Trialing project-based learning in a new EAP ESP course: A collaborative reflective practice of three college English teachers

Currently in many Chinese universities, the traditional College English course is facing the risk of being ‘marginalized’, replaced or even removed, and many hours previously allocated to the course are now being taken by EAP or ESP. At X University in northern China, a curriculum reform as such is taking place, as a result of which a new course has been created called ‘xue ke’ English. Despite the fact that ‘xue ke’ means subject literally, the course designer has made it clear that subject content is not the target, nor is the course the same as EAP or ESP. This curriculum initiative, while possibly having been justified with a rationale of some kind (e.g. to meet with changing social and/or academic needs of students and/or institutions), this is posing a great challenge for, as well as considerable pressure on, a number of College English teachers who have taught this single course for almost their entire teaching career. In such a context, three teachers formed a peer support group in Semester One this year, to work collaboratively co-tackling the challenge, and they chose Project-Based Learning (PBL) for the new course. This presentation will report on the implementation of this project, including the overall designing, operational procedure, and the teachers’ reflections. Based on discussion, pre-agreement was reached on the purpose and manner of collaboration as offering peer support for more effective teaching and learning and fulfilling and pleasant professional development. A WeChat group was set up as the chief platform for messaging, idea-sharing, and resource-exchanging. Physical meetings were supplementary, with sound agenda but flexible time, and venues. Mosoteach cloud class (lan mo yun ban ke) was established as a tool for virtual learning, employed both in and after class. Discussions were held at the beginning of the semester which determined only brief outlines for PBL implementation and allowed space for everyone to autonomously explore in their own way. Constant further discussions followed, which generated a great deal of opportunities for peer learning and lesson plan modifications. A reflective journal, in a greater or lesser detailed manner, was also kept by each teacher to record the journey of the collaboration. At the end of the semester, it was commonly recognized that, although challenges existed, the collaboration was overall a success and they were all willing to continue with it and endeavor to refine it to be a more professional and productive approach

Learning Greek and Latin Through Digital Annotation: The EuporiaEDU System

Gloria Mugelli, Giulia Re, Andrea Taddei & Federico Boschetti describe the 'EphoriaEDU' system, a resource for digital annotation of ancient texts developed by the Lab. of Anthropology of Ancient Greece (LAMA), the CoPhiLab at the ILC-CNR in Pisa and the Venice Digital and Public Humanities Department. The system allows to structure textual information by connecting keywords and creating networks of concepts such as ritual actions in Greek Tragedy. It is applicable to all kinds of linguistic or cultural observations, allowing a wide range of collaboration between teachers and students from high school to university

CercleS 2022

CHAIRPERSON Manuel Moreira da Silva, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, Portugal EDITORS Ana Gonçalves, Estoril Higher Institute for Tourism and Hotel Studies, Portugal Célia Tavares, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, Portugal Joaquim Guerra, Universidade do Algarve, Portugal Luciana Oliveira, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, Portugal Manuel Moreira da Silva, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, Portugal Ricardo Soares, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, PortugalCercleS 2022 The Future of Language Education in an Increasingly Digital World: Embracing ChangeN/

Perceptions of CAI tools in English/Chinese Interpreting Practice, perspectives of professional interpreters and trainers

This article analyses the perceptions of computer-assisted interpreting tools in interpreting practice and training based on the findings of a survey distributed to English/Chinese interpreters and trainers. Results analysis show that most respondents are positive about the application of CAI tools albeit without much application experience yet. Professional interpreters and trainers are optimistic about the existing CAI tools but mainly used them in preparation and post-interpreting stages. Secondly, user feedback shows CAI assists mainly in the science & technology domain. Thirdly, CAI tools are welcomed in interpreter training but trainers insist on the acquisition of skills before integration of technologies

Evaluation of innovative computer-assisted transcription and translation strategies for video lecture repositories

Nowadays, the technology enhanced learning area has experienced a strong growth with many new learning approaches like blended learning, flip teaching, massive open online courses, and open educational resources to complement face-to-face lectures. Specifically, video lectures are fast becoming an everyday educational resource in higher education for all of these new learning approaches, and they are being incorporated into existing university curricula around the world. Transcriptions and translations can improve the utility of these audiovisual assets, but rarely are present due to a lack of cost-effective solutions to do so. Lecture searchability, accessibility to people with impairments, translatability for foreign students, plagiarism detection, content recommendation, note-taking, and discovery of content-related videos are examples of advantages of the presence of transcriptions. For this reason, the aim of this thesis is to test in real-life case studies ways to obtain multilingual captions for video lectures in a cost-effective way by using state-of-the-art automatic speech recognition and machine translation techniques. Also, we explore interaction protocols to review these automatic transcriptions and translations, because unfortunately automatic subtitles are not error-free. In addition, we take a step further into multilingualism by extending our findings and evaluation to several languages. Finally, the outcomes of this thesis have been applied to thousands of video lectures in European universities and institutions.Hoy en día, el área del aprendizaje mejorado por la tecnología ha experimentado un fuerte crecimiento con muchos nuevos enfoques de aprendizaje como el aprendizaje combinado, la clase inversa, los cursos masivos abiertos en línea, y nuevos recursos educativos abiertos para complementar las clases presenciales. En concreto, los videos docentes se están convirtiendo rápidamente en un recurso educativo cotidiano en la educación superior para todos estos nuevos enfoques de aprendizaje, y se están incorporando a los planes de estudios universitarios existentes en todo el mundo. Las transcripciones y las traducciones pueden mejorar la utilidad de estos recursos audiovisuales, pero rara vez están presentes debido a la falta de soluciones rentables para hacerlo. La búsqueda de y en los videos, la accesibilidad a personas con impedimentos, la traducción para estudiantes extranjeros, la detección de plagios, la recomendación de contenido, la toma de notas y el descubrimiento de videos relacionados son ejemplos de las ventajas de la presencia de transcripciones. Por esta razón, el objetivo de esta tesis es probar en casos de estudio de la vida real las formas de obtener subtítulos multilingües para videos docentes de una manera rentable, mediante el uso de técnicas avanzadas de reconocimiento automático de voz y de traducción automática. Además, exploramos diferentes modelos de interacción para revisar estas transcripciones y traducciones automáticas, pues desafortunadamente los subtítulos automáticos no están libres de errores. Además, damos un paso más en el multilingüismo extendiendo nuestros hallazgos y evaluaciones a muchos idiomas. Por último, destacar que los resultados de esta tesis se han aplicado a miles de vídeos docentes en universidades e instituciones europeas.Hui en dia, l'àrea d'aprenentatge millorat per la tecnologia ha experimentat un fort creixement, amb molts nous enfocaments d'aprenentatge com l'aprenentatge combinat, la classe inversa, els cursos massius oberts en línia i nous recursos educatius oberts per tal de complementar les classes presencials. En concret, els vídeos docents s'estan convertint ràpidament en un recurs educatiu quotidià en l'educació superior per a tots aquests nous enfocaments d'aprenentatge i estan incorporant-se als plans d'estudi universitari existents arreu del món. Les transcripcions i les traduccions poden millorar la utilitat d'aquests recursos audiovisuals, però rara vegada estan presents a causa de la falta de solucions rendibles per fer-ho. La cerca de i als vídeos, l'accessibilitat a persones amb impediments, la traducció per estudiants estrangers, la detecció de plagi, la recomanació de contingut, la presa de notes i el descobriment de vídeos relacionats són un exemple dels avantatges de la presència de transcripcions. Per aquesta raó, l'objectiu d'aquesta tesi és provar en casos d'estudi de la vida real les formes d'obtenir subtítols multilingües per a vídeos docents d'una manera rendible, mitjançant l'ús de tècniques avançades de reconeixement automàtic de veu i de traducció automàtica. A més a més, s'exploren diferents models d'interacció per a revisar aquestes transcripcions i traduccions automàtiques, puix malauradament els subtítols automàtics no estan lliures d'errades. A més, es fa un pas més en el multilingüisme estenent els nostres descobriments i avaluacions a molts idiomes. Per últim, destacar que els resultats d'aquesta tesi s'han aplicat a milers de vídeos docents en universitats i institucions europees.Valor Miró, JD. (2017). Evaluation of innovative computer-assisted transcription and translation strategies for video lecture repositories [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/90496TESI

Strategies in technology-enhanced language learning

The predominant context for strategy research over the last three decades has focused on language learning situated in a conventional classroom environment. Computer technology has brought about many changes in language learning and has become ecological and normalized rather than a supporting tool in the language classroom. Consequently, the landscape of language learning has been rapidly and largely changed with the normalization of technologies in people’s daily communication. The pervasive use of mobile technologies and easy access to online resources require that digital language learners understand and employ appropriate learning strategies for learning effectiveness and that their teachers are able and willing to teach these strategies as needed. This article provides an overview of the state-of-the-art research into technology-enhanced language learning strategies. The strategies under review include those for language learning skill areas, language subsystems, and self-regulated learning. At the end, we discuss the pressing issues that Digital Age language learning has posed to learners, teachers, and researchers and propose considerations for strategy research in digital realms

Análisis de los factores asociados a la integración curricular de diccionarios bilingües en línea en eile

The current increase in the use of mobile devices in the foreign language classroom has expanded the presence of lexical tools such as free-access online bilingual dictionaries. Unfortunately, their use is not adequately explained and regulated yet. This lack of pedagogical intentionality gave rise to a research study focused on the curricular integration of these types of dictionaries in the context of teaching English as a foreign language at the higher education level. This article documents the process that was carried out to design and implement a triangulation matrix that allowed an integrative synthesis of the data provided by the sample made up of four EFL university teachers through three data collection instruments. This integrative synthesis facilitated the identification of a series of factors associated with the curricular integration of bilingual online dictionaries. This identification led to a series of administrative, pedagogical, and didactic proposals aimed at strengthening said process in foreign language teaching contexts.El actual incremento en el uso de dispositivos móviles en el aula de lenguas extranjeras ha ampliado la presencia de herramientas léxicas como los diccionarios bilingües online de libre acceso. Desafortunadamente, su uso aún no está adecuadamente explicado y regulado. Esta falta de intencionalidad pedagógica dio lugar a un estudio de investigación centrado en la integración curricular de este tipo de diccionarios en el contexto de la enseñanza del inglés como lengua extranjera en el nivel de educación superior. Este artículo documenta el proceso que se llevó a cabo para diseñar e implementar una matriz de triangulación que permitió obtener una síntesis integradora de los datos proporcionados por la muestra conformada por cuatro docentes a través de los tres instrumentos de recolección de datos utilizados. Esta síntesis integradora permitió identificar una serie de factores asociados al proceso de integración curricular de los diccionarios bilingües en línea. Lo anterior condujo a la elaboración de una serie de propuestas administrativas, pedagógicas y didácticas tendientes a robustecer dicho proceso en contextos de enseñanza de lenguas extranjeras

Dissertations and theses on technology and L2 LEARNING (2000-2015)

This list has been updated with an eye towards providing working links to actual dissertation texts. Permanent links available free of charge through university databases have been privileged; for-profit enterprises that sell dissertation manuscripts have been listed when universities do not provide for the electronic dissemination of these documents. Manuscripts that are not available by either of these means are nevertheless listed as we hope to provide the most complete coverage of dissertations in the field of CALL that is possible. You will notice that the reference list style is somewhat different than what is suggested by APA. We decided upon a format that includes the name of the institution where the dissertation was completed such that a quick scan of the list reveals where people are studying CALL related themes—and which universities are field leaders in terms of freely distributing dissertations. If you notice that dissertations completed at your institution have not been included, please send us the references, so we can update this list yearly