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This study investigated the role of competition in academic settings by conceptualizing competitive engagement and examining how competition self-efficacy defined as confidence in one's ability to outperform others could mediate learner engagement and self-determination to learn English as a foreign language (EFL). Within the context of a videoconference EFL course, a cross-sectional research design was employed during the fourth semester of remote teaching in South Korea due to COVID-19. Statistically significant relationships existed among variables. Students reported high levels of cognitive and behavioral engagement but low levels of competitive engagement. Through structural modeling, competitive engagement emerged as a conceptually unique form of engagement. The relationship between competitive engagement and self-determination to learn English when attending an EFL videoconference course was fully mediated by competition self-efficacy. Partial mediation was observed in the relationship between cognitive engagement and self-determination. These findings suggest that both competitive and cognitive engagement are powerful indicators of learning outcomes, especially when learning EFL.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created many formidable challenges for educational institutions around the world. This case study sought to gain insight into South Korean university students' satisfaction with online learning during the pandemic. It also obtained participant recommendations for improving online learning. Participants included 20 South Korean students studying at a university in central South Korea. Data included open-ended surveys, a focus group, and semi-structured interviews. Most students had mixed feelings in regard to satisfaction with online classes. A salient result is a need for more interaction in online classes. Students also provided a wide range of recommendations to improve online learning. Through these recommendations, university educators and administrators can better optimize online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic and after the crisis has dissipated.

The issue addressed here concerns how second language (L2) speaking strategies mediate the relationship between L2 writing strategies and the social presence component of the community of inquiry (CoI) framework within the context of fully online courses that combined learning management system (LMS) for writing tasks and videoconferencing for live classroom discussion. L2 writing strategies related to planning and reviewing contribute to composing tests that students want to upload, present, and discuss, and this sharing is expected to foster classroom social behaviors and consequent language gains. For the current study, a cross-sectional survey of 256 university students was initiated to investigate the mediating effect L2 speaking strategies have on the relationship between L2 writing strategies and social presence. The results indicated positive path coefficients between review strategies and speaking strategies, review strategies and social presence, planning strategies and speaking strategies, and speaking strategies and social presence. Further, speaking strategies explain the relationship between planning strategies and social presence, indicating full mediation. Partial mediation was found for the path between review strategies and social presence. Recognizing how L2 writing and speaking strategies relate to one another and how that relationship influences a CoI illustrates the interconnectivity between language skills. Evidently, increased attention to planning and reviewing strategies results in a final composition worth sharing and discussing, and such sharing and discussion are building blocks to a vibrant social presence.

Mapping multivariate influence of learner characteristics on behavior highlights models in learning. To this end, we explored the relationships between strategies and learning characteristics and used regression analysis to understand how learner characteristics predict learning strategy choices. A cross-sectional research design with 175 students revealed high levels of strategy use, with statistically significant correlations within and between Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL; Oxford, 1990) and Student Characteristics of Learning (SCL; Artelt, Baumert, Julius-McElvany, & Peschar, 2003) scales. Regression analyses revealed differences in the types of learner characteristics predicting strategy use, most notably between direct and indirect strategy categories. Instrumental motivation was predictive for both direct and indirect SILL subcomponents, while self-efficacy influenced memory, cognitive and compensation strategies, and persistence predicted reported levels of metacognitive and affective strategy choice. Moreover, a negative path coefficient existed from persistence to compensation strategies and from competition to memory strategies, indicating mediation and overall rich complexity in how learner characteristics influence behavior.

Social networking for language learning (SNLL) entails students practicing second language (L2) writing on social media platforms like Facebook. Language learning through social media activities occurs through active participation resulting in language output. This examination of how L2 output influences language learning highlights the importance of interactions when participating on social network sites. Self-efficacy refers to confidence to succeed and task value refers to the value SNLL has towards helping students meet their language learning goals. Self-efficacy and task value in the context of SNLL are two motivational factors that influence participation and, consequently, language acquisition. This quantitative study surveyed a group of students (n = 203) who participated in a six-week SNLL program in South Korea to investigate the relationships among task value, self-efficacy, and participation. Furthermore, a mediation model was carried out. Results showed that self-efficacy completely mediates the relationship between task value and participation, indicating that increasing levels of self-efficacy explain the relationship between the value SNLL contributes to language learning goals and participation in EFL class Facebook groups. Results-driven pedagogical implications on SNLL are given.

This is the protocol for a Campbell systematic review. The proposed systematic review question is: What is the effectiveness of arts interventions for at-risk and offending children and young people (8-25 years)? There are three objectives: (1) To evaluate evidence on the effectiveness and impact of arts interventions on keeping children safe from involvement in violence and crime; (2) To synthesise evidence on factors impacting the implementation of arts interventions, and barriers and facilitators to participation and achievement of intended outcomes; (3) To develop a theory-of-change approach to ensure the development of an evidence-led framework of the processes by which arts interventions might work in preventing offending behaviours.

Background: Language learners are taking advantage of the increased accuracy afforded by machine translation (MT) tools like Google Translate. There is a growing debate as to whether these tools support or hinder English as a foreign language (EFL) education. Some EFL students are drawn to MT tools to save time and energy when communicating, but how this use relates to second language acquisition needs to be clarified. Objective: This study investigated the perceptions and practices of MT tools among university EFL students in Saudi Arabia and South Korea. Methods: The study surveyed Saudi (n = 310) and South Korean (n = 160) university students to explore the use of MT tools in EFL learning. It used mean scores, correlation analysis, and structural equation modelling to understand the perceived benefits and limitations of MT tools and their influence on the use of translation websites. The findings were triangulated using content analysis of open-ended items. Results and Conclusion: Findings indicate students showed a high level of acceptance and utilization of MT tools. English avoidance behaviour (B = 0.43), benefits (B = 0.32), and foreign language proficiency (B = -0.19) predicted 61% of actual use of MT tools like Google Translate. Further, students frequently used MT tools despite the reported concerns about accuracy mistakes. Saudi students listed a more comprehensive array of why they use MT tools than Korean students, while Saudis and Koreans frequently used MT tools for individual word and sentence translations. Implications: Students should edit MT output when writing and are encouraged to use the voice recording and other functions of MT tools to learn language skills. Instructors must prevent overuse and dependency on MT tools, especially among low-proficiency students who want to avoid using English.

This mixed method case study examines South Korean university students' social and academic interactions with international students. Data included a closed-ended survey, an open-ended survey, and a focus group. The participants comprised university students studying at a mid-sized university in central South Korea. Results indicate that students generally feel indifferent about interacting with international students and stated that communication barriers and lack of contributions by international students on assignments lead to less interaction. Moreover, quantitative data reveals a lack of interest in interacting with international students. To improve interaction, students recommended providing more opportunities to communicate in the classroom and taking intercultural communication classes to increase understanding of diverse cultures. Additionally, students recommended sharing dorm rooms with international students, creating more social activities for interaction, and developing language, culture, and mentoring programs. Various practical and theoretical implications are discussed to help improve social and academic interactions and increase intercultural communication on campus.

Young adults will be the next generation of leaders, and it is critical for them to be cognizant of major issues that impact society. Unification is a significant issue in South Korea, especially in light of the recent summits between South and North Korea. This study is rooted in principles of peace education to promote peaceful discourse related to unification issues. Unification education plays an important role in K-12 education in South Korea; however, it is not prioritized at the university level. This case study, which included open-ended surveys, interviews, and focus groups, explored South Korean university students' (n=33) views of creating short-term classes on unification and the types of topics that they think should be taught in these classes. Primary results indicate that most participants expressed interest in taking short-term classes on unification issues. The paper also includes practical implications that can be considered when developing short-term classes on unification in South Korean universities.

Different genres of writing entail various levels of syntactic and lexical complexity, and how this complexity influences the results of Automatic Writing Evaluation (AWE) programs like Grammarly in second language (L2) writing is unknown. This study explored the use of Grammarly in the L2 writing context by comparing error frequency, error types and writing complexity for university admission test essays, textbook-based descriptive essays, social network site (SNS) posts, and SNS comments. Several findings were revealed. Punctuation, grammar, vocabulary, and spelling mistakes were the most common error types across all corpora. In particular, determiner errors such as article usage were most frequent while differences existed across corpora related to incomplete sentences, run-on sentences, and spelling. Test-based and textbook-based compositions consisted of longer sentences with less lexical variation than SNS-based writing. SNS posts and comments produced greater noun, verb, and modifier variation. After applying Grammarly corrections, SNS posts resulted in the greatest clarity and this was attributed to shorter sentence length and simpler word-choice than textbook-based and test-based writing. Grammarly was more appropriate for local surface-level errors (e.g. articles, preposition, and verb-noun agreement) while instructors are needed for issues related to awkward wording and cohesion. Pedagogical implications in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context are given.

Second language (L2) writing strategies are essential for successful learning outcomes in courses with a substantial writing component and this is especially true during emergency remote teaching (ERT) when online writing tasks help compensate for the missing offline communication. Online writing tasks are multimodal and interactive, and widely delivered through assignment modules, discussion forums, social media, and other online channels, yet little is known pertaining to L2 writing strategies and online writing beliefs. The current study investigates the types of L2 writing strategies students employed during ERT in the midst of COVID-19 and then used structural modeling to understand how strategies relate to online writing task perceptions, L2 writing anxiety, and L2 writing proficiency. The four L2 writing strategy categories are related to planning, monitoring, reviewing, and translating. Following a cross-sectional survey design, a total of 256 South Korean EFL students completed the study's questionnaire administered during their second semester of ERT. Overall, students reported using planning and monitoring strategies the most while using moderate levels of translation and review strategies. Translation strategies produced a significant positive relationship with L2 writing anxiety, indicating effort-avoidance behavior among apprehensive writers. Contrarily, planning and review strategies were positively associated with increased levels of perceived benefits with online writing tasks. When added to the model, the statistically significant correlations among monitoring category and outcome variables vanished, indicating a mediation effect. Along with addressing future directions in L2 writing strategy research in the post-COVID era, some pedagogical implications for the evolving application of translation strategies are discussed.

This study uses the technology acceptance model (TAM) to help explain how the use of technology influences learning outcomes emanating from engagement with the Zoom video conference platform. To this end, structural equation modeling was used to analyze the relationships among the TAM variables in reference to Zoom taught during the COVID-19 pandemic. Following a cross-sectional research design, data were collected using Davis's TAM (1989) scales including perceived ease of use (PEoU), perceived usefulness (PU), behavioral intentions, and attitude from 321 South Korean university students attending their 10th week of English as a foreign language (EFL) conversational English classes. Results revealed that seven of the ten proposed hypotheses were confirmed, with path coefficients having small to large effect sizes. Most notably, PEoU with Zoom strongly affected PU and actual use. In addition, PU with Zoom predicted intentions to use Zoom in the future; however, it failed to influence perceived learning outcomes. While PU predicted future use, it did not influence actual use regarding how well students reported their current performance in their video conference course. PEoU with video conference tools was an influential antecedent to usefulness, attitude, and perceived learning outcome. Lastly, two notable instances of mediation through PU occurred. In consideration of findings, students and instructors should be well trained on the use and functionality of video conference software before its implementation in video conference classrooms.

Purpose: Online learning and the use of technology-based learning management systems (LMS) are on the rise in higher education. The purpose of this study is to explore how the frequent use of these LMS mediates the relationship between three types of learner interactions and student outcomes. Design/methodology/approach: This was an exploratory study using surveys that collected information on students' use of LMS, their interactions and student outcomes. The participants of this study consisted of 362 undergraduate students from a South Korean University who were taking online classes as part of their degree. Findings: The findings support existing research that increased learner interactions have positive effects on learning outcomes. However, some of the positive effects were reduced when considering the effect of higher levels of LMS use. In particular, learner-to-learner interactions. Research limitations/implications: This information will enable educators to identify, measure and evaluate their online courses and consider how to integrate LMS use effectively. Results imply that focus may need to be on how learner to learner interactions can be best supported through the application of LMS. Practical implications: This information will enable educators to identify, measure and evaluate their online courses and consider how to integrate LMS use effectively. Social implications: Learner-to-learner interaction through social networking platforms may be more beneficial in socially constructing knowledge than formalizing interaction through LMS. Originality/value: This study contributes to the field of online learning by suggesting that the importance of some types of learner interactions may be overestimated in relation to the importance of LMS use.

During the COVID-19 outbreak, students had to cope with succeeding in video-conferencing classes susceptible to technical problems like choppy audio, frozen screens and poor Internet connection, leading to interrupted delivery of facial expressions and eye-contact. For these reasons, agentic engagement during video-conferencing became critical for successful learning outcomes. This study explores the mediating effect agentic engagement has on collaborative language learning orientations (CLLO) within an EFL video-conferencing course to understand better how interactions influence academic learning expectations. A total of 329 (Male = 132, Female = 197) students were recruited from four South Korean universities to participate in this questionnaire study. Data analysis was carried out using the statistical software packages SPSS, and a series of data screening procedures were carried out. Findings revealed that collaborative language learning orientations were a statistically significant predictor of academic learning expectations, but this relationship was fully mediated when agentic engagement was added to the model. Students with a propensity for social language learning strategies believe they will succeed; however, this relationship is explained by their propensity to interact with the instructor when video-conferencing. An assortment of learning activities should be provided to support both collaborative and individual learning orientations for academic success. Students with collaborative learning tendencies and a propensity to actively engage the instructor during video conference classes are active participants in the eLearning context, possibly leading to positive course expectations.

Intrinsic value is related to intrinsic motivation and influences learners' decisions to begin, continue, and return to learning tasks. In the context of a fully online foreign language English course, we used structural equation modeling to explore the motivation for asynchronous collaborative writing practice, motivation for video-synchronous speaking practice, course satisfaction, and the mediating effect course satisfaction has on behavioral intentions to use language learning technology. Cross-sectional survey results (n = 186) revealed that students who were motivated by asynchronous online collaborative writing were more likely to enjoy online learning in general when compared to students who reported motivation for video-synchronous online speaking practice. Moreover, the relationship between motivation for collaborative writing and behavioral intentions to use language learning technology was mediated by course satisfaction. A follow-up open-ended survey (n = 65) revealed that students held positive views for online second language writing and speaking practice overall but for distinctly different reasons. The findings are discussed in terms of their theoretical implications for modeling e-learning approaches with significance for promoting instructional training effectiveness and transformative learning.

AbstractPurposeMaterials and methodsResultsConclusions\nIMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONTo evaluate the validity of a consumer-grade wearable for estimating energy expenditure, sedentary behaviour, and physical activity in manual wheelchair users with spinal cord injury (SCI).Fifteen manual wheelchair users with SCI (C5-L1, four female) completed activities of daily living and wheelchair propulsion (2–8 km·h−1). Wrist-worn accelerometry data were collected using consumer-grade (z-Track) and research-grade (ActiGraph GT9X) devices. Energy expenditure was measured via indirect calorimetry. Linear regression was used to evaluate the prediction of criterion metabolic equivalent of task (MET) by each accelerometer’s vector magnitude (VM). Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC-AUC) evaluated the accuracy of VM for discriminating between physical activity intensities and for identifying accelerometer cut-points.Standardised β-coefficients for the association between z-Track and ActiGraph VM for criterion MET were 0.791 (p < 0.001) and 0.774 (p < 0.001), respectively. The z-Track had excellent accuracy for classifying time in sedentary behaviour (ROC-AUC = 0.95) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (ROC-AUC = 0.93); similar values to the ActiGraph (ROC-AUC = 0.96 and 0.88, respectively). Cut-points for the z-Track were ≤37 g·min−1 for sedentary behaviour and ≥222 g·min−1 for moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.This study supports the validity of a consumer-grade wearable to measure sedentary time and physical activity in manual wheelchair users with SCI.A consumer-grade wearable device provides valid estimations of sedentary time and physical activity in manual wheelchair users with spinal cord injury.Commercially available consumer-grade wearables may enable accurate self-monitoring in this population and, therefore, have potential for supporting behaviour change.A consumer-grade wearable device provides valid estimations of sedentary time and physical activity in manual wheelchair users with spinal cord injury.Commercially available consumer-grade wearables may enable accurate self-monitoring in this population and, therefore, have potential for supporting behaviour change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]