Papers by Susan Meiki
International Journal of TESOL Studies
International Journal of TESOL Studies
International Journal of TESOL Studies, 2022
Ever since the switch from face-to-face to online classes in 2020, the greatest initial challenge... more Ever since the switch from face-to-face to online classes in 2020, the greatest initial challenge for teachers and students has been to adjust and adapt to the technology necessary for this change to happen. Some concerns included whether students had adequate connectivity to the internet, and if they had the necessary skills and technological know-how to participate actively in online classes. In this case study we address these concerns as well as identify additional pedagogical issues and examine how teaching of particular content may be better in an online context. One of the biggest challenges was how to transform a face-to-face Independent Study Course into one delivered online. Learners were encouraged to take charge of their learning as they were guided through the processes of setting goals, selecting materials, planning learning activities, monitoring progress, and assessing outcomes. As we worked to convert the course, we faced a number of issues. For example, how could we monitor student activities? How could we make sure they were getting enough opportunities to use what they learned? To explore these questions, we adopt a narrative style and describe how we modified and transformed the mode of delivery from face-to-face to online. We begin with a description of the original classroom-based course. Next, we discuss the challenges we faced moving online. We conclude by offering pedagogical recommendations in the hope that the lessons we learned will be of help to other educators interested in delivering similar courses.
Okayama Economic Review ( Okayama University), 2022
This paper is a refl ective practice and study of the development of a content-based intermediate... more This paper is a refl ective practice and study of the development of a content-based intermediate English course (over 550 TOEIC score) at a university in Japan. The design of this course utilized scaffolding strategies (Pawan 2008) to provide content and language integrated learning (CLIL) in the classroom. While planning to teach a basic cross-cultural communication (CCC) topics curriculum, a perceived need arose to design a course of study where students can critically engage in analysis from many cultural perspectives. In addition, another requirement of this course was that it must be capable of supporting L1 and L2 students of multiple levels of English ability from native level to intermediate English learners. It was decided to utilize a fi lm studies curriculum allowing students to gain knowledge of this particular skill. With a rich catalogue of fi lms to choose, the scaffolding of learning fi lm analysis techniques leads students on a path of awareness that enables them to compare and contrast differences in fi lm versions of Shakespeare's Hamlet. The end result was a course that raised student motivation and awareness to explore further outside the classroom thus creating autonomous students learning a language.
Many universities across Japan are introducing the class “Cross-Cultural Communication” (herein a... more Many universities across Japan are introducing the class “Cross-Cultural Communication” (herein after CCC) to their program. In Hiroshima, Japan, four such courses were discussed and compared at a local Japan Association of Language Teachers (JALT) meeting in spring of 2009. Not surprising, all four teachers presented logical, informative, and very interesting perspectives on this topic. One teacher presented a two-country comparison cross-cultural perspective, where historic eras in Japan and the USA were highlighted and cultural differences were compared and observed. Another teacher went all the way back and discussed various creationism beliefs with Japan and other countries. Another teacher, from a business school, had a unique experience of having students from many countries in class and used this opportunity to present business cross-cultural practices with practical workshops and debates. The fourth presentation, by myself, was of a cross-cultural, topics-based syllabus at ...
Multimedia presentation of information in instruction is widely used in many academic and busines... more Multimedia presentation of information in instruction is widely used in many academic and business settings around the world. The multimedia part of this instruction is not only the use of computers, but also includes textbooks with pictures, handouts, videos, etc., anything that uses “multiple” sources of media and multiple perceptions to learn. Today there is a need for a well-defined, wide-spread, and easy to remember definition of visual grammar for presentation software use in the classroom. This research presents the finding of three attributes of this visual grammar, background color, font style, and text density. A platform of presentation software was used to test and define these characteristics on student retention in a classroom setting. In addition, this research was conducted in Japan and the USA to ascertain if there is a cross cultural perceptual difference in retention of information.
Studies in The Humanities and Sciences, 2007
Many language educators are embracing new technologies to enhance the second language classroom. ... more Many language educators are embracing new technologies to enhance the second language classroom. Some examples are: internet sites, computer programs, listening to
podcasts, Moodle, e-learning labs, just to name a few. What if we introduce the technology to the students and have them create these content? Would their learning be more
accelerated? Would students take control of these learning opportunities? What about
motivation? How would the student react to other people reading or listening to their pronunciation and writing? This paper will address the semester long undergraduate course
titled “Advanced Oral Communication” for 4th year English majors in an all women’s
university. In this class, students wrote, recorded, edited and produced an English podcast program magazine called Ayamechan Podcast. The student results were varied and
some attitudes were positively changed as the semester progressed. As of the writing of
this article, 9 podcast episodes have been produced with over 600 downloads.
MindBrained Think Tank+, 2019
Graphic design has a powerful effect on subconscious processing and is more important than most p... more Graphic design has a powerful effect on subconscious processing and is more important than most people realize. This magazine article presents the research that has found that background color and font style have this kind of emotional impact and an effect on memory. With the increased usage of digital presentation software, this is especially important in the
classroom.
classroom. How does the font used on an instructor’s presentation slides affect the
information retained by students?
Interacting in a social learning space has been shown to help second language learners overcome t... more Interacting in a social learning space has been shown to help second language learners overcome their weaknesses in speaking English. Van Lier stated that “the autonomous learner should be able to answer the three issues of what, how and when to learn” (1996, p. 13). The “what” is determined by the student. The “how” is by talking to others, and the “when” is determined by their schedule. In this project, students were given an assignment to visit the L-café, a social learning space, and perform 15-minute conversations with foreign students. Students completed a self-evaluation task, designed to promote awareness of learning another language. Afterward, it was observed that students showed increased motivation by staying in the L-café over their allotted time. The researchers will introduce the L-café, the survey and an analysis of the data. They will conclude with implications on how a social learning space can affect learner motivation.
Universities across Japan are including courses entitled “Cross-Cultural
Communication” for stude... more Universities across Japan are including courses entitled “Cross-Cultural
Communication” for students majoring in English. This broad topic presents many
challenges to the course designer. Cross-cultural communication is an important
skill, but how do we as teachers teach this to our students? Content can focus on
social differences, cultural history, or values. Design formats can be task-based,
issues-based, or a lecture series. Focus can be the home country, one target country
(U.S. or U.K.), or many countries. If the students are mostly from one culture, how
can ideas be exchanged to expose students to different ways of thinking? After a
brief overview of definitions of cross-cultural communication, this paper will
describe a “topic-based syllabus” used for the past three years at a Japanese women’s
university. Some topics that were studied were gender differences, politics, business
practices, proxemics, and education systems.
Thesis Chapters by Susan Meiki
Multimedia presentation of information in instruction is widely used in many
academic and busines... more Multimedia presentation of information in instruction is widely used in many
academic and business settings around the world. The multimedia part of this
instruction is not only the use of computers, but also includes textbooks with pictures,
handouts, videos, etc., anything that uses “multiple” sources of media and multiple
perceptions to learn. Today there is a need for a well-defined, wide-spread, and easy to
remember definition of visual grammar for presentation software use in the classroom.
This research presents the finding of three attributes of this visual grammar, background
color, font style, and text density. A platform of presentation software was used to test
and define these characteristics on student retention in a classroom setting. In addition,
this research was conducted in Japan and the USA to ascertain if there is a cross cultural
perceptual difference in retention of information.
Talks by Susan Meiki
Biography and interview about my research interests and accomplishments for the Mind, Brain and E... more Biography and interview about my research interests and accomplishments for the Mind, Brain and Education SIG of JALT.
Teaching Documents by Susan Meiki
Okayama x SDGs, 2021
This is the 7th edition of the annual report about SDG activities at Okayama University. My proje... more This is the 7th edition of the annual report about SDG activities at Okayama University. My project report is on page 42. I am one of 4 foreign researchers to contribute to this edition. See page 42
An English version will be out for publication soon.
Uploads
Papers by Susan Meiki
podcasts, Moodle, e-learning labs, just to name a few. What if we introduce the technology to the students and have them create these content? Would their learning be more
accelerated? Would students take control of these learning opportunities? What about
motivation? How would the student react to other people reading or listening to their pronunciation and writing? This paper will address the semester long undergraduate course
titled “Advanced Oral Communication” for 4th year English majors in an all women’s
university. In this class, students wrote, recorded, edited and produced an English podcast program magazine called Ayamechan Podcast. The student results were varied and
some attitudes were positively changed as the semester progressed. As of the writing of
this article, 9 podcast episodes have been produced with over 600 downloads.
classroom.
classroom. How does the font used on an instructor’s presentation slides affect the
information retained by students?
Communication” for students majoring in English. This broad topic presents many
challenges to the course designer. Cross-cultural communication is an important
skill, but how do we as teachers teach this to our students? Content can focus on
social differences, cultural history, or values. Design formats can be task-based,
issues-based, or a lecture series. Focus can be the home country, one target country
(U.S. or U.K.), or many countries. If the students are mostly from one culture, how
can ideas be exchanged to expose students to different ways of thinking? After a
brief overview of definitions of cross-cultural communication, this paper will
describe a “topic-based syllabus” used for the past three years at a Japanese women’s
university. Some topics that were studied were gender differences, politics, business
practices, proxemics, and education systems.
Thesis Chapters by Susan Meiki
academic and business settings around the world. The multimedia part of this
instruction is not only the use of computers, but also includes textbooks with pictures,
handouts, videos, etc., anything that uses “multiple” sources of media and multiple
perceptions to learn. Today there is a need for a well-defined, wide-spread, and easy to
remember definition of visual grammar for presentation software use in the classroom.
This research presents the finding of three attributes of this visual grammar, background
color, font style, and text density. A platform of presentation software was used to test
and define these characteristics on student retention in a classroom setting. In addition,
this research was conducted in Japan and the USA to ascertain if there is a cross cultural
perceptual difference in retention of information.
Talks by Susan Meiki
Teaching Documents by Susan Meiki
An English version will be out for publication soon.
podcasts, Moodle, e-learning labs, just to name a few. What if we introduce the technology to the students and have them create these content? Would their learning be more
accelerated? Would students take control of these learning opportunities? What about
motivation? How would the student react to other people reading or listening to their pronunciation and writing? This paper will address the semester long undergraduate course
titled “Advanced Oral Communication” for 4th year English majors in an all women’s
university. In this class, students wrote, recorded, edited and produced an English podcast program magazine called Ayamechan Podcast. The student results were varied and
some attitudes were positively changed as the semester progressed. As of the writing of
this article, 9 podcast episodes have been produced with over 600 downloads.
classroom.
classroom. How does the font used on an instructor’s presentation slides affect the
information retained by students?
Communication” for students majoring in English. This broad topic presents many
challenges to the course designer. Cross-cultural communication is an important
skill, but how do we as teachers teach this to our students? Content can focus on
social differences, cultural history, or values. Design formats can be task-based,
issues-based, or a lecture series. Focus can be the home country, one target country
(U.S. or U.K.), or many countries. If the students are mostly from one culture, how
can ideas be exchanged to expose students to different ways of thinking? After a
brief overview of definitions of cross-cultural communication, this paper will
describe a “topic-based syllabus” used for the past three years at a Japanese women’s
university. Some topics that were studied were gender differences, politics, business
practices, proxemics, and education systems.
academic and business settings around the world. The multimedia part of this
instruction is not only the use of computers, but also includes textbooks with pictures,
handouts, videos, etc., anything that uses “multiple” sources of media and multiple
perceptions to learn. Today there is a need for a well-defined, wide-spread, and easy to
remember definition of visual grammar for presentation software use in the classroom.
This research presents the finding of three attributes of this visual grammar, background
color, font style, and text density. A platform of presentation software was used to test
and define these characteristics on student retention in a classroom setting. In addition,
this research was conducted in Japan and the USA to ascertain if there is a cross cultural
perceptual difference in retention of information.
An English version will be out for publication soon.