Atsuko Yamazaki - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Atsuko Yamazaki

Research paper thumbnail of Effect of emotionally toned Malay language sounds on the brain: a NIRS analysis

International Journal on Perceptive and Cognitive Computing, Apr 11, 2019

Speech recognition features such as emotion have always been involved in human communication. Wit... more Speech recognition features such as emotion have always been involved in human communication. With the recent developments in the communication methods, researchers have investigated artificial and emotional intelligence to improve communication. This has led to the emergence of affective computing, which deals with processing information pertaining to human emotions. This study aims to determine positive influence of language sounds containing emotion on brain function for improved communication. Twenty-seven college-age Japanese subjects with no prior exposure to the Malay language listened to emotionally toned and emotionally neutral sounds in the Malay language. Their brain activities were measured using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) as they listened to the sounds. A comparison between different NIRS signals revealed that emotionally toned language sounds had a greater impact on brain areas associated with attention and emotion. On the contrary, emotionally neutral Malay sounds affected brain areas involved in working memory and language processing. These results suggest that emotionally-charged sounds initiate listeners' attention and emotion recognition even when the listeners do not understand the language. The ability to interpret emotions presents challenges in computer systems and robotics; therefore, we hope that our results can be used for the development of computational models of emotion for autonomous robot research in the field of communication.

Research paper thumbnail of Report on the International Symposium on Digital Transformation of Higher and Recurrent Education through Industry-Academia Collaboration (DXHE2022)

Research paper thumbnail of Leadership and Communication in Diverse Environments for Global Top Executives: A Survey of Executive Education at International Business Schools

2019 IEEE International Professional Communication Conference (ProComm)

Since there is improved awareness of the importance of global human resources development at the ... more Since there is improved awareness of the importance of global human resources development at the upper level of organizations, there is a growing demand for developing the top talents across all sectors. To meet the global demand, business schools across the world are stressing on Executive Education, which, according to the Financial Times, has increased by 10% in the 2 years from 2016 to 2017. Business schools are trying to meet the demand mainly by recruiting diverse participants and quality faculty in educational methods. From 2015 to 2018, study data were gathered from 16 business schools across six countries. The survey results on global business schools that focus on Executive Education for senior business leaders are presented. The present study discovered how the business schools improve the senior leaders’ global communication skills to maximize their leadership capabilities in the complex and boundaryless world. This study suggests that Executive Education attracts and develops global top leaders by providing latest education on leadership, strategy, critical thinking, and technology effectively in a diversified environment with quality faculty and global participants.

Research paper thumbnail of Future competencies for three demanding careers of industry 4.0: Robotics engineers, data scientists, and food designers

The Journal of Competency-Based Education, 2021

IntroductionThe Asian region is now a pivotal driver of global economic growth. Urgent discussion... more IntroductionThe Asian region is now a pivotal driver of global economic growth. Urgent discussions are thus mandated on the forthcoming demands for qualifications generating broad‐based knowledge and skillsets related to emergent challenges posed by the new industrial revolution. A survey of competencies that will be required is crucial for Asian universities and higher education institutions in other regions because a large percentage of university graduates are shortly likely to work in Asian countries.ObjectiveThis paper identified the future competencies for three careers that are representative of the demand for highly skilled personnel needed in potential industries during Industry 4.0: robotics engineers, data scientists, and food designers.MethodsThis study describes the insights attained through a literature review, followed by an intensive investigation of the required competencies via focus group discussions and individual interviews. A questionnaire survey was administer...

Research paper thumbnail of Twenty problems frequently found in English research papers authored by Japanese researchers

International Professional Communication Conference, 2004. IPCC 2004. Proceedings.

In this paper the theoretical underpinnings and the practical construction of a corpus-based onli... more In this paper the theoretical underpinnings and the practical construction of a corpus-based online common error detector are described. The selection of errors for inclusion was based on analysis of published accounts of common errors in the writing of Japanese learners of English, which were confirmed through statistical corpus analysis. Harnessing the concept of regular expressions and utilizing a MySQL database, the online error detector provides instant feedback on common errors in academic discourse that standard spell and grammar checker programs do not detect.

Research paper thumbnail of Practical Education through PBL Courses in Collaboration with Industries and Local Communities

Research paper thumbnail of The Pragmatic Function of Modal Verbs in Scientific Papers

It has been pointed out that the precise use of a word can be critical in scientific papers. The ... more It has been pointed out that the precise use of a word can be critical in scientific papers. The epistemic use of modal verbs, such as must, may and might, can be important for scientists in this sense. The author has conducted a study to identify how much certainty scientists attribute to these modals used in scientific papers. Natural Scientists who spoke English as a native language were asked to indicate how much certainty they attributed to a concluding sentence containing modal and non-modal verbs in brief chemistry reports. Statistical analysis of the results showed that there was no significant difference between the certainties the scientists had attributed to might and may, although many English grammar books for non-native speakers mention that might is used to express less certainty compared to may. The results suggest that ESL/EFL teachers should be aware of such sociopragmatic functions of the modal verbs.

Research paper thumbnail of Testing Virtual Reality for Eliminating Japanese University Students' English-Speaking Anxiety: Cases of International Conference and Restaurant

International Journal of Learning and Teaching

Reflecting COVID-19 outbreak that prevents educators from making close contacts with students, di... more Reflecting COVID-19 outbreak that prevents educators from making close contacts with students, digitalization of language teaching is gradually getting educators’ attention. With respect to this situation, this research conducted an experiment of using Virtual Reality (VR) materials for 69 English as a STEM-major Foreign Language (EFL) learners at a Japanese university. Polishing usability of Virtual Reality (VR) English language education materials could improve the learners’ performance of English language use. However, careless use of VR materials could fail, unless the educators consider its technical and pedagogical limitations. The experiment used pairs of Virtual reality headset with two scenarios (international conference and restaurant). From pre-post experiment surveys on speaking anxiety scale, students with higher Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) listening scores showed more anxiety on speaking. Also, post-experiment open-ended questionnaires sugge...

Research paper thumbnail of A preliminary study of impressions on photo and video sceneries by Japanese and foreign tourists for virtual tourism

Journal of Global Tourism Research, 2021

As an alternative to live tourism, the pandemic crisis has given rise to virtual tourism. Virtual... more As an alternative to live tourism, the pandemic crisis has given rise to virtual tourism. Virtual tourism content can vary from viewing scenery in still images (photo), moving images (video), or in 3D, to experiencing virtual reality travel. This study investigated Japanese and foreign tourist perceptions of Japanese photo and video sceneries. A questionnaire focused on five different scenery categories (traditional, floral, sea views, ocean waves, and fauna) was conducted on 112 subjects (87 Japanese and 25 foreigners). The questionnaire asked participants to view the photo and video sceneries and give their impressions using 10 paired adjectives and a 7-point semantic differential scale. It was found that the Japanese participants gave a greater number of positive responses for the video sceneries than for the photo sceneries in all categories, and except for fauna, the foreign participants gave a greater number of positive responses to the photo sceneries in all categories. This study highlighted the perceptual differences between Japanese and non-Japanese tourists (Asian tourists in particular) toward Japanese photo and video sceneries. These study results could be used as a reference to create targeted virtual tourism content.

Research paper thumbnail of Preliminary examination of scenery images for tourism promotion using a neuromarketing approach

Journal of Global Tourism Research, 2021

As the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease caused great damage on inbound tourism in Japan,... more As the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease caused great damage on inbound tourism in Japan, developing an effective promotion way to revitalize the inbound tourism is an important issue. Since many inbound tourists to Japan have expected healing and relaxing for their travels, motivating prospective tourists who look for these comforts is a key to increase the number of inbound tourists for the future. In this study, the authors conducted an experiment to examine whether photos (still image) or videos (moving image) of scenery are more effective to stimulate tourist's interests to visit Japan with an approach utilizing neuromarketing. In the experiment we recorded the brain activity of subjects, which is monitored as the amount of cerebral blood flow change by using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and obtained their impression evaluation for each scenery image by using Semantic Differential (SD) method. The results of the experiment which showed the amount of cerebral blood flow change were similar for both still images and moving images. Moreover, the results of SD measurement were also similar for both still and moving images. Additionally, it illustrated that the mean values of SD adjectives related to healing were higher than other adjectives. These results suggest that the effectiveness of using photos or videos of scenery for promoting tourism on SNS or website does not have a big difference. In addition, the photos or videos which often give relaxing feelings can be effective to motivate prospective tourists who seek a relaxing time in Japan.

Research paper thumbnail of A Preliminary Examination of Effect of Massage and Aroma Oil Massage in Foot Care Nursing

Procedia Computer Science, 2015

Foot care nursing is attracting attention as a medically effective treatment for the foot lesions... more Foot care nursing is attracting attention as a medically effective treatment for the foot lesions caused by such problems as diabetes or aging. In this study, we experimentally examined how aromatherapy affects human brain functions during foot care nursing using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). 11 subjects received both foot care nursing massages and aroma oil massages. We analyzed the changes in their oxygenated hemoglobin (oxy-Hb) concentrations based on their brain activity by t-tests, and the t-test results showed significant differences between two kinds of massages in both the somatosensory and prefrontal association areas. The oxy-Hb concentration in both massages with and without aroma oil also showed a tendency to decrease with time. Our questionnaire results showed that our subjects felt more comfortable and relaxed while receiving foot care nursing with aroma oils. These results suggest that aroma oil massages are an effective foot care nursing tool and that foot care nursing is a medically effective treatment.

Research paper thumbnail of Analysis of Effects of Aroma Foot Care Using Functional Near-infrared Spectroscopy

Procedia Computer Science, 2014

Foot care is attracting attention as a medically effective treatment of the foot lesions caused b... more Foot care is attracting attention as a medically effective treatment of the foot lesions caused by diabetes or aging. In this study, we experimentally examined how aromatherapy affects the functions of the human brain during foot care by using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Four female subjects received foot care massages and aroma oil massages. We analyzed the changes in their oxygenated hemoglobin (oxy-Hb) concentrations based on their brain activity by t-tests, and the t-test results showed significant differences between the foot and aroma oil massages. Our questionnaire results obtained from our subjects showed that they felt more comfortable and relaxed while receiving foot care with aroma oils. These results suggest that aroma oil massages are an effective foot care tool.

Research paper thumbnail of A Preliminary Examination of the Effect of White and Blue Backgrounds on Web-based English Listening Tests

Procedia Computer Science, 2013

Previous studies conducted by Yamazaki and Eto on the background colors of on-line tests indicate... more Previous studies conducted by Yamazaki and Eto on the background colors of on-line tests indicated that a combination of black text and a white background color was not considered preferable for Web-based tests (WBTs). In this study, the authors conducted an experiment to see if a background color can affect the scores of a Web-based English listing test. Thirty three subjects in their twenties took Web-based English listening tests and non-linguistic tests with blue and white background colors with black text. The average test scores of the subjects showed no significant differences between the blue and white backgrounds. The brain functions of the subjects were also examined by observing relative changes in hemoglobin (Hb) concentrations in their brains with near-infrared spectroscopy. Two dimensional images of the Hb concentration changes obtained in the experiment indicated that areas in the brain associated with language processing tended to have higher Hb concentrations while the subjects were taking the listening test with both background colors. On the other hand, areas in the brain related to the frontal eye field were observed to be more active while they were taking the test with the white background than with the blue background, even though the questionnaire result obtained from the subjects showed that they felt more tired when they took the tests with the combination of black text and a blue background.

Research paper thumbnail of Development of a CEFR-Based Can-Do List for Global Communication in Engineering

Journal of JSEE, 2016

General English tests are often considered to be insufficient for assessing global communication ... more General English tests are often considered to be insufficient for assessing global communication competency in engineering context. The authors developed a list of Can-do descriptors to measure foreign language communication proficiency in engineering settings. The Can-do list is based on The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment (CEFR), which has been used as a reference for multi-language communication competencies with "can do" statements. In the development, we evaluated the validity of Can-do descriptors in the list by analyzing its 10 self-assessment scales in relation to English test scores obtained from more than 1500 university students and engineers working at companies. The CEFR-based Can-do list has been used to access engineering students' communication abilities in such settings as global PBLs with foreign students and global internship trainings.

Research paper thumbnail of Development of a List of Can-do Statements for Global Communication in Engineering and its Applications

2017 7th World Engineering Education Forum (WEEF), 2017

Global communication skills are essential so that engineers can function successfully in global s... more Global communication skills are essential so that engineers can function successfully in global settings. To properly evaluate the outcomes of global communication education for engineering students, we need a measurement tool that incorporates the global communication elements of engineers' professional practice. In this study, the authors developed a list of Can-do statements which measures foreign language communication competency in engineering settings. In the development, the authors adopted the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment (CEFR), and then used the English scores of more than 1800 working engineers and university students to validate the level separation of the Can-do list, which has ten competency levels (from CEFR A1 to C2 with sub-scales) for reception, production, and interaction activities in communication. With the Can-do list, we surveyed 100 personnel managers at Japanese global engineering companies and identified the minimum communication competency levels from engineers. This list has also been used to compare the communication competency of students who participated in global PBL programs with students from different countries. The analysis of the student assessment outcomes suggests that Japanese engineering students need more opportunities or training to enhance their self-evaluations of global communication competency.

Research paper thumbnail of Modeling Dinoflagellate Behavior as a Complex Adaptive System

Research paper thumbnail of Using Shadowing and Learner's Native Language in Adult EFL Classrooms

Research paper thumbnail of Collaborative Teaching of Technical Writing to Japanese Students in a Fluid Mechanics Course

Research paper thumbnail of Global Project Based Learning Based on Systems Thinking and Systems Engineering through Multidisciplinary and Undergraduate-Graduate Collaboration

Research paper thumbnail of Global Competencies for Engineering Program Graduates from an Industry Perspective

The international journal of learning, 2021

Twenty-first century education in engineering has expanded from a local to a global level. Nowada... more Twenty-first century education in engineering has expanded from a local to a global level. Nowadays, it plays a significant role in connecting students with the global community and raising awareness of global issues. In particular, global collaborative environments in the corporate world require engineers with global professional competencies and skills. The need to identify and assess these competencies and skills has been the focus of industry leaders in recent years. It is crucial that engineering graduates’ competencies and skills match the features and qualities required by the industry. The purpose of this study is to assess the importance of global competencies and skills required from engineering graduates wishing to work globally from the perspective of well-known Thai and multinational companies based in Thailand. It is anticipated that the findings of this research work will be useful to engineering students, faculties, and management teams of institutes in developing a ...

Research paper thumbnail of Effect of emotionally toned Malay language sounds on the brain: a NIRS analysis

International Journal on Perceptive and Cognitive Computing, Apr 11, 2019

Speech recognition features such as emotion have always been involved in human communication. Wit... more Speech recognition features such as emotion have always been involved in human communication. With the recent developments in the communication methods, researchers have investigated artificial and emotional intelligence to improve communication. This has led to the emergence of affective computing, which deals with processing information pertaining to human emotions. This study aims to determine positive influence of language sounds containing emotion on brain function for improved communication. Twenty-seven college-age Japanese subjects with no prior exposure to the Malay language listened to emotionally toned and emotionally neutral sounds in the Malay language. Their brain activities were measured using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) as they listened to the sounds. A comparison between different NIRS signals revealed that emotionally toned language sounds had a greater impact on brain areas associated with attention and emotion. On the contrary, emotionally neutral Malay sounds affected brain areas involved in working memory and language processing. These results suggest that emotionally-charged sounds initiate listeners' attention and emotion recognition even when the listeners do not understand the language. The ability to interpret emotions presents challenges in computer systems and robotics; therefore, we hope that our results can be used for the development of computational models of emotion for autonomous robot research in the field of communication.

Research paper thumbnail of Report on the International Symposium on Digital Transformation of Higher and Recurrent Education through Industry-Academia Collaboration (DXHE2022)

Research paper thumbnail of Leadership and Communication in Diverse Environments for Global Top Executives: A Survey of Executive Education at International Business Schools

2019 IEEE International Professional Communication Conference (ProComm)

Since there is improved awareness of the importance of global human resources development at the ... more Since there is improved awareness of the importance of global human resources development at the upper level of organizations, there is a growing demand for developing the top talents across all sectors. To meet the global demand, business schools across the world are stressing on Executive Education, which, according to the Financial Times, has increased by 10% in the 2 years from 2016 to 2017. Business schools are trying to meet the demand mainly by recruiting diverse participants and quality faculty in educational methods. From 2015 to 2018, study data were gathered from 16 business schools across six countries. The survey results on global business schools that focus on Executive Education for senior business leaders are presented. The present study discovered how the business schools improve the senior leaders’ global communication skills to maximize their leadership capabilities in the complex and boundaryless world. This study suggests that Executive Education attracts and develops global top leaders by providing latest education on leadership, strategy, critical thinking, and technology effectively in a diversified environment with quality faculty and global participants.

Research paper thumbnail of Future competencies for three demanding careers of industry 4.0: Robotics engineers, data scientists, and food designers

The Journal of Competency-Based Education, 2021

IntroductionThe Asian region is now a pivotal driver of global economic growth. Urgent discussion... more IntroductionThe Asian region is now a pivotal driver of global economic growth. Urgent discussions are thus mandated on the forthcoming demands for qualifications generating broad‐based knowledge and skillsets related to emergent challenges posed by the new industrial revolution. A survey of competencies that will be required is crucial for Asian universities and higher education institutions in other regions because a large percentage of university graduates are shortly likely to work in Asian countries.ObjectiveThis paper identified the future competencies for three careers that are representative of the demand for highly skilled personnel needed in potential industries during Industry 4.0: robotics engineers, data scientists, and food designers.MethodsThis study describes the insights attained through a literature review, followed by an intensive investigation of the required competencies via focus group discussions and individual interviews. A questionnaire survey was administer...

Research paper thumbnail of Twenty problems frequently found in English research papers authored by Japanese researchers

International Professional Communication Conference, 2004. IPCC 2004. Proceedings.

In this paper the theoretical underpinnings and the practical construction of a corpus-based onli... more In this paper the theoretical underpinnings and the practical construction of a corpus-based online common error detector are described. The selection of errors for inclusion was based on analysis of published accounts of common errors in the writing of Japanese learners of English, which were confirmed through statistical corpus analysis. Harnessing the concept of regular expressions and utilizing a MySQL database, the online error detector provides instant feedback on common errors in academic discourse that standard spell and grammar checker programs do not detect.

Research paper thumbnail of Practical Education through PBL Courses in Collaboration with Industries and Local Communities

Research paper thumbnail of The Pragmatic Function of Modal Verbs in Scientific Papers

It has been pointed out that the precise use of a word can be critical in scientific papers. The ... more It has been pointed out that the precise use of a word can be critical in scientific papers. The epistemic use of modal verbs, such as must, may and might, can be important for scientists in this sense. The author has conducted a study to identify how much certainty scientists attribute to these modals used in scientific papers. Natural Scientists who spoke English as a native language were asked to indicate how much certainty they attributed to a concluding sentence containing modal and non-modal verbs in brief chemistry reports. Statistical analysis of the results showed that there was no significant difference between the certainties the scientists had attributed to might and may, although many English grammar books for non-native speakers mention that might is used to express less certainty compared to may. The results suggest that ESL/EFL teachers should be aware of such sociopragmatic functions of the modal verbs.

Research paper thumbnail of Testing Virtual Reality for Eliminating Japanese University Students' English-Speaking Anxiety: Cases of International Conference and Restaurant

International Journal of Learning and Teaching

Reflecting COVID-19 outbreak that prevents educators from making close contacts with students, di... more Reflecting COVID-19 outbreak that prevents educators from making close contacts with students, digitalization of language teaching is gradually getting educators’ attention. With respect to this situation, this research conducted an experiment of using Virtual Reality (VR) materials for 69 English as a STEM-major Foreign Language (EFL) learners at a Japanese university. Polishing usability of Virtual Reality (VR) English language education materials could improve the learners’ performance of English language use. However, careless use of VR materials could fail, unless the educators consider its technical and pedagogical limitations. The experiment used pairs of Virtual reality headset with two scenarios (international conference and restaurant). From pre-post experiment surveys on speaking anxiety scale, students with higher Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) listening scores showed more anxiety on speaking. Also, post-experiment open-ended questionnaires sugge...

Research paper thumbnail of A preliminary study of impressions on photo and video sceneries by Japanese and foreign tourists for virtual tourism

Journal of Global Tourism Research, 2021

As an alternative to live tourism, the pandemic crisis has given rise to virtual tourism. Virtual... more As an alternative to live tourism, the pandemic crisis has given rise to virtual tourism. Virtual tourism content can vary from viewing scenery in still images (photo), moving images (video), or in 3D, to experiencing virtual reality travel. This study investigated Japanese and foreign tourist perceptions of Japanese photo and video sceneries. A questionnaire focused on five different scenery categories (traditional, floral, sea views, ocean waves, and fauna) was conducted on 112 subjects (87 Japanese and 25 foreigners). The questionnaire asked participants to view the photo and video sceneries and give their impressions using 10 paired adjectives and a 7-point semantic differential scale. It was found that the Japanese participants gave a greater number of positive responses for the video sceneries than for the photo sceneries in all categories, and except for fauna, the foreign participants gave a greater number of positive responses to the photo sceneries in all categories. This study highlighted the perceptual differences between Japanese and non-Japanese tourists (Asian tourists in particular) toward Japanese photo and video sceneries. These study results could be used as a reference to create targeted virtual tourism content.

Research paper thumbnail of Preliminary examination of scenery images for tourism promotion using a neuromarketing approach

Journal of Global Tourism Research, 2021

As the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease caused great damage on inbound tourism in Japan,... more As the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease caused great damage on inbound tourism in Japan, developing an effective promotion way to revitalize the inbound tourism is an important issue. Since many inbound tourists to Japan have expected healing and relaxing for their travels, motivating prospective tourists who look for these comforts is a key to increase the number of inbound tourists for the future. In this study, the authors conducted an experiment to examine whether photos (still image) or videos (moving image) of scenery are more effective to stimulate tourist's interests to visit Japan with an approach utilizing neuromarketing. In the experiment we recorded the brain activity of subjects, which is monitored as the amount of cerebral blood flow change by using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and obtained their impression evaluation for each scenery image by using Semantic Differential (SD) method. The results of the experiment which showed the amount of cerebral blood flow change were similar for both still images and moving images. Moreover, the results of SD measurement were also similar for both still and moving images. Additionally, it illustrated that the mean values of SD adjectives related to healing were higher than other adjectives. These results suggest that the effectiveness of using photos or videos of scenery for promoting tourism on SNS or website does not have a big difference. In addition, the photos or videos which often give relaxing feelings can be effective to motivate prospective tourists who seek a relaxing time in Japan.

Research paper thumbnail of A Preliminary Examination of Effect of Massage and Aroma Oil Massage in Foot Care Nursing

Procedia Computer Science, 2015

Foot care nursing is attracting attention as a medically effective treatment for the foot lesions... more Foot care nursing is attracting attention as a medically effective treatment for the foot lesions caused by such problems as diabetes or aging. In this study, we experimentally examined how aromatherapy affects human brain functions during foot care nursing using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). 11 subjects received both foot care nursing massages and aroma oil massages. We analyzed the changes in their oxygenated hemoglobin (oxy-Hb) concentrations based on their brain activity by t-tests, and the t-test results showed significant differences between two kinds of massages in both the somatosensory and prefrontal association areas. The oxy-Hb concentration in both massages with and without aroma oil also showed a tendency to decrease with time. Our questionnaire results showed that our subjects felt more comfortable and relaxed while receiving foot care nursing with aroma oils. These results suggest that aroma oil massages are an effective foot care nursing tool and that foot care nursing is a medically effective treatment.

Research paper thumbnail of Analysis of Effects of Aroma Foot Care Using Functional Near-infrared Spectroscopy

Procedia Computer Science, 2014

Foot care is attracting attention as a medically effective treatment of the foot lesions caused b... more Foot care is attracting attention as a medically effective treatment of the foot lesions caused by diabetes or aging. In this study, we experimentally examined how aromatherapy affects the functions of the human brain during foot care by using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Four female subjects received foot care massages and aroma oil massages. We analyzed the changes in their oxygenated hemoglobin (oxy-Hb) concentrations based on their brain activity by t-tests, and the t-test results showed significant differences between the foot and aroma oil massages. Our questionnaire results obtained from our subjects showed that they felt more comfortable and relaxed while receiving foot care with aroma oils. These results suggest that aroma oil massages are an effective foot care tool.

Research paper thumbnail of A Preliminary Examination of the Effect of White and Blue Backgrounds on Web-based English Listening Tests

Procedia Computer Science, 2013

Previous studies conducted by Yamazaki and Eto on the background colors of on-line tests indicate... more Previous studies conducted by Yamazaki and Eto on the background colors of on-line tests indicated that a combination of black text and a white background color was not considered preferable for Web-based tests (WBTs). In this study, the authors conducted an experiment to see if a background color can affect the scores of a Web-based English listing test. Thirty three subjects in their twenties took Web-based English listening tests and non-linguistic tests with blue and white background colors with black text. The average test scores of the subjects showed no significant differences between the blue and white backgrounds. The brain functions of the subjects were also examined by observing relative changes in hemoglobin (Hb) concentrations in their brains with near-infrared spectroscopy. Two dimensional images of the Hb concentration changes obtained in the experiment indicated that areas in the brain associated with language processing tended to have higher Hb concentrations while the subjects were taking the listening test with both background colors. On the other hand, areas in the brain related to the frontal eye field were observed to be more active while they were taking the test with the white background than with the blue background, even though the questionnaire result obtained from the subjects showed that they felt more tired when they took the tests with the combination of black text and a blue background.

Research paper thumbnail of Development of a CEFR-Based Can-Do List for Global Communication in Engineering

Journal of JSEE, 2016

General English tests are often considered to be insufficient for assessing global communication ... more General English tests are often considered to be insufficient for assessing global communication competency in engineering context. The authors developed a list of Can-do descriptors to measure foreign language communication proficiency in engineering settings. The Can-do list is based on The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment (CEFR), which has been used as a reference for multi-language communication competencies with "can do" statements. In the development, we evaluated the validity of Can-do descriptors in the list by analyzing its 10 self-assessment scales in relation to English test scores obtained from more than 1500 university students and engineers working at companies. The CEFR-based Can-do list has been used to access engineering students' communication abilities in such settings as global PBLs with foreign students and global internship trainings.

Research paper thumbnail of Development of a List of Can-do Statements for Global Communication in Engineering and its Applications

2017 7th World Engineering Education Forum (WEEF), 2017

Global communication skills are essential so that engineers can function successfully in global s... more Global communication skills are essential so that engineers can function successfully in global settings. To properly evaluate the outcomes of global communication education for engineering students, we need a measurement tool that incorporates the global communication elements of engineers' professional practice. In this study, the authors developed a list of Can-do statements which measures foreign language communication competency in engineering settings. In the development, the authors adopted the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment (CEFR), and then used the English scores of more than 1800 working engineers and university students to validate the level separation of the Can-do list, which has ten competency levels (from CEFR A1 to C2 with sub-scales) for reception, production, and interaction activities in communication. With the Can-do list, we surveyed 100 personnel managers at Japanese global engineering companies and identified the minimum communication competency levels from engineers. This list has also been used to compare the communication competency of students who participated in global PBL programs with students from different countries. The analysis of the student assessment outcomes suggests that Japanese engineering students need more opportunities or training to enhance their self-evaluations of global communication competency.

Research paper thumbnail of Modeling Dinoflagellate Behavior as a Complex Adaptive System

Research paper thumbnail of Using Shadowing and Learner's Native Language in Adult EFL Classrooms

Research paper thumbnail of Collaborative Teaching of Technical Writing to Japanese Students in a Fluid Mechanics Course

Research paper thumbnail of Global Project Based Learning Based on Systems Thinking and Systems Engineering through Multidisciplinary and Undergraduate-Graduate Collaboration

Research paper thumbnail of Global Competencies for Engineering Program Graduates from an Industry Perspective

The international journal of learning, 2021

Twenty-first century education in engineering has expanded from a local to a global level. Nowada... more Twenty-first century education in engineering has expanded from a local to a global level. Nowadays, it plays a significant role in connecting students with the global community and raising awareness of global issues. In particular, global collaborative environments in the corporate world require engineers with global professional competencies and skills. The need to identify and assess these competencies and skills has been the focus of industry leaders in recent years. It is crucial that engineering graduates’ competencies and skills match the features and qualities required by the industry. The purpose of this study is to assess the importance of global competencies and skills required from engineering graduates wishing to work globally from the perspective of well-known Thai and multinational companies based in Thailand. It is anticipated that the findings of this research work will be useful to engineering students, faculties, and management teams of institutes in developing a ...