Previous research has demonstrated that three factors, namely, the educational effects of e-learning, the effectiveness of using ICT, and student attitudes toward distance learning, are closely related. However, the effectiveness of communication using video conferencing systems that allow real-time two-way interaction has not been fully examined. Moreover, while previous studies have examined changes in learners’ attitudes based on questionnaire results, none have evaluated the advantages and disadvantages from the standpoints of both learners and teachers. This study aims to examine the difference between face-to-face and distance learning in “English Communication” courses, and its main goal is (a) to develop positive attitudes toward communication in English, as well as (b) to improve oral English communication skills. In the survey, we administered the same questionnaire used in previous studies that measured the orientation toward e-learning, and measured the educational effectiveness of distance learning. The responses to the open-ended items were analyzed using KH Coder, and the advantages and disadvantages were discussed. The results showed that face-to-face speaking is very pressurized for beginner learners, that the moderate sense of distance in the distance-learning class may lead to comfortable communication, and that communication methods other than speaking, such as reaction tools and chatting, can be effectively used. These results provide a hint for fostering “attitudes” such as interest in communication in remedial education.

The fact that face-to-face and online conversations differ in writing support is problematic. In this article, we address the following: (1) does the number of utterances differ between face-to-face and online support; and (2) is there a difference in the content of utterances between face-to-face and online support? To this end, the number and content of utterances were analyzed for 12 dialogues (six face-to-face, six online) held at a writing center. The number of utterances of the writer (student) in online support tended to be lower than that in the face-to-face support. The results of analyzing the number of utterances by dividing them into three topics (assignments, sessions, sentences) showed that most utterances were related to “sentences,” as in the case of face-to-face support. The utterances related to “sentences” were analyzed using eight kinds of content codes. The three most commonly found codes in online support were “writer’s intention,” “reader’s interpretation,” and “suggestions of revision.” Additionally, the writer gained awareness several times with online support and, as in the case of face-to-face support, the “writer’s intention” was frequently mentioned. There were two features observed only in online support. One was “problem raising” by the tutor. The other, also by the tutor, was “reader’s interpretation” which became the starting point of a conversation leading to the writer gaining awareness.

This practical study examined the state of research ethics education in secondary schools and the effect of remedial teaching of research ethics using e-learning and group discussions. A test was conducted on first-year university students to determine the extent of their knowledge and understanding of research ethics. The results indicated that experience with research and analysis activities, including those related to inquiry skills, before entering university did not significantly impact their knowledge and understanding of research ethics. Furthermore, the participants exhibited an incorrect understanding of citation practice. These findings suggest that appropriate education on research ethics is lacking in secondary schools. The study also incorporated remedial teaching of research ethics to participants using e-learning and group discussions. The results revealed that the employed method improved results in the aforementioned test.

We implemented a lesson design to improve student’s colloquial languages through online collaborative learning. We first assigned a report task to assess students’ ability to notice and point out colloquial language in each other’s sentences during group discussions. The students discussed each other’s reports in groups and gave feedback. After receiving the feedback, the authors revised their reports and resubmitted them. For the verification, we analyzed the tendency of the students’ remarks and how they noticed and commented on the colloquial language from the reports and remarks data accumulated in the groupware prepared for the online class practice and the Zoom-recorded video. As a result, the number of colloquial languages after re-submission decreased by 18.7%, and 116 corrections (10.2%) were confirmed without being pointed out by others. It was found that cooperative learning resulted in students improving their own reports in addition to pointing out to others. In addition, we identified 37 ambiguous colloquial languages that required contextual judgment. In this study, we confirmed that it is possible to discuss in an online group while sharing other people’s sentences and that the number of colloquial languages decreased.

This study aims to examine learning support policies using ICT tools in remote debate learning with the theme of regional understanding, report the practice, and compare the educational effects with those of face-to-face lesson. The study recruited third-year compulsory courses in 2019 (face-to-face class) and 2020 (distance class), which was affected by the spread of COVID-19. These courses were conducted at an engineering college in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. We use the online white board Miro and construct a group work support policy using ICT tools as follows: (a) the results of collaborative work are accumulated in the same space, (b) interaction between students is promoted and visualized, (c) interaction between groups is promoted, and (d) the results of collaborative work could be viewed/edited at all times. The result of factor analysis and its subscale score comparison of the student questionnaire, which were conducted after the lesson, pointed to positive results for distance lessons than for face-to-face lessons in relation to three factors, namely, communication skill self-efficacy, lesson affirmation, and stress, from collaborative work.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made it difficult to conduct face-to-face classes since the start of the 2020 academic year. In the first semester of the 2021 academic year, efforts were made to improve the teaching and learning of mathematics and physics, which are at the core of STEM education. In an evaluation of the effect, it was suggested that teachers can support the learning of students of various readiness levels by “preparing classes so that students can study on their own after class,” “conducting classes carefully,” and “distributing Zoom recordings of classes.” Many insights into STEM education were gained through this class improvement initiative.

By the fiscal year 2025, the Japanese government is mandating that all graduates of universities, colleges, junior colleges, and the colleges of technology nationwide, regardless of their undergraduate field of study, acquire basic data science knowledge. Because data science is a comparatively new field of study, new teaching material needs to be developed for the whole country. This paper presents the progress in developing teaching material for mathematics, data science, and AI education at the University of Yamanashi. The University has drawn up curriculum references for these subjects that outline the knowledge and skills students need to acquire. Furthermore, an introductory-level data science class is now mandatory for all undergraduate students enrolled on and after the fiscal year 2020. For the new data science classes, teaching materials and syllabi have been developed. The materials comprise two types of videos: one is for lectures and the other is for computer exercise demonstrations. Both are available for use as needed depending on the proficiency level of students and the purpose of the class. These videos can also be used for remedial education for supplementary tuition regardless of a student’s major. Additionally, this paper discusses potential future developments for data science education, such as providing the newly developed materials to educational institutions outside the University of Yamanashi.

A test was developed to measure students’ comprehension of Japanese Common Academic Words (Matsushita, 2011a), which are specific to academic texts regardless of the fields of specialization, and was given to 4,022 students. These students were from the 4th to 6th grade of elementary school, from the 1st to 3rd grade of junior high school, and at the undergraduate level of university. Comprehension increased as the academic year advanced, but the standard deviation at each year exceeded the average differences from the adjacent years at all years, suggesting large individual differences within the same year. This difference continued to the university, and this study confirmed that some university students’ understanding remained at the same level as that of elementary or junior high school students. In addition, there were differences between universities: at one university, students had a wide variety of comprehension levels; at another, students had consistently high comprehension levels. The vocabulary with low understanding in university students fell in the following three categories: 1) words that are normally considered to be basic and of high-frequency and its accurate understanding was left unchecked, 2) highly abstract words, and 3) words related to natural science for students majoring in social science. The relationship between common academic words’ frequency rankings and their correct answer rates on this test was not linear, which indicates that simply increasing the amount of input may not have a major learning effect.