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| Elena's Abstract |
| TITLE: |
| ABSTRACT: Technological advances in Internet
delivery have allowed university course offerings to change from synchronous
to asynchronous. These changes have occurred so rapidly that Web-based (WB)
courses have proliferated without significant research as to their
effectiveness from a student’s perspective (Ewing-Taylor, 1999). Researchers
are aware that it is not sufficient to measure the effectiveness of WB
learning purely through testing and grades. Indeed, Marshall (1999) pointed
out that it is necessary to look at and evaluate the process of delivery and
attitudes toward various delivery methods as well as course components in
order to design more effective courses for Web delivery and to explore their
effectiveness. Five models of descriptive characteristics
(Demographic, Experiential, Motivational, Learning Styles, Instructional
Design (ID) Model) were singled out as having an impact on students’
satisfaction with the online course components (email, text, online threaded
discussions, web links, chat, video streaming, audio streaming, simulations,
and graphics). The purpose of this study is to evaluate which of the
above-mentioned models best predicts the online student
satisfaction/attitudes with the online course components using multiple
regression analysis. Data will be collected from 200 online undergraduate
students using an online questionnaire.
The findings of this study may lead educators to rethink the process of
ID. They may shift or adapt the traditional ID models and theories to
accommodate the new features of WB courses. At the very least, a deeper
understanding about the Web as a mode of delivery in distance education and
its effects on distance learning should emerge. Furthermore, the findings
from this research study may strengthen our understanding of how students’
internal characteristics affect learning outcomes in technology-mediated WB
environment. |
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| Steve's Abstract |
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Topic/Title: Strangers in a strange land: Stories of
language loss in children |
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What does it mean to lose a
language? Since a conference in 1980 at the University of Pennsylvania
first prompted research into the loss of language skills, otherwise known as
language attrition, there have been numerous attempts to examine how and why
people lose a language (Crawford, 1996; de Bot & Stoessal, 2000). There has
also been extensive research completed on what aspects of language are lost
(Kaufman & Aronoff, 1991; Kravin, 1992). Yet, there have only been a small
number of studies that have examined the socio-cultural and psychological
aspects of language attrition.
This multiple case study will
describe the effects of language attrition from a narrative and reflective
perspective. A comparative approach will be taken to examine the
commonalities and differences that are experienced by two groups of people
that frequently experience language attrition. The first group will be the
children of immigrants. In this case, the language that is lost is the
first language (L1). The second group is referred to in the literature as
global nomads or third culture kids (Pollock, 1999; Ender, 2002). These are
the children of foreign service, business, and military parents who
frequently move from country to country. In this group, the language that
is lost is a second language (L2).
The stories of the people involved
will provide a descriptive portrayal of what it means, on a very personal
level, to experience language loss. This narrative approach will lead to
greater understanding of the linguistic experiences of minority-language
children. As a result, it is hoped that greater attention can be given by
educators to the language development of minority-language children. |
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