"To gloss or not to gloss": An investigation of reading comprehension online

This pilot study investigated the effects of multimedia reading software on reading comprehension. Specifically, the study aimed to explore how multimedia annotations influence the level of comprehension. Twelve college students enrolled in a second semester French course were instructed to think aloud during the reading of text on the computer screen. Participants read the text under one of three conditions: full glossing, limited glossing, or no glossing. In addition, a tracker was set up in the software to record the amount and type of glosses, and length of time that each was consulted. The raw data clearly indicate an increase in the number of causal inferences generated for students who had access to full glossing. Computerized reading with full glossing may promote a deeper level of text comprehension. Pedagogical suggestions for second language (L2) teaching and research will be discussed

Podcasting: An Effective Tool for Honing Language Students’ Pronunciation?

This paper reports on an investigation of podcasting as a tool for honing pronunciation skills in intermediate language learning. We examined the effects of using podcasts to improve pronunciation in second language learning and how students\u27 attitudes changed toward pronunciation over the semester. A total of 22 students in intermediate German and French courses made five scripted pronunciation recordings throughout the semester. After the pronunciation recordings, students produced three extemporaneous podcasts. Students also completed a pre- and post-survey based on Elliott\u27s (1995) Pronunciation Attitude Inventory to assess their perspectives regarding pronunciation. Students\u27 pronunciation, extemporaneous recordings, and surveys were analyzed to explore changes over the semester. Data analysis revealed that students\u27 pronunciation did not significantly improve in regard to accentedness or comprehensibility, perhaps because the 16-week long treatment was too short to foster significant improvement and there was no in-class pronunciation practice. The podcast project, however, was perceived positively by students, and they appreciated the feedback given for each scripted recording and enjoyed opportunities for creativity during the extemporaneous podcasts. Future studies might seek to delineate more specific guidelines or examine how teacher involvement might be adapted to the use of podcasts as a companion to classroom instruction

Using Computer-mediated Communication to Establish Social and Supportive Environments in Teacher Education

This article examines social presence in virtual asynchronous learning communities among foreign language teachers. We present the findings of two studies investigating cross-institutional asynchronous forums created to engage participants in online dialogues regarding their foreign language teacher preparation experiences in and out of the classroom. Both studies took place during Fall 2003 and were conducted between first-time teacher/graduate students in four methodology courses at three large state universities. In the first study, students participated in weekly online exchanges in the form of dialogue journals for reflective teaching. In the second study, students were provided with specific topics to address using a discussion board, related both to theoretical language learning issues as well as pedagogical classroom-related concerns. The data analyzed here consist of the contributions and responses submitted by all participants on their respective online forums. We analyze these data qualitatively using Rourke, Anderson, Garrison, and Archer’s (2001) framework in order to gain a better understanding of the element of social presence—specifically affective, interactive, and cohesive indicators as they occur during asynchronous online discussion. This study marks an important contribution to the literature as it examines how virtual discussion takes shape, how the notion of social presence is defined in these foreign language teacher communities, as well as the implications for language teacher education in computer-mediated communication

Thriving in Residential Learning Communities

Our research presents a multi-institutional study on the concept of thriving in Residential Learning Communities (RLCs). The study utilizes the Thriving Quotient (Schreiner, 2010c) to research how RLCs at four U.S. institutions contribute to students’ academic engagement and performance, interpersonal relationships, and psychological well-being. Additionally, this study uses an institutional mapping inventory to examine how students’ thriving correlates with various components of RLCs (Inkelas et al., 2008), such as RLC size, theme, faculty involvement, budget, and linked courses. The data were analyzed using factor analysis tools and blocked linear regression to identify associations between RLC characteristics and the thriving outcomes. Results indicate that particular groups of students (women, first generation students), faculty involvement, and financial resources correlated with higher thriving in RLCs. The article concludes with implications and directions for future research