Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
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    From general English to scientific literacy: a TBLT intervention for laboratory report writing among Thai EFL students
    (2025-01-01)
    Singtong, Sunai
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    Phairot, Ekkapon
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    Srimanee, Jarinya
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    This study investigated the effectiveness of task-based language teaching (TBLT) in enhancing Thai EFL high school students’ scientific laboratory report writing performance. Using a sequential mixed-methods pre-experimental design, 35 Grade 11 students from a science and mathematics program participated in an eight-week TBLT intervention that integrated focus-on-forms instruction within authentic laboratory report writing tasks based on chemistry experiments. Quantitative analysis using paired sample t-tests revealed statistically significant improvements from pretest (M = 16.58, SD = 3.74) to posttest (M = 27.18, SD = 3.58), with a large effect size (η<sup>2</sup> = 0.81). The most substantial gains occurred in language style (η<sup>2</sup> = 0.75), introduction (η<sup>2</sup> = 0.74), and report format (η<sup>2</sup> = 0.73). Qualitative findings from semi-structured interviews with eight purposively selected students identified key benefits of TBLT, namely enhanced writing practice opportunities, vocabulary expansion, improved analytical skills, and strengthened writing proficiency. Nonetheless, students also reported challenges related to heavy workload, complex content, and insufficient task clarity. The findings demonstrate TBLT’s potential for developing discipline-specific academic writing skills among EFL learners when combined with explicit form-focused instruction. This research contributes empirical evidence supporting TBLT implementation in scientific writing contexts and offers pedagogical insights for English language educators working with academically demanding genres in EFL settings.
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    Social Interaction between Lecturers and Undergraduates in EFL Classrooms: A Case Study from a Thai University in the Age of AI
    (2025-12-01)
    Boontong, Nattana
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    Omanee, Boonyarit
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    Phairot, Ekkapon
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    This explanatory sequential mixed-methods study investigates how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping social interactions in Thai EFL classrooms amid the rapid spread of chatbots and AI-supported writing tools in language education (2020–2025). Grounded in Sociocultural Theory and the Interaction Hypothesis, the design combined a questionnaire administered across four undergraduate year levels with semi-structured interviews of eight purposively selected students. Descriptive statistics summarized the survey responses, while the interview data was analysed thematically. The findings show that students welcome AI for quick access to input, idea generation, and building confidence before speaking yet remain cautious about accuracy and overreliance, and many still prefer lecturer clarification for complex issues. A new contribution emerges in the form of a dual effect: pre-class AI preparation enables students to enter lessons better prepared and more confident, but it is also associated with fewer spontaneous in-class clarification questions, suggesting a subtle displacement of routine lecturer–student interaction. While AI can stimulate participation and reduce hesitation, it cannot replace teacher guidance, formative feedback, and relational rapport. Overall, the evidence supports a hybrid interaction model in which AI-supported preparation is paired with human-led dialogue during class. Implications extend beyond ZPD and the negotiation of meaning toward a whole-class ecology: brief, transparent rules for responsible AI use (verification and disclosure), protection of talk time through AI-off/AI-critique moments, and process-oriented assessment that includes light evidence of AI use and short reflections on revisions. Program-level alignment (equity safeguards, approved tools, and privacy/ethics policies) is recommended to keep expectations consistent. By documenting both the benefits and displacement risks of pre-class AI use, this study refines the sociocultural theory for the AI era. It offers scalable guidance for EFL programs in Thailand and across Asia.
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    Memory Training in Dementia: A VR-BCI Prototype with N-Back and Brainwave Analysis
    (2025-01-01)
    Angthong, Sorawich
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    Angsuwatanakul, Thanate
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    Phairot, Ekkapon
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    Bunyasuwan, Meena
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    Khieukhajee, Jedsada
    Dementia, a neurodegenerative condition leading to significant memory impairment in the elderly, currently lacks a curative treatment. Management strategies focus on mitigating symptom progression. This study presents the development and preliminary evaluation of a novel Virtual Reality (VR) game prototype integrated with Brain Computer Interface (BCI) technology designed to enhance memory, a key deficit in dementia, and potentially delay its progression. The VR game employed an adaptive N-back task for memory training, while a 4-channel OpenBCI system non-invasively monitored electroencephalography (EEG) signals from five healthy young adult volunteers (aged 18-22). Analysis of EEG power ratios revealed a trend towards increased alpha wave activity during memory encoding phases of the game. Specifically, during the Alpha EEG test, theta wave amplitudes were consistently higher across all channels (F3, F4, O1, O2) compared to alpha and beta waves. Furthermore, a descriptive trend indicated that theta wave amplitudes tended to increase with increasing difficulty in the Alpha EEG test. During the N-back tasks, theta wave amplitudes were observed to be descriptively higher during the memory encoding period compared to the recall period in frontal channels (F3, F4). The initial observations, while not statistically significant due to the limited sample size, support the feasibility of using the VR-BCI system to engage memory-related brain activity. To thoroughly evaluate the potential of this approach for cognitive rehabilitation and dementia mitigation, further comprehensive research involving larger and older cohorts utilizing longitudinal designs is warranted.
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    Decoding undergraduates’ English reading proficiency: EEG evidence and GPA–SES effects in a computerised English assessment
    (2026-01-01) ;
    Angsuwatanakul, Thanate
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    Phairot, Ekkapon
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    Mohamed Ismail, Shaik Abdul Malik
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    This study investigates undergraduate students’ English reading proficiency through a sequential mixed-methods design that integrates neurocognitive evidence, behavioural performance, learner perceptions, and background characteristics within a computerised assessment context. In Phase 1, paper-based testing (PBT) and computer-based testing (CBT) were compared using electroencephalography (EEG) and qualitative inquiry. Five Thai EFL undergraduates completed parallel Thai Reading Evaluation and Decoding System (Thai-READS) tasks in both formats while EEG data were recorded using a single-channel MindWave Mobile 2 device. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests indicated no significant differences in Thai-READS scores between PBT and CBT (Z = −1.633, p = 0.102). EEG analyses revealed largely comparable cognitive processing across test modes; however, a significant difference in alpha frequency emerged for difficult items answered incorrectly (Z = −2.023, p = 0.043), with higher alpha frequency observed in the CBT condition, suggesting differential neural engagement under increased task difficulty. Semi-structured interviews further indicated that students generally perceived CBT as convenient, organised, and supportive of focus, while also expressing concerns related to technical reliability, digital navigation, and limited opportunities for annotation. Phase 2 analysed Thai-READS performance data from 3,274 undergraduates using a two-way analysis of variance to examine the effects of academic achievement (GPA) and socioeconomic status (SES). Results revealed significant main effects of both GPA and SES on reading proficiency (p < 0.05), with GPA demonstrating a larger effect size (η<sup>2</sup> = 0.06). The findings support the feasibility of CBT while highlighting the importance of considering cognitive processing and learner background to ensure valid and equitable assessment practices in Thai higher education.