Recently, research on media literacy in Japan has focused on the process of transforming media perspectives. These investigations were conducted in order to identify the process of transforming students' media perspectives; however, no research has analyzed the factors affecting this transformation process. Therefore, it is important to identify these factors in order to improve learning situations as well as to allow the best use of media literacy education materials. In the present study, the authors attempt to elucidate factors that effect the process of transforming media perspectives in a media literacy course that was held at Kansai University by analyzing a Bulletin Board System, BBS, using the grounded theory approach and a semi-structured interview of students.

View full abstract

This study aims to identify factors that influence students' satisfaction of cyber universities in South Korea. The cyber universities in South Korea are higher educational institutions that confer Associate and BAs on students who learn only by attending the online lectures (i.e. e-learning). A questionnaire survey of students of cyber universities was carried out two times. The number of respondents was 221 from eight cyber universities. The data was analyzed using multiple regression analysis. As the result of analysis; it should be noted that the most effective factor on Lecture and Communiction Satisfaction is the quality of online lectures. Moreover, Lecture Satisfaction and Communication Satisfaction had a strong effect on Overall Satisfaction.

View full abstract

Two experiments on the role of hand gestures in recall of English words suggested that hand gestures images were effective in recalling both concrete and abstract words. The hand gestures which corresponded to each word were mainly modeled after American Sign Language signs. As the words and the gestures had the same conceptual structures, it was considered that the gestures' images visualized the concepts of the words and activated memory. Mental imagery is now considered to consist of a depictive side and a descriptive side. That means that you cannot distinguish the depictive side from the descriptive side, or 'mental pictures' from 'propositions'. According to cognitive semantics, mental concepts are produced based on image schemes or abstract conceptual frames which are extracted and acquired from physical experiences in the world, and especially abstract concepts are formed through the process of using the image schemes metaphorically. The present study showed the abstract words and the gestures shared the same image schemes and metaphorical structures. So we assume that the gestures which shared the same conceptual structures with the words facilitated the recall of the English words which they corresponded to.

View full abstract

The author analyzed the phenomenon of electronic communities through mailing lists organized by students who learn through university study done through correspondence by using qualitative inquiring methods as an analysis technique. Consequently, it was found that active exchange occurred only through mailings to students on the list in the community, even if they did not actually meet. It was observed that due to the fact the participant's consciousness was high from the start an increasingly firm community was formed. And although various messages were transferred, it was visible that the posture of participants' communication was positive. The consciousness of participants along with having a target is needed in electronic community for the sharing within or which results in the raising of participant's communication skills.

View full abstract

The Ministry of Education officially approved junior high school language textbook published under the postwar occupation was separated into two volumes and edited into "The Volume on Language", and "Literary Editing." In "The Volume on Language", improvements in language skills for living in a democratic society was planned, teaching materials for understanding media included, and many advanced teaching materials centering on the language skills, such as how to use a school library, debate, and the method of a meeting, were published. However, teachers focused on "Literary Editing". The use of "The Volume of Language" did not spread subsequently. Most teaching materials in connection with media education are no longer published by subsequent language textbooks.

View full abstract