Supporting Communicative English Class Using PDAs

Noriko Uosakia, Hiroaki Ogatab,

Junko Matsumotoc, and Yoneo Yanod

a Center for General Education, The University of Tokushima, Japan

b,c,d Dept. of Information Science and Intelligent Systems

Faculty of Engineering, The University of Tokushima, Japan

n.uosaki@gmail.com

English Education in Japan

OUTLINE

1. INTRODUCTION

2. SYSTEM DESIGN

3. USER STUDY

4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

5. CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE WORK

1. INTRODUCTION (1/3)

◆Background of this study:

Problems in EFL (English as a Foreign Language) education in Japan

(1) Not supportive enough for the learners to improve their communicative competence

　 ◇ Traditionally, much emphasis is put on

reading and translation.

◇ Not enough number of communicative

English classes in universities.

1. INTRODUCTION (2/3) (2) Evaluation Problem

“Communicative ability is best measured situationally.” -- Upshur, J.A. (1971)

Traditional way : face to face, one by one evaluation

・ heavy load for instructors

・ uses up class time

◆Solution: as a digital recorder ・ will help make effective use of class time ・ ultimately will contribute to the improvement of communicative competence of Japanese people

1. INTRODUCTION (3/3)

NEW PROJECT

InternationalStudentsenhanced motivation

Aim : To design PDA Assisted Interactive ESL Class with International Students to make the students feel like being in the place where English is spoken

InteractiveLearning

LMSShared folder

Mobile DevicesRecordablityMobility

2. System Design (1/2) PDA Assisted ESL Class

2. System Design (2/2) Learning Sequence in

PDA Assisted ESL Class

(1) Making Questionnaires

(2) Self-practice by Listening to the Instructor’s Model Reading

(3) Peer-to-Peer Interview

(4) Interview with International Students

(5) Dictation and Summary Report

3. User Study (1/3)

The target class :

20 sophomore students (11 males, 9 females) majoring in pharmaceutical sciences.

Four consecutive classes out of total of 15 classes during spring semester 2007.

3. User Study (2/3)

(1) Making 20 questions submitted to LMS ◆ Preparation for international interview ◆ Upload to LMS

(2) Practice 20 questions and record by PDA

◆The instructor’s model reading recorded in Audio Portfolios (http://www.audioportfolios.com/ ) ◆ Students listen, practice, make recording by PDA and upload to LMS

(3) Peer-to-Peer Interview using PDA ◆ Pair work interview recorded by PDA ◆ Upload to the shared folder of LMS ◆ Listen to other interviews in the shared folder

Procedures (1/2)

3. User Study (3/3)

・ Four volunteer international students recruited.・ Each international student got interviews from five students during 90-minute-class

(4) Interview with International Students

(5) Dictation and Summary Report

・ Upload the recorded files to LMS ・ Listen and Dication ・ Upload the Summary Reports to LMS

Procedures (2/2)

4. Results and Discussion(1/3)

T

4.1 Students’ views (1/2)

The Result of the Five-point-scale Style Survey

4. Results and Discussion(2/3)

・ able to use the Internet wherever we are・ easy to make a recording・ handy and convenient・ quick start-up・ like a small computer・ terrific・ running out of battery quickly・ troublesome to input by small pen(stylus)

Comments from the students about PDA4.1 Students’ views (2/2)

4.2 The instructor’s view (1/2) ◆ Advantages of the use of PDA with LMS

The recordability of PDA helped make an effective interactive learning.

Its usability (easy to record, quick start-up) helped make efficient use of class time.

Its mobility helped conduct interview session smoothly and successfully.

Novelty effect of new technology helped enhance students’ motivation.

Digital recording by PDAs and uploading recorded files and summary reports to LMS helped save the instructor’s time and labor to carry things like cassette tapes and papers.

Digitalization of both spoken and written English eased the instructor’s concern about losing data.

4. Results and Discussion(2/3)

4.2 The instructor’s view (2/2) ◆ Disadvantages of the use of PDA with LMS

Unstableness of wireless LAN, which might not directly be related to PDA function itself, caused loss of class time.

Short duration of battery and bother of using stylus caused some user unfriendliness.

It was difficult to run the class without help from some technical staffs.

Its implementation is costly. The model used here cost about 60,000yen (US$600) per each. Therefore it might be difficult for this project to be applied in emerging countries.

4. Results and Discussion(3/3)

5. Conclusions and Future Works (1/2)

Aim of this study :To design PDA Assisted ESL Class to make it look like being in the place where English is spoken

The survey shows that it was successful in a sense that the students gave the highest average score of 4.42 and thatthe students’ free comments show that most students madefavorable remarks (6 favorable & 2 unfavorable comments).

◆Conclusions

5. Conclusions and Future Works (2/2)

1) Cost problem : use of mobile phones 100 percent reported owning a mobile phone (Thornton and Houser 2005).

2) How to recruit international students : need to establish a new system

3) Cooperative Learning : more effective use of shared files in the LMS ・ Vote for the best interviewer : help reduce instructors’ burden of evaluation ・ Enhancement of motivation.

◆ future works

Thank you for your attention!