Robert Remmerswaal
About
No profileSessions
Poster Session Expanding the L2 Willingness to Communicate Scale: Incorporating Virtual Exchange Contexts more
This study expands on Lee and Drajati’s (2019) scale of willingness to communicate in a second language (L2 WTC) in digital and non-digital EFL contexts to include virtual exchange (VE) contexts. The original scale comprises eleven items across three factors: L2 WTC inside the classroom, L2 WTC outside the classroom, and L2 WTC in the context of informal digital learning of English. Two items related to VE were added to L2 WTC inside the classroom factor: one for speaking with non-native speakers and another for native speakers of the participant’s L2. Additionally, the items in the third factor were changed to reference social media rather than Facebook. The revised L2 WTC was administered to first-year STEM majors at a small Japanese university (n=195). Cronbach’s alpha demonstrated high internal reliability, and the confirmatory factor analysis confirmed that the additions and changes to items still fit the three-factor model. These results validate the L2 WTC scale in the Japanese context and offer a new tool for researchers examining changes in WTC with VE. Attendees can scan a QR code to access the questions and stay updated with ongoing research.
Presentation Successes in Creating an Academic Podcast more
This presentation explores the development and impact of an academic podcast focused on teaching and technology. As digital media increasingly shapes education, podcasts offer an accessible and engaging platform for disseminating research and best practices. This project highlights key successes by the authors in conceptualizing, producing, and distributing the JALTCALL Podcast that bridges the gaps between researchers and practitioners. The presentation will discuss strategies that were used for selecting relevant topics, engaging expert guests, and ensuring scholarly rigor while maintaining audience accessibility. Additionally, it will address technical considerations (distribution channels), audience engagement metrics (data analytics), and comments from listeners (feedback). Results suggest that the podcast can enhance knowledge dissemination (15 countries in the first 10 weeks), encourage professional dialogue (social media engagement), and support language educators (by creating a platform to present) in integrating CALL methodologies effectively. By sharing best practices and lessons learned, this session aims to provide insights for academics interested in leveraging podcasting as a tool for scholarly communication and professional development.
