Waltz - An exploratory visualization tool for volume data, using multiform abstract displays

Although, visualization is now widely used, misinterpretations still occur. There are three primary solutions intended to aid a user interpret data correctly. These are: displaying the data in different forms (Multiform visualization); simplifying (or abstracting) the structure of the viewed information; and linking objects and views together (allowing corresponding objects to be jointly manipulated and interrogated). These well-known visualization techniques, provide an emphasis towards the visualization display. We believe however that current visualization systems do not effectively utilise the display, for example, often placing it at the end of a long visualization process. Our visualization system, based on an adapted visualization model, allows a display method to be used throughout the visualization process, in which the user operates a 'Display (correlate) and Refine' visualization cycle. This display integration provides a useful exploration environment, where objects and Views may be directly manipulated; a set of 'portions of interest' can be selected to generate a specialized dataset. This may subsequently be further displayed, manipulated and filtered

The long and winding road ...

The long and winding road is a metaphor for a journey, often used to describe life journeys and the challenges encountered. The metaphor was used for the title of my keynote to refer both to the journey towards the current position of virtual exchange in education policy \u2013 but also the long road ahead. This paper aims to explore the emergence of virtual exchange in educational policy and how it has been adopted by non-profit organisations, educational institutions, and policy makers to address geo- and socio-political tensions. Though still a relatively new field, in recent years there have been some important developments in terms of policy statements and public investments in virtual exchange. The paper starts by looking at the current state-of-the-art in terms of virtual exchange in education policy and initiatives in Europe. Then, using an approach based on \u2018episode studies\u2019 from the policy literature, the paper explores the main virtual exchange schemes and initiatives that have drawn the attention of European policy makers. The paper closes by looking at some of the lessons we have learnt from research on the practice of virtual exchange, and how this can inform us as we face the long road ahead of us. The focus of this paper is on the European context not because I assume it to be the most important or influential, but rather because it is the one I know best, since it is the context in which I have been workin

Synchronous communication technologies for language learning: Promise and challenges in research and pedagogy

We propose a definition of synchronous communication based on joint attention, noting that in certain mediated communication settings joint attention is a matter of perception rather than determinable fact. The most salient properties of synchronous computer-mediated communication (SCMC) are real-time pressure to communicate and a greater degree of social presence relative to asynchronous communication. These properties underlie the benefits and challenges of SCMC for language learning, which we discuss under three headings: (1) SCMC as learning tool; (2) SCMC as target competence; and (3) SCMC as setting for learner dialogue, intracultural and intercultural. We survey research themes in SCMC and preview the contributions of the Special Issue. Finally, we identify questions for future research

Telecollaborative Webcasting: Strengthening acquisition of humanities content knowledge through foreign language education

This Level II Digital Humanities Start-Up Grant intends to support design, implementation, and evaluation of an innovative curriculum-development project aimed at strengthening humanities content learning through a telecollaborative foreign language project which will include video/audio/textual bilingual exchanges between university students in the U.S. and Russia. The project addresses the expressed national needs to improve (1) the efficacy of foreign language instruction as well as (2) the depth of content area learning in humanities relevant to the interdisciplinary study of languages, cultures, and global communities. The project will produce learner-authored multimodal bilingual artifacts, compilations of references to digital humanities sources, and curriculum development materials via a open-access online resource which will serve scholars, learners, and general audiences interested in enriching their knowledge of humanities and foreign languages

국제교류수업을 통한 초등학생들의 문화 간 의사소통능력과 의사소통에 참여하려는 태도 탐구

학위논문(석사) -- 서울대학교대학원 : 사범대학 외국어교육과(영어전공), 2021.8. 최서용.The present study explores how online intercultural exchanges (OIEs) impact Korean elementary school students intercultural communicative competence (ICC) and willingness to communicate (WTC) and seeks to reveal students perception of ICC and WTC during OIEs. As no previous studies of OIEs in the Korean context have focused on interactions with non-native partners, the current study examines OIEs with Japanese and Indian peers. In addition, while many researchers have quantitatively analyzed the effects of OIEs on language learners, there remains a relative lack of qualitative analysis. Therefore, this study aims to enable a deeper understanding by mixing quantitative and qualitative analyses of the impact of OIEs on students' ICC and WTC. For the purpose of the study, 61 Korean EFL elementary school students in Seongnam, Korea completed an Intercultural Communicative Scale (ICS) survey and WTC questionnaire before OIEs. Subsequently, the OIEs instruction was implemented for ten sessions using the regular English curriculum. After completing all of the intercultural telecollaboration, surveys and interviews related to participants ICC and WTC were conducted. This study has identified that OIEs have a significant impact on Korean elementary school students ICC. Regarding students ICC before and after OIEs, the result of the paired samples t-test revealed statistically significant differences. In addition, a qualitative analysis of participants' interviews showed a variety of pedagogical implications throughout the four related topics (Interaction Engagement and Enjoyment, Respect of Cultural Differences, Interaction Confidence and Interaction Attentiveness). Similarly, OIEs turned out to have positive effects with Korean elementary school students WTC. The paired samples t-test also revealed that there were statistically significant differences in students WTC before and after intercultural telecollaboration. Furthermore, the post-test interviews for participants WTC discovered that they showed active willingness to communicate, voluntary efforts for communication, and willingness to communicate with non-native partners. Hence, it could conceivably be hypothesized that when Korean EFL elementary school students participate in OIEs, their ICC and WTC can be improved. To develop a full picture of OIEs, however, additional studies that focus more attention on a variety of telecollaborative activities and student-centered OIEs lesson plans will be needed.본 연구는 한국 초등학생 영어 학습자들이 온라인을 활용한 문화간 국제교류수업을 받았을 때, 그들의 문화 간 의사소통능력과 의사소통에 참여하려는 태도에 어떠한 영향이 있는지 알아보기 위해 수행되었다. 영어를 모국어로 사용하지 않는 비원어민 파트너와의 국제교류수업에 대한 기존의 연구가 드물었다는 점과 이전 연구들이 대부분 양적 연구에 치우쳐 있었다는 점을 발견하고, 비원어민 파트너와의 국제교류수업 환경을 조성하고 질적 연구와 결합한 연구방법을 사용하였다. 대한민국 성남시 소재의 초등학교에 재학중인 6학년 61명의 학생들을 대상으로 실시된 본 연구에서 학생들은 국제교류수업 전에 문화 간 의사소통능력과 의사소통에 참여하려는 태도에 관한 설문을 실시하였다. 그리고 10번(80분 수업)의 국제교류수업을 정규 영어교육과정 수업 시간을 활용하여 진행하였다. 연구 참여자들은 모든 국제교류수업을 마치고 다시 한번 동일한 문화 간 의사소통능력과 의사소통에 참여하려는 태도에 관한 설문을 실시하고 인터뷰에 참여하였다. 분석 결과는 다음과 같다. 첫째, 온라인을 활용한 문화 간 국제교류수업이 한국 초등학생 영어 학습자들의 문화간 의사소통 능력에 유의미한 영향을 미치는 것으로 드러났다. 대응표본 t검정을 통해 국제교류수업 전과 후에 연구 참여자들의 문화간 의사소통 능력에 통계적으로 유의미한 차이가 있음이 밝혀졌다. 더불어 학생들의 인터뷰를 질적으로 분석한 결과, 4가지 관련 주제 (상호작용 참여와 즐거움, 문화적 차이의 존중, 상호작용 자신감, 상호작용 주의력)를 통해 다양한 교육적 함의가 도출되었다. 둘째, 온라인을 활용한 문화 간 국제교류수업이 한국 초등학생 영어 학습자들의 의사소통에 참여하려는 의지에 유의미한 영향을 미친다는 결과를 얻었다. 대응표본 t검정을 통해 국제교류수업 전과 후에 연구 참여자들의 의사소통에 참여하려는 의지 역시 통계적으로 유의미한 차이가 있음이 드러났다. 더불어 학생들의 인터뷰를 질적으로 분석한 결과, 3가지 관련 주제 (적극적인 의사소통의지, 의사소통의지를 위한 자발적인 노력, 비원어민 파트너와의 의사소통 의지)를 통하여 학생들의 의사소통에 참여하려는 의지를 깊이 있게 이해할 수 있었다. 본 연구는 한국의 초등학생 영어 학습자가 온라인을 활용한 문화 간 국제교류수업에 참여했을 때, 그들의 문화 간 의사소통능력과 의사소통에 참여하려는 의지가 향상될 수 있음을 밝혀냈다. 이는 비원어민 파트너와의 국제교류수업이 가치 있는 영어교수방법 중 하나의 대안이 될 수 있으며, 학생 개개인의 특성을 고려한 국제교류수업 계획이 중요함을 시사한다. 이에 따라 온라인을 활용한 문화 간 국제교류수업에 대한 추가적인 연구와 교육 현장에서의 다양한 국제교류활동의 개발을 통해 한국 초등학생 영어 학습자들의 문화 간 의사소통 능력과 의사소통에 참여하려는 의지가 더욱 발전될 수 있을 것이다.Chapter 1. Introduction 1 1.1. Background of the Study 1 1.2. Purpose of the Study 4 1.3. Research Questions 7 1.4. Organization of the Thesis 7 Chapter 2. Literature Review 9 2.1. Online Intercultural Exchanges (OIEs) 9 2.2. Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC) 14 2.3. Willingness to Communicate (WTC) 19 2.4. Previous Studies on Online Intercultural Exchanges 25 2.4.1. Intercultural Communicative Competence in OIEs 26 2.4.2. Willingness to Communicate in OIEs 28 2.4.3. OIEs in Korean EFL Context 30 Chapter 3. Methodology 33 3.1. Participants 33 3.2. Instruments 36 3.3. Procedures 40 3.4. OIEs Instruction 42 3.5. Data Analysis 45 Chapter 4. Results and Discussion 47 4.1. The Effects of OIEs on Students ICC 47 4.2. The Effects of OIEs on Students WTC 52 4.3. Students Perception of ICC during OIEs 56 4.3.1. Interaction Engagement and Enjoyment 57 4.3.2. Respect of Cultural Differences 60 4.3.3. Interaction Confidence 64 4.3.4. Interaction Attentiveness 67 4.4. Students Perception of WTC during OIEs 69 4.4.1. Active Willingness to Communicate 69 4.4.2. Voluntary Efforts for Willingness to Communicate 71 4.4.3. Willingness to Communicate with Non-native Peers 72 Chapter 5. Conclusion 77 5.1. Summary of the Major Findings 77 5.2. Pedagogical Implications 80 5.3. Limitations and Suggestions for Future Research 82 References 84 Appendices 96 국 문 초 록 103석

#InstagramELE: Learning Spanish Through a Social Network

Social networking (SN) tools have the potential to contribute to language learning because they promote linguistic interactions in person-to-person communication, increasing the opportunities to process input in the L2, engaging learners in negotiation of meaning and requiring learners to produce L2 output, as proposed in the interactionist theory by Long (1985, 1996). These virtual personal connections with other learners and language experts around the world could provide a rich environment for sociocultural language exchanges (following the principles of the sociocultural approach proposed by Lantolf, 2002, based on the work of Vygotsky, 1978) that may increase motivation for learning, develop L2 sociopragmatic competence and learners’ online identities through expression, interaction and community building, as researchers have found (see Lomicka & Lord, 2010, for a summary of SN research). In addition, social networking is also believed to promote autonomous learning because the learners take responsibility of their own learning process in socially interactive environments by exploring the L2 through communication, collaboration and experimentation (Blake, 2013). Due to the popularity of social networking sites such as Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, language teachers have explored different ways to integrate them into the language education curriculum. This presentation will describe the #InstagramELE global learning community of Spanish learners and teachers. Instagram involves sharing photos and images that lend themselves to the development of descriptive language. The use of visual elements often leads nicely into cultural issues and development of cultural awareness and competence. We will describe an instructional task, the #instragramELE challenge, that could be a vehicle for the acquisition of new vocabulary, cultural topics, and the development of reading and writing expression. This challenge has already accumulated more than 30000 tagged photos, from all over the world. We will also discuss its benefits and challenges as an autonomous learning tool and some ideas for classroom implementation and teacher training

Teaching for Global Learning through Telecollaboration: A Case Study of K-12 Educators\u27 Conceptualizations and Practices about Global Education

A plethora of literature discusses the flattening of the world we live in (Friedman, 2007) and the need for teachers to educate K-12 students for global learning. However, the literature is critically lacking in empirical evidence in how this is to take place in classrooms. In addition, existing empirical studies have focused primarily on American social studies educators at the secondary school level. Scholars differ in their own understanding of what global education means and should look like in schools, how teachers are to incorporate it into their curriculum, and how it benefits K-12 learners. The purpose of the present qualitative case study was to explore how non-social studies K-12 educators in the United States and abroad conceptualize global education, how they teach for global learning, and how they make decisions regarding pedagogy and curricula when teaching for global learning. The participants were a purposeful sampling of six teachers engaged in telecollaborative projects through the website the International Education and Resource Network (iEARN), with the sample being chosen to maximize diversity of participants and their students. Data were collected through questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, message exchanges, blog postings, document analysis, and reflective memos. Findings indicated that participants framed their conceptualizations of global education around their own experiences and values and around students\u27 needs and experiences. In addition, they lacked formal preparation to teach for global learning, and stressed the importance of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in global learning. Participants also identified factors which facilitated and hindered the process when teaching for global learning. Finally, participants integrated global education into their classrooms because of their personal commitment to it, and in spite of a lack of formal curriculum. These findings are interpreted within the context of Hicks\u27 (2003b, 2007b) four-fold framework for global education. The present study builds on existing lines of inquiry by adding to the knowledge base, as it explores the ways in which teachers in fields other than social studies, lacking a global education curriculum, at all grade levels K-12, and in both the US and abroad, conceptualize global education, how they teach for global learning, and how they make decisions in teaching for global learning

Social Dimensions of Telecollaborative Foreign Language Study

This item submitted to IUPUI ScholarWorks as part of the OASIS Project. Article reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Permission granted through posted policies on copyright owner’s website or through direct contact with copyright owner.Previous research on network-based foreign language study primarily has focused on: a) the pedagogy of technology in the language curriculum, or b) the linguistic characterization of networked discourse. In this paper, I explore socio-institutional dimensions of German-American telecollaboration and the ways in which they may shape foreign language learning and use. Telecollaborative partnerships represent particularly productive sites for the examination of social aspects of foreign language study since, by definition, they entail tight sociocultural and institutional interface. Within the theoretical framework of social realism (e.g., Carter & Sealey, 2000; Layder, 1993), any human activity is thought to be shaped by both macro- and micro-level sociological features. These include social context and institutional setting, situated activity and individual agency, respectively. In this analysis, I intertwine the socially and institutionally contingent features of language valuation, computer know-how, Internet access, and learning accreditation and the micro-level features of situated classroom interaction and individual psycho-biography in order to provide a rich and multi-faceted characterization of foreign language learning and use on both ends of a German-American telecollaborative partnership