• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.215-235
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• 2006

This paper explores the effects of two different methods of instruction for 106 low-level Korean learners of English at a college in learning request expressions. Both of the methods contained the focus-on-form and function characteristics, while the degree of explicitness for input enhancement was differentiated. Abundant email samples written by English native speakers for the input were provided and email writing practice for the output was proceeded for both groups of the students in the treatment sessions. The numbers of target forms used in pretest and posttest results were compared quantitatively: The tests included email writing and open-ended Discourse Completion Test (DCT). The results indicated that the target pragmatic features were slightly better learned under the condition of relatively high degree of explicit instruction with metapragmatic information, even though the difference was statistically insignificant. In addition, the students' use of request strategies both in email and DCT was affected positively by the treatment with email input and output. That is, the students applied the request strategies they learned through email into their oral production (open-ended DCT) as well as their email writing. Further study on the output effect of target features in advancing pragmatic competence is suggested.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.23-47
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• 2011

This study investigates the effect of peer tutoring and peer tutor training program on Korean university students' EFL writing. Six tutors and twelve tutees have participated in the experiment. The tutors were divided into untrained and trained groups each of which was assigned to teach six tutees. The three peer tutors in the experimental group received training on how to give peer tutoring. After the pre-test, the tutees wrote series of drafts on three topics and received written feedback from their peer tutors via email. The results of the post-test showed improvement in writing scores in both groups. The tutees in the trained peer tutor group, however, showed much greater improvement. Their improvement was also more consistent, and the score differences between the two groups increased over time. Analysis of the peer tutors' written feedback indicated that the trained tutors focused more on the higher order concerns in writing than the untrained ones did. In the questionnaire all tutees responded positively to the peer tutoring experience. The results indicate that peer tutor training programs may have beneficial effects on Korean university students' writing abilities especially in the elements of higher order concerns.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.221-238
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• 2006

This study investigates the reliability of plagiarism measurement in the ESL essay writing context. The current study aims to address the answers to the following research questions: 1) How does plagiarism measurement affect test reliability in a psychometric view? and 2) how do raters conceive the plagiarism in their analytic scoring? This study uses the mixed-methodology that crosses quantitative-qualitative techniques. Thirty eight international students took an ESL placement writing test offered by the University of Illinois. Two native expert raters rated students' essays in terms of 5 analytic features (organization, content, language use, source use, plagiarism) and made a holistic score using a scoring benchmark. For research question 1, the current study, using G-theory and Multi-facet Rasch model, found that plagiarism measurement threatened test reliability. For research question 2, two native raters and one non-native rater in their email correspondences responded that plagiarism was not a valid analytic area to be measured in a large-scale writing test. They viewed the plagiarism as a difficult measurement are. In conclusion, this study proposes that a systematic training program for avoiding plagiarism should be given to students. In addition, this study suggested that plagiarism is measured reliably in the small-scale classroom test.

• Journal of Engineering Education Research
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.22-33
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• 2014

This paper presents a comparative study on the effectiveness of teaching an engineering course using English with Specific Purpose(ESP). A study was performed using student groups; one class using ESP, and one class conducted in English with an English text. The course conducted using ESP showed the greatest improvement in English writing and conversation, and the students reported a greatly increased confidence in their ability to function professionally using English. A self-assessment of each student was conducted before and after the courses. Prior to the course less than 10% in each group felt that they are able to: a) understand a textbook, b) write an email, c) generate a project report, or d) follow a lecture given in English. The survey at the end of the course showed that the ESP teaching style resulted in significant improvements in students ability and confidence with writing and speaking in English, whereas reading skills were similar for both groups. This is due to the ESP method, in which students are required to give presentations and keep journals in English. After a brief review of the ESP principles and a discussion of how they were implemented, the background data of the participants(students) are described. Finally, the end-of-semester survey highlights the efficacy of the ESP approach.

• International conference on construction engineering and project management
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• 2022.06a
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• pp.500-507
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• 2022

COVID-19 pandemic forces college education to be rapidly switched from face-to-face education into remote education. Two inconsistent findings exist in previous study about remote learning. First, studies before COVID-19 pandemic found remote learning is an effective method, which provided students with higher achievement and improved their work-life balance. However, studies showed remote learning during COVID-19 pandemic is not as effective as expected because of technical issues, lack of motivations and even mental health issues. Second, findings from studies about remote learning impacts on workload and productivity during COVID-19 are also inconsistent. Therefore, this study aims to quantitatively measure college students' workload and productivity during COVID-19 of different types of tasks to provide a comprehensive and latest evaluation on remote learning. The findings of this study show remote learning slightly increases college students' total listening and speaking tasks workload, total reading and writing tasks workload. Furthermore, phone call, in-person meeting, online meeting and email workload increase significantly in remote learning. However, productivity for both listening and speaking, reading and writing tasks decreases after remote learning but no significant changes of productivity are found.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.273-279
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• 2018

This study aimed at providing a comprehensive account of the sources and causes of errors in business emails that Korean college students wrote using a translation machine. Data were collected from 21 emails written by the students who took a business English course. Findings indicated that the students tended to make frequent errors in verb use and verb tense as well as a definite article, countable/noncountable nouns, time adverbs and prepositions. Therefore, the study suggested that the students' common errors imply that they experience some difficulties learning these linguistic features. Given that learners' errors can give us valuable insights into teaching and learning how to write in English, pedagogical suggestions are put forward based on the study results.

• Journal of Arbitration Studies
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.155-178
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• 2009

The ODR can be categorized into four distinctive types. First type is the asynchronous non-demeanour method. Second type is the asynchronous demeanour method. Third type is the synchronous demeanour method. Fourth type is the synchronous demeanour method. A typical example of the asynchronous and non-demeanour method is e-mail. The example of the synchronous and non-demeanour method is tele conference. The example of the asynchronous demeanour method is video recordings. The example of synchronous and demeanour method is video conference. The primary benefit of e-mail is to avoid the physical violence. But the costs of email is the lack of emotional aspects of disputants. The benefits of tele conference is ease of use, and reduces the negative aspects of face to face communication. but the costs are limitation of the exchange of written information. The benefits of video conference is the approximation of face to face communication by providing oral as well as visual communication. but it is insufficient to represent eye contact. The common limitations of ODR are as follows. First is the lack of human face. Second is the neutrality of arbitrators and mediators. Third is the authenticity of electronic document. Fourth is the digital divide across South and North and generations. Fifth is the cross-cultural communication. The development strategy of ODR is the training and education of arbitrators and mediators in the area of writing skill. Furthermore, it is necessary to supplement the weakness of email via diverse kinds of expressions to show emotions. Finally, it is necessary to train neutrals in the area of cross-cultural communication.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.91-100
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to provide basic data for the selection of educational contents when developing a course for cultivating global business communication competence. Reviewing previous studies on sub-elements of global competence, the researcher selected the sub-elements of global business communication competence. A survey was conducted on 148 employees of 20 companies regarding the importance of the sub-elements of global business communication competence. As a result, it was concluded that the sub-elements of relatively high importance-English email writing, reading and understanding of English materials and documents, telephone English, business English conversation, understanding of other cultures, communication skills, business knowledge-should be included in the educational contents of a course for cultivating global business communication competence.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• no.5
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• pp.49-62
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• 1999

Education systems throughout the world encourage their students to learn languages other than their native one. In Australia, our Education Boards provide students with the opportunity to learn European and Asian languages. French, German, Chinese and Japanese are the most popular languages studied in elementary and high schools. This choice is a reflection of Australias European heritage and its geographical position near Asia. In most non-English speaking countries, English is the foreign language most readily available to students. In Korea, the English language is actively promoted by the Education Department and, in less official ways, by companies and the public. It is impossible to be anywhere in Korea without seeing the English language alongside or intermingled with Korean. When I ask students why they are learning English, I receive answers that include the word globalization and the importance of English throughout the world. When I press further and ask why they personally are learning English, the students mention passing exams, usually high school tests or TOEIC, and the necessity of passing the latter to obtain a good job. Seldom do I ever hear anything about communication: about the desire to talk with other people in English, to read novels or poetry in English, to understand movies or pop-songs in English, to chat on the Internet in English, to search for information on the Internet in English, or to email pen-pals in English. Yet isnt communication the only valid reason for learning a language? We learn our native language to communicate with those around us. Shouldnt we set the same goal for learning a foreign language? In my opinion communication, whether it is reading and writing or speaking and listening, must be central to language learning. Learning a language to pass examinations is meaningless unless those examinations are a reliable indicator of the ability of the student to communicate. In previous eras, most communication in a foreign language was through reading novels or formal letters. This required a thorough knowledge of grammar and a large vocabulary. Todays communication is much less formal. Telephone conversations, tele-conferences, faxes and emails allow people to communicate regularly and informally. Reading materials are also less formal as popular novels and newspapers are available world-wide. Movies and popular songs have added to the range of informal communication available. Finally travel has ensured that people from different cultures will meet easily and regularly. This informal communication requires less emphasis on grammar and vocabulary and more emphasis on comprehension and confidence to speak. Placing communication central to language learning has important implications for the Education system and for teachers.