This paper reports on a project involving software selection in the context of a curriculum redesign of a university level Japanese language program. The project aimed to improve learning outcomes, increase flexibility in student access, and increase flexibility in approaches to teaching and learning, through the use of a variety of software packages and digital resources. In doing so, an imperative was to ensure the solutions adopted were manageable within the existing organisational arrangements of the Department and the University. The selection process has led to the development of three instruments which form the CICTO Framework for Software Selection.

This is a preliminary report of a study pertaining to the effectiveness of specific training in pronunciation and intonation for students studying Japanese as a foreign language at university. The study involved weekly sessions across a 1 month period for volunteer participants interested in improving their pronunciation. Each session was conducted workshop-style in a small group headed by a native speaking instructor. Two groups of students were involved. Only one group was provided with a supplementary 'pronunciation-check' computer program. The study focused on those specific aspects of Japanese pronunciation and intonation considered especially problematic for native English and Chinese speakers. Surveys were conducted to explore the participants' self-evaluation of their improvement in pronunciation and intonation, and their perception and awareness of Japanese pronunciation and intonation in general. In addition, supplementary data was collected from recordings of all participants, both at the beginning and conclusion of the workshop program, in order to assess their degree of improvement in pronunciation and intonation. This paper discusses the data collected from this preliminary study and provides suggestions for potential usefulness of similar exercises in Japanese language classroom instruction.

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Assessment practice at tertiary education has become a topic of intensive review and discussion internationally. It is widely acknowledged that assessment is crucial for learning and is a main source for directing students' learning practices. With increasing demand to nurture graduate capabilities and generic skills alongside students' major studies, there is a call for improvement in assessment practice to align with these new demands. This paper reports on a trial project conducted at a tertiary institution language department, which was designed to improve assessment practice. The trial took a participatory action research approach with a distributive leadership model. Through a series of analyses, presentations, workshops and round table discussions the whole of the teaching staff was engaged in a process of renewal of assessment practice for the department. The creation of a Statement of Assessment Principles emerged from this process. Based on these principles the staff took on the challenge of reworking assessment tasks for all units to be offered in the coming semester to ensure they aligned with this newly developed statement of principles. Data was collected from the participating staff members through individual and group interviews. This paper discusses the transition experienced of teaching staff members. It examines changes that took place in beliefs and understandings about assessment, their expectations and concerns about the implementation stage and their responses to the concentrated nature of the renewal process that was used in this trial. A future project will follow the implementation and will utilize the experience of the participants to develop a set of guidelines, in an endeavour to ensure this renewed approach to assessment can be sustained through staff and syllabus changes. Future papers may emerge from this stage.

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