

This article reports on a number of projects on early English teaching in the Netherlands. The focus of these projects has been on the impact of English on the development of the mother tongue and the development of skills in the foreign language. Overall the results show that there is no negative effect on the mother tongue and that the gains in English proficiency are substantial. Given the specific situation in the Netherlands where English is very present, in particular in the media, a real comparison of the findings with those from other countries is problematic.
CLIL and Non-CLIL Students' Beliefs about Language
Author: Sylvén, Liss Kerstin
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,High School Students,Second Language Learning,English (Second Language),Student Attitudes,Language Attitudes,Individual Differences,Photography,Personal Narratives,Interviews,Swedish,Native Language,Course Content,Bilingual Education,Longitudinal Studies,Language Proficiency,Case Studies,Beliefs

This article presents the findings of an innovative qualitative study involving one CLIL (content and language integrated learning) student and one student in a parallel, non-CLIL strand at high school level in Sweden. The aim of the study was to investigate differences in students' beliefs about language. The success of second (L2) and foreign language (FL) learning depends to a large degree on individual differences (Dörnyei, 2005; Skehan, 1991). Differences are normally elicited through questionnaires, interviews, and/or observations. In the present study, the aim was to get direct access to the informants' own perspectives, without the content being too directed through predetermined questions. In this study, students were asked to take photos illustrating how they view (a) their L1 (Swedish), and (b) the FL/L2 English. Then the photos were thematically organized by the researcher. Subsequently, the thematic organization and the photos themselves were discussed with each of the informants during an interview. The informants were asked to elaborate on each theme and/or picture as to why and how it illustrates the respective language for them. The findings reveal substantial differences between the two informants in their views on their L1 and FL/L2, with the CLIL student highlighting communication rather than seeing the two languages as separate systems, and the non-CLIL student seeing language rather the other way around.
Proposals for Improving Assessment Systems in Higher Education: An Approach from the Model &quot;Working with People&quot;
Author: de los Ríos-Carmenado, I.
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Higher Education,Foreign Countries,Educational Innovation,Competence,Academic Achievement,College Faculty,Competency Based Education,Teaching Methods,Educational Improvement,Workshops,Grounded Theory

The European Higher Education Area (EHEA) represents a challenge to university teachers to adapt their assessment systems, directing them towards continuous assessment. The integration of competence-based learning as an educational benchmark has also led to a perspective more focused on student and with complex learning situations closer to reality. However, its assessment entails an increase in lecturers' workload and a continuous demand for students due to the diversity of assessment tests required to assess each aspect of competences. After a period in which those changes have been introduced, the Technical University of Madrid (UPM) considered to analyse the assessment systems and the ways to improve them, at both bachelor's and master's degree programmes. The methodology used is based on the model &quot;Working with People&quot;, which for the first time at the UPM, creates a participatory process with students and lecturers aimed at knowing their opinion and their feelings about the assessment process and the potential for improvement. Eight WWW-workshops were developed, with 32 students and 39 university teachers in total. The results indicate that the perception of students and lecturers regarding the assessment systems have many common points, as well as the need to undertake an improvement strategy for integrating actions from all three model dimensions, seeking a balance in joint work among lecturers, university administrators and students. This work has been performed within the framework of educational innovations cross-cutting project named &quot;Analysis of the UPM Degree Programmes Evaluation Procedures and Proposal for Improvements&quot; (EVALÚA), supported by the Educational Innovation Department.
Neurology of Foreign Language Aptitude
Author: Biedron, Adriana
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Neurology,Second Language Learning,Language Aptitude,Neurolinguistics,Individual Differences,Phonology,Lexicology,Morphology (Languages),Syntax,State of the Art Reviews

This state-of-the art paper focuses on the poorly explored issue of foreign language aptitude, attempting to present the latest developments in this field and reconceptualizations of the construct from the perspective of neuroscience. In accordance with this goal, it first discusses general directions in neurolinguistic research on foreign language aptitude, starting with the earliest attempts to define the neurological substrate for talent, sources of difficulties in the neurolinguistic research on foreign language aptitude and modern research methods. This is followed by the discussion of the research on the phonology of foreign language aptitude with emphasis on functional and structural studies as well as their consequences for the knowledge of the concept. The subsequent section presents the studies which focus on lexical and morphosyntactic aspects of foreign language aptitude. The paper ends with a discussion of the limitations of contemporary research, the future directions of such research and selected methodological issues.
Analyzing Randomized Controlled Interventions: Three Notes for Applied Linguists
Author: Vanhove, Jan
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Randomized Controlled Trials,Intervention,Applied Linguistics,Statistical Analysis,Pretests Posttests,Multivariate Analysis,Statistical Inference,Error of Measurement,Tests,Design,Correlation,Weighted Scores,Hierarchical Linear Modeling,Statistical Significance,Second Language Learning

I discuss three common practices that obfuscate or invalidate the statistical analysis of randomized controlled interventions in applied linguistics. These are (a) checking whether randomization produced groups that are balanced on a number of possibly relevant covariates, (b) using repeated measures ANOVA to analyze pretest-posttest designs, and (c) using traditional significance tests to analyze interventions in which whole groups were assigned to the conditions (cluster randomization). The first practice is labeled superfluous, and taking full advantage of important covariates regardless of balance is recommended. The second is needlessly complicated, and analysis of covariance is recommended as a more powerful alternative. The third produces dramatic inferential errors, which are largely, though not entirely, avoided when mixed-effects modeling is used. This discussion is geared towards applied linguists who need to design, analyze, or assess intervention studies or other randomized controlled trials. Statistical formalism is kept to a minimum throughout.
Teaching Technology: From Knowing to Feeling Enhancing Emotional and Content Acquisition Performance through Gardner's Multiple Intelligences Theory in Technology and Design Lessons
Author: Sanchez-Martin, Jesus
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Multiple Intelligences,Teaching Methods,Control Groups,Technology Education,Emotional Development,Experimental Groups,Cognitive Style,Intervention,Questionnaires,Student Attitudes,Course Descriptions,Units of Study,Secondary School Students,Foreign Countries,Statistical Analysis,Pretests Posttests

Gardner's Multiple Intelligences Theory (MIT) can be a cognitive and emotional improvement if is taken into account in the standard development of the Technology lessons. This work presents a preliminary evaluation of the performance enhancement in two concomitant aspects: contents acquisition and emotional yield. The study was made on up to 150 students with ages of 12-13 years old. The control group was submitted to traditional transmission-reception lessons, whereas the experimental one was submitted to novel educational techniques that included specific activities which took into account the different intelligences styles (IS) inside the classroom. The results clearly depicted that both studied variables underwent a statistical significant enhancement through the application of the MIT-based educational method.
A Teaching Proposal for the Study of Eigenvectors and Eigenvalues
Author: Meneu, María José Beltrán
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Algebra,Geometry,Mathematics Instruction,Visual Aids,Mathematical Applications,Computer Uses in Education,Computer Software,Mathematical Concepts,Mathematics Activities,College Mathematics,Architectural Education

In this work, we present a teaching proposal which emphasizes on visualization and physical applications in the study of eigenvectors and eigenvalues. These concepts are introduced using the notion of the moment of inertia of a rigid body and the GeoGebra software. The proposal was motivated after observing students' difficulties when treating eigenvectors and eigenvalues from a geometric point of view. It was designed following a particular sequence of activities with the schema: exploration, introduction of concepts, structuring of knowledge and application, and considering the three worlds of mathematical thinking provided by Tall: embodied, symbolic and formal.
Using Technology to Support Science Inquiry Learning
Author: Williams, P. John
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Science Instruction,Inquiry,Technology Uses in Education,Educational Technology,Case Studies,Teaching Methods,Observation,Interviews,Secondary School Science,Foreign Countries,Learning Activities,Science Process Skills,Science Experiments,Scientific Concepts

This paper presents a case study of a teacher's experience in implementing an inquiry approach to his teaching over a period of two years with two different classes. His focus was on using a range of information technologies to support student inquiry learning. Data was collected over the two year period by observation, interview and student work analysis. The study demonstrates the need to consider the characteristics of students when implementing an inquiry approach, and also the influence of the teachers level of understanding and related confidence in such an approach. The case also indicated that a range of information and communication technologies can be effective in supporting student inquiry learning.