Implementing Mobile Language Learning Technologies in Japan

McCarty, Steve; Obari, Hiroyuki; Sato, Takeshi

doi:10.1007/978-981-10-2451-1

Cited by 24 publications

(18 citation statements)

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“…The number of blended courses in higher education across Japan is also increasing and expected to grow rapidly (Gruba & Hinkelman, 2012). According to McCarty, Sato, and Obari (2017), blended learning, in the Japanese context, can provide a more integrated approach for teaching and learning, prevent learner alienation, improve completion rates, decrease dropout rates, and enhance the quality and quantity of interaction. The authors cite case studies conducted at Japanese universities on the potential effectiveness of blended learning and flipped classroom.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating a blended course for Japanese learners of English: why Quality Matters

Alizadeh

Mehran

Koguchi

et al. 2019

Int J Educ Technol High Educ

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With the increase in the number of blended courses in higher education over the past few years, it is now increasingly important to assure the quality of online education by evaluating blended (or hybrid) courses from various aspects such as consistency of learning objectives with assessment, learning materials and technology used, and pedagogical and technical support among others. This article describes the evaluation phase of a blended course of English for general academic purposes (EGAP) targeting second-year undergraduate Japanese students mostly from the Faculties of Law, Letters, Economics, and Human Sciences at Osaka University. In this study, the researchers adopted an inclusive approach to blended course evaluation. In order to ensure the course quality from the outset, the Fifth Edition of Quality Matters Higher Education Course Design Rubric was utilized as the major reference. As part of the evaluation process, students' perception on the usefulness of the course was also measured quantitatively and qualitatively through an attitudinal survey instrument and open ended reflection questions. Eventually, to add an outsider positionality, the blended course was peer-reviewed by a certified reviewer from Quality Matters (QM) after having been self-reviewed by the researchers. The findings of the evaluation survey demonstrated students' overall satisfaction with the course, and their responses to the open-ended questions provided further insight into the educational and technical difficulties they encountered. The QM peer review also yielded a score of 70 out of 99, resulting in failure to meet the essential standards. However, comments from the peer reviewer guided the refinements and improvement of the course design, and the course currently meets all the requirements of the Higher Education Course Design Rubric (Fifth Edition) upon amendment. This study discusses the implications for design, development, and evaluation of English-as-a-foreign-language blended courses and provides practical tips for online/blended course designers. Further refinements to the existing course can be made in the future by implementing it several times with various groups of students.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating a blended course for Japanese learners of English: why Quality Matters

Alizadeh

Mehran

Koguchi

et al. 2019

Int J Educ Technol High Educ

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“…Thailand was classed as having 'very low proficiency' of English skills in 2016 (EF EPI, 2017), with average English scores of 32% for 9 th grade and 28% for 12 th grade students (National Institute of Educational Testing Service, 2017). This far-from-satisfactory English language competence is a consequence of the few opportunities there are to use English in their daily settings (McCarty et al, 2017).…”

Section: Thai Context and Mobile Devicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in countries like Thailand can be challenging as there is very limited exposure to English in both daily life and in institutions (McCarty, Obari, & Sato, 2017). In Thailand, the grammar translation method of instruction -a traditional method where language is taught as an academic subject rather than a means of oral communication with a focus on grammar and rote learning-is claimed to still be very popular and successful among Thai EFL teachers (Sittirak, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Digital Native/Digital Immigrant Divide: EFL Teachers’ Mobile Device Experiences and Practice

Howlett¹,

Waemusa²

2018

CONT ED TECHNOLOGY

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The purpose of this study was to examine how Thai EFL high-school teachers view and use mobile devices (such as smart phones) in educational settings, and if the age-based digital native/digital immigrant divide would highlight any differences in responses. The participants were 55 Thai EFL teachers in 8 schools of different sizes in Southern Thailand, who were split into digital-native and digital-immigrant subgroups during data analysis. Participants completed a 35-item Likert-type scale covering a range of topics related to mobile devices in the EFL setting including their ability, experience, school/personal policy, instructional utilization, and whether they supported mobile devices as a learning aid. The results showed that while digital native teachers consistently responded more positively towards the benefits/uses of mobile devices in EFL teaching/learning than the older digital immigrant teachers often at a significant level, all teachers -regardless of age-agreed on the benefits and promotion of mobile devices as EFL learning aids. Results of this study expand the knowledge base of EFL teachers' mobile device experiences and practice while raising awareness of significant differences between digital natives and digital immigrants, and recommendations are made for policymakers, schools, and teachers.

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“…Recent studies suggest that MALL is also effective when it offers a variety of ways to help learners become more engaged in TL interaction. McCarty et al [10], through a series of case studies, show that MALL technology in Japan has been able to afford learners opportunities to learn a foreign language in a way that considers the learning habits within their cultural context(s), offering a variety of benefits for students of differing learning styles and backgrounds. In particular, the authors take a sociocultural approach to gain a better understanding of how to implement mobile technology.…”

Section: Teacher-designed Mobile-assisted Language-learning Materialsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Additionally, McCarty et al [10] found that mobile devices may be more effective at holding students' attention than tasks completed on a computer, as students are not as likely to multitask; for example, completing a task on a computer allows students to easily switch between windows or tabs, whereas an app covers the entire screen of a mobile device. In short, language teachers should not ignore the potential of MALL, especially since many people are transitioning towards making increasingly powerful smartphones their sole computer [13].…”

Section: Teacher-designed Mobile-assisted Language-learning Materialsmentioning

confidence: 99%

I Can’t Program! Customizable Mobile Language-Learning Resources for Researchers and Practitioners

2017

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Abstract:Combining insights from Activity Theory (Engeström, 2014), mobile-assisted language-learning (MALL) (Stockwell and Hubbard, 2013), and computer-assisted language learning (CALL) research (Chapelle, 2001), this paper proposes three levels of teacher involvement in the adaptation and/or creation of MALL resources to enhance learner interaction with the target language and potentially contribute to the field of learner-computer interactions. Specifically, this paper (1) proposes three levels of teacher involvement in MALL material creation, moving from easily adaptable pre-made materials (e.g., Duolingo) to customizable materials (e.g., Quizlet) and finally to teacher-created materials (e.g., Moodle); (2) demonstrates how these levels of design can be implemented in a MALL context to increase target language interaction according to Activity Theory (e.g., how teachers can incorporate gaming features into their online courses); and (3) concludes with recommendations as to how MALL "engineers" can work together to enhance the overall L2 learning experience and potentially collaborate in research and in the design of pedagogical materials. From a pedagogical standpoint, through these three levels of teacher involvement in material creation, teachers can extend the reach of their classrooms by mobilizing the target L2 environments, depending on their MALL/CALL proficiency and/or interests. This approach also invites second language acquisition scholars from a wide range of technological abilities to contribute to CALL research.

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Implementing Mobile Language Learning Technologies in Japan

Cited by 24 publications

References 0 publications

Evaluating a blended course for Japanese learners of English: why Quality Matters

Evaluating a blended course for Japanese learners of English: why Quality Matters

Digital Native/Digital Immigrant Divide: EFL Teachers’ Mobile Device Experiences and Practice

I Can’t Program! Customizable Mobile Language-Learning Resources for Researchers and Practitioners

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