Earticle

Recently there has been heated debate on the nature of strategy assessment in task-absent situations where it might lead to learners’ over- or underreporting of the strategies they actually use. More specifically, it is argued that that learners need to be involved in the real process of completing a language task just before they are asked to report the strategies they use. The present study, thus, was aimed at investigating the effect of presence of tasks and task difficulty on advanced students’ reports of their listening strategy use. Results from the analysis of the data measured by the Listening Strategy Questionnaire and collected from 62 Advanced students, in three task conditions, indicated that (1) task condition (No Task, Easy Task, Difficult Task) has an effect on advanced EFL learners’ listening strategy use, and (2) considering each strategy subcategory under study, the subjects reported different frequencies of strategy use across the above task conditions. This was especially true for cognitive and memory strategies, whereas for compensation strategies the difference in frequency of strategy use across the three conditions was not statistically significant. The findings promise some implications for developing context-specific task design frameworks, and task-based strategy instruction and evaluation.

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether or not teaching and learning English using ICT in a high school English conversation class brings about the positive changes on students’ affective factors and communicative competence. Tasks from each unit of the English conversation textbook were reconstituted to carry out ICT using activities and ICT resources were selected which can provide supplementary or enriched lessons for the students. The findings of this study are as follows: Fisrt, communicative activities based on the teaching and learning model using ICT were effective in increasing high school students’ affective factors. Second, teaching and learning English using ICT showed statically meaningful improvement of the students’ listening ability. However, their speaking ability didn’t improve much because ICT was used just as the presentation tools for aiding the speaking activities. Third, students’ answers on the questionnaire and comments showed using on-line cafe in English class was useful for the students. In conclusion, teachers should make good use of ICT in high school English conversation classes. It would be better if ICT resources can be used as the supplementary or enriched learning materials relating to the topics or communicative functions of the textbook.

Aiming to provide low-cost MEC services for mobile devices in areas without/lacking infrastructure, we propose a renewable-energy-driven energy-harvesting-based task scheduling and energy management framework. First, for mobile devices, the constructed energy consumption minimization problem is solved by an alternating-optimization-based algorithm. Then, we design an energy management algorithm based on sampling average approximation to derive the optimal charging/discharging strategies, number of energy storage units, and renewable energy utilization. The simulation results show that the proposed framework can significantly reduce the cost of MEC servers and prolong the working hours of mobile devices.

Objective : This study aimed to develop prototypes of “smart stacking cones” by combining ICT to evaluate and train the upper extremity function and dual task performance in patients with central nervous system impairment, and to identify the complementary point to the completion of the device through a usability test. Methods : This prototype comprised of a hardware and software system that enabled the evaluation and training of patients and the management of data obtained from patients’ performance. Specific measurement variables were established so that patient performance could be measured correctly. Based on the measurement variables, a the prototype included a ‘single task evaluation modes’, ‘dual task evaluation mode’, ‘single task training mode’, and ‘dual task training modes’. Additionally, a usability test was conducted to assess clinical applicability and overall satisfaction for the prototype. Results : The results of the usability test were generally found to be appropriate. The ‘content adequacy’ in the usability test was the area with the highest level of adequacy and the lowest level of inadequacy. Additionally, overall ‘satisfaction’ in the usability test was the area with the highest appropriate and inappropriate levels. Hence, the overall satisfaction results were unstable. Conclusion : Future studies should be conducted to identify the clinical effectiveness of the device by applying an upgraded smart stacking cone to an actual patient group.

This paper presents a real-time vehicle detection and tracking system using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to address challenges in dynamic urban environments. The system combines a convolutional neural network (CNN) for vehicle detection with a deep Q-network (DQN)-based navigation policy for continuous tracking. Input images are enhanced using contrast limited adaptive histogram equalization (CLAHE) and unsharp masking. The CNN jointly predicts vehicle center coordinates and probabilistic heatmaps, while a self-attention module captures long-range spatial dependencies to improve detection under clutter and occlusion. The DQN is trained on multi-step spatiotemporal states to learn optimal UAV movement strategies under diverse weather and structural conditions. Experiments conducted in a three-dimensional (3D) urban simulation environment using Unity’s machine learning agents (ML-Agents) show that the self-attention design reduced pixel-level localization error by about 7%, and the DQN-based tracking policy achieved stable convergence after approximately 2000?3000 episodes. These results demonstrate high tracking accuracy and system stability, highlighting the potential of the proposed approach for real-world UAV-based traffic monitoring applications. 2018 The Korean Institute of Communications and Information Sciences. Publishing Services by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

This study examined the effects of task complexity and language proficiency on L2 written narrative production based on the analyses of 52 written narratives produced by Japanese high school students under different task complexity conditions. Task complexity was manipulated along the proposed task complexity dimension of Here-and-Now vs. There-and-Then in Robinson (2001a, 2006). Language proficiency was defined as scores on the Michigan English Placement Test (MEPT). In order to investigate the effects of task complexity and proficiency, four modes of production metrics were employed as dependent variables: accuracy, structural complexity, lexical complexity and fluency. The results showed that the effects of task complexity and language proficiency were largely independent; however, there were signs of interactions particularly in the cases of accuracy and lexical complexity.

Research on building linguistic and inter-cultural competence simultaneously is gaining more and more attention from EFL teachers and curriculum developers. In this paper it is argued that intercultural competence entails a broader spectrum that includes cultural knowledge and ways to undertake linguistic or intercultural tasks. The case study made in a tertiary institution in southwest China indicates that intercultural language teaching tasks can facilitate tertiary students to build both linguistic and intercultural competence through participation and interaction in EFL classroom.

Despite a myriad of studies documenting the educational benefits of digital storytelling (DST) on EFL learners’ language mastery, the majority of the research is not grounded in the theory of L2 instruction, say task based language teaching (TBLT). To fill this void, this action research involving 28 students investigated the efficacy of collaborative DST-based task in an Indonesian EFL writing classroom. Anchored in collaborative TBLT methodology instruction of Willis (1996) that met a set of task criteria coined by Ellis (2009), this study aimed to unveil the effect of collaborative DST-based task on the students’ writing skills; how the students perceived the use of the learning approach; and the challenges they encountered. The statistical evidence indicates that there was a significant difference on the students’ pre- and post-writing scores, which indicates that the use of collaborative DST-based task significantly improved students’ writing skills. The writing students perceived that the learning design could promote their English Language skills Development, engagement, motivation, and interpersonal relation. Another finding revealed that the students found the technological and pedagogical circumstances were their challenges. This study offers implications and recommendations for future research and practices for marrying TBLT and technology in ELT classrooms.

Task–based reading activities are of crucial value today, and consequently learners’ proficiency is more important than their abstract knowledge of language rules. It seems that learners’ familiarity with task-based reading activities may increase learners’ proficiency. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of task-based reading activities such as text completion and pupil generated questions on vocabulary learning and retention of Iranian intermediate EFL learners. To conduct the study, three intact classes of learners who had already finished Top Notch Fundamental A and B (Saslow & Ausher, 2011) in previous semesters in an English language institute were selected as the participants of the study. To ensure the homogeneity of the participants, those who got a score between 30-47 from the total score of 60 in OPT were selected as the intermediate level for main participants of the study (N=47). As the data were normally distributed, one way ANOVA and repeated measure ANOVA were employed for the statistical analyses of the study. The findings indicated that using task-based reading activities such as text completion and pupil-generated questions has significant and meaningful impacts on Iranian EFL learners’ vocabulary learning and retention. The implementations of the study are discussed.

As task-based language teaching (TBLT) has grown in popularity in many Asian EFL countries, it has sometimes been the target of criticism from locally situated researchers and teachers, who question its appropriateness for such contexts (Burrows, 2008), often in contrast to more traditional methods, such as the “presentation, practice, production” (PPP) approach (Sato 2009). Partially in response to this criticism, the Task Based Language Learning Special Interest Group (TBLSIG) of the Japanese Association for Language Teachers was formed in 2010 in order to contribute to research into the implementation of TBLT in Japanese and Asian EFL classrooms. As the majority of TBLSIG members are teachers, presently interested in using TBLT in classrooms, they provide an ideal source of insight into how the approach can be implemented effectively in Japan, and by extension, in other similar EFL countries in Asia. This study investigated these teachers’ beliefs about TBLT in Japanese classrooms through an online survey. The aim of the study was to add to existing research on teacher beliefs by not only investigating teachers’ understanding of the principles of TBLT, but also by enquiring into what special considerations practicing teachers have made when implementing TBLT in Japanese classrooms.

Background/Objectives: This paper aims to discuss the ways in which instructional design practices can be improved through the use of task-based learning and strategy-based instructional approaches. Methods/Statistical analysis: Recent studies on task-based language (TBL) and strategy-based approaches to language teaching were reviewed to discuss their implications for instructional design. Findings: The researchers found that task-based learning approaches can cultivate learner autonomy; however, it is necessary to provide the appropriate amount of scaffolding in order to ensure that learners do not construct false knowledge. Furthermore, strategies should also be taught to learners in order to become more successful learners. Some strategies include instructional strategies, like modeling, as well as learner strategies that involve recognizing lexical patterns and metacognitive strategies. Improvements/Applications: Through the implementation of TBL and SBI, instructional designers can create curricula that encourage learners to become more autonomous and effective foreign language learners.

Despite a great deal of research literature supporting task-based language teaching (TBLT), very little is known about how TBLT actually influences the EFL classroom in practical terms. This study thus attempts to provide a much-needed link between research and practice where TBLT is concerned. Specifically, this paper focuses on the impact of TBLT on Japanese EFL university students’ willingness to communication (WTC) in English. Administering McCroskey’s (1992) widely used WTC scale, the researchers measured the WTC of two groups of Japanese EFL university freshmen: 192 students who received task-based instruction (TBI) and 43 who received other types of instruction. Questionnaires were given at the beginning and at the end of the semester (after 16 weeks). The results of the questionnaires showed that the students that had received TBI had significantly increased their overall WTC scores, Group Discussion WTC scores and Public Speaking WTC scores over the course of the semester, while the WTC scores of the control group in all three sub-categories did not change much at all. Hence, providing some practical support to the psycholinguistic research literature advocating TBLT, this study was able to demonstrate some of the real-world benefits of TBLT in the Japanese EFL context.

This article reports the findings of an action research project, which investigated how university students would respond to Task-based Instruction (TBI), with the primary aim to examine its sociocultural appropriateness in the Japanese EFL context. The study employed a hybrid form of task-based and textbook-focused instruction in English classes at the tertiary level. A survey was administered to collect student feedback, which was examined qualitatively using thematic analysis. The analysis revealed that a majority of students positively viewed TBI in terms of main themes that emerged from the data: Social Skills Building; Personal Development; Future Usefulness, with English Learning as a common sub-theme. Pedagogical implications, as well as suggestions for further research, are discussed based on these findings.

Learner-centered classroom practices have been emphasized greatly in recent times since communicative language learning has become the major trend in the TESOL field. With the advancement of technology, language learners are able to directly and autonomously interact with native speakers of the target language and culture. The two-way communication via electronic mediums offers learners a meaningful context to engage in natural conversations with the aid of visual display on a monitor. This study intends to investigate the effectiveness of a task-based telecommunication in which 52 Taiwanese college students are paired with 52 American students to collaborate in three culturally related learning tasks. Quantitative and qualitative data serve as the evidence that the task-based CMC allows EFL students in large classes to gain individual feedback from language models (native speakers), as opposed to solely relying on the single authority (i.e. instructors) in the classroom to give input. The Taiwanese students’ learning behaviors, learning performance, and their motivations to communicate in target language had overall increased. Several suggestions with regard to online project design and execution are also presented to classroom practitioners and future researchers based on the findings of the present study.