Another Year of Successful Integration of Technology. A Case Study of a First-Year Japanese Language Course.

Abstract

This case study presents an on-going technology integration project in a Japanese language course at California State University, Sacramento. A team developed on-line materials, identified useful technologies as well as effective instructional approaches to facilitate learning. Through a survey and interviews, this study examines how students perceived the overall impact of these technologies on their Japanese language and culture learning. This study discusses how a technology-enhanced course helped students to be receptive to independent learning, attain Japanese language proficiency and cultural knowledge, learn collaboratively, increase their motivation, and improve their academic performance. In Year 2, in addition to the use of WebCT, an interactive multimedia language learning system (Diva©e Duo), and a high tech classroom, the team developed a web resource page using PHP, MySQL, and Flash. This study showcases innovative ways to incorporate these technologies into teaching.