Tesis sobre el tema "German students in Riga"

Inspiriert vom kognitiven, affektiven und behavioralen Modell Andersons, untersucht diese Forschungsarbeit die akademische Anpassung von chinesischen Studierenden anhand von vier Phasen, der Vor-Abreisephase, der Initial-, der Entwicklungs- und der Abschlussphase, und umfasst dabei drei Einzelstudien: (1) Eine interdisziplinär orientierte Untersuchung auf der Basis von Interviews mit 18 chinesischen Studierenden aus verschiedenen Fächern und mit unterschiedlichen Studienabschlüssen, (2) eine Fallstudie an einer sozialwissenschaftlichen Fakultät, bei der Beobachtungen deutscher Lehrender und Meinungen chinesischer Studierender erhoben wurden und (3) eine longitudinale Untersuchung zur Verfolgung der Sprachentwicklung und Lernerfahrungen von chinesischen Studierenden an deutschen Universitäten. Diese Untersuchungen ergaben, dass die unzureichende Vorbereitung der chinesischen Studierenden (Sprache und allgemeine Kenntnisse über Deutschland) in der Vor-Ausreisephase zu Problemen in der Anfangsphase ihres Aufenthaltes führen. In der Entwicklungsphase berichteten die chinesischen Studierenden von Fortschritten in der deutschen Sprache und im Wissen über die deutschen Hochschulen, die größte Herausforderung stellte jedoch das individuelle Abgleichen der unterschiedlichen akademischen Erwartungen, wie sie im Heimatland ursprünglich vermittelt und in Deutschland gegensätzlich erwartet werden. In der Abschlussphase zeigen chinesische Studenten Verständnis und Wertschätzung für die Erwartungen an deutschen Hochschulen. Insgesamt verlangt der Prozess der akademischen Anpassung von chinesischen Studenten, die Differenzen (im Wissenschaftssystem) zu identifizieren, zu verstehen und später diese Differenzen auch schätzen zu können. Diese Untersuchung zeigt, dass die deutsche Sprachkompetenz, die wissenschaftliche Begleitung und Unterstützung sowie die persönliche Anstrengung zentrale Faktoren der akademischen Anpassung chinesischer Studierender darstellen.
Inspired by Anderson’s cognitive, affective, and behavioral model, this research explores Chinese students’ academic adjustment in the four phases: pre-departure, initial, developing, and final phase, and is composed of three studies: (1) a cross-sectional study which interviews 18 Chinese students from different subjects and pursuing different academic degree; (2) a case study conducted in a social science faculty, both German lecturers’ observation and Chinese students’ opinions are investigated; and (3) a longitudinal research follows Chinese students’ language development and learning experience at German universities. This research found that Chinese students’ insufficient preparation (language and knowledge about German universities) in the pre-departure phase leads to the difficulty in the initial phase. Chinese students often describe the initial experience as a “catastrophe”, as they were not familiar with the academic-oriented information in Germany at all. In the developing phase, Chinese students reported progress in German language and knowledge about German universities, which facilitate their further development. One big challenge in the developing phase is to negotiate the difference of academic expectation between home and host universities. In the final phase, Chinese students show understanding and appreciation to the expectation at German universities. The whole process of academic adjustment expects Chinese students to identify the difference, understand the difference, and later appreciate the difference. This research further finds that German language competence, academic support, and personal effort together exert influence on the Chinese students’ academic adjustment at German universities. In order to improve the academic adjustment, suggestions are made to the prospective Chinese students and German institutions to better facilitate Chinese students’ academic adjustment in Germany

Motivation and attitudes are considered as hypothetical psychological constructs in explaining both the process and outcome of second/foreign language learning. The taxonomy and categorization of second/foreign language motivation into integrative and instrumental motivation has long been established and dominated L2 motivation research in different educational contexts. According to Lambert (1972), Integrative motivation reflects an interest in learning another language because of a sincere and personal interest in the people and culture represented by the other language group. Instrumental motivation on the other hand, refers to the pragmatic and functional orientations in learning a foreign language. Gardner (1985) claimed that integrative motivation is the most important and predictable factor of excelling in a second language than the instrumental motivation. Nevertheless, this assumption that stresses the importance of integrative motivation over the instrumental one in predicting the level of success in learning a second language, has rather been challenged, and a set of controversial findings have been reported. This study sought to compare and investigate the motivational and attitudinal orientations of Sudanese undergraduate students towards learning English and German; in relation to the target language in question and gender differences. In addition, it intended to examine if there would be any correlation between students’ level of motivation and attitudes, and their self-assessed achievement in the target language. The sample of this study composed of 221 students from the Faculty of Arts, University of Khartoum, Sudan. 148 students from the department of English language, and 73 students from the department of German language have participated in the survey. Based on Gardner’s Attitude/Motivation Test Battery (AMTB), a survey scale has been constructed to measure students’ motivation and attitudes. The findings of the empirical investigation revealed that Sudanese students were relatively highly motivated and had favorable attitudes towards learning English and German, respectively. In line with the established literature in the field, the results demonstrated that Sudanese students were more instrumentally motivated to learn English. On the other hand, the students in the German department had more positive attitudes towards the German community and culture in comparison to the students of the English department. Gender differences have also been identified in the department of English only; where female students had a significantly higher level of motivation and were rather more integratively motivated to learn English than their male counterparts. Finally, the study could not indicate any correlation between students’ level of motivation and attitudes, and their achievement in the target language
Einführung in die Thematik Motivation und Einstellung als hypothetische psychologische Konstrukte spielen eine große Rolle sowohl für den Prozess und als auch für das Ergebnis eines Zweit/Fremdsprachenerwerbs (Gardner, 1985; Kleppin, 2001; Dörnyei, 2003; Riemer, 2001; Al-Busairi, 1990). Traditionell wird in der Fremdsprachenforschung zwischen integrativer und instrumenteller Motivation unterschieden. Integrative Motivation bezieht sich auf das Interesse an der Sprachgemeinschaft und ihrer Kultur, um sich mit der jeweiligen Kultur zu identifizieren und sich in diese zu integrieren. Dahingegen bezieht sich die instrumentelle Motivation auf die pragmatischen Gründe des Fremdsprachenlernens, wie z. B. das Erlernen, um eine erforderliche Prüfung zu bestehen oder um einen guten, besseren Job zu bekommen. Jedoch gingen Gardner (1985) in seinem sozio-pädagogischen Modell davon aus, dass die integrative Motivation den Lernerfolg stärker fördert und folglich zu besseren Lernergebnissen führt als die instrumentelle Motivation. Diese Konzeptualisierung und Dichotomisierung zwischen integrativer und instrumenteller Orientierung wird kontrovers diskutiert und wurde laut empirischer Untersuchungen vor allem im Falle des Englischen als globaler Sprache kritisiert. Die Problematik liegt darin, dass die Untersuchungen von Gardner ursprünglich in der Kanadischen, bilingualen, Französisch-Englischen Gesellschaft durchgeführt wurden und damit einen anderen Kontext betreffen als im Falle des normalen Erlernens einer Fremdsprache. Somit scheint das Konzept von integrativer Motivation im traditionellen Sinne beim Fremdsprachenerwerbsprozess weniger relevant zu sein, weil es in diesem Fall keine definierte Zielsprachengemeinschaft gibt, mit der man sich identifizieren und integrieren kann. Darüber hinaus zählen Einstellungen gegenüber der Zielfremdsprache, deren Sprachgemeinschaft und Lernatmosphäre als wichtige Faktoren, die bedeutend für den erfolgreichen Fremdsprachenerwerb sind (Candlin & Mercer, 2001). Motivation und Einstellung sind eng miteinander verbunden, die beim Sprachenlernen zusammenspielen und sich gegeneinseitig positiv auswirken. Brown (1994) argumentiert, dass positive Einstellungen günstig für den Erwerb einer Zweitsprache sind, und dass negative Einstellungen den Motivationsgrad vermindern und folglich aufgrund geringen Inputs und Interaktion zu einem unerfolgreichen Lernen führen können. Das erreichte Niveau und die Kompetenz in einer Zweit/Fremdsprache werden weitgehend zu den individuellen Persönlichkeitsunterschieden der Lernenden gezählt. Geschlechtsunterschiede werden als Einflussfaktoren beim Fremdsprachenerwerb betrachtet. Im allgemeinen wird in der Fremdsprachenforschung davon ausgegangen, dass weibliche Studierende einen höheren Motivationsgrad und positivere Einstellung besitzen (vgl., Csizer & Dörnyei, 2005; Gardner & Lambert, 1972). Dies wurde in einer Reihe von empirischen Studien in der Fremdsprachenforschung bestätigt. In der vorliegenden Arbeit soll dementsprechend diese grundlegende Thematik bezüglich der Rolle von Motivation und Einstellung beim Fremdsprachenerwerb nachgegangen werden. Es wird untersucht, inwiefern sudanesische Studierende motiviert und eingestellt sind, um Englisch und Deutsch zu lernen, und ob sie dabei eher integrativ oder instrumentell orientiert sind. Es wird ebenfalls untersucht, ob geschlechtsspezifische Unterschiede, so wie sprachbedingte Unterschiede zwischen der englischen und deutschen Abteilung vorliegen. Darüber hinaus wird ermittelt, ob es einen signifikanten Zusammenhang zwischen Motivationsgrad und Einstellung der Studierenden und ihrer selbst eingeschätzten Leistung gibt. Diese Arbeit ist von besonderer Bedeutung für die Fremdsprachenforschung im Sudan, da die meisten Studien dort sich auf Englisch beziehen, wohingegen diese Studie sich sowohl mit Englisch als auch mit Deutsch als Fremdsprache beschäftigt. Forschungshypothesen Diese Studie prüft sechs Haupthypothesen über die beiden Abteilungen sowie Subhypothesen für die jeweiligen Abteilungen, wobei Englisch- und Deutschstudierende miteinander verglichen und in einer zusammenhängenden Art und Weise betrachtet wurden. Die Hypothesen wurden wie folgt operationalisiert und formuliert: 1. Sudanesische Studierende sind relativ hoch motiviert beim Englisch- und Deutschlernen. 2. Sudanesische Studierende haben relativ positive Einstellungen gegenüber Englisch und Deutsch und folglich gegenüber der englischen und deutschen Sprachgemeinschaft und Kultur. 3. Sudanesische Studierende sind eher instrumentell motiviert beim Englisch- und Deutschlernen. 4. Es gibt statistische signifikante Unterschiede zwischen den Englisch- und Deutschstudierenden bezüglich ihrer Motivation und Einstellungen. 5. Es gibt signifikante geschlechtsspezifische Unterschiede bezüglich Motivation und Einstellungen gegenüber Englisch und Deutsch. 6. Es gibt einen signifikanten Zusammenhang zwischen dem Motivationsgrad, den Einstellungen der Studierenden und ihrer selbsteingeschätzten Leistung in Englisch und Deutsch. Methodisches Vorgehen Die Stichprobe dieser Untersuchung bestand aus insgesamt 221 Anglistik und Germanistikstudierenden in der Faculty of Arts an der Khartum Universität. 148 Probanden von insgesamt 273 wurden von der englischen Abteilung einbezogen. Wohingegen 73 von insgesamt 79 von der deutschen Abteilung an der Untersuchung teilgenommen haben. Die Stichprobe von der Germanistikabteilung war wesentlich kleiner im Verglich zu der Stichprobe der Anglistikabteilung. Dies hat mit Tatsache zu tun, dass es weniger Germanistikstudierende an der Universität Khartum gibt und somit diese Stichprobe trotzdem sehr repräsentativ ist. Die Messinstrumente der empirischen Untersuchung wurden anhand der relevanten Literaturrecherche und Gardner’s Attitude/Motivation Test Battery (AMTB) entwickelt. Die Items wurden zunächst in englischer Sprache verfasst und dann ins Arabische übersetzt, wobei die Rückübersetzung und die Inhalte von Experten im Bereich Psychologie und angewandter Linguistik überprüft wurden. Der Fragebogen bestand aus zwei Skalen: Der Motivationsskala zur Erfassung der integrativen und der instrumentellen Motivation. Die zweite Skala bestand ebenfalls aus zwei Subskalen zur Erfassung der Einstellungen gegenüber der Zielsprache und Kultur. Die Antwortmöglichkeiten sind auf einer fünfstufigen Schätzskala vorgegeben. Die Antwortalternativen sind wie folgt berechnet: Stimme stark zu (5 Punkte); stimme zu (4 Punkte); unentschieden (3 Punkte); stimme nicht zu (2 Punkte); und stimme stark nicht zu (1 Punkt), jedoch sind die negativen Items umgekehrt codiert. Die Fragebögen wurden in ihrer endgültigen Version im Arabischen eingesetzt, um so möglichst gleiche Verständlichkeit für alle Probanden zu gewährleisten. Forschungsergebnisse Die Ergebnisse der empirischen Untersuchung weisen daraufhin, dass sudanesische Englisch- und Deutschstudierende einen relativ hohen Motivationsgrad und positive Einstellungen gegenüber der englischen und deutschen Sprache haben. Die Englischstudierenden zeigten einen wesentlich höheren Durchschnitt der Motivation im Vergleich zu den Deutschstudierenden. Demgegenüber zeigten die Deutschstudierenden positivere Einstellungen als die Englischstudierenden gegenüber der Zielsprache. Konsistent zu anderen Untersuchungen lies sich mit der vorliegenden Studie belegen, dass im Sudan als Englisch-Studierende eher instrumentell motiviert sind Deutsch-Studierende. Darüber hinaus gab es signifikante Unterschiede zwischen den Germanistik- und Anglistikstudierenden bezüglich ihrer Einstellungen gegenüber der Zielsprachengemeinschaft zugunsten der Germanistikstudierenden. Was die Arten der Motivation betrifft, waren die Studierenden in beiden Abteilungen sowohl integrativ als auch instrumentell motiviert gegenüber der Zielsprache. Jedoch war der Durchschnittswert der integrativen Motivation höher als der der instrumentellen Motivation. Somit sind beide Stichproben eher integrativ motiviert gegenüber beider Sprachen, was unerwartet war vor allem im Falle des Englischen als Weltsprache, die eher mit instrumentellen Zwecken und Nützlichkeit verbunden wird. Signifikante geschlechtsspezifische Unterschiede wurden nur unter den Englischstudierenden nachgewiesen, wobei die weiblichen Studierenden einen deutlich höheren Motivationsgrad besassen und eher integrativ motiviert waren. Schlussfolgerungen Anhand der empirischen Befunde dieser Untersuchung kann man davon ausgehen, dass sowohl instrumentelle als auch integrative Motivation (beide gleichgewichtig) sich auf das Erlernen einer Fremdsprache auswirken. Dementsprechend ist die Rolle der Intensität und Stärke der Motivation beim Fremdsprachenlernen noch nicht oft erforscht worden, was als Folge der Beschäftigung mit der Polarisierung zwischen instrumenteller und integrativer Motivation zu sehen ist. Das Konzept der integrativen Motivation sollte erweitert und reininterpretiert werden, um in den Kontext des Fremdsprachenlernens zu passen. Solche neuen Konzepte wie imaginäre Sprachgemeinschaft oder ideelles Selbstbild, entwickelt von Dörnyei (2005), sind von Relevanz für das Fremdsprachenlernen, wobei die Studierenden anstreben in der Fremdsprache so kompetent wie ein Muttersprachler zu werden und sich nicht zwangsläufig in die Zielsprachengemeinschaft zu integrieren. Es wurden einige Einschränkungen bezüglich der Forschungsmethodik formuliert. Diese Studie und die daraus resultierenden Ergebnisse können von einer großen Bedeutung sein für die Fremdsprachendidaktik im Allgemeinen und für die englische und deutsche Sprache im Sudan ins Besondere. Auf dieser Basis wurden Schlussfolgerungen für zukunftsorientierte Untersuchungen zum Fremdsprachenlernen im Sudan abgeleitet

The dissertation consists of an introduction and three empirical articles. The introduction gives the theoretical background, integrates the three articles, and elaborates on future research questions. The first article investigates the important decision in the lives of German and Indian university students to identify the important areas of decision making. The second article examines the structure of real life decision making and reveals the underlying factors of five major decision areas. The third article investigates the similarities and differences on decision making between German and Indian students using prior qualitative findings in a large quantitative survey.

Thesis (M.A.)--Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, 2001.
Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 45-06, page: 2775. Typescript. Abstract precedes thesis as preliminary leaf ix. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 32-39).

In this qualitative study based on constructivist learning theory, nine intermediate level university students of German were observed as they read foreign language texts on the Internet. Through observations, as well as think-aloud protocols and semi-structured interviews, the study identified Internet reading strategies the students used, and determined the difficulties they encountered in Internet reading activities. The observed strategies were related to four different types of reading tasks the students had to complete and to the language levels of the students. The four task types included: (a) scanning for specific information, (b) skimming and summary writing, (c) detailed reading and text comparison, and (d) observing linguistic phenomena in a text. The research questions arose from the observation that, while the Internet has a positive influence on motivation, independent learning and cultural understanding (Alm-Lequeux, 2001; Brandl, 2002; Chapelle, 2000; Lee, 1997), the literature also talks of frustration on the part of the students, and of students being overwhelmed by foreign language Internet pages (Kubota, 1999; Rüschoff & Wolff, 1999; Shetzer & Warschauer, 2000). This frustration is hypothesized to be due to the fact that Internet texts are authentic texts written for readers in the target culture, and have not been adjusted to the linguistic and cultural knowledge level of foreign language students. There is still little empirical research on the specific ways students deal with these difficulties while completing Internet reading tasks. The present study was carried out with the aim of shedding light on the Internet reading process for pedagogical purposes. The think-aloud technique of data collection permitted a deeper understanding and a more precise description of this special type of reading than would have been possible with interviews alone. The data analysis revealed eight key factors playing a role in foreign language Internet reading: course performance level, background knowledge, motivation, strategic reading, computer skills, problem-solving style, hypertext structure, and type of task. These factors lead to pedagogical implications for designing suitable Internet tasks for foreign language students, and for scaffolding the foreign language Internet reading process.

Vocabulary learning strategies and word knowledge are two central factors in learning a foreign language. Researchers have acknowledged the vital role of vocabulary in second language acquisition. This particular study is trying to fill a void by looking at high-school aged learners, by looking at beginning learners of German and by looking at the expression of word knowledge and strategy use qualitatively. The research methodology for this study is qualitative and exploratory in nature. The participants of this study are 29 high-school students, who participated in a vocabulary review game and filled out exit slips following the game. Of these students, 13 participated in a follow-up interview in which the prompts from the review game were discussed and analyzed. The study revealed beginning learners of German use a variety of learning strategies. Students preferred semantic context over linguistic and social context. They were also able to describe vocabulary items in the target language German, without major breakdowns in communication. Students tried to avoid the use of the German articles and confused grammatical terminology at times. Overall, students knew high frequency vocabulary and how to use it.

Informatics as a school subject has been virtually absent from bilingual education programs in German secondary schools. Most bilingual programs in German secondary education started out by focusing on subjects from the field of social sciences. Teachers and bilingual curriculum experts alike have been regarding those as the most suitable subjects for bilingual instruction – largely due to the intercultural perspective that a bilingual approach provides. And though one cannot deny the gain that ensues from an intercultural perspective on subjects such as history or geography, this benefit is certainly not limited to social science subjects. In consequence, bilingual curriculum designers have already begun to include other subjects such as physics or chemistry in bilingual school programs. It only seems a small step to extend this to informatics. This paper will start out by addressing potential benefits of adding informatics to the range of subjects taught as part of English-language bilingual programs in German secondary education. In a second step it will sketch out a methodological (= didactical) model for teaching informatics to German learners through English. It will then provide two items of hands-on and tested teaching material in accordance with this model. The discussion will conclude with a brief outlook on the chances and prerequisites of firmly establishing informatics as part of bilingual school curricula in Germany.

Aquest estudi investiga la pèrdua (attrition) del castellà com a llengua estrangera en estudiants Erasmus holandesos i alemanys. S’investiguen tres tipus de dades: orals, lingüístiques i psicolingüístiques recollides de tres grups d’attriters i un grup de referència, a més de 5 persones de les quals s’han recollit dades longitudinals pel període d’un any. També s’ha explorat la importància de factors com el contacte amb la llengua, la longitud del període de pèrdua, l’actitud i la motivació i la competència inicial. Com a indicis de pèrdua de la llengua s’han trobat la reducció de la fluïdesa i de la diversitat lèxica i l’augment de les pauses plenes situades abans d’elements lèxics (substantius, verbs) en les dades orals; major temps de reacció i menor percentatge de respostes correctes en la tasca psicolingüística (picture naming). La competència inicial va ser la variable més important per a la predicció de retenció de llengua.
The present study explores the retention/attrition of Spanish as a foreign language in Dutch and German Erasmus students. Data from three different modes is analysed: oral, linguistic and psycholinguistic. In addition to cross sectional data, consisting of three attriting groups and a baseline group, it studies longitudinal data for 5 participants over the span of one year. The role of background and personal factors such as length of attrition, contact with the language, attitude and motivation and initial proficiency on the process of attrition is also investigated. Evidence for attrition is found at both linguistic (an increased number of disfluency markers, reduced lexical diversity and higher incidence of disfluency markers preceding lexical items in speech) and psycholinguistic level (slower reaction times and lower percent correct responses in a picture naming task). Although the results for the background variables are mixed, initial proficiency is established as the strongest predictor of retention/attrition.

Changes in the higher education sector have forced private universities in Germany to reflect how they can best compete in the market, attract students, find their market niche and differ-entiate themselves from similar institutions. The recruitment of students at private universities is particularly difficult. This study explores which factors influence their selection and evalua-tion process. In order to better understand students’ expectations and experiences, the study compares the selection criteria of students at state and private universities. The results indicate the criteria which are relevant for students for and after enrollment at state and private univer-sities in Germany. Undergraduate students have often unrealistic expectations and therefore are often disappointed about their chosen university. The analysis of private university stu-dents’ selection criteria is important, as marketers can specifically develop and address their expectations and needs. The study reveals that different types of students apply different crite-ria for selecting and evaluating private universities. Based on an empirical study of 152 stu-dents at one state and one private university in Hamburg, the thesis shows similarities and dif-ferences between the selection and evaluation phases and between the two types of higher ed-ucation institutions. The statistical outcomes are based on a descriptive, a bivariate, an explor-ative factor and multivariate regression analysis. The developed conceptual recruitment and marketing model will support recruitment strategies at private universities. The study derives important implications for strategic marketing and management activities and student satisfac-tion management of higher education institutions in Germany. Moreover, recommendations for future studies are outlined. The expectations and experiences of students have not been analysed in depth at private universities in Germany. Data or studies which analyses the stu-dents selection and evaluation process and determine different types of students are missing for German private universities. Furthermore, reliable studies which also compare the selec-tion process for private and state universities in Germany are missing. Thus, the study helps to fill this important gap. Secondly, and on a practical nature, it is hoped that the study will pro-vide higher education practicioners with empirical evidence that can be used in future re-cruitment strategies.

There has been a sharp rise in study abroad participation over the last few decades (Institute for International Education, 2011), which can largely be explained by the rise of short-term study abroad programs. While there is much to be gained from participation in such programs, mid-length and year programs may offer the greatest benefits for linguistic gain (e.g. Brecht, Davidson & Ginsberg, 1996; Freed, 1995; Lafford, 2004; Vande Berg, 2003). Despite the advantages of longer stays, the percentage of students studying abroad for an entire year "has remained steady for over a decade" (Institute for International Education, 2011). Roughly four-percent of all students who study abroad choose to do so for an academic or calendar year. This statistic points to a problem with attracting students to pursue longer stays abroad. The Open Doors Report, prepared by the Institute for International Education, assumes a narrow view of study abroad by excluding data on American high school students. The present study attempts to fill a gap in the research by examining the overseas experiences of 14 American high school and gap year students who studied abroad in Germany during the academic year of 2011-2012. Data for this study was collected in the form of questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, the WebCAPE German placement test developed at Brigham Young University, and unofficial Oral Proficiency Interviews. The findings of the current study may help inform those involved in study abroad at both the high school and university levels. The purposes of this mixed-methods research, which is organized into three articles, are the following: 1) to investigate students' use of technology in a study abroad context, and examine how online communication might be indicative of participation in multiple Activity Systems (e.g. Engeström, 2011; Lantolf & Thorne, 2006; Leontiev, 2006), 2) to describe students' degree of participation in new Communities of Practice at German schools (Lave & Wenger, 1991; Wenger, 1998; 2000) and, 3) to investigate students' (re)construction of national and regional identities. The role that language proficiency and prior instruction in the target language might play in the study abroad context is explored across all three topics.

ABSTRACT Existing approaches to teaching `culture' in the realm of Distance foreign language (FL) instruction and gaps within; under-researched Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) tool of webquests; and Mediation in Sociocultural Theory (SCT) have all led to the following case study. This study was guided by the constructs of `culture' in FL instruction, Sociocultural Theory, and literature in CALL and Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC). This study examines how CMC-embedded webquests (asynchronous and synchronous CMC components built into webquests) developed online students' knowledge and understanding of German culture. Additionally, this study examines what mediating strategies (Lidz, 2002) were used by the online students of German in their asynchronous and synchronous online discussions of German culture, that were part of their CMC-embedded webquests' tasks. A web-based survey was administered to all students in an online German II course to elicit information about each student's past travels to Germany or other German-speaking countries and comfort level with various technologies. Based on their participation levels and the information elicited from this web-based survey, the online class was divided into groups of four, such that maximum variation was achieved in each group. Five such groups were formed with four students in each group. Two content-based CMC-embedded webquests were developed and created for this purpose and were administered over a period of four weeks, with two weeks for each content based CMC-embedded webquest. The first CMC-embedded webquest revolved around `Our Environment' or Umwelt, and the second was called `Germany, before and after the wall.' For each CMC-embedded webquests, the tasks included pre- and post CMC-embedded webquest essays, participation in discussion forums over a period of one week, and online chats. The guiding questions developed for each CMC component were separate. Based on the word count generated by each group, two groups (one with less than optimal and one with more than optimal levels of interaction) were chosen iteratively. In other words, pre- and post essays written by these eight participants, transcripts of asynchronous and synchronous online discussions with respective group members, transcripts of their online interviews, and field notes journal became the data sources for this multiple embedded qualitative case study (Yin, 2003). Findings emerging from a constant comparison method analysis indicate that the CMC-embedded webquests played a significant role in advancing the online students' knowledge and understanding of German culture. Apart from the cognitive benefits of this dynamic CALL tool, affective benefits included that students appreciated and enjoyed learning about the target culture in way that they retained the information even two months after they were completed, and particularly found the web resources useful and videos engaging. More importantly, since all participants were distant learners of German, they valued the opportunities provided by the two CMC-embedded webquests to interact with their respective group members in asynchronous and synchronous modes of communication. Results of collapsing all asynchronous and synchronous `e-turns' into Lidz' (2002) mediating strategies indicate that mediating strategies of `Sharing of Experiences,' `Affective Involvement,' and `Joint Regard' were higher for synchronous `e-turns.' This confirms that synchronous online discussions evoke a higher `sense of community' and `groups', `sense of purpose' for online learners (Carabajal, LaPointe, and Gunawardena, 2007). On the other hand, higher frequencies of `Praise/ Encouragement,' `Task Regulation,' and `Challenge,' in asynchronous `e-turns' demonstrates that distance learners are able to produce more cohesive and detailed responses in asynchronous online discussions. These results highlight the dynamic nature and potentiality of CMC-embedded webquests that can be especially useful to teach culture, an often neglected aspect of FL instruction, and the importance of creating groups and peer interaction in distance FL instruction. Additionally, findings of this study have implications on the purpose of the synchronous and asynchronous online discussions, culture model in FL instruction and design of CMC-embedded webquests.

The present research is part of the project “South Tyrolean School Students and the Second Language (L2): a Linguistic and Socio-Psychological Investigation†. Information on intergroup relations and motivation to L2 learning of German- and Italian-speaking students from the Province of Bolzano was gathered. The main focus of the work was cross-group friendship and its possible consequences on intergroup attitudes and group identity. Participants evaluated the in- and out-group on various aspects (e.g., sociability, morality, competence) and were questioned about various facets of their linguistic identity. Results show that contact, particularly intimate relationships, significantly affect all types of attitudes with morality evaluations appearing to be most resistant to change. Also, new insights regarding identification with the in-group through contact and interesting ideas about the inclusion of out-group characteristics in in-group identity are outlined.

The present research is part of the project “South Tyrolean School Students and the Second Language (L2): a Linguistic and Socio-Psychological Investigation”. Information on intergroup relations and motivation to L2 learning of German- and Italian-speaking students from the Province of Bolzano was gathered. The main focus of the work was cross-group friendship and its possible consequences on intergroup attitudes and group identity. Participants evaluated the in- and out-group on various aspects (e.g., sociability, morality, competence) and were questioned about various facets of their linguistic identity. Results show that contact, particularly intimate relationships, significantly affect all types of attitudes with morality evaluations appearing to be most resistant to change. Also, new insights regarding identification with the in-group through contact and interesting ideas about the inclusion of out-group characteristics in in-group identity are outlined.

The main purpose of this study is to explore the effects of the use of games as a teaching strategy for raising the grammatical accuracy level of secondary students of German as a second language. This thesis seeks also to examine the effect of game-based grammar instruction on students’ motivation and classroom atmosphere. The participants in this study were divided into two groups, the Control and Experimental groups, and received 90 periods, over 18 weeks, of grammatical instruction by the same teacher. The teaching program was the same for both groups. The difference consisted in the use of game-based practice for the experimental group, while the control group performed traditional grammar-based practice only. Data were collected using the following instruments: grammar tests and examinations,a questionnaire on motivation, a questionnaire on classroom atmosphere, a questionnaire on the type of grammar practice, a questionnaire on the role of grammar and grammar instruction, focus group interviews with students, and the researcher’s field notes. While the main result does not support the hypothesis for significant improvement in grammatical accuracy by the experimental students as a result of game-based practice, their overall improved performance is a worthwhile achievement, particularly if it is linked to significant improvements in students’ motivation and classroom atmosphere.These positive results offer a notable incentive to language teachers to include games in their teaching of grammatical features, because the positive results of this experiment with regard to learners’ motivation, peer interaction, teacher-student interaction augur well for an eventual improvement also in the rate of grammatical accuracy.

A great deal of scholarly research describes substantial shifts in higher education policy over the past fifteen to twenty years. Against the backdrop of a global knowledge economy, governments and supranational organisations are seeking to harness higher education more closely to economic goals. Trends associated with this shift include the rise of target-driven, performance-based governance structures, as well as increased private tuition and research funding. The adoption of policies in this vein can be seen worldwide, but there is still a great deal of national unevenness. Much of the commentary and analysis of these trends is critical/normative, perceiving them as unwelcome moves away from the sector's traditional missions and towards an excessive instrumentalism of university activity. There is, though, relatively little research that empirically explores student perspectives of how universities operate - perhaps should operate - or how students make decisions in relation to higher education. This study involves in-depth, semi-structured interviews with undergraduate students at two research-intensive universities, one in Germany, the other in England. These countries have responded to knowledge economy discourses in somewhat contrasting ways, and the conditions in which universities and their constituents are situated differ accordingly. Applying a theoretical model based on a form of socio-historical neo-institutionalism, actors' - in this case students' - action is seen as the result of an internal relationship between three areas: personal understandings of context, identity, and decision-making rationales. Each of these themes is explored and then combined through the participants' accounts to develop overlapping but also somewhat distinctive images of studenthood. This thesis seeks to show how, and how far, this is attributable to differences between the national university systems. Within this, evidence will be presented to show how this is mediated at the (nationally-embedded) university level, as well as through individual sense-making.

The main purpose of this study is to explore the effects of the use of games as a teaching strategy for raising the grammatical accuracy level of secondary students of German as a second language. This thesis seeks also to examine the effect of game-based grammar instruction on students' motivation and classroom atmosphere. The participants in this study were divided into two groups, the Control and Experimental groups, and received 90 periods, over 18 weeks, of grammatical instruction by the same teacher. The teaching program was the same for both groups. The difference consisted in the use of game-based practice for the experimental group, while the control group performed traditional grammar-based practice only. Data were collected using the following instruments: grammar tests and examinations,a questionnaire on motivation, a questionnaire on classroom atmosphere, a questionnaire on the type of grammar practice, a questionnaire on the role of grammar and grammar instruction, focus group interviews with students, and the researcher's field notes. While the main result does not support the hypothesis for significant improvement in grammatical accuracy by the experimental students as a result of game-based practice, their overall improved performance is a worthwhile achievement, particularly if it is linked to significant improvements in students' motivation and classroom atmosphere.These positive results offer a notable incentive to language teachers to include games in their teaching of grammatical features, because the positive results of this experiment with regard to learners' motivation, peer interaction, teacher-student interaction augur well for an eventual improvement also in the rate of grammatical accuracy.

This study examined the beliefs and opinions of U.S university students towards learning foreign languages. Four major areas were explored, including attitudes and motivations towards learning foreign languages, perceptions of foreign languages in the U.S., and favorability of Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Korean, and Spanish. One additional area that investigated participants' opinions in support or against a foreign language requirement in the United States was also examined. The instrument included a survey of 22 items, consisting of 13 quantitative attitude/opinion questions, two qualitative open-ended questions, and seven questions for demographics. The data was analyzed through descriptive, inferential, and content analyses, including Cronbach's Alpha, independent and dependent samples t-tests and one-way ANOVAs. The results of the study showed that participants generally had positive attitudes and high motivations towards learning foreign languages. Their perceptions were slightly critical of Americans' perspectives of foreign languages but indicated the belief that the U.S. education system does provide reasonable opportunities to learn foreign languages. Participants showed high favorability towards learning Spanish, with French also slightly favorable. Participants did not demonstrate positive favorability towards learning Arabic, Chinese, German, or Korean. However, participants commonly referred to Chinese as being particularly useful for business opportunities and consistently indicated low interest or usefulness in Arabic. Few significant differences were observed between genders or foreign language education background. Overall, female participants had slightly more positive views about learning foreign languages, whereas the same was true for participants with higher-level foreign language ability.

Electropalatography (EPG) is a computer-based tracking system designed to provide real-time visual biofeedback of articulatory contacts occurring during speech production. Historically, EPG technology has proven functional within the treatment and assessment of speech disorders however, application of EPG technology to assist in second language learning has remained limited. The present thesis is part of a larger study examining the effectiveness of using EPG as an advanced instructional tool for assisting second language (L2) learners of German. Fricative productions ([ç], [x], /s/, and /∫/) within real words were gathered from 12 native English speakers enrolled in a second semester university level course to learn German. Speech productions from student participants were compared against native German speakers' productions collected in a previous study, using electrode mappings, percentages of regional contact, and center of gravity measures. These measures revealed different patterns of palatal contact between fricative sounds, between individual subjects, and cross-linguistically. Fricative sound mappings varied visually as speakers generally produced [ç] and [x] with significantly less palatal contact than when producing /s/ and /∫/. Variation across individual subjects was identified as some produced sounds with nearly no posterior palatal contact while others produced sounds asymmetrically or with decreased overall contact. Cross-linguistic differences were apparent as non-native German speakers frequently contacted greater numbers of electrodes with greater force, compared to the natives. It is anticipated that the information included in this thesis will provide insights into the role of EPG technology as an instructional tool for L2 learners.

Si tratta di uno studio condotto presso una scuola media della provincia di Treviso per indagare la motivazione degli studenti che studiano il tedesco come seconda lingua straniera e le loro opinioni riguardo le metodologie di insegnamento e i materiali utilizzati. Dei questionari sono stati compilati da 42 studenti e all'insegnante di tedesco è stata fatta un'intervista.

Thesis (MPhil (Modern Foreign Languages. Hypermedia for Language Learning))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The high penetration rate of mobile devices all over the world, and especially in South Africa, has significantly increased the relevance of Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL). The objective of this study is to ascertain the viability of incorporating MALL technology to enhance the language learning experience of South African university students who are studying a foreign language. The students enrolled for the beginners’ German course at Stellenbosch University served as participants in this study, and surveys and interviews were used to establish their exposure to mobile devices, as well as their experiences in relation to the incorporation of Short Messages Service (SMS) into their German course. The results indicate that although the vast majority of students are mobile device owners, only a few students will embrace the idea of using these devices to improve their language skills without any incentive. Without constant motivation and encouragement to use mobile technologies, and the willingness from everybody involved in both teaching and learning a foreign language, mobile technology as a support structure cannot be implemented successfully.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Weens die hoë indringingsaanslag van mobiele toestelle regoor die wêreld, en so ook in Suid-Afrika, het die relevansie van Mobiele Ondersteuning vir Taal Onderrig (MOTO) aansienlik verhoog. Die uitkoms van die studie is om te bepaal wat die lewensvatbaarheid is, van die inkorporering van MOTO tegnologie om die taal aanleer ervaring van Suid-Afrikaanse studente wat `n vreemde taal aanleer te verhoog. Die studente wie geregistreer was vir die Duits beginners klas by die universiteit van Stellenbosch, het gedien as deelnemers aan die study. Opnames en onderhoude was gebruik om die studente se blootstelling ten opsigte van mobiele toestelle vas te stel, so ook hul ervaring van die inkorporering van kortboodskapdienste (SMSe) in die Duitse module. Die resultate toon dat alhoewel die meeste studente eienaars is van een of ander mobiele toestel, dat daar slegs `n paar studente is wat die konsep van die gebruik van hierdie toerusting vir die verbetering van taal vermoë, sonder enige insentief, aangryp. Sonder konstante motivering en aanmoediging om mobiele toestelle te gebruik, en die bereidheid van almal wie betrokke is in beide die leer en die onderrig van ’n vreemde taal, sal die implementering van mobiele tegnologie as ’n ondersteuningsmiddel nie suksesvol geskied nie.

This dissertation investigates translation strategies and translation principles in technical translation. Five translation students and 5 professional translators from German-speaking Switzerland and 4 translation students and 6 professional translators from Sweden were asked to think aloud while translating a user guide from French into German and from French into Swedish, respectively. The focus of the analysis was on the strategies that could be observed by comparing the translation products with the source text; and on the principles underlying these strategies as revealed by the think-aloud protocols of the translation processes. In order to evaluate the extent to which the translation products complied with the fictitious translation brief given to the participants, 2 reviewers per language pair proofread the translation products. The analysis also included contrastive analyses of certain linguistic features of technical texts in French-German and French-Swedish. The results show that experience of translation does play a role in the choice of translation strategy. It is, however, an even more important factor with respect to knowing and applying translation principles in the translation process. Also, students more often display uncertainty regarding translation principles, and conflict between the principles verbalised and those actually followed. Language-pair specific differences were mostly found in connection with translation strategies. Comments about future directions include the need for clearer definitions and more systematic manipulations of the variables involved in translation, and the potential interest in investigating the principles governing how translations are revised through the use of think-aloud protocols.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2015
ENGLISH ABSTRACT : Between Languages – Exploring the potential of exophonic literature for the implementation of didactics of literariness in German foreign language teaching at tertiary level in South Africa This thesis aims to make a contribution to the field of literature study in foreign language teaching in South Africa. It investigates the practical implications of Claire Kramsch’s theory of “symbolic competence” of the multilingual subject, Michael Dobstadt’s and Renate Riedner’s theory of a “Didaktik der Literarizität” as well as theories of multilingualism and exophony. Specifically this thesis looks at how these approaches can be combined and then implemented at advanced levels in foreign language teaching (B1 and B2), namely German modules at Stellenbosch and other South African universities where a multilingual background of language learners is the norm. The thesis thus explores how exophonic literature as an educational tool can help students to improve their language learning and shows the range of possibilities that exophonic literature offers in the field of foreign language learning. On the basis of the theories and a survey amongst the students studying German in their third year in Stellenbosch, two sets of lesson plans are developed for university students with B1/B2 level in Stellenbosch. The literature used was Maja Haderlap‘s poem “Als mir die Sprache abhanden kam” as well as Yoko Tawada’s Essay “Bioskoop der Nacht”. These lesson plans shall serve as examples on how Dobstadt/Riedner’s and Kramsch’s theories can be implemented in practise using exophonic literature in a multilingual environment.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Hierdie tesis beoog om ‘n bydra tot die gebied van literatuurstudie in vreemde taal-onderrig in Suid-Afrika te lewer. Dit bestudeer die praktiese implikasies van Claire Kramsch se teorie “simboliese kompetensie” van veeltaligheid, Michael Dobstadt en Renate Riedner se teorie van ‘n “didaktiek van letterkundigheid” asook ander teorieë van veeltaligheid en “eksofonie”. Daar word veral gefokus op hoe hierdie benaderinge gekombineer kan word en dan toegepas moet word op hoër vlakke van vreemde taal-onderrig (B1 en B2); naamlik by die Duitse modules van Stellenbosch en ander Suid-Afrikaanse universiteite, waar studente met ‘n veeltalige agtergrond die norm is. Die tesis ondersoek dus hoe “eksofoniese” literatuur as onderrigmiddel studente met verbetering van taalvaardighede kan help. Verder stel dit die omvang van moontlikhede ten toon wat “eksofoniese” literatuur in die gebied van vreemde taal-onderrig kan bied. Gebaseer op die bogenoemde teorieë en ‘n opname onder studente wat in hul derdejaar Duits aan die Universiteit van Stellenbosch studeer, word twee lesplanne vir Stellenbosch studente op B1/B2 vlak ontwikkel. Die literatuur wat gebruik is, is Maja Haderlap se gedig “Als mir die Sprache abhanden kam” sowel as Yoko Tawada se essay “Bioskoop der Nacht”. Hierdie lesplanne sal dien as voorbeelde van hoe Dobstadt/Riedner en Kramsch se teorieë prakties toegepas kan word deur die gebruik van “eksofoniese” literatuur in ʼn veeltalige omgewing.