This document summarizes a study that used PDAs to support communicative English classes at a university in Japan. The study aimed to design PDA-assisted interactive English classes with international students to simulate an English-speaking environment. Students used PDAs to record practice interviews, conduct peer interviews, and interview international students. Recordings and reports were uploaded to a learning management system. A survey found students viewed PDAs positively and the approach was successful in motivating students. However, issues like short battery life and wireless connectivity need to be addressed. Future work could explore using mobile phones and establishing cooperative learning through the learning management system.

1. Supporting Communicative
English Class Using PDAs
Noriko Uosakia, Hiroaki Ogatab,
Junko Matsumotoc, and Yoneo Yanod
a Center for General Education, The University of Tokushima, Japan
b,c,d Dept. of Information Science and Intelligent Systems
Faculty of Engineering, The University of Tokushima, Japan
n.uosaki@gmail.com

2. English Education in Japan

3. OUTLINE
1. INTRODUCTION
2. SYSTEM DESIGN
3. USER STUDY
4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
5. CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE
WORK

4. 1. INTRODUCTION (1/3)
◆Background
of this study:
Problems in EFL (English as a Foreign
Language) education in Japan
(1) Not supportive enough for the learners to
improve their communicative competence
◇
Traditionally, much emphasis is put on
reading and translation.
◇
.
Not enough number of communicative
English classes in universities

5. (2)
1. INTRODUCTION (2/3)
Evaluation Problem
“Communicative ability is best measured
situationally.” -Upshur, J.A. (1971)
Traditional way : face to face, one by one evaluation
・ heavy load for instructors
・ uses up class time
◆Solution:
as a digital recorder
・ will help make effective use of class time
・ ultimately will contribute to the improvement of
communicative competence of Japanese people

6. 1. INTRODUCTION (3/3)
International
Students
enhanced motivation
Mobile Devices
Recordablity
Mobility
LMS
Shared folder
Interactive
Learning
NEW PROJECT
Aim : To design PDA Assisted Interactive ESL Class
with International Students to make the students feel like
being in the place where English is spoken

7. 2. System Design (1/2)
PDA Assisted ESL Class

8. 2. System Design (2/2)
Learning Sequence in
PDA Assisted ESL Class
(1) Making Questionnaires
(2) Self-practice by Listening to the
Instructor’s Model Reading
(3) Peer-to-Peer Interview
(4) Interview with International Students
(5) Dictation and Summary Report

9. 3. User Study (1/3)
The target class :
20 sophomore students (11 males, 9 females)
majoring in pharmaceutical sciences.
Four consecutive classes out of total of 15
classes during spring semester 2007.

10. 3. User Study (2/3)
Procedures (1/2)
(1) Making 20 questions submitted to LMS
Preparation for international interview
◆ Upload to LMS
◆
(2) Practice 20 questions and record by PDA
The instructor’s model reading recorded in Audio
Portfolios (http://www.audioportfolios.com/ )
◆ Students listen, practice, make recording by PDA
and upload to LMS
◆
(3) Peer-to-Peer Interview using PDA
Pair work interview recorded by PDA
◆ Upload to the shared folder of LMS
◆

11. 3. User Study (3/3)
Procedures (2/2)
(4) Interview with International Students
・ Four volunteer international students recruited.
・ Each international student got interviews from
five students during 90-minute-class
(5) Dictation and Summary Report
・ Upload the recorded files to LMS
・ Listen and Dication
・ Upload the Summary Reports to
LMS

12. 4. Results and Discussion(1/3)
4.1 Students’ views (1/2)
The Result of the Five-point-scale Style
Survey
T

13. 4. Results and Discussion(2/3)
4.1 Students’ views (2/2)
Comments from the students about PDA
・
・
・
・
・
・
・
・
able to use the Internet wherever we are
easy to make a recording
handy and convenient
quick start-up
like a small computer
terrific
running out of battery quickly
troublesome to input by small pen(stylus)

14. 4. Results and Discussion(2/3)
4.2 The instructor’s view (1/2)
◆ Advantages of the use of PDA with LMS
 The recordability of PDA helped make an effective interactive
learning.
 Its usability (easy to record, quick start-up) helped make efficient
use of class time.
 Its mobility helped conduct interview session smoothly and
successfully.
 Novelty effect of new technology helped enhance students’
motivation.
 Digital recording by PDAs and uploading recorded files and
summary reports to LMS helped save the instructor’s time and labor
to carry things like cassette tapes and papers.
 Digitalization of both spoken and written English eased the
instructor’s concern about losing data.

15. 4. Results and Discussion(3/3)
4.2 The instructor’s view (2/2)
◆ Disadvantages of the use of PDA with LMS
 Unstableness of wireless LAN, which might not directly be
related to PDA function itself, caused loss of class time.
 Short duration of battery and bother of using stylus caused some
user unfriendliness.
 It was difficult to run the class without help from some technical
staffs.
 Its implementation is costly. The model used here cost about
60,000yen (US$600) per each. Therefore it might be difficult for
this project to be applied in emerging countries.

16. 5. Conclusions and Future Works (1/2)
Aim of this study :To design PDA
Assisted ESL Class to make it look like
being in the place where English is spoken
◆ Conclusions
The survey shows that it was successful in a sense that
the students gave the highest average score of 4.42 and that
the students’ free comments show that most students made
favorable remarks (6 favorable & 2 unfavorable comments).

17. 5. Conclusions and Future Works
◆
future works
(2/2)
1) Cost problem : use of mobile phones
100 percent reported owning a mobile phone
(Thornton and Houser 2005).
2) How to recruit international students : need to
establish a new system
3) Cooperative Learning : more effective use of
shared files in the LMS
・ Vote for the best interviewer : help reduce
instructors’ burden of evaluation
・ Enhancement of motivation.

18. Thank you for your attention!