Teaching Phrasal Verbs and Idiomatic Expressions Through Multimodal Flashcards

Spring,Ryan,Takeda,Jessica 영상영어교육학회 2024 영상영어교육 (STEM journal) Vol.25 No.2

This study investigates the effectiveness of various practice modes in learning multiword units, specifically phrasal verbs and idiomatic expressions, through a multimodal online flashcard delivery system that allows students to read, write, listen to, and speak the target multiword vocabulary items. The study, based on data from 229 first-year Japanese EFL university students, investigates how various practice modes in reading, writing, speaking, and listening impact short-term memorization and long-term comprehension of multiword units. The analysis involved multiple regression using random forests to ascertain significance, alongside dominance analysis with relative weights for determining relative importance. Results indicate that while productive practice modes (writing and speaking) are crucial for short-term memorization, register-specific practice modes (speaking and listening) play a significant role in long-term acquisition. This study highlights the importance of integrating multimodal flashcard practice with practical use activities in the classroom to enhance vocabulary learning outcomes. Finally, the results of this study suggest that encouraging students to interact with their target language through multiple modes is meaningful for greater acquisition of multiword vocabulary. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of effective strategies for EFL learners in acquiring multiword vocabulary units and underscores the importance of multimodal approaches in language education.

Assessing the Practicality of Using an Automatic Speech Recognition Tool to Teach English Pronunciation Online

Spring,Ryan,Tabuchi,Ryuji 영상영어교육학회 2021 영상영어교육 (STEM journal) Vol.22 No.2

This study aims to determine how well an automatic speech recognition (ASR) tool could be used in an online EFL course to help L1 Japanese students improve their pronunciation. Previous studies have suggested that ASR tools can be helpful in this regard, but few have dealt with an entirely online course or attempted to use the data to determine which lessons were the most impactful. Therefore, we used a mixture of pre- and posttest data and survey results to determine how students would receive the ASR tool, whether or not they would improve, and what lessons were the most useful to them. The results suggest that students were generally positive towards the ASR-assisted practice and that they quite clearly improved their intelligibility, especially students who began with lower ability. Specifically, the tool was found to be most useful for students who had a lower than 95% accuracy on their pretests. Furthermore, students claimed the tool was most helpful for practicing consonant and vowel sounds, but a statistical model was unable to pinpoint which lessons were most helpful to their overall improvement. Future work should aim to discover the best drills to use and which pronunciation points to teach.

How and Why to Teach English Metaphors to Japanese Learners Through Visual Media: With Practical Examples From Steven Universe

Spring,Ryan,Suarez,Gerard 영상영어교육학회 2018 영상영어교육 (STEM journal) Vol.19 No.4

Teaching conceptual metaphors to EFL learners has been shown to help with their learning of vocabulary and expressions, but this can be difficult for L1 Japanese EFL learners because of cultural and linguistic differences in the two languages. In teaching metaphors, the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning and understanding of the theory of mental spaces can be used to argue that using visual media is particularly helpful for English learners. This paper presents a case that teaching conceptual metaphors is important for L1 Japanese learners of English, but difficult because of the large number of differences in the metaphorical expressions of the two languages, though these problems can be overcome through visual media, particularly animations. It suggests that they can be especially helpful when attempting to teach new conceptual metaphors to EFL learners because of their multi-modal nature and the ease with which they can construe reality. The paper further argues that animations aimed at children, such as Steven Universe, are particularly helpful because the metaphors are often made especially easy to understand, are often shown in an appropriate cultural context. Furthermore, Steven Universe has recurring themes built upon conceptual metaphors, allowing instructors to find many examples of the same metaphors.

Using Short Animations to Help Teach Phrasal Verbs From a Cognitive Typology Standpoint: Implications From Two Years of Comparative Data

Spring, Ryan 영상영어교육학회 2019 영상영어교육 (STEM journal) Vol.20 No.4

Recent advances in teaching phrasal verbs (PVs) through cognitive linguistics have been promising, but aren’t specific regarding how to impart PV knowledge practically in the classroom. Multimedia can help in this regard by providing clear visuals which help learners to understand verb and particle choice when selecting PVs, but the most effective way of utilizing it in PV lessons has not yet been made clear. This report offers empirical data from two groups of students showing that short animations can be very appropriate for PV practice, but that the conditions should be somewhat controlled. Surveys, practice scores and post-treatment test scores were used to show that a combined video task was preferred by students to an open-ended task and that scores on the combined video task were more highly correlated with success on the post-treatment assessment. While neither group significantly outperformed the other in the post-test and both groups were generally positive about the lessons, student preference and better correlation with actual assessment suggest that a combined video task is more appropriate than a completely open-ended video description task for PV practice when being taught through cognitive linguistic methods.

Maximizing the Benefits of Video-Creation PBLL in the EFL Classroom: A Preliminary Analysis of Factors Associated With Improvement in Oral Proficiency

Spring, Ryan 영상영어교육학회 2020 영상영어교육 (STEM journal) Vol.21 No.4

Though project-based learning and video creation tasks can be effective in advancing EFL learners’ speaking abilities, few studies have empirically examined what aspects of these tasks help learners. This study aims to determine what factors are associated with greater increases in oral proficiency when L1 Japanese EFL students participate in video-creation project-based language learning. It specifically looks at measures of engagement (participation, number in group, and teamwork), scaffolding (as indicated by quiz scores) and whether or not students took a speaking role in their project. It found that measures of teamwork related to fostering a team climate seemed to be associated with increases in fluency, that quiz scores were highly correlated with increases in complexity, and that taking a speaking role seemed to be associated with improvement in pronunciation accuracy. No association was found between improvement in any measure of oral proficiency and group size or instructor-given participation scores. Based on these results, this study recommends including heavy scaffolding and quizzes, encouraging students to speak actively, and monitoring group work through a teamwork measurement rather than simply relying on participation scores subjectively given by the instructor for the greatest benefits to students when conducting video-creation project-based learning.

The policy environment of private higher education in China: a discussion based upon property ownership rights

Spring Su 서울대학교 교육연구소 2012 Asia Pacific Education Review Vol.13 No.1

The reemergence and growth of private higher education institutions (HEIs) represent one of the most significant developments in Chinese higher education over recent decades. Against a macroeconomic background of decentralization, this phenomenon is essentially fuelled by a broad spectrum of political and socioeconomic forces. This study sets out with the primary aim of discussing the current policy environment constraints faced by different types of private HEIs based upon a theoretical framework of property ownership rights. This is undertaken through a comparative analysis with HEIs in the United States, as well as case studies on three different types of private HEIs in China (accredited private universities, independent colleges and Sino-foreign colleges). Recommendations are offered on the key issues aimed at overcoming the difficulties encountered by such institutions; these include transfer rights, income rights, government subsidies, access to bank loans and tax-exempted social donations. The government in China has adopted an incremental approach to the regulation of the private higher education sector, thereby providing ad hoc solutions to problems encountered along the way; however, within a mutually understood framework of action, a system of clear property ownership rights is essential to the practical coordination of the activities of the economic actors.

How and Why to Teach English Metaphors to Japanese Learners Through Visual Media: With Practical Examples From Steven Universe

Spring, Ryan,Suarez, Gerard 영상영어교육학회 2018 영상영어교육 (STEM journal) Vol.19 No.4

Teaching conceptual metaphors to EFL learners has been shown to help with their learning of vocabulary and expressions, but this can be difficult for L1 Japanese EFL learners because of cultural and linguistic differences in the two languages. In teaching metaphors, the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning and understanding of the theory of mental spaces can be used to argue that using visual media is particularly helpful for English learners. This paper presents a case that teaching conceptual metaphors is important for L1 Japanese learners of English, but difficult because of the large number of differences in the metaphorical expressions of the two languages, though these problems can be overcome through visual media, particularly animations. It suggests that they can be especially helpful when attempting to teach new conceptual metaphors to EFL learners because of their multi-modal nature and the ease with which they can construe reality. The paper further argues that animations aimed at children, such as Steven Universe, are particularly helpful because the metaphors are often made especially easy to understand, are often shown in an appropriate cultural context. Furthermore, Steven Universe has recurring themes built upon conceptual metaphors, allowing instructors to find many examples of the same metaphors.

Modeling of Passenger Waiting Time in Intermodal Station with Constrained Capacity on Intercity Transit

S.K. Jason Chang, Spring C. Hsu 서울시립대학교 도시과학연구원 2004 International journal of urban sciences (IJUS) Vol. No.

This paper aims to develop a mathematical model to analyze the passenger waiting time in an intermodal station in which intercity transit system served with feeder buses. Passengers are categorized into two groups, named scheduled and random, respectively. The analytic model is developed for quantifying the relationships of passenger waiting time to reliability of feeder bus services and capacity of intercity transit. The numerical results identify that mean waiting time of intercity transit passengers is greater than half of the intercity transit headway, with the condition that feeder service is provided with poor reliability; and on the contrary, mean waiting time will be less than half of the intercity transit headway. Moreover, to avoid long waiting time, headway deviation of feeder buses should be less than 3.5 minutes. In terms of intercity transit capacity, it is suggested that at least 80 % of total arrival passengers should be satisfied.

Fluorescent Sensing and Discrimination of ATP and ADP Based on a Unique Sandwich Assembly of Pyrene-Adenine-Pyrene

Xu, Zhaochao,Spring, David R.,Yoon, Juyoung Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley Sons) 2011 Chemistry, an Asian journal Vol.6 No.8

How destination marketing on social media affects behavioral intention

Ivelina Ilieva,Spring Han 한국지능정보시스템학회 2022 한국지능정보시스템학회 학술대회논문집 Vol.2022 No.6

Social media is becoming more prominent in the daily lives of consumers and can plays a major role in forming impressions about tourism destinations. This is especially true during the current pandemic, when traveling is restricted and people increase the time they spend online. Recently, there has been a shift towards more visual content on social media, as apparent by the fast-growing popularity of social networks like Instagram, which is largely a photo sharing site. This shift indicates that destination marketing organizations need to take into consideration how photos of their destinations can influence consumers’ destination image. The goal of this paper is to find out whether the perception of destination and visit intention change after seeing photos of a destination and determine the effect that social media has on these components.