• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.35-41
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• 2017

The existence and the extent of vowel length difference before voiced/voiceless consonants in English and Korean are examined in three groups: (1) Korean-speaking Americans (group A), (2) immigrants who moved to the U.S. in their early teens (group I), and (3) Koreans who have been in the U.S. for less than 3 years (group K). 14 subjects were recorded reading 10 English and 10 Korean sentences. The results show that the three groups exhibit different patterns of the vowel length difference: Group A shows a very strong tendency of vowel lengthening before voiced consonants in both English and Korean, while Group I shows less degree of vowel lengthening, and Group K shows almost no tendency of vowel length difference in both languages. This strongly suggests that, (1) unlike English, Korean does not have the vowel length difference depending on the following consonants, and (2) the vowel lengthening effect observed in Korean (L2) speech in group A may be the result of transfer of the phonetic trait acquired in English (L1). It also implies that, in teaching pronunciation, some facts such as the vowel length difference cannot be expected to be acquired automatically for the learners of English, but have to be taught explicitly.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.11-17
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• 2022

English vowels play an important role in verbal communication. However, Korean students tend to experience difficulty pronouncing a certain set of vowels despite extensive education in English. The aim of this study is to apply speech recognition software to evaluate Korean students' pronunciation of English vowels in minimal pair words and then to examine acoustic characteristics of the pairs in order to check their pronunciation problems. Thirty female Korean college students participated in the recording. Speech recognition rates were obtained to examine which English vowels were correctly pronounced. To compare and verify the recognition results, such acoustic analyses as the first and second formant trajectories and durations were also collected using Praat. The results showed an overall recognition rate of 54.7%. Some students incorrectly switched the tense and lax counterparts and produced the same vowel sounds for qualitatively different English vowels. From the acoustic analyses of the vowel formant trajectories, some of these vowel pairs were almost overlapped or exhibited slight acoustic differences at the majority of the measurement points. On the other hand, statistical analyses on the first formant trajectories of the three vowel pairs revealed significant differences throughout the measurement points, a finding that requires further investigation. Durational comparisons revealed a consistent pattern among the vowel pairs. The author concludes that speech recognition and analysis software can be useful to diagnose pronunciation problems of English-language learners.

• Journal of The Korean Association of Information Education
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.37-47
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• 2003

A grading system of practical word processor skills is designed and implemented by using HWPML(Hangul Word Processor Markup Language) which is a product of Hangul and Computer Co Ltd. By using HWPML, which is a markup tag structure of Hangul file, Hangul files can be edited in other application programs. Authorized users can make questions. However, only the manager is allowed to register answers to the questions in order to maintain the correctness of grading. The result of test is stored in the database and the statistics on pass or failure can be shown interactively. The number of taking test and scores for each user are stored in the database and they can be accessed to whenever the user wants them. Comments on the test results are provided by the manager so that learners can intensity their weak points.

• Journal of The Korean Association of Information Education
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.231-241
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• 2007

With a focus on LabView language to program Lego Mindstoms Robot in afterschool class to help children develop their special ability and aptitude. The purpose of this research was to make proposal for programming learning method using a robot as an algorithm learning tool to improve creative problem solving ability. To do this, robot programming training program in the amount of 30th period and teaching aids thereof were developed, and 6th grade primary school children were taught up to 30th period, then after, they were evaluated accordingly. Results from analysis of evaluation of achievement level with a focus on outcomes according to each period revealed that learners understood most of contents of curriculum. In view of such results from evaluation, it is judged that the curriculum as well as teaching aids that devised and created have been constituted in order that school children will be able to have developed a shared understanding of their learning sufficiently, and to put it into practice easily. Through these hands-on experiences in the course of researches, researcher could have confirmed the possibility of success for robot-programming training class as new creative algorithm learning tool in the primary school curriculum.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.217-235
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• 2009

This study aimed to explore how the Korean university students' reading motivation is related to their English (L2) reading behavior. The construct of the students' Korean (L1) and L2 reading motivation was investigated with the data obtained through the questionnaire from 120 sophomore students. A factor analysis was conducted to extract the major factors of motivation and determine the interrelationship among items in the questionnaire. As a result, 6 factors were extracted: Intrinsic Motivation for English Reading, Extrinsic Motivation 1 (Immediate Goal Orientedness), Extrinsic Motivation 2 (Integrative Orientation), Importance of L1 Reading, Intrinsic Motivation toward L1 reading, and Importance of L2 Reading Skill. The interrelatedness between the assessment results on the L2 reading behavior (reading amount, time and speed) and motivation factors was measured by correlation coefficients. It was found that Intrinsic Motivation toward English Reading was significantly related to the students' reading amount and Intrinsic Motivation toward Korean Reading had positive association with the students' reading time with statistical significance. Other factors did not show significant correlation with the students' reading behavior. In addition, the students' reading speed was significantly related to their reading amount as well, while reading time did not affect the speed gain.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.99-118
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• 2005

The purpose of this study is to examine visual elements in Korean high school English textbooks and compare the results with Hill's (2003) which attempted to analyze visuals in British EFL coursebooks. In this study, all 15 English textbooks of high school year 1 in Korea were selected and analyzed. On the basis of the analysis and comparison, the following results have been obtained. First, there were some similarities and differences between the two kinds of texts-Korean high school textbooks and British EFL coursebooks. One similarity was found in regard to the average of pictures and drawings. Second, it was found that in both cases, more pictures were used than the drawings. Third, with regard to the identity of the pictures and drawings used in both texts, there was a higher degree of the use of people than that of objects. Finally, it was found that the pictures and drawings were used more for decorative purpose rather than for the purpose of actual use in teaching and learning. The findings of the current study will shed light on visual impact in EFL coursebooks and explore ways to provide learners and teachers with meaningful learning and teaching experiences.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.219-237
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• 2020

Objective: The research aimed to help understand the lives of those living in today's Korean society by analyzing the positionality of experienced childcare teachers, and to obtain relevant policy implications. Methods: The participants were 111 childcare teachers with more than seven years of job experience. The metaphors expressing themselves were collected and implemented the metaphor analysis in terms of positionality. Results: First, the participants who recognized themselves as experts were positioned as teachers who cared for and taught children, as co-learners with children, and as leaders of junior teachers. Second, the participants who recognized themselves as minorities were positioned as non-subjects, and as oppressed persons who had to obey in the lower levels of the organizational system of childcare centers. Third, the participants who recognized themselves as marginal persons were positioned as problem solvers, and as border-crossers who conflict and adjust in complex relationships. Conclusion/Implications: Based on the results, the following policy suggestions were made. First, policies must be expressed in public language that respect childcare teachers as a key worker in society; second, the job policies must be shifted toward employment security of childcare teachers. Third, substantial support for labor costs for childcare teachers should be expanded.

• Journal of The Korean Association of Information Education
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.197-207
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• 2022

In this paper, we develop a machine learning based block code generation and recommendation model for the purpose of reducing cognitive load of learners during coding education that learns the learner's block that has been made in the block programming environment using natural processing model and fine-tuning and then generates and recommends the selectable blocks for the next step. To develop the model, the training dataset was produced by pre-processing 50 block codes that were on the popular block programming language web site 'Entry'. Also, after dividing the pre-processed blocks into training dataset, verification dataset and test dataset, we developed a model that generates block codes based on LSTM, Seq2Seq, and GPT-2 model. In the results of the performance evaluation of the developed model, GPT-2 showed a higher performance than the LSTM and Seq2Seq model in the BLEU and ROUGE scores which measure sentence similarity. The data results generated through the GPT-2 model, show that the performance was relatively similar in the BLEU and ROUGE scores except for the case where the number of blocks was 1 or 17.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.29-54
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• 2006

The purpose of this study is two-fold: first, to examine the current status of e-dictionary use in Korea and the attitude toward its use by Korean college students; second, to investigate to what degree e-dictionaries may be useful and effective tools in helping to improve learners' overall English skills. The subjects were 84 college students and they were divided into two groups: the experiment group and the control group. The instrument employed was the Preliminary Student Usage Questionnaire, which was developed by the researcher, together with the questionnaire survey developed by Koyama and Takeuchi (2004), which was modified for the study. The findings from this research are as follows: First, a special instruction session on how to use e-dictionaries made a statistically significant difference among users of the dictionaries. Those subjects who had received the instruction displayed a more positive attitude toward the use of e-dictionaries. Second, the experiment group showed a more favorable attitude toward the use of e-dictionaries. On the basis of the above results, the researcher suggests that proper guidance on the use of e-dictionaries and their benefits should have a positive influence on users. The findings from the current research will shed light on the current status of electronic dictionary use among Korean college students.

• Journal of Engineering Education Research
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.25-31
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• 2017

As the world enters the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which is represented by advanced technology, it not only changes the industrial field but also the education field. In recent years, Smart Learning has enriched learning by using diverse forms and technologies that utilize vast amount of information about learners' individual knowledge through the emergence of realistic and intelligent contents that combine high technology such as artificial intelligence, big data and virtual reality and there is an increasing interest in intelligent adaptive learning, which can customize individual education. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore intelligent adaptive learning method through recent smart education environment, beyond traditional writing-based communication education which is highly dependent on the competency of instructors. In this study, we analyzed the various learner information collected in the communication course and constructed a concrete teaching and learning method of intelligent adaptive learning based on the instructor's intended smart contents. The result of this study is expected to be the basis of highly personalized teaching and learning method of digital method in communication education which is emphasized in the fourth industrial revolution era.