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

Learning English as a Foreign Language in a Blended Mode of Face-to-face and Online Discussions: A Case Study in a University in Taiwan

Learning English as a Foreign Language in a Blended Mode of Face-to-face and Online Discussions: A Case Study in a University in Taiwan Previous studies have documented many beneficial results arising from integrating online discussion with face-to-face instruction for language learning, yet the interactive process of students within both formal and informal contexts remains to be explored. This research examined the dynamics of student learning in blended face-to-face and online discussions in and after class in the context of learning English as a foreign language (EFL) in a university in Taiwan. An embedded case study was applied with a mixed-methods approach to investigate how students jointly accomplished tasks, and how this blended approach had contributed to their English learning. The data collected include the qualitative data of observations on three groups of 14 participants, three focus groups with 11 participants, 72 online discussion logs of the three groups and the quantitative data of 45 questionnaire responses. The findings revealed that students learned primarily through mediation of L1 and L2, through collaborative interaction, through co-construction of meaning, and from teacher and peer scaffolds. Students tended to provide information and suggestions in face-to-face discussions by using L1, but they expressed thoughts, gave comments and probed questions in online discussions by using L2. Students changed their interactive patterns from passive to active by mutually assisting each other in accomplishing tasks. Data also showed that students recognised that blended discussions had contributed to their cognitive, language, interactional and affective gains. Blended discussions were perceived as learner-centred undertakings that increased participation, collaboration and engagement. Four key factors were observed to have affected learning in this blended instruction. The research concludes that blended discussions changed the conventional EFL classroom culture and had a positive influence on student learning in terms of interaction, processes of meaning construction and perceptions. Keywords Online Discussion, Computer-Mediated Communication, Computer-Assisted Language Learning, Blended Learning, Collaborative interaction, Co-construction of Meanin

Improving Pupils’ Attitude to English Learning and Cultural Understanding through Email Exchange: an Action Research Project in a Secondary School in Taiwan

Electronic mail (e-mail) has been widely used in communication for many years. The main purpose of this action research was to explore whether utilizing an email exchange project can enhance secondary school pupils’ motivation and attitude to language learning and improve their intercultural learning. This was a collaborative intercultural email exchange project between two secondary schools, one in north east of Taiwan and another one in the USA. The researcher sought to identify the attitudes of and concepts of learners and teachers towards the email exchange. This study adopted qualitative and quantitative methods. However, there was more focus on qualitative data in order to determine if the project improved the pupils’ attitude to learning English and develop their intercultural communicative competence. In order to ensure trustworthiness, multiple data collection instruments were employed in this study. The findings show that using e-mail can benefit pupils in their language and intercultural learning. The study examines outcomes and factors that made the project successful. It sets the research in the context of a theoretical framework and Taiwan education policy and suggestions for further work and research of this kind. The limitations of this study are also discussed

Two decades of research in L2 peer review

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The impact of video and written feedback on student preferences of English speaking practice

This study examined the differences in perceptions of the value of feedback for improving English speaking performance between students who received video feedback and those who received written feedback and their preferences for written or video feedback. A total of 43 English as a foreign language students participated in this study to produce a video clip to which their peers responded with either written or video feedback. The collected data included (a) students’ video clips before and after receiving peer feedback, (b) the video and written feedback they received, and (c) a survey which the students completed after receiving video or written feedback to examine their own English speaking performance in terms of pronunciation, intonation, fluency, grammar, and word usage. The findings showed that both written and video feedback was useful for English speaking skill development. Written feedback helped the students learn grammar rules and word usage to achieve greater linguistic accuracy in their English speaking performance. Video feedback helped students improve their intonation. However, neither video feedback nor written feedback could help them significantly improve their pronunciation and fluency. The students also preferred written over video feedback due to its efficiency and clarity

USING GOOGLE SEARCH FOR ENGLISH GRAMMAR LEARNING

Background/Purpose: Second/foreign language learners face problems in different areas such as correct word usage, grammatical accuracy, and pronunciation fluency. This paper responds to one of these problems by investigating the impact of strategic Google Search on Iranian English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ grammar learning.   Methodology: Sixty Iranian intermediate EFL learners from a private English language institute in Isfahan, Iran were selected and randomly divided into two groups. To find which areas of grammar are most problematic among the participants, a multiple-choice grammar pretest which was validated by five English experts was given to them. Then 10 questions that most participants answered wrongly were selected as the most challenging ones. During 10 class sessions, the participants were taught how to select the correct choice through Google Search. In fact, each participant in the class had a laptop connected to the internet. The researcher taught them how to search on Google strategically and the participants found out that in Google sites there are some sentences which are grammatically wrong and they should not trust them. They learned how to search strategically for the correct choices. At the end of the sessions they answered a posttest containing different questions but in the same grammatical areas. The pretest and posttest both were conducted while the participants were connected to internet sites.   Findings: Data analysis was done through running t-test using SPSS software and statistically significant difference was revealed. The findings showed that those participants who were taught how to strategically use Google Search performed better in the posttest. Therefore, the results revealed that correct Google Search had improved the Iranian intermediate EFL learners’ grammar knowledge.    Contributions: This study has several implications for both language learners and teachers regarding the use of Google platform for English grammar learning. In addition, it contributes to the body of knowledge that strategic Google Search does not only improve the Iranian EFL learners’ English grammar but also make them less dependent on teachers thus promoting autonomous learning.   Keywords: Google search, EFL learners, grammar learning, intermediate EFL learners, Iran, web-based instruction.   Cite as: Tavakoli, M. (2021). Using Google search for English grammar learning. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 6(2), 318-339. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol6iss2pp318-33

Exploring CALL Options for Teaching EFL in Vietnam

Research has demonstrated that computer-assisted language learning (CALL) has the capacity to enhance second language learning. Therefore, in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts like Vietnam, the government has invested in computers in schools as a way to address the lack of quality in education. However, Vietnamese EFL teachers have made little or no use of these computers. The purpose of this Alternate Plan Paper (APP) is to assist Vietnamese ESL teachers in choosing appropriate CALL programs. I select some of the most effective, user-friendly, and cost-effective CALL options for language areas and language skills. The options are selected based on the availability of resources, the teachers\u27 and learners\u27 computer proficiency levels, and the Vietnamese institutional context. The recommended options are also based on my personal experience as a CALL learner and user, and a one-month observation of CALL applications in a classroom at Minnesota State University, Mankato. The paper also discusses the pedagogical principles for using the recommended options effectively and efficiently