MAVR Newsletter Volume 1, Issue 1 (November 2017) (original) (raw)
Related papers
MAVR Newsletter Volume 3, Issue 1 (January 2019)
MAVR Newsletter, 2019
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
Using MAVR to Bring New Dimensions to the Classroom
2017
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.
Around the World with Google Expeditions
2018
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.
2017
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.
JACET Kansai Journal (JACET関西支部紀要), 2018
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.