Web sites you can use in classroom instruction

10^th VA Regional Workshops in Japanese Language Pedagogy
American University, Washington, DC
May 27th, 2000
Keiko Schneider, Saboten Web Design
kschnei@sabotenweb.com

Description of the presentation

There are many Web sites that are available for Japanese language and culture instruction. This presentation is to show two sites that the presenter created and solicit implementation.

The first site is called Cyber Map Exercise ( http://www.sabotenweb.com/classes/mapex/ ). It is a site to practice arimasu. This site was implemented by Professor Masato Yabe in University of North Carolina at Greensboro and the result was presented in SEATJ and Digital Stream conferences. Now the presenter would like to solicit more use of this site.

The second site is called Introduction to Japanese Online. ( http://www.sabotenweb.com/classes/ijo/ ) This site is incomplete in development, but the concept is complete. It is designed so that different teachers can take advantage of this material. It is designed to be used as a prerequisite course to any Japanese class online or the first segment of Japanese 101 online. It teaches to make a computer Japanese capable and Japanese keyboarding by romaji by teaching hiragana.

The presenter hopes to look for collaborators on these projects. As time permits, the presenter will discuss technical details in developing these sites and introduce more sites that are not her creation.

This handout can be viewed at
http://www.sabotenweb.com/conference/VA2000/

I. Invitation to senseiOnline listserv

SenseiOnline is a listserv. Listserv serves a group of people with similar interest. In this case, this group is intended for teachers of Japanese who possibly and currently use on-line materials in teaching. If you become a member, you will be reading series of e-mail messages posted by other members. When you post a message, it will go to a central computer from where your message is distributed automatically to all members.

The objective for this list is to network teachers who use on-line materials, share ideas and support each other. Possible topics would be software and hardware issues, showing and using Web pages as a material, using listserv as a class management tool, using chat sessions, e-mail penpal projects, making Web page as projects and syllabus, creating Web-based materials, on-line assessments, delivering class partially or totally on-line, related announcements, "Somebody, help!" and more.

More info on SenseiOnline
http://www.sabotenweb.com/bookmarks/about/senseiOnline.html
Or contact Keiko Schneider at
kschnei@sabotenweb.com

II Cyber Map Exercise

I "Cyber Textbook"

II Structure of Cyber Map Exercise

1. Vocabulary introduction with audio file
2. Vocabulary practice
3. Reading signs to reinforce vocabulary
4. "Existence" structural drills
5. "Existence" production practice
6. Information Gap exercise

III. Technology used

1. Real audio
2. JavaScript (random image pick, giving translation with alert window, feedback in a window)
3. Dynamic HTML (The Game-O-Matic) http://clear.msu.edu/dennie/matic/

IV. Implementation at University of North Carolina at Greensboro by Masato Yabe

I would like to thank Japanese Instructor Masato Yabe of University of North Carolina at Greensboro for collaboration on this project by implementing this site in his curriculum. I also like to thank his 27 students in the elementary Japanese class (Fall 1999, JNS 101-01) and 11 students in the intermediate Japanese class (Fall 1999, JNS 203-01) at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro for their participation in this small study. ありがとうございました。

Research Question # 1
How do students feel about using computers for learning direction and location?
My Yabe did not recall any one particular student who seemed reluctant to use the computer program during the class. Please read the section in Feedback From at the above site or upcoming proceedings.

Research Question # 2
Is it easier for an instructor to use the computer program than using the blackboard, and/or a photocopy of a map?
Mr. Yabe introduced the cyber map exercises as a part of my classroom material. Using the computer program was a fun activity, and the students and I saw what was technologically possible. In the computer lab, I had to use the blackboard anyway since the main computers monitor did not work properly.

Research Question # 3
What are the advantages and disadvantages of using the computer program?
Advantages: The computer program could motivate learners if used creatively. Also it could be easily assigned as homework or a review material since students could access the program from anywhere, anytime. Moreover, some of them were quite honored to see our campus map on the Internet.
Improvements needed:
- More attractive graphics for a map, not just a green square with Japanese letters inside as a building. - More maps
- Expand to "Giving Directions" from "Existence" Exercise (as Mr. Yabe did with Intermediate class)
- On to REAL COMMUNICATION

III Introduction to Japanese Online

Acknowledgement
The audio files included in this site are taken from MIT JP NET project (http://www-japan.mit.edu/) and Professor Yasuhiro Omoto's page at University of Michigan. (http://www-personal.umich.edu/~yomoto/) . I thank their generosity to use their permission to let me include their work in this site. ありがとうございました。

I Why this site was created

II Goals of this site

Making a computer Japanese capable

Learn Writing Systems of Japanese and Keyboarding

III Structure of IJO

(1)Lessons (Shared by all instructors)

1. Operating System
1. Windows 95/98/NT with Global IME
2. Mac OS9
3. FAQ
4. Bulletin Board
2. Using your browser for WWW
1. Internet Explorer
2. Netscape Navigator
3. FAQ
4. Bulletin Board
5. Link to Assessment
3. Reading and Writing e-mail
1. Outlook
2. Netscape Messenger
3. FAQ
4. Bulletin Board
5. Link to Assessment

1. Japanese Writing System
1. Lecture
2. Link to Assessment
3. FAQ
4. Bulletin Board
2. あ〜こ
1. Hiragana Overview
2. Video (How to write and pronounce)
3. Concentration Game
PartI あ〜お
Netscape
Explorer
part II か〜こ
Netscape
Explorer

4. Practice test I
5. Practice test II
6. Link to Assessment
3. Review I
4. さ 〜と
5. な〜ほ
6. Review II
7. ま〜も、やゆよ
8. ら〜ろ、わをん
9. Review III
10. Dotted and circles
11. Small letters
12. Long Vowel
13. Review IV

(2)Lessons (Customized to each instructor)
Class Syllabus
About the Instructor
Info on Virtual Office (chatroom)
Frequently Asked Questions

(3)Assessment (Customized to each instructor)
Part I: Making your computer Japanese capable
1-2: Using your browser for WWW
Go to this site and make sure you see Japanese. Print out or draw what is on the screen and mail/fax to the instructor.
1-3: Using your browser for WWW
1.Type "aiueo" in Japanese in e-mail (Should show up as あいうえお ) and send it to the instructor at keikoschneider@hotmail.com
2.Then you will receive an e-mail in Japanese from the instructor
Print out or draw what is on the screen and mail/fax to the instructor.

Part II: Japanese keyboarding and learning hiragana
1.Japanese Writing System
Take a quiz on Japanese Writing System. This is self-study and wouldn't be sent to the instructor.
2. あ〜こ
2-1. Write following in romanized and send in to the instructor at keikoschneider@hotmail.com
かいうくけきあえおこ
2-2 Listen to the audio clip and send e-mail what it says in hiragana to the instructor at keikoschneider@hotmail.com

The rest of Assessment Under Construction

(4) Information (Shared by all instructors)
About this site
Plug-ins
Frequently Asked Questions

IV. Technology used

Through Web Browser
-QuickTime
http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/ .
QuickTime is available in both Windows and Mac systems.
-RealAudio Lecture
http://www.real.com
RealAudio is available in both Windows and Mac systems.
-Bulleting Board
http://www.ezboard.com
-Chatroom
http://edge.on.arena.ne.jp/chat/index.html Japanese capable but Japanese interface

Future hopefuls:
- RCT (Remote Collaboration Tool) by UC Davis (Japanese capable Chat)
http://escher.cs.ucdavis.edu
-ThinkWave (Assessment)
http://www.thinkwave.com/
-Voice/Video Chat
http://www.ivisit.com
iVisit is available in both Windows and Mac systems.

E-mail
Mail/Fax

IV My Bookmarks

V Five types of WWW instructional materials (Japanese specific)

Type I: Good old paper materials went on-line to share with you!
Ujie sensei's Audio visual resource Center
http://www.wlu.edu/~kujie/avrcj.html
Teaching Materials Archive by CAJLS of University of Oregon
http://babel.uoregon.edu/CAJLS/Materials/

Type II: On-line materials made by teachers to share with you!
MIT Web-based Materials
http://web.mit.edu/jpnet/mit/index.html
Purdue University Japanese Project
http://www.sla.purdue.edu/fll/JapanProj/
Professor Omoto from University of Michigan
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~yomoto/
Master Greg A. Dabelstein from Brisbane Grammar School, Australia
http://www.bgs.qld.edu.au/edlinks/languages/japanese/japanese.htm
Professor Kikuchi from Georgia Tech
http://www.iac.gatech.edu/modlangs/Japanese/

Travel-Kyoto
Professor Morioka from University of California, Irvine
http://www.folwell.umn.edu/ACTFL_IALL/Activities/Japanese/Travel-KyotoA.html

Selecting omiyage before returning home
Professor Yotsukura from University of Maryland
http://www.folwell.umn.edu/ACTFL_IALL/Activities/Japanese/Selectingomiyagebeforeret.html
Takashimaya Virtual Mall has moved to
http://www.takashimaya.ne.jp/opening.asp

Sports and Leisure
Professor Levin from University of Minnesota
http://www.folwell.umn.edu/ACTFL_IALL/Activities/Japanese/SportsandLeisure.html

Kyoto/Giving Directions to a Sightseeing Spot of Your Choice
Professor Levin from University of Minnesota
http://www.folwell.umn.edu/ACTFL_IALL/Activities/Japanese/Kyoto.GivingDirectionstoaSight

Visiting Tokyo Disneyland
Professor Saito-Abott from California State University, Monterey Bay
http://members.aol.com/classweb/activities98/disney.html

About Japan
Professor Saito-Abott from California State University, Monterey Bay
http://members.aol.com/classweb/japan/index.html

Type IV: Cyber Textbook
Cyber Map Exercise
http://www.sabotenweb.com/classes/mapex/

Type V: On-line delivered class
Professor Kikuchi via Web CT http://www.iac.gatech.edu/modlangs/Japanese/AccessWebCT.html

Professor Shinagawa from University of Hawaii, Kapiolani Community College
http://titan.ie.akita-u.ac.jp/~webclass/
His paper on TOHE conference http://as1.ipfw.edu/99tohe/presentations/shinagawa/index.html
My report on his class site http://www.sabotenweb.com/classes/steve/ksassign1.htm

AATJ participants Report http://www.sabotenweb.com/conference/AATJ2000/evaluation.html

Conference notes main page