This study uses post-game survey data from six gaming sessions of the English language smartphone edition of Klaus Teuber’s The Settlers of Catan conducted throughout one academic semester in a Business English course at a private Japanese university to analyze how smartphone gaming can be used as a pedagogical tool to teach enrolled students (n=4) how to develop effective business strategies in dynamic systems. Instruction on the development of effective business strategies for dynamic systems comprised of unpredictable variables including environmental contexts and multiple agents influencing the system may benefit from more active pedagogical approaches that utilize interaction with business simulations (e.g. game-based learning) instead of simply relying on passive instruction (e.g. textbook explanations) in order to allow students to discover for themselves the most effective strategy to cope with such dynamic systems. The simulated trading environment provided in The Settlers of Catan has shown itself to be an effective pedagogical approach to simulating dynamic systems and providing students with opportunities to develop their own effective strategies to cope with dynamic systems such as supply and demand, resource management, and trade while using the target language. The results from the post-game surveys used to identify and track how the students’ game strategies and language use changed throughout the study period suggest that utilizing the pedagogical approach outlined in this study not only promotes intellectual engagement with the concepts of supply and demand, resource management, and effective trading strategies but also encourages linguistic development of business-oriented English.

Japanese university students have two long vacations in a year: spring vacation; and summer vacation. Both exceed 40 days. This research explores the following issues related to English learning during vacations: 1) How does the English language ability of students change after a long vacation: does it stay the same, improve, or decline? 2) Face-to-face teaching is unlikely to be available during vacations, so will e-learning, especially of mobile learning, play a role in maintaining or even improving the English ability of students? In 2018 and 2019, before the summer vacation started, we surveyed 344 students, in total, by asking them if they had an English-learning plan for the coming summer vacation. In addition, we recruited 77 volunteer students - 30 in 2018 and 47 in 2019 - to follow several free online learning English programs – all compatible with mobile phones, so that they were able to continue to study English during their summer vocation. After the summer vacation, we administered a TOEIC test not only to verify the changes to the English level of the students during the long vacation but also of the efficacy of mobile learning. By analyzing the data from TOEIC tests taken before and after the summer vacations, coupled with the questionnaires, the questions above were answered: most students do not study English during long vacations and accordingly their English ability declines. Fortunately, however, mobile learning is effective in stopping the decline and it maintains, even improves, the English language level of students. (This research is partly supported by Kaken B Project, No. 17H02363 led by Prof. Aoki Nobuyuki, Hiroshima City University)

This presentation will describe the preliminary results of an ongoing podcasting project between Japan and China. It will describe how podcasting can be integrated as Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) activities into English as a Foreign Language (EFL) courses. Learners were second-year university students in the two countries. As part of the project, the students chose a subject, wrote a script, acquired copyright free photographs or video material, produced a video podcast, narrated a script, added background music, swapped the video podcasts with students from the other country, received peer feedback, edited their projects and the submitted their final projects as part of their English course. The project integrated computer skills, podcast production and video editing, and cultural perceptions between the two countries via podcasting. The research method that was used employed online surveys regarding learner perceptions of improved computer skills and perceptions of culture. Results suggested that podcasting and contact with the other country made the course more enjoyable, but that intercultural understanding is a fluid notion requiring deeper investigation. Learners also suggested that peer feedback is a useful tool for classroom interaction, second language development and in improving their podcasts. Transnational video podcasting projects can be unitized to enhance learning and integrate meaningful CALL activities into EFL courses.

Flipgrid, a video software recording and social media platform, was integrated as part of a Moodle Communication course at Iwate University. The purpose was to get students more engaged in English, as well as requiring them to speak instead of traditional text-based discussion posts found in online classes. This session will focus on how we implemented Flipgrid, and conducted speaking assignments based on science related topics using National Geographic readers. The efficacy for utilizing Flipgrid in speaking tasks and other discussion activities on student smartphones will be examined. The presentation will cover how well students were able to 1) use Flipgrid to upload and share short presentations, 2) discuss topics in class and small groups using Flipgrid videos, and 3) using Flipgrid with a speaking rubric so that the teachers could give both formative and summative assessment. Number of video engagement hours and student feedback will be highlighted. The presenter’s aim is to encourage instructors to try new technologies to further improve English engagement of a communicative nature in the classroom.

As pointed out by Godwin-Jones (2018), "evidence is accumulating that a major shift is underway in the ways that second language (L2) development is taking place. Increasingly, especially among young people, that process is occurring outside of institutional settings, predominately through the use of online networks and media" (p.8). As this innovation of the web has created unique opportunities allowing individuals to enhance their knowledge on practically any subject from any location, sometimes even cost free, the question on many educators’ minds must be whether or not this new wave of self-learning and self-achievement will eventually have the ability to completely replace traditional modes of learning (Zhang, Zhao, Zhou & Nunamaker, 2004).

The purpose of this study was to assess whether non-formal online context or face-to-face context impacted phrasal verb learning outcomes and affective states for L2 English learners. To investigate this question, a pre-test, post-test, delayed post-test design was implemented in a multiple case study using 4 students. Online students were sent links to a website where they were asked to watch one of 5 instructor-produced videos per day and complete exercises. Face-to-face students were taught in a one-on-one tutoring style before completing exercises. In addition, a questionnaire assessing engagement and satisfaction with each treatment type was administered. Interviews were also conducted to enhance the understanding of variations in scores and of the participants’ experiences in each context. The results indicate that similar learning outcomes can be produced in a shorter period of time in the online environment.

Active Learning (AL) in undergraduate programs has been highlighted by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) as an educational aim in Japan for over ten years. The push to adopt AL approaches has been felt at universities throughout Japan, and one answer has been to adopt Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) as a cornerstone in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) programs in different parts of the country. The current paper provides an overview of one such program, with special attention to CALL elements that have been designed into the overall curriculum, specific courses, and individual lesson plans. Participants will be walked through the what, why and how of several web-based apps and online/offline tools for facilitating content delivery, language acquisition, course management, reflection, and assessment. The central role played by the theoretical frameworks of learner engagement and self-determination theory (especially the basic psychological needs of competence, autonomy, and relatedness) will be highlighted as powerful lenses through which to evaluate CALL elements, designing curriculum and boosting learner engagement.

In a soft CLIL-based CALL classroom, EFL students in a Japanese computer science university learned English using video production (with Adobe Spark), information design (with Venngage and Canva) and ontology-oriented software (with MindMeister, Sketchboarding and IHMC Cloud) on the topic of smart homes (SH). Moreover, students had to do reasonably extensive online reading to better understand IoT-based technologies and complete the assignments. For the group-based PBLL (project-based language learning) activities, students focused on SH technologies (e.g., Amazon Echo family, Google home, home security systems, smart thermostat, etc.) in the Japanese and European markets by (1) planning video production with taxonomy and ontology design, (2) analyzing existing online smart home commercials based on advertising rubrics and (3) producing commercials on SH technologies. The presentation will explain how students have performed (a) with their planning of the videos using concept/mind mapping software, (b) how they analyzed the web commercials on SH technologies (c) students' ability for information design on SH technologies for print media and (d) their introductory skills in designing and producing SH technology videos. The discussion will focus on the dynamics of conducting a joint graduate-undergraduate course on SH, and with German university student partners with quarter-long project activities, resulting in joint ACM international conference presentations on the group project(s). The takeaway for the attendees would be a better understanding of the logistics of such a PBL context that can help develop language acquisition skills, group dynamics, collaborative practices, intercultural exposure, and awareness of the global technology marketplace.

This presentation highlights several findings related to the learners’ use of digital communication channels during online collaborative activities. The term “digital backchannel” is used to imply that there are two channels of communication operating simultaneously during the collaborative activities. The predominant digital channel is that of the online content management system controlled by the instructor and accessed in the target language, English. The secondary channel of digital communication (or digital backchannel) is that of the outside personal social network systems (SNS) that students employed to interact in their first language, Japanese. The researcher collected qualitative and quantitative data on learner interactions within a yearlong series of collaborative language learning activities through internet logs and interviews. The activities were online discussions and accessible through a range of mobile and non-mobile devices to allow the method the participants found most agreeable. The participants were studying English at a four-year private university in Tokyo, Japan. Students’ language use changed when moving between these primary and secondary communication channels. Commonly used SNS, such as Twitter and Line, were drawn into the collaboration acting as an independent channel to communicate in their private language of Japanese. This appears to have reduced their motivational barriers to the homework by providing support for their public use of English by reducing the potential for embarrassing mistakes. The presentation includes a summary of the findings, quantitative and qualitative supporting data, limitations, and possibilities for furthering the study topic.

This study attempts to investigate the key factors that contribute to a satisfactory blended learning norm in an English for specific purposes classroom in Taiwan. In achieving the goal, the study utilizes Special Private Online courses (SPOCs) accompanied with in-class instruction and discussion to facilitate the acquisition of the professional Nursing vocabulary and its related reading comprehension. Questionnaires, distributed to 100 students who were enrolled in one semester ESP course, were based on four dimensions: instructor styles, course characteristics, student attitude and technology support. The qualitative and quantitative results highlight the key factors lying in instructor’s voice and expressing styles, the tangible contents, students’ engagement and adaptive technology assistance. The statistical result showed that the higher scores students gained in vocabulary and reading comprehension tests, the much amount of time they had spent in SPOCs. Both high and low achievement students considered blended learning as a beneficial trait in acquiring difficult professional nursing vocabulary and reading than teacher-directed instruction alone. They also approached that adaptive and useful e-learning contents are key to continuously concentrate on online learning.

Drawing on social semiotics theory, this study intends to explore how the teaching of close reading was enhanced through the combinations of verbal and visual resources to achieve specific communicative purposes. In this sense, mash-up is a pedagogical tool, in which language and media can be integrated to make meaning. However, few studies have been conducted to investigate the actual process of applying mash-ups to foreign language teaching. To fill this research gap, the present study aims to understand how English teachers taught close reading through mash-ups as well as to explore how they addressed the challenges or problems encountered. Firstly, five in-service senior high school English teachers were oriented towards a mash-up tool, i.e. book-snap, through which they could annotate reading texts using a photo editing app, PicCollage. Then, they learned to teach reading lessons in which book-snaps were utilized to help their students promote critical thinking and increase affective engagement. Lastly, the teachers reflected on the book-snap activity. Regarding the integration of book-snaps into close reading, data collected through lesson plans, think-aloud sessions, and interviews suggest that while the teachers preferred to annotate key information through doodling functions such as underline and circle, they tended to indicate authors’ attitudes via emojis available on PicCollage. On the other hand, data regarding the difficulties in actual teaching collected through reflective teaching journals, classroom observations, and interviews reveal that the teachers voiced some concerns, one of which involved problems with operating the digital annotation tool.

Over the last decade, the prevalence of online asynchronous courses has increased in educational programs; however, their effectiveness is heavily debated, particularly in the language teaching field, which entails human interaction for communication. Although initial research into online learning options has previously been conducted at the same institution (See Mynard & Murphy, 2012), asynchronous online courses are still uncommon in Japanese tertiary language education curricula. The adoption of such courses could expand current programs to provide equal educational opportunities to non-traditional students, and offer practical alternatives to cancelling classes due to unforeseen circumstances. This study investigates whether, in a language-focused Japanese university context, online versions of core curriculum classes based upon the regular in-class course content, offer comparable value to traditional classroom-based lessons. The presentation includes practical descriptions of how traditional lessons were adapted to be delivered online as well as quantitatively evaluated feedback comparing the students' perceptions of asynchronous learning versus face-to-face lessons. Attendees to this workshop will gain a better understanding of the affordances and challenges of creating online asynchronous course content from the viewpoint of both educators and students.