This dissertation examines the discourse produced by beginning learners of Spanish using social media. Specifically, it looks at the use and development of interactional resources during two video-mediated conversations. Through a combination of Conversation Analysis tools and quantitative data analysis, the use of turn-taking strategies, repair trajectories, and alignment moves was examined to discover how beginning language learners manage videoconferencing exchanges and develop their interactional capabilities in this new interactional setting. The goal of this investigation was twofold: 1) to describe and explain how students construct, manage and maintain conversations via videoconferencing, and 2) to gain a better understanding of the links between technology-based social media and language learning. The results of this study indicate that instructional videoconferencing conversations display their own clearly delimited and idiosyncratic organization of interactional features. In terms of turn-taking, the results of the analyses demonstrate that beginning learners are fully capable of participating competently in speaker selection to manage a conversation with a peer of similar proficiency level. In the area of repair, the analyses show that, during instructional videoconferencing exchanges, beginning learners orient to both the communication of personal meaning and the accuracy of their discourse. They enact this orientation through the use of self-initiated self-repair. Finally, with regard to the use of alignment moves, the analyses reveal that, in tune with their nascent linguistic and interactional abilities, beginning learners use primarily acknowledgement moves.

Logographic character handwriting, such as Hanzi in Chinese, Kanji in Japanese, or Hanja in Korean, is notoriously challenging for foreign language learners. Fortunately, computer-assisted learning systems for handwriting are being improved to meet the instructional needs of teachers and learners in foreign language education. However, the effect of computer-assisted language learning in logographic handwriting has never been explored. To anchor the inquiry of the current study, the extensive complementarity approach was adopted, in which SLA research complements L2 instruction by studying the impact of a theory-based instructional method on the learning of an aspect of the L2. The present study explores the orthographic development at the initial stage of character learning among non-heritage, beginning-level learners of Chinese as a foreign language (CFL) by investigating the effect of Interactionist-instructed mediations on orthographic attrition and maintenance and by examining the relationships among awareness of internal formation sequencing, character recognition and production. Data was collected from 167 first-year CFL students in a Chinese program at a large research university in North America. In phase one, 63 students completed all the six-week lab writing tasks. In phase two, 125 students completed all the end-of-semester correlation tasks in their first semester of learning Chinese. The findings of the study are multifold. First, by closely examining the roles of input, output, and feedback in the Interactionist model, the results show that, to maximize orthographic retention and reduce attrition, the effect of working memory needs to be taken into consideration in the design of instruction for immediate kinesthetic skill training and for better development of orthographic awareness among CFL non-heritage beginners. Second, the effect of multimedia input enhancements along with handwriting output on reducing variations of character formation in character learning is also significant. Third, the effect of the handwriting feedback is not found to be significant when compared to its counterpart without feedback in computer-assisted handwriting instruction; however, its influence on the participants' writing motivations and learning objectives were observed and addressed in the study. Finally, the CFL non-heritage beginning learners' awareness of internal formation sequencing was found to be correlated with their performance in character recognition and reproduction. The pedagogical implications are discussed.

The native language of South Korea has come to contain a linguistic subset consisting of English and European loanwords and pseudo-loanwords. The notion that the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learner is immersed in such a lexicon, and that this terminology can be utilized to effectively assist target language (Standard American English) vocabulary acquisition by the false-beginner through Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL), was evaluated and examined. The empirical investigation employed a within-methods (i.e. experiment and survey) design. To this end, the researcher developed and deployed multimedia-based learning environments to empirically test research suppositions. In particular, to examine how the student’s knowledge of English words adapted for use in the South Korean vernacular – loanwords – is affected by their attitudes towards computerized instruction, their preference for certain methods of learning and teaching, and also by the attributes of computerized instructional packages. Ultimately, a method of instruction grounded in both CALL and linguistic theory was developed and its effectiveness for use with South Korean EFL learners in a university English program setting assayed. Scholarly accounts of the South Korean cultural learning style were also taken into consideration, and the implications such accounts hold for the implementation of CALL initiatives scrutinized. / The findings of this study are significant at the administrative, practitioner, and field level. Research outcomes indicate (a) computer use did not bias results obtained through CALL: (b) use of the L1 (first language) to assist foreign language acquisition produced positive learning gains, albeit marginal and limited, as evidenced by the persistent difficulty learners had in building new form-meaning connections between pseudo-loanwords in South Korean and English-equivalents; and, (c) multimedia-based learning developed on cultural and classroom expectations of learners, as found in the literature, was not as successful as that it was contrasted against. Consequently, results of the research come to support usability of CALL in the tertiary education sector, the existence of a ‘stabilized interlanguage’ on the South Korean peninsula and the need to re-profile the South Korean cultural learning style and student classroom expectations that pertain to EFL.

Computers have begun to be exploited for English teaching purposes by some Indonesian teachers. Unfortunately, the potential of the computer is not fully realized. There is also a danger that the computer is misused. For example, the computer use is limited to delivering exclusively dri11-and-practice exercises. It is, therefore, very essential for Indonesian EFL teachers to explore avenues for improving the computer use. The aim of this study is explore how CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning) is used in the ACT in order to encourage and improve the use of CALL in relation to English teaching in Indonesia. In this study, the different theories of CALL are reviewed. This is followed by a description of how CALL is utilized in the ACT. This CALL survey is offered as a model for comparison. Since CALL is still considered a controversial issue, students' and teachers' attitudes toward CALL are also investigated. Finally, implications and suggestions are put forward for Indonesian EFL teachers and educational authorities. Important insights from the survey are emphasized. Necessary information which was not found in the survey, such as the latest developments in CALL, is included.

This thesis examines the role of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) task analysis within the context of Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) system design. It recognises and critically examines several carrefours that differentiate cognitive from sociocultural task analysis theories in Second Language Acquisition and Human-Computer Interaction. A study into the role of multimodal interaction and second language (L2) vocabulary acquisition revealed the need for an integrative approach to examining learner-computer interaction. In response, a conceptual, situated task analysis framework was developed that promotes (1) a common unit of analysis for principled theoretical investigation and methodological selection; and (2) a formative task analysis framework which considers both software engineering and human-computer interaction practices within CALL system design. / Understanding the extant relationships between learner, theory and practice has become increasingly important in light of recent criticisms of CALL software quality, and its influence on learning outcomes. To further develop our understanding of the role of HCI and Software Engineering in CALL, an empirical exploratory study was undertaken. The design of the study was influenced by research concerning (1) cognitive complexity and language learning; (2) social perspectives on learner-computer interaction; and (3) the intersection between system design, quality, and learner-computer interaction. / Computer-mediated activity in language learning environments can be categorised as a highly social process through its dependency upon a number of sociocultural and environmental contraints. As such, learner-computer interaction is likely to be highly fluid and dynamic. The distinction between static and dynamic environments is a critical determinant when selecting a particular HCI task analysis strategy. To evaluate competing task analysis approaches, a small qualitative study was established that considered the role of multimodal interaction in L2 vocabulary acquisition. Emerging trends from this study served to elucidate the appropriateness of existing HCI theories and their units of analysis within the context of CALL system design. / Participants for this study were selected from an undergraduate Computer Science degree at a major Australian university. Participants had little to no prior knowledge of the L2 used in the study. Participants conducted three sessions with a multimodal speech-enabled language learning tool. After each session, participants completed an immediate recall test and responded to a series of semi-structured interview questions. After an eight week period, participants were asked to take part in a delayed recall and recognition test. Findings from this study showed two distinct trends: (1) a relationship between the degree of multimodal interaction strategy and delayed L2 vocabulary recall and recognition; and (2) the limitations of existing HCI task analysis approaches with respect to analysing learner-computer interaction within the context of CALL system design. As such, this study provided key insights into the role of HCI in CALL, proposing several implications for further research. / Instructed by these findings, research was undertaken to develop an holistic, situated task analysis framework: C.A.S.E (Cognition, Activity, Social Organisation, Environment). Ontological, epistemological and methodological components of the framework are discussed in detail. C.A.S.E provides a conceptual framework for integrating cognitive and social theories on learning, interaction and system design. Consequently, C.A.S.E provides both theoretical and methodological support for bridging the divide between CALL, HCI and Software Engineering. Several applications of the framework relevant to CALL practitioners are described in this thesis. / The outcomes of this investigation establish an agenda for further research. The thesis concludes with a discussion related to CALL system design, specifically the role of Software Engineering in end-user developer CALL activities. To assist readers, additional discussions on Philosophy of Science and Software Engineering have been provided as appendix chapters.

Thesis (M.A. (English))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

Although computer use has become widespread throughout foreign language (FL) education, availability of computers alone is not sufficient for increasing their use. Integration requires rich and varied technology support, which includes instructional as well as technical support. To date, in the field of adult FL learning no quantitative examination of the relationship between the different aspects of technology support and computer integration into the curricula has been attempted. This study explores the direction and strength of the relationships among the different types of technology support and the integration of computers into the curricula of college and university FL programs. The investigation was conducted by means of an online survey instrument developed and pilot tested by the researcher and disseminated nationwide to teachers in U.S. college and university foreign language departments. It probes the extent and nature of computer integration within FL curricula as well as the extent and nature of the technology support available. It also examines the relationships between the different types of technology support and the extent and nature of integration to determine which, if any, were the strongest. The study found that technology support in the form of professional development that enables teachers to understand and create ways to seamlessly integrate computers into their teaching is needed more than any other type of technology support, including the provision of new, updated, stat-of-the art computers. The findings provide a broader understanding of technology support and its role in increased technology integration among college-level foreign language teachers. Further, the findings potentially provide guidelines for FL program directors as to the areas of technology support in which their expenditure of resources will best benefit their institute.

This is a description of and rationale for The Learning Game, a cross platform Web application that will act as a portal into an online social network built around education. The application provides a space for users to create, share, modify, translate, and play online multiplayer educational games and simulations. Upon launch language learning will be the focus (specifically Mandarin Chinese and English initially), but The Learning Game is designed to expand to potentially any subject through user created content and regular updating of the application itself. This paper establishes a need for education reform by discussing the costs and shortcomings of existing systems of formal education, and then offers a theoretical background for key characteristics of The Learning Game based on research in education and second language acquisition. A case is made for its potential growth and success, important considerations are laid out, and finally a description of the interface, key features, and initial content is given with further considerations that must be kept in mind during development. / text

Inflectional verbal morphology, the system of correspondences between grammatical meanings and their means of expression, is an area of language which is difficult for adult L2 learners. The purpose of this thesis is to develop a pedagogical tool for Anglophone adult learners presenting French verbal morphology with a focus on semantics. This thesis adopts the view that explicit teaching of grammar is the most effective with these learners. Using theoretical insights from the Meaning-Text Theory, Le Morpheur, an Internet-based conjugator, has been developed. In order to see a fully-conjugated form using Le Morpheur, the user selects from a table of inflectional meanings those he wishes to express. In this way, the user becomes aware of all the meanings which must be combined to produce a verbal form. This resource was tested with a group of first-year French students at Dalhousie University. The participants were enthusiastic about Le Morpheur and the manner in which it presents French verb conjugation. These encouraging results indicate that continuing development and evaluation of this semantic-based pedagogical approach is desirable.

We are at a point in the history of higher education in South Africa when radical changes are occurring in instructional delivery system models. Of increasing significance is a mixed mode of traditional and distance delivery (i.e. Telematic Learning Systems at the PU for CHE). In this changing environment, language lecturers, the persons responsible for developing language modules within various Telematic programmes, remain a key element in the teaching and learning process. However, these lecturers are suddenly expected to make appropriate decisions in terms of distance education technology classification, evaluation, and consequent selection without the necessary knowledge and/or capacity to make effective technological decisions. The purpose of this article is to assist "Lone Ranger" language lecturers, in making pedagogically sound decisions when classifying, evaluating and selecting distance education technologies by: (a) considering technology selection as part of the instructional design process, (b) referring to some reasons for using technology for language learning, (c) focusing on criteria for classifying and evaluating distance education technologies, and by (d) reviewing selected studies in order to indicate the application possibilities of technologies for language teaching and learning. / Thesis (M.A. (English))--Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, 2002