The use of Wordclouds for vocabulary retention in the English for Psychology classroom

everal studies have revealed that computer applications offer a vast potential for teaching and learning. Open Educational Resources (OERs) can be especially beneficial to generate innovative abilities in the classroom related to new means of communication and collaboration (Conole and Alevizou, 2010). As regards the teaching of foreign languages, OERs have been acknowledged to be a useful tool for vocabulary acquisition (Bărbuleț, 2013), for enhancing text reading (Alkahtani, 1999), for writing (Krajka, 2000), and for improving pronunciation (Lee, 2008). Computer-assisted language learning (CALL) programmes as a means of learning-by-playing in the classroom have also proven to facilitate the acquisition of English vocabulary and pronunciation through games (Young & Wang, 2014). This study aims to explore the implementation and use of an online tool such as Wordclouds in the English for Psychology classroom at university in order to improve vocabulary retention and the overall learning of English in the specific field of Psychology. By means of exposing students to psychological pathologies, they will be asked to generate vocabulary word clouds to check their vocabulary retention and keyword selections at two different stages, being exposed to specialised texts before and after the reading of those texts later. Computer applications in the ESP classroom are combined here with group work development. Previous research has shown that working collaboratively facilitates learning, primarily through comparative reflection and peer learning (Angehrn & Maxwell, 2009; Evans & Cuffe, 2009). Results have shown that the exploitation of students’ background knowledge through the tool Wordclouds has definitely aided vocabulary retention of keywords about psychological pathologies as well as improved their English for psychology language accuracy

Validation of a technological pedagogical content knowledge instrument in a Malaysian secondary school context

Purpose – This study focused on the validation of a Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) instrument for using ICT in teaching and learning effectively in a Malaysian secondary school setting. The aim of this study was to confirm a sevenfactor TPACK model which includes Technological Knowledge, Content Knowledge, Pedagogical Knowledge, Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Technological Pedagogical Knowledge, Technological Content Knowledge and Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge. Methodology – This study was designed as a case study situated within a particular context in Malaysia.A survey was administered to 150 pre-service teachers enrolled in a university in Malaysia.Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the adapted TPACK survey was preceded by assessing the fit of the measurement model with the data in the study based on the a priori theoretical model.Findings – The findings revealed that the measurement model adequately fit with the data collected within a Malaysian secondary school context, also lending validity to the adapted TPACK instrument used in this study. Significance – The adapted and translated TPACK survey was found to be a valuable self-report instrument for measuring pre-service teachers’ TPACK knowledge.A greater understanding of TPACK may be required for pre-service teachers before adequate gains in using ICT in teaching can be achieved.Thus, it is recommended that this knowledge should be integrated in the Initial Teacher Education curriculum with more attention to improving access to ICT in Initial Teacher Education and the school

Current Debates in the Theory and Teaching of English L2 Pronunciation

Ironically, the single concept that appears to be universal in the field of English pronunciation research and instruction, its common denominator as it were, is diversity. Research theory and classroom practice have both convincingly proven that explicit training may indeed lead to improvements in a learner’s clarity of speech, but it seems that everything else is open for debate. Variability in opinions begins with different interpretations of basic concepts, of individual speech sounds, syllables, phrases and utterances. Correctly identifying research foci, and by extension, educational priorities for classroom instruction also divides English L2 pronunciation professionals. Models are yet another area of contention – whether to focus on traditional pronunciation points of reference, e.g. features of Received Pronunciation or General American, or to concentrate instead on interactions where no native speaker is present, as proposed by the English as an International Language (EIL) framework. Next, dispelling doubts about its effectiveness can be a challenging endeavour when progress often manifests in small increments which require a significant investment of time and effort. Finally, the decision to incorporate digital technology and the Internet into the pronunciation classroom remains a dividing line between enthusiasts and those that call CALL (Computer-Assisted Language Learning) a fad that will soon pass. The purpose of this paper is to examine these hotly debated issues, while acknowledging that its emphasis on depth may be at the expense of breadth. Its scope will allow it to touch upon but the most significant disputes, those that bridge research theory with English L2 pronunciation classroom practice.Keywords: English L2 pronunciation instruction; curriculum and materials design; pronunciation teaching effectivenes

Living as an Avtar: EFL Learners’ Attitudes towards Utilizing Second Life Virtual Learning

In the foreign language context, little research has been undertaken to explore university students’ attitudes towards virtual learning for language instruction. The purpose of this study was to investigate EFL learners’ attitudes toward utilizing the Second Life virtual world as an online instructional and language learning tool. To achieve the study purposes, a descriptive research design was used with a questionnaire to gather data, after ensuring its validity and reliability. Forty-one undergraduates who were enrolled in two CALL classes at a school of education participated in the study. Overall, the results suggest that the majority of EFL undergraduates have favorable attitudes toward using virtual games and that the use of Second Life served well as an online instructional tool for language learning. Based on the results of the current study, EFL instructors may be encouraged to integrate virtual world games to augment their students’ learning by providing them paths to engage in authentic communication with the target language users. Further, the integration of virtual learning is a promising alternative in times of pandemics when social distancing is an obligation. Such ends require that instructors plan some virtual world-based tasks of a goal-driven nature. Further research directions include implementing qualitative tools to explore how learners react to the nature of virtual world games, specifically in relation to the users’ ability to claim different identities.

The Effectiveness of Using Cloud-Based Cross-Device IRS to Support Classical Chinese Learning

[[abstract]]The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of integrating a cloud-based cross-device interactive response system (CCIRS) on enhancing students¡¦ classical Chinese learning. The system is a cloud-based IRS system which provides instructors and learners with an environment in which to achieve immediate interactive learning and discussion in the classroom. A quasi-experimental design was employed in which the experimental group (E.G.) learned classical Chinese with the system, while the control group (C.G.) followed their original learning method. The results revealed that the novice and medium-achievement learners in the E.G. performed significantly better than other E.G. students, and most students as well as the instructor gave positive feedback regarding the use of the system for course learning. In sum, CCIRS is an easy-to-use learning trigger that encourages students to participate in activities, arouses course discussion, and helps to achieve students¡¦ social and self-directed learning. The study concludes that the idea of ¡¥bring your own device¡¦ could be implemented with this system, while integrating educational factors such as game-based elements and competitive activities into the response system could reinforce flipped classroom learning.[[notice]]補正完

THE EFFECT OF EDUCATIONAL COMPUTER GAMES ON THE VOCABULARY LEARNING PERFORMANCE OF TURKISH MIDDLE SCHOOL EFL STUDENTS

This study aims to establish the effects of educational computer games on the vocabulary learning of EFL students. In the research, the real experimental model with a pre-test/post-test control group was used. The application of the study was carried out with 5th grade EFL students in two middle schools. The study group consisted of 166 students in the experimental group and 171 students in the control group. Five different games have been developed for use in research, including selection-matching-space-filling games, memory games, word capture games, crossword games, and millionaire games. Games were prepared by using Adobe Captivate 9.0 program. The students in the experimental group learned through educational computer games. The students in the control group learned according to the current program. Data were collected by applying the academic achievement test before and after one month of the experiment. To analyze the data were used quantitative data methods; T-Test for independent samples, t-Test for dependent samples, Mann-Whitney U test, and Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The results of the study indicate that the students who learned vocabulary with educational computer games were more successful than the students who learned according to the current program. The learning in the experimental group is more retention than in the control group.  Article visualizations

The Utilization of Mobile-assisted Gamification for Vocabulary Learning: Its Efficacy and Perceived Benefits

Research revealing the educational values of gamification in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education has proliferated in the last decade. However, these studies have yielded inconclusive findings of its efficacy. Furthermore, studies on the use of mobile devices have also reported some potential pitfalls when being used for educational purposes. This quasi-experimental study thus set out 1) to evaluate the effectiveness of gamified vocabulary learning in a mobile-assisted language environment on Indonesian adult EFL learners’ vocabulary learning outcomes, and 2) to explore their perceptions of its benefits. Two classes comprising 74 first-year students taking a General English course at a state university in Indonesia were selected as the participants in this study and later randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. In addition to pre- and post-tests, online questionnaires were employed to collect data, which were analyzed using the SPSS 20 package. The main findings indicated that the students in the experimental group outperformed their counterparts in the control group. Furthermore, they confirmed the benefits of mobile-assisted gamification for their vocabulary learning in three aspects: learning outcomes, enjoyment, and motivation. In conclusion, these findings confirm the legitimacy of gamification and mobile-assisted language learning to scaffold EFL education