A Study on the Attitude of English-Majored Students toward Computer-Assisted Pronunciation Learning at a Technological University

[[abstract]]過去十年來，由於科技不斷的發展與突破，台灣各大教育機構開始廣泛使用電腦輔助發音學習軟體做為學生學習英語發音的工具。 儘管電腦輔助發音學習日趨重要及盛行，關於它的學習成效及軟體穩定度至今仍令人質疑；更重要的是使用者對於這種發音學習的看法與態度，在文獻上的探討也不是很清楚。 總而言之，由電腦發音軟體所引發的各種爭議及學界持續的關注，使得愈來愈多的研究人員企圖找出最有效率的發音學習方法，特別是透過電腦及數位音效做為媒介的學習法。 本研究者的主要目的是探討科技大學英語系學生對於電腦輔助發音學習的看法與態度，所有參與的學生都修習了一門電腦輔助發音學習的訓練課程。 此外，本研究同時想瞭解學生對電腦發音軟體所提供的學習活動的滿意度，以及對訓練課程中所學到的主要發音技能的看法，包括對各個技能的難易度及實用性的認知與評估。 在研究資料收集方面，研究者針對高雄第一科技大學應用英語系二技部兩班大三的學生進行一項問卷調查及隨機抽樣訪談。 研究結果顯示：大多數學生對於訓練課程中所使用的電腦發音軟體抱持高度肯定的正面態度。 有將近百分之九十點七（90 7%）的學生回應說他們現在對於音節、重音、韻律、音調的概念有更好的理解。 除此之外，他們對於軟體所提供的練習活動和學習內容也都有中上的滿意度。大約有三分之二的學生相信這是一個成功的軟體，它的設計符合台灣外語學習者的需求。 再者，大多數學生認為軟體所提供的十八個發音技能訓練都很實用，更有趣的是根據問卷調查的資料顯示，學生覺得最難的五項發音技能跟最實用的五項發音技能基本上是雷同的，都是關於重音及音調為主的發音訓練。 最後，本研究對台灣目前的發音教學及外語教育提出具體的改進建議。[[abstract]]Over the past decade computer-assisted pronunciation (CAP) instruction has been widely applied in academic institutions for pronunciation learning as a result of modern breakthroughs in technology and research Despite the importance and prevalence of CAP technology there are still uncertainties in regards to its effectiveness stability and most importantly users' perception towards CAP learning This contradiction and the growing awareness surrounding it has thus inspired numerous researchers to explore the most effective approach to pronunciation learning via computer and digital sound machines In the present study the researcher aims to investigate the attitudes of English-majored undergraduate students towards a CAP training course they took at a technological university In addition the study probes the satisfaction of students with the learning activities provided by the pronunciation software in the course and explores student perception regarding the usefulness and difficulty of learning major pronunciation skills with CAP software To collect relevant data the researcher conducted a questionnaire survey and oral interviews with two classes of junior students recruited from the two-year undergraduate program in the Department of English at National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology The results of the current study revealed that the majority of participants hold highly positive attitudes towards the use of the pronunciation software in the training course As many as 90 7% of the participants responded that they now possess a better understanding of the concepts of syllables stress intonation and rhythm Moreover in general the participants experienced moderate to high satisfaction with the learning content and activities provided by the pronunciation software Approximately two-thirds of the participants believed this pronunciation software was well-designed to meet the needs of EFL learners In addition all of the 18 pronunciation skills taught by the software were considered useful and effective by a large majority of the participants Interestingly based on survey data what students deemed the five most difficult pronunciation skills coincidentally overlapped with the five most useful skills all of which were related to stress and intonation skills Lastly pedagogical implications of these results are also addressed in terms of potential improvements for foreign language education in Taiwa