Research Article
Abbas Bodaubekov, Shakhrizat Agaidarova, Talgat Zhussipbek, Davronzhon Gaipov, Nuri Balta
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 17, Issue 1, Article No: ep548
ABSTRACT
This study investigates the effectiveness of feedback provided by teachers versus feedback generated by the Write & Improve platform in enhancing the writing skills of senior undergraduate students enrolled in a “two foreign language” program at a private university in Kazakhstan. The quasi-experimental design involved four teachers, each teaching one control and one experimental class, totaling eight groups of students. Pre- and post-tests were conducted over a period of five weeks, focusing on task achievement, coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, grammar and accuracy, and overall score. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U tests for pre-test comparisons, and MANCOVA analyses for post-test comparisons. Results show no significant difference in the impact of Write & Improve feedback compared to traditional teacher feedback across multiple dimensions of the writing test, both within individual teachers’ classes and when combined. Longitudinal analysis reveals fluctuating scores over time with no consistent improvement. Thus, the study concludes that the Write & Improve tool is equally effective as teacher feedback in improving students’ writing skills. This implies that educational institutions can potentially integrate technology-based feedback systems like Write & Improve alongside traditional teaching methods to enhance student learning outcomes in writing proficiency.
Keywords: AI feedback, English language, student learning outcomes, teacher feedback, Write & Improve tool
Research Article
Omaymah E. AlSuwaihel
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 16, Issue 4, Article No: ep534
ABSTRACT
Background: Augmented reality is among the emerging technologies that hold greater potential in the context of foreign language learning. No research has been done to date to investigate pre-service teachers’ competencies in augmented reality and their association with quality of teaching English and technological and pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) model components in the state of Kuwait.
Aim: This study aimed to assess the utility of using augmented reality competencies and English as a foreign language (EFL) TPACK model components to predict the quality of English language teaching of pre-service undergraduates.
Method: A total of 317 students enrolled in college of education at Kuwait university were recruited and responded to three online questionnaires measuring EFL TPACK, teachers’ augmented reality competencies, and quality of teaching English skills (QELT).
Results: Results indicated a significant positive association among all variables at 0.01 level. Teacher’s augmented reality competencies (TARC), TPACK, technological knowledge (TK), and technological content knowledge (TCK) were significant predictors of QELT. One-way ANOVA revealed that there was no significant effect of gender on the TARC, TPACK, TK, TCK, and QELT. The cut-off-criteria of the mean scores indicated that all participants strongly believe that they acquire the essential competencies of augmented reality in EFL classrooms and possess a high level of proficiency in TPACK. Descriptive statistics showed that more than (70%) of pre-service teachers selected “strongly agree” and “agree”, 13% or less selected “strongly disagree” and “disagree” while 26% or less selected “neutral” response. Linear regression analysis revealed that TARC, TPACK, TK, and TCK were significant predictors of QELT.
Keywords: augmented reality, quality of English language teaching, TPACK model, Kuwaiti students, pre-service teachers
Research Article
Cristina A. Huertas-Abril, Francisco Javier Palacios-Hidalgo
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 14, Issue 4, Article No: ep390
ABSTRACT
This study examines the perceptions of pre-service English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers of their skills to face emergency remote language teaching (ERLT) situations, and to determine whether these vary according to gender, age, university, or course. A cross-sectional survey model was used with 332 pre-service EFL teachers studying in two Spanish universities, an onsite institution, and a distance university. After analyzing the results, it can be said that participants’ ERLT skills are moderate, and they vary significantly according to age, course, and type of university, but no statistically significant differences are found regarding gender. The results can guide teacher trainers and researchers, as they reveal the needs of pre-service EFL teachers to teach effectively in ERLT situations.
Keywords: distance university, English language teaching, teacher education, teacher perceptions
Research Article
María Martínez Lirola
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 14, Issue 1, Article No: ep346
ABSTRACT
This article offers a proposal for integrating the social network Facebook into an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom in tertiary education. The main objectives of this article are the following: 1. To offer a pedagogical proposal so that students can develop written skills and grammar at the same time that they acquire social competences using Facebook and 2. To know students’ opinions about the use of Facebook and the main social competences that they have acquired while using this social network in the teaching-learning process. The methodology is mainly qualitative-descriptive although some quantitative data is offered with the results of a questionnaire students completed. The data were collected through students’ posts in the Facebook discussions and a questionnaire.
The findings reveal the main grammar mistakes observed in students in the Facebook discussions and how Facebook is an appropriate social network for the participation of students in cooperative discussions on social topics and for the acquisition of social competences such as cooperation or communication. The results of the questionnaire show that students have a positive opinion about practicing the written skill in Facebook and they are aware that, apart from learning English, they also acquire social competences.
Keywords: English language online teaching, social networks, Facebook group, writing skill, social competences
Research Article
Jane Elizabeth Casey, Lisa K. Pennington, Dallas Lopez
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 13, Issue 1, Article No: ep281
ABSTRACT
When educators provide students with opportunities to interact with educational technology such as floor-robots, it may: (a) increase students’ awareness of new educational tools, and (b) enhance students’ use and engagement with new technologies. This case study provided upper-elementary, Hispanic students with opportunities to engage in structured and unstructured activities with floor-robots, with direct support from researchers and the cooperating teacher. These educational robots were introduced to student-participants on multiple occasions during regular instructional class time in a Title I school on the U.S.-Mexico border to determine: (a) students’ interest in continued use of floor-robots; and (b) students’ perceptions of ease-of-use of floor-robots. Floor-robots were selected largely because researchers had access to two types: a Roamer floor-robot and a Thymio floor-robot. For students from underserved populations, it is important that educators strengthen students’ self-efficacy in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) areas (Mau & Li, 2018), as well as increase students’ awareness and use of newer educational technologies, which is a growing field and includes floor-robots. However, in-service teachers may need guidance, support, and professional development when selecting and using new educational technologies such as floor-robots. Student-participants’ post-study surveys and interviews provided researchers with insight into elementary students’: (a) interest in floor-robots and robotics, (b) perceived ease-of-use, (c) preferred type of floor-robot in this particular study, and, (d) opinions on the potential uses and downsides of floor-robots.
Keywords: Hispanic students, floor-robots, English language learners
Research Article
Talip Gonulal
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 10, Issue 3, pp. 309-323
ABSTRACT
The present study sought to explore how English language learners (ELLs) used Instagram, a popular social networking site, for language learning purposes and to reveal their attitudes towards and experiences in using it as a mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) tool. Special interest was also placed on whether there were any distinct ELL profiles in using Instagram for independent and informal language learning. In this mixed-methods study, both quantitative and qualitative data were concurrently collected through an online comprehensive survey consisting of three sections. Ninety-seven Instagram using ELLs took part in this study. Basic descriptive statistics and a cluster analysis were conducted on the quantitative data, and a thematic analysis on the qualitative data. The results showed that Instagram has the potential to help ELLs to improve overall language skills in general, and vocabulary and communication skills in particular. Further, ELLs’ experiences in using Instagram as a MALL tool for informal language learning were largely positive. Additionally, two different language learner profiles (i.e., novice and experienced) emerged based on Instagram use habits and orientations. Overall, this study indicated that social networking platforms and MALL applications can be used as an effective mobile language learning tool.
Keywords: Social networking sites, Mobil assisted language learning, Instagram, English language learning
Research Article
Ahmet Basal, Selahattin Yilmaz, Asli Tanriverdi, Lutfiye Sari
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 7, Issue 1, pp. 47-59
ABSTRACT
Smartphones are increasingly becoming an ordinary part of our daily lives. With their remarkable capacity, applications used in these devices are extremely varied. In terms of language teaching, the use of these applications has opened new windows of opportunity, innovatively shaping the way instructors teach and students learn. This 4 week-long study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a mobile application on teaching 40 figurative idioms from the Michigan Corpus of Academic Spoken English (MICASE) corpus compared to traditional activities. Quasi-experimental research design with pretest and posttest was employed to determine the differences between the scores of the control (n=25) and the experimental group (n=25) formed with convenience sampling. Results indicate that participants in the experimental group performed significantly better in the posttest, demonstrating the effectiveness of the mobile application used in this study on learning idioms. The study also provides recommendations towards the use of mobile applications in teaching vocabulary.
Keywords: English language teaching, Figurative idioms, Mobile learning, Mobile applications, Vocabulary teaching