15 promoting the innovative use of technology

PROMOTING THE INNOVATIVE USE OF TECHNOLOGY: OVERCOMING THE PROBLEM OF DIGITAL DIVIDE IN THE JAPANESE LANGUAGE CLASSROOM

SEO, Masaki

HKU SPACE

[email protected]

Overview of the Presentation• Japanese Language Education in Hong Kong • Benefits of Using Technologies in the Language

Classroom• How to Use the Technologies • Reflection/Suggestion of the Usage

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Japanese Language Education in Hong Kong • Japan Foundation (2011)

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Rank Countries/Areas Numbers of Learners

1 Korea 964,014

2 China 827,171

3 Indonesia 716,353

4 Australia 275,710

5 Taiwan 247,641

6 U.S.A. 141,244

7 Thailand 78,802

8 Vietnam 44,272

9 Hong Kong 28,224

10 Canada 27,484

78 institutions (including elementary, secondary schools, colleges/universities, life-long learning institutions

Japanese Language Education in Hong Kong

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19,866 learners…learning at life-long learning programs (70%)

38 schools…offering a life-long learning programs (48%)


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Life-long learners = Adult Learners who study Japanese after their work courses are held in the evenings/weekends

Various Needs （ Japan Foundation, 2010 ）　 Survey: Beginning Japanese learners in Hong Kong

(Seo, 2009) Travel Interest on Japanese popular culture Necessity for the work To get a job

But, only a few for job purposes


Life-long Learners=Adult Learners who study Japanese after their work

Yonemoto （ 2009 ） : washback effect of Japanese Language Proficiently Test (JLPT)Purpose of learners in Hong Kong　 Travel　 Hobby

Life-long learning programs 　 Studying for JLPT （ Effect of Ｃ continuing Education Ｆ und, CEF ）

Gap

Learning Japanese as their HobbyPurpose of Japanese learners • Learning grammatical knowledge

　　　　　　　　→ Training for “linguists” • Japanese for Travel

– Shopping at the restaurant – Check-in at hotel – Making a reservation of hotel/rent a car

• Writing on the blog, twitter, facebook • Communicating with Japanese friends

Focusing more on “tasks” that students can engage in a real-life communication

Using Technology in the Language Classroom• Advantages

• To promote the use of the target language even outside of the classroom • Japanese as a Second Language (e.g. learning Japanese in Japan)• Japanese as a Foreign Language (e.g. learning Japanese in Hong Kong)

• Little chance to use and practice the target language

• To connect with the people around the world (Sato, 2010) • Interaction happened with varieties of people

• To keep the record as learners’ portfolio

(Fukai, 2008) • Keep learners’ products (including writing,

audio, video) on the blogs

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Using Technology in the Language Classroom • Disadvantages

• “Digital Divide”… a gap between people who have an effective access to technology and those who have very limited or no access to the technology (Gounari, 2009)• Physical access to technology and resources

• Developed countries vs Developing countries • Internet Service , Price, etc

• I-phone vs Regular phone

• Skills• Young learners vs Aged learners • Company workers vs Non-company workes

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Hong Kong… Physical access— 冇問題 No problems!! Skills— 有問題　 A Big problem!!!

Especially in life-long learning programs

This Study• By investigating the use of technology in the beginning to advanced

Japanese language learners who are taking Japanese courses at the adult language school in Hong Kong, I will illustrate difficulties of using technology that some learners felt and ways to overcome the problems of digital device in the language classroom through action research.

• Action Research (Sano, 2000; Yokomizo, 2000)• It is a process in which the investigators examine their own educational

practice systematically and carefully using the techniques of research. • It is a reflective practice that teachers improve their skills, techniques, and

strategies in order to do things better for learners.

Using technology can surely help learners use the target language, but if they have negative feeling of using it, it would be difficult for them to practice.

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Use of Technology in My Japanese Course• First Stage

• Weblog…• Regular Courses (http://minnanospace1002.blogspot.com/ )• Movie Course (http://eiganospace04.blogspot.com/)

• Advanced learners… OK• Beginning learners… Not OK

• Technology is difficult, language is ALSO difficult

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Use of Technology in My Japanese Course• Interview with learners to see learners’ attitudes

• Many learners… actually using technologies for learning Japanese (e.g. watching Japanese dramas & movies from the internet, chatting with their Japanese friends on facebook, using Japanese website for practice Japanese grammar with online games)

• Some of learners… • Little knowledge of using technology • Little time to spend with technology because of their busy work load at

their compnay

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Use of Technology in My Japanese Course• Observation of learners’ Use of Technology

1) Young learners have more flexibilities using technology over older learners

2) Motivated learners have more flexibilities using technology over demotivated learners

3) Advanced Japanese learners have more flexibilities using technology over beginning Japanese learners

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Use of Technology in My Japanese Courses• Second Stage (Improvement of the use of technology)

1) Introduced Japanese blog system to advanced Japanese leaners • Learners can also learn the way of online Japanese communication

http://eiganospace05.blogspot.com/

2) Introduced the worldwide blog system (blogger) to beginning Japanese learners • http://minnanospace10.blogspot.com/

3) Introduced twitter for pure beginning learners • Learners can type very short messages on the web

(http://twitter.com/#!/nihongo_space)• Connection with native Japanese speakers!

4) Introduced various online technologies that learners can practice Japanese and know more about Japanese culture • e.g. https://www.erin.ne.jp/jp/; http://anime-manga.jp/

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Conclusion • Suggestions for using technology in the language classroom

• When the learners’ Japanese ability is low, ask learners to try the basic use of technology. (e.g. writing a short message on twitter, just reading classmates’ postings on the blog)

• When learners become more proficient in Japanese, ask learners to try more advanced use of technology (e.g. trying Japanese blog system in Japanese, visiting authentic websites/software for native speakers of Japanese)

• If students have little knowledge in using technology, ask learners to try the basic use of technology.

• To let students try the technology first and teachers need to give supports all the time.

• By giving a lot of supports, learners may be able to follow the innovative use of technology.

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Any Questions?

E-mail: [email protected]

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