Mehrasa Alizadeh | Osaka University (original) (raw)

Papers by Mehrasa Alizadeh

Studies in e-Learning Language Education, 2021

Computer Assisted Language Learning-Electronic Journal (CALL-EJ), Aug 2019

Virtual reality (VR) has turned into a buzzword among educators over the past few years as tools ... more Virtual reality (VR) has turned into a buzzword among educators over the past few years as tools and devices continuously get cheaper and better. Google Expeditions, for instance, is a VR educational tool that allows teachers to take students on virtual field trips without leaving the classroom. The teacher can lead a tour guiding students in the VR environment and monitoring their actions while calling their attention to specific points of interest in a virtual space. There are numerous ways VR apps such as Expeditions could be integrated into EFL/ESL lessons. This write-up begins with a brief introduction to virtual reality, in comparison with augmented reality, and VR devices available in the market. This theoretical section will be followed by instructions on setting up an Expeditions kit and ways to take students on virtual tours built around lessons designed to develop language skills. For those interested in creating their own customized VR tours, Tour Creator, another VR platform also developed by Google, will be introduced. This practice-oriented paper could be useful to teachers interested in energizing their teaching and engaging their students in ways they have never ventured before.

JALT Postconference Publication, Aug 2019

This paper accompanies an explorative and interactive forum that featured interviews with invited... more This paper accompanies an explorative and interactive forum that featured interviews with invited conference speakers Mehrasa Alizadeh, Dat Bao, and Judith B. O’Loughlin, in the presence of a live audience. Each interviewee was selected so that speakers from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds within applied linguistics could be represented, with the interviews designed to explore diverse interests so as to establish commonalities, promote mutual understanding, and create a space for new insights to emerge between practitioners in the field. The paper opens with a description of the aims, rationale, and format of the session, followed by reflective accounts of each of the interview exchanges. It concludes by addressing the themes and insights that emerged during this interactive session, as a way to evaluate the potential of forums with a dialogic emphasis.

このフォーラムは、三人の招待されたスピーカー（Mehrasa Alizadeh, Dat Bao, and Judith B. O’Loughlin）のインタビューを取り上げたものでる。始めにそれぞれのスピーカーをインタビューし、その後、三人で討論しもらった。その結果が研究者たちの助けとなるよう、応用言語学のそれぞれの違った専門分野の専門家がお互いから何を学ぶか、共通点は何かを観察した。本論文は、このフォーラムの全員の参加者の意見を反映したものである。

JALT2018 Diversity and Inclusion, Aug 2019

Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are expanding into various fields of education. T... more Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are expanding into various fields of education. Thanks to AR and VR, teachers can bring a whole new dimension to the realm of language education, resulting in enhanced learning and increased motivation and engagement. With smartphones and inexpensive VR headsets, teachers are able to take a step forward in blurring the boundaries between the real and virtual worlds, giving their students immersive learning experiences. However, many ELT practitioners are not familiar with or keen on integrating AR/VR-related learning tools and resources into their classes (Bonner & Reinders, 2018; Santos et al., 2016). To get readers more acquainted with AR/VR uses in language education, the author first outlines the basic concepts within this area of research and practice. An AR/VR application is introduced in detail, followed by discussion on the use of this app in language learning.

拡張現実（AR）および仮想現実（VR）は絶えず様々な教育分野に拡大している。ARとVRによって、学習の強化やモチベーションとエンゲージメントの向上が可能となり、言語教育の領域に全く新しい次元をもたらすことができる。スマートフォンや安価なVRヘッドセットの使用によって、現実世界と仮想世界の境界を曖昧にすることで、学生は没入型の学習体験を得られる。しかし、ELT実務家の多くは、AR・VR関連の学習ツールとリソースを教育実践に統合する方法に馴染みがなかったり、統合自体に関心がない現状がある（Bonner & Reinders, 2018; Santos et al., 2016）。読者の言語教育におけるAR・VRの使用法に関する詳細な理解を深めるために、まずこの分野の研究と実践の基本的な概念を概説する。また、AR及びVRアプリケーションについて詳しく説明した上で、このアプリケーションを言語学習に使用する方法について説明する。

Social CALL Proceedings, 2019

This research investigates the use and application of quality assurance rubrics and standards for... more This research investigates the use and application of quality assurance rubrics and standards for online/blended course design within the context of teaching English for general academic purposes (EGAP). In an attempt to reform an existing blended course of EGAP, the Quality Matters® Higher Education Course Design Rubric (fifth edition) has been used to assure the quality of course design and development from the outset. After the course was implemented with a cohort of undergraduate students at Osaka University, it was peer-reviewed by a certified reviewer affiliated with Quality Matters (QM). The first round of peer review yielded a score of 70 out of a total of 99, resulting in failure to meet several QM standards. Based on the suggestions and recommendations of the reviewer, the course was further revised in terms of content and interface, and it was reviewed for a second time by the same reviewer, this time yielding a full score of 99. This study highlights the importance of quality assurance in online/blended course design and development, particularly in the context of teaching English to university students.

A few computer-assisted language learning (CALL) instruments have been developed in Iran to measu... more A few computer-assisted language learning (CALL) instruments have been developed in Iran to measure EFL (English as a foreign language) learners’ attitude toward CALL. However, these instruments have no solid validity argument and accordingly would be unable to provide a reliable measurement of attitude. The present study aimed to develop a CALL attitude instrument (CALLAI) to be used in the Iranian EFL context.
A pool of 633 survey items was developed and 27 items were judged to be appropriate for measuring CALL attitude. The chosen items were translated and back-translated by
experts and were administered to 1001 Iranian EFL learners. The psychometric features of the items were examined using three primary data analysis techniques: principal component analysis (PCA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and the Rasch-Andrich rating scale model. Finally, a validity argument for CALLAI was developed which comprised five primary inferences. The findings from the psychometric analysis were mapped onto the validity framework. The validity framework is generally well supported, although adding a few items could yield higher reliability coefficients.

International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education (ETHE), 2019

With the increase in the number of blended courses in higher education over the past few years, i... more With the increase in the number of blended courses in higher education over the past few years, it is now increasingly important to assure the quality of online education by evaluating blended (or hybrid) courses from various aspects such as consistency of learning objectives with assessment, learning materials and technology used, and pedagogical and technical support among others. This article describes the evaluation phase of a blended course of English for general academic purposes (EGAP) targeting second-year undergraduate Japanese students mostly from the Faculties of Law, Letters, Economics, and Human Sciences at Osaka University. In this study, the researchers adopted an inclusive approach to blended course evaluation. In order to ensure the course quality from the outset, the Fifth Edition of Quality Matters Higher Education Course Design Rubric was utilized as the major reference. As part of the evaluation process, students' perception on the usefulness of the course was also measured quantitatively and qualitatively through an attitudinal survey instrument and open ended reflection questions. Eventually, to add an outsider positionality, the blended course was peer-reviewed by a certified reviewer from Quality Matters (QM) after having been self-reviewed by the researchers. The findings of the evaluation survey demonstrated students' overall satisfaction with the course, and their responses to the open-ended questions provided further insight into the educational and technical difficulties they encountered. The QM peer review also yielded a score of 70 out of 99, resulting in failure to meet the essential standards. However, comments from the peer reviewer guided the refinements and improvement of the course design, and the course currently meets all the requirements of the Higher Education Course Design Rubric (Fifth Edition) upon amendment. This study discusses the implications for design, development, and evaluation of English-as-a-foreign-language blended courses and provides practical tips for online/blended course designers. Further refinements to the existing course can be made in the future by implementing it several times with various groups of students.

MAVR Newsletter, 2019

IN THIS ISSUE Message from the Officers 1 Announcing a New Kind of Conference 3 A Review of Mond... more IN THIS ISSUE

Message from the Officers 1
Announcing a New Kind of Conference 3
A Review of Mondly: Learn Languages in VR 4
A Brief Report on GLoCALL2018 Conference 8
Workshop - MAVR x JALT Kyoto Joint Event 13
Abstract 13
Presenter Bios 13
Austin Pack 14
Alex Barrett 14
Registration Information 14
MAVR members participating in SXSW! 14
Special Thanks to Parisa Mehran 15
Seeking Publications Chair 15
Three Must Read Articles 15
MAVR Podcast 15
This episode is hosted and produced by Josh Brunotte. 15
Upcoming MAVR Events 16
MAVR x Kyoto JALT Workshop 16
PANSIG 2019 16
Legal Issues in Immersive Learning 16
Hands on MAVR: Immersive Reality Platform Training 16

This paper draws upon the concept of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) and reflecti... more This paper draws upon the concept of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) and reflective practice widely known in higher education and how it is in line with incorporating learning analytics in the classroom to promote data-driven reflection-on-action. It begins with a brief introduction to SoTL, its history, and how to practice this approach. It then moves on to introducing reflection-on-action and reflection-inaction in connection to SoTL. Following that, a case study is described in which a blended course has been designed, developed, and implemented targeting Japanese undergraduate students. In this report, learning analytics data in the form of course reports generated by the learning management system have been utilized to investigate users' access to and contribution to the discussion boards. These statistics are used as an indicator of the level of social presence within the course. The data has shown that the students were not so enthusiastic about communicating with the instructors, TAs, and other peers online. The few number of posts on the discussion boards, despite the large class size, is evidence for this observation. Some suggestions have been made with the aim of fostering social presence in the current course and other similar fully online/blended courses.

JACET Kansai Journal (JACET関西支部紀要), Mar 2018

In recent years, universities in Japan have made efforts to respond to the urgent call for intern... more In recent years, universities in Japan have made efforts to respond to the urgent call for internationalization of education by reforming their policies, particularly with regard to English language education. Osaka University as one of the most prominent Japanese institutions of higher education is also moving toward online education to provide flexible learning opportunities for its students, and facilitate the internationalization process. The current study reports the findings of a needs analysis study as the initial step in designing an online English for General Academic Purposes (EGAP) course at this university. A Likert-type questionnaire, an open-ended question, and semi-structured interviews were utilized to collect data from the students (N=278) and the English instructors (N=12) as key stakeholders. According to the results, the students assessed their listening and speaking as lower than other skills and expressed their desire to improve their oral/aural skills so as to be able to use English in meaningful communicative situations. The instructors also stressed the importance of meeting these perceived yet less addressed needs, which is in line with the internationalization policy. The findings of this study are intended to inform the subsequent stages of online course design and development.

e-Learning 教育研究 [Studies in e-Learning Language Education], Mar 1, 2018

This report is based on my presence at the 25th annual conference of EUROCALL hosted by the Unive... more This report is based on my presence at the 25th annual conference of EUROCALL hosted by the University of Southampton, the UK. I have organized my observation into several sub-headings, beginning with some basic information about the conference, moving on to the plenary speeches, presentation by Japan-based researchers, to information about EUROCALL 2018.

CALL tools have provided learners and teachers with numerous ways to enhance out-of-class learnin... more CALL tools have provided learners and teachers with numerous ways to enhance out-of-class learning experiences. This article provides technology based tools that can be utilized for learning Japanese as a second language (JSL). These JSL CALL tools facilitate autonomous and ubiquitous learning that can take place anywhere and anytime. Portals and websites containing useful links for learning Japanese will be listed, as well as apps for mobile devices. The criteria for selecting the resources discussed below were as follows: (a) the popularity of the resource as indicated by the large number of users and/or ratings and reviews, and (b) the authors' own personal use of and experience with them. This list of resources, although by no means exhaustive, reviews the current state of the practice of JSL CALL tools.

This paper outlines the iterative stages involved in designing and developing a blended course of... more This paper outlines the iterative stages involved in designing and developing a blended course of English for General Academic Purposes (EGAP) at Osaka University. First, the basic Successive Approximation Model (SAM 1) is introduced as the guiding instructional design model upon which the course was created. Afterward, the stages of design and development of the blended course are explained with a focus upon assessing Japanese students' English language needs and their e-learning readiness. Additional points discussed include the way in which the iteration process has allowed for the discovery of some opportunities and problems at the early phases of the blended course design and development, and the refinements that were made to enhance opportunities and to mitigate the difficulties.

In recent years, there has been a burgeoning interest in Augmented Reality (AR) technologies, esp... more In recent years, there has been a burgeoning interest in Augmented Reality (AR) technologies, especially in educational settings to edutain (i.e. educate and entertain) students and engage them in their learning. This study reports the results of the use of an AR application called BlippAR to augment poster carousel tasks in a blended English course offered at Osaka University. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected through a usage experience questionnaire, an open-ended feedback form, and observations. The implemented AR application is described, and the overall positive user experience is reported, along with displaying a sample of collaborative student-generated AR posters. The rewards and challenges of having students design AR content are also discussed.

The Mixed, Augmented, and Virtual Reality (MAVR) SIG is JALT’s newest SIG. It was formed by a ded... more The Mixed, Augmented, and Virtual Reality (MAVR) SIG is JALT’s newest SIG. It was formed by a dedicated group of researchers who are passionate about exploring and furthering research related to augmenting learning processes with ubiquitous technology. It should be known, however, that MAVR research is about much more than just emerging technology. It is also about the approaches to the design of learning that employ these technologies. MAVR learning environments push for just-in-time information delivery and seek to adapt the environment to the needs of learners. While augmented and virtual technologies are not new, they are evolving and integrating themselves into all facets of our lives. Current MAVR members are developers and designers in addition to researchers who create tools and environments to enhance and facilitate learning. In doing this we have found, as have other researchers around the world, that AR pushes users to go out of the classroom and explore, and VR takes learners to new forms of classrooms.

Mixed, Augmented, and Virtual Realities (MAVR) is not a new concept or area of study, but it is a... more Mixed, Augmented, and Virtual Realities (MAVR) is not a new concept or area of study, but it is an area that is beginning to be implemented at a larger scale in many other fields. Environments that employ these tools and concepts are being applied to medicine, engineering, and education. There are many working in this area connected to language education in Japan; the authors and many others are working to form a new JALT Special Interest Group, the MAVR SIG. The following is a primer to the current state of the research into MAVR and a discussion of where the field may be headed. Please contact the authors if you are interested in getting involved in the MAVR SIG.

International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education (ETHE), 2017

Assessing learner readiness for online learning is the starting point for online course design. T... more Assessing learner readiness for online learning is the starting point for online course design. This study thus aimed to evaluate Japanese learners' perceived e-readiness for learning English online prior to designing and developing an online EGAP (English for General Academic Purposes) course at Osaka University. A sample of 299 undergraduate Japanese students completed a translated and adapted version of the Technology Survey developed by Winke and Goertler (CALICO Journal 25(3): 482–509, 2008). The questionnaire included items about respondents' ownership of and access to technology tools, their ability in performing user tasks from basic to advanced, their personal educational use of Web 2.0 tools, and their willingness to take online English courses. The informants were found to have personal ownership and/or adequate access to technological devices and the Internet at home or at the university. While their keyboarding skills have been reported as relatively low, the self-assessment data indicates that the participants know about general Web 2.0 tools and utilize them in daily life but not within educational settings. The students were also in general unwilling to take online courses, either fully online or blended. This finding further highlights the necessity of digital literacy training before implementing the prospective online course with a focus on EGAP.

As part of a PhD project, an in-depth needs analysis was carried out to assess the English langua... more As part of a PhD project, an in-depth needs analysis was carried out to assess the English language needs and difficulties of undergraduate Japanese EFL learners at Osaka University. The results were primarily intended to guide the design and development of an online English
for General Academic Purposes (EGAP) course. The findings further revealed a pressing need for launching and maintaining self-access language learning facilities which could provide learners with independent and semi-guided learning opportunities addressing their
needs and interests. In this paper, the importance of establishing a self-access language learning center at Osaka University will be proposed with the goal of fostering learner autonomy. In fulfilling this objective, practical suggestions and overall guidelines will be outlined based on a number of language learning center observations in Japan. It is hoped that this writing will serve as a stimulus to strengthen the status of English language teaching at Osaka University.

Studies in e-Learning Language Education, 2021

Computer Assisted Language Learning-Electronic Journal (CALL-EJ), Aug 2019

JALT Postconference Publication, Aug 2019

JALT2018 Diversity and Inclusion, Aug 2019

Social CALL Proceedings, 2019

International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education (ETHE), 2019

MAVR Newsletter, 2019

IN THIS ISSUE Message from the Officers 1 Announcing a New Kind of Conference 3 A Review of Mond... more IN THIS ISSUE

JACET Kansai Journal (JACET関西支部紀要), Mar 2018

e-Learning 教育研究 [Studies in e-Learning Language Education], Mar 1, 2018

International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education (ETHE), 2017

Language Learning with Technology: Perspectives from Asia, 2021

There is an increasing amount of research and development happening around the use of virtual and... more There is an increasing amount of research and development happening around the use of virtual and augmented reality in education, also known as immersive learning. This case study seeks to merge vocational training and language learning and explore the application of virtual reality in tourism education. The study was conducted with 22 students in the Department of Global Tourism at a university in western Japan. The students were first trained to create virtual tours of their hometowns with Google Tour Creator. They then guided classmates on virtual tours of their hometowns in English, using smartphones and mini VR glasses. A survey study was conducted following the tours to evaluate students’ experience in terms of virtual presence, attention and satisfaction, perceived usefulness and future use of VR, as well as the benefits and challenges of the activity. The findings of this study have important implications for the use of virtual reality in tourism education.

Data from 230 test takers who answered 60 reading test items in an Iranian reading test were subj... more Data from 230 test takers who answered 60 reading test items in an Iranian reading test were subjected to Rasch measurement analysis to yield item difficulty parameters. Seven Coh-Metrix attributes (left embeddedness, CELEX, preposition phrase density, verb overlap, imagability of content words, text easability, and lexical diversity) were used as variables to sort test items into two difficulty categories, high-difficulty and low-difficulty. An artificial neural network (ANN) model was applied, with 47 items (82%) used to train the network, 10 (17.5%) items used for testing, and three excluded. The model correctly categorized test items in 89.4% and 100% of cases in the training and testing samples, respectively. The most important variable in classifying items was left embeddedness, an index of syntactic complexity, and the least important was lexical diversity. Overall, the study shows that neural networks have a high precision in classifying low and high difficulty reading test items.

This research study is an attempt at designing, developing, implementing, and assessing the quali... more This research study is an attempt at designing, developing, implementing, and assessing the quality of a blended course of English for general academic purposes targeting undergraduate Japanese students at Osaka University. The study has been conducted in several iterative stages as explicated below.Following Michael Allen's Basic Successive Approximation Model (SAM1), the researcher began with carrying out a thorough language needs analysis study to investigate the needs and difficulties of Japanese students as far as learning English at university classes and using it for communicative purposes was concerned. To this end, questionnaire data were collected from 278 Japanese undergraduate students enrolled at Osaka University. In order to further clarify the language needs and difficulties of Japanese learners, twelve instructors teaching Practical English courses were also interviewed. The findings of this stage indicate that students and instructors invariably underline the importance of improving learners' listening and speaking abilities alongside other skills in academia and at workplace so as to help promote the ultimate goal of internationalization and to nurture 21st Century global citizens.Continuing with the next stage, the researcher designed and developed a blended course of English for general academic purposes to replace the old course of “Practical English (e-learning)". Among the major differences of the old versus the new course are the use of a placement test, provision of content at three different levels of proficiency, integration of four language skills, inclusion of free speaking and writing tasks, focus on global themes, addition of a group project, and utilization of open educational resources resulting in the course being free of charge for students. The new course, titled Osaka University Global English Online (OUGEO), was hosted on the university learning management system,Blackboard Learn, locally known as CLE (Collaboration and Learning Environment). The entire course content, including syllabus and guidelines, weekly study materials, exercises, and assignments, were uploaded on CLE by March 2017.Osaka University Global English Online was subsequently implemented in the spring semester of 2017-2018 with 86 undergraduate students mainly from the Faculties of Law, Letters, and Economics. Similar to other face-to-face courses, OUGEO was also expanded over fifteen weeks, with the exception of having only five face-to-face classes. The remaining ten weeks were run online, during which the students were required to access the designated learning materials for each week on the learning management system and submit the related assignments. Regarding the face-to-face classes, the first session was allocated to orientation and getting the students familiar with the course, how to access the content, and where to submit their assignments as well as informing them of ways to contact the instructor and teaching assistants when need arose. The last session was also spent on giving the final exam, which was created on the learning management system and scored automatically. The second face-to-face class, however, was dedicated to training the students in doing poster presentations and overlaying videos on their posters using an augmented reality (AR) application called BlippAR.As a group term project, the students created posters on global themes and presented them during two face-to-face classes, with seven groups as presenters and seven others as listeners each time. This poster presentation carousel task required the listener groups to move from one poster station to the next in a circular fashion and to use the BlippAR app to view the AR content created by their classmates. The purpose of this user experience study was to analyze students' views toward the use of BlippAR in language classes and its usefulness. The students' responses to a user experience questionnaire indicated that the majority of the respondents found BlippAR an engaging tool for language learning, which made learning more interesting, yet many believed that the app per se did not contribute to improving their English skills.

In attempt to evaluate the course both internally and externally, two types of quality assessment were administered. First, the students enrolled in the course were asked to fill out an evaluation questionnaire toward the end of the semester, in which they reflected their opinions on the usefulness and pace of the course, quality of teaching, availability of support, and ease of navigation among others. They were also given an opportunity to share any qualitative comments they had through an open-ended question. Overall, most of the students agreed that the course helped them improve all their skills, in particular oral/aural skills, and that they were in general content with it and felt that the course met their language needs to a great extent. Nevertheless, there was a consensus regarding the existence of some technical difficulties, for instance in submitting speaking assignments online.With regard to external evaluation of the blended course, it was assessed using the Quality Matters Higher Education Course Design Rubric (Fifth Edition) both by the researcher first and later by a peer reviewer affiliated with Quality Matters. Some revisions were made during the self-review prior to getting the course peer reviewed. The first round of peer review yielded a score of 70 out of 99,resulting in failure to meet the Quality Matters standards of course design. Nonetheless, the course currently meets all the standards of the Higher Education Course Design Rubric upon amendment with a new score of 99/99. The researcher believes that there is still room for improving the course by rerunning it with several groups of students, getting it further refined and fine-tuned to the needs of Japanese learners as well as by solving the technical problems which occasionally occurred during the implementation phase.The current study bears significant implications for online/blended course designers and developers. It explicates examples of best practice and demonstrates potential pitfalls threatening the smooth flow of online language teaching and learning. It also has important implications for faculty development and strongly advocates the need to train faculty to design, develop, and evaluate their courses following mainstream standards while meeting students' needs and preparing them for living in the globalizing society of this century.

本論文はe-Learningシステムを用いたオンライン授業と対面授業を組み合わせたブレンド型授業の開発から評価までの実践研究をまとめたものであり，日本人大学生向けに英語を教育するためのコース開発においてデザイン過程から得られる知見と，開発した教授法を用いて実際に教育を実施して得られた知見に関する一連の研究を取りまとめたものである．本邦においては，従来のこのようなコース開発と評価が，開発者の個人的なアイディアや経験によりおこなわれ，完成された授業法についても体系的な評価もほとんど行われていないのに対して，本論文では広範な関連研究の調査に基づいて学習者のニーズ分析を行い，それに基づいてe-Learning教育法を開発し，本学学生向けの実際のブレンド型授業を実施している点が評価できる．本論文の主な成果としては，次の三点が認められる．

第1には，学習者，教育者に対してのニーズ分析を行い，学習者が自身の語学能力習得の必要性を，在学中の学習・研究という状況と，社会に出てからの職業的要求に場合分けして意識していること，英語４技能のうち，リスニングと，スピーキングの現状の達成度を他の技能より低く評価していることなどを明らかにした．同時に，学習者，教授者共にコミュニケーション能力の向上を重視しており，教育の国際化の方針とも一致しているが，これらが現状では十分に考慮されていないことなどを明らかにした．

第２には，設計された教材の中で，拡張現実（Augmented Reality）を用いた教材を学習者自らが作成する課題を実施することで，情報技術が学習者にどのような影響を与えるかを主に質問紙を用いて，質的および量的に分析している．その結果，対象となった学習者では，拡張現実を利用した教材を作成する技術的な困難性にも関わらず，課題に対する集中力と動機づけが増すことを明らかにし，このような最新の情報技術を教材に取り込むことの可能性を明らかにした．

第３には，学習者，教育者を調査対象としたニーズ分析に基づいて設計されたコースに対して，ルーブリックを用いた評価を実施し，定量的な評価結果を得ると同時に，評価に基づいた授業デザインの改良を実施している．このようなルーブリックを用いたe-Learning教材評価は本邦では例がなく，米国において開発された，Quality Matters™Higher Education Course DesignRubric (Fifth Edition)用いた．その結果，本論文でのデザイン手法で開発された授業法には，一定評価が得られ，わずかな修正で，適用したルーブリックを用いた評価基準を満たせることが明らかとなり，一連のデザイン手法の有効性を示すことができた．

これらの一連の研究は，体系だったオンライン教材の開発と評価に関して重要な知見を与えるもので，その学術的意義は大きいと考えられる．これらの成果は，それぞれ専門学術論文誌やトップカンファレンスに採録されている．また，一連の研究を通じて今後の情報技術を用いた教材開発プロセスに関しても大きな知見を得ることができている．

以上のように，本論文は今後さらに利活用が進むと期待されるブレンド型のe-Learning 授業の開発と進展に重要な成果を挙げた研究として，情報科学および言語教育学の進展に寄与するところが大きい．よって，本論文は博士（学術）の学位論文として価値のあるものと認める．

Companion Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Learning Analytics & Knowledge (LAK20), 2020

This study analyzes 19 students' interaction patterns with 6 video lectures in a blended course, ... more This study analyzes 19 students' interaction patterns with 6 video lectures in a blended course, using log data and video viewing behavior. We took into account the actions that learners took during the online coursework by checking their screen captures and face recordings to delve more deeply into the nature of their evolving interactions and decisions. The results have revealed the existence of four groups of learners. Our findings provide evidence for the importance of triangulating data sources on learners' video watching behavior to enhance feedback provision to at-risk learners and lower dropout rates.

This workshop targets instructors who are willing to venture “the road not taken” by moving beyon... more This workshop targets instructors who are willing to venture “the road not taken” by moving beyond being mere consumers of digital technology into future developers of their own customized immersive learning experiences. Alongside the rapid advancement of technology and changing tastes of learners, a growing number of platforms are being developed by giant tech companies, like Google, which (will) allow anyone without a solid knowledge base of app development and coding to build their own tools and resources. One group of people who could greatly benefit from this change is language teachers and educators. In order to empower teachers with the ability to create immersive educational apps and websites, one necessary skill to gain is 3D modeling. It might sound intimidating at first glance, but in fact, there are numerous software programs with a variety of functions to easily develop original 3D models. In this workshop, we aim to learn the basics of a computer graphics open source software program called Blender with which very basic to professional 3D models can be created. Three-dimensional models created in Blender could be exported to teacher-created/third-party apps and websites so as to provide language learners with more engaging and visually appealing content. In order to make the best use of this professional development workshop, attendees are recommended to bring their own devices as well as download and install Blender in advance (https://www.blender.org/download/).

In the field of Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL), there are not so many Japanese teache... more In the field of Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL), there are not so many Japanese teachers and researchers who actively participate or take lead roles in domestic and international CALL conferences. In fact, due to the lack of IT education in schools in Japan, many Japanese teachers are not confident about their digital skills or have to cope with technophobe colleagues. Although various organizations, JALTCALL included, make efforts to provide information in Japanese and encourage presentations in Japanese, the number of submissions by Japanese teachers still remains comparatively low. In this workshop, the participants will work to identify their obstacles and seek some solutions so that they can take a step forward. The presenters will also share their own personal experiences of successful involvement in the field of CALL. Furthermore, the participants will be exposed to the following:
—Preparing for a presentation (selecting the topic, preparing slides, ...)
—Technical tools and resources to use in class (Kahoot, Quizizz, Moodle, Google apps for collaboration, Seesaw & GarageBand)
—Introduction to other CALL associations and conferences in Japan and worldwide
LET (Japan Association for Language Education and Technology)
GloCALL (Globalization and Localization in Computer-Assisted Language Learning)
EUROCALL (European Association for Computer Assisted Language Learning)
CALICO (Computer-Assisted Language Instruction Consortium)
IALLT (International Association for Language Learning Technology)
WorldCALL
—Networking opportunities (for those who are willing to get involved in more active roles)
—Topics and possible outlets for publication

JALT PanSIG 2019 , 2019

Doing a Master’s or PhD in TESOL can be a daunting task with countless challenges along the way. ... more Doing a Master’s or PhD in TESOL can be a daunting task with countless challenges along the way. Many of us have experienced moments of frustration trying to revise dissertation drafts on the most widely used word processor, Microsoft Word. More often than not, one single change to a lengthy Word document could mean hours of labor-intensive revision, attempting to ensure that tables and figures are numbered and placed correctly, the references all follow the APA style, full terms corresponding to acronyms have been written out upon first mention, and so on and so forth. Given that the JALT community includes many members doing graduate degrees, this presentation introduces a document preparation system known as LaTeX in order to assist those graduate students in revising thesis drafts more easily and efficiently. Unlike Microsoft Word which is a what-you-see-is-what-you-get (WYSIWYG) word processor, LaTeX uses markup tagging to turn plain text into rich text. The presenter will talk about the basics of creating a document such as a thesis or journal manuscript using an online LaTeX editor, called Overleaf, and instruct the audience on how to utilize it for writing a dissertation.

JALT2018 Kevin Cleary Invited Talk , 2018

Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are constantly expanding into various fields of e... more Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are constantly expanding into various fields of education. Thanks to AR and VR, we can now bring a whole new dimension to the realm of language education resulting in enhanced learning and increased motivation and engagement, as evidenced in the literature (Godwin-Jones, 2016). With ubiquitous devices such as smartphones and inexpensive VR headsets, we are able to take a step forward in blurring the boundaries between the real and the virtual world, giving our students immersive learning experiences. However, similar to any new technology introduced, many ELT practitioners are not familiar with or keen on integrating AR/VR-related learning tools and resources into their classes. In order to get the audience more acquainted with AR/VR uses in language education, the presenter will first outline the basic concepts within this area of research and practice. She will continue with demonstrating an AR mobile application, Blippar, and a VR application, Google Expeditions, using smartphones and Google Cardboard. She will also discuss the use of these apps in language learning contexts while providing ideas for augmented/virtual-reality-enhanced classroom tasks and activities. Finally, JALT’s newly formed Mixed, Augmented, Virtual Realities in Learning (MAVR) SIG will be introduced as a way for attendees to further explore AR and VR applications in language pedagogy.

Godwin-Jones, R. (2016). Augmented reality and language learning: From annotated vocabulary to place-based mobile games. Language Learning and Technology, 20(3), 9-19.

JALTCALL SIG Forum, JALT2018 International Conference, 2018

Join five expert speakers on language learning and teaching technology at this year's CALL SIG Fo... more Join five expert speakers on language learning and teaching technology at this year's CALL SIG Forum: Charlotte VT Murakami - "Getting away from student-teacher speaking tests and towards student-student ones using smartphones;" Edo Forsythe - “Using mobile technology to bring diversity into the classroom;” Maki Ho and Mehrasa Alizadeh - “Encouraging Japanese Educators to Actively Participate in JALTCALL;” and Louise Ohashi - "JALTCALL and Gender: A CALL for More Female Involvement."

The Globalization and Localization in Computer-Assisted Language Learning (GLoCALL) Conference

Virtual reality (VR) has turned into a buzzword over the past few years as tools and devices cont... more Virtual reality (VR) has turned into a buzzword over the past few years as tools and devices continuously get cheaper and better. Google Expeditions is a VR educational tool that allows teachers to take students on virtual field trips without leaving their physical space. Having the Google Expeditions mobile application connected to a local network, the teacher can lead a tour guiding the students in the VR environment and monitoring their actions while calling their attention to specific points of interest in a virtual space. There are numerous ways Google Expeditions could be integrated into EFL/ESL lessons in the form of role-plays and field trips. In this workshop, the presenter will first give the audience a brief introduction to virtual reality, VR headsets, and apps. The attendees will then get a hands-on experience of a virtual tour built around a lesson designed to develop oral/aural skills. Following that, they will split into groups to brainstorm their own classroom tasks and activities powered by Google Expeditions. This session will be wrapped up with a discussion of ways to create one’s own VR content.

Participant level of VR expertise: Absolute beginner to savvy
Device needed: An Android/iOS smartphone with Google Expeditions installed

Japan Association for Language Education and Technology 58th Annual Conference Proceedings, 2018

In spite of the widespread consensus on the necessity of reviewing previously-taught vocabulary t... more In spite of the widespread consensus on the necessity of reviewing previously-taught vocabulary to aid retention, often times teachers fail to do so due to time constrains or the uninteresting, repetitious nature of review activities. This presentation is a report on the use of an online game-based platform called Kahoot which can be used to resolve this problem and help teachers make room for review components in their lessons while boosting students’ engagement. Kahoot (https://kahoot.com/) is a free web-based student response system (SRS). Similar to most online SRSs such as Socrative, the teacher could create quizzes displayed to students on a screen, which they can respond to using either the Kahoot mobile application or a browser on a computer or any device with Internet connection. Unlike other SRSs, Kahoot is a game-based platform, with game elements such as accumulation of points, competition, and leaderboards. The game-like quizzes have a visually-appealing, user-friendly interface and can be played both individually and in teams. Moreover, the platform allows users to play games without creating personal accounts. In order to experiment with this tool, the presenter utilized it in two reading/writing classes she taught at Otemae University in the fall semester of 2017-2018. The classes consisted of mainly second-year undergraduate students majoring in International Relations and/or English Communication. To review the vocabulary from previous lessons, a Kahoot game was played at the beginning of every class, which took about 10 to 15 minutes depending on the length of the quiz. Observing the students’ behavior during the games, the majority looked completely engaged in the activity and enjoyed playing vocabulary games with their classmates. At the end of the semester, the instructor asked them to write their opinions on Kahoot, what they liked about it, and any difficulties they encountered. Most of the students unanimously agreed that Kahoot games were highly interesting and some mentioned that they were great review tools different from conventional classroom activities. Regarding the difficulties, some students expressed their unwillingness to use cellular data on their mobile phones for playing the games (as WIFI access was limited or unavailable), and some said that the games consumed too much battery. For upcoming semesters, the presenter plans to use Kahoot not only as a review tool but also as a measure for formative assessment, given that the system is capable of keeping record of all students’ performance.

JALT PanSIG 2018

Pre-service teacher education is highly important at research-focused universities. At such insti... more Pre-service teacher education is highly important at research-focused universities. At such institutions, training is mostly centered on conducting research while there is minimal focus on educating students in course design and teaching. To bridge this gap, the Center for Education in Liberal Arts and Sciences, Teaching and Learning Support Division at Osaka University has established an advanced liberal arts program called the Future Faculty Program (FFP). This program targets graduate students wishing to pursue a career in academia. Having completed the program herself, the presenter will provide the audience with a reflective report on the FFP, its strengths and limitations.

Osaka JALT Back to School Mini-conference, 2018

A number of Japanese universities have created their in-house learning management systems. Some o... more A number of Japanese universities have created their in-house learning management systems. Some of these systems are available only in Japanese and thus pose difficulties to non-Japanese users. This presentation aims at reinforcing participants’ knowledge of LMS terms in Japanese. In particular, we will play a Kahoot game in order to evaluate and consolidate the learning of LMS-related words/phrases.

This poster presentation reports on the development, implementation, and evaluation phases of a b... more This poster presentation reports on the development, implementation, and evaluation phases of a blended course of English for general academic purposes targeting second-year undergraduate Japanese students at Osaka University. In general, the course aims to develop students’ practical English skills to help them advance to higher levels of conversational and academic English up to B2 and C1 levels of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). The basic Successive Approximation Model proposed by Allen (2012) has informed the design and development of the online course. In order to ensure course quality from the outset, the Quality Matters® Higher Education Rubric (Fifth Edition) has also been utilized as the major reference. The pedagogical practices within this fifteen-week course hinge on recent approaches in ELT, including project-based language learning and digital storytelling. As part of the evaluation process, students’ perception on the usefulness of the course has been measured quantitatively and qualitatively through an attitudinal survey instrument and open ended reflection questions. Furthermore, to deploy learning analytics, data generated by the learning management system Blackboard Learn, also known as CLE (Collaboration and Learning Environment), has been analyzed to further delve into students’ performance, track their progress, and provide insights into ways to improve it. Eventually, to examine learner achievement and the fulfillment of learning outcomes, students’ scores on the placement test, weekly assigned tasks, as well as quizzes and the final exam have been taken into account.

As online English courses are growing in popularity exponentially in higher education, providing ... more As online English courses are growing in popularity exponentially in higher education, providing electronic feedback is also gaining currency, as students might feel disconnected, unengaged, and unsupported if they are not provided with effective feedback. The provision of electronic feedback can be enhanced through multimodality, particularly in asynchronous online environments. There are also a number of factors such as social presence and collaboration which are related to feedback effectiveness. This study aims to explore the use of online interaction platforms available on Blackboard Learn and web-based tools such as VideoNot.es to provide multimodal electronic feedback in an online course of English for General Academic Purposes (EGAP), entitled Osaka University Global English Online. Additionally, the current study has examined how Japanese learners of English perceive the multimodal electronic feedback they have received on their online writing and speaking tasks. The perceived usefulness of the provided feedback has also been investigated in relation to learner collaboration and sense of presence in the online course. To collect data, the participants were asked to respond to a set of surveys and open-ended questions. The findings indicate that the majority of students value the multimodality of the feedback on their productive tasks. Furthermore, the students’ perception of social presence and collaboration has been found to be related to their perception of feedback usefulness. Finally, practical implications for providing effective online multimodal feedback as well as further facilitating collaborative online environments are discussed.

In this presentation, we introduced the tech resources that we used in our blended course titled ... more In this presentation, we introduced the tech resources that we used in our blended course titled Osaka University Global English Online (OUGEO).

In recent years, there has been a burgeoning interest in augmented reality (AR) technologies, esp... more In recent years, there has been a burgeoning interest in augmented reality (AR) technologies, especially in educational settings to edutain students and engage them in their learning. Poster carousel task is also a popular activity in English language classrooms. This presentation demonstrates the results of the use of an AR application, called Blippar, to augment poster carousel tasks in a blended English course offered at Osaka University. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected through a usage experience questionnaire, an open-ended feedback form, and observations. The implemented AR application is described, and the overall positive user experience is reported, along with displaying the samples of collaborative student-generated AR
work. The rewards and challenges of having students design AR content are also discussed. Moreover, the implications of AR for English language teaching and learning, the pedagogical potentials afforded by this technology, and recommendations for further research are provided.

This presentation outlines the iterative stages involved in designing and developing a blended co... more This presentation outlines the iterative stages involved in designing and developing a blended course of English for General Academic Purposes (EGAP) at Osaka University, implemented in the spring semester of 2017 over a period of fifteen weeks. First, the basic Successive Approximation Model (SAM) will be introduced as the guiding instructional design model upon which the course was created. Afterward, the stages of design and development of the blended course will be explicated with a focus upon assessing Japanese students’ English language needs and their e-learning readiness, determining the course overall goals and module learning objectives, optimizing course technologies and the availability of technical support, designing the course syllabus, materials, tasks, and activities, organizing team teaching, as well as managing formative and summative evaluation. Additionally, the way in which the iteration process has allowed for the discovery of some possibilities and problems at the early phases of the blended course design and development, and the refinements which were made to benefit from the affordable opportunities and to mitigate the difficulties will be discussed. The use of Open Educational Resources (OERs) will also be expounded in the light of Copy Right issues, and the authoring tools utilized in digitizing the materials alongside their merits and demerits will be described. Finally, the Quality Matters Higher Education Rubric and its effectiveness in raising course quality assurance will be reviewed.

Immerse yourself in an augmented reality enhanced learning environment by working in a group to s... more Immerse yourself in an augmented reality enhanced learning environment by working in a group to solve a series of puzzles and adventures using virtual and augmented reality technologies as learning technologist, Eric Hawkinson from TEDxKyoto Interactive guides you through the possibilities of mixed reality technologies for learning, engagement and more

As part of a work in progress, this poster presentation focuses on the design and development pha... more As part of a work in progress, this poster presentation focuses on the design and development phases of an online course of English for General Academic Purposes (EGAP), which has been referred to as Osaka University Global English Online. Initially, two mainstream models of instructional design for online course delivery—namely, ADDIE and SAM—will be briefly reviewed. The ADDIE model is a generic, systematic, linear, step-by-step process, known as waterfall model, which consists of five ordered phases: (1) Analysis, (2) Design, (3) Development, (4) Implementation, and (5) Evaluation. Unlike ADDIE’s five giant sequential steps, SAM (Successive Approximation Model) is an iterative, cyclical, and agile approach to instructional design which tries to address the roadblocks in the way of instructional designers in repeated small steps. Following that, the intertwined design and development phases of the prospective online course will be explained in detail, which include the following: Assessing students’ needs and technological skills, defining the course overall goal and learning objectives, determining online course technologies, requirements, accessibility, connectivity, and support system, developing course syllabus, instructional materials, tasks and activities, objective-based assessment, management strategies for team teaching, and formative and summative course evaluation. Copyright restrictions, the use of Open Educational Resources (OERs), as well as several e-learning authoring tools and their merits and demerits will also be discussed. Finally, issues related to quality assurance will be touched upon with reference to the Quality Matters Higher Education Rubric.

Despite the rapid growth of online teaching and learning at institutes of higher education worldw... more Despite the rapid growth of online teaching and learning at institutes of higher education worldwide, switching to online courses can pose a great challenge to those involved in creating and administering them. This presentation is an attempt to simplify, clarify, and exemplify the process of online course design. It will focus on practices that the presenters have found successful in designing online English courses based on the related literature and their hands-on experience as online instructional designers. First, popular instructional design models like ADDIE and SAM will be reviewed. Topics such as online syllabus, learning management systems, e-learning authoring tools, online visual design, e-assessment, and e-feedback will be discussed. Finally, the most practical standards checklists for online course self-evaluation will be introduced.

Augmented Reality (AR) has been used in a variety of informal learning contexts with increasing f... more Augmented Reality (AR) has been used in a variety of informal learning contexts with increasing frequency. This presentation will show examples of AR use in education, tourism, and event organizing, among other areas. Th¬e session is geared to those who want to create learning environments around content and to consider ways that they might start to implement AR. A featured use of how AR can be put into practice was demonstrated at TEDxKyoto as a way of engaging participants. There will also be demonstrations of several student projects that use AR.

In this interactive poster presentation, Mixed, Augmented, and Virtual Realities (MAVR) are first... more In this interactive poster presentation, Mixed, Augmented, and Virtual Realities (MAVR) are first defined, and their differences are pointed out based on the reality-virtuality continuum. The significance of MAVR, its merits and challenges, and the contribution it can make to education are then discussed. Following that, the integration of MAVR in language teaching and learning is drawn upon. Some Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) applications, such as Aurasma, Blippar, Google Expeditions, are demonstrated, and a number of resources on the integration of MAVR in English language education are introduced; for example, Paul Driver’s learner-generated AR realia. Finally, MAVR future trends and directions are forecasted.

Invited talk at the Japan Association for Language Education and Technology (LET), Kansai Chapter... more Invited talk at the Japan Association for Language Education and Technology (LET), Kansai Chapter, Fundamental Theory SIG July 2018 Meeting, hosted at Kwansei Gakuin University, Nishinomiya-Uegahara Campus

A Picture is worth a thousand words, as the saying goes, but not every picture is so. As teachers... more A Picture is worth a thousand words, as the saying goes, but not every picture is so. As teachers, we are occasionally asked to develop our own print/digital materials for English classes, and we might want to add some images here and there to aid comprehension, make the content more visually appealing, or simply to fill empty spaces. At first, it might seem effortless to find images given our immediate access to efficient search engines such as Google Images, but in fact, there is more to finding appropriate visuals for EFL materials than just pushing the search button and downloading the top result images. Aiming to inform teachers about best practices in selecting and laying out images for EFL materials, this presentation will focus on the effective use of visuals in teacher-made EFL materials. Practical tips on issues related to image copyright, the quality and clarity of visuals, and their layout will be provided. Finally, the presenter will introduce some free resources for downloading high-quality images.

Panel description: Some of SIETAR Kansai’s ongoing goals include involving young people and infor... more Panel description: Some of SIETAR Kansai’s ongoing goals include involving young people and informing our members of little known topics, as well as stimulating thinking about taken-for-granted stereotypes. With that in mind, we have invited three young people from Iran, who live and work in Japan, to share their experiences and perspective with us. Rather than a usual presentation, we will have an informal panel where our guests will answer questions about why they came to Japan, what they are doing, and their views on various topics. Audience members will also be able to engage with our guests.

The presenters will give a short introduction to the Persian language. The participants will then... more The presenters will give a short introduction to the Persian language. The participants will then learn some survival phrases and how to write their names in Persian as a hands-on activity.

This talk will take you on a journey to the real Iran. The presenters will briefly introduce the ... more This talk will take you on a journey to the real Iran. The presenters will briefly introduce the history of Iran (also known as Persia), including various aspects of Iranian culture, literature, cuisine, music, religions, architecture, and heritage sites. Along the way, the history of foreign language education in Iran with the emphasis on the English language will be discussed within its greater educational context.

In this talk, the presenters will give a short introduction to Iran, its language and culture. Fo... more In this talk, the presenters will give a short introduction to Iran, its language and culture. Following that, the history of foreign language education in Iran will be discussed with the focus on the English language. Finally, TEFL programs at Iranian Universities will be briefly overviewed.

In this talk, we will be giving a short introduction to Iran and its language and culture. The au... more In this talk, we will be giving a short introduction to Iran and its language and culture. The audience will get familiar with some interesting facts about the Persian language, the history of Iran, and Iranian culture including cuisine and music.

This talk will take you on a journey to the unseen Iran. The presenters will briefly introduce th... more This talk will take you on a journey to the unseen Iran. The presenters will briefly introduce the history of Iran (also known as Persia), including various aspects of Iranian culture, literature, cuisine, music, religions, architecture, and heritage sites. Along the way, the history of foreign language education in Iran with the emphasis on the English language will be discussed within its greater educational context.

The presenters will shortly introduce the audience to the Persian language. The participants will... more The presenters will shortly introduce the audience to the Persian language. The participants will then learn some survival phrases and how to write their names in Persian as a hands-on activity.

In this speech, I talked about the pivotal role that Osaka University students could play in help... more In this speech, I talked about the pivotal role that Osaka University students could play in helping OU shine on the international stage. As 21st Century citizens in this globalized society, it is highly important for us not only to develop our knowledge and skills in our own fields of study and research, but also to equip ourselves with four indispensable skills, namely communication, critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity. The four Cs may not have been greatly stressed within the Japanese context so far due to the great value attached to respect and politeness, but it is about time we start to cultivate them in ourselves. In conclusion, I shared with the audience a quote by Brian Tracy about communications skills − that all the four Cs can be learned. They are not the skills we are born with. “It’s like riding a bicycle or typing. If you’re willing to work at it, you can rapidly improve the quality of every part of your life” and any institution you belong to.

This talk will give a brief overview of the history of Iran (also known as Persia), including var... more This talk will give a brief overview of the history of Iran (also known as Persia), including various aspects of Iranian culture such as the Persian language and literature, cuisine, and religions. In addition, the history of foreign language education in Iran will be discussed within its greater educational context.

TEFL programs in Iran have been offered for over two decades. However, the quality of these progr... more TEFL programs in Iran have been offered for over two decades. However, the quality of these programs has rarely been addressed. Considering PhD programs, service quality is of enormous significance since candidates get prepared for their future careers as prospective faculty members. Based on the findings of a recent study (Mehran & Alizadeh, 2015), there exists a set of challenges which can be categorized as the following: educational (e.g., inaccessibility to scientific databases, inadequate facilities, unprofessionalism, excessive workload), bureaucratic (e.g., entropy, red tape), economic (e.g., insufficient funding), and socio-cultural (e.g., irreverence, authoritarianism, power abuse, favoritism, unethical conducts). In this presentation, the obstacles standing in the way of Iranian academics will be discussed, and some solutions will be suggested.

The presenters will explain the history and writing system of the Persian language along with an ... more The presenters will explain the history and writing system of the Persian language along with an overview of Persian calligraphy. Participants will learn some survival phrases and how to write their names. This section will end with a hands-on activity to further expose the audience to the language.

Immerse yourself in an augmented reality enhanced learning environment by working in a group to ... more Immerse yourself in an augmented reality enhanced learning environment by working in a group to solve a series of puzzles and adventures using virtual and augmented reality technologies as learning technologist, Eric Hawkinson from TEDxKyoto Interactive guides you through the possibilities of mixed reality technologies for learning, engagement and more.
This course will lead students will focus on how technology can be used as a tool to strengthen communication skills. Though the learning and analysis of communication tools, students will take part in activities that talk about the way the use of technology is changing the way we communicate, from the invention of the printing press to mobile social gaming like the new wildly popular Pokemon GO. Students with interest in technology are encouraged to join this course.

Using augmented reality as a learning medium has some great benefits such as real world connectio... more Using augmented reality as a learning medium has some great benefits such as real world connections to content and learner customization. To discuss the challenges of design and implementation of creating AR learning environments, a variety of cases uses of AR in informal learning environments are introduced, discussed, and compared. The case uses are analyzed from the context of visual and learning design principles taken from other forms of learning media such as video, print, and web design. Concepts from mixed media learning design where low and high tech media are used together in learning, are projected on mixed reality learning, where a mixture of real world and digital contents are utilized in a learning environment for deeper analysis. The cases uses are drawn from a variety of different contexts. There will be examples of AR use in education, tourism, event organizing, and others. This is mainly geared to people creating learning environments in any industry a foundation to start implementation AR. The featured case use will be how AR was used at TEDxKyoto to engage participants. There will also be several student projects that use AR presented and available for demo. The conclusions include a list of design elements and implementation strategies for creating AR enhanced learning environments.

This is a short write-up on Google Expeditions for the the JALT MAVR SIG Newsletter, Volume 2, Is... more This is a short write-up on Google Expeditions for the the JALT MAVR SIG Newsletter, Volume 2, Issue 1. I wrote about Google Expeditions and how it can be used in classroom settings.

What Is MAVR? How to Bring MAVR to Your Classroom How We Made Augmented Reality a Reality at Osak... more What Is MAVR?
How to Bring MAVR to Your Classroom
How We Made Augmented Reality a Reality at Osaka University
What Inspired Us to Form the JALT MAVR SIG
How to Get Involved with the JALT MAVR SIG