TWO HEADS BETTER THAN ONE? PAIR PRESENTATION IN THE EFL CLASSROOM – A PANACEA FOR ANXIETY?

While the role of emotions in language learning is getting more and more attention in second language research, relatively few studies have investigated emotions related to specific classroom activities. This mixed-method practitioner research examined tertiary-level EFL learners’ affective reactions to a specific type of oral presentation: the pair presentation. The aim of the study was to examine whether making a classroom presentation feels to be a more positive and less anxiety-provoking experience if done in pairs rather than individually. 33 English Studies students were asked to choose a presentation partner and give a 10-20 minute joint presentation in one of their regular language development classes. Immediately after the talk, they were asked to indicate on two 10-point rating scales how pleasant/unpleasant they felt during the task and how much anxiety they experienced. Additionally, they were invited to reflect on their experiences in greater depth within 24 hours, responding to a set of open questions. The results of the study are discussed in comparison to those of an earlier investigation in the same setting, which focused on the emotional experience of individual presentation (Tóth, 2019). While the numerical findings suggest that presenting with a partner is neither less anxiety-provoking nor a substantially more positive experience, the post-task reflections show that most participants approve of the idea of pair presentation and only a minority of them prefer individual presentation. Providing insights into the complexities of learners’ emotional experiences and the practicalities of how they prepared for the joint presentation, the study sheds light on these conflicting results and has important implications for language teachers. <p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0882/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Xstreamulator: a rich media webcasting application for lectures and events

Xstreamulator is a .NET based web casting application that utilizes the Microsoft Windows Media Server to broadcast classroom lectures and events. Uniquely, the application supports the synchronized delivery of captured bitmap content (slides), which are displayed in an ASPIHTML based cross-browser viewing environment. At present, Xstreamulator supports bitmap slide capturing from PowerPoint presentations, computer desktops, images, web pages and external VGA sources. Additional capture capabilities are currently in development. Although Xstreamulator has been used extensively for live webcasting, it can also be employed to record webcasts for distribution through ondemand delivery or removable media. In contrast to commercial solutions, Xstreamulator's live webcasting functionality is not constrained to traditional academic settings (i.e., classrooms). Indeed, many instructors at Ryerson University have successfully employed Xstreamulator to web cast lectures from their office or home. In addition, Xstreamulator has been employed effectively in the delivery of events, lectures, symposiums and conferences. Xstreamulator has from the outset been designed to operate reliably in diverse hardware environments. For example, the application can be installed on personal computers, classroom presentation systems, or portable encoding "stations". Thus, by leveraging the existing computer infrastructure at Ryerson University, it has been possible to circumvent the acquisition of costly commercial web casting systems. Xstreamulator's comprehensive content delivery approach and hardware neutrality has addressed the entire range of webcast requirements within the University environment in very cost effective and scalable manner. Xstreamulator's development process has been driven by the philosophy of participatory design (PD). Students, faculty and staff at Ryerson University have generously donated their time to test Xstreamulator prototypes, and have contributed significantly to the evolution of the application's user interface and functionality. Therefore, the Xstreamulator project demonstrates the significant advantages of implementing participatory design goals in the development of rich media webcasting solutions. Indeed, while the technological achievements of the project are noteworthy, they could have only been achieved in an environment that fostered collaboration at all levels. The development of an in-house web casting solution requires a commitment of development personnel and technical resources. However, the cost of providing these inhouse resources will be offset by reduced webcasting costs over the long-term. Additionally, applications like Xstreamulator can be rapidly employed to generate webcasting revenue from university events (e.g., conferences). In summary, as the use of Xstreamulator at Ryerson University has eliminated a dependence on commercial solutions, it has been possible to re-assign these cost savings to the design of some of the most powerful event webcasting systems in North America.

Xstreamulator: a rich media webcasting application for lectures and events

Xstreamulator is a .NET based web casting application that utilizes the Microsoft Windows Media Server to broadcast classroom lectures and events. Uniquely, the application supports the synchronized delivery of captured bitmap content (slides), which are displayed in an ASPIHTML based cross-browser viewing environment. At present, Xstreamulator supports bitmap slide capturing from PowerPoint presentations, computer desktops, images, web pages and external VGA sources. Additional capture capabilities are currently in development. Although Xstreamulator has been used extensively for live webcasting, it can also be employed to record webcasts for distribution through ondemand delivery or removable media. In contrast to commercial solutions, Xstreamulator's live webcasting functionality is not constrained to traditional academic settings (i.e., classrooms). Indeed, many instructors at Ryerson University have successfully employed Xstreamulator to web cast lectures from their office or home. In addition, Xstreamulator has been employed effectively in the delivery of events, lectures, symposiums and conferences. Xstreamulator has from the outset been designed to operate reliably in diverse hardware environments. For example, the application can be installed on personal computers, classroom presentation systems, or portable encoding "stations". Thus, by leveraging the existing computer infrastructure at Ryerson University, it has been possible to circumvent the acquisition of costly commercial web casting systems. Xstreamulator's comprehensive content delivery approach and hardware neutrality has addressed the entire range of webcast requirements within the University environment in very cost effective and scalable manner. Xstreamulator's development process has been driven by the philosophy of participatory design (PD). Students, faculty and staff at Ryerson University have generously donated their time to test Xstreamulator prototypes, and have contributed significantly to the evolution of the application's user interface and functionality. Therefore, the Xstreamulator project demonstrates the significant advantages of implementing participatory design goals in the development of rich media webcasting solutions. Indeed, while the technological achievements of the project are noteworthy, they could have only been achieved in an environment that fostered collaboration at all levels. The development of an in-house web casting solution requires a commitment of development personnel and technical resources. However, the cost of providing these inhouse resources will be offset by reduced webcasting costs over the long-term. Additionally, applications like Xstreamulator can be rapidly employed to generate webcasting revenue from university events (e.g., conferences). In summary, as the use of Xstreamulator at Ryerson University has eliminated a dependence on commercial solutions, it has been possible to re-assign these cost savings to the design of some of the most powerful event webcasting systems in North America.

An exploration of Indonesian EFL learners’ unwillingness to communicate

This study aimed at exploring EFL students’ unwillingness to communicate (UTS) of English as a foreign language (EFL) classroom at higher institution in Indonesia. A 25-item survey of 70 students of English study program at graduate program State University of Makassar Indonesia stated that most of the students were willing to participating in group discussions and they revealed that their friends listened to their ideas and suggestions. The study also reported that the majority of participants disagreed to the statements: talking to friends is just a waste of time, they don’t talk in classroom presentation because they are shy, they don’t like to get involved in group discussions, their friends don't listen to their ideas and suggestions in classroom discussions, they don't ask for advice from friends when they have to make decisions, they are afraid to express themselves in a group, and they find it difficult to make conversation with their mates. The students were unwillingness to express ideas to other students because they felt nervous, and they also were unwillingness to express themselves because they had some fears.

Factors Causing Language Anxiety of EFL Students in Classroom Presentation

The purpose of this study is to identify : (1) Types of foreign language anxiety experienced by the students (2) factors causing language anxiety of EFL students. This research applied qualitative descriptive research method. It was carried out at Graduate Program of Makassar State University. The subject of this study were six students majoring in English who conducted a presentation seminar. They are all selected by using purposive sampling. The researcher observed and interviewed all G-class students conducting presentation seminar from February to April to identify type and factor of anxiety experienced by the students in a presentation seminar. The researcher made observations using video recording devices and field notes. Based on the result, there were three types of anxiety experienced by the students when doing presentation using English, namely anxiety related to positive (facilitative anxiety), anxiety related to negative or destructive (debilitative anxiety) and anxiety which was not related to any of them. The researcher called it as non-effecting anxiety. As for some factors causing the students feel anxious in their speaking ability, generally they divided into two main factors, namely internal and external factors, but in the case of this study, the researcher found only internal factors.

In spite of technology: a failure in student project ownership

Purpose Students often complain about doing group work, which may lead them to be less engaged as a group and to seek shortcuts in developing their presentations. The purpose of his essay is identify and preferentially rectify student behavioral errors arising from placing too much trust in technology that can lead to too little personal interaction and engagement. The authors present their viewpoint on the classroom presentation outcome of a student group that used Google Docs to “prepare” for their presentation. Design/methodology/approach In a recent organizational behavior course, the authors had one such group arrive for their in-class presentation, only to discover that one group member was absent. The group had used Google Docs to share their research, yet no member read what the others had submitted. As a result, none of the group members could present the missing student’s material, with the obvious negative grading and finger-pointing outcomes. Findings The authors recognized that students needed more management direction than simply being proficient with technology. They lacked engagement behaviors leading to project responsibility. Engagement behaviors would include voice/face-to-face communication and content-related discussions questioning assumptions while strategically planning and operationalizing their topic of presentation. Originality/value The educational implications suggest an expanded role for the instructor to emphasize the role of student engagement behavior and the over-reliance on technology. Practical implications suggest making stronger connections to workplace expectations, making the student experience more transferable to their incipient workplaces and promoting the concept of team over group in terms of responsibility and conscientiousness and ultimately justifying their participation in providing value for their employer.

Perceptions, Beliefs, and Attitudes Toward Various Hearing Conservation Approaches Reported by Indiana College Agriculture Students

HighlightsNoise-measuring applications (apps) and in-person classroom presentation were identified as the most preferred approaches by the college agriculture students.Multiple features of noise apps and in-person intervention were identified as beneficial.A subset of participants reported that a combination of approaches could influence hearing protection use.Abstract. Noise-induced hearing loss is a major public health challenge for agricultural communities. However, there is limited hearing conservation research addressing the issue, especially for youth and young adults. The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions and practices of Indiana undergraduate students who lived or worked on a farm. The students were asked to rank the most common and current hearing conservation educational approaches, including in-person classroom presentation, mailers, and technology-based approaches, i.e., computer-based training, interactive websites, static websites, and smartphone noise-measuring applications (apps). A total of 91 undergraduate students enrolled in agriculture classes at four Indiana higher educational institutions participated in the study. They completed a sociodemographic and farm activity survey, followed by a 30-minute in-person presentation on hearing health conservation. After the presentation, each participant completed a questionnaire that included items about their perceptions of the feasibility, sustainability, rankings, and preferences of the various educational approaches discussed in the presentation. Participants ranked the noise-measuring app and in-person classroom presentation as their most preferred educational approaches for hearing conservation (39% and 28%, respectively). They identified multiple features of these two intervention approaches as beneficial. Sixty-four percent of participants indicated that a combination of approaches could influence hearing protection use and should include in-person classroom presentation and one of the technology-based approaches (noise-measuring apps, 37.3%). These findings are expected to assist health interventionists and program designers in developing future hearing protection education programs for farm youth, who may otherwise lack access to resources for preventing premature hearing loss due to loud noise exposure. Keywords: Agricultural workers, Hearing conservation, Hearing protection, Undergraduate college students, Youth education.