Making your traditional text work: Input, Scaffolding and Communication

Second Language Acquisition (SLA) studies provide evidence that comprehension activities that involve meaningful language production and communication promote language acquisition more effectively than mechanical drills. Recent studies review the state of foreign language textbooks and demonstrate that the majority of foreign language textbooks do not follow SLA research. This article provides ways that a second language instructor can use a traditional text to help lead to meaningful language instruction

University of Wisconsin - Stout faculty and academic staff members' use of computer technology in their courses

Includes bibliographical references

Language learning through interaction: Online and in the classroom

Online language teaching has become a popular alternative to classroom learning (Liu et al; Warschauer and Meskill). This led to research comparing the two learning environments (Young). Regardless of the learning environment, in order to be effective, the second language classroom must be designed to lead learners to acquisition. Studies suggest that collaborative tasks that push learners to negotiate meaning lead to acquisition (Leeser; Loewen and Erlam; Mackey and Philp; Stafford, Bowden, Sanz). Participants in this study were in two environments; a second language classroom in the typical in person classroom format, and a language learning course in an online platform. Both the classroom and online environments were recorded and the amount of conversational interaction was coded and measured. The data suggest both classrooms and online platforms contain input and interaction necessary for acquisition to occur

Using a smart phone to learn Spanish: Does it work and will students use it?

Over time, mobile devices have penetrated the classroom, requiring new and beneficial ways to implement classroom instruction. Research suggests that Short Message Service (SMS) based instruction is an effective tool for acquiring second language (L2) vocabulary and idiom knowledge (Hayati, Jalilifar, & Mashhadi; Lu,). Additionally, studies have found that students believe that mobile learning (m-learning) is beneficial to acquiring a second language (Cavus & Ibrahim; Hayati, Jalilifar, & Mashhadi; Lu, 2008). This study examined whether m-learning can lead to Spanish vocabulary familiarity and if sentence comprehension outperforms reading definitions. Participants were 29 native English speakers studying Spanish as a second language at the intermediate level. Learners received definitions of Spanish words in Spanish and sentences in Spanish on their mobile devices through a popular messaging application. The results demonstrate that vocabulary familiarity significantly improved and participants overall had a positive perception of m-learning. Our discussion explores the implications for classroom and mobile second language teaching

The Rise and Fall of an Open Business Model

Les business models ouverts (Chesbrough, 2006) font référence à des modèles qui promeuvent une division du processus d’innovation et de l’organisation du partage de connaissance avec des parties prenantes, et éventuellement des concurrents. Dans cet article, nous tentons de répondre à la question suivante : quelles sont les conséquences, en termes de performance dans le temps, de l’adoption d’un business model ouvert ? NouSs étudions le secteur du jeu de rôle aux Etats-Unis dans lequel le leader est passé d’un business model propriétaire à un business model ouvert avant de revenir à une approche plus fermée. Plusieurs leçons peuvent être tirées de cette étude de cas. Particulièrement, nos contributions portent sur la dynamique des mécanismes de la création et de la capture de valeur, les effets imprédictibles d’un business model ouvert et les risques et faiblesses associés à un tel choix.Among recent innovation, open business models (Chesbrough, 2006) refer to business models promoting a division of the innovation process and organizing knowledge sharing with coopetitors. In this paper, we address the following question: what are the consequences, in terms of performance over time, of the adoption of an open BM? We study the U.S. Role Playing Game industry in which the leader moved from a proprietary business model to an open one before coming back to a closer approach. Several lessons can be drawn from the case study concerning especially the dynamics of value capture and value generation mechanisms, the unpredictable effects of an open business model and the drawbacks and risks of such an initiative