2020 Fiscal Year Research-status Report
Measuring the extent speech-to-text functionality aids speaking fluency (breakdown & speed-fluency) in EFL learners using a mobile assisted language learning app
| Project/Area Number |
19K00803
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| Research Institution | Tokai University |
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Principal Investigator |
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
ボビー ヒロユキ 九州産業大学, 語学教育研究センター, 准教授 (20536247)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
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| Keywords | STT / speed fluency / breakdown fluency / MALL / speaking fluency |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
The remainder of the work from the previous year was completed. This included the data collection system and the remaining modifications to the data collection app. Furthermore, a significant amount of time was spent on debugging the system and doing regression testing of the app functionality. This included testing all new and existing features. The main reason was due to a recent update to the programming language which increased stability of the code base but added increased complexity and reworked syntax. The end result is a much more stable collection system but this took up more time to implement than expected.
Phase 2 of the plan was implemented only slightly behind schedule due to Covid delays and changes to teaching schedules in both semesters. We collected over 100 participants speaking data during the pilot phase and are currently analysing them for speech characteristics.
Participants recorded pre and post utterances. The treatment included either 5 and 10 hours of engagement with the STT English learning app. Additional learning behaviors such as session duration, scores, and other play metrics have been collected. Due to the disruption due to Covid, we were unable to collect the pilot data as planned and are preparing to collect additional pilot data during the spring semester of the third year of the project. This will allow us to gain more confidence in the main data collection during the fall semester of this year.
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
3: Progress in research has been slightly delayed.
Reason
During phase 2, the plan was to collect pilot data and analyse it for speech characteristics of our target population. We were slightly behind from the first year and this combined with the Covid disruptions in 2020 (phase 2) we remain slightly behind in our schedule. We have completed the data collection system and server preparations and have started collecting pilot data for analysis. Due to the Covid disruption, we were unable to collect all the pilot data as planned and are preparing to collect additional data during the spring semester of the third year of the project. This will allow us to gain more confidence in the main data collection during the fall semester of this year. We were also only able to collect pilot data from two schools but were originally planning to collect from three.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
We will continue with the research as planned but only slightly delayed in its implementation. Our aim is to complete the pilot study in the first half of this school year and begin the main data collection. The main data collection may run into the first half of the last year. However, we will still have enough time to complete the project on schedule.
During phase three, we will repeat the treatment with the updated app and content but this time include three control groups, one for each time of 5, 10, 20 hours of learning. Control groups will practice shadowing in class using IC recorders or computers with speed controls for autonomous learning and difficulty adjustment. The main difference between the control and treatment group beside the length of learning time is the interactive engagement of the STT activities, the various types of immediate and delayed feedback on utterances, and ability to track progress.
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| Causes of Carryover |
Some of the work planned for the second year was delayed and will be completed in the third year. Because of Covid delays we did not spend any funding on conferences or travel. We will carry this amount over into the following year for various conferences, data collection maintenance updates and other data security expenses.
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