[Refereed Articles]
Student Off-task Behavior and Motivation in the CALL Classroom
Peter Gobel
pp. 4-18
Recent research has suggested that the misuse of intelligent tutoring software is correlated with lower learning.
This article investigates the frequency and impact of different kinds of off-task behavior in three intact CALL classrooms
using two intelligent tutoring systems (DynED and ALC) for English language learning. Thirty Japanese university students in
each class were observed for four weeks to investigate whether off-task behavior had an effect on performance. It was found
that students seemed to engage in far less misuse of the software than was hypothesized, but that off-task behavior was nevertheless
strongly correlated with overall performance and post-test scores. Further analysis suggests that two motivational factors
(Attitude toward the Target Group and Perceived Usefulness of English) were good predictors of specific off-task behavior.
Computer-Produced Comics as a Means of Summarising Academic Readings in EAP Programs
Steve Engler, Christopher Hoskins and Sylvan Payne
pp. 19-33
Students entering academic bridge programs for foreign languages face multiple reading challenges. For one, they have to
wade through academic material that is far more dense and sophisticated than they are accustomed to. Faced with such material,
students often cannot distinguish the main ideas from supporting, or even superfluous information. This can result in
frustration and lack of motivation. This article reports on two separate pilot projects involving the use of the software
application Comic Life to supplement assigned academic readings. In the first project, half of the subjects were given a
teacher-generated summary of a reading in comic format. All the subjects were then given a quiz over the assigned reading and
the means were compared to determine if the comic helped comprehension. In addition, the subjects were given a questionnaire in
order to determine their perceptions of the comic. In the second pilot project, students developed their own comic summary of a
given academic reading. Teacher observation, peer comments, and a questionnaire were used to evaluate this project. The results for
both projects were highly positive in regard to both comprehension and evaluations.
Using Web-Based Language Learning Activities in the ESL Classroom
Jeong-Bae Son
pp. 34-43
This article looks at ways of using Web-based language learning (WBLL) activities and reports the results of a WBLL project
that developed a Web site as a supplementary resource for teaching English as a second language (ESL) and tested the Web site
with a group of students in an ESL context. The Web site provides WBLL session plans for ESL teachers, containing three types of
WBLL activities: pre-created Web activities for grammar, vocabulary, reading and listening; task-based Web activities that require
students to use the Web to produce certain outcomes; and teacher-made Web activities. Participants in WBLL sessions using the Web
site showed positive attitudes toward WBLL and expressed the view that they would like to use more Web activities during and
outside class time.
Integrating Emerging Technologies in the Foreign Language Classroom: A Case Study
Antonie Alm
pp. 44-60
Advances in Internet technology have broadened access to video documents for foreign language instruction. This is of
particular benefit for language students in countries which are remote from the target language country. The exposure to authentic
language materials provides a cultural and linguistic context for language learning and motivates learners' interest in the subject.
This case study describes receptive and productive use of video in a German language classroom: language practice with a German television
soap opera, and language production through the creation of a German YouTube soap opera. While the first part was based on conventional
comprehension and practice tasks, the second part promoted a learner-centred learning style, which was supported by social software.
Feedback from seven students addresses the use of authentic video and Internet-technologies (blog, wiki, YouTube) for language learning.
The study discusses the benefits of using authentic video, the development of learner collaboration through wiki-activity and the
implications of collective learning for foreign language education.
Integrating Global Media Contents for an EFL Course in Japan: Cultural Orientation Project on Vietnam
Mizuho Iinuma and Hiroaki Chiyokura
pp. 61-77
Prompted by advances in information technology, digital contents are used in various environments in Japan. This study focuses on the
application of 3 dimensional computer graphics (3DCG) and a Geographic Information System (GIS) for university language teaching, while
looking at the integration of multimedia into an English as Foreign Language (EFL) course. A group of Japanese students in a high
intermediate EFL course participated in the study. In the course, they were involved in a project entitled Cultural Orientation Project
on Vietnam using English text, 3DCG, GIS, photographs, audio, and video. The results of the study show that the greater integration
of multimedia has made a language teaching environment a place of rich potential for content-based instruction.
The Teacher's Roles in a Student-Centered Audio-Video Speaking Class
Zhihong Lu, Xiaohui Huang and Juan Sun
pp. 78-95
The extensive use of modern information technology in Chinese college English teaching has greatly changed the role of the teacher.
Through a case study of the authors' own audio-video speaking classes, this article aims to discover the appropriate role the
teacher should play in a computer-based teaching model, and its positive effects on cultivating students' competence in listening and
speaking. From the analysis of correlated data and a questionnaire, it was found that the teacher's role tends to be multidimensional.
These multiple roles include an activity designer and organizer, coordinator, the source of background information, and an assessor.
The results of the study show that such roles have a marked impact on students' listening and speaking abilities and their language
proficiency development.
Aligning NETS*T Standards with Technology Integration for Kosrae Teachers
Jacquelyn D. Cyrus
pp. 96-112
This article describes teachers' comfort levels in using various technology tools in a technology integration course for in-service
teachers in the northern Pacific region known as Micronesia. The resultant gain scores at the end of the course measured the
pre-class and post-class differences in technology comfort levels. The online Technology Questionnaire was used to inquire about
10 separate technology areas before and after instruction. Participants reported increased comfort within these 10 areas at the
conclusion of the class, with significance greater than <.05 in all categories. Course curricula that included the National
Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS*T) and the ASSURE model (Smaldino, Russell, Heinich & Molenda, 2007) for
creating lesson plans were used as a framework for structuring the course.
Language Learning in the Virtual World: Instructors' Voices
Pramela Krish
pp. 113-129
Teaching and learning has taken a new turn in the era of Information Communication Technology (ICT). With this paradigm shift, the focus
is on learning and not teaching and the role of an instructor changes from a purveyor of knowledge to that of a facilitator. This
article focuses on 'real-world' learning and the value of 'authentic experiences' shared by instructors teaching English language
through an online mode. How do the instructors make learning more authentic, holistic and meaningful in the virtual classrooms?
This question is addressed through in-depth interviews with instructors at a virtual university to find out their experiences and
new possibilities in the synchronous online teaching and learning. The results of the study suggest that instructors should carefully
plan, implement, and reflect on the activities, while remaining flexible in coping with the complexities of learning in a virtual environment.
The eEducator Module: A New Approach to the Training of Online Tutors
Gordon Joyes, Carol Hall and Siew Ming Thang
pp. 130-147
The School of Education, University of Nottingham (UoN), UK and Beiwai Online, Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) Beijing, China
have been engaged on a collaborative research project to develop a generic module for the training of online tutors globally as part of the
eChina-UK programme with funding from the Higher Education Funding Council for England. This has led to a learner centred approach to the
training that takes analysis of transitions within the learning and teaching process as a key focus. It provides trainee tutors with a
range of online reflective analytic tools to support their developing understanding of effective practice in order to consider appropriate
support for these transitions. This article describes the rationale behind the design of the various components and activities of the tutor
training module including aspects of the development process and the research pilot into localisation at the Universiti Sains Malaysia.
