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The purpose of this study was to explore the perceived benefits of telecollaboration for Korean pre-service teachers of English. This study connected Korean pre-service teachers to American pre-service teachers. In a one-to-one relationship, each pair exchanged their weekly writings about the assigned topics over six weeks and shared their ideas. To explore the perceived benefits that the Korean pre-service teachers of English perceived and provide a rich description, this study focused on the five Korean pre-service teachers' thoughts reflected in their reflective papers, their writings in the Google Sites, and the final reflection paper. Data were analyzed based on a qualitative approach using the content analysis. The results showed that the Korean pre-service teachers perceived that the online interactions with the target language speakers promoted their intercultural and linguistic competences as well as some affective domains such as confidence and motivation levels. Building upon the findings, this study provides significant pedagogical implications for instructional practices for the educators and researchers.

Abstract Background Cigarette smoke mediated oxidative stress and inflammatory events in the airway and alveolar epithelium are important processes in the pathogenesis of smoking related pulmonary diseases. Previously, individual cell lines were used to assess the oxidative and proinflammatory effects of cigarette smoke with confounding results. In this study, a panel of human and rodent transformed epithelial cell lines were used to determine the effects of cigarette smoke extract (CSE) on oxidative stress markers, cell toxicity and proinflammatory cytokine release and compared the effects with that of primary human small airway epithelial cells (SAEC). Methods Primary human SAEC, transformed human (A549, H1299, H441), and rodent (murine MLE-15, rat L2) alveolar epithelial cells were treated with different concentrations of CSE (0.2–10%) ranging from 20 min to 24 hr. Cytotoxicity was assessed by lactate dehydrogenase release assay, trypan blue exclusion method and double staining with acridine orange and ethidium bromide. Glutathione concentration was measured by enzymatic recycling assay and 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal levels by using lipid peroxidation assay kit. The levels of proinflammatory cytokines (e.g. IL-8 and IL-6) were measured by ELISA. Nuclear translocation of the transcription factor, NF-κB was assessed by immunocytochemistry and immunoblotting. Results Cigarette smoke extract dose-dependently depleted glutathione concentration, increased 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4-HNE) levels, and caused necrosis in the transformed cell lines as well as in SAEC. None of the transformed cell lines showed any significant release of cytokines in response to CSE. CSE, however, induced IL-8 and IL-6 release in primary cell lines in a dose-dependent manner, which was associated with the nuclear translocation of NF-κB in SAEC. Conclusion This study suggests that primary, but not transformed, lung epithelial cells are an appropriate model to study the inflammatory mechanisms in response to cigarette smoke.

Much of eTandem research has investigated either linguistic or cross-cultural aspects of second language (L2) learning, but relatively little is known about issues of identity construction in an eTandem context. Situating the study within theories and research of language learner identity, we examined ways in which two adult L2 learners (a Korean adult learning L2 English and a Korean-American adult learning L2 Korean) negotiated multiple identities and practiced their L2 through eTandem learning in an extracurricular setting. Our findings reveal that the participants developed a partnership based on reciprocity and membership within the eTandem community, which contributed to their identity construction and L2 learning. These findings shed light on the affordances of eTandem as a meaningful and productive L2 learning environment and suggest a further examination of the relationship between L2 learners' identity construction and eTandem learning.

Telecollaboration has received growing interest in second language teacher education, due to the link between knowledge and practice in telecollaboration. The current research examined affordances and challenges of telecollaboration in teacher education by connecting American pre-service teachers to Korean pre-service teachers. The data for this paper focused on pre- and post-questionnaires, reflective journals, blog posts, and interviews from nineteen American preservice teachers. This study provides an empirical account of how pre-service teachers benefit from interacting with international partners for improving ICC [intercultural communicative competence], teaching skills, and digital literacy skills. The study also presents some challenges of implementing telecollaboration. By presenting the affordances and challenges of telecollaboration in a teacher training program, the study provides implications for educators about how to better assist preservice teachers while using telecollaboration.

The aim of this study was to gain insights into how language learners perceive two online interactional contexts and how these perceptions impact the learners' participation in eTandem learning. This study incorporated pair work with group discussion as interactional contexts, connecting Korean language learners with English language learners. Pair work included online chatting and personal blog writing where each pair exchanged feedback on one another's L2 writing. Group discussion included interaction among all the participants in a group blog where they discussed weekly topics. The study found that individual participants differently perceived the effectiveness of the two interactional contexts: some thought that both contexts were helpful together for developing L2 skills and for acquiring cultural knowledge, while others thought that these two contexts together were not as effective as expected. These perceptions affected not only the participant's own participation in the project, but also others' participation. This study offers pedagogical implications for ways in which researchers can further improve the design of eTandem learning.