This study investigated the effects of synchronous computer-mediated communication (SCMC) mode and interlocutor familiarity on frequency and characteristics of peer feedback in L2 interaction. Fifty dyads of EFL learners were equally assigned into familiar (+/--) groups and performed an interactive task in two SCMC modes (text/video-chats). After…

This study investigated the effects of explicit and implicit discourse marker (DM) instruction on English as a foreign language (EFL) learners' speech. Two different teaching methods were used over seven weeks of online English classes at a university in Japan. Participants were split into two groups, and in the first week, a pre-test comprising…

The present study investigates South Korean university students' personal computer (PC) and smartphone usage patterns on an online Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) website using learning analytics. A total of 107 students taking a "College TOEIC" course participated during one academic semester and records of their…

This study examines EFL students' metacognitive strategy use in a university flipped classroom and the underlying factors of metacognitive strategy use. The participants in our study were students enrolled in an elective English course at a university in Taiwan, where they had to watch online course videos outside of class and participate in…

The aim of this study is to investigate Taiwanese undergraduate students' perception of using computer-mediated communication (CMC) in a TOEIC preparation course and determine if using an online format motivates them to succeed. As a result, five factors are addressed in the study, namely, attitude, motivation, study habit, feedback, and…

Two case studies evaluating the effectiveness of a flipped classroom compared to a traditional classroom were performed. The studies were conducted from April 2014 to January 2015 at a private university in Tokyo, targeting 60 first-year and 25 third-year undergraduates, respectively. In the first study, an assessment of pre- and post-treatment…

Academic reading has been less emphasized compared with academic writing as a site of research inquiry. Although some studies have examined reading strategy use in academic reading (e.g., Block, 1986; Plakans, 2009), these studies used short passages only, and there have been a few studies that have focused on the mental representation constructed…

In 2014, the University of Aizu was accepted for participation in Japan's national TOP Global University (TGU) initiative. In this paper, we describe our use of video interviewing to prepare Japanese students for our Global Experience Gateway study abroad TGU project. Our university specializes in computer science education at undergraduate and…

What is the role of the teacher in developing learner autonomy? The limited research in this area is seldom situated in theory and often based on self-reported data. This study is situated in sociocultural theory and draws on two constructs, the zone of proximal development and imitation, to explain the teacher's role in developing autonomy. The…