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There is an increasing amount of research into corpus-based study as a pedagogical approach in language learning. This is most commonly known as datadriven learning (DDL) and can refer to both computer-based and paper-based activities. Despite the growing interest, the vast majority of published research into DDL investigates university students and there is a serious lack of inquiry into children and adolescents. This paper seeks to add to the limited knowledge that currently exists on pre-adolescent learners. Present research into young learners primarily investigates corpus-supported or paper-based learning; therefore, the aim of this particular study is to compare the latter with direct corpus use in order to help improve our understanding of young learner attitudes toward both forms of DDL. A small-scale, mixed-methods study was designed to investigate the perceptions and attitudes of Japanese sixth-grade elementary school students toward EFL corpus-based activities. Five participants took part in a month-long course of four one-hour online sessions, with data collected via a pre-study survey, post-class questionnaires, and post-study interviews. Results show that students display a very favorable attitude toward DDL activities, with a clear preference for paper-based activities over computer-based activities. The findings also highlight the importance of 'scaffolding' in young learner education and the potential obstacles that must be overcome to ensure that DDL activities can be successfully implemented in the EFL young learner classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As internationalization in the learning environment is still developing in Japan, there is a need for further practical research in foreign language education which embeds international cooperative learning. The study reported in this paper aimed to explore the effectiveness of Intercultural Cooperative Project-Based Learning (IC-PBL) based on the integration of foreign language education and tourism education, aiming to develop the necessary skills for collaborating with people from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Working in the context of a Japanese university, we designed IC-PBL to incorporate the acquisition of knowledge of tourism, tour guide conversation training, field investigation of tourist destinations, and presentation of travel itineraries. Learning outcomes were evaluated based on the concept of Fundamental Competencies for Working Persons (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, 2017) utilizing both quantitative and qualitative analysis. The study shows that the competencies for independence, ability to reach out to others, creativity, and ability to cope with stress were enhanced through the IC-PBL practice. In addition, learners recognized that collaborative learning experiences supported their improvements in thinking and teamwork within the framework of the Fundamental Competencies for Working Persons. This IC-PBL model shows potential as an effective instructional design to integrate foreign language education and tourism education and promote the ability to work with diverse people towards a common goal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The focus of this study is to explore the relationship between the linguistic and cultural learning processes that four female Chinese university exchange students perceived in Japan over one academic year. Two data collection instruments were employed: participants' diary entries and follow-up interviews with the four participants during the study-abroad period. A grounded theory approach was employed for data analysis. The main finding was that none of the Chinese sojourners' experiences during their study abroad represented the models of conceptualizing adaptive changes (Lysgaard, 1955; Oberg 1960). Furthermore, at a linguistic level, the sojourners experienced language shock at the initial arrival stage while at the cultural level, they came to develop negative attitudes towards their hosts over time. In the perceptions of linguistically- and culturally-specific restructuring processes in the host environment, with the impact of rich formal classroom instruction and learning in the home country, the sojourners were constructing dual identities negotiated with age and gender (cf. Ting-Toomey, 2005). On one level, they wished to celebrate their youth with hosts of the same generation by becoming involved in similar linguistic usage. On another, they wanted to behave in a polite manner like elderly women at linguistic and cultural levels. This study also discusses theoretical implications for diaries as a base research tool and methodological implications for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The notion that digital games can be effectively employed as tools for learning and teaching has steadily been gaining traction among educational theorists and researchers, with numerous empirical studies pointing to the potential benefits of games for skill and knowledge development. However, a solid understanding of learners' attitudes and concerns regarding this relatively novel pedagogical approach is also necessary for effective implementation in formal learning contexts. It cannot be taken for granted that today's learners will accept game-based approaches simply because these learners tend to be more accustomed to advanced technologies than those of previous generations. The aim of this mixed-methods empirical study is thus to help elucidate learner beliefs and attitudes regarding digital game-based language learning with survey data collected from 112 undergraduate student participants at a large public university in Japan. The findings reveal that learners generally held positive attitudes towards DGBLL before taking part in any intervention and, after playing a cooperative digital game over six weekly sessions, reported stronger positive attitudes towards this pedagogical approach. In contrast to the results of earlier studies, gender was not found to be a statistically significant predictor of attitude towards DGBLL in this sample. However, two other demographic factors, namely information technology literacy and digital gaming experience, correlated positively with several measures of attitude. The learners considered enjoyment to be the most important advantage of using digital games for language learning. However, many also expressed doubts regarding the effectiveness of game-based language education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital game-based language learning (DGBLL) is a field that promotes language learning by combining game entertainment and mechanics inducive to learning. Researchers have proposed evidence of various language-learning benefits, yet downsides persist, such as negative stigmas, a lack of participation of non-gamers, and potential adverse consequences from splitting one's attention between controlling the gameplay and learning language. Recently, watching gameplay popularity has seen exponential growth, yet the potential for language-learning applications has not been considered. Soliciting stakeholders' experience, attitudes, and perceived effectiveness is a critical determiner of user adoption for new technologies and predicting implementation success. This study first addresses the merit of watching gameplay as a pedagogical method through an overview of the available literature, concentrating on areas of insufficiency and opportunity. It then investigates students' experience and perceptions to consider feasibility from a practical standpoint through a survey of 139 university students in Japan. The main findings include a higher proportion of watchers than players, including a higher percentage of females, and positive responses regarding ease of use, learning opportunities, and preference, especially for learners who play or watch games. But learners also expressed a need for scaffolding support while voicing limitations in the perceived quality and practicality of the learned language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]