Technology Showcase & Poster Session

 

POSTERS

 

A Comparative Study in Mobile Language Learning with Middle School Children

Sonia Rocca, Lycée Français de New York

Larry Selinker, New York University

This session presents an empirical study in mobile language learning. Two groups of bilingual French-English children learning Italian were observed for two years, in sixth grade and in seventh grade. The control group followed more traditional classes whereas the experimental group was given iPads to utilize during classes and beyond. The experimental group performed at a higher level across the four language skills, especially in aural-oral skills. This led to the conclusion that mobile devices have properties that are essential to language learning and teaching, in that they enhance exposure and noticing, promote interaction, develop self-monitoring and calibrate corrective feedback.

 

You Wont Know Until You Pokémon Go: Combining Socio-Cultural Contexts with Location-Based Systems for Ubiquitous Language Learning in an Italian Study Abroad Program

Moira Dimauro-Jackson, Texas State University

Context-dependent learning systems are now becoming more common, as most students are equipped with mobile devices to aid them with content absorption, upkeep of motivation and realization of tasks. As there has been little research into context-aware mobile applications on location in the language field, the present study aims to investigate ubiquitous language learning in socio-cultural contexts, as well as recent trends in using location-based systems in an Italian Study Abroad Program in the Amalfi Coast.

 

A Critical Analysis of Discourse on the Transition of Media Labs to Language Centers

Abram Jones, University of California, Davis

Language learning facilities have been a major part of U.S. foreign language teaching since the 1950s. Fossilization of facility design, a result of the end of governmental support, can be mirrored in popular perceptions of these centers equally mired in the past. These facilities have developed from language labs into language centers (LCs), a terminology update reflecting shifts in SLA theory, facility design and advancements in technology. Nevertheless, our mixed methods analysis of the discourse surrounding LCs in multiple sources reveals an evaluation of LCs on the part of center administrators, other faculty and patrons as the domain of rote activity.

 

3D Printing for Task-based Language Teaching in an EFL Context: An Innovative Pedagogical Approach to the Teaching of Technical Communication

Debopriyo Roy, University of Aizu

3D printing is commonly referred to as the third industrial revolution (Council et al., 2014) with its unique capacity for design innovation, personalized entrepreneurship and a “do-it-yourself” and open-source approach (Anderson, 2012; Blikstein, 2013) to manufacturing. 3D printing-based initiatives in task-based language teaching are a unique opportunity to academically explore new frontiers in technological applications and document production in technical communication (TC). This presentation discusses how 3D printing as a platform provides us with numerous opportunities to explore, invent and implement ideas while teaching technical communication with a task-based language teaching approach in English as foreign language (EFL) context.

 

“I sound like a drunken lowlander singing.” Can We Learn to Speak Spanish on a MOOC?

Zsuzsanna Bárkányi, Open University

The paper examines – with the help of reflective questionnaires and discourse analysis – foreign language speaking anxiety on a six-course MOOC Spanish for Beginners Program, which contrary to expectations is very much present on this form of learning as well. Further, we explore the development of pronunciation during the Program by carrying out acoustic analyses of certain segmental and suprasegmental features in learner utterances.

 

Improving the Spoken-English Skills of Young Learners through Mobile Social Networking

Zhong Sun, Capital Normal University, Beijing

Chin-Hsi Lin, Michigan State University

Most students of English as a foreign language (EFL) lack sufficient opportunities to practice it. However, the recent development of social-networking sites (SNSs) and mobile learning, especially mobile-assisted language learning, represent new opportunities for these learners to practice speaking English in a meaningful way. This study integrated a mobile SNS into first-grade EFL classes in China, with the aim of determining its effects on the students’ spoken-English skills. Two classes were recruited, one as a control group that did not use the SNS, and the other as the experimental group, which did. While both classes’ spoken English improved between our pretest and posttest, the gains in English fluency by the experimental group were significantly larger. Progress in accuracy and pronunciation, on the other hand, were similar across the two groups.

 

Technology Mediated Tasks to Enhance Second Language Pronunciation Abroad

Angel Añorga, University of Cincinnati Blue Ash

This poster session provides insight on the process of implementation of technology and task-based language teaching to target second language pronunciation development during a short-term language sojourn. Technology-mediated tasks provide a variety of opportunities to practice and utilize authentic language. Additionally, the process of selection of technology-mediated tasks is key to strategize specific language goals. This poster session will discuss what theory-grounded phases are important and how to setup technology-mediated tasks with the specific purpose to empower learners to improve their pronunciation in the target language abroad.

 

An Annotation Framework for Language Learning Using Natural Language Processing Tools: Its Design and An Experimental Study

Mamoru Komachi, Tokyo Metropolitan University

Yui Suzuki, Tokyo Metropolitan University  

In this presentation, we introduce an annotation framework for language learning and discuss results of an experimental study. In the process of understanding a text, there are several steps: recognising characters and word boundaries, understanding the meaning of words and syntactical structures, and so on. These can be interpreted as the same steps as a pipeline of natural language processing (NLP). Implementing NLP tools into language education provides students an opportunity to learn how to discuss based on data while learning languages. To investigate whether our design works, we conduct task-based annotation workshops and analyze change of learners’ attitude and language skills.

 

The Effect of Instructor Attitudes on Student Gameplay and Vocabulary Learning

Scott Payne, McGraw-Hill Education

Dorian Dorado, Louisiana State University

In this presentation, we present findings from a study examining: 1) instructor attitudes towards the use of a game-based simulation (Practice Spanish: Study Abroad); 2) the ways in which these instructors choose to integrate the game into teaching; and 3) the comparative impact these attitudes and instructional practices have on the vocabulary learning in the game-based learning environment and the classroom context.

 

L2 Pronunciation Tools: The Unrealized Potential of Prominent Computer-assisted Language Learning Software

Joan Palmiter Bajorek, University of Arizona

Computer-assisted language learning (CALL) software can help to improve L2 speech perception and production (Blake, 2013; Chapelle, 2001; Lord, 2005). Building on the importance of pronunciation for L2 learners (Arteaga, 2000) and its neglect in the contemporary L2 classroom (Morin, 2007), this paper is a cross-sectional review of the presentation of pronunciation in the most prominent CALL software (Lotherington, 2016): Rosetta Stone (Swad, 1992), Duolingo (Von Ahn, 2011), Babbel (Witte & Holl, 2016), and Mango Languages (Teshuba, 2016). Findings provide a snapshot of the current state of the field and the potential for future CALL technologies in L2 pronunciation development.

 

Storytelling Meets the Smartphone: Improving Digital Literacy in a Foreign Language Classroom


William Justin Morgan, University of Alabama

Giovanni Zimotti, University of Alabama

This poster presentation will inform its audience about educational strategies for incorporating messaging apps in order to increase learners’ digital literacy along with authentic and discursive language commonly found in digital interactions in the target language. The present strategies focus primarily on story creation outside of the classroom in the target language. This poster will inform the audience what strategies can be implemented while using messaging apps that may not be commonly associated with academic achievement and language acquisition. Finally, the audience will be provided with an adaptable lesson plan for their specific classroom needs.

 

DEMONSTRATIONS

 

“Technologize” Your Grammar Class

Elena Pipenko, Oregon State University

Making Grammar classes interesting and fun can be challenging. In this practical demonstration, I will show a number of activities for teaching Grammar using technology, and I will share several useful websites and add-ons for teaching Grammar. Active participation is anticipated. BYOD (Bring Your Own Device).

 

MReader for Motivating and Tracking Extensive Reading

Thomas Robb, Kyoto Sangyo University

MReader.org offers quizzes on over 5000 books that are commonly used in English language extensive reading programs. The quizzes are easy, designed only to ascertain that students have read the book, rather than how deeply they have understood the contents. The quiz items are drawn from a question bank and randomized so that each student gets a different quiz. Students are awarded the book cover of each passed quiz on their personal page and continue to read until they have reached the word count goal set by their teacher. The site is completely free to use for any recognised school. The system is currently in use by some 100,000 students in 35 countries.

 

Get a Job! Interactive Online Materials for Language Teacher Graduates

Robert Elliott, University of Oregon

This presentation allows session participants to see a demonstration of new, interactive, online, non-commercial, professional development materials recently created by a Language Teaching MA program in collaboration with other Language Departments at a west coast US university, with the purpose of supporting graduates who seek teaching employment in various languages. Attendees will be shown the online materials and how users can: navigate through the multimedia examples of authentic job applications and on-site mock-interviews; evaluate them and then compare their evaluations to video commentaries by faculty, students, and other professionals; then practice and peer-review their own application and interview answers.

 

Language Online from Carnegie Mellon University

Bonnie L. Youngs, Carnegie Mellon University

Marc Neil Siskin, Carnegie Mellon University

Sébastien Dubriel, Carnegie Mellon University

The latest updates in French and Spanish Online will be available as well as information on other Language Online courses, including Arabic for Global Exchange (a culture and survival language minicourse), Elementary Chinese Online (an 18–lesson course), and Elementary Spanish Online. Also available for viewing will be new format exercises providing information in the Learning Dashboard on individual and group mastery of the material.

 

Language, Culture, Technology: Connecting the Dots to Strengthen Indigenous Language and Cultural Identity

Marion Bittinger, Rosetta Stone

This paper examines the potential of technology to combine heritage language instruction with cultural content to strengthen both the language and the culture of the citizens of the Chickasaw Nation. Research (Nicholas, 2008) has demonstrated the nature of the interconnectedness of indigenous language and culture and the essential role of each in language and identity maintenance and survival. We use the examples of stickball, pishofa and more to show how technology can support the learning of Chikashshanompa’, an indigenous language, and its associated cultural practices.

 

Chinese Pronunciation & Romanization for Mobile

Devin Asay, Brigham Young University

Zhao Yang, Brigham Young University

Beginning Chinese students at Brigham Young University have been using the Chinese Pronunciation & Romanization program for many years to learn and test their knowledge of Mandarin tones and Pinyin transcription. This software was rewritten from the ground up in 2014, and tutorial and drill sections were added. We have created a mobile version that allows students to access the tutorial lessons and drills on iOS and Android mobile devices. We will be showing our initial version of the mobile version of this software.

 

Using WordPress for Written and Visual Work, Plus an App to Learn Grammar

Jabier Elorrieta, New York University

This presentation will show a few projects taking place at our beginner level Spanish. Some of our courses have adopted wordpress for various learning projects by students (restaurant reviews, ebooks, video postings and a full-blown telenovela) that lead to the sharing and commenting of each others’ work. Our rubrics aim to increase this type of interaction and make it seem more genuine. In addition, we have devised an interactive game for learning grammar that adapted a widely used videogame app and has encouraged students to practice and challenge each other. Information on their performance is relayed to the instructor.

 

Build & Show: An Authoring Tool for 3D Virtual Contexts Construction

Yu-Ju Lan, National Taiwan Normal University

“Build and Show” (B&S) is a 3D authoring tool in a virtual environment developed through OpenSim. With B&S, users aged 9 and above can easily build and move 3D objects with several clicks and without prior knowledge of any programming languages or 3D modeling. In this way, users are allowed to construct any virtual environments based on their needs and interests to help them learn a language through immersion.

 

Flipped Classroom in Mathematics Instruction at Higher Education: Applicable or Not Applicable?

Huseyin Uysal, University of Florida

Seyda Uysal, University of South Florida

Flipped classroom is a trend associated with active learning and student-centered pedagogy. Having 15 faculty members as our participants, we investigate the instructors’ perceptions about conducting a flipped classroom and its challenges. Data is collected via an email interview composed of open-ended questions to reveal deeper perception about flipped classroom. Findings show that deeper thinking and reasoning skills are required for mathematics classes, so there is not much room for peer to peer discussion at the beginning stages. As implications, we support the use of technological tools, such as Canvas, online messaging, online study groups and instant messaging for feedback to overcome individual differences.