Tesis sobre el tema "Chinese language – computer-assisted instruction for english speakers"

The project integrates computer technology with English as a second language curriculum and instruction. It utilizes the World Wide Web to deliver computer-assisted instruction in English grammar, reading and conversation. Moreover, the project shows the impact of computer technology in helping students develop critical thinking skills, problem-solving skills, and meaningful and applicable skills for employment.

In recent years, advances in computer technology have motivated Chinese teachers to reassess computer use and consider it as a valuable part of daily foreign language learning and teaching. Software programmes, USB (Universal Serial Bus) technology, and computer networks are providing teachers with new methods of incorporating culture, grammar, and real language use in the classroom. Students gain access to audio, visual and textual information about the language through the use of computers. The aim of this study was to investigate vocational school English students and teachers concerns and behaviours about integrating information technology into English instruction.

Thesis (MPhil (Modern Foreign Languages))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006.
With continuing advances in technology, computer-assisted instruction provides opportunities for individualized, interactive learning. In the research paper, I employed the theoretical framework of CALL and the philosophy of cognitive psychhology to promote learner autonomy in the second language aquisition of Chinese...

The aim of this project is to address the need for effective English learning and develop an English curriculum which practically meets learners' needs. The project is for students who study business English in Korean community college. This project presents effectiveness of English learning in the content concerning with English for specific purposes, project-based learning, cooperative learning, computer-assisted language learning, and technological literacy. These ideas are incorporated into the project to develop the unit, Creating a Company, which consists of six lesson plans.

This study examines English language learners working in pairs on two different types of computer programs to determine whether the quantity and quality of discourse varies with the type of software program. Also, to investigate how collaborative CALL activities can be designed to promote oral academic language proficiency.

A major objective of Academic Development Programmes is to support the student in acquiring a level of language competence which is sufficient to enable the student to cope with the linguistic demands of academic courses. Language teaching programmes in the Academic Development context in South Africa suffer from a number of constraints: staffing, time on task, relevance, and difficulty of integration with learning in other coUrses. A review of developments in the field of Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) shows that computers can be used to support language learning. CALL materials range from simple instructional programs to powerful linguistic research tools and need to be integrated into wider language programmes so as to support and enhance other teaching and learning activities. However, relatively little research has been done to investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of CALL in language development courses within Academic Development programmes in South Africa. The development of a system designed to enable students to practise proof-reading and editing is described and evaluated. Suggestions are made for using this system with other CALL materials within a computer assisted language development environment. It is argued that CALL can be used feasibly and effectively in this environment to enhance learning and to counteract constraints.

One aspect of the English language which has been overlooked by English-as-a-Second-Language educators is the article system, a, the, and 0. For students from articleless first languages such as Japanese, learning this complex system is a formidable challenge. Performance studies show an error rate among advanced Japanese students of approximately thirty percent. There may be several reasons for this high rate: 1) the differences between Japanese and English, 2) the unusually high degree of complexity/difficulty of the article system itself compared to other English morpheme systems and 3) inadequate treatments of the subject as revealed in this thesis' survey of forty ESL textbooks. Recent pragmatic discoveries about article function reveal subtle, contextual influences which have not been well integrated into traditional treatments. Definiteness may be dependent on sentential, discourse, and situational contexts, on whether referents are unique and manifest to the hearer, and on the nature of certain implicatures induced by the articles. Computerized, interactive tutorials are the best way to capture how these variables interact to constrain article choice. A prototype for a tutorial is submitted with this thesis. In addition to exhaustive explanations of contexts and implicatures in the form of actor's "asides," it features Japanese translations throughout, and, to show how uniqueness may be culture bound, utterances that take place within Japanese culture. Although the tutorial presented here needs enlargement, it is believed that an animated, computerized tutorial emphasizing subtle pragmatic features is more illustrative of actual article usage than have been traditional hard copy explanations.

The purpose of this project is to address the problems and improve English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning for the students of Korea by contrasting cultural similarities and differences and the same time utilizing computer-based instruction learning.

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of two methods of instruction for second language acquisition. The first method used a computer based software program known as English Language Learning Instructional System (ELLIS). The second method used Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English (SDAIE).

The Florida Department of Education's (FLDOE) Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) Report (2007) listed and defined students who are in the process of learning English as a second language as English Language Learners (ELL). The graduation rate of English Language Learners in Florida is consistently smaller than the graduation rate of the total population of students (Echevarria, Short and Powers, 2006) in part due to the requirement for students to pass the FCAT in order to graduate. ELL students face the challenge of having to learn a different language, learn the subject area content in that language, and often-times pass a standardized test in order to graduate. In Florida districts, ELL is categorized as a subgroup often times not meeting adequate yearly progress in Reading (Florida Department of Education 2007). This study measured the effectiveness of a district approved computer based intervention in increasing student achievement for English Language Learners as identified by the Florida Department of Education (US DOE, 2009).
ID: 029050220; System requirements: World Wide Web browser and PDF reader.; Mode of access: World Wide Web.; Thesis (Ed.D.)--University of Central Florida, 2010.; Includes bibliographical references (p. 71-83).
Ed.D.
Doctorate
Department of Child, Family, and Community Sciences
Education

The purpose of this project was to develop computer-assisted instruction (CAI) software on the world wide web (WWW). This project was an interactive English learning environment for Thai adult students at the Warin Chumrab District Non-Formal Education Center, Thailand. This project software followed the recommendation of a recent study by the center of education technology (CET) indicating that the favorite types of CAI among Thai adult students were tutorial and drill and practice. In this project students chose to learn from two types of lessons, either a tutorial or a drill and practice. The lessons were made interesting by the use of music, animation, and Java applets. Internet tools, such as discussion boards, email, and related educational hyperlinks were easily accessible from within this project. The review group consisted of 20 Thai adult students. The review group responded to a web survey after they had used this project software. The surveyed students stated that the drill and practice exercises, the tutorial and the internet tools enhanced their learning of English.

Technological advancements in the recent past have provided new methods for learning to speak English as a second language (ESL). The majority of accent reduction training regimes nowadays involve the use of different media as teaching and learning cues such as video or audio signals. However, few such programs have been proven to actually provide efficient and useful feed back to ESL learners, and few offers evidence proving that such multisensory approach of accent reduction is superior to traditional unisensory (auditory-only) approach. The present study intended to design and assess the effectiveness and efficacy of a multisensory, acoustics-based accent reduction training system that is capable of training foreign speakers to correctly produce English vowels by providing instantaneous auditory and visual feedback to the users. The study also validated the system against traditional accent modification regimes by objectively comparing the efficacy of such system with traditional accent reduction training. Results indicate that multimedia-based training with instantaneous visual and auditory feedback yielded significant improvement in accent reduction.
published_or_final_version
Speech and Hearing Sciences
Master
Master of Philosophy

The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of normal instruction supplemented by the computer-assisted instruction English program Grammar Game on achievement and attitude scores of vocational-technical students in Thailand. The experimental design was a 2 x 2 factorial ANOVA design. One hundred seventy-eight students at the Lanna Polytechnical College in Thailand were randomly selected from the population of 10 classrooms. Four classes were intact groups, with two classes randomly assigned to the experimental groups which received Lecture/CAI and the other two as control groups which received Lecture. The 89 students in each group were divided into high- and low- ability, based on their previous English scores. Subjects received treatment for nine weeks. Pre-test and post-test instruments on achievement and attitude were administered to both groups. The Statistical Analysis System (SAS), and the General Linear Model (GLM) package computer program yielded the MANOVA results. Based on data analysis, the findings were as follows: (1) There was a significant difference between the students in a Lecture/CAI English program and the students in a Lecture English program when they were compared simultaneously on the achievement and attitude scores, F(l, 176) = 18.97, p < .05. (2) There was no significant interaction between the types of teaching methods and levels of ability when achievement was used as the dependent variable, F(l, 174) = .48, p > .05. (3) There was no significant interaction between the types of teaching methods and levels of ability when attitude was used as the dependent variable, F(l, 174) = .06, p > .05. The conclusion was that normal instruction supplemented by CAI improved achievement and attitude scores. On the other hand, the effect of two types of methods on achievement remained the same for high- and low-ability students and so did the effect of two types of methods on attitude. Future research should examine different CAI software packages, CAI within a full year, the effects of ability on achievement and attitude, background knowledge, more levels of independent variables, characteristics of an effective CAI program, and a case study with larger population in Thailand.

In Japan, English education in elementary schools is still in the process of innovation. The purpose of this project is to seek the most appropriate and effective way for elementary-level students to acquire listening skills in a computer-assisted language learning (CALL) environment.

This thesis presents an in-depth, qualitative study that examines how a group of English teachers’ pedagogical beliefs and various sociocultural and institutional factors affect their integration practices of CALL in a private university in China. An activity theory (AT) perspective is adopted as both the theoretical and analytical framework for the research. AT in essence postulates that human activities shape and are mediated both at the individual and social levels, with the mediational tools and artifacts that link the processes together. Four College English teachers in a private university (two part-time teachers and two full-time teachers) participated in this one-year study. Adopting a qualitative multi-case study approach, data were collected from semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, stimulated recall interviews and related documents and artifacts. A key finding is that the teachers each espoused unique, compatible and incompatible systems of pedagogical belief regarding English teaching and CALL. While commonalities among the teachers’ reported beliefs about English teaching and learning are noticeable, there are significant divergences existing among their beliefs with regard to CALL. In contrast with the divergences in the teachers’ reported beliefs, however, classroom observations reveal a very similar pattern in the teachers’ CALL integration: CALL was applied primarily as a tool of input to support their teacher-centered and linguistic-knowledge-oriented method of instruction. With activity theory as the analytical framework employed for interpreting the mechanisms that link the teachers’ integration of CALL, their cognition and the sociocultural settings, the research findings suggest strong contradictory relationships among the various elements in the teachers’ CALL-integration activity systems. The cross-case analysis (in terms of the identified object and contradictions in the teachers’ activity system in particular) suggests that, regardless of their expressed pedagogical beliefs, the teachers’ practices in CALL were also strongly affected by their situated concerns for learners and for meeting the institutional expectations that they act as “qualified teachers”. In addition, their practices in CALL were also evidently shaped by the institutional part-time and full-time personnel structure, a fact manifested in the teachers’ unsystematic teaching arrangements, their heavy workload and the lack of community communication and professional development. The long-established teaching and learning culture in the Chinese context also had a role to play. In such a context, teachers are considered the major source of knowledge imparted to students, while computers as a distraction from learning. The significance of this study is threefold. First, the findings provide a comprehensive understanding of why and how College English teachers in a private university setting in China integrated CALL in their instruction. The findings suggest the institution needs to direct its efforts in promoting change in teachers’ conceptual and pedagogical beliefs while integrating CALL, and to emphasize alignment among teachers’ belief systems, curriculum design, pedagogy, technology affordances and the learning context. Second, the research findings provide pedagogical and policy implications for CALL integration in higher education in China. In addition, the findings may facilitate the development of teacher preparation and development programs in the area of educational technology in language education in higher learning institutes in China.
published_or_final_version
Education
Doctoral
Doctor of Philosophy

Thesis (MPhil (Modern Foreign Languages))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005.
In this thesis, I pinpoint the challenge of character learning as my research problem, which is the subsequent motivation to explain the background and rationale of my research. I also discuss the theoretical concepts of Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) in relation to cognitive psychology, the constructivist learning theory and Second Language Acquisition theories. This leads to the presentation of my considerations regarding design principles, strategic approach and other relevant decisions. The multimedia project I designed, named the “Chinese Character Challenger”, a “supplementary courseware for assisting students learning characters”, is an informational and educational-oriented website. It provides learners with the necessary knowledge, hints, tips and sources to cope with their specific learning problems and to achieve their learning potential. It also introduces external resources of learning if learners need further research. The purpose of the website is to assist, to motivate and to further guide students’ learning. To conclude, I have discussed some open issues with regards to adding value in the learning environment.

This study explores the application of computer-mediated communication (CMC) in an English for Civil Engineering (ECE) learning setting. The aim is to examine the interactional opportunities present in the computer-mediated environment for evidence of conditions deemed facilitative of second language acquisition, based on the tenets prescribed by the Interaction Hypothesis. This theory emphasizes the importance of interaction in language learning and the necessity for learners to have access to meaningful and comprehensible input. It is based on the premise that acquisition will occur through interaction where learners arc provided opportunities to negotiate meaning in order to develop mutual understanding. In tum, this allows for hypothesis testing related to learners' developing interlanguage systems. It also provides opportunities for learners to produce comprehensible output and have access to feedback related to their attempts. All these are regarded as crucial for language acquisition. Most of the studies on interaction work reported in the literature are related to oral interaction. Nevertheless, studies on the use of CMC have reported that this medium can promote meaningful interaction that can foster interlanguage development through meaning negotiation and focus on form. The participants in this study consist of one English language teacher and a group of seventy-three students. The task employed for this study is based on one of the requirements of the ECE program, specifically for the students to engage in a discussion forum on current and relevant social, economic and environmental issues related to the civil engineering field and profession. For a more in-depth and thorough understanding of the entire perspective in the application of CMC in this ECE setting, both qualitative and quantitative procedures are adopted for the purpose of data analysis. The analysis of interactional exchanges reveals that this on-line platform serves as a suitable context and a conducive environment for interlanguage development. Both student-to-teacher and student-to-student interactional exchanges provide evidence of opportunities for modified input, feedback and modified output. The interview responses also provide important insights into the subjective dimension of learning in terms of students' overall opinion and perception of the on-line interactional exchange.

The purpose of this study is to compare Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) grammar instruction with traditional classroom teacher-directed grammar instruction for post-secondary English as a Second Language (ESL) students enrolled in an Intensive English Program (IEP). Students' achievement was measured by their performance on the three measures (multiple-choice, cloze/fill-in-the-blank, and open-ended tests) of passive grammatical forms. This study gathered quantitative data on students' performance on the three measures for both teacher-directed and CALL instruction groups as well as qualitative data with respect to CALL participants' perception of the Azar Interactive online grammar instruction program. Results of the mixed design repeated measures factorial MANOVA (multivariate analysis of variance) showed that there was no statistically significant difference in acquisition of the passive grammatical forms for ESL students taught in a conventional classroom setting as compared to those taught solely by CALL. However, there was a statistically significant increase in scores on the open-ended tests for Level 4, the most advanced students at the IEP from pretest to delayed test as well as from posttest to delayed test. Students' level of proficiency affected the amount of increase in their scores over time regardless of the method of instruction. This study has offered a research-based indication that CALL instruction was as effective as traditional classroom teacher-directed instruction for teaching grammar to students of different levels of English proficiency. Recommendations for future research have also been discussed.
ID: 030422720; System requirements: World Wide Web browser and PDF reader.; Mode of access: World Wide Web.; Thesis (Ed.D.)--University of Central Florida, 2011.; Includes bibliographical references (p. 176-187).
Ed.D.
Doctorate
Teaching, Learning and Leadership
Education and Human Performance
Curriculum and Instruction

This project addresses the needs of the adult learner. The adult learner referred to in; this project comes from two distinguishable groups. One group of adult learners consists of the ESL students who attend adult school or community-based English programs. The other group of adult learners consists of the teachers within adult education ESL programs who themselves are students as they participate in professional development workshops.

Computer technology has been introduced into the field of language education for more than three decades. However, how individual learners interact with language learning multimedia programmes in different ways is not yet understood. A possible explanation is related to the learners� variables. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of cognitive style, one of these variables, on the language learning process. The participants of this study were a group of ESL university students from Malaysia, who interacted with a language instruction CD-ROM. This study focuses on investigating the interaction process from the students� perspective. Riding�s Cognitive Style Analysis, a computer software that measures individual�s cognitive style, was used to assist in identifying and categorizing students� cognitive style. Thirty students� cognitive style was measured before each student spent an average of three hours interacting with a language instruction CD-ROM. This study adopts the case study approach. The primary method of collecting data involved semi-structured interviews with students that focused on their experiences and preferences while interacting with language instruction CD-ROM. Factors that affected the interaction process were then examined to detect whether they were linked to the differences of students� cognitive orientation. The findings of this study reflect the mixed results that previous researchers have found regarding the effect of cognitive style on students� language learning experiences. Although responses toward the content, graphics and vocabulary items did partially reflect their cognitive orientation, cognitive style was not the only factor that influenced these students� behaviours or preferences as they interacted with the language instruction CD-ROM. The study found factors that were not linked to the students� cognitive styles, yet these also influenced the interaction process. These non-cognitive-style factors consisted of students� language learning motivation, social presence, and their conception of language learning and cultural influence, which resulted in teacher-centeredness. As a result of these findings, theoretical, research and pedagogical implications are discussed. Recommendations and limitations of the study are also presented.

This thesis examines the use of electronic dictionaries by ESL students. In particular, it considers how, when and why students use electronic dictionaries in their writing processes. It also explores the extent to which students use words found in an electronic dictionary appropriately in their texts and whether electronic dictionary use influences their long-term acquisition of vocabulary.

The purpose of this project is to develop computer-assisted language learning (CALL) lesson plans using the Internet and to offer an example for academic senior high school teachers in South Korea of exemplary treatment of cultural topics that promote critical thinking and incorporate crosscultural understanding based on cooperative learning.

The purpose of the "In Time On Time TESOL" website for Teachers of English to Students of Other Languages (TESOL) is to provide adult-education teachers online access to classroom managing techniques, teaching and learning strategies, and online resources based on constructivism and adult-learning theory. The instructional design and navigation structure is based on Random Access Instruction (RAI) and hypertext theory.

English has been taught as a foreign language for over a century, and plays an important role at all levels of the Thai education system. At higher education levels, English skills are essential components of every pre-service teacher's professional education. In order to maximise opportunities for future teachers to develop their English skills, the teaching and learning of these skills has blended with the utilisation of ICT in many developed and developing countries. The research and the experiences of practitioners suggest that this new educational environment can benefit learning outcomes. This portfolio aimed to support the uptake and improvement of ICT and English in Thailand by exploring English as Foreign Language educational strategies for the Rajabhat Universities in particular and other universities' EFL strategies for pre-service teachers' professional education. This portfolio investigated the role of EFL courses and developed a computer-supported EFL course as a new learning model for EFL curricula and practice. The context is the development of pre-service teachers' professional knowledge and skills in English in Rajabhat Universities in Thailand. To do this, the portfolio firstly examined the existing literature on the history and nature of Thai education, along with the nature and implementation of ICT. The historical and current context of EFL education and training for EFL pre-service teachers in ICT use are examined. A small-scale investigation explored the extent to which the computer-supported EFL training course supports English proficiency. This investigation aimed to identify potential impact on EFL learning of teaching strategies, students' language learning strategies, and attitudes towards learning through computers. Results from the multi-method approach showed that the computer-support EFL training course enhances English learning prepositions. If students with little or no prior experience in multimedia software are able to demonstrate significant improvement in language skills, then it could be expected that such an approach might be viewed as a viable alternative pedagogical approach. The workplace experiences and the engagement of students in such environment and the perspectives of EFL teachers and administrators all support the proposition that interactive multimedia activities which integrate language skills and multi-tasking result in increased motivation to learn and improve learning. This outcome highlights the possible contribution of ICT use in EFL classroom teaching and learning. Teaching and learning strategies and processes coupled with the findings from this portfolio will provide guidance for staff to integrate the ICT in EFL teaching and learning situations, but also to voice and serve the teachers and students' needs in the future development of ICT use in EFL education. English has been taught as a foreign language for over a century, and plays an important role at all levels of the Thai education system. At higher education levels, English skills are essential components of every pre-service teacher's professional education. In order to maximise opportunities for future teachers to develop their English skills, the teaching and learning of these skills has blended with the utilisation of ICT in many developed and developing countries. The research and the experiences of practitioners suggest that this new educational environment can benefit learning outcomes. This portfolio aimed to support the uptake and improvement of ICT and English in Thailand by exploring English as Foreign Language educational strategies for the Rajabhat Universities in particular and other universities' EFL strategies for pre-service teachers' professional education. This portfolio investigated the role of EFL courses and developed a computer-supported EFL course as a new learning model for EFL curricula and practice. The context is the development of pre-service teachers' professional knowledge and skills in English in Rajabhat Universities in Thailand. To do this, the portfolio firstly examined the existing literature on the history and nature of Thai education, along with the nature and implementation of ICT. The historical and current context of EFL education and training for EFL pre-service teachers in ICT use are examined. A small-scale investigation explored the extent to which the computer-supported EFL training course supports English proficiency. This investigation aimed to identify potential impact on EFL learning of teaching strategies, students' language learning strategies, and attitudes towards learning through computers. Results from the multi-method approach showed that the computer-support EFL training course enhances English learning prepositions. If students with little or no prior experience in multimedia software are able to demonstrate significant improvement in language skills, then it could be expected that such an approach might be viewed as a viable alternative pedagogical approach. The workplace experiences and the engagement of students in such environment and the perspectives of EFL teachers and administrators all support the proposition that interactive multimedia activities which integrate language skills and multi-tasking result in increased motivation to learn and improve learning. This outcome highlights the possible contribution of ICT use in EFL classroom teaching and learning. Teaching and learning strategies and processes coupled with the findings from this portfolio will provide guidance for staff to integrate the ICT in EFL teaching and learning situations, but also to voice and serve the teachers and students' needs in the future development of ICT use in EFL education. English has been taught as a foreign language for over a century, and plays an important role at all levels of the Thai education system. At higher education levels, English skills are essential components of every pre-service teacher's professional education. In order to maximise opportunities for future teachers to develop their English skills, the teaching and learning of these skills has blended with the utilisation of ICT in many developed and developing countries. The research and the experiences of practitioners suggest that this new educational environment can benefit learning outcomes. This portfolio aimed to support the uptake and improvement of ICT and English in Thailand by exploring English as Foreign Language educational strategies for the Rajabhat Universities in particular and other universities' EFL strategies for pre-service teachers' professional education. This portfolio investigated the role of EFL courses and developed a computer-supported EFL course as a new learning model for EFL curricula and practice. The context is the development of pre-service teachers' professional knowledge and skills in English in Rajabhat Universities in Thailand. To do this, the portfolio firstly examined the existing literature on the history and nature of Thai education, along with the nature and implementation of ICT. The historical and current context of EFL education and training for EFL pre-service teachers in ICT use are examined. A small-scale investigation explored the extent to which the computer-supported EFL training course supports English proficiency. This investigation aimed to identify potential impact on EFL learning of teaching strategies, students' language learning strategies, and attitudes towards learning through computers. Results from the multi-method approach showed that the computer-support EFL training course enhances English learning prepositions. If students with little or no prior experience in multimedia software are able to demonstrate significant improvement in language skills, then it could be expected that such an approach might be viewed as a viable alternative pedagogical approach. The workplace experiences and the engagement of students in such environment and the perspectives of EFL teachers and administrators all support the proposition that interactive multimedia activities which integrate language skills and multi-tasking result in increased motivation to learn and improve learning. This outcome highlights the possible contribution of ICT use in EFL classroom teaching and learning. Teaching and learning strategies and processes coupled with the findings from this portfolio will provide guidance for staff to integrate the ICT in EFL teaching and learning situations, but also to voice and serve the teachers and students' needs in the future development of ICT use in EFL education. English has been taught as a foreign language for over a century, and plays an important role at all levels of the Thai education system. At higher education levels, English skills are essential components of every pre-service teacher's professional education. In order to maximise opportunities for future teachers to develop their English skills, the teaching and learning of these skills has blended with the utilisation of ICT in many developed and developing countries. The research and the experiences of practitioners suggest that this new educational environment can benefit learning outcomes. This portfolio aimed to support the uptake and improvement of ICT and English in Thailand by exploring English as Foreign Language educational strategies for the Rajabhat Universities in particular and other universities' EFL strategies for pre-service teachers' professional education. This portfolio investigated the role of EFL courses and developed a computer-supported EFL course as a new learning model for EFL curricula and practice. The context is the development of pre-service teachers' professional knowledge and skills in English in Rajabhat Universities in Thailand. To do this, the portfolio firstly examined the existing literature on the history and nature of Thai education, along with the nature and implementation of ICT. The historical and current context of EFL education and training for EFL pre-service teachers in ICT use are examined. A small-scale investigation explored the extent to which the computer-supported EFL training course supports English proficiency. This investigation aimed to identify potential impact on EFL learning of teaching strategies, students' language learning strategies, and attitudes towards learning through computers. Results from the multi-method approach showed that the computer-support EFL training course enhances English learning prepositions. If students with little or no prior experience in multimedia software are able to demonstrate significant improvement in language skills, then it could be expected that such an approach might be viewed as a viable alternative pedagogical approach. The workplace experiences and the engagement of students in such environment and the perspectives of EFL teachers and administrators all support the proposition that interactive multimedia activities which integrate language skills and multi-tasking result in increased motivation to learn and improve learning. This outcome highlights the possible contribution of ICT use in EFL classroom teaching and learning. Teaching and learning strategies and processes coupled with the findings from this portfolio will provide guidance for staff to integrate the ICT in EFL teaching and learning situations, but also to voice and serve the teachers and students' needs in the future development of ICT use in EFL education. English has been taught as a foreign language for over a century, and plays an important role at all levels of the Thai education system. At higher education levels, English skills are essential components of every pre-service teacher's professional education. In order to maximise opportunities for future teachers to develop their English skills, the teaching and learning of these skills has blended with the utilisation of ICT in many developed and developing countries. The research and the experiences of practitioners suggest that this new educational environment can benefit learning outcomes. This portfolio aimed to support the uptake and improvement of ICT and English in Thailand by exploring English as Foreign Language educational strategies for the Rajabhat Universities in particular and other universities' EFL strategies for pre-service teachers' professional education. This portfolio investigated the role of EFL courses and developed a computer-supported EFL course as a new learning model for EFL curricula and practice. The context is the development of pre-service teachers' professional knowledge and skills in English in Rajabhat Universities in Thailand. To do this, the portfolio firstly examined the existing literature on the history and nature of Thai education, along with the nature and implementation of ICT. The historical and current context of EFL education and training for EFL pre-service teachers in ICT use are examined. A small-scale investigation explored the extent to which the computer-supported EFL training course supports English proficiency. This investigation aimed to identify potential impact on EFL learning of teaching strategies, students' language learning strategies, and attitudes towards learning through computers. Results from the multi-method approach showed that the computer-support EFL training course enhances English learning prepositions. If students with little or no prior experience in multimedia software are able to demonstrate significant improvement in language skills, then it could be expected that such an approach might be viewed as a viable alternative pedagogical approach. The workplace experiences and the engagement of students in such environment and the perspectives of EFL teachers and administrators all support the proposition that interactive multimedia activities which integrate language skills and multi-tasking result in increased motivation to learn and improve learning. This outcome highlights the possible contribution of ICT use in EFL classroom teaching and learning. Teaching and learning strategies and processes coupled with the findings from this portfolio will provide guidance for staff to integrate the ICT in EFL teaching and learning situations, but also to voice and serve the teachers and students' needs in the future development of ICT use in EFL education. English has been taught as a foreign language for over a century, and plays an important role at all levels of the Thai education system. At higher education levels, English skills are essential components of every pre-service teacher's professional education. In order to maximise opportunities for future teachers to develop their English skills, the teaching and learning of these skills has blended with the utilisation of ICT in many developed and developing countries. The research and the experiences of practitioners suggest that this new educational environment can benefit learning outcomes. This portfolio aimed to support the uptake and improvement of ICT and English in Thailand by exploring English as Foreign Language educational strategies for the Rajabhat Universities in particular and other universities' EFL strategies for pre-service teachers' professional education. This portfolio investigated the role of EFL courses and developed a computer-supported EFL course as a new learning model for EFL curricula and practice. The context is the development of pre-service teachers' professional knowledge and skills in English in Rajabhat Universities in Thailand. To do this, the portfolio firstly examined the existing literature on the history and nature of Thai education, along with the nature and implementation of ICT. The historical and current context of EFL education and training for EFL pre-service teachers in ICT use are examined. A small-scale investigation explored the extent to which the computer-supported EFL training course supports English proficiency. This investigation aimed to identify potential impact on EFL learning of teaching strategies, students' language learning strategies, and attitudes towards learning through computers. Results from the multi-method approach showed that the computer-support EFL training course enhances English learning prepositions. If students with little or no prior experience in multimedia software are able to demonstrate significant improvement in language skills, then it could be expected that such an approach might be viewed as a viable alternative pedagogical approach. The workplace experiences and the engagement of students in such environment and the perspectives of EFL teachers and administrators all support the proposition that interactive multimedia activities which integrate language skills and multi-tasking result in increased motivation to learn and improve learning. This outcome highlights the possible contribution of ICT use in EFL classroom teaching and learning. Teaching and learning strategies and processes coupled with the findings from this portfolio will provide guidance for staff to integrate the ICT in EFL teaching and learning situations, but also to voice and serve the teachers and students' needs in the future development of ICT use in EFL education. English has been taught as a foreign language for over a century, and plays an important role at all levels of the Thai education system. At higher education levels, English skills are essential components of every pre-service teacher's professional education. In order to maximise opportunities for future teachers to develop their English skills, the teaching and learning of these skills has blended with the utilisation of ICT in many developed and developing countries. The research and the experiences of practitioners suggest that this new educational environment can benefit learning outcomes. This portfolio aimed to support the uptake and improvement of ICT and English in Thailand by exploring English as Foreign Language educational strategies for the Rajabhat Universities in particular and other universities' EFL strategies for pre-service teachers' professional education. This portfolio investigated the role of EFL courses and developed a computer-supported EFL course as a new learning model for EFL curricula and practice. The context is the development of pre-service teachers' professional knowledge and skills in English in Rajabhat Universities in Thailand. To do this, the portfolio firstly examined the existing literature on the history and nature of Thai education, along with the nature and implementation of ICT. The historical and current context of EFL education and training for EFL pre-service teachers in ICT use are examined. A small-scale investigation explored the extent to which the computer-supported EFL training course supports English proficiency. This investigation aimed to identify potential impact on EFL learning of teaching strategies, students' language learning strategies, and attitudes towards learning through computers. Results from the multi-method approach showed that the computer-support EFL training course enhances English learning prepositions. If students with little or no prior experience in multimedia software are able to demonstrate significant improvement in language skills, then it could be expected that such an approach might be viewed as a viable alternative pedagogical approach. The workplace experiences and the engagement of students in such environment and the perspectives of EFL teachers and administrators all support the proposition that interactive multimedia activities which integrate language skills and multi-tasking result in increased motivation to learn and improve learning. This outcome highlights the possible contribution of ICT use in EFL classroom teaching and learning. Teaching and learning strategies and processes coupled with the findings from this portfolio will provide guidance for staff to integrate the ICT in EFL teaching and learning situations, but also to voice and serve the teachers and students' needs in the future development of ICT use in EFL education. English has been taught as a foreign language for over a century, and plays an important role at all levels of the Thai education system. At higher education levels, English skills are essential components of every pre-service teacher's professional education. In order to maximise opportunities for future teachers to develop their English skills, the teaching and learning of these skills has blended with the utilisation of ICT in many developed and developing countries. The research and the experiences of practitioners suggest that this new educational environment can benefit learning outcomes. This portfolio aimed to support the uptake and improvement of ICT and English in Thailand by exploring English as Foreign Language educational strategies for the Rajabhat Universities in particular and other universities' EFL strategies for pre-service teachers' professional education. This portfolio investigated the role of EFL courses and developed a computer-supported EFL course as a new learning model for EFL curricula and practice. The context is the development of pre-service teachers' professional knowledge and skills in English in Rajabhat Universities in Thailand. To do this, the portfolio firstly examined the existing literature on the history and nature of Thai education, along with the nature and implementation of ICT. The historical and current context of EFL education and training for EFL pre-service teachers in ICT use are examined. A small-scale investigation explored the extent to which the computer-supported EFL training course supports English proficiency. This investigation aimed to identify potential impact on EFL learning of teaching strategies, students' language learning strategies, and attitudes towards learning through computers. Results from the multi-method approach showed that the computer-support EFL training course enhances English learning prepositions. If students with little or no prior experience in multimedia software are able to demonstrate significant improvement in language skills, then it could be expected that such an approach might be viewed as a viable alternative pedagogical approach. The workplace experiences and the engagement of students in such environment and the perspectives of EFL teachers and administrators all support the proposition that interactive multimedia activities which integrate language skills and multi-tasking result in increased motivation to learn and improve learning. This outcome highlights the possible contribution of ICT use in EFL classroom teaching and learning. Teaching and learning strategies and processes coupled with the findings from this portfolio will provide guidance for staff to integrate the ICT in EFL teaching and learning situations, but also to voice and serve the teachers and students' needs in the future development of ICT use in EFL education. English has been taught as a foreign language for over a century, and plays an important role at all levels of the Thai education system. At higher education levels, English skills are essential components of every pre-service teacher's professional education. In order to maximise opportunities for future teachers to develop their English skills, the teaching and learning of these skills has blended with the utilisation of ICT in many developed and developing countries. The research and the experiences of practitioners suggest that this new educational environment can benefit learning outcomes. This portfolio aimed to support the uptake and improvement of ICT and English in Thailand by exploring English as Foreign Language educational strategies for the Rajabhat Universities in particular and other universities' EFL strategies for pre-service teachers' professional education. This portfolio investigated the role of EFL courses and developed a computer-supported EFL course as a new learning model for EFL curricula and practice. The context is the development of pre-service teachers' professional knowledge and skills in English in Rajabhat Universities in Thailand. To do this, the portfolio firstly examined the existing literature on the history and nature of Thai education, along with the nature and implementation of ICT. The historical and current context of EFL education and training for EFL pre-service teachers in ICT use are examined. A small-scale investigation explored the extent to which the computer-supported EFL training course supports English proficiency. This investigation aimed to identify potential impact on EFL learning of teaching strategies, students' language learning strategies, and attitudes towards learning through computers. Results from the multi-method approach showed that the computer-support EFL training course enhances English learning prepositions. If students with little or no prior experience in multimedia software are able to demonstrate significant improvement in language skills, then it could be expected that such an approach might be viewed as a viable alternative pedagogical approach. The workplace experiences and the engagement of students in such environment and the perspectives of EFL teachers and administrators all support the proposition that interactive multimedia activities which integrate language skills and multi-tasking result in increased motivation to learn and improve learning. This outcome highlights the possible contribution of ICT use in EFL classroom teaching and learning. Teaching and learning strategies and processes coupled with the findings from this portfolio will provide guidance for staff to integrate the ICT in EFL teaching and learning situations, but also to voice and serve the teachers and students' needs in the future development of ICT use in EFL education. English has been taught as a foreign language for over a century, and plays an important role at all levels of the Thai education system. At higher education levels, English skills are essential components of every pre-service teacher's professional education. In order to maximise opportunities for future teachers to develop their English skills, the teaching and learning of these skills has blended with the utilisation of ICT in many developed and developing countries. The research and the experiences of practitioners suggest that this new educational environment can benefit learning outcomes. This portfolio aimed to support the uptake and improvement of ICT and English in Thailand by exploring English as Foreign Language educational strategies for the Rajabhat Universities in particular and other universities' EFL strategies for pre-service teachers' professional education. This portfolio investigated the role of EFL courses and developed a computer-supported EFL course as a new learning model for EFL curricula and practice. The context is the development of pre-service teachers' professional knowledge and skills in English in Rajabhat Universities in Thailand. To do this, the portfolio firstly examined the existing literature on the history and nature of Thai education, along with the nature and implementation of ICT. The historical and current context of EFL education and training for EFL pre-service teachers in ICT use are examined. A small-scale investigation explored the extent to which the computer-supported EFL training course supports English proficiency. This investigation aimed to identify potential impact on EFL learning of teaching strategies, students' language learning strategies, and attitudes towards learning through computers. Results from the multi-method approach showed that the computer-support EFL training course enhances English learning prepositions. If students with little or no prior experience in multimedia software are able to demonstrate significant improvement in language skills, then it could be expected that such an approach might be viewed as a viable alternative pedagogical approach. The workplace experiences and the engagement of students in such environment and the perspectives of EFL teachers and administrators all support the proposition that interactive multimedia activities which integrate language skills and multi-tasking result in increased motivation to learn and improve learning. This outcome highlights the possible contribution of ICT use in EFL classroom teaching and learning. Teaching and learning strategies and processes coupled with the findings from this portfolio will provide guidance for staff to integrate the ICT in EFL teaching and learning situations, but also to voice and serve the teachers and students' needs in the future development of ICT use in EFL education. English has been taught as a foreign language for over a century, and plays an important role at all levels of the Thai education system. At higher education levels, English skills are essential components of every pre-service teacher's professional education. In order to maximise opportunities for future teachers to develop their English skills, the teaching and learning of these skills has blended with the utilisation of ICT in many developed and developing countries. The research and the experiences of practitioners suggest that this new educational environment can benefit learning outcomes. This portfolio aimed to support the uptake and improvement of ICT and English in Thailand by exploring English as Foreign Language educational strategies for the Rajabhat Universities in particular and other universities' EFL strategies for pre-service teachers' professional education. This portfolio investigated the role of EFL courses and developed a computer-supported EFL course as a new learning model for EFL curricula and practice. The context is the development of pre-service teachers' professional knowledge and skills in English in Rajabhat Universities in Thailand. To do this, the portfolio firstly examined the existing literature on the history and nature of Thai education, along with the nature and implementation of ICT. The historical and current context of EFL education and training for EFL pre-service teachers in ICT use are examined. A small-scale investigation explored the extent to which the computer-supported EFL training course supports English proficiency. This investigation aimed to identify potential impact on EFL learning of teaching strategies, students' language learning strategies, and attitudes towards learning through computers. Results from the multi-method approach showed that the computer-support EFL training course enhances English learning prepositions. If students with little or no prior experience in multimedia software are able to demonstrate significant improvement in language skills, then it could be expected that such an approach might be viewed as a viable alternative pedagogical approach. The workplace experiences and the engagement of students in such environment and the perspectives of EFL teachers and administrators all support the proposition that interactive multimedia activities which integrate language skills and multi-tasking result in increased motivation to learn and improve learning. This outcome highlights the possible contribution of ICT use in EFL classroom teaching and learning. Teaching and learning strategies and processes coupled with the findings from this portfolio will provide guidance for staff to integrate the ICT in EFL teaching and learning situations, but also to voice and serve the teachers and students' needs in the future development of ICT use in EFL education.

The focus of this study was on the effect of word processing on the quality of the composing process, product, and attitudes of adult academic ESL writers. Twenty adult ESL students, comprising an ‘intact’ EAP (English for Academic Purposes) group, completed a number of written assignments as part of their ESL unit, using either word processing or conventional ‘pen and paper’ composition methods. Their handwritten and word processed work was analysed and compared through the use of an holistic/analytic scale of writing quality. In addition to this analysis of the ‘finished product’, texts were analysed in terms of the frequency, nature and extent of revisions made within the composition process. Statistical analysis of the writing quality and revision data – as well as audio-taped verbal protocols from selected subjects, interviews, and observational notes, were used to determine the effect (s) of word processing on the composing process, product and attitudes of these subjects. The data indicate that word processing does improve writing quality – and that it also influences revising behaviours and subject attitudes towards writing. There does not appear, for these subjects, to have been any significant correlation between revision and writing quality.

The purpose of this curriculum project is to provide an approach to enrich the process of teaching and learning. This project uses psychological tools to stimulate students' multiple intelligences and to encourage students to know how to manage their learning, so that learning English will no longer be boring; instead it will be creative and practical.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis explores the effect on learning Chinese characters for learners of Chinese as foreign language through implementing the unique properties of the Chinese script in a prototype spaced repetition system. Both Chinese radicals and the spacing effect have the potential to positively influence the recall ability of students in learning Chinese characters, however the interaction between the spacing effect and Chinese radicals in spaced repetition system, such as Anki and Mnemosyne, had not been tested. An experimental spaced repetition system prototype was designed and developed to investigate these interactions. Two groups of students learning Chinese as a foreign language at the University of Stellenbosch studied the same list of Chinese characters in which there were both massed and spaced characters present. One group had additional information on Chinese radicals on the flashcard. The students were given an immediate post-test to test their recall of the meaning and pronunciation of the Chinese characters. The results showed a positive trend for the spacing effect in which students had higher scores for spaced characters, but the recall ability between the two groups of students did not change regardless of whether there was information on Chinese radicals or not. The results were surprising considering the potential positive impact of Chinese radicals on recall. The thesis concludes that the presentation of information on Chinese radicals in a spaced repetition system does not necessarily improve the recall ability of the students. The impact of explicit instruction on the role of Chinese radicals in Chinese characters and the ability of the student to apply this knowledge should be considered for future research.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die huidige tesis ondersoek die leer van Chinese karakters deur leerders van Chinees as ‘n vreemde taal deur die unieke eienskappe van die Chinese skrif in ‘n prototipe gespasieërde herhalings sisteem te implementeer. Beide Chinese radikale en die spasiërings effek kan potensieël 'n positiewe invloed hê in die vermoë van studente om Chinese karakters te onthou, maar die interaksie tussen die spasiërings effek en Chinese radikale in gespasieërde herhalings sisteme, soos Anki en Mnemosyne, was tot dusver onbekend. ‘n Eksperimentele gespasieërde herhalings sisteem prototipe was geskep om hierdie interaksie te ondersoek. Twee groepe studente van Chinees as vreemde taal by die Universiteit van Stellenbosch het dieselfde lys karakters gestudeer, waaronder gespasieërde en nie-gespasieërde karakters tuis was. Die twee groepe het verskil deurdat een groep ekstra informasie oor Chinese radikale gehad het op die voorkant van 'n flitskaart. Die studente het dadelik daarna ‘n toets ontvang waar hul die betekenis en uitspraak van die Chinese karakters moes onthou. Die resultate het ‘n positiewe neiging getoon vir die spasiërings effek waar studente hoër punte ontvang het vir gespasieërde karakters, maar die vermoë om die karakters te onthou het nie verskil tussen die twee groepe nie. Die resultate was ‘n verassing juis omdat daar ‘n potensieël positiewe invloed kan onstaan deur die impak van Chinese radikale. Die tesis het gevind dat slegs om informasie oor Chinese radikale te wys in ‘n gespasieërde herhalings sisteem nie noodwendig die vermoë van die student om Chinese karakters te onthou verbeter nie. Die impak van eksplisiete instruksie oor die rol wat Chinese radikale in Chinese karakters speel en die vermoë van die student om hierdie kennis toe te pas hoort verder ondersoek te word.

In this inquiry, I use ethnographic research methods to uncover the tensions that a selected group of military officers and students from Central and Eastern Europe and Asia experienced learning English in Canada and in Europe. In both settings, I use a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach to the inquiry to critically explore with the participants their experiences using computers for second language learning. We negotiate changes to their current perceptions of computer-assisted language learning (CALL) through the use of computer-mediated communication (CMC). This communication involved writing-based exchanges at the Canadian site and using state-of-the-art audio video transferring technology, in a multi-site videoconferencing setting with Europe. The study took place between 2001 and 2004. During the four phases of the study, I collected data through observations of online interchanges, collaborative dialogic interviews and participants' written texts in the form of journals and e-mails. Other important data sources included videotapes and field notes taken at the Canadian site and during three field trips to the European sites. I draw on Vygotsky's socio-cultural approach to language, Bakhtin's concept of learning as dialogic and Weedon's notion of identity as dynamic, constructed and contested through Discourses. The work of these three theorists helps to frame my understanding of the historical, political, cultural, pedagogical and personal influences on this multicultural group of English language learners as they negotiated their learning in a unique setting. The participants' stories suggest that video-based computer technology not only supported some of their investment in using their second language orally but also enabled them to construct more powerful subjectivities. The identity construction that took place in English online is an important consideration for these individuals from evolving democracies that are struggling for international connection and recognition. I argue that more stories need to be told so that SL researchers can re-examine their understanding and theories of language learning and communicative practices to include computer technology. I suggest that stories such as these also have important implications for learners, educators and policy makers as they consider their teaching and learning practices with computers in their second language learning contexts.

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2006.
CD-ROM inside back cover. Title of CD-ROM: Ausländerfeindlichkeit in Deutschland : ein interaktives Leseprogramm für den fortgeschrittenen DAF-Unterricht. On title page: Master of Philosophy (Hypermedia for Language Learning). Bibliography. Also available via the Internet.

Tourism plays a. major role in the economy of Thailand and the service sector has been oriented to the provision of services for international tourists, many of whom are native or non-native speakers of English. The Royal Thai Police have a Tourist Police Division (TPD) whose officers assist tourists in various ways, and English is a dominant means of communication in this role. However, the English language competency of the officers is often insufficient for their task. Enhancing effective communication between Tourist Police (TP) officers and foreign tourists is, therefore, an important goal of the TPD. It has endeavoured to do this by implementing e-learning English courses for its personnel. This portfolio aims to examine these courses and the needs of the Tourist Police. Recommendations and suggestions are made about how an English training course should be designed to meet the TP's needs for professional development. The problems of English communication faced by the TP officers with foreign tourists are examined, including the e-learning English course used. Documentary inquiry and small scale investigations were conducted to accomplish this. The TP officers' English competency was examined to elicit their responses to English communication, whilst the perceptions of foreign tourists were also explored to obtain their views towards the officers' competency in English. The current e-learning English course the TP officers undergo as part of their professional development was examined in terms of pedagogy, interface design and course content. The findings revealed that the TP officers found speaking and listening skills to be the most problematic aspect of communicating with foreigners in English. The foreign tourists perceived the TP officers used English comprehensibly, even though some barriers in communication were found in terms of pronunciation, grammatical misuse, and inadequate vocabulary. The issues identified from the e-learning analysis include technology literacy and access limitations, the quality of the e-learning course, the pedagogy and learning style used, and some affective factors. Guidelines and recommendations were developed to guide future research and development as well as TP administrators and the course providers so that they might be better guided in the successful development of future English language e-learning courseware.

Computer technology has been used in education for years, and the government budgets large amounts of money to foster technology. However, it is still a debated whether computer technology makes a difference in students' learning outcomes. The purpose of this study is to find if any relationship exists between computer use by teachers and students and the students' academic achievement in math and reading for both traditional populations and English language learner (ELL) tenth graders. Computer use in this study included the computer activities by students and teachers, in terms of the time, frequency, activities types, the places students use computers, teachers' computer activities, and the training teachers received. This study used data gathered from tenth grade students from the dataset Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS:2002) of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Fifteen thousand, three hundred and sixty-two students were randomly selected to represent all U.S. tenth-graders attending schools in 2002. The findings showed diverse relationships consistent with the literature. Based on the findings, some suggestions were made to teachers and parents about the quality of school work and computer use by students and teachers.

The aim of this study was to investigate the communicative orientation of classroom interaction in Japanese language lessons that are conducted in the virtual environment of synchronous (real-time) telematics. Specifically, the study examined Japanese telematics classrooms in upper primary and junior secondary schools in Western Australia. This study focused on whether the interaction in the classes studied, evident in the virtual learning mode of telematics was facilitative of second language (L2) acquisition. The form of telematics used in this study was synchronous communication between teacher and students using telephone and computer links, sometimes also referred to as "audiographics". Telematics may also include the use of other communication technologies, such as live interactive television (LIT) however this was not available to all sites in the current study so it was not investigated. The aim of this study is articulated through the research questions: 1. What is the nature of the communicative orientation in upper primary and junior secondary Japanese language classrooms in telematics mode? 2. ls the interaction observed in Japanese language telematics classrooms of the type that promotes L2 acquisition? The first question seeks to identify the relative emphasis placed on interaction and form-focused interaction in the telematics classroom context. The second question identifies whether the features of interaction that SLA researchers suggest promote L2 acquisition are evident in the telematics context. This study uses the term interaction to refer to the type of human-human communicative interaction occurring in L2 telematics classes via the computer/technology that is facilitated by a number of key communicative features of interaction drawn from the second language acquisition (SLA) research. Interactivity on the other hand is used to refer to the human-computer engagement which is technologically facilitated. Subjects in the study were three telematics teachers, with distributed classes across several student receival sites. The study examined descriptive process data collected from Japanese telematics classes in Western Australia via audio and video recordings. The study engaged in a descriptive inquiry using Classroom-Centred Research (CCR) methodology. CCR as a methodology provides evidence about the nature and influence of language instruction and classroom interaction have on L2 acquisition. This study used multi-methods of data collection via four stages: teacher questionnaire, classroom observations of interactions, teacher focus group discussion and follow-up interviews conducted later in the study to confirm the findings. The major analytical tool used was the current version of the Communicative Orientation of Language Teaching (COLT) Observation (1995). The use of this scheme stems from its ability to bring together all of the communicative variables to capture features deemed theoretically and empirically relevant to the L2 classroom. The COLT Observation Scheme also provides a framework for comparing features of discourse in classrooms with features of natural language acquisition considered to be facilitative of L2 acquisition. In this way the extent to which an instructional treatment may be characterised as communicatively orientated can be measured. Both Part A and Part B of the scheme were used. The features and categories in Part A are primarily derived from pedagogical issues identified in the literature on communicative language teaching (CL T). Features and categories in Part B reflect issues in first and second language acquisition. The only modification was an additional investigation of how form was used in the telematics lessons. Although recent studies have recommended improvements to telematics delivery, no other known study has specifically investigated whether the interaction evident in the delivery of Japanese via telematics is of the type that promotes successful L2 acquisition. Through the use of the COLT Observation Scheme, this study was able to capture and measure features of L2 classroom interaction in these telematics environments. The results indicate that there were a number of internal and external variables that influenced the nature of the communicative orientation of telematics classes in this study. In terms of the communicative features of interaction identified in the COLT Observation Scheme as predictors of successful L2 acquisition, a number of these were not strongly evident in the results, for example, use of the target language, interaction in group work, use of extended text, use of authentic resources and student-made materials, reaction to message and clarification request. Pedagogic factors impinging on the communicative orientation of the telematics environment included the highly teacher-centred nature of the telematics context. The use of the computer as a controlling device and the only visual connection also moved teachers further towards a more directive delivery style and greater dependence on using the L 1. Given the recent support for the incorporation of some focus on form into a communicative curriculum, the supplementary focus on form data revealed how the electronic nature of telematics delivery influenced how form was taught and the overuse in some cases of vocabulary games, drilling, substitution and repetition. There was also little evidence of students initiating discourse, negotiating activities or requesting clarification. Students engaged in mainly minimal rather than extended text thus limiting opportunities to experiment with the L2. The communicative orientation of L2 telematics classes in this study was also impacted upon by a number of external factors, such as noise, technical breakdowns and inadequate learning environments at receival sites. The impact of the absence of a two-way human visual connection led to teachers using a more directive style of teaching where "silences" were often filled with teacher talk. Teachers identified this limitation as also limiting opportunities for students to obtain comprehensible input. However, teachers developed useful compensation strategies to overcome some of these limitations such as, using colour on the computer screen and tone of voice to highlight salient features. They also introduced games that promoted interaction between sites. Whilst this study has revealed that some of the communicative features of interaction are evident, a greater number of these features need to become more prominent or more communicative. As well as targeting the technological orientation of the delivery method by adding a human visual connection, this would also involve the careful incorporation of the features that are characteristic of a more communicative approach to L2 acquisition. This study has contributed to the fields of SLA and virtual delivery in a number of ways. It has added to the existing literature base through interfacing the SLA literature with the telematics literature. It has also contributed to a new methodology by taking an existing methodology and methods and applying them to the virtual L2 telematics classroom, in particular, the use of the COLT Observation Scheme in a virtual context. A contribution this study has made to language teaching through telematics lies in a mapping framework that has evolved from the study that aims to bring the type of interaction that occurs in SLA, communicative interaction and telematics closer together. Further research needs to determine how interaction can be more effectively promoted m the telematics and virtual learning environments. It is anticipated that this study will encourage other researchers to further investigate the benefits of a more communicatively orientated intervention which will ultimately lead to positive L2 learning outcomes for all students in telematics environments and the broader virtual learning contexts.

This study investigates the role of the Internet in teaching and learning French as a second language. In facilitating communication with francophones and access to topical information in French, the use of the Internet addresses many of the criticisms identified in prior research of the static nature of traditional computer-assisted language learning (CALL). The Internet potentially plays an important role in realizing the goals of the communicative approach in the British Columbia Core French curriculum. This study documents a variety of language learning activities that make use of the Internet's many facets, such as electronic mail, listservs, gophers, Usenet newsgroups, and World-Wide Web. Questionnaires were distributed to French teachers who either registered for an electronically-distributed course or attended a workshop on using the Internet in the French as a second language classroom. Follow-up interviews were conducted with a selection of teachers who completed and returned the questionnaire. The present study found that French teachers continue to value the Internet most for the exchange of electronic mail with francophone students. While expressing interest in other Internetbased activities, the teachers identified overriding concerns about keeping their students on-task, and about the poor quality and quantity of computing facilities at their schools. Further research should involve case studies with teachers who are implementing a variety of Internet activities over an extended term.

A qualitative investigation into language education students' use of computer-mediated communication, this study reveals how the diversity, support and resources constructed through students on-line dialogue served to scaffold students' language and content learning. The study focuses on student interaction on an asynchronous bulletin board used as an adjunct to a graduate seminar. The radicals of persistent conversation (Bregman & Haythornthwaite, 2001) interacted with elements of the seminar design to facilitate non-native speakers' entry into the dialogue, while simultaneously affording all students with opportunities for exercising agency in their own learning. Relationships between native and nonnative speakers of English were altered by nonnative speakers' ability to communicate their competence, and participants developed a strong identity as a community. Diversity and community evolved as valuable contributors to individual learning.

This study has focused on using a technology tool (Seesaw) to engage students in after-class learning and improve the teacher-researcher’s teaching practices in Chinese language education. Findings from this research provide insight into aspects influencing the engagement of students during Chinese learning. It appears that some students are willing to review and practise what they already learned after class, while others like to learn extra information at home. The former type of content helps students build confidence in the next Chinese lesson and the latter type of content supports additional learning outside class. It was also found that students have preferences in terms of the form of learning materials. They are not interested in digital pictures, but audio and video material can engage students on behavioural, emotional and cognitive levels. After exploring students’ engagement inside and outside class, it is revealed that classroom engagement and out-of-class engagement can impact each other. Students’ classroom engagement triggered their interest in learning more Chinese after class, while their out-of-class engagement helps them build confidence in learning Chinese in class. Overall, the study helped students’ Chinese learning by offering them extra support for Chinese learning after school. Further studies with other research methods like case study or self-study, as well as studies focusing on other technologies can be developed to further explore how after-class learning helps students’ Chinese learning.