Online English Language Research Articles

Validating the Quality Maternal and Newborn Care Framework Index: A Global Tool for Quality-of-Care Evaluations.

Quality maternity care is known to improve a range of maternal and neonatal outcomes. The Lancet Series on Midwifery's Quality Maternal and Newborn Care (QMNC) Framework is a high-level synthesis of the global evidence on quality maternity care. Initial qualitative work demonstrated the Framework's adaptability in evaluating service user and provider perceptions of the quality of maternity care. However, evaluating services at scale requires a survey instrument. This paper reports the validation of the QMNC Framework index (QMNCFi), a five-part survey for the evaluation of maternity care across diverse settings. International online English language survey of women who had given birth in the previous year in Australia, Ghana, India and the United Kingdom (UK). It was distributed through service user networks (UK and Australia) and at postnatal clinics (Ghana and India). All forms were completed online. Test-retest was conducted to assess reliability. Five hundred and forty mothers completed the survey (Australia 136; Ghana 131; India 153; UK 120). Construct validity: Cronbach's α in 12 of the survey's 13 sections ranged from 0.795 to 0.986; for the remaining section the alpha was 0.594. Reliability: 55 participants completed the QMNCFi a second time. Intraclass correlation coefficient results ranged from 0.657 to 0.939 across the 13 sections. Field researchers in Ghana and India reported that the survey was easily understood and completed. This survey has shown that, across diverse contexts, the QMNCFi is a valid, reliable, and comprehensive tool for measuring service user perceptions of the quality of care over time.

Exploring Collective Identity and Community Connections: An Interpersonal Analysis of Online Visitor Reviews at the Overseas Chinese Museum (2012–2023)

The Overseas Chinese Museum in Xiamen, Fujian, is a cultural historical museum in China that promotes heritage tourism and strengthens the community connection among the overseas Chinese diaspora, international and local visitors. The museum has become a platform for interpreting the immigration experience of overseas Chinese communities around the world. In this study, we examine visitors’ feedback to the Overseas Chinese Museum through a linguistic analysis of their reviews. The visitors’ reviews, 207 English-language online reviews, were collected from various travel forums between 2012 and 2023, totaling 11,584 words. We divided the data evenly into two distinct time periods, Stage I (2012–2017) and Stage II (2018–2023) and used statistical corpus log-likelihood analysis to quantify and understand if there were significant linguistic differences over time. Some of the key differences emerging from the linguistic analysis were related to conjunctions, e.g., also, while, after, and so, evaluative language and how identity was construed through language. Findings adopting an appraisal analysis suggested an increase in visitor satisfaction, possibly due to enhanced exhibits and changes in visitor expectations. The findings from analysing the reviews also showed that visitors shared similar values, developed a social bond with overseas Chinese, and engaged with this cultural historical community. The study contributes to a wider discussion on language in digital communication and cultural heritage. In addition, the visitors’ feedback and preferences could be used to improve communication and promotional strategies that ultimately increase the number of visitors to the museum.

The Commercial Application of Insect Protein in Food Products: A Product Audit Based on Online Resources.

Insect protein has received considerable attention as an alternative to conventional animal proteins with its high nutritional contents and eco-friendly credentials. Exploring commercially available insect-protein-enhanced foods, this study aims to profile and compare such products in the ultra-processed category with products protein-enhanced with dairy (e.g., milk and whey) and plants (e.g., pea and rice). A global product audit was conducted drawing from English-language online retail portals to determine the product formats and statistically compare their nutritional contents with products fortified with non-insect proteins. The results show that four categories-flour/powder, pasta/noodle, starch-based snacks (e.g., chips, crackers, and cookies), and energy bars-are involved with food enhanced with insect protein. Flour/powder and pasta/noodles with insects demonstrated comparable protein contents to non-insect equivalents, highlighting insects' potential as effective protein sources. However, insect protein's performances in snacks and energy bars were less favourable, with significantly lower protein contents compared to products enhanced with non-insect sources. This may be attributed to the high fat content of insects, which may also contribute to undesirable flavours in complex foods, limiting their usage. The study highlights the need for industry innovation and scientific collaboration to overcome the challenges to widely applying insects as food ingredients, offering benefits for both the industry and consumers.

Verbal aggression towards women in English-language online discourse

Verbal aggression towards women in English-language online discourse

Allusion as a means of implementing intertextuality in English-language online film review

The article discusses ways to actualize allusion as an intertextual element. Intertextual inclusions in the texts of the film review are designed to illustrate the degree of professional competence of the reviewer and his interpretative qualities using the comparative analytical method. Allusion, being a stylistic device for the realization of intertextuality, contains a certain pretext. This pretext performs the function of a precedent phenomenon associated with some collective invariant component of linguistic consciousness. The purpose of this article is to consider in film review the ways in which allusion functions as an intertextual reference. The empirical material of this study was a corpus of 30 movie reviews from 2021–2023, taken from the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes. Direct or indirect reference to a specific cinematic phenomenon not only increases the general erudition and awareness of the reader, but also serves as a means of providing a perlocative effect when reading this film review. Allusion, being a means of realizing the author’s pragmatic intentions, performs a comparative function by building intertextual references. The referents in film reviews are the names of films, directors, actors and other precedent units of the world of cinema.

Investigating users’ perspectives of using zoom for ELT: A teaching–learning lens

This study investigates the effectiveness, potential, and challenges of utilizing the Zoom platform for online English language instruction, as perceived by EFL university students and their instructors. The research employed a mixed methods approach, integrating quantitative data from 67 student participants and qualitative insights from seven teachers. An ARCS (attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction) model questionnaire was used to assess students’ perceptions, while teachers’ perspectives were obtained through semi-structured interviews. The survey results were analyzed using SPSS v 24.0, and the interview data were thematically scrutinized. The findings indicated that Zoom effectively met students’ learning needs, captured their attention, and provided relevant content. However, sustaining long-term engagement and fostering students’ confidence were the remarkable challenges. From the teachers’ perspective, Zoom’s features, such as breakout rooms and interactive whiteboards, enhanced the learning experience. Notably, discrepancies emerged between student and teacher perceptions, particularly regarding technical difficulties, the absence of non-verbal cues, and attention retention issues. To address these challenges, the study recommends prioritizing technical support, providing orientation sessions, refining engagement approaches, and adopting blended learning to maximize the potential of Zoom. Overall, this study emphasizes the importance of addressing technical and engagement barriers to enhance the effectiveness of online platforms used for English language teaching (ELT).

The Manifest and Latent Structures of Medicalization and Psychologization in Lay Depression Discourses — A Word Embedding Analysis of Online Forums

AbstractOnline depression forums are emerging platforms of the e-mental health sector. Exploring the ongoing lay discourses has the potential of better understanding first-person accounts of depression and developing new technologies of health promotion. Based on these premises, the article analyzes the hypothesis concerning the discursive transformation of sadness into depression (elaborated by Horwitz and Wakefield), that is the ‘medicalization’ and ‘psychologization’ of social suffering. While these generic theoretical diagnoses describe a long-term discursive transformation, they rely on a limited methodological toolset as they are based on the retrospective examination of key discursive sources (such as the consequent generations of DSM). While these analyses certainly have a heuristic value, their conclusions require further empirical testing. Our analysis focuses on the largest English-language online depression forums, while relying on word-embedding modelling. Our results do not simply reinforce or falsify the original hypotheses; instead, they imply a more complex model: on manifest level, the medicalization or psychologization of social suffering is detectable only partially; however, on a latent level, many of these solutions still follow either an instrumental-medical or a supportive-psychological logic. Based on these results, the reinforcement of online forums hosting social suffering discourses of depression is suggested.

Reading Motivation and Achievement in Online Extensive Reading of English Text: A Systematic Review

The effect that online extensive reading (ER) of English texts has on learners' reading comprehension and motivation to read is not well understood. The purpose of this systematic review was to examine the efficacy of online ER by examining quantitative and mixed-methods studies that examined the effect of online ER on learners' reading achievement, motivation to read, and other perceptual and emotional aspects of English language proficiency. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) criteria were followed in this study. Online ER-related articles were selected based on the predefined eligibility criteria. Then, the 31 English-language online ER studies published between 2010 and 2021 were screened and extracted from electronic databases. The screened studies were those that involved students above 15 years of age. The findings indicated that online ER activities could be used in two ways. First, teachers could incorporate online reading strategies and technological tools for online ER to help students improve their reading achievement. Second, if they wanted to increase their students' motivation to read, they could emphasize the use of online reading management systems and reading resources for ER. Additionally, the study discovered that the size of the vocabulary and the volume of reading were predictors of online ER's success. Additionally, the article discusses the review's implications.

Digital Competence and Anxiety in Thai University English Education: Impacts on Teachers and Students

This study explored the levels of digital competence and digital anxiety among 25 teachers and 40 students in a Thai university, examining their relationship and impact on digital identities and the quality of online English language education. Guided by Complexity Theory, a mixed-methods approach was adopted, combining quantitative questionnaires with qualitative semi-structured interviews and focus-group discussions. Results indicated significant differences in digital competence and anxiety across generational and academic groups. Younger teachers and senior students showed higher digital competence and lower digital anxiety. Additionally, a significant negative correlation between digital competence and anxiety was observed, suggesting that higher digital competence reduces anxiety. Thematic analysis further revealed that higher digital competence promotes cohesive and confident digital identities, while higher anxiety contributed to fragmented identities. These findings emphasize the importance of enhancing digital literacy and providing psychological support to improve educational outcomes. The study advocates for comprehensive digital literacy programs tailored to different generational and academic groups. Future research should involve larger, more diverse samples, consider additional variables, and explore strategies to enhance digital competence and reduce anxiety. This research offers insights into the complex interplay between digital competence, anxiety, and identity in educational contexts.

Особенности функционирования транспортной терминосистемы в современных англоязычных новостных интернет-ресурсах

This article is devoted to the problems of English transport terminology, as well as the peculiarities of its functioning. The purpose of the study is to determine the features of the functioning of English–language transport terminology based on the material of English-language news resources covering the state of transportation. The scientific novelty of this study lies in its exploration of the unique characteristics of the transport terminology system, as revealed for the first time through an analysis of English-language online news sources that focus on specific modes of transportation. In the article, 532 transport terms selected from media texts were divided into thematic groups, classified according to partial criteria, and the peculiarities of their functioning were revealed. As a result of the study, it was found that the terms identified in the analyzed material relate to general transport, but their meaning is specified due to attributive units, which causes their transition to a narrowly sectoral terminology. The extralinguistic processes aimed at the implementation of practices for the development of environmental friendliness in the transport industry are reflected in the functioning of terminological phrases formed by combining transport and environmental terms. It is revealed that the specifics of the considered transport terminology are diffusion processes, the reason for which is the transition of a significant part of it into the category of commonly used vocabulary.

Breaking the mold: a university case study of successful english language online teaching without textbooks

This case study examines the viability of teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) online synchronously without textbooks. Likewise, a pilot course conducted from May to September at the Language Institute from Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas (UFA-ESPE) in Ecuador assessed this approach. The current research aimed to investigate the feasibility of this textbook-free, synchronously online ESL teaching method. Employing a one-group, post-test only design, with a qualitative approach and a descriptive scope, the study assessed student engagement, learning outcomes, and promising benefits. Of twenty-one students who agreed to be part of this study in the super intensive course, fourteen approved successfully a mock A2 Key exam, demonstrating potential results. The course fostered a dynamic and learner-centered environment, suggesting alternative approaches for online ESL education without utilizing textbooks. However, limitations like sample size and the absence of a control group suggest further research for conclusive evidence.

Impacts of blended learning with BOPPPS model on Chinese medical undergraduate students: a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of 44 studies

BackgroundWith the development of Internet information technology, especially the impact of the sudden outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 epidemic, along with the call for “classes suspended but learning continues,” a large number of medical educators have learned and experienced online teaching. They have understood the shortcomings of traditional teaching methods. Not only the blended BOPPPS teaching mode combines the advantages of the BOPPPS teaching mode but also the online teaching platform breaks through the limitation of time and space. However, a general consensus on the effectiveness of the blended BOPPPS teaching strategy in China is lacking, and few studies use quantitative synthesis to evaluate the effectiveness of this teaching strategy. Hence, this study aimed to assess the overall effectiveness of online and offline blended BOPPPS teaching strategies in higher medical education in China compared with the lecture-based learning (LBL) teaching model.MethodsStudies that blended learning with the BOPPPS model in China from January 2000 to October 2023 were searched in the Chinese and English-language online databases. We analyzed the objective and subjective scores of students and performed subgroup analysis for specialties and online teaching platforms. The data were analyzed using the Stata version 14.0 software. The quality assessment was performed using the Jadad scoring scale.ResultsForty-four studies were included in this meta-analysis. Compared with the LBL mode, the blended the BOPPPS teaching mode was more effective in terms of the overall capacity [standardized mean difference (SMD) = 1.193, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.813–1.572], mastery of medical theory knowledge (SMD = 1.090, 95% CI: 0.730–1.450), and practical skills (SMD = 1.246, 95% CI: 0.799–1.693). The analyzed questionnaire surveys indicated the positive effects of the blended BOPPPS teaching mode on classroom satisfaction, autonomous learning ability, learning interest, teamwork ability, interpersonal skills, ability to analyze and solve problems, group interaction, learning engagement, and learning strategies.ConclusionsThe study underscored that the blended BOPPPS teaching mode could effectively improve the comprehensive quality of students. The subjective scores also indicated that students generally preferred this novel teaching mode.

Online Learning Based on Learning Analytics in Big Data for College English Language Teaching

This study addresses the challenges of enhancing the quality of education and improving the overall student experience in online English language teaching sessions. Current approaches often struggle with session initiation, real-time data processing, and personalized learning experiences. To tackle these issues, the study proposes a manifold learning data analytics model (MLDAM). This innovative method leverages classifier tree learning to distinguish between trivial and non-trivial aspects of student learning experiences and session data. MLDAM integrates multi-dimensional data extraction, classification learning, and impact evaluation to enhance the effectiveness of online English language teaching. The model analyzes data from 176,009 English phrases across 36 online teaching sessions, focusing on improving session accessibility, student comprehension, and suggestion accuracy. Using an iterative training process based on student performance and feedback, it continuously extracts and processes multiple types of data to refine teaching strategies. Results show notable improvements: a 14.74% increase in classification accuracy, an 8.73% increase in data extraction ratio, an 11.84% reduction in feature discard, a 10.57% decrease in initialization time, and a 13.17% reduction in classification time. These metrics demonstrate MLDAM’s ability to efficiently process and analyze session data, enabling real-time adjustments during lessons. The model optimizes data utilization, making learning more responsive and adaptable. It enhances the precision of impact evaluations, facilitating targeted course adjustments and personalized learning experiences. This research presents a comprehensive, data-driven methodology for improving teaching quality and student outcomes in virtual English classrooms.

A comparative study of critical thinking implementation in face-to-face and online classrooms: Medical students’ critical thinking and reading comprehension

Background: The enhancement of critical thinking (CT) is an essential goal in the educational strategic framework of medical universities across the globe. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to evaluate the competence in CT abilities as well as the inclination of medical students to actively participate in CT practices. Moreover, educational decision-makers believe that granting medical students the opportunity to utilize technology can enhance their academic performance and stimulate their CT ability level. Hence, this research aimed to compare the influence of implementing a CT framework in traditional classroom settings and online platforms on the CT and reading comprehension of medical students. Methods: Over four months, two groups of 60 medical students (30 students in each group) were exposed to two environments of face-to-face and online English language instruction. The current quasi-experimental study was conducted at a general English language classroom, situated in Islamic Azad University, Kerman branch. Pre-tests and post-tests of CT and reading comprehension were used to measure learners’ improvements in CT and reading comprehension levels before and after the project. Results: The results of this study showed some improvements in the CT and reading comprehension abilities of both face-to-face and online groups (P<0.01). However, the improvements were particularly noticeable in the online group regarding the reading comprehension (M=17.98) and CT (M=107.462) variables compared to the face-to-face group (M=11.39) and (M=51.438). Conclusion: Medical education experts strongly believe that developing and nurturing CT skills among medical students is crucial for improving the overall quality of medical education. In today’s globalized era, the importance of CT cannot be overstated, as it equips students with essential skills needed to navigate complex challenges. Integrating CT into online learning environments is a testament to the progressive nature of medical education in the modern world.

Strategies employed by EFL teachers to cope with language learners' classroom anxiety

AbstractLanguage classroom anxiety is a significant concern for applied linguists and English language teachers. As an affective variable, foreign language anxiety has the potential to harm learners' language learning and performance. While the impact of language anxiety on the academic achievement of learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) has been extensively studied, little research has investigated the coping strategies of teachers to address learners' anxiety. This study aimed to explore such EFL teacher strategies in online English language classes, using a qualitative phenomenological research approach. The study involved in‐depth interviews with 20 teachers selected through theoretical sampling. The researchers used thematic analysis to analyze the interview data. The results revealed three factors that emerged from 24 identified coping strategies: creating a safe environment for EFL learners, utilizing learners' first language (L1), and engaging learners in classroom activities. These findings have theoretical and practical significance for teachers, educators, and administrators.

Media Framing of The Free Malaysia Today and The Star English Language Online News Portal: The Case Studies of Malaysia’s 15th General Election 2022

Media Framing of The Free Malaysia Today and The Star English Language Online News Portal: The Case Studies of Malaysia’s 15th General Election 2022

Representation of Medical Content in Online Discourse

Introduction. The article discusses issues of representing medical information in online communities. Much attention is paid to modern areas of research on network discourse. Particular emphasis is paid to studies related to the problems of the terminology of the area. In this regard, the article presents different points of view on the typology and classification of texts in Internet-mediated communication. The area of interest for this study is medical content presented in Internet-mediated communication. The work specifies the concept of “medical content”. Methodology and sources. A study corpus is formed in accordance with the aim – to analyse the features of presenting medical information in English-language online discourse; methods of analysis are determined depending on the aim. The following criteria are used to analyse the study corpus material: pragmatic, media, structural-semantic and stylistic-linguistic parameters. The research corpus includes texts published in English, presented on the Reddit website within communities discussing issues of healthy lifestyle, health care, and pathological conditions. Results and discussion. Based on pragmatic parameters (type of addressee/type of addresser) and the topic of published information, the research material can be conditionally divided into several groups, the description of each group is given in the paper. The results obtained allow suggesting that medical content within the online community is aimed at two main population groups - healthcare professionals and lay people who are interested in issues related to the medical area. The medical information is presented based on a pragmatic and thematic principle. In terms of pragmatics, the main functions of presenting medical information are informative, ascertaining, phatic, expressive. Conclusion. The content of the research corpus consists of verbal texts with varying degrees of creolization – zero, partial, complete. They are characterised by all the features of the oral and written language typical of Internet-mediated communication.

University students’ perspectives on online English language learning: Implications for Ecuadorian educators

Online education has mainly been at the core of discussions after Latin America’s Covid-19 sanitary crisis started in March 2020. Teachers and institutions have explored different ways to face what is now called “the new normal”. This study aims to identify the perspectives of Ecuadorian university students on online English language learning in order to inform the design of strategies that allow improvements in the teaching process. This quantitative study was carried out at a university in Ecuador and encompassed 4.936 participants from different majors. An online questionnaire was administered for data collection and analyzed through the application of neural networks. The results showed that students perceive learning English online positively and that their greatest strengths are in listening and writing, while their difficulties lie in developing their reading and speaking abilities. This suggests that more attention should be given to the development of reading and speaking strategies in an attempt to fill the gap that students indicated while answering the questionnaire. Some directions in that regard are given in the conclusion.

The Role of Gamification in Organizing Students’ Individual Work in Online English Language Study

The Role of Gamification in Organizing Students’ Individual Work in Online English Language Study

HOW LEARNERS PERCEIVE THE KAMPUNG INGGRIS LC INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT FOR ONLINE ENGLISH LEARNING

The objective of this study was to assess the way in which learners perceive the Kampung Inggris LC Instagram account as a tool for online English language learning. The research utilized a quantitative approach and employed purposive sampling. A questionnaire, featuring a Likert scale, was distributed to 36 respondents in order to collect data on learners' perceptions of the Kampung Inggris LC Instagram account. Descriptive analysis techniques, such as creating frequency tables, were used to analyze the data and present detailed results. The study provided a comprehensive overview of learners' perceptions regarding the effectiveness of the Kampung Inggris LC Instagram account in facilitating online English language learning. The final results indicated that the use of the Kampung Inggris LC Instagram account had a significantly positive impact on learners' English language skills, with an average positive percentage of 83.8% (strongly agree). These findings are valuable for the improvement of English language learning strategies through online platforms.