2021 Fiscal Year Research-status Report
Japanese EFL learners and article usage: Locating precise variables that affect explicit instruction through web-based methods
| Project/Area Number |
21K13081
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| Research Institution | Kansai University |
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Principal Investigator |
Lucas Matthew 関西大学, 外国語学部, 准教授 (50796498)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
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| Keywords | articles / explicit instruction / grammatical accuracy / Japanese EFL learners / web-based instruction |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
The purpose of the current study is to help Japanese EFL learners improve their accuracy of article usage (a/an, the) through explicit grammar instruction. The Spring semester of AY2021 was spent creating the test items for the reading/writing instruments and developing the instructional content for the e-learning materials. During the Fall semester of AY2021, the study was piloted across four conditions in terms of the procedure itself (treatment and outcome measures) as well as the data analysis. The piloting highlighted areas that required revision and amendments were made accordingly.
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
2: Research has progressed on the whole more than it was originally planned.
Reason
The project is progressing according to the timeline set out in the original plan. The main reason it is on schedule is that quality time was invested during the development stage, which involved extensive communications with the web developer hired to create the online platforms. A native Japanese-speaking assistant was also hired to proofread the instructional content across all four conditions.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
The plan for the Spring semester of AY2022 is to gather reading/writing data from consenting participants. The procedure involves exposure to the e-learning materials and measuring progress at the pre, post, and delayed intervals with the online tests. The Fall semester of AY2022 will be spent marking and analysing the data, while simulataneously working on a listening/speaking version of the study. AY2023 will be spent preparing the manuscript and disseminating the findings, as well as gathering data for the listening/speaking component of the study.
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| Causes of Carryover |
A small amount of the budget for AY2021 was left over from material expenses allocated to books. For AY2022, a large proportion of the budget will be spent on hiring the same web developer (as AY2021) to create the platforms for the listening/speaking component of the study. The same assistant (as AY2021) will be hired to proofread the Japanese content. Finally, an amount will be allocated to expenses for attending an international conference.
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