ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Implementation of Online Reading Assessments to Encourage Reading Interests
Author: Rahayu, Endang Yuliani
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Reading Interests,Reading Tests,Online Courses,Program Implementation,College Students,Computer Assisted Testing,Courseware,Social Media,Mass Media Use,Reading Improvement,Reading Habits,Focus Groups,Transcripts (Written Records),Computer Software Evaluation,Questionnaires,Interviews,Electronic Learning,Foreign Countries

The current study reports a two-year research project funded by the Government of the Republic of Indonesia through a competitive research scheme. The aim is basically to respond to the fact most university students have very low interests in reading activities, such as finding out important information for their term papers as assigned by the lectures. Instead, most of the time is spent in BBM, IPhone chats and Facebooking of non-academic nature (mostly social encounters). This has triggered a team of researchers to find out ways to increase or encourage reading interests. Internet browsing was undertaken to search for possible software application systems which could be used to administer online assessments in reading class. It was Question Writer (QW3.5) selected for use in the current study. It is a paid software application system especially developed for online assessments. It can perform various types of question formats with the students' responses directly forwarded to the teacher's email, and feedbacks and scorings automatically performed by the system. In the current study, a discussion group called &quot;Reading Maniacs&quot; was created in Facebook for the students to get access to both reading materials and assessments. Questionnaire and interviews were conducted to investigate how the students got motivated in reading class and if their reading interests got increased. The findings indicate that the students were very motivated to participate in the online assessments supported by Facebook group discussion, thereby their reading interests leveled up. It was therefore recommended that online assessment of reading skills be conducted as additional activities to the well-supervised offline reading examination. Future researchers may want to administer Questionnaire to the reading teachers to get some feedbacks.
Interactional Feedback in Naturalistic Interaction between L2 English Learners
Author: Ranaweera, Mahishi
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,Second Language Learning,Feedback (Response),Classroom Communication,Interaction,Instructional Effectiveness,Small Group Instruction,Language Tests,College Students,Quasiexperimental Design,Pretests Posttests,Questionnaires,Audio Equipment

Theoretical and empirical data support that the feedback given in small group activities promote second language acquisition. There are many studies that have examined the impact of interaction on second language acquisition in controlled language situations. This study examines the small group activity &quot;conversation partner&quot; in order to find out how much feedback takes place in an out of classroom activity such as conversation partner where the language is not controlled. The conversations were recorded and examined for instances of interactional feedback. Later a tailor-made test was given to find out whether the participants remembered the language items that they received feedback on. The results show that feedback in natural speech among learners occurs relatively at a low level but the learners remember whatever language that was used in feedback instances.
A Study of Effect of Dramatic Activities on Improving English Communicative Speaking Skill of Grade 11th Students
Author: Iamsaard, Prisana
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Drama,Communicative Competence (Languages),Teaching Methods,Learning Activities,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Communication Skills,Oral Language,High School Students,Foreign Countries,Second Language Instruction,Student Attitudes,Work Environment,Lesson Plans,Language Tests,Questionnaires,Outcomes of Education,Pretests Posttests

This paper aimed to reexamine the current EFL communicative speaking skill in high school level in Thailand due to the coming of the entry to ASEAN at the end of the year 2015. Thai students need to be well prepared for workforce in the future since English is used as the working language in ASEAN. The purposes of this paper were to study the effect of dramatic activities on improving English communicative skills of grade 11th participants and to examine students' opinions towards the use of dramatic activities in their speaking class. The duration of experiment was 21 hours within 7 weeks. The research instruments were lesson plans using dramatic activities, English communicative speaking test and a questionnaire measuring students' opinions towards the teaching based on dramatic activities. The findings were that the English communicative speaking skill on grade 11th students after attending the teaching class using dramatic activities was significantly higher than before attending the teaching and the students' opinions towards dramatic activities on speaking were highly positive.
Variations of Language Learning Strategy Use among Three Colleges at a Private Four-Year Technology University in Taiwan
Author: Yeh, Huei-Chen
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Metacognition,Scores,Learning Strategies,Language Tests,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Learning Motivation,Language Proficiency,Engineering Education,Business Administration Education,Management Development,Humanities,Social Sciences,Private Colleges,Student Attitudes,Statistical Analysis,Chinese,English (Second Language)

This study aims to examine the college students in Taiwan for the attributes of how their English test scores are being affected by language learning strategy use. The university is recognized as a second-tier technology university in Taiwan, as the students are considered to have low levels of English proficiency and learning motivation. A group of 156 students from three colleges (Engineering, Business and Management, and Humanity and Social Science) participated in the study. The result found that the students from Humanity and Social Science have the highest mean scores on their English tests and the highest level language learning strategies among the three colleges at the university. Cognitive strategy is found to be the only statistically significant difference among the study students from three colleges; the other five strategies are not found to be statistically significant. Compensation strategy is found to be most frequently used by all of the students. Cognitive and metacognitive strategies are found to be the least used among the study group.
The Effects of Computer-Assisted Instruction Based on Top-Level Structure Method in English Reading and Writing Abilities of Thai EFL Students
Author: Jinajai, Nattapong
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Grade 9,Multivariate Analysis,Computer Assisted Instruction,Experimental Groups,Teaching Methods,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Reading Skills,Writing Skills,Statistical Analysis,Foreign Countries,Instructional Effectiveness,Pretests Posttests,Student Interests,Graphs

This research aims to study the development of ninth grade students' reading and writing abilities and interests in learning English taught through computer-assisted instruction (CAI) based on the top-level structure (TLS) method. An experimental group time series design was used, and the data was analyzed by multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) with repeated measures as well as basic statistical and line graphs. The results demonstrate that the experimental group attained significantly higher development in English reading and writing at the 0.001 level and registered significantly higher interests at the 0.01 level.
Effects of Dicto-Comp and Dictation on the Writing Skill of Female Adult Iranian EFL Learners
Author: Adel, Rahil
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Verbal Communication,Adult Students,Females,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Accuracy,Foreign Countries,Language Teachers,Pretests Posttests,Writing (Composition),English (Second Language),Older Adults,Language Tests,Student Placement,Statistical Analysis,Teaching Methods,Instructional Effectiveness

This study was an attempt to clarify and remind L2 learners/teachers of 2 kinds of writing: dicto-comp and dictation. We explored the effect of controlled writing on the accuracy of the writing of adult Iranian EFL learners. Prior to the study, the homogeneity of 30 adult EFL learners was checked through an OPT test. Thirty participants were assigned to 210 one-hour sessions: Group A via dicto-comp and Group B via dictation. Following this practice, the participants in both groups were asked to write texts as the posttest about similar topics to the one of the pretest. Results indicated that the participants working in the dictation wrote more accurately than those who wrote in dicto-comp format; however, but both dictation and dicto-comp had positive effects on the writing of the participants.
CAI and Its Application in Rural Junior English Class
Author: He, Xiaojun
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Computer Assisted Instruction,English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,Rural Schools,Multimedia Instruction,Middle Schools

Superiority in developing students' listening, speaking, etc. This thesis explores how to provide a better environment for English teaching in rural junior school with the aid of multimedia and find some ways to improve teaching efficiency. In recent years, using multimedia is the direction of reform and mainstream in English teaching. Compared with the traditional English teaching, multimedia-aided English teaching has its incomparable superior environment for English teaching in rural junior school with the aid of multimedia and find some ways to improve teaching efficiency. It, based on the research done at home and abroad on the application of multimedia in English teaching, and on the description of the current situation of rural English teaching in China, analyzes how to apply multimedia in rural junior English teaching, and then presents some things to bear in mind when applying multimedia in teaching.
An Empirical Study on the Projection of Specificity in the Usage of Modifiers in Chinese College EFL Writing
Author: Ningling, Wei
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Asians,Writing (Composition),Grammar,Language Usage,Form Classes (Languages),Psycholinguistics,Accuracy,College Students,Nouns,Verbs,Foreign Countries,Language Tests,Statistical Analysis

Specificity, as a dimension of cognitive construal, refers to the capacity of a speaker to describe an entity or a situation in different accuracy and details (Langacker, 2008), which is linguistically reflected in lexical and grammatical levels (Wen, 2012). Modifiers can extend a simple sentence into a long and complicated one (Weng, 2007), indicating how accurately and substantially an entity or a situation is depicted by a writer. Cognitive linguistics holds the concept that thoughts can be reflected in language (Zhang, 2007) and accordingly the choice of lexical terms and grammatical structures can project the writers' intention and preference (Wen, 2012). Given the projective significance of grammatical structures, the study on the usage of modifiers in EFL writings can demonstrate the projection of specificity and investigate the writers' cognitive activity during writing. Although numerous studies about EFL wring have been done from the perspective of cognitive linguistics in the past decades, research aiming at the cognitive process during writing has been far from satisfaction. Hence, this study will analyze the usage of modifiers and how it projects specificity in specific writing. 20 writing papers are randomly selected as samples written by the second-year college EFL Learners from Leshan Normal University, Leshan, China. Data about the usage of modifiers in each sample are collected by dividing each sentence into smaller unit of modifiers centering on nouns and verbs, ensuring the specificity of each sample to be analyzed in a quantitative level. The study concludes that the writers are inclined to apply modifiers for specificity to a certain extent but the lack of modifier diversity and the partial choice of familiar modifiers indicate monotonous descriptions and personal preference to project certain aspects of an entity or a situation.
A Metafunctional Analysis of the News &quot;ROK, DPRK Agree to Defuse Tension after Talks&quot; on China Daily
Author: Xu, Bo
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: News Reporting,Accuracy,Experiential Learning,Interpersonal Competence,Political Issues,Current Events,Metalinguistics,Interaction,Reliability,Discourse Analysis,Discourse Modes,Text Structure,Educational Practices,Foreign Countries

On the basis of the three metafunctions in Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL): experiential, interpersonal and textual, the paper makes an analysis of the current news &quot;ROK, DPRK Agree to Defuse Tension after Talks&quot; on China Daily. The paper finds out that the political news has unique features in terms of experiential, interpersonal and textual function. Objectivity and accuracy of network news is realized via transitivity systems and third person pronoun in the news.
Extracurricular Activities and Their Effect on the Student's Grade Point Average: Statistical Study
Author: Bakoban, R. A.
Date: 2015-10-23
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Extracurricular Activities,Grade Point Average,Statistical Analysis,Academic Achievement,Statistical Inference,Questionnaires,College Students,Student Surveys,Student Attitudes,Sport Psychology,Predictor Variables,Time Perspective,Participant Satisfaction,Foreign Countries,Multivariate Analysis,Likert Scales

Extracurricular activities (ECA) are part of students' everyday life; they play important roles in students' lives. Few studies have addressed the question of how student engagements to ECA affect student's grade point average (GPA). This research was conducted to know whether the students' grade point average in King Abdulaziz University, Faisaliah campus is affected by their participation in the ECA. This study also studied the students' satisfaction on ECA. The study sample includes 239 students chosen via simple random sampling method. The study used inferential statistics to analyze this study design. To achieve the purpose of this study, a questionnaire (comprising 19 questions) was designed. The results showed that participation in ECA affects the students' GPA in a positive way. The study found that those who participated in ECA have higher GPA than those who did not; the study also found that the time spent participating in ECA did not affect the time students usually spend on studying (the result showed there wasn't any relationship between them). Furthermore, the study showed that students, based on faculty, are generally satisfied with the available extracurricular activities in the campus.
Digital Literacies and Generational Micro-Cultures: Email Feedback in Lebanon
Author: De Coursey, Christina
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Technological Literacy,Feedback (Response),Foreign Countries,Electronic Mail,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Private Colleges,Grammar,Error Correction,Teacher Characteristics,Profiles,Teacher Education,Teacher Attitudes,Student Attitudes,Teacher Role,Role,Emotional Response,College Students,College Faculty,Teacher Student Relationship,Arabs,Teaching Methods,Surveys,Qualitative Research,Statistical Analysis

This study reports on the introduction of email feedback, in a private university in Lebanon with marked generational differences and a traditional instructor culture focused on grammar correction. The instructor profile showed insufficient ELT training and a disjuncture between those with low and those with long service. Instructors were trained, and an email form used during one semester. A survey elicited instructors' views. Appraisal analysis identified attitudes in personal responses written by students and instructors. Analysis of feedback quality was undertaken. Results showed students responded positively, instructors negatively to email feedback. Instructors perceived students' positive response, but reasserted traditional understandings of teacher roles, reflecting a lack of understanding of the role of emotion in acquiring form. Training in ELT and digital literacies, management oversight of accountability structures, and sufficient remuneration for part-timers' grading hours, are recommended. The study also implicates long years of service in resistance to needed change.
Investigation of Transformational and Transactional Leadership Styles of School Principals, and Evaluation of Them in Terms of Educational Administration
Author: Avci, Ahmet
Date: 2015-10-23
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Principals,Leadership Styles,Transformational Leadership,Educational Administration,Foreign Countries,Statistical Analysis,Teacher Attitudes,Elementary School Teachers,Secondary School Teachers,Teacher Surveys

The aim of this study is to investigate the transformational and transactional leadership styles of school principals, and to evaluate them in terms of educational administration. Descriptive survey model was used in the research. The data of the research were obtained from a total of 1,117 teachers working in public and private schools subjected to ministry of national education in Avcilar district of Istanbul province in 2014. In this study, data were obtained from the &quot;personal information form&quot; developed by the researcher and from the &quot;leadership styles scale&quot;. Data entry that was obtained from the respondents was made by statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) version 17.0, and research data was resolved with &quot;average&quot;, &quot;standard deviation&quot;, &quot;t-test&quot; and &quot;one-way analysis of variance&quot;. According to research result; teachers had a high level of positive opinions with regard to transformational and transactional leadership characteristics of school principals. Teachers' perceptions about transformational and transactional leadership characteristics of school principals did not vary significantly according to gender, state of education and professional seniority.
Organizational Image Perceptions of Higher Education Students
Author: Küçüksüleymanoglu, Rüyam
Date: 2015-10-23
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Reputation,Universities,College Students,Statistical Analysis,Student Attitudes,School Attitudes,Day Programs,Evening Programs,Grade Point Average,Gender Differences,Academic Achievement,Cultural Activities,Foreign Countries

Colleges and universities rely on their image to attract new members. Organizational image is the total of thoughts, emotions and perceptions resulting from clear conclusions of information formed in the minds of stakeholders as a result of communication with the institution about that institution and its elements. The purpose of this study is to determine if the organizational image of university changes according to the gender, programme, academic achievement and socio cultural activities based on the opinions of the students at Education Faculty. The method is a descriptive model research as it measures organizational image of the participants of the research in a specific moment. The population of the study consisted of a total of 5,660 students in the spring semester of the 2013-2014 academic year. The sample of the study was 3,850 (68%) students studying at the Education Faculty of Uludag University, chosen by random sampling. The instrument was composed of two sections, included the Personal Information Form that was prepared to collect personal data and second section included 60 items aiming to determine the university's organizational image perception. ANOVA, Mann Whitney-U and Kruskall Wallis were used for the data analysis. The organizational image perceptions were varied according to the gender, programme, socio cultural activities and academic success levels of students at each subscale. The organizational image level of the university was &quot;moderate&quot; (X = 2.62; sd = 0,56) according to education faculty students' perceptions. The students perceived the &quot;general view and physical infrastructure&quot; (X = 2.15) and provided services (X = 2.45) at very low level. However &quot;educational quality&quot; (X = 2.78) and &quot;social responsibility&quot; (X = 3.15) at moderate level. When gender and academic success was taken into consideration, there was not any significant difference between students' organizational image perceptions. However for programme and socio cultural activities meaningful significant difference was found. According to the results obtained, in order to upgrade organizational image perceptions of education faculty students, university management is required to take the necessary measures.
The Curriculum Development for Science Teachers' Training: The Action Lesson Focusing on Science Process Skills
Author: Khayotha, Jesda
Date: 2015-10-23
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Curriculum Development,Science Teachers,Teacher Education,Science Process Skills,Secondary School Science,Grade 9,Program Effectiveness,Pretests Posttests,Scores,Supplementary Education,Focus Groups,Science Curriculum,Surveys,Quasiexperimental Design

The objectives of this research were to develop innovation curriculum and study the effect of curriculum usage in science teachers' training in establishing the supplementary subject curriculum for action lesson. It focuses on science process skills with 10 teachers for 4 days, and 236 Grade 9 students from 10 schools during the first semester of 2014 academic year. It was done in the Office of Kalasin Primary Educational Service Area 3. The research findings include: 1) the propriety of training program was in &quot;High&quot; level; 2) the teachers had knowledge in establishing supplementary training program; training, was significantly higher than the pretest at 0.05 level. The teachers were competent in establishing the supplementary subject curriculum (93.04%), in learning management (90.20%), passing the criterion (80%); and 3) in the science process skill of students in all of 10 schools, the posttest scores were significantly higher than the pretest scores at 0.01 level. In addition, the competency in experimentation of students from all of 10 schools, their mean scores passed the criterion.
A Study on Critical Thinking Assessment System of College English Writing
Author: Dong, Tian
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Critical Thinking,Thinking Skills,College English,Writing (Composition),Writing Skills,Writing Evaluation,Scores,Correlation,Statistical Analysis,Writing Tests,Grades (Scholastic),Test Results,Personality Traits,Likert Scales,English (Second Language)

This research attempts to discuss the validity of introducing the evaluation of students' critical thinking skills (CTS) into the assessment system of college English writing through an empirical study. In this paper, 30 College English Test Band 4 (CET-4) writing samples were collected and analyzed. Students' CTS and the final scores of collected writing samples were respectively regarded as two independent variables to make a correlation analysis through Pearson Correlation of SPSS17.0 software. In addition, Excel was also used as an instrument to analyze the research results. The findings suggest that the two variables are significantly and positively correlated with each other, that is, students' CTS greatly influence their English writing proficiency. Thus, it is quite necessary to cultivate students' CTS to improve their English writing competence.