Impact of Quizzes as Learning Media for Online Mandarin Courses during COVID-19

In learning foreign languages, especially Mandarin, a student needs an adaptation process to understand the vocabulary, grammar and culture in using the language being studied. Various kinds of components and elements of language need to be mastered by the students. Therefore, as a teacher, it is mandatory to prepare lesson plans with appropriate methods and media for the students. The Quizizz application media is one of the options in supporting an online Mandarin learning process. It is supported by the results of the research using descriptive research method, by obtaining the data though student responses in learning Mandarin online using Quizizz media, with the aim of investigating the role of Quizizz application media in supporting the achievement of learning objectives and competence in Mandarin. The results obtained are that Quizizz can provide benefits, a positive influence on learning Mandarin. However, there are several components that need to be improved or combined to make the online classes more attractive and reach the desired results. Keywords: Online Learning, Learning Media, Quizizz, Acceptance Model DOI: 10.7176/JEP/13-20-04 Publication date:July 31st 202

A review of technology-enhanced Chinese character teaching and learning in a digital context

The acquisition of Chinese characters has been widely acknowledged as challenging for learners of Chinese as a foreign language (CFL) due to their unique logographic nature and the time and effort involved. However, recent advancements in instructional technologies demonstrate a promising role in facilitating the teaching and learning of Chinese characters. This paper examines studies exploring technology-enhanced character teaching and learning (TECTL) through a systematic literature review of relevant publications produced between 2010 and 2021. The synthesized findings shed insights on the research undertaken in the TECTL field, identifying a focus on characters’ component disassembling, re-assembling, and associations among orthography, semantics, and phonology. In addition, learners’ perceptions toward the use of technology and the benefits of various types of technological tools are also discussed in detail. Implications for TECTL are also put forward for future pedagogical practice and exploration

'Is there an app for that?' Exploring games and apps among heritage language families

Heritage language families inhabit multiple languages, literacies and cultures. Enabling children to participate in heritage language and culture has beneficial effects in terms of identity, and cognitive development. Games-based technologies are opening up avenues for playful engagement with heritage language and literacy, but little is known about how families use such technology to support heritage languages. This paper seeks to address this gap, reporting an original study of the relationship between heritage language families and games-based technology for heritage language and literacy development, in terms of attitude, attached values, and use. A survey involving 212 heritage language families, followed by 10 interviews, most of which included children, explored families’ attitude towards and use of games and apps for heritage language development, whilst focusing on how these technologies link to children’s self-awareness as heritage language speakers. Significantly, the study concludes that both children and parents differentiate between being ‘learners’ or ‘players’, and that collaborative family practices may help children overcome barriers not only in the way they access technology, but also how this technology impacts on their relationship with the heritage language

Gamifying the Classroom: Pros and Cons

The term “gamification” is relatively new, but its exact origins are not known. The first recorded use was in the digital media industry in 2008 and it has become popular in the last couple of years (Deterding, Dixon, Khaled, & Nacke, 2011). A search performed in October 2012 on Google Scholar using the term “gamification” turned up over 1,000 publications, and the same search in May 2014 produced over 7,000 publications. 80,000 people were registered in the Coursera Gamification course in Sept/Oct 2012 (Werbach, 2012). The attention that gamification gets from industry, as well as from the public, makes it one of the newer concepts of the use of games in the real world to surface in recent years. This chapter analyzes the potential and limits of gamification for learning and classroom use. Gamification can be broadly defined as the application of game features and game mechanics in a non-game context, but does not typically include using actual games. In the most commonly promoted approach to gamification (Zichermann & Cunningham, 2011), designers seeking to create a gamification system first identify behaviors that are to be encouraged, and then assign rewards to that behavior. These reward systems can take different forms—points, achievements, and badges are three typical tools for motivation and manipulation. The concept of using rewards to modify behavior is nothing new to teachers in a classroom setting. Teachers often use point systems for both learning and behavioral goals. If one takes into account the concept that the absence of a punishment is the same as a reward (Kohn, 1999), then teachers have used reward-based systems as the core of classroom management for centuries. The syllabus in the classroom is a gamification layer that is used to motivate students’ involvement in course content. If we consider the concept of levels in games, then certainly the grades (K-12) and years (freshman, junior, senior, sophomore) of formal education are the very embodiment of “levels.” There are known requirements for completing one level and just like in games, each new level opens up new content and additional options. The idea of earning badges within a game as a means of marking achievement is also not unique to games. Children in elementary school often get stickers for completed work; both the Boy Scouts and the Girl Guides (as well as a great many other organizations) use badges to symbolize various achievements, and of course, medals and badges have been a longstanding tradition in militaries throughout the world. The notion of leaderboards is also not unique to videogames, or games of any sort for that matter, as they can be found in many businesses as ways to highlight sales records for example, and in schools to commemorate a myriad of achievements academic and otherwise. Even the concept of a letter grade is remarkably similar to a badge, as it indicates achievement in a standardized way that has meaning outside of the learning environment. Some applications of gamification go beyond merely using rewards such as points, badges and levels to motivate. Meaningful Gamification is the concept of using elements from games to help participants find a personal and meaningful connection within a specific context. Many of the theories behind meaningful gamification are educational theories such as Universal Design for Learning and motivational theories, such as Self-Determination Theory. These theories provide ways to use concepts of play, reflection, and narrative (instead of rewards) to engage learners (Nicholson, 2012a). Teachers have used game-based elements for the real world application of teaching content for decades. While the term of gamification is new, the underlying concepts for both reward-based and meaningful gamification have been explored in the classroom for some time. In this chapter, we will review different models for gamification in the classroom, explore some of the benefits and hazards to using it, and present some case studies and best practices for instructors to use. The goal of this chapter is to explore gamification in the classroom from different perspectives and present guidance to instructors looking to use elements of games and play to improve learning motivation

Game of translations: virtual community doing English translations of Chinese online fiction

Fan translations are an important part of global fan subculture activity, intensified especially through the new media platforms which connect producers and consumers all around the globe. One recent trend within this category is that of English translations of Chinese online fictions. It is a newly emerging form of activity which takes place on blogs connected through a blogroll. Through these channels, fans comprising blog moderators, translators, and readers can engage in exchanges which add value to the appreciation of literature. Thus, it can be imagined as a ‘virtual settlement’ (Jones, 1997) after Anderson (1983)’s ‘imagined community’. Within this community, a further observation can be made about the mechanics of this practice. Like a game, the fans act as players where they negotiate rules regarding the production of translations. Given the community-centric nature of these websites, my paper outlines the formation of ‘illusio’, or “agreed rules of the game”, a concept introduced by Bourdieu. This is operationalised using Järvinen (2007)’s framework, locating the nine elements of a ‘gamified practice’ within the interactions of this community, known as Shusheng Bar. The findings suggest that members of Shusheng Bar possess a shared history and connected future. The significance of this observation assists in understanding the dynamics of online subcultures.&nbsp

Digital Collaborative Language Learning and Augmented Reality

This portfolio is a collection of works written by the author as he was studying in the Masters of Second Language Teaching program at Utah State University. The focus of these works is on technology and its impact on language learning. The first few sections consist of an introduction to the portfolio, a few pages dedicated to the author’s philosophy on second language teaching, and details and insights from an observation of a teacher in practice while in the program. The following section comprises the bulk of the portfolio and includes a paper devoted to augmented reality’s place in digital language learning. Then the author’s professional goals and plans centered around his teaching philosophy will be addressed