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

The effect of using ‘Microb’ mobile application in science learning in primary school

The study investigated the relationship between the overall scientific performance of the pre-test and post-test and the impact of the application of “Microb” on scientific performance. The theme is “microorganisms and their effects”. The sample group consisted of 30. Year 5 pupils’ from a primary school in Johor Bahru. They were selected for this quantitative study through purposeful sampling. Investigation, pre-test and post-test are used to collect research data.The results show that based on the four science constructs, year 5 pupils’ acceptance of the “Microb” mobile application is very high. According to the survey results, although there is no relationship between the two overall performance tests and no impact was found in the research, it was found that the “Microb”mobile application has a positive impact on the scientific performance of year5 pupils’, based on the construct of scientific process skills, understanding,application and knowledge. The results of this research will make an important contribution to the field of education and provide new options for choosing the“Microb” mobile application as an educational tool to strengthen science education.In general, the “Microb” mobile application in technology can be a good educational tool for scientific learning, but educators must organize lesson plans well and not deviate from the focus of learning

Integrating Animations in Chinese Character Writing Based on Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning to Promote Students’ Writing Skills

The complexity of Chinese character caused students facing learning difficulty in mastering the Chinese character writing skills. This study aimed to investigate the effect and students' perception on the implementation of animation in teaching and learning of Chinese character writing based on Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (AniCC Online Learning) via Frog VLE platform. Meanwhile, the relationship of implementation of AniCC Online Learning and pupil's writing performance was also studied to have further insights into the Chinese character teaching and learning situation. Pre-experimental one group pre-test and post-test design were adopted and thirty three Year 1 students were selected as the respondents in this research which involved four types of instruments. There was a significant different (p = 0.013) between the scores of pre-test and post-test for students' writing performance after performing paired samples t-test. The study also showed an increase in the means scores of students' writing skills and an increase in the percentage of students' writing skills ranking at rank 4 or above although no significant different (p = 0.180) was observed between the pre writing assessment and post writing assessment after Wilcoxon Test was performed. The students overall showed high acceptance towards integration of AniCC Online Learning with overall mean score 0.90 (maximum = 1). In sum, the design of AniCC Online Learning via Frog VLE platform is able to improve writing performance as well as to help students in their writing skills

Usos de las TIC para mejorar la escritura de textos en educación básica regular

El presente trabajo de investigación se ejecutó con el propósito de determinar cómo el uso de las TIC mejora la escritura de los estudiantes de educación básica regular utilizando el método de la revisión sistemática motivado por plantear alternativas de solución al problema de la deficiente escritura de textos. Se realizó una búsqueda en las bases de datos de artículos científicos como Scopus, Scielo, ERIC, WOB, Ebsco, Google Académico, Doaj, Dialnet y Latindex obteniéndose 70 estudios realizados entre el 2015 al 2021 que representan la población del estudio, luego de excluir algunos bajo criterios establecidos en la tabla de selección se consiguió una muestra de 20 estudios experimentales a los cuales se analizó minuciosamente se obtuvo como resultados que en el 90% de los estudios habían mejorado significativamente la escritura de textos luego de la intervención y el 10% obtuvo mejoría, pero no significativa debido a una mala planificación. Por estos resultados se arribó a la conclusión que el uso de las TIC mejora significativamente la escritura de los textos cuando se realiza un diagnóstico preciso y una correcta planificación de la intervención

Chinese character learning with the aid of an ICT website among Mandarin Second Additional Language learners in South Africa: a case study

The teaching of Mandarin as a Second Additional Language (SAL) in South African schools was only introduced in 2016. The year 2018 saw the first Mandarin as SAL National Senior Certificate examination. Little research has been done on the teaching and learning of Mandarin as a SAL subject at the high school level in South Africa. Character learning and teaching are some of the most challenging aspects of this language teaching and learning. This research sought to investigate how beginner Mandarin SAL learners can be supported by a particular Information Communication Technology (ICT) website, www.archchinese.com (Arch Chinese), in their character learning. Learners’ ability to memorise Chinese characters is of utmost importance for their success in this language learning, especially for matriculants. To support the main research goal, this study set out to investigate the requirements for Chinese character learning, the role the website Arch Chinese plays in learners’ character learning and Mandarin SAL learners’ experience of using Arch Chinese as a learning tool. This research was conducted in the form of a case study within the interpretative paradigm. It adopted a questionnaire and document analysis for data collection to gain insight into the research topic. To get answers to the research questions posed above, the study analysed the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) Mandarin SAL documents from Grade 4–12, the Independent Examination Board (IEB) Mandarin Subject Assessment Guidelines (SAGs), and a textbook for beginners, Learn Chinese with me: Student’s book 1 in relation to character learning. The features and functions of the website, Arch Chinese, were also evaluated and Mandarin SAL learners’ answers to a questionnaire on their use of the website Arch Chinese were analysed. The study found that character teaching and learning has not been given enough attention in the curriculum. It was only covered in the Intermediate Phase but was seldom mentioned in the Senior and Further Education and Training Phases in the curriculum. The CAPS Mandarin SAL documents do not consider the special characteristics of the Mandarin language, as this curriculum was based on the CAPS English Generic SAL document. As a result, the assessment requirements on writing (character count requirement in particular) were not realistic. The teaching approaches promoted in the curriculum and the teaching time do not correspond well with the teaching and learning of this language. Moreover, this study found that there was no vocabulary list prescribed in the curriculum and therefore a gap exists between the curriculum on paper and the curriculum in practice. The analysis of the IEB SAGs found that the assessments were suitable for the level of Mandarin SAL learners. This is because the IEB considered the characteristics of the Mandarin language, which is non-cognate, to the alphabet-based languages that respondents in this research spoke or were familiar with. At the same time, the analysis of the website and the learners’ questionnaire found that learners held a positive attitude towards their use of the website and that it proved to help facilitate Mandarin SAL learners in their character learning. This study ends with recommendations for teachers, policy makers, the IEB, and character-learning websites.Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 202