Theorizing the interpersonal aspect of ikigai (‘life worth living’) among Japanese university students: A mixed-methods approach

<p>This study investigates the effect of using digital flashcards on L2 vocabulary learning compared to using paper flashcards, at different levels of English proficiency. Although flashcards are generally believed to be one of the most efficient vocabulary study techniques available, little empirical data is available in terms of the comparative effectiveness of digital flashcards, and at different levels of student English proficiency. This study used a mixed-methods experimental design. The between-subjects factor was English Proficiency consisting of three groups: basic, intermediate and advanced. All participants underwent both a digital flashcards treatment and paper flashcards treatment using words from the Academic Words List. For each study mode, the two dependent variables were Immediate, and Delayed Relative Vocabulary Gain. The results of this study indicated that Japanese university students of lower levels of English proficiency have significantly higher vocabulary learning gains when using digital flashcards than when using paper flashcards. Students at higher levels of proficiency performed equally well using both study modes. It appears that by compensating for the gap in metacognitive awareness and effective learning strategies between students of lower and higher levels of language proficiency, digital flashcards may provide the additional support lower-level learners need to match their advanced-level peers in terms of their rate of deliberate vocabulary acquisition.</p>

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Obstacles to food security, food pantry use, and educational success among university students: a mixed methods approach

Journal of American College Health ◽

10.1080/07448481.2021.1873789 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-12

Author(s):

Robert R. Weaver ◽

Sean P. Hendricks ◽

Nicole A. Vaughn ◽

Penny E. McPherson-Myers ◽

Shari L. Willis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Mixed Methods ◽

University Students ◽

Educational Success ◽

Food Pantry ◽

Mixed Methods Approach

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WASHBACK AND THE ASSESSMENT PRACTICES OF ESL INSTRUCTORS AT JAPANESE UNIVERSITY

LANGUAGE LITERACY Journal of Linguistics Literature and Language Teaching ◽

10.30743/ll.v5i1.3238 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 1-9

Author(s):

Lee Hughes

Keyword(s):

Mixed Methods ◽

Curriculum Design ◽

Teaching Practices ◽

First Year ◽

Assessment Practices ◽

Teaching English ◽

Mixed Methods Approach ◽

Japanese University ◽

Methods Of Evaluation ◽

The Impact

This study investigated awareness among native-English instructors teaching English to first year freshman students studying English at a university in Japan, and the potential effects of their chosen methods of oral evaluation on washback. Washback effect refers to the impact of testing – whether positive or negative - on teaching practices, curriculum design, and learning behaviors. Oral washback, in particular, in evaluation has seen increased importance in recent years, with more consideration given to how to provide positive oral washback in evaluations to ensure that they are as effective as possible in improving English levels. A mixed methods approach was used – a survey and interviews – with five instructors to find out about how they assess their students and how aware and how much attention they gave to possible washback effects of their chosen methods of evaluation. It was found that there is quite a variance among different instructors and knowing more about how to promote more positive oral washback to be useful in improving evaluation methods used.

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Adapting a Checklist of Materials Evaluation for a Self-access Learning Center in Japan

Studies in Self-Access Learning Journal ◽

10.37237/100403 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 339-355

Author(s):

Atsumi Yamaguchi ◽

Erin Okamoto ◽

Neil Curry ◽

Katsuyuki Konno

Keyword(s):

Mixed Methods ◽

New Zealand ◽

Language Learning ◽

Future Research ◽

Learning Center ◽

Mixed Methods Approach ◽

Japanese University ◽

Japanese Learners Of English ◽

Japanese Learners

Materials evaluation calls for a systematic and principled approach. In reality, however, materials evaluation in language-learning self-access centers (SACs) is significantly lacking in good models. This paper reports on a project undertaken by SAC facilitators in Japan to investigate whether/how a pre-evaluation checklist developed a decade ago at a SAC in New Zealand (c.f. Reinders & Lewis, 2006) could be adapted to their target context. A mixed methods approach was employed where data was obtained via a Likert-scale questionnaire and follow-up interviews. The survey was adapted from Reinders and Lewis and enrolled 103 Japanese university students. The interviews were conducted to eight randomly selected survey respondents. Results show that the modeled checklist can be used as a basis with modifications allowing for contextual differences. The results suggest that Japanese learners of English value visually stimulating materials and require more guided support for them to effectively use materials beyond the classroom. The article provides an adapted checklist designed for Japanese learners of English as well as suggestions for future research.

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