2016 Fiscal Year Annual Research Report
From Active Classroom Learning to Extracurricular Informal Language Learning: The Role of Virtual Cultural Context
| Project/Area Number |
25370656
|
|---|
| Research Institution | Kanazawa Institute of Technology |
|---|
Principal Investigator |
藤井 清美 金沢工業大学, 基礎教育部, 准教授 (60596633)
|
|---|
| Project Period (FY) |
2013-04-01 – 2017-03-31
|
| Keywords | informal learning / SNS / telecollaboration / active learning |
|---|
| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
This project comprised an exchange between JFL and EFL learners at universities in the U.S. and Japan, respectively, that started in the fall semester of 2013. The purpose of this project was to encourage students to go beyond classroom learning into voluntary, self-directed learning outside of the classroom, as well as using the target language in a practical and personal way. With this educational goal in sight, the project has been modified each year based on participant and instructors feedback.
In 2016, the researchers conducted further research based on the data collected over the three years of these projects; a total of 469 students participated. Of these, 266 participated in the blog project in 2013, 93 participated in the Facebook project in 2014, and 110 participated in the Facebook project in 2015. The participants can be further broken down into 238 students enrolled in second-year and third-year Japanese courses at U.S. universities, and 231 students enrolled in general English courses at Japanese universities.
The quantitative research instruments were questionnaires at three points in time: pre, post, and a follow-up assessment. The qualitative research instruments were blogs (in 2013, Trial 1), and Facebook (in 2014 and 2015, Trials 2 and 3) data and reflection logs (Trials 2 and 3) for the experimental group to elicit more open-ended responses based on general questions about their impressions and experiences of the activities.
The results were presented at international conferences and the researchers continue to work on a journal article.
|
Research Products
(5 results)
