In foreign language learning, it is important that learners become autonomous and learn how to self-regulate their learning to continue language development. This article presents a self-evaluation procedure designed to promote self-regulation in speaking skills in a foreign language. This self-evaluation procedure was tested in a…

This paper illustrates the design-based learning (DBL) approach to promoting the deep learning of students and improving the quality of teaching in engineering design education. We performed three aspects of research with students in a typical educational activity. The first study investigated students' deep learning before and after the DBL…

Motivation is a decisive factor of human behaviour and professional performance. The motivational disposition of translators, interpreters, and students remains a relatively unexplored area. Motivational research carried out in the field of translation and interpreting has mainly focused on volunteer translation and interpreting. The present paper…

In formal learning spaces, students must navigate making meaning of both new knowledge and potentially new worldviews. In this qualitative grounded theory study, we examined how adult Buddhist monastic students learned about and described the origin of biodiversity in an introductory biology course. The study was conducted at a Tibetan settlement…

This study introduced an app, called Smart UEnglish, for helping EFL conversation practices in authentic contexts. These conversation practices were categorized into 'designed talk' and 'free talk', based on the content of an English textbook and authentic ambient environment that includes such things as transportation, weather and scenic…

A large proportion of students in the United States is international students. Thus, educational leaders need to facilitate the learning process for this population. This study investigated the characteristics of international students that affect their academic performance. The purpose of this study was to determine how individual characteristics…

Despite the growing body of studies on collocation learning in SLA research, there are hardly any studies taking the perspective of the individual learner or studies that have examined the effect of individual differences. This study--a qualitative component of a mixed-methods longitudinal project--presents an in-depth exploration of the intro-…

Research on vocabulary acquisition in digital game-based learning has been increasing over the years, with advancements in technology giving rise to numerous learning alternatives in second language acquisition. As virtual reality gaming offers new opportunities to explore its effectiveness in language learning, it is thus important to investigate…

Understanding of the differential washback effects of high-stakes tests on students' learning remains limited. This study attempts to fill this research gap by investigating the differential washback effects of the National Matriculation English Test (NMET) in China on students' English learning process across genders, grades and English…

It is widely accepted that effective blended learning initiates students into constructivist learning experiences by integrating face-to-face approaches with online technology. The Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework combines teaching, social, and cognitive presences to explore students' blended learning experiences from the perspectives of…

Interacting with native speakers in various types of virtual exchanges is becoming increasingly accessible for language learners and teachers around the world. The present study examined the experiences of beginning and intermediate level learners of Spanish in the United States as they interacted weekly with native Spanish speakers over the…

A variety of strategies and tools are used to assess students' learning on an ongoing basis in the context of everyday classroom experiences. Assessment information provides the foundation for decision making and planning for instruction and learning. This paper discusses about using Anecdotal Records as a tool to observe students' progress in the…

Individual differences (IDs) play an important role in the second language learning process and explain the varied experiences of the L2 learner. The two major IDs, language aptitude and motivation, can be primary factors in one's ultimate proficiency. While language aptitude is largely fixed, motivation is malleable and can aid in overcoming…

Directed Motivational Currents (DMCs), as the latest theoretical development of second language (L2) motivation research, warrant more empirical investigations. In light of this, the present paper reports the results of a questionnaire survey on the features of DMCs among 245 English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) learners at a technological…

This review uses research literature to outline the characteristics, benefits and disadvantages of formal, non-formal, and informal learning. There appears to be a consensus around the meanings of formal and informal learning. Formal learning broadly aligns with organised, institutionalised learning models (such as learning seen in schools),…