• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.91-103
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• 2015

This research aimed to investigate the benefits of incorporating Problem-Based Learning(PBL) approach in Business English classes in a Korean university. This study focused on student experiences of learning in a PBL environment. The study examined the feasibility of cultivating students' key job competencies, that of their learning achievement and their satisfaction with the PBL approach. Data on student experiences were gathered from questionnaires. The analysis of the data showed, first, that the PBL could cultivate students' key job competencies. Second, the PBL could have a positive effect on students' acquisition of business content knowledge and their English language development. Third, the PBL approach achieved above moderate level of student satisfaction.

• The Journal of Korean Association of Computer Education
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.65-78
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• 2006

Recently, there has been much research to develope and apply RFID technology, which has a kcy role in the upcoming ubiquitous society, in many fields such as physical distribution, traffic control, medical service, and so on. However, there has been little research on a ubiquitous education or learning including 'u-Campuses' and 'u-Libraries'. Based on the characteristics of RFlD, this paper proposes a system for English learning required in globalization age. RFID tags and sensors utilize wireless communications to track the location and status information of the user to deliver English situated learning services. The current RFID-based system should use quite a different rniddleware, compared with a general-purpose middleware on server or desktop. The RFID system is used on a mobile PDA and consists of essential APIs such as reader and tag control, queue, and filter management.

• Cross-Cultural Studies
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• v.39
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• pp.407-432
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• 2015

This study focuses on the flow of story and content or related context when using movies as learning materials in a class. A great advantage of using movies is that they have a consistent story and detailed content development. Most teachers, however, tend to concentrate on practical expressions totally unrelated to the story or context of the movie they are using. This way might be efficient in the short run but it is certain that the expressions are unlikely to be retained in long-term memory. This study examines how a story-centered class influences learning of practical expressions and how efficient this approach to learning is. Learning and teaching with focus only on the expressions in a movie shades the meaning of the use of the movie a little. In this study the movie, Cars 2, was used in a course of general education with 150 students enrolled. Various group activities were suggested to immerse students into the story and contents of Cars 2. It was found that a story-centered class is helpful for students to acquire practical expressions and that students' satisfaction level with the class was high.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.253-276
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• 2006

The purpose of this study is to compare and analyze the aspects of task-based materials in high school English textbooks for first year students in Korea. Based on the theoretical backgrounds for designing communicative tasks and the basic contents of the 7th national curriculum for English, a total of six different qualitative evaluation categories of task-based materials are constructed. The six categories include input data, settings, activity types, language skills, activity themes, and communicative functions. The results of the data analysis showed that the regulations of the 7th national English curriculum, which were aimed at improving the students' communicative abilities, were properly reflected in the materials of task-based activities of all textbooks. On the other hand, a few problems were found in some textbooks: too many individual tasks; being out of proportion in presenting task types and themes; non-systematic introduction of language skills, etc. To conclude, a few suggestions are made to provide some meaningful considerations for the text material developers in order to produce better textbooks in the future: task goals and rationale that encourage the learner's positive motivation; authenticity of input data based on the real-world context; a collaborative learning environment that enhances communicative interaction; a proportional representation of the various activity types including creative problem-solving procedures; systematic introduction of integrated language skills, etc.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.215-235
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• 2006

This paper explores the effects of two different methods of instruction for 106 low-level Korean learners of English at a college in learning request expressions. Both of the methods contained the focus-on-form and function characteristics, while the degree of explicitness for input enhancement was differentiated. Abundant email samples written by English native speakers for the input were provided and email writing practice for the output was proceeded for both groups of the students in the treatment sessions. The numbers of target forms used in pretest and posttest results were compared quantitatively: The tests included email writing and open-ended Discourse Completion Test (DCT). The results indicated that the target pragmatic features were slightly better learned under the condition of relatively high degree of explicit instruction with metapragmatic information, even though the difference was statistically insignificant. In addition, the students' use of request strategies both in email and DCT was affected positively by the treatment with email input and output. That is, the students applied the request strategies they learned through email into their oral production (open-ended DCT) as well as their email writing. Further study on the output effect of target features in advancing pragmatic competence is suggested.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.45-66
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of two different SNS-based tasks on university students' English writing performance. To address our primary research question, Me2day, microblogging and Social Networking Service, was employed. 43 university students were divided into two experimental groups depending on the task types: a comparison task group and a sharing personal experiences task group. The main findings of the study were as follows: first, two different types of SNS-based tasks, 'spot the differences' and 'writing diaries', had a positive effect on learners' writing performance. The reason for this was that the succinct messages limited to 150 characters made it easier for the students to try writing in English without burden; and they may benefit from their peers by seeing their posts and interacting with each other. Yet there were no significant differences between the two groups when it came to the degree of improvement. Second, two different types of SNS-based tasks differently fostered certain aspects of the writing performance; 'contents knowledge' was supported by the 'writing diaries' task and range was supported by the 'spot the differences' task. Third, learners in the two experimental groups mostly had positive impressions regarding usage of Me2day as a new learning tool.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.211-231
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• 2007

Communication anxiety (CA) in L2 has been identified as one of the important predictors of determining success in the attainment of L2 communication competence. L2 professionals have attempted to explicate its nature in L2, but seemingly failed to achieve the goal. This is probably because they have tended to rely on studies dependent on the use of surveys, which are usually constructed on the basis of their own perspectives rather than L2 students' on CA. To solve this problem, some L2 professionals have utilized diverse research methods that can gather opinions directly from L2 students who are the main constituent in L2 learning; regretfully, they have barely listened to L2 students' voices about controlling CA in L2. This descriptive study explored the nature of CA and the way of controlling it by analyzing data from 57 Korean EFL undergraduates who voluntarily responded to the oral interview questions. The findings of this study pointed out that CA in L2 negatively influenced L2 performance. However, it seemed to have the potential to promote L2 learning. Provided are some important implications that can assist L2 teachers to help their students control CA by maximizing the positive nature of CA.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.1-29
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• 2006

The purpose of this paper is to present a qualitative case study on teaching English as an international language in Korean context. The researcher investigated the implementation process of the new elementary English program from the government to local schools to find out to what extent the symbolic value of English as an international language affect the implementation process of the elementary English program. The research result showed that the elementary teachers shared the different views of the status of English from those of government and the parents, and their differing perception of the role of English constantly affected their implementation efforts. The research findings also revealed that the public's concern of English dominance in Korean educational system resulted in the government's 'comprised curriculum' by lowering the learning goals of the English program. The findings also indicated that the introduction of the elementary English program accelerated English dominance in both teacher and student culture. The question of how to resolve the conflict between acquiring English proficiency and its negative influence on Korean culture remains a complex issue in implementing the new elementary English program.

• Journal of Navigation and Port Research
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• v.35 no.9
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• pp.721-727
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• 2011

This paper compares the English language programs of two maritime institutes in very different parts of the world, South Korea and Belgium. It will show that although both institutes comply with the minimum standard set by the STCW Code issued by the IMO, course contents and requirements can vary greatly. Method of class delivery, choice of learning tools and testing will be examined to illustrate some of these differences. This paper will show that in order to train new seafarers in the best possible way that will fulfill the IMO mandate of Safer Shipping and Cleaner Oceans, continual review and development of course curriculum should be an ongoing process that focusing on encouraging cadets to communicate in a targeted, efficient and professional way within a nautical context. This paper will show by comparison the huge potential that the Korean Maritime English program has for positive change and growth.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.177-194
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• 2011

This study examines the use of discourse markers in cross-cultural communication between EFL learners in an e-learning environment. The study analyzes the use of discourse markers in a corpus of an interactive web with a bulletin board system through which college students of English at Japanese and Korean universities interacted with each other discussing the topics of local and global issues. It compares the use of discourse markers in the learners' corpus to that of a native English speakers' corpus. The results indicate that discourse markers are useful interactional devices to structure and organize discourse. EFL learners are found to display more frequent use of referentially and cognitively functional discourse markers and a relatively rare use of other markers. Native speakers are found to use a wider variety of discourse markers for different functions. Suggestions are made for using computer corpora in understanding EFL learners' language difficulties and helping them become more interactionally competent speakers.