The EuroCALL Review - Vol 26, No 1 (2018)
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- Flipped learning in an EFL environment: Does the teacher’s experience affect learning outcomes?
- Digital flashcard L2 Vocabulary learning out-performs traditional flashcards at lower proficiency levels: A mixed-methods study of 139 Japanese university students
- Web 2.0 tools in the EFL classroom: Comparing the effects of Facebook and blogs on L2 writing and interaction
- Digital Video Creation in the LSP Classroom
- Speaking Practice Outside the Classroom: A Literature Review of Asynchronous Multimedia-based Oral Communication in Language Learning
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- Designing and assessing a digital, discipline-specific literacy assessment tool
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- PublicationDesigning and assessing a digital, discipline-specific literacy assessment tool(Universitat Politècnica de València, 2018-07-31) Kebble, Paul Graham[EN] The C-Test as a tool for assessing language competence has been in existence for nearly 40 years, having been designed by Professors Klein-Braley and Raatz for implementation in German and English. Much research has been conducted over the ensuing years, particularly in regards to reliability and construct validity, for which it is reported to perform reliably and in multiple languages. The author engaged in C-Test research in 1995 focusing on concurrent, predictive and face validity. Through this research, the author developed an appreciation for the C-Test assessment process particularly with the multiple cognitive and linguistic test-taking strategies required. When digital technologies became accessible, versatile and societally integrated, the author believed the C-Test would function well in this environment. This conviction prompted a series of investigations into the development and assessment of a digital C-Test design to be utilised in multiple linguistic settings. This paper describes the protracted design process, concluding with the publication of mobile apps.
- PublicationSpeaking Practice Outside the Classroom: A Literature Review of Asynchronous Multimedia-based Oral Communication in Language Learning(Universitat Politècnica de València, 2018-07-31) Young, Eric H.; West, Rick E.[EN] Classroom instruction provides a limited amount of quality speaking practice for language learners. Asynchronous multimedia-based oral communication is one way to provide learners with quality speaking practice outside of class. Asynchronous multimedia-based oral communication helps learners develop presentational speaking skills and raise their linguistic self-awareness. Twenty-two peer-reviewed journal articles studying the use of asynchronous multimedia-based oral communication in language learning were reviewed, (1) to explore how asynchronous oral communication has been used to improve learner speaking skills, and (2) to investigate what methodologies are commonly used to measure and analyze language gains from using asynchronous multimedia-based oral communication to improve learner speaking skills. In this study we present three principal findings from the literature. First, asynchronous multimedia-based oral communication has been used in conjunction with a variety of instructional methods to promote language gains in terms of fluency, accuracy and pronunciation. Second, the methods found in this review were technical training, preparatory activities, project-based learning, and self-evaluation with revision activities. Third, the majority of previous studies demonstrating the effectiveness of these methods have relied on learner perceptions of language gains rather than on recordings of learner speech.
- PublicationDigital Video Creation in the LSP Classroom(Universitat Politècnica de València, 2018-07-31) Rodgers, Ornaith; Ni Dhonnchadha, Labhaoise[EN] The twenty-first century world of digital media and multimodalities demands a rethinking of approaches to languages for specific purposes (LSP). This article seeks to determine the effectiveness of digital video creation as a teaching and learning tool in the LSP context through an investigation of students’ perceptions of the usefulness of this activity. The study is based on a digital video creation project carried out with a group of second year undergraduate students on the BSc in Biotechnology programme in NUI Galway who also study French as part of their degree programme. The findings are indicative of an overwhelmingly positive response from learners to this activity, both in terms of the development of language skills and other key social and professional skills. However, findings also warn that students’ digital competencies must not be over-estimated, despite a general assumption in technology-enhanced language learning research, that the current generation of students have a high level of digital literacy. This study highlights the pedagogical potential of digital video creation in the language classroom and demonstrates that it embraces many of the core elements underpinning progressive LSP pedagogy, by giving students the opportunity to keep pace with the multimodality afforded by digital media and by ensuring their language learning is both contextualised and authentic. It advocates the use of digital video creation in language learning and particularly in LSP, by highlighting the strong impact that this activity had on the participants in this study.
- PublicationWeb 2.0 tools in the EFL classroom: Comparing the effects of Facebook and blogs on L2 writing and interaction(Universitat Politècnica de València, 2018-07-31) Dizon, Gilbert; Thanyawatpokin, Benjamin[EN] Web 2.0 technologies have become an integral part of our lives, transforming not only how we communicate with others, but also how language is taught and learned in the L2 classroom. Several studies have looked into the use of these tools and how they influence L2 learning (e.g. Jin, 2015; Wang & Vásquez, 2014), yet only one has compared the effects of two Web 2.0 technologies (Castaneda Vise, 2008). Thus, the aim of this study was to compare the impact that Facebook and blogs had on the writing skills, namely, writing fluency, lexical richness, and syntactic complexity, of Japanese EFL learners. Moreover, the authors examined the influence blogging and Facebook had on interaction, i.e., the number of comments the learners posted outside of class. Student attitudes towards using these tools for written English were also measured through a survey based on the technology acceptance model (Davis, 1989). Twenty-three students at a Japanese university participated in the study and were divided into a Facebook group (n = 14) and a blog group (n = 9) according to their classes. Both groups took part in a ten-week treatment consisting of weekly guided free-writings on their respective Web 2.0 applications. Pre- and post-tests were administered and non-parametric statistical tests were used to determine if any significant writing gains were made. It was found that students in both blogging and Facebook groups showed similar improvements in writing skills. However, blogging seemed to be more effective at promoting interaction and students who took part in this group retained more favorable attitudes on using blogging for L2 writing. It was concluded that Facebook may indeed present an environment where students can be distracted from more formal educational pursuits (e.g. Wang & Kim, 2014) even when they are in private Facebook groups, while blogging may support a more serious environment for improving L2 writing skills.
- PublicationDigital flashcard L2 Vocabulary learning out-performs traditional flashcards at lower proficiency levels: A mixed-methods study of 139 Japanese university students(Universitat Politècnica de València, 2018-07-31) Ashcroft, Robert John; Cvitkovic, Robert; Praver, Max[EN] This study investigates the effect of using digital flashcards on L2 vocabulary learning compared to using paper flashcards, at different levels of English proficiency. Although flashcards are generally believed to be one of the most efficient vocabulary study techniques available, little empirical data is available in terms of the comparative effectiveness of digital flashcards, and at different levels of student English proficiency. This study used a mixed-methods experimental design. The between-subjects factor was English Proficiency consisting of three groups: basic, intermediate and advanced. All participants underwent both a digital flashcards treatment and paper flashcards treatment using words from the Academic Words List. For each study mode, the two dependent variables were Immediate, and Delayed Relative Vocabulary Gain. The results of this study indicated that Japanese university students of lower levels of English proficiency have significantly higher vocabulary learning gains when using digital flashcards than when using paper flashcards. Students at higher levels of proficiency performed equally well using both study modes. It appears that by compensating for the gap in metacognitive awareness and effective learning strategies between students of lower and higher levels of language proficiency, digital flashcards may provide the additional support lower-level learners need to match their advanced-level peers in terms of their rate of deliberate vocabulary acquisition.