Making Sense of Making Meaning, the Semiotic Way: Emotional Journey of a Novice Learner

I write this auto-ethnography as homage to my teachers and peers, both in the classroom and in scholarly realms, who inspired me to soar beyond the horizons of self and find meaning within the cosmic consciousness that surrounds us. As a novice learner in an introductory semiotics course, I learned about the process of meaning making. This paper is a product of my learning and understanding of a semiotic worldview. Encouraged by my professor, I delved deeply into the “thinkings” of two semiotic masterminds: Charles Sanders Peirce and Jakob von Uexküll, whose philosophies, ideologies and beliefs helped make sense of events in my own life as I saw it unfolding in new ways within my stream of consciousness. While indulging in the flavors of my auto-ethnographic inquiry, I was also privileged to have my fellow classmates share their experiences with me, through one on one-thought exchanges, captured via participation in class discussions and observations, as well as interviews and a survey, bringing my investigation into the realm of ethnography. The findings indicate that curiosity, fulfillment and hope are the critical bookends of the novice learners’ learning process. Based on the findings, I developed a new Curiosity Fulfillment Loop Model that may help explain how novice learners continue on their learning path to becoming seasoned learners, and yet always staying novice for some knowledge

Massively Multiplayer Online Gamers’ Language: Argument for an M-Gamer Corpus

The past few decades have seen a steady, and sometimes rapid rise in the production and consumption of Massively Multiple Online Games (MMOGs), spanning a global arena. Players from a wide variety of demographical, economic, geographical, cultural and linguistic backgrounds congregate under the banner of MMOGs and spend a considerable amount of time interacting and communicating with one another, in the context of playing and socializing through such playing. It is only logical then, to see such players become part of larger and extended socio-communal landscapes, wherein they may appropriate multiple roles in conjunction with their MMOG player roles, such as teachers, learners, family members and workplace cohorts. It is also equally logical for a curious mind to speculate the effects of the communication and language characteristics of such gamers on themselves, and the greater communities they may inhabit, investigate the realms of such possibilities, and appropriate knowledge garnered from such investigations to share. That is precisely what this study and paper is about. In this paper, I report the findings of an investigation of the communication and language characteristics of MMOG players, using 23 participants for interviews and journal writing, as well as multiple online documents. The findings suggest that MMOG players share some unique communication and language patterns, based on which they can be justifiably categorized as a sub culture with their own corpus. Additionally, researcher and practitioner implications are also discussed

Self-Regulation, Co-Regulation, and Feedback in the Context of Cross-Cultural Language Acquisition in Higher Education: A Conceptual Approach

Given the exponential growth in international student populations in the United States, supporting cross cultural language learners (CCLL) in developing their self and co-regulated learning is highly important. This paper presents a conceptual framework on the value of feedback within self-regulated versus co-regulated environments, in the context of cross- cultural language learning. We use the term cross cultural language learners (CCLL) to refer to international learners, in particular from Asia. When exploring the issues of cross cultural language acquisition relating to logographic (Chinese) and alphabetic (English) languages, we examine the literature that support self and co-regulated learning within the frame of feedback. The results indicate that because CCLLs have unique motivational, behavioral and cognitive challenges, they may benefit less from the use of only one option between self and co regulation. A fusion of self and co-regulated feedback may transfer cross cultural language skills for CCLLs more efficiently

Listen to Your Doppelganger! Global Cultural Empathy for Educators: A Literature Review Based Conceptual Model

Our student populations\u27 diversity now includes African Americans, Native Americans, and Latinos, as classrooms represent various cultural backgrounds. This shift in student population dynamics brings fresh challenges to educator\u27s unpreparedness to identify with the unique cultural identities of international students. The cultural dissonance that international students face compounds this challenge since the cultural unawareness and misconceptions may be generated from both educators and student groups. The Doppelganger Inspired Change Effect model or DICE discussed in this article is inspired by an extensive literature review. It elucidates a process of fostering global cultural empathy and preparedness of educators by linking such preparedness to evaluating negative attitudinal influences that may block people from changing their thinking, negatively impacting global empathy preparedness. This is a valid linkage given the influence culture has on attitudes and vice versa and is true in developing global empathy, which is crucial for training educators

The Chameleon Characteristics: A Phenomenological Study of Instructional Designer, Faculty, and Administrator Perceptions of Collaborative Instructional Design Environments

While several professionals, organizations and departments may be a part of the instructional designing process usually faculty, instructional designers, and administrators are key stakeholders and collaborators. Although there are some studies related to the process of instructional designing, there is little by way of research that has investigated the stakeholders’ perceptions of the key characteristics of effective collaboration within instructional designing projects. Thus, there is a gap in our understanding of the phenomenon of instructional designing project collaboration. This hermeneutic phenomenological study seeks to add to the literature by sharing the perceptions of seven stakeholders in different roles, who have collaborative instructional designing experiences within Midwestern higher education institutions. Practitioner and research implications are also discussed. The data revealed nine core characteristics perceived as crucial to effective collaboration within instructional design projects. These characteristics are discussed using the metaphor and associated acronym of CHAMELEON (Communication, Humility, Adaptability, Mentorship, Empathy, Looping, Engagement, Oscillation, Networking)

How Do They See Me? Examining The Experiences of Faculty In The Context of Classroom Whiteness Factors

Today polarized attitudes and aptitudes have created a subtle but steady paradigm shift in the way equity, diversity, and inclusivity (EDI) issues are seen by stakeholders. As a result, focusing on critical aspects of equity relationships and the fallout from discriminatory attitudes towards marginalized groups has become ever more needed. While diversity issues exist in all societal, professional, and personal realms, its impact within educational institutions is perhaps the most deeply profound. This Hermeneutic Phenomenology study examines the experiences of six higher education faculty who teach predominantly white student classrooms to identify issues and recommendations with respect to their relationship with students when such teachers belong to a group that is not the majority group representative of the students. This is an important topic to investigate given the dynamic role faculty and student relationships play in the context of EDI issues. Data suggests that while gender disparities drive students’ behavior towards faculty, the cultural and ethnic backgrounds of faculty are an even greater driving force for discrimination. Recommendations to deal with the fallout of student oppressions of faculty based on equity, diversity, and inclusivity lenses and future implications are also discussed

The Looking Glass Effect: A Phenomenological Study of Graduate Asian Students’ English Writing Challenges

Increasingly more students from China are looking to the USA for learning opportunities. Despite being beneficial for both stakeholders, this phenomenon has some deep-rooted issues pertaining to cross cultural language acquisition barriers that may be preventing such learners from reaching their full potential in academic accomplishments. This phenomenological study of five Chinese students in the USA, engaged in the process of English language communication, is a step towards understanding this phenomenon. The study’s findings led to the development of a new metaphorical paradigm (Looking Glass Effect Paradigm) to explain the key issues faced by such learners, a new pedagogical approach (Globally Infused Pedagogy), and an innovative teaching strategy recommendation (Customized Learning Camp) to assist Chinese learners in gaining English language competencies

A Phenomenological Study of Graduate Chinese Students’ English Writing Challenges

More students from China are looking to the United States for learning opportunities. However, such students have serious English writing deficiencies. This is due to significant differences between the two languages. This phenomenological study of five Chinese, graduate level students in the United States, informs us of these issues and provides a basis upon which we can explore viable instructional strategies to deal with such issues. The key findings suggest that the participants feel marginalized due to English language deficiencies, which is complicated by a deficiently structured English language instructional system. Based on these findings, several themes are presented that underpin the core challenges faced by the participants, as well as participants’ views of desirable support mechanisms to help their English writing process

To Game or Not to Game? How Using Massively Multiplayer Online Games Helped Motivation and Performance in a College Writing Course: A Mixed Methods Study

The use of Massively Multiplayer Online Games or MMOGs is receiving attention in the educational world due to increased availability of such games, a growing consumer base, and the proven benefits of video games as engagement tools. MMOGs that have been known to possess a significantly high capacity to keep users involved over sustained periods, which gives them the potential to enhance learning experiences and performances. However, most available studies on MMOGs do not discuss relationships between MMOG use and performance outcomes in Higher Education. Additionally, majority of such studies focus on examining a single MMOG, providing limited scopes of understanding the benefits of multiple MMOGs as educational tools. Using a sample of 32 students, this mixed-methods study investigates and supports how inserting MMOGs within an undergraduate Online English Composition section helped improve learners’ performance and engagement. Practitioner and future research implications are also discussed

Instructional Design and Strategies for Multicultural Education: A Qualitative Case Study

With more people moving abroad for education and work, many countries are becoming multicultural in population. Hence, developing multicultural attitudes is becoming imperative to prevent negative thoughts and feelings toward minorities that may translate into discriminatory behaviors toward them. One way to ensure this is through multicultural education. The aim of multicultural education is to ensure that students from diverse racial, ethnic, and social-class groups will experience educational equality. This qualitative case study analyzes the course design and instructional strategies implemented by a professor in a multicultural education course offered in a U.S. university. We have examined how the professor taught about multicultural education, ensured educational equality in her class, and also successfully produced multicultural attitudes among her students