Effects of First Language Background and Learning Experience in Perceiving Mandarin Lexical Tones: Learners and Nonlearners From English- and Japanese-Speaking Backgrounds

Purpose: This research compared individuals from two first language (L1) backgrounds (English and Japanese) to determine how they may differ in their perception of Mandarin tones (Tones 1 vs. 2 [T1–T2], Tones 1 vs. 3 [T1–T3], Tones 1 vs. 4 [T1–T4], Tones 2 vs. 3 [T2–T3], Tones 2 vs. 4 [T2–T4], Tones 3 vs. 4 [T3–T4]) on account of their L1. Method: The participants included two groups of learners of Mandarin (23 English speakers, 18 Japanese speakers), two groups of nonlearners of Mandarin (24 English speakers, 21 Japanese speakers), and a control group of 10 Mandarin speakers. A four-alternative forced-choice discrimination task that included 360 trials was presented in three blocks of 120 trials. Results: The native Mandarin group was more accurate in their tonal discrimination of all six tone pairs than all the nonnative groups. While Japanese nonlearners generally outperformed English nonlearners in their overall perception of Mandarin lexical tones, L1-based differences were less extensive for the two groups of learners. Both learner groups were least accurate on T2–T3 and most accurate on T3–T4. Conclusion: The results suggest that with classroom experience, English speakers can overcome their initial disadvantage and learn lexical tones in a new language as successfully as speakers of Japanese with classroom experience.

Disrupting the College Classroom Experience

This chapter provides readers an overview of the potential advantages and disadvantages of technology integration in higher education. As technological innovations continue to advance, faculty are provided ample opportunities to enrich their curriculum to further enhance student engagement and learning. Further, the inclusion of technology promotes student retention and provides them access to real-world content. Innovations in technology have resulted in a plethora of tools that can be incorporated into today's classrooms. However, faculty are often hesitant to integrate technological tools given security, accessibility, and access considerations. Further, faculty may perceive technology as disruptive to their classrooms resulting in distracted learners who experience lower academic gains.

Um modelo social e colaborativo para extensão de conteúdo em ambientes educacionais ubíquos

Este trabalho apresenta um modelo de arquitetura de software que apoia atividades de extensão de um conteúdo em Ambientes Educacionais Ubíquos. Como prova de conceito, empregou-se este modelo para construir uma aplicação Web que permite a criação de comentários e a classificação de conteúdo multimídia. Tal aplicação foi acoplada à plataforma Classroom eXperience e sua utilização foi assistida por dois semestres letivos. Aplicou-se uma adaptação do Modelo de Aceitação de Tecnologia para averiguar a receptividade e o impacto das novas funcionalidades em estudantes. Como resultado, verificou-se boa aceitação da aplicação pelos usuários, que passaram a acessar mais a plataforma. Tal incentivo também contribuiu elevando o desempenho dos alunos, demonstrando que a disponibilização de recursos interativos incentiva a aprendizagem colaborativa.

An investigation into children's creative work in clay modelling and in carving in soft stone

A tentative enquiry into the nature of problems associated with the teaching of clay modelling and carving in soft stone to Primary School children.<br>Or an investigation into children's creative work in clay modelling and in carving in soft stone.<br>May we first of all consider the meanings of the terms used in the title.<br>This enquiry has been stated as a tentative one because the level of our knowledge and understanding of this aspect of education is continuously changing both in scale, depth and magnitude. The work being attempted is altering too in the light of classroom experience in this country and overseas practices and procedures. Hence all knowledge possessed at the time of writing may need considerable modification in the future.

An investigation into children's creative work in clay modelling and in carving in soft stone

A tentative enquiry into the nature of problems associated with the teaching of clay modelling and carving in soft stone to Primary School children.<br>Or an investigation into children's creative work in clay modelling and in carving in soft stone.<br>May we first of all consider the meanings of the terms used in the title.<br>This enquiry has been stated as a tentative one because the level of our knowledge and understanding of this aspect of education is continuously changing both in scale, depth and magnitude. The work being attempted is altering too in the light of classroom experience in this country and overseas practices and procedures. Hence all knowledge possessed at the time of writing may need considerable modification in the future.

Classroom Management Strategies to Improve Learning Experiences for Online Courses

Hybrid classrooms (taught simultaneously to both in-person and online students) have become increasingly common in the course of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and they have offered multiple benefits and challenges. We offer several recommendations to improve student engagement and classroom experience in such classrooms, especially for online learners who may face greater barriers to participation.

The Investigation of Using Out-Classroom Experiences to Enhance Indonesian EFL Learners’ Speaking Performance

The role of English in Indonesia can be said quite special because English is the only compulsory foreign language included in secondary curriculums. However, the special status of English in national education is not accompanied by satisfactory results. Out-classroom experience (OCE) is believed to overcome this issue and has been applied successfully. Therefore, this study investigates the use of out-classroom experience in enhancing Indonesian EFL learners’ ability in speaking English. By conducting a case study approach, the research used triangulation data collection techniques consisting of classroom observation, interview, and speaking performance test. The study involved 40 undergraduate students from one of the public universities in Banten province as its subjects. The result showed that the use of OCE positively contributes to the development of students’ speaking development. Out-classroom activities can facilitate the learners to access or even create language exposures by themselves. This study provided some implications about using OCE for language teachers and educational practitioners. Keywords: Out-Classroom experiences, speaking, college students, EFL context