Facilitating Exposure to Sign Languages of the World: The Case for Mobile Assisted Language Learning

Foreign sign language instruction is an important, but overlooked area of study. Thus the purpose of this paper was two-fold. First, the researcher sought to determine the level of knowledge and interest in foreign sign language among Deaf teenagers along with their learning preferences. Results from a survey indicated that over a third of the respondents did not realize that American Sign Language was not universally used around the world. Another key finding from the survey is that Deaf students are interested in learning foreign sign languages particularly from the per-spective of a potential world traveler and not necessarily from the perspective of someone who wants to formally study the language for college credit. These students further indicated that they would prefer to study a foreign sign language through multimedia formats, including mobile learning, as opposed to a traditional face-to-face class. Thus the second purpose of the study was to design a prototype mobile app to provide foreign sign language learning opportunities for use individually or as part of a high school enrichment program. An emerging technology tool, AppShed, was used to develop the prototype, which is cross-platform. The prototype was de-signed to feature 25 words and phrases related to travel in four different sign languages. Video clips from native signers were identified for inclusion. In keeping with best practices for mobile language learning, an interactive component was also included in the prototype whereby users could produce their own videos for expressive practice. Further research needs to be conducted on the app’s features and potential integration into formal classroom settings

Facilitating Exposure to Sign Languages of the World: The Case for Mobile Assisted Language Learning

Foreign sign language instruction is an important, but overlooked area of study. Thus the purpose of this paper was two-fold. First, the researcher sought to determine the level of knowledge and interest in foreign sign language among Deaf teenagers along with their learning preferences. Results from a survey indicated that over a third of the respondents did not realize that American Sign Language was not universally used around the world. Another key finding from the survey is that Deaf students are interested in learning foreign sign languages particularly from the per-spective of a potential world traveler and not necessarily from the perspective of someone who wants to formally study the language for college credit. These students further indicated that they would prefer to study a foreign sign language through multimedia formats, including mobile learning, as opposed to a traditional face-to-face class. Thus the second purpose of the study was to design a prototype mobile app to provide foreign sign language learning opportunities for use individually or as part of a high school enrichment program. An emerging technology tool, AppShed, was used to develop the prototype, which is cross-platform. The prototype was de-signed to feature 25 words and phrases related to travel in four different sign languages. Video clips from native signers were identified for inclusion. In keeping with best practices for mobile language learning, an interactive component was also included in the prototype whereby users could produce their own videos for expressive practice. Further research needs to be conducted on the app’s features and potential integration into formal classroom settings

A mixed methods study of online course facilitators\u27 perceptions of mobile technology, design, and TPaCK affordances

The increase in mobile technology options for students in post-secondary, continuing education influences how instructors design and implement courses, specifically online courses (Sözcü, İpek, & Kınay, 2016). Much of the current research addresses technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge (TPaCK), course design, and/or mobile technology as separate topics. There is limited research addressing the combination of TPaCK, design, and mobile technology from the course instructors’ perspective. The mixed methods study addressed design for online, mobile learning with a new layer of the TPaCK instructional framework in three phases. Phase 1 involved a pilot study of a survey that measured TPaCK, lesson design practices, and design perceptions. The pilot study responses informed Phase 2. In Phase 2, the survey was given to 33 current online course facilitators from PBS TeacherLine, an online continuing education course provider. Responses were gathered. In Phase 3, a qualitative interview designed to understand online course instructors’ perceptions of their use of mobile technology, design decisions, and the TPaCK, instructional framework was conducted with a random sample of twelve people from the survey participant pool. The threefold data collection process allowed for a triangulation of the findings, which heightened construct validity and comprehensive understanding. In Finding 1, 100% of the online continuing education course facilitators integrated TPaCK in their courses through the use of mobile and digital tools. In Finding 2, 100% of the online continuing education course facilitators made dynamic and innovative mobile and digital design decisions through the creation of supplemental course content. In Finding 3, 92% of online continuing education course facilitators utilized mobile technology in their online courses through an innovative inclusion of both mobile devices and mobile apps. Five conclusions resulted from the study and are discussed. The study contributes to existing literature by providing a 6-point effectiveness checklist, with the acronym “SCROLL” to operationalize for the professional development of pre-service and current online course facilitators

A Blended Learning Design to Improve Non-Music Students' Knowledge of Chinese Traditional Music in Hunan Agriculture University

This study is a quasi-experiment research. The aims of the study are to determine if the blended Chinese Traditional Music Appreciation Course using Superstar Learning Application improves the Chinese traditional music knowledge of non-music majors and to explore the students’ opinions towards the use of Superstar Learning Application as a teaching and learning tool in a blended Chinese Traditional Music Appreciation Course. The research site is at Hunan Agriculture University, China, involving freshmen students taking the Chinese Traditional Music Appreciation Course. The study used a mixed methodology design. The Pre-test and post-test were administered to determine the effectiveness of the blended learning course. An in-depth interview was also conducted to explore the opinions of volunteer participants about the blended Chinese Traditional Music Appreciation Course and the application used. Comparison of the pre-test and post-test scores showed that the Chinese traditional music knowledge of non-music major students improved after learning in the blended Chinese Traditional Music Course. Students who volunteered to be interviewed showed positive opinions towards the blended learning course and the Superstar Learning Application as a teaching and learning tool

IDEA Model from Theory to Practice: Integrating Information Literacy in Academic Courses

The IDEA model is a step-by-step curriculum design process for integrating information literacy in academic courses. The model supports the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) proposed 2015 Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education through the collaborative efforts between librarians and teaching faculty in order to “create a new cohesive curriculum for information literacy”. The author created the model after a review of the literature indicated no existing systematic approach to working collaboratively with faculty to integrate information literacy in academic courses. It became evident that a library-specific instructional design model would be more efficient in streamlining the process, increase the pool of librarians not formally trained in instructional design, and meet the demands of collaboratively designing cohesive curricula. This paper describes in detail how the model was used in a pilot case study to design a Doctor of Education blended course consisting of nine face-to-face classes and five asynchronous online classes. The use of case studies are “proven particularly useful for studying educational innovations, evaluating programs, and informing policy” and gathering data regarding the effectiveness of new theoretical models (Merriam & Merriam, 1998)

Beyond the language classroom: researching MOOCs and other innovations

With the rise of the internet and new communication technologies, language learning has moved beyond the classroom walls. This volume presents a range of important studies on innovative ways for learning languages outside the classroom. Chapters discuss MOOCs in the UK, Belgium, China, and Italy for studying a range of languages, research on new apps, flipped classroom modes, and approaches to informal learning in a range of international settings. In these ways, the volume offers a significant contribution to our understanding of how learning beyond the language classroom will transform language education in the decades to come

Get yourself connected: conceptualising the role of digital technologies in Norwegian career guidance

This report outlines the role of digital technologies in the provision of career guidance. It was commissioned by the c ommittee on career guidance which is advising the Norwegian Government following a review of the countries skills system by the OECD. In this report we argue that career guidance and online career guidance in particular can support the development of Norwa y’s skills system to help meet the economic challenges that it faces.The expert committee advising Norway’s Career Guidance Initiativ