A language learners’ forum

Hi guys,

So, for masters number 2, I'm investigating how computer-generated graphics can affect the learning and retention of vocabulary in a new language.

I'm hoping to do a classroom based experiment over the next two weeks (interactive whiteboard stuff) and was planning to back that up with an Anki-style experiment with the same graphics in an SRS app (Windows, Android, possibly Mac, but not iOS, sorry!).

The plan's to do it in Scottish Gaelic, but I might try to get hold of a Basque speaker to get something really different.

Hopefully I'll have the experiment ready to go at the end of this week.

I'll add more details when I'm ready to go, any and all volunteers welcome.

I'll share my findings when I'm done, and I promise I'll be quicker than last time (for one thing, I won't be moving to North Africa to start a new job this time, so I'm less likely to forget!!)

Do you need IRB (or the equivalent) approval? If so do you have it?

If I can sign (digitally) a consent form then I'd be interested. I enjoy being a participant in academic studies, but if it's at the masters level or above (or if it's for a BA thesis) I won't do so unless a consent form is involved.

Yes, I am keenly interested in research ethics...

aokoye wrote:Do you need IRB (or the equivalent) approval? If so do you have it?

If I can sign (digitally) a consent form then I'd be interested. I enjoy being a participant in academic studies, but if it's at the masters level or above (or if it's for a BA thesis) I won't do so unless a consent form is involved.

Yes, I am keenly interested in research ethics...

My institution, the Glasgow Schhol of Art, has a two-tier ethics system. The nature of my study (and the data being collected) is such is that it is reviewed at departmental level. (I have another experiment I'm hoping to run with kids in a classroom, and that has gone through the full review board, obviously!)

There will be a consent form -- any masters research without appropriate consent would be an automatic fail here in Scotland. I'm hoping to get something publishable out of this, although that might involve repeating the experiment on a larger scale later, so I'm very keen to make sure all the boxes are ticked in terms of ethics and consent.

Cainntear wrote:

aokoye wrote:Do you need IRB (or the equivalent) approval? If so do you have it?

If I can sign (digitally) a consent form then I'd be interested. I enjoy being a participant in academic studies, but if it's at the masters level or above (or if it's for a BA thesis) I won't do so unless a consent form is involved.

Yes, I am keenly interested in research ethics...

My institution, the Glasgow Schhol of Art, has a two-tier ethics system. The nature of my study (and the data being collected) is such is that it is reviewed at departmental level. (I have another experiment I'm hoping to run with kids in a classroom, and that has gone through the full review board, obviously!)

There will be a consent form -- any masters research without appropriate consent would be an automatic fail here in Scotland. I'm hoping to get something publishable out of this, although that might involve repeating the experiment on a larger scale later, so I'm very keen to make sure all the boxes are ticked in terms of ethics and consent.

Awesome! Knowing you from what you've written over the years, I figured that you were doing this ethically, but I having known people who have worked on institutional review boards anything's possible. And yeah - working with children is a bit of a minefield with regards to IRB, appropriately so.

Most of the research that I've done has involved video-recording L2 English speakers. Needless to say, my alma mater's IRB typically wants my research group to revise our application (and then one of the professors I work with goes to their meeting and has a discussion with the board). I was lucky when I wrote my thesis because all of the data that I used had been collected under various approved IRB proposals so mine got approved abnormally fast (in under 48 hours). That and I filled out all of the paperwork correctly and used the correct paperwork.

About how time intensive would this be for participants? I would love to participate in research, but I don't have much time.

devilyoudont wrote:About how time intensive would this be for participants? I would love to participate in research, but I don't have much time.

Ditto. Very interested, time-dependent.

IronMike wrote:

devilyoudont wrote:About how time intensive would this be for participants? I would love to participate in research, but I don't have much time.

Ditto. Very interested, time-dependent.

Ah yes, the important bit.
It's a short study, and it involves using an SRS app for 10ish minutes a day (5-15) for 5 days, then doing a short test (5-10 min) the day after and again a week later.

Cainntear wrote:

IronMike wrote:

devilyoudont wrote:About how time intensive would this be for participants? I would love to participate in research, but I don't have much time.

Ditto. Very interested, time-dependent.

Ah yes, the important bit.
It's a short study, and it involves using an SRS app for 10ish minutes a day (5-15) for 5 days, then doing a short test (5-10 min) the day after and again a week later.

I'd be happy to help with these time commitments

Getting excited... I had a Basque guy in the studio to record some words today, and the software should be ready in the next couple of days. Should be ready to go Sunday or Monday, so I'll probably get the entrance survey up tomorrow after speaking to my supervisor.

(If my Hungarian classmate was coming into the uni to do his dissertation I'd have grabbed him and got a third language in, but he seems to be working from home every day now...)