CALICO 2010, Amherst College
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June 8-12, Amherst, Massachusetts
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Conference Presentations Day One:
June 10, 2010
9:00 – 9:45
Keynote Address
Homo Ludens: New Ways of Learning and New Paths for CALL
Robert Blake
Director of the UC Consortium for
Language Learning and Teaching
University of California, Davis
| Ustream Recording |
10:00 – 10:45
To Tweet or Not to Tweet: Practices and Outcomes of Using Twitter for Language Learners and Teachers
Lara Lomicka University of South Carolina
Gillian Lord University of Florida
Lara Ducate University of South Carolina
| audio recording | presentation slides |
This presentation discusses the role of Twitter in two classroom settings: an intermediate language class and a graduate teacher training course. In the language class, students tweeted three times per week with each other and with native speakers. Tweets represented status updates and current happenings in their lives. In the other project, over 70 teachers-in-training from around the US and Canada tweeted regular reactions and reflections to their experiences as new teachers. In both cases, participants quickly formed part of a collaborative community which they were able to take advantage of to learn, share and reflect.
Accent Reduction Program for Creole Speakers: An Intensive Blended Learning Approach
Tania Davidson Edusoft
Shaunie Shammass Edusoft
| audio recording |
Students at Bluefield’s Indian Caribbean University (BICU), Nicaragua, were provided with an intensive three-month accent reduction pilot program using a specially developed blended learning solution. A unique blend of communicative and engaging online and classroom activities was created to provide students and teachers with a meaningful learning experience. The online program consisted of pronunciation, grammar and fluency units that covered the most severe problems for strongly-accented Creole speech. This was accompanied by innovative communicative-based frontal lessons and extensive practice word lists. Results showed that non-standard English speaking teachers were able to successfully deliver Standard English pronunciation training.
Self-instructional, Networking, or Class Management Tools? Creating and Customizing a CMC from Existing Plug-ins for WordPress MU: Preliminary Findings
Mark Knowles University of Colorado at Boulder
Amber Navarre CU-Boulder
| audio recording |
We will discuss production of a uniform, coherent, and intuitive learning system, one reducing the burdensome demand of learning several praiseworthy online tools but including their features. Our solution: a system with a customizable feature set derived from open source WordPress MU and plug-ins, including quizzing software, a video/audio flash recorder, secure logins, and on-the-fly updating. Specifications included self-instructional software, networking tools, and a course management system. Development costs being prohibitive, we relied on only minimal assistance from a programmer. Problems experienced in development will be discussed, as well as student learning outcome and reactions.
Foreign Language Learning in Immersive Gaming Environments: A State of Affairs
Frederik Cornillie K.U.Leuven campus Kortrijk
| audio recording |
Although the term ‘serious game’ has only recently come into wide use, digital games have long attracted the attention of CALL, both in theory and in practice. Digital games allow to immerse learners in environments which stimulate experiential learning and focus on functional aspects of language, and, recently, multiplayer online games have come to be understood to encourage collaborative learning. This presentation will review current and past research on digital games in CALL in light of some fundamental issues in SLA, and will finally report on a R&D project which aims to deliver a prototype of game-based foreign language learning.
Researching Learners’ Use of Corpus-based Resources during Focus-on-form
Pascual Pérez-Paredes Northern Arizona University
María Sánchez-Tornel Universidad de Murcia
M. Pilar Aguado Universidad de Murcia
Jose M. Alcaraz Universidad de Murcia
| audio recording |
What do language learners do with actual, real corpus-based applications? Our research examines the actual use of corpus-based resources made by two groups of learners (n=31) randomly assigned to two experimental conditions (guided vs unguided corpus consultation). During two sessions learners were asked to complete focus-on-form different activities on cleft-sentences and inversion with the aid of existing corpus-based resources, and in particular with the aid of the BNC. The behavior of the students was tracked by the research team and then summarized and analyzed.
Pedagogical Scaffolding in a Game-based CALL Environment
W. Lewis Johnson Alelo, Inc.
Michael Emonts Alelo, Inc.
Rebecca Row Alelo
Game-based learning is fun, but only if learners have developed the language skills required to play the game. At Alelo, we employ an elaborate scaffolding methodology within our game-based courses to systematically build the skills of a learner. Through the use of language instruction pages, review exercises, listening comprehension pages, utterance formation pages, mini-dialogs, and active-dialogs, learners are systemically prepared to carry out full conversations in our highly-immersive, task-based scenarios in 3-D virtual environments. In this presentation, we will present an overview of Alelo’s scaffolding methodology and a live demonstration of our award-winning software widely used by the US military.
Comparing a Large- and Small-Scale Distance Language Program: An Examination of Students’ and Teachers’ Perceptions
Wesley Curtis University of South Florida
Victoria Russell University of South Flroida
Dr. Nancy Blain University of South Florida: Sarasota-Manatee
| audio recording |
The present study compares a large-scale distance language program that enrolls 350 students per semester (50 students per teacher) with a small-scale program that caps enrollment at 25 students per teacher. We will report the results of interview and survey data, which is organized in four themes: (a) student and teacher perceptions of the course, (b) the amount and quality of the interaction between the teachers and students, (c) departmental support, and (d) student motivation to continue with distance language learning in the future. By sharing our findings, we hope to contribute to the effectiveness of distance program design.
11:00 – 11:20
Using Video/Photo Blogs and Wikis to Elicit the Spanish Aspect
Daniel Castaneda Kent State University, Stark
This study investigated the effects of the integration of video/photo blogs and wikis in the learning and teaching of the preterite and imperfect aspects in Spanish from the discourse perspective. Achievement level results revealed that there were no significant differences at the production level between the students who used blog and wiki technologies versus those who used traditional technologies. However, significant differences were found at the recognition level for the group that used blogs and wikis when compared with those who used traditional technologies. As for satisfaction levels, the groups using wikis and traditional technologies responded more favorably than the groups using blogs.
Learning to Laugh: A Conversational Analysis of Computer-mediated Interaction
Marta Gonzalez-Lloret University of Hawai’i
| audio recording |
The presentation will focus on the potential that Conversation Analysis (CA) has for the investigation of computer-mediated communication (CMC). A brief presentation of CA key concepts for the sequential analysis of CMC will be followed by a review of previous research on L1 CMC which has successfully employed CA. Afterwards, data from a telecollaborative project between L1 Spanish speakers and L2 Spanish learners will be analyzed to illustrate how CA can reveal patterns of learning in learners’ longitudinal data, specifically, learning to effectively engage in joking sequences. Finally, possible limitations of CA and future lines of research will be suggested.
Foreign Language Education and the Race to the Top: Policy, Strategy, Capitol Hill, and JNCL
Betty Rose Facer Old Dominion University
This presentation will focus on the latest developments of the 111th Congress concerning foreign languages and international education from JNCL (Joint National Committee for Languages) and Capitol Hill. Learn more about the mission of the Joint National Committee for Languages (JNCL) and the National Committee for Languages and International Studies (NCLIS) and their active role on Capitol Hill. Understand current policy issues affecting the field of language professionals from the 2010 Delegate Assembly and Legislative Forum in Washington, DC. Be more informed on how JNCL identifies, advocates, and helps to develop policy on key issues related to foreign language education.
Social Presence in Online Multimodal Communication: A Case Study for Language Learning
H. Müge Satar The Open University, UK
In this presentation I will report some of the findings of my PhD study at the Open University, UK. The study aims to investigate how foreign language learners create and experience social presence in dyadic audio/video SCMC. Multimodal data collected from five cases were analysed using an interpretivist framework drawing on interactional sociolinguistics and semiotics. Two main guiding questions in this analysis were: How do each pair accommodate to different modalities in creating social presence online? To what extent is it possible to apply the social presence framework developed by Rourke, Anderson, Garrison and Archer (2001) to audio/video SCMC?
Principles of Instructional Design for Computer-Mediated Language Teaching
German Vargas UMass Amherst School of Education
This presentation will focus on illustrating foundational principles of instructional design as constructed through a survey of computer-mediated-communication and Information Architecture theories and studies. Cognitive as well as social research will be reviewed, synthesized and presented. To be presented are key findings from a small study of student collaboration during a problem-solving exercise mediated through various computer-mediated-communication tools. The various design principles and pedagogical strategies that can be derived from the survey of the literature and from the findings of the study and how they can be applied to the language classroom will be discussed.
Which Group Produces Better Language and Gets Involved in More Input Comprehension in an Online Task-based Language Learning Environment: Advanced- or Intermediate-level Students?
Abdurrahman Arslanyilmaz Youngstown State University
| audio recording |
This study examines the effect of language proficiency on input comprehension and language production by non-native speakers (NNS) in an online task-based language learning (TBLL) environment. Twelve non-native advanced-level and 12 non-native intermediate-level students collaboratively completed four communicative tasks using an online TBLL environment specifically designed for this study. Language production was investigated in terms of fluency, accuracy, and complexity including lexical and syntactic complexity. Input comprehension was measured in terms of the ratio of negotiated turns to total turns.
Information Presentation Mode and ESL Student Summaries
Franklin Bacheller Utah State University
| audio recording |
The presenter will discuss results of a study and their implications for development of courseware designed to teach summarizing skills to academic ESL students. The study looked for differences associated with mode of information presentation and the patchwriting typically found in ESL summaries. Learners wrote three summaries, and then incorporated their summarized information in a report. For each summary assignment, the mode of information presentation varied. Using text analysis, the researcher compared learner summaries across presentation modes and analyzed written reports for effective incorporation of summarized information.
11:30 – 11:50
Web 2.0 and Second Language Learning: What Does Research Tell Us?
Shenggao Wang University of South Florida
| audio recording |
This presentation reports the results of a research review on using Web 2.0 tools in second language learning. Major findings revealed that blogs and wikis were most studied, but the applications were limited. Though researchers’ perspectives varied, writing issues dominated the empirical research, whereas other language skills were overlooked. The frequently reported benefit was favorable learning environments, but it was mainly based on learners’ perceptions. The salient effectiveness was the improvement of writing confidence, strategies, and skills. However, few researchers examined learners’ actual progress in writing ability. Furthermore, little research was conducted on less commonly taught languages.
Task-Based Synchronous Computer-Mediated Communication Activities and the Development of L2 Grammatical Accuracy: A Mixed Methods Study
Jinrong Li Iowa State University
| audio recording |
The study is motivated by the potential benefits of task-based synchronous computer-mediated communication (SCMC) activities on L2 development and a lack of longitudinal studies necessary in this area. To better understand how learners develop their grammatical accuracy through the use of task-based SCMC activities over time, the study uses a mixed methods design looking at differential improvement of 48 adult ESL students in a control and an experiment group and the specific grammatical development patterns over a 15-week semester. Eight writing samples from each student will be collected and coded using Ellis’ (2005) categorization of grammar errors for close examination.
The Global Process of Pedagogical Evaluation of Web-based CALL: The Case of the CALL@C&S Project
Ana Gimeno Universidad Politécnica de Valencia
The aim of this paper is to suggest a research methodology for the pedagogical evaluation of Web-based CALL which has three major characteristics: it is 1) pedagogical–based on pedagogical criteria; 2) integrative–building on both theoretical and practical research; and 3) comprehensive –incorporating a global standpoint including many dimensions of the Web-based CALL development process. The paper is divided into three sections: (1) presentation of a pedagogical evaluation methodology for Web-based CALL designed at the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia (Spain); (2) description of the Web-based CALL R&D Project called CALL@C&S and (3) implementation of this evaluation methodology to analyse the CALL@C&S Project in context. Thus, this paper also illustrates how to establish links between theory and practice when evaluating Web-based CALL.
Process Writing in a Hybrid Environment: Students’ Perceptions of Technology
Adolfo Carrillo Cabello Iowa State University
Ruslan Suvorov Iowa State University
Although the use of technology has increased in writing courses that use the process approach to teaching writing, research on students’ perceptions of hybrid learning is limited. This presentation reports a mixed-methods study of students’ attitudes towards the use of technology for the development of writing skills in a first-year composition hybrid unit using Moodle. The unit, in which the students created a website, was based on the process approach to writing. An exit survey completed by students and the analysis of their logs revealed students’ attitudes to online process writing and the extent of their interaction with online writing activities.
Designing Interactive Speaking Activities in Second Life
Karina Silva Iowa State University
Jacob E. Larsen Iowa State University
Advances in computer technology have made possible the development and implementation of innovative and engaging interactive activities that promote speaking among second language learners. Virtual worlds such as Second Life allow for the creation of tasks that stimulate learners to use the target language in meaningful interactions and simulated situations. While partaking in these activities, learners have a chance to enhance their listening skills as well as receive instant feedback. This presentation will discuss issues in the design and implementation of interactive speaking activities in Second Life. We will demonstrate some examples of such activities, mentioning potential adaptations and limitations.
Multiple Response Questions as Affective Structured Input
Tony Houston Bryant University
| audio recording |
Multiple response questions, questions with multiple correct answers, are a staple of instruction mediated by Audience Response Systems such as Turning Point and eInstruction. Using radio frequency response devices, learners record their responses to polling questions and the results are tallied and displayed immediately. Multiple response questions are also a staple of affective Structured Input. While corrective feedback is not possible in affective Structured Input, these activities are believed to reinforce form-meaning connections made during referential activities. The present study to determine whether student response indicate that learners attend to meaning when all answers are potentially correct.
2:00 – 2:45
Perceptions of Using Digital Recording for Oral Proficiency Assessment
Peter B Swanson Georgia State University
| audio recording |
Promoting student engagement in the second language classroom can be challenging for teachers. Multiple obstacles such as perceptions of irrelevance of authentic language applications and the affective barriers tend to hinder student oral language performance. This session focuses on the use of four free and open source software options for the assessment of students’ speaking proficiency. Findings from multiple studies (grades 8-16) are presented and highlight manifold benefits for both teachers and students. The presenter discusses oral assessment, demonstrates how to use software, and encourages discussion about its applications in the second language classroom.
Teaching and Learning in Limited Technology Contexts
Authors and editors from CALICO’s 2010 book will describe issues of limited technology contexts and interact with participants to explore solutions and workarounds. Implications for teacher education and classroom learning will be discussed.
The Impact of Virtual Environment on 2nd Language Production
| audio recording |
This exploratory research examined how a 3-D virtual environment influences linguistic production and task success rate. Its broadened definition of negotiation of meaning beyond just word- or phrase-level to include task and managing the interaction negotiations offers an expanded means of evaluating synchronous communication. Fourteen second-semester German students worked in dyads either in a 3D MUVE or a text-based graphical MOO and completed a task related to the restaurant theme in the course textbook. Discourse analysis of the chat logs was used to categorize and count communication, task-solving and managing interaction negotiations to analyze the output differences between the environments.
Give the Dog Its Tail Back
Robert Donald Stewart Ohio University
| audio recording |
The apparent obsession with technology in many sectors — not least of all language instruction — leads in some cases to the tail wagging the dog. Still, technology does have a role to play, perhaps even a very significant one, in many language instruction areas and methodologies. This presentation discusses feedback in composition from an SLA perspective combined with theoretical and practical understandings of Web 2.0 to offer new synergies between teaching and technology in a very specific and student-oriented area of concern: feedback. A variety of concerns are addressed to rearm the proverbial dog with control over its tail.
Courseware Overview
Devin Asay Brigham Young University
Derek Roff University of New Mexico
Klaus Brandl
Lisa Frumkes Apex Learning
Jay F. Bodine Colorado State University
Phil Hubbard Stanford University
| audio recording |
Courseware has received less attention with the rise of the Web, but it is often still the best way to deliver engaging, pedagogically relevant language learning materials. The panel will discuss the advantages and areas of applicability of several courseware development tools, including how they integrate with the Web and course management systems. The presentation will be useful for both CALICO newcomers and those interested in catching up with new trends in courseware development.
Measuring the Effectiveness of Pronunciation Practice and Modeling
Mary Morrisard Larkin College of the Holy Cross
Elizabeth O’Connell-Inman College of the Holy Cross
This presentation will discuss a pilot study that was designed to evaluate a web-based pronunciation program incorporated into Spanish language courses at the College of the Holy Cross. As part of a departmental review of the development of oral skills, it was the general consensus that systematic pronunciation practice had not been effectively incorporated into the language curriculum. To this end, Spanish faculty decided to develop a program that would encourage students to work toward improved accuracy and set-up a framework that would enable instructors to provide better feedback.
Media Monitoring Tools for Cultural Awareness and Language Learning
Sean Colbath BBN Technologies
Martha Lillie BBN Technologies
Elio Querze Raytheon BBN Technologies
Amit Srivastava Raytheon BBN Technologies
| audio recording |
This presentation will describe the adaptation of the government sponsored BBN Broadcast Monitoring System to a language learning application. The authors will demonstrate how the system allows search of a continuous live archive of foreign language television broadcasts, enabling instructors to find clips for classroom use or for developing student-centered activities. Curriculum and test developers can extract and manipulate excerpts that match topics of interest in their creation of materials. Government, military, and academic language learning centers have been using the system for applications beyond language learning, e.g., for media analysis, communications, and cross-cultural awareness. These users are providing feedback to guide future development. *This project was initiated by Dr. Kathleen Egan and sponsored by the DoD/Technical Support Working Group and by Mr. Nicholas Bemish at the Defense Intelligence Agency for system enhancements.
3:00 – 3:45
Developing Collaborative Autonomous Learning Abilities in Computer Mediated Language Learning: Attention to Meaning Among Students in Wiki Space
Greg Kessler Ohio University
| audio recording |
This study reports on attention to meaning among 40 NNS pre-service EFL teachers in an online course. The nature of individual and group attention to meaning in a long-term wiki-based collaborative activity illustrates students’ collaborative autonomous language learning abilities. Phases of group collaboration and individual language acts were analyzed. Student interaction and language use appear to benefit from flexible learning environments although student use of these spaces may not be consistent with instructor expectations. The authors propose a framework for CALL that integrates a revision of Littlewood’s (1996) Framework for autonomy within Levy and Hubbard’s (2005) “CALL-Centred viewpoint” (p. 146).
The Use of Moodle Workspaces for Collaborative Language Learning
This paper will present two Moodle workspaces used in projects and courses at the Department of Languages in the Open University, UK. It will describe learners’ use of online environments that were designed to further collaboration and collaborative practice. Different types of users engage with the workspaces in distinct ways, depending on their learning preferences (Grotjahn 2003), stages of participation (Preece & Shneiderman 2009), and personal choices (Ehrmann, Leaver & Oxford 2003). A comparison of different usage patterns will be based on Moodle data analysis and qualitative content analysis of online interactions.
Designing ICALL Applications that Promote Learner Independence
Peter Wood University of Saskatchewan
How can we design ICALL applications that foster learner independence in the widest sense possible? This talk will discuss requirements that have to be met by learners, instructors, the learning context and the tools to create a setting in which truly independent language learning can successfully take place and the suitability of currently available language learning software for truly independent learning. I will argue that using existing natural language processing software has the ability to act as useful tools for independent language learners and can be made accessible to learners by providing a suitable interface for them.
Towards Forming a STEM Wordlist for ESL
Gregory Aist Iowa State University
David Oakey Iowa State University
Tammy Slater Iowa State University
Heidi Ramaeker Iowa State University
Lists such as the 570-item Academic Word List (AWL) (Coxhead 2000) do not focus on scientific, technical, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) vocabulary. Our study addresses the problem of general EAP vocabulary (Hyland and Tse 2007), suggests categories needed for STEM-specific ESL vocabulary, and develops an initial STEM wordlist for classroom and online use. We explore four processes: selecting STEM words from the AWL; filtering out non-STEM words; pairing with non-AWL words to form natural sets (simple, complex; compare, contrast); and extending certain AWL words to STEM- or discipline-specific collocations (biological function, mathematical function, genetic factor, algebraic factor).
Using Multiplayer Gaming to Develop Language and Culture Skills
Edward S. Twardy Academic Consortium for Global Education
J. Scott Payne Amherst College
Lewis Johnson Alelo, Inc.
Tony Beld Academic Consortium for Global Education
The ISLET project (Integrated System for Language Education and Training) combines validated instructional approaches, methodologies, emerging technologies, and innovative assessment techniques to develop an educational system with a web-based multiplayer game to generate sufficient learner interest and the persistence essential to second language acquisition by adults. This presentation will provide an overview and brief demonstrations of the components of the ISLET project, including: the cultural training materials, language activities, multiplayer game, and the assessment agenda and techniques. Presenters will reference research findings from the project and discuss the pedagogical implications ISLET has for language and culture education more broadly.
The Innovative Role of Input Enhancement in L2 Listening Comprehension Activities Based on Authentic Video Materials
Maribel Montero Perez K.U.Leuven campus Kortrijk
This presentation will start with a brief outline of cognitive SLA theories focusing on input as a central component in the acquisition process. A global limitation of existing computer-assisted language learning (CALL) studies still concerns the often limited interaction with second language acquisition (SLA) research. In light of this theoretical background, we will examine how we can innovate listening comprehension activities by exploiting means for input enhancement. Our presentation will give an overview of a set of (combinable) enhancement techniques (i.e. transcripts, hypertext, glosses, highlighting) and motivate the choices made for our project (based on literature). The central questions that are raised are: How can we realise input enhancement? How can we offer enhanced input without hampering the global understanding of the fragment?
4:00 – 4:45
Learning Trajectory and Identity Negotiation in Telecollaborative Environments: A Case Study
Sebastien Dubreil University of Tennessee, Knoxville
The purpose of this case study was to investigate issues of process, learning trajectory, and identity (re)negotiation in telecollaborative learning environments. Within the context of a culture class, French and American learners collaborated on a research project (using the socio-constructivist framework of community of inquiry) and engaged in a weekly dialogue using webcams. While gaining knowledge of French and American cultures, learners confronted the challenges of transcultural learning as they negotiated their cultural identities as well as their interlocutors’, and positioned themselves in a dynamic stance between two cultures. The framework and data presented support the effectiveness of telecollaboration in fostering transcultural learning.
The Development and Analysis of a New Korean Diagnostic Test for Third-Year Korean Students
Harold Hendricks HTRSC Brigham Young University
The BYU Humanities Technology and Research Support Center along with the Korean section of the Asian and Near Eastern Languages Department has developed a diagnostic test for third year Korean students that provides a personalized profile of the student’s understanding of Korean grammatical concepts. The results also allow instructors to review the aggregate class profile to determine what concepts might be emphasized in the classroom. Brower-based, diagnostic testing software created by the HTRSC allows students to take the test anytime, provides aggregate reports to the instructors, and captures data for long-term item analysis and research.
A Balancing Act: Experiences Developing an Online Program
Volker Hegelheimer Iowa State University
Julio C Rodriguez Iowa State University
Anne O’Bryan Iowa State University
Kimberly LeVelle Iowa State University
Adolfo A. Carrillo Cabello Iowa State University
Jim Ranalli Iowa State University
This presentation will show how pedagogy, technology, and complex content were integrated in the development of an online TESL/TEFL certificate program. We will focus on the process of redesigning each of the program’s courses that were originally created for face-to-face delivery and on the ways in which the program plans to meet teacher development needs acknowledged in current CALL research. Examples from each course will demonstrate aspects specific to teacher development contexts, such as the need to model effective technology use and the need for students to experience working with technology from both the learner and the instructor perspectives.
Developing and Integrating ICALL Systems
Luiz Amaral University of Massachusetts Amherst
Flavia Cunha University of Massachusetts
Detmar Meurers Universität Tübingen
Ramon Ziai University of Tübingen
We discuss our current development efforts addressing the pedagogical needs arising from the integration of an ICALL system into two new teaching contexts: two classroom-based language programs and a new distance learning program. The efforts to make the system ready for the new demands include the re-implementation of natural language processing using the annotation-based UIMA architecture to more flexibly support the processing needs of different activity types and to transparently distinguish different representation levels of the learner input. It also includes more informative activity and learner models as needed to adjust feedback and provide more flexibility for activity design.
Corpus-Based Language Learning and Language Awareness
Mat(hias) Schulze University of Waterloo
In our pedagogy-based courseware design, the learning of writing with a focus on the development of complexity, accuracy, and fluency is done through meaning-focused and contextualized tasks and through collaborative knowledge construction in group projects. Our learning objects and designs are all based on research in corpus linguistics. Corpora have been playing a role in data-driven language learning, are a good example of discovery learning, and are employed in many different ways. This paper and the project it is based on contribute to the further integration of language learning with corpora and the development of students’ language awareness.
Effects of Learning Space Design on CALL Pedagogy
Angelika Kraemer Michigan State University
Scott Schopieray Michigan State University
This presentation discusses how university language instructors use instructional space, as well as instructor and student perceptions of how the space affects CALL pedagogy. Learning space design is a focal topic in current literature on college teaching (e.g., Educause Quarterly 2009 special issue on Learning Spaces). While many universities are engaging in designing new spaces for learning, there have been relatively few studies focusing on CALL. The general study design consisted of surveys, coupled with open-ended interviews. Preliminary results indicate that students do not necessarily have a preference for a specific type of learning space but are concerned with the teaching that happens in a space.
A Case Study of Student Attitudes and Performance in Beginning Arabic, German and Spanish Using Two Popular Off the Shelf CALL Programs
Jesus Aguirre US Military Academy, West Point
Sherri Bellinger United States Military Academy
Jeff Watson USMA
Johannes Vazulik US Military Academy
Mary Riley US Military Academy
Shoshannah Jenni US Military Academy
Jeff Dunlap US Military Academy
At West Point, beginning language courses are mandated to use computer-assisted language learning tools to complement traditional classroom instruction. CALL tools available to West Point instructors include Auralog’s Tell Me More, Transparent Language’s BYKI and LanguageNow, Rosetta Stone, LinguaMatch, Tactical Language and Culture Training System, Power Chinese, and the Foreign Service Institute’s Express Language series. This investigation surveyed student attitudes after using two of the above-mentioned CALL packages in Arabic, Chinese, German, and Spanish. In addition, this study provides data on the effectiveness of these CALL tools as evidenced by student surveys and performance on standardized prochievement tests.
Conference Presentations Day Two:
June 11, 2010
8:00 – 8:45
Localisation Education — Teaching Aid Toolkit
Dimitra Anastasiou Localisation Research Centre, Centre for Next Generation of Localisation
Naoto Nishio Localisation Research Centre
Enda Quigley Localisation Research Centre, Centre for Next Generation Localisation
| audio recording |
Localisation is the adaptation of digital content to a target combination of language and culture, called locale. We present an educational programme which encourages children to appreciate the cultural and linguistic diversity of the world. The Localisation Research Centre at the University of Limerick, the Curriculum Design Unit at Mary Immaculate College and the Centre for Next Generation Localisation develop a Primary School Localisation Toolkit.
Alex Chisholm Learning Games Network
| audio recording |
This presentation reflects on Gee’s (2007) learning principles as instantiated by language games developed within an open–source platform (ISLE). Online language learning is enabled through games and activities that are task-based with social interaction, collaboration, and competition. Activities are designed to be stand-alone, self-contained Flash modules nested within a single portal that taps the platform’s resources, makes extensive use of CMC tools, and permits performance reporting and learning path customizations. ESL materials will be showcased with an eye to illustrating the advantages of this gaming platform for the curriculum of other world languages.
An Analysis of the Spelling Errors of L2 English Learners
DJ Hovermale The Ohio State University
| audio recording |
Recent studies have shown that commercial spelling correction programs perform rather poorly on learner English (Mitton and Okada, 2008; Hovermale 2008). One explanation for this poor performance is that these spellcheckers exploit patterns in native speaker spelling errors which do not hold for L2 English learners (cf.e.g. Hovermale, 2008). This study examines approximately 1500 English spelling errors made by Japanese learners of English and provides empirical evidence that learner errors do, in fact, differ in predictable ways from those of native speakers. The study provides a detailed analysis of the errors and suggests how ESL spellcheckers could use this knowledge to improve performance.
Developing a LCTL Website for a Multi-Cultural Student Body
Derek Roff University of New Mexico
| audio recording |
Less-commonly taught languages face problems of access. Universities lack sufficient students for a viable learning program, while dispersed students lack local classes. The Web is an obvious resource, but many pedagogical, resource, and design decisions must be addressed. When the target learning community spans several cultures and language groups, access must include multiple languages of introduction and instruction. This presentation will explore the development of one successful learning portal, created with significant volunteer collaboration. It offers a wide array of learning materials, accessible via more than ten languages. We are developing student-accessed automatic writing evaluation tools as learning aids.
Pasi Puranen Helsinki School of Economics
Berit Peltonen Helsinki School of Economics
Lis Auvinen University of Helsinki
| audio recording |
This panel presentation by a team of language educators representing English, Spanish and Swedish focuses on the use of CALL and the foreign language learning goals and teaching practices in Finnish higher education. Maija Tammelin will exemplify how blended learning and the use of technology are used to meet the institutional, national and European goals in language learning. Pasi Puranen will focus on guidance in an online environment in teaching Spanish to Finnish students. Berit Peltonen and Lis Auvinen will demonstrate how they use videoconferencing tools, language karaoke and student-produced podcasts in their Swedish courses in a Finnish context.
Arabic without Walls: A Platform for Teaching and Learning about Learning
Michael Bush Brigham Young University
| audio recording |
The development of online language learning materials is expensive and must rely on unsettled theory. Work is underway at BYU to revise the successful Arabic Without Walls software in order improve instruction as well as inform SLA theory. We are revising the curriculum to achieve better integration between in-class and out-of-class activities and improve feedback to teachers regarding student preparation. Changes target online materials as well as the design of the course syllabus and schedule. The presentation will include demonstrations of architectural modifications to achieve “tool and content malleability” through openness, interoperability, and modularity for designing, developing, delivering, and evaluating courses.
9:00 – 9:45
Longitudinal Development of Language Learners: A Corpus-based Approach
Nina Vyatkina University of Kansas
This longitudinal study investigates the second language (L2) development in college-level learners of German. A written electronic corpus of learner productions elicited at dense time intervals starting from the novice level and continuing over several semesters of study is analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. The focal features include selected vocabulary and grammar features. I also track how learners use the available input by modifying it and applying it to their own L2 production. The study responds to numerous calls for more longitudinal L2 research.
Linda R Lemus University of New Mexico
| audio recording |
This project focuses on the design, implementation, and evaluation of the first place-based mobile game for the learning of Spanish pragmatics in traditionally Hispanic neighborhoods in the United States – Mentira. The presentation will describe the development process of the Mentira game, including the theoretical model for learning, programming, graphic design, and piloting. It will then report on a design-based research project aimed at improving intercultural communication and pragmatic abilities in Spanish. The presentation will conclude with a discussion of future implications for pedagogy and research, as well as suggested applications to learner-created mobile games for language learning.
Google Wave Roundtable Discussion
J. Scott Payne Amherst College
| audio recording |
While still a preview, Google’s new communication platform, called Wave, shows great promise as a tool for language learning and research. This roundtable discussion will begin with a brief presentation of what Wave is and a demonstration of how it works. This roundtable will serve as an informational session for those who have yet to see Wave in action and as a venue for exploring how Wave could be leveraged to promote language learning and SLA research. Presenters in the roundtable will be drawn from members of the “Using Google Wave in CALL” group with the intent of fostering an open and unstructured discussion.
Jonathan Perkins University of Kansas
| audio recording |
It is commonplace to refer to today’s students as “digital natives,” whose familiarity with and reliance on technology has so altered the way that they process information that their “digital immigrant” teachers must adopt new pedagogical approaches to reach them. This presentation will describe the creation and implementation of a web-based curriculum to serve the approximately 700 students enrolled in intermediate-level Spanish at the University of Kansas every semester. Student reaction, measured via a series of online surveys, will be discussed, along with insights on the relative preparedness of both students and graduate teaching assistants to adopt such a curriculum.
Webcam-based Communicative Language Learning Practice
| audio recording |
If learners are going to make significant use of the language they are studying, this necessarily has to be done out of the classroom. And if instructors are to monitor such activity, it needs to be recorded and retrievable. The purpose of this presentation is to demonstrate how a web-based virtual learning system, WebSwami, can provide language learners with realistic out-of-class communicative language practice anywhere and anytime. This is made possible through the integration of webcam technology, both receptively and productively, into a range of activities, all of which can be recorded to allow instructors to easily monitor student progress, make corrections, and provide feedback to students.
10:00 – 10:20
Gina Mikel Petrie Eastern Washington University
| audio recording |
Haiyang Ai The Pennsylvania State University
| audio recording |
Lexical complexity, i.e., the range and degree of sophistication of L2 learners’ productive vocabulary, has been recognized as an important construct in L2 teaching and research. We present a user-friendly web-based system for automatic measurement of lexical complexity using 25 different measures of lexical density, lexical sophistication, and lexical variation that have been proposed in the first and second language acquisition literature. The system will be demonstrated with real language data to show how it can be useful to language researchers and practitioners for assessing L2 lexical proficiency and tracking L2 lexical development.
Foreign Language Learning in 3D MUVEs: How Second Life’s User Interface Influences Social Presence and Student Motivation
Jessamine Cooke-Plagwitz Northern Illinois University
This paper examines specific features of the 3D MUVE Second Life and their effect on social presence and student motivation in two university-level courses: one graduate-level hybrid course for foreign language teachers and one elementary-level German class which held five of its regular meetings within Second Life. Students completed surveys at the end of the semester(s), which focused on specific characteristics of the Second Life environment and on students’ perceptions of how these features influenced social presence and motivation. The nature of the courses’ online interactions and the results of the student surveys will be discussed.
Teacher Education and Professional Development: Some Strategies that are Working
Kathryn Murphy-Judy Virginia Commonwealth University
| audio recording |
Language teacher education in Virginia faces many of the same hurdles as do other regions, especially where CALL is involved. One of the major problems is that the very teacher educators responsible for training new teachers, themselves lack technology proficiency and, thus, can offer little but cursory glances at various affordances and the social dimensions of their integration into FLE. I will demonstrate three projects that target global media new literacies: the Foreign Language Exchange (FLEX) of Greater Richmond, the Virginia Foreign Language Teacher Education and Development Consortium, and my WRLD 203 service learning project for undergraduates. In all three instances, the vehicles for bringing new media resources to educators are the media themselves such that the medium is the message. We use wikis, nings, blogs, Google Docs, podcasts and more to facilitate the education and professional development of teachers and teacher educators. This presentation explains the projects and the Web 2.0 media that support them.
Development of Intercultural Competence through Internet-Mediated Intercultural Discussion: The Case of American-Korean Telecollaboration
This study explores how Internet-mediated intercultural communication facilitates the intercultural competence in Americans learning Korean by looking at the questioning technique as an index. It also presents the source of communicative tensions, which emerge in written dialogue, and suggests pedagogical considerations in conducting a tightly-structured telecollaborative project.
Principles of Advance Organizer Design for Multiple-Episode Video Programs
Bernd Conrad Northern Arizona University
| audio recording |
Using the TV-series “Berlin Berlin”, the presenter will show how to design advance organizers that help sustain students’ curiosity in the development of the plot. Controversial situations in a story told via video that evolve verbally can conclude visually, allowing the conclusion to remain the same kind of surprise for L2 learners that it is for native speakers, an advantage that previews should preserve. Therefore, reducing the complexity of the listening comprehension task is only one of two purposes to be served by scene previews. Examples will have English subtitles to accommodate the non-German speaking audience.
10:30 – 10:50
EFL Collaborative Opportunities in a Wiki Environment
Long V Nguyen Massey University
| audio recording |
German Language Class Podcast Project at the University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
| audio recording |
Looking for a way to make German language study more relevant and to step out of the conventional classroom setting (Morales and Moses, 2006), I introduced three different types of podcasts (Rosell-Aguilar, 2009, p.13) to my intermediate-level students at the beginning of the 2009 academic year. All three podcasts form part of the overall assessment of the course. In the middle of the year and at the end of the year, the students were given questionaires to gauge their impressions of this approach. Preliminary analysis of the survey results suggests that teaching a modern language using innovative techniques with the help of widely accepted media devices has proved popular with the students. The feedback I received was very positive and the students wish to continue with podcasts next year. Twenty-six out a total of 30 enrolled students participated in the survey. I intend to present the results of my survey in graphical form.
Language Learning Technology – Pedagogical Desiderata
Helene Ossipov School of International Letters and Cultures Arizona State University
| audio recording |
Courses in technology are now, or should be, part of the language teacher’s preparation, and in fact, such a course will be part of the MAT program being developed by my institution. The content of such courses is still being developed and adjusted. Do teachers want to learn how to use various applications? Do they want to create quizzes and exercises? Do they want to learn how to use Web 1.0 and Web 2.0? In this session, I will present the results of a survey of language teachers to determine their desires based on their experience in the classroom.
Sychronous Computer-Mediated Writing in the ESL Classroom
| audio recording |
This paper describes a study comparing the collaborative writing process and outcome (essay) for a class of advanced IEP learners in two instructional conditions: one with F2F communication and one with computer-mediated communication. We report results and discuss potential issues for implementation of such tools within the ESL classroom.
Ning as a Learning Environment for Self-Directed Learners
Sharon Scinicariello University of Richmond
| audio recording |
This presentation reports on the use of a ning to promote both learner autonomy and collaboration among students enrolled in a self-directed language program. The program’s ning allows students to share learning resources and insights about learning strategies while providing a platform for the creation of electronic portfolios to document their work. After outlining why the ning platform was chosen to address the program’s goals, the presenter will show how the ning is used and discuss student reaction. She will conclude with notes on plans to embed more ning-based activities into the program’s syllabi.
1:30 – 2:15
Oral Language Workshops: Pronunciation, Listening Comprehension, and Culture through Authentic Materials
Kara McBride Saint Louis University
| audio recording |
The Impact of Open-ended and Closed Tasks in Synchronous and Asynchronous Environments on Learners’ Language Production
| audio recording |
This presentation reports on a study that investigated the effect of performing open and closed tasks under time pressure on learners’ quantitative and qualitative language production in online learning environments. Ninety-six beginning German language students participated in this study. Some of the results revealed that students working on the open task produced significantly more language than those working on the closed tasks in synchronous and asynchronous modes. Students working on closed tasks produced significantly fewer errors in the asynchronous mode than those working on the open task. No difference was found on this measure for students working synchronously. The presentation will conclude with an interpretation of the results.
Eye-tracking as a Measure of Noticing in SCMC
Bryan Smith Arizona State University
| audio recording |
This study examines whether eye-tracking technology can be effectively used as a measure of learners’ noticing of corrective feedback in a synchronous computer-mediated communicative environment. How the proposed measure of noticing correlates with think aloud protocols, modified output, and post-test measures of noticing will be discussed.
Testing the Effectiveness of Technology: Electronic Culture and Identity Revisited
Catherine Caws University of Victoria
| audio recording |
Today, electronic literacy in second language learning environments is tightly related to individual experience. In fact a successful experience with technology at home will likely lead to satisfaction with technology in the classroom. It is therefore essential to query about the sociocultural factors that are truly impacting success with CALL. Our paper will attempt to address this question by discussing a specific intervention in class with a CALL tool that we have developed over the last 3 years.
Melinda Dooly
| audio recording |
Network-based communicative activities have given rise to new pedagogical opportunities for teacher training, including telecollaborative peer- and mentor-supported learning environments. This presentation will outline and analyze the different telecollaborative activities undertaken by teachers-in-training in the USA and Spain during a year-long cross-university online collaboration project. Taking advantage of technological advances, this project endeavored to update and enhance time-tested pillars of reflective teaching and case-based learning by setting up communities of practice online (via email, Zoho, Skype, and Second Life) where trainees shared personal teaching experiences related to the immediate (and required) development of their own teaching materials
Project-based Learning: A Promising Pathway to Develop Teachers’ Knowledge of CALL
Julio C Rodriguez Iowa State University
| audio recording |
Project-based Learning (PBL) offers unique opportunities for world language teachers to develop the complex types of knowledge they are expected to acquire to be able to effectively integrate CALL into their practice. This presentation will show how PBL was implemented in a preservice teacher course in two complementary ways: a) as a pedagogical process experienced by preservice teachers and b) as part of the content of the course. Preservice teacher products created during the course, a qualitative analysis of their reflections on the technologies used and their perceptions about their learning will be presented and discussed.
Luiz Amaral University of Massachusetts Amherst
Weijia Li Amherst College
Michael Lipschultz University of Pittsburgh
| audio recording |
LangBot is an innovative data-driven language learning and research tool freely available on instant messenger that logs learner behavior, self-report data, generates learner models, and tracks development of vocabulary and syntax while serving as an “intelligent” language reference agent in a conversational “wrapper.” In this presentation we will demonstrate LangBot and discuss its architecture. We will also discuss the process of constructing corpora for each language, the development of the machine learning and NLP tools to support the interactivity and feedback capabilities of LangBot, and present data from an initial pilot study.
2:30 – 3:15
Matthew Claflin Kyoto Sangyo University
Sandra Healey Kyoto Sangyo University
| audio recording |
Contrasting Research Frames for Investigating CALL and Online Chat
| audio recording |
In 2002, Fernández-Garcia and Martínez-Arbelaiz conducted a study examining negotiation of meaning between non-native speakers in synchronous discussions among learners of Spanish. Using a model by Varonis and Gass, they focused primarily on ‘acquisition’. In contrast, Darhower (2002) also examined the interactional features of synchronous CMC chat for Spanish learners. However, he described his work as a sociocultural case study, and focused upon ‘participation’. This presentation compares and contrasts these approaches and considers how they might be further developed to provide a richer understanding of the learning process.
Podcasting Manolito Gafotas: Research of Colloquial Spanish and Culture
| audio recording |
This presentation describes the use of podcasts to promote cultural research through the reading of Manolito Gafotas. This character was created by Elvira Lindo as a radio personality and later as the protagonist in novels. The students deconstruct the character, starting by analyzing current society and language in Spain and finishing with podcasting their research. Producing these helps students to investigate the cultural aspects of colloquial Spanish language that the textbooks do not include yet is used by native speakers. These podcasts can then be accessed by anyone outside of the classroom.
Designing Tasks for New Media-literacy Skills Development in Online Language Learning and Teaching
Mirjam Hauck Open University
| audio recording |
Here will be presented a model for task design that draws on Halliday’s social semiotic framework further developed by Kress (2000) and others over the last decade to take account of the modes for making meaning that are available in computer-mediated communication. The presentation is informed by insights gained during a four-way telecollaborative pre- and in-service teacher training project where tasks based on this approach were used to gauge existing levels of multimodal awareness and media-literacy skills among participants.
SANSSpace Virtual Language Learning Environment
Chip Howe Chester Technical Services
SANS Inc. has taken the next step in technology for language learning with SANSSpace Version 6 VLE (Virtual Learning Environment.) SANSSpace is a web-based course content management system with tools geared to the needs of language learners/instructors. A built-in digital comparative recorder to develop listening and speaking skills is a key element. A tracking utility provides educators with details on student interaction with any variety of media files enabling instructors to assess student work and time on task. Communication tools enable easy facilitation of course materials with instructor’s directives and feedback. SANSSpace enables blended or a fully virtual language learning scenario.
3:30 – 4:15
A Blogging We Will Go: ESL College Students and Grammatical Errors
Mandy Reinig Penn State Altoona
| audio recording |
A Tale of Two Projects – iPods as Study Tools
Carly Born ITS Carleton College
Wendy Freeman Rice University
| audio recording |
Based on student experiences with classes from the Rice Center for the Study of Languages and classes in China, France and Mexico, presenters will share their analysis of the videoconferencing implementation process and discuss results of student surveys. Since little research is available yet on the use of oral computer mediated communication, there is a need to collect student videoconferencing audio/video recordings in order to assess the impact that this type of communication may have on language learning. Presenters will provide sample recordings and discuss their plans to conduct a study and integrate, more systematically, videoconferencing to the language curricula. http://lang.rice.edu/bartlett/CALICO2010.pdf
Hou Leijuan Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications
| audio recording |
Ever since its emergence and development, computer-assisted language learning (CALL) has been widely applied to the area of foreign language teaching and testing. Oral testing is an indispensable component of foreign language testing. Validity and reliability are the kernels of a test. Based on an experiment of the author’s own classes, which follow the teaching methodology of communicative language teaching, this article purports to investigate the validity and reliability of a computer-assisted spoken English test within the framework of communicative language testing (CLT) through a series of quantitative and qualitative analyses. It also analyzes the backwash of testing and puts forward corresponding suggestions in terms of oral English teaching.
4:30 – 5:15
Helene Knoerr University of Ottawa
Larry Vandergrift University of Ottawa
| audio recording |
Victoria Zander University of Arizona
| audio recording |
This presentation reports on a project that investigated the potential for using social networking sites in the L2 classroom. Using a language socialization/community-of-practice framework, the L2-mediated social network practices of 9 intermediate ESL learners were analyzed before, during, and after a pedagogical treatment that introduced social network-based games as a means of affording L2-mediated interaction. The results of the study inform how everyday technology-mediated practices may be bridged and integrated into L2 learning environments while retaining authenticity.
An Examination of Selected Activities in a Virtual World: Practical and Theoretical Perspectives
Regina Kaplan-Rakowski Southern Illinois University
The affordances of the virtual world of Second Life allow for increasingly more creative ways to conduct foreign languages classes. This presentation features several foreign language activities in Second Life that demonstrate some of those unique affordances. Theoretical justifications for the choice of the activities are discussed with a special attention to the issues of situated cognition, color-coding, cultural connections, interactivity, and diminished inhibition. Finally, a brief demonstration of several technological features of Second Life (e.g. communication, logging, basic building) follows.
Julie Sykes University of New Mexico
| audio recording |
The use of computer-mediated communication (CMC) for language learning is a central theme within CALL research. As innovations in CMC technologies continue to shape contexts and practices of everyday communication (e.g., social networking, multiplayer gaming), it is increasingly important to continue research in this vein. This panel, sponsored by the CMC SIG, will bring together a panel of three CMC experts to discuss future research paradigms and directions in CMC-based research.
Christine Appel Universitat Oberta de Catalunya
| audio recording |
This presentation posits that Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) provides conceptual and methodological tools that enable us to model computer supported collaborative writing practices among L2 learners and to identify factors that promote or hinder successful collaboration. The preliminary results of an activity theoretical study of online collaborative writing carried out among 260 distance learners of English at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) are presented and discussed. Design principles for successful computer mediated collaborative writing in L2 are then proposed.
Conference Presentations Day Three:
June 12, 2010
8:00 – 8:45
Computer-assisted Transcription and Analysis of Audio, Video, Classroom Discourse
Understanding the process of second language acquisition entails understanding the process of interaction. A wide range of software exists specifically for use in analyzing and cataloguing language interactions and content recorded in digital video and audio. Tools for the analysis of spoken language can be integrated with quantitative variables such as wait-time between speakers, speaking time of teachers and students, and directions of communication exchange. Come learn how these software tools can assist data exploration through visual displays and quantitative analysis.
Screen Capture Technology Reveals Writing Processes as One Modality of Thinking
Sungwoo Kim Pennsylvania State University
Recent developments in screen capture technology have made it possible to trace writers’ real-time performances, contributing to the revelation of the microgenesis of writing (Smith, 2008; Lei, 2008). The current paper aims to expand this methodological innovation to a detailed analysis of one Korean graduate student’s writing/thinking processes. To this effect, it proposes a three-tier convention for transcribing real-time capture data for writing, arguing that the screen capture methodology, when coupled with stimulated recall, can enrich our understanding of writers’ writing/thinking processes, further contributing insights to intervention in pedagogical practices.
Use of Mobile Phones for Spoken Language Learning: Australian and Irish Case Studies
Jesse Markow Learnosity
Tasked by the Australian and Irish governments to deliver language learning to a whole nation of students, we needed something that would work on a huge scale with little or no resources. There was some technology that every student had and was built for speaking and listening: the mobile phone. This session outlines the results of a number of large scale pilot projects with the Australian and Irish governments in the teaching and assessment of spoken language skills using mobile phones. This novel approach to teaching shows great improvements in language skills after short periods of time.
9:00 – 9:45
Suzan Stamper Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis
Designing, Implementing, and Administering a Virtual Dual Immersion Program via SCMC throughout Your Department
Colleen Coffey Marquette University
The innovation and popularity of new social software tools make global learning partnerships via CMC an effective complement to our language curriculum. Virtual dual immersion via SCMC can accelerate acquisition, increase oral proficiency, motivate learners, and facilitate authentic intercultural exploration. This session discusses the benefits and challenges to developing a virtual immersion program as an integral part of language course curriculum department-wide. (Grew from 38 to 560 learners in five languages). Structure, Communication, Organization, Curriculum, Evaluation, and Assessment will be core components presented.
Collaboration and Negotiation: L2 Pragmatic Development across Multiuser Virtual Environments (MUVEs)
Julie Sykes University of New Mexico
With the intention of giving learners access to the critical L2 pragmatic skills they need, this project examines how both massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs) and synthetic immersive environments (SIEs) contribute to L2 pragmatic development. This presentation will report on a study analyzing learner data from the MMOG, World of Warcraft, as well as the first SIE for learning Spanish pragmatics, Croquelandia. Results suggest that both MMOGs and SIEs are important and relevant to meaningful L2 pragmatic development; however, utilizing both, in conjunction with one another, provides the most comprehensive experience. Implications for future research and pedagogy will be discussed.
10:00 – 10:45
Virtual Worlds: Taking the Broad (Virtual) Perspective
Randall Sadler University of Illinois@Urbana-Champaign
While there is an increasing amount of research into the pedagogical applications of Virtual Worlds, the vast majority of the research presented on the topic at conferences like CALICO has focused on Second Life. This presentation will provide a broader perspective on VWs (e.g., SL, Active Worlds, There, Club Penguin, WoW, etc.) and discuss the strengths, weakness, and dangers of each. Attendees will also be given the URL to a Wiki created on this topic where they will be able to access the information from the presentation and add their own thoughts and materials on any of these VWs.
Moving a CALL Application to the Web
Devin Asay Brigham Young University
For many years educational software developers have been using products like HyperCard, Toolbook, or Revolution to create custom instructional applications for the desktop. But to move these applications to the web required learning a complicated new programming environment or making compromises in features or presentation quality to accommodate the more restrictive and complex web browser environment.Now, Runtime Revolution has released a free development tool and web plugin that allows Revolution developers to easily move their desktop applications to the web browser. The presenter will show CALL software that he originally deployed on the desktop then moved to the web.
Interaction, Modality and L2 Development: Comparing the Effectiveness of Computer-generated and Face to Face Recasts
Ken Petersen American Councils
This paper describes research on the effectiveness of recasts in SLA, comparing recasts delivered by a virtual interlocutor (powered by an ICALL system) with those delivered by human face-to-face interlocutors. Results show that recasts in both modalities are equally effective at promoting L2 learning, pointing to important implications for CALL, language teaching, and SLA research. A thorough description of the ICALL system built for this study will also be provided.
11:00 – 11:20
Correcting Errors Produced by French Speakers Writing in English: The Case of Misplaced Adverbs
The CorrecTools project aims at designing an innovative correction system targeted at French speakers producing documents in English. In this paper, we present a method for correcting errors linked to misplaced adverbs. We analyze the distribution of such errors and their types, and explore their psycholinguistic causes in order to improve correction propositions. We examine and take into consideration the numerous and subtle parameters at stake in the correction of misplaced adverbs, i.e. syntactic, lexical and pragmatic constraints as well as micro-planning issues. Correction rules are designed on the basis of annotated errors and are implemented using the TextCoop platform.
Textual Representations of Oral Discourse Practices: A Computer Mediated Discourse Analysis Approach
This presentation will draw on work from the emergent field of computer mediated discourse analysis (CMDA) to analyze asynchronous text-based interactions of ESL students that parallel and support classroom work. The primary focus of the presentation will be an analysis of the way in which participants in asynchronous online discussions attempt textual representations of oral discourse practices. The central thesis will be the claim that computer mediated discourse is a hybridized and rapidly evolving genre with features making it unique from both written and oral discourse.
Disagreeing and Agreeing in Wikipedia Metadiscussion: An Examination of the Intelligent Design “Talk” Pages
Ryan Dotson Ohio University
At first glance Wikipedia seems like little more than an online encyclopedia. Most realize that it is user-generated, but perhaps few understand how, in some cases, the information presented on the encyclopedia page is determined. Tucked back, just barely behind the scenes, users are negotiating and hashing out what information each of them feels should be presented on the Wikipedia article page. This study takes this metadiscussion, for one particularly controversial article, and examines how the interlocutors agree and disagree as they work to create the beloved, and reviled, “free encyclopedia”.
Digital Acculturation within Multicultural Online Learning Communities: Interactions and Perspectives
Wendy Chambers University of Calgary
This presentation reports on a research study that aims to develop a framework for understanding the evolution of communicative presence and its effect on individuals’ sense of acculturation within multicultural online learning communities. Four online professional development courses offered by a globally recognized teaching association were investigated. Data sources for triangulation were an e-survey, text-based threaded discussion forum postings, focus groups and interviews with learners, and an interview with the instructor. The presenter will highlight the major findings and discuss the emergent framework for understanding the complexities and influence of language and culture on the evolution of communicative presence.
11:30 – 11:50
Dynamically Assessing Written Language: To What Extent do Learners of French Language Accept Mediation?
Sylvie Thouesny Dublin City University
The key difference between standardized and dynamic assessment lies in the fact that, in the latter, an expert is allowed to provide assistance to a novice during the assessment process. Whilst an approach to dynamic assessment implies the mediator’s participation, it is equally important to note the involvement of the learner during the activity. Starting from a sociocultural perspective, this paper explores the extent to which mediation is accepted by second language learners of French, when correcting their written essays. More specifically, it investigates how learners respond to interventions, from implicit to explicit, and how they negotiate mediation in terms of acceptance and refusal.
An Examination of Processing Instruction, Structured Input, and Computerized Visual Input Enhancement for the Acquisition of the Subjunctive by Distance Learners of Spanish
Victoria Russell University of South Florida
The present study investigated the effects of processing instruction (PI) on the acquisition of the subjunctive by 92 distance learners of Spanish. Structured input (SI) was combined with computerized visual input enhancement (VIE) to increase the salience of targeted grammatical forms for web-based delivery. VIE was operationalized as word animation of subjunctive forms through flash programming language. The results of the experiment indicate that for interpretation and production tasks, there were no significant differences between PI and traditional instruction. However, learners who received PI combined with VIE outperformed learners who received SI without VIE for interpretation tasks.
Using a Wiki to Teach Teachers Grammar
Mark Shea Michigan State University
This study reports on a practitioner-research project investigating the implementation of a wiki during a semester-long pedagogical grammar course taught for undergraduate Education majors at a large Midwestern university. During the early weeks of the semester, short assignments familiarized the class with wikis. During the second half of the semester, students worked in small groups to customize the grammar pages. Students also created content-based lesson plans which were linked to relevant grammar sections of the wiki and provided feedback on each other’s work. Data from student work and interviews suggest that the incorporation of the wiki was a beneficial addition to the course.
Web 2.0: When Authentic Materials Become too Authentic
Adolfo Carrillo Cabello Iowa State University
Authentic multimedia materials readily available in collaborative websites pose challenges for their inclusion in course materials for the teaching of culture. These types of materials provide cultural representations of day-to-day practices, which differ from iconic representations of cultural images found in language textbooks. However, the meanings conveyed, and the lack of standards for appropriateness make the selection process difficult. Furthermore, filtering media materials from authentic sources greatly impacts the culture portrayed in a course. This presentation illustrates difficulties encountered in selecting images from authentic sources for inclusion in a hybrid course, and will discuss strategies to overcome these challenges.
Digital Video Making and L2 Vocabulary Learning
Dana Monsein University of Massachusetts Amherst
This presentation will discuss the effect that a digital video making project has on the acquisition of L2 vocabulary. While many FL educators would agree that video making can improve morale and motivation in the L2 classroom, little research has been done regarding its relationship to L2 acquisition. This study investigates if participation in a collaborative, task-based video making project is an effective way to learn L2 lexical items. Vocabulary learning outcomes and pedagogical implications will be discussed, as will the steps, and some of the challenges, regarding the implementation of video making into the L2 curriculum.
1:30 – 2:15
Marc Neil Siskin Carnegie Mellon University
Ryan Miller Carnegie Mellon University
Rosa Bahamondes Carnegie Mellon University
2:30 – 3:15
The BBC Learning English Blog: A Corpus Study of Blog as a Medium for Language Learning
Nurenzia Yannuar Ohio University