Lesson study at the foreign language university level in Japan

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine if a blended learning component can aid professional development, improve student ability and be approved at the foreign language level using the lesson study (LS) method at a university in Japan. Design/methodology/approach – This paper introduces the three main theoretical concepts of blended learning, learner autonomy and technology in education before explaining the LS in full. Two groups of students were taught using almost identical syllabus. One group, the A group were taught using computer rooms for two semesters, while the other (B) group were taught in regular classrooms without computers for one semester then with computers for the following semester. The impact on the student and teacher will be discussed. Findings – The findings of this study indicate that technology, in the form of a blended learning component added to a test-based curriculum, can enhance student test-scores, raise teacher and student awareness of technology and improve ability over a relatively short period. Practical implications – This study emphasizes the power of technology in modern day education. Through blended learning methodology this study proposes that teachers in the modern age should adopt some form of technology into their teaching technique. Originality/value – This paper is directed at teachers who are interested in integrating technology into their teaching techniques, through either computer aided or mobile assisted learning, but are slightly apprehensive in doing so. This study focuses on the introduction of an online and mobile digital flashcard tool called Quizlet. Very little literature exists in this field as the mobile application was only released in 2013.

A lesson study on a MOOC-based and AI-powered flipped teaching and assessment of EFL writing model: teachers' and students' growth

“…Furthermore, the endeavor has resulted in favorable enhancements in students' writing abilities and gained positive feedback from them, even though there are further efforts to be made. This echoes the findings of Lander's (2015) study.…”

“…The practice-based LS has the potential to assist teachers in identifying the most suitable technology for their instructional methods and acquiring the necessary skills to effectively utilize the technology in order to foster students' learning. Lander's (2015) LS investigated how teachers applied a digital vocabulary learning tool to improve students' foreign language ability at a Japanese university. The results yielded an enhancement in teachers' awareness of technology and students' test scores.…”

“…LS has been widely implemented in primary and secondary schools worldwide (Fang, 2017; Yalcin Arslan, 2018), and it has attracted increasing attention within the EFL education field (e.g. Lander, 2015; Zhang and Luo, 2022). However, LSs conducted in tertiary EFL education are still quite scarce (Lander, 2015; Zhang, 2021), and those focusing on college EFL education are even scarcer.…”

“…For language learners nowadays, technologies have availed rich self-learning resources and students, often referred to as the Digital Natives (Prensky, 2001), learn differently from the previous generations. This triggers an urgent need for teachers to keep pace and respond to their learning preferences and needs (Lander, 2015).…”

Quizlet: what the students think – a qualitative data analysis

“…. The author carried out a similar study to this one in 2014(Lander, 2015). However, that study analysed a different, and smaller set of data.…”