• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.118-125
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• 2021

This study's purpose is to examine the effects of mobile apps on learners' vocabulary acquisition and to analyze students' perceptions and opinions about the vocabulary app. To this end, this study set up a control group, which was given explicit instructions in the classroom by the instructor and an experimental group, which used a vocabulary app. The vocabulary acquisition test results suggested that the difference between the the two groups was insignificant. However, user satisfaction with regard to the mobile app was high, and the reasons given were the following: convenience, efficiency of memorizing, having fun while learning, and the app's interface. Based on these results, this study suggests that teachers should use mobile apps much more actively in classroom instruction, and encourge students to let apps play a more active role in their language studies.

• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.322-336
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• 2022

South Korea is in the limelight in the past decades as Korean universities races for internationalization. As the number of students studying abroad tremendously increasing, there has been a growing need for higher education institutions to understand international working students' life satisfaction and sense of belonging. The aim of this research is to outline which determinants affects life satisfaction as mediated by sense of belonging. With the samples size of 102 respondents, the proposed research model was examined using structural equation modeling (SEM) and SPSS. Results show that all determinants (Recognition, Quality of Education, Experienced Difficulties in Public Service and Understanding Korean Language) were positively significant toward Sense of Belonging. Likewise sense of belonging holds the positive indirect significant effects of the four determinants to life satisfaction.

• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.149-155
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• 2023

Since developing digital technology requires new skills in digital literacy, digital competence also has become a keystone in English classes. This study explores three aspects of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners' digital confidence: information and data literacy, communication and collaboration, and digital content creation, based on the European Digital Competence Framework for Citizens (DigComp). The participants were 150 Korean college students enrolled in two general English classes, and their English proficiency levels were from basic to advanced; each level consisted of 30 participants. In order to assess their digital confidence, I designed a Google survey form and collected data during two semesters. The survey results revealed that the participants had highest digital confidence in information and data literacy and overall, the female participants showed higher digital confidence than their male counterparts. It also showed that the learners' English proficiency and computer skills are important factors.

• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.198-203
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• 2023

Art grows with the development of human civilization. Many art forms exist to connect the past and the future. Oil painting, a form of western painting, has flourished in China since its entry into China. In the continuous exploration of artistic language, Chinese artists have formed art forms with Chinese characteristics, permeated Chinese painting ideas and techniques, and formed specialized painting language. Through the oil painting works, the Chinese oriental aesthetic, national spirit, local customs and other times of humanistic features. As one of the many practitioners of oil painting in China, the author starts from the ego and continuously explores and studies in the practice of art. This paper mainly discusses the embodiment of Chinese oil painting modernity in the oriental art context and analyzes the spiritual temperament and painting materials, so as to expand the creative thinking of Chinese oil painting modernity in the oriental art context.

• Analyses & Alternatives
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.1-30
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• 2018

The concept of soft power presents both theoretical and practical difficulties for researchers and policy makers. This essay examines the practical use of soft power and argues that soft power resources in education are important for attracting individuals to migrate between countries and assimilate to the new language and culture of the new location. Japan's attempts to utilize soft power resources in its educational system have provided mixed results dependent on the target population. Japan has successfully attracted individuals into fields related to higher education much more so than skilled labor programs. This essay discusses the importance of educational soft power resources in Japanese strategy to increase educated working population that is assimilated to Japanese language and culture. After reviewing the literature on soft power in Asia, and Japanese cultural integration policies, the essay examines three cases of Japanese educational soft power - the JET Programme, the caregiver-training program, and internationalization of university programs. In addition, the essay shows that Japan is more successful attracting higher educated individuals seeking higher paying employment rather than skilled labor through these programs.

• Journal of English Language & Literature
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.1105-1117
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• 2010

This study traces out female identity and sexuality in George Du Maurier's novel, Trilby. The heroine's sexuality in this novel plays some interesting roles invoking both male gaze and male homosocial desire. There seems to have been lots of debates about female subjectivity and gender relations in the Victorian age. George Du Maurier tries to redefine female identity which had been divided into two aspects in the age: angel and demon. When he describes Trilby's identity, the fixed duality as fallen, demonic and autonomous women might have been considerably fluid. Rather than returning to the old boundaries of female subjectivity and identity through his heroine, he unwittingly describes the female role as an erotic organizer. As Du Maurier shows that Trilby's identity plays a conduit role for male homosocial desire, he created the tension between masculinity and femininity and revealed a changing relationship between female nature and male culture as well. Furthermore, when George Du Maurier in his novel opened a new possibility for an erotic organizer through his heroin, Trilby, he seems to have represented the more fluid female role in the patriarchal culture that asked only some fixed roles for women.

• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.56-61
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• 2023

The present study explored a comprehensive investigation of university professors' perspectives on the implementation of ChatGPT - an artificial intelligence-powered language model - in their teaching practices. A diverse group of 30 university professors responded to a questionnaire about the level of their interest in implementing the tool, willingness to apply it, and concerns they have regarding the intervention of ChatGPT in higher education setting. The results showed that the participants are highly interested in employing the tool into their teaching practice, and find that the students are likely to benefit from using ChatGPT in classroom settings. On the other hand, they displayed concerns regarding high depandency on data, privacy-related issues, lack of supports required, and technical contraints. In today's fast-paced society, educators are urged to mindfully apply this inevitable generative AI means with thoughtfulness and ethical considerations to and for their learners. Relevant topics are discussed to successfully intervene AI tools in teaching practices in higher education.

• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.98-103
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• 2024

This paper revisits politeness expressions in English, exploring their linguistic characteristics and the underlying social dynamics they reflect. Grounded in pragmatic theories, politeness is examined as a phenomenon shaped by societal norms, wherein language users navigate the delicate balance between efficiency and maintaining positive social interactions. Through an analysis of various linguistic devices such as modal auxiliary verbs, progressive and past tenses, depersonalization, and the use of hedges, the study elucidates how speakers endeavor to mitigate potential burdens on listeners and foster smoother communication. By understanding and employing these linguistic strategies, English learners can better navigate the nuances of politeness expressions in the English cultural context. This exploration underscores the pivotal role of politeness in interpersonal communication and highlights its significance in facilitating effective interaction among language users.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.225-230
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• 2020

This paper highlights the influence and the importance of the syntactic-grammatical knowledge on "the reading machine", appeared in Jackendoff (1999). Due to the lack of the detailed testing and implementation in his research, this paper tests an extensive data array using a component of Google Translate, currently available freely and most widely on the internet. Although outdated, Jackendoff's paper, "Why can't Computers use English?", argues that syntactic-grammatical knowledge plays a key role in the outputs of computers and computer-based reading machines. The current research has implemented some testings of his thought-provoking examples, in order to find out whether Google Translate can handle the same problems after two decades or so. As a result, it is argued that in the field of NLP, I-language in the sense of Chomsky (1986, 1995 etc) is real and the syntactic, grammatical, and categorial knowledge is essential in the faculty of language. Therefore, it is reassured in this paper that when it comes to human language, even the most advanced "machine" is still no match for human faculty of language, the syntactic-grammatical knowledge.

• Cross-Cultural Studies
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• v.35
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• pp.315-338
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• 2014

The purpose of this study is to propose actual operation condition of Japanese lecture based on social welfare organizations located in Seoul to investigate the current status and problems of Japanese language education in terms of lifelong education. According to the result of this study, the remarkable point was that a majority of Japanese lecture courses are highly focused on the elderly and 86% of the welfare organizations are providing free education. Regarding the effect of specialized business for the aged run by social welfare community center, it says, as Korea changing to aging society at the beginning of 21st century, it has put focus on strengthening personal competences of seniors through opportunities for participation in lifelong education, recreational activity programs and culture classes. It means foreign language classes are operating as one of the lifelong education programs for reinforcement of individual capability. Considering this tendency, it is expected that the lifelong education participation rate of the elder in Seoul will be raised. So, systematic improvements will be needed for this. First, it is required to recognize the existence of Educational and Cultural Industry and work hard to make it public so it could be invigorated and utilized by people usefully at the same time. Second, Japanese language training that mostly 55-year-old or more than 60-year-old people receive at the welfare center needs to be systematized for preparations on proper studying environment which provides the older with appropriate education method and content as well. Third, stable and systematic operation should be available through the link with experts in the field of Japanese language education and elderly education. Fourth, education program development is needed, which is able to satisfy one's desires for learning. Hence, targeting Japanese learners at each welfare center, we need to know the estimation of satisfaction degree and consciousness on learning Japanese. Finally, it has not been studied sufficiently regarding the instructors on teaching Japanese language in this paper, but it has been reported that most of social welfare centers, where Japanese language lectures are provided, are run by volunteers who can teach Japanese. Thus, the study on actual condition for Japanese language instructors will be conducted as well later on.