2017 Fiscal Year Annual Research Report
The Effect of Study Abroad on Informal MALL Acceptance and Usage in Japanese Higher Education
| Project/Area Number |
17H07252
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| Research Institution | Ritsumeikan University |
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Principal Investigator |
Mills Daniel 立命館大学, 経済学部, 准教授 (60802907)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2017-08-25 – 2019-03-31
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| Keywords | Study Abroad / Informal Learning / SNS / Mobile Learning |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
Study abroad presents students with a wonderful opportunity to experience a new culture and improve their knowledge of a foreign language. In recent years, technology allows students to continue to interact with the people and culture they have come in contact with during study abroad even after returning to their home country. My research investigates various aspects of these interactions in digital environments in the hopes of guiding teachers and researchers to support students to make the most of their study abroad experience. Through the support of my grant, I have examined how international posture and L2 self affect informal learning. In addition, I have researched how study abroad affects negotiation of identity in SNS and usage of technology for informal language learning.
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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 research project has progressed very well. As data was collected, several new opportunities to study related aspects of the topic have presented themselves. Therefore, a number of additional studies have been planned. Furthermore, a large amount of progress has been made on the dissemination of the results. The researcher has been able to present the results of a study regarding international posture and ideal L2 self at an international conference and has been accepted to two additional academic conferences later this year. Furthermore, the researcher was able to attend a symposium on digital learning and media, which allowed him to make contacts and expand his ideas for future projects.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
The researcher plans to continue making progress with the current research projects and develop several new studies in this academic year. First, the PI will complete the publications and presentations for all current projects. In addition, the PI will expand on this research by beginning work on the following related projects:
1.Social networking analysis of online relationships before, during and after a study abroad experience.
2.Analysis of interactions in social media settings to examine identity negotiation among students returning from study abroad; permission to follow these interactions has already been granted.
3.A qualitative study of the impact of study abroad on the usage of digital technologies for informal language learning.
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