Dr MA, Qing    馬清 博士
Associate Professor
Department of Linguistics and Modern Language Studies
Associate Dean (R&PS)
Faculty of Humanities
Contact
ORCiD
0000-0003-3125-3513
Phone
(852) 2948 8593
Email
maqing@eduhk.hk
Address
10 Lo Ping Road, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong
Website
https://pappl.eduhk.hk/rich/web/person.xhtml?pid=105782&name=MA, Qing
Scopus ID
55140673900
Research Interests
  • Second language vocabulary acquisition
  • Corpus linguistics, corpus-based language pedagogy (CBLP), corpus-based literature studies
  • Computer assisted language learning (CALL)
  • Mobile assisted language learning (MALL)





External Appointments

Journal editor

  • Associate Editor of The Journal of China Association for Computer-Assisted Language Learning (ChinaCALL)
  • Associate Editor of the International Journal of Computer-Assisted Language Learning and Teaching (IJCALLT)


Editorial Board 

  • Educational Psychology
  • Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL)
  • Multimedia-Assisted Language Learning


Professional Membership

  • Member of the Hong Kong Association for Applied Linguistics (HAAL), Hong Kong
  • Member of the Computer Assisted Language Instruction Consortium (CALICO), USA
  • Member of Belgian Association of Anglicists in Higher Education (BAAHE), Belgium 

 

Personal Profile

Dr MA Qing (Angel) is an Associate Professor in the Department of Linguistics and Modern Language Studies and currently holds the position of Associate Dean (Research & Postgraduate Studies) in the Faculty of Humanities at The Education University of Hong Kong. Her research primarily focuses on second language vocabulary acquisition, corpus linguistics, corpus-based literature studies, and the application of technology in language learning, including corpus-based language pedagogy (CBLP), computer-assisted language learning (CALL), and mobile-assisted language learning (MALL).

 

She has developed the Parallel EAP Corpora (http://corpus.eduhk.hk/eap/) for research purposes, as well as the Corpus-Aided Platform for Language Teachers (CAP) (http://corpus.eduhk.hk/cap/) and the Corpus-Based Language Pedagogy for English Teachers (https://pressbooks.pub/cmtry1/) for teaching applications. She is an experimenter of corpus technology in teaching, and passionate English teacher trainer. She has established a new corpus-based language pedagogy by theorising and empirically testing it that has positively impacted many pre-service and in-service English teachers. She is the associate editor for four journals: Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL); International Journal of Computer-Assisted Language Learning and Teaching (IJCALLT); The Journal of China Association for Computer-Assisted Language Learning (ChinaCALL); Research and Practice in Technology Enhanced Learning.

 

Research Interests
  • Second language vocabulary acquisition
  • Corpus linguistics, corpus-based language pedagogy (CBLP), corpus-based literature studies
  • Computer assisted language learning (CALL)
  • Mobile assisted language learning (MALL)





External Appointments

Journal editor

  • Associate Editor of The Journal of China Association for Computer-Assisted Language Learning (ChinaCALL)
  • Associate Editor of the International Journal of Computer-Assisted Language Learning and Teaching (IJCALLT)


Editorial Board 

  • Educational Psychology
  • Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL)
  • Multimedia-Assisted Language Learning


Professional Membership

  • Member of the Hong Kong Association for Applied Linguistics (HAAL), Hong Kong
  • Member of the Computer Assisted Language Instruction Consortium (CALICO), USA
  • Member of Belgian Association of Anglicists in Higher Education (BAAHE), Belgium 

 

Research Outputs
Scholarly Books, Monographs and Chapters
Research book or monograph (author)
Ma, Q. (2009). Second Language Vocabulary Acquisition. Germany: Peter Lang.
Chapter in an edited book (author)
Ma, Q, (2024). Corpus-based language pedagogy for pre-service and in-service teachers: Theory, practice and research.. In P. Crosthwaite, Corpora for Language Learning: Bridging the Research-Practice Divide (174-186). Routledge.
Ma, Q., & Yan, J. (2022). How do university L2 learners make use of mobile dictionary apps to become autonomous learners?. B. Zou, M. Thomas, D. Barr & W. Jia, Emerging Concepts in Technology-Enhanced Language Teaching and Learning (177-199). USA: IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-8981-6.ch009
HU, H., Ma, Q., Tang, J. (2020). Chinese EFL Online Technology and Teacher Education: A Multi-case Study From an Ecological Perspective. In H-S. Kang, D-S. Shin & T. Chimasko (Eds.), Online Education for Teachers of English as a Global Language (187-209). New York: Routledge.
Ma, Q. & Lee, H. Y. (2019). Measuring the vocabulary knowledge of young L2 learners by word associations and its implications for developing L2 reading literacy in the Hong Kong primary school context. In B. L. Reynolds & F. Teng, English Literacy Instruction in Chinese Speaking Asia (35-52). UK: Palgrave Macmillam.
Ma, Q. (2017). Technologies for teaching and learning L2 vocabulary. In C. A. Chapellem & Sauro, S. (Eds.), Handbook of Technology in Second Language Teaching and Learning (45-61). Oxford: Wiley Blackwell.
Ma, Q., & Xu, Z. (2017). Revisiting Chinese English in a multilingual and multicultural world: has it been nativised?. In S. C. Kong, T. L. Wong, M. Yang, C. F. Chow, & K. H. Tse (Eds.), Researching Chinese English: The State of the Art (189-201). Dordrecht: Springer.
Wang, L., & Ma, Q. (2017). Community of practice: Building a mobile learning community in a higher education institution to promote effective teaching and learning.. In S. C. Kong, T. L. Wong, M. Yang, C. F. Chow, & K. H. Tse (Eds.), Emerging practices in scholarship of learning and teaching in a digital era (19-38). Singapore: Springer.
Ma, Q. (2016). An evidenced-based study of Hong Kong University Students’ mobile assisted language learning (MALL) experience.. In A. Gimeno-Sanz, F. Blin, D. Barr, & M. Levy (Eds.), WorldCALL: Sustainability and Computer-Assisted Language Learning (211-229). New York: New York: Bloomsbury.
Ma, Q. (2013). Computer Assisted Vocabulary Learning: Framework and Tracking User Data. In P. Hubbard, M. Schulze, & B. Smith (Eds.), Learner-Computer Interaction in Language Education: A Festschrift in Honor of Robert Fischer (230-243). San Marcos, Texas: Computer Assisted Language Instruction Consortium (CALICO).
Ma, Qing (2011). In search of ways in which Chinese English teachers can come to change and improve their learners’ vocabulary learning strategy use. In S. Breidbach, D. Elsner, & Y. Andrea (eds.), Language awareness in teacher education - cultural-political and social-educational perspectives (158-173). Frankfurt am Main, Berlin: Peter Lang.

Journal Publications
Publication in refereed journal
Yu, A., & Ma, Q. (2024). A corpus-based approach to Chinese English study—Pinning down the ‘Chineseness’ and implications for creative writing in English in China. Asian Englishes, 26(1), 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1080/13488678.2022.2132127
Ma, Q., & Chiu, M. M. (2024). Implementing and evaluating a self-regulated and personalised vocabulary learning approach in a MALL context.. Language Learning & Technology, 28(1), 1-28. https://doi.org//10125/73579
Ma, Q., & Wang, L. (2024). Online technologies for language learning and teaching: innovations, practices and perceptions from students and teachers. Journal of China Computer-Assisted Language Learning, Online first, 1-5. https://doi.org/10.1515/jccall-2024-0002
Ma, Q., & Lee, H. T, Gao, X., & Chai, C.-S. (2024). Learning by Design: Enhancing Online Collaboration in Developing Pre-Service TESOL Teachers’ TPACK for Teaching with Corpus Technology. British Journal of Educational Technology, Online First, 1-29. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.13458
Ma, Q., Yuan, R., Cheung, E. L.M., Yang, J. (2024). Teacher paths for developing corpus-based language pedagogy: a case study. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 37(3), 461-492. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2022.2040537
Li, M., Chen, Y., Cukurova, M., & Ma, Q. (2023). A systematic review of research on immersive technology-enhanced writing education: The current state and a research agenda. IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies, 17, 919 - 938. https://doi.org/10.1109/TLT.2023.3341420
36. Jia,F., Sun,D*., Ma, Q.,& Looi, C-K. (2022). Developing an AI-based Learning System for L2 Learners’ Authentic and Ubiquitous Learning in English Language. Sustainability, 14, 15227. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/su142315527
Mei, F., Lu, Y., & Ma, Q. (2022). Online Language Education Courses: A Chinese Case from an Ecological Perspective. Journal of China Computer-Assisted Language Learning, 2(2), 228-256. https://doi.org/10.1515/jccall-2022-0017
Ma, Q., Chiu, M. M., Lin, S., & Mendoza, N. (2022). Teacher’s perceived corpus literacy and their intention to integrate corpora into classroom teaching: A survey study. ReCALL, 35(1), 19-39. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0958344022000180
Wu, W., Ma, Q., & Santos, I. M. (2022). Inquiry into online learning communities: Fostering collaborative writing. Journal of China Computer-Assisted Language Learning, 1(2), 1-25. https://doi.org/10.1515/jccall-2022-0006
Fang, L., Ma, Q., Yan, J. (2021). The Effectiveness of Corpus-Based Training on Collocation Use in L2 Writing for Chinese Senior Secondary School Students. Journal of China Computer-Assisted Language Learning, 1, 177-190.
Ma, Q., & Fang, M. (2021). Review of Corpus Tools for Vocabulary Teaching and Learning. Journal of China Computer-Assisted Language Learning, 1(1), 177-190.
Ma, Q., & Yan, J. (2021). How to empirically and theoretically incorporate digital technologies into language learning and teaching.. Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, First view, 1-2.
Ma, Q., Tang, J., & Lin, S. (2021). The development of corpus-based language pedagogy for TESOL teachers: A two-step training approach facilitated by online collaboration. Computer Assisted Language Learning, Online first, 1-30.
Tran, T. T. T., & Ma, Q. (2021). Using formative assessment in a blended EFL listening course: student perceptions of effectiveness and challenges.. International Journal of Computer Assisted Language Learning and Teaching, 11(3), 1-20.
Song, Y. & Ma, Q. (2021). Affordances of a mobile learner-generated tool for pupils’ English as a second language vocabulary learning: An ecological perspective. British Journal of Educational Technology, 52(2), 858-878.
Ma, Q. (2020). Examining the role of inter-group peer online feedback on wiki writing in an EAP context. Computer Assisted Language Learning. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 33(3), 197-216.
Ma, Q. (2019). University L2 Learners’ Voices and Experience in Making Use of Dictionary Apps in Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL). International Journal of Computer Assisted Language Learning and Teaching, 9(4), 18-36.
Ma, Q. (2018). Review of how vocabulary is learned by Stuart Webb and Paul Nation. The Journal of Asia TEFL, 15(1), 250-251.
Ma, Q. (2017). A multi-case study of university students’ language-learning experience mediated by mobile technologies: a socio-cultural perspective. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 30(3-4), 183-203.
Ma, Q. (2015). A process-focused learning model for L2 vocabulary acquisition: construction, validation, implications. International Journal of Applied Linguistics (ITL), 166(1), 127-162.
Choi, M., & Ma, Q. (2015). Realising personalised vocabulary learning in the Hong Kong context via a personalised curriculum featuring “student-selected vocabulary”. Language and Education, 29(1), 62-78.
Ma, Q., & Sin, C. (2015). Teaching young learners L2 vocabulary with reading-based exercises. Porta Linguarum, 23, 125-138.
Ma, Q. (2014). A contextualised study of EFL learners’ vocabulary learning approaches: framework, learner type and degree of success. Asia TEFL, 11(3), 33-71.
Ma, Q. (2013). Matching vocabulary learning process with learning outcome in L2 academic writing: an exploratory case study. Linguistics and Education, 24(2), 237-246.
Ma, Q. (2012). Upholding standards of academic writing of Chinese Students in China English. Changing English, 19(3), 349-357.
Gao, X., & Ma, Qing (2011). Vocabulary learning and teaching beliefs of pre-service and in-service teachers in Hong Kong and mainland China. Language Awareness, 20(4), 327-342.
Ma, Q., & Kelly, P. (2009). How can we overcome some of the hurdles to Chinese students’ learning of English lexis?. Changing English, 16(4), 405-412.
Ma, Q. (2008). Empirical CALL evaluation: the relationship between the learning process and the learning outcome. CALICO Journal, 26(1), 108-122.
Ma, Q. (2007). From monitoring users to controlling user actions: A new perspective on the user-centred approach to CALL. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 20(4), 297-321.
Ma, Q., & Kelly, P. (2006). Computer Assisted Vocabulary Learning: Design and evaluation. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 19(1), 15-45.

Conference Papers
Invited conference paper
Ma, Q. (2024, June). Empowering Language Teachers with Corpus-based Language Pedagogy and Artificial Intelligence. ICLLS Conference 2024, Hong Kong.
Ma, Q. (2023, November). Empowering English Language Education with Corpus-Based Language Pedagogy: Theory, Practice and Research.. QS Higher Ed Summit: Asia Pacific 2023, Malaysia.
Ma, Q., Wang, L., Lee, J. F. K., & Chen, H. C. (2022, December). Helping teachers to teach with corpora: The Corpus-Aided Platform for Language Teachers (CAP). International Congress on English Language Education and Applied Linguistics, Hong Kong.
Ma, Q. (2017, July). Building and exploring language learning in a mobile learning community (MLC) among Hong Kong university students. Invited seminar at 2016 International Symposium on CALL, 22-23 July, Qing Dao, China.
Ma, Q., & Wang, L. (2015, March). Animating Classroom Teaching with Mobile Technologies. The 3rd HKIEd Mini Conference on Teaching and Learning, Hong Kong.
Refereed conference paper
Ma, Q. (2023, August). Free online corpora and teachers’ development of corpus-based language pedagogy (CBLP). 2023 International Conference on CALL, Beijing.
Ma, Q. (2023, July). Developing pre-service language teachers’ TPACK for corpus technology and their self-efficacies for independent language learning and teaching.. The European Conference on Language Learning, London.
Ma, Q. (2023, July). TPACK Development for English Language Teachers: Focusing on Corpus Technology.. China TESOL Conference 2023, Macau.
Yan, J., & Ma, Q. (2023, May). Introducing Corpus Technology to Hong Kong ESL Undergraduate Students as a Useful Tool for Learning, Teaching and Research Purposes [Paper presentation]. The 2nd APSCE International Conference on Future Language Learning (IFCULL 2023), Beijing, China.
Ma, Q., Wang, L., & Yang, C.C.R. (2016, July). Mobile technology and language learning. 2016 International Symposium on Computer-Assisted Language Learning, Qingdao, China.
Wang, L., & Ma, Q. (2015, June). Building a Mobile Learning Community to Promote Mobile Learning in Higher Education Institutions. LATALL 2015 Conference, Tai Pei.
Ma, Q. (2014, November). A multi-case study of Hong Kong university students’ mobile language learning experience. 2014 International Symposium on CALL, Beijing.
Wang, L., & Ma, Q. (2014, July). Establishing a Mobile Learning Community: Challenges and Solutions.. HERDSA 2014 Conference, Hong Kong.
Ma, Q., & Wang, L. (2014, May). How do University L2 Learners Make Use of E-dictionaries/Apps in Mobile-assisted Language Learning (MALL)?. CALICO Conference 2014, Athens, USA.
Stamper, S., Ma, Q., & Wang, L., & Burston, J. (2014, May). The future of language learning and teacher education with MALL. Computer Assisted Language Instruction Consortium Conference 2014 (CALICO 2014): Open, online, massive: The future of language learning?, Athens, USA.
Ma, Q., & Wang, L. (2013, July). An evidence-based study of Hong Kong University students’ mobile assisted language learning (MALL) experience. World CALL 2013 Conference, Glasgow, UK.
Other conference paper
Wang, L., & Ma, Q. (2014, February). Building a Mobile Learning Community: the Use of Mobile Technologies in Studying Subject Knowledge through English.. The 2nd HKIEd Mini Conference on Teaching and Learning, Hong Kong.

Projects
Investigating Student Teachers' TPACK Development for Corpus Technology and Their Self-efficacies for Independent Language Learning and Teaching: A Mixed Method Study

Project Start Year: 2024, Principal Investigator(s): MA, Qing

 
Creating an international community of English teachers with reinforced learning of a corpus-based language pedagogy
This project builds on the research expertise of corpus linguistics of a corpus team at LML/FHM. The corpus team has successfully established an innovative language pedagogy - a corpus-based language pedagogy (CBLP). In the past years, great success has been achieved in providing CBLP training to both pre- and in-service English teachers in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay area (GBA). Now we would like to reinforce this CBLP approach and extend its educational impact from GBA to a broad international English teacher community. Specifically, we will provide CBLP training for English teachers in Hong Kong, mainland China (especially GBA), and other countries/regions (Taiwan, Macau, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, etc.). We will update existing and create new resources in the form of MOOC open to the public. We will also produce a book proposal with the view to providing practical guidance for acquiring CL and high-quality corpus-based lesson samples to sustain teachers’ CBLP development.
Project Start Year: 2022, Principal Investigator(s): MA, Qing 馬清

 
Enhancement of student citation skills in academic writing with corpus technology
Citation is an important feature of EAP writing for research purposes. They are used to report existing findings, show how a new research study is grounded, and promote and synthesise writers’ own propositions and contributions. A great challenge faced by student writer in EAP is that they are unable to cite research studies appropriately and accurately. They tend to overuse, underuse, or even misuse some citations. Students also find it difficult to use appropriate sentence patterns associated with some reporting verbs in their writing. This project will make use of existing LML Parallel EAP Corpora (https://corpus.eduhk.hk/eap/) which contain both expert and student writers’ research writing. Efforts will be made to identify the useful reporting verbs and sentence patterns associated with the reporting verbs for both expert and student writers. Based on the analysis, instructional materials for EAP writing will be created to benefit student EAP writers who take LML courses.
Project Start Year: 2022, Principal Investigator(s): MA, Qing 馬清

 
Acceptance and Actual Use of Corpus Technology for English Teachers

Project Start Year: 2021, Principal Investigator(s): MA, Qing 馬清

 
Strategic Development of the EdU Online Classes Platform (EOCP) for the Enhancement of Online Learning and Teaching in Local Schools
The project is a crisis management strategy for facing the sudden and big switch of teaching and learning mode in the educational sector. The project goal is to transform the crisis of the prolonged suspension of on-campus teaching and learning to be an opportunity for the comprehensive implementation of online teaching and learning.
Project Start Year: 2020, Principal Investigator(s): KONG, Siu Cheung, HUI, Yan Keung, John (MA, Qing as Co-Investigator)

 
Investigating Primary Students' Real-life English as a Second Language Vocabulary Learning Leveraged by a Ubiquitous Learning Platform through Learning Analytics: A Multiple-case Study
This study aimed at investigating students’ after-class vocabulary behavioural learning patterns on a ubiquitous learning platform by tracking their learning process through learning analytics, and the impact of the patterns on students’ vocabulary learning performance.
Project Start Year: 2020, Principal Investigator(s): SONG, Yanjie 宋燕捷 (MA, Qing 馬清 as Co-Investigator)

 
Second Language Learning of Kindergarteners and Primary School Students: What Parents and Schools Should Know?
1. To synergize expertise of team members to accelerate our contribution and impact in second language learning.
2. To strengthen current research collaboration among team members and benefit members through (a) sharing of datasets to facilitate research and publications and (b) documentation of impact of the research of team members to ensuring the sustainability of data;
3. To disseminate basic and applied research findings of the team members by organizing knowledge transfer activities (e.g., seminars and workshops) for various stakeholders such as teachers and parents in the local and regional contexts;
4. To design new and innovative interventions to address the current challenges and concerns on second language learning in local and regional contexts; and
5. To generate new research ideas in second language learning based on knowledge exchanges with various stakeholders and academics in the field for securing future research funding.
Project Start Year: 2020, Principal Investigator(s): YEUNG, Siu Sze (MA, Qing as Co-Investigator)

 
Language Enhancement at EdUHK and Beyond: Fostering a Community of Practice on Technology-enhanced Language Learning and Teaching
This project intends to achieve the following objectives: 1). Identify creative and effective use of technologies in language learning and teaching (English / Cantonese / Putonghua / other modern languages); 2). Investigate how such technologies help to enhance students’ language learning and teachers’ language teaching through guided self-reflection and critical evaluations of their technology-enhanced language learning/teaching practices; 3). Build a Community of Practice on technology-enhanced language learning and teaching among tertiary students and academic/teaching staff and motivate them to use technologies in language learning and teaching; 4). Discuss language learning related issues (e.g., English/Chinese academic writing, corpus-based language learning, etc.) and offer pedagogical suggestions on technology-enhanced language learning and teaching for both students and teachers; 5). Sustain the community members’ interests in using technologies in language learning and teaching through regular sharing of members’ successful experiences and invited talks given by local and overseas experts in the field of technology enhanced language learning and teaching, and through the organization of an international conference on technology-enhanced language learning and teaching.
Project Start Year: 2020, Principal Investigator(s): WANG, Lixun (MA, Qing as Co-Investigator)

 
A Self-Regulated Vocabulary Learning Approach Supported by a Mobile-User-Generated-Content Tool for Pupils in Hong Kong
This RGC GRF project aims at examining the effect of a self-regulated vocabulary approach leveraged by a mobile-user-generated-content (m-UGC) tool on learning outcomes, self-regulated learning awareness and learning processes. The approach integrates five-stage vocabulary learning process with 3-phase self-regulated learning mediated by the m-UGC tool to enhance learners’ learning across in-class and real life settings at the right time and place, for the right task.
Project Start Year: 2020, Principal Investigator(s): SONG, Yanjie (MA, Qing as Co-Principal Investigator)

 
Enhancing Chinese Reading and Vocabulary Knowledge of Ethnic Minority Primary School Students by Using E-books: A Randomised Study
As few ethnic minority people in Hong Kong can read or write Chinese (Census and Statistics Department, 2017), this study will investigate whether e-books can help ethnic minority primary school students to improve their Chinese learning in reading and writing characters. Building on the Chinese learning model set out by Li and McBride (2013), we propose a Technology-Enhanced Framework For Chinese Learning that will guide the design of e-books with multimedia and interactive features.
Project Start Year: 2019, Principal Investigator(s): MA, Qing 馬清

 
The Development and Evaluation of an Innovative Corpus-based Language Teaching Approach among School In-service Teachers in the Greater Bay Area or Beyond
Guided by a self-developed theoretical framework, this project will provide a two-phase corpus-based training for in-service teachers in primary, secondary and vocational schools in the Greater Bay Area, including cities such as Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Zhuhai and Huizhou. Through the development and implementation of workshop series, online self-learning materials, teacher professional training and consultancy provided for schools, this proposed project is expected to develop school teachers’ understanding and implementation of an innovative corpus-based language pedagogy that is developed co-jointly from two areas, i.e., corpus linguistics and educational technologies, with the long term benefits of maximising school teachers’ potential in sustainable self-learning for professional development and effectiveness in teaching. It is hoped that the developed and enhanced new corpus-based language pedagogy of teachers and their positive attitudes could help to bring an impact on the school language pedagogy and curriculum in the Greater Bay Area.
Project Start Year: 2019, Principal Investigator(s): MA, Qing 馬清

 
A Self-Regulated and Personalised Vocabulary Learning Approach Mediated by Mobile Technologies for University Students
This project proposed to develop and measure the effectiveness of a self-regulated and personalised (SRP) vocabulary learning approach. In this SRP approach, the mobile technologies mediate, the vocabulary pedagogy informs and the personalisation shapes students’ L2 vocabulary learning. This research aims to help students develop a heightened capacity for self-regulation while using mobile technologies and appropriate pedagogical knowledge to learn L2 vocabulary more efficiently and effectively in the long term. This research will adopt a mixed-method design. An experimental design will be adopted to find out to what extent students can learn L2 vocabulary using the SRP approach in a mobile technology-mediated environment via a self-directed intervention for a period of one semester. It will also examine whether the self-directed SRP approach can help students learn L2 vocabulary receptively and productively better than those who adopt their usual learning approach. Personalised vocabulary tests at both receptive and productive levels will be developed for each participant to measure their learning outcome. In addition, a multi-case study will be conducted to provide qualitative evidence to verify whether the self-directed SRP approach can lead to a heightened capacity for self-regulation. The qualitative evidence collected can also be used to triangulate and validate the quantitative findings.
Project Start Year: 2019, Principal Investigator(s): MA, Qing 馬清

 
Enhancement of Student Learning Outcomes: Developing Pre-service and In-service English Teacher’s Corpus Literacy Using Flipped Learning Enhanced by Mobile Technologies
Despite the importance and popularity of corpus linguistics and its great potential in benefiting language teaching and learning, a corpus-based linguistic approach remains largely unknown to the majority of the professional teaching community. This project will identify gaps between corpus linguistic research and language pedagogy and come up with concrete solutions to solve authentic teaching/learning problems. This project proposes to bridge the gaps by developing pre-service English teachers’ corpus literacy using flipped learning enhanced by mobile technologies. A rich and user-friendly corpus-based teaching and learning website will be built first, then a flipped mobile training programme will be offered to both pre-service and in-service English teachers to help them develop a good corpus literacy and equip them with the skills to integrate a corpus-based approach into language classrooms. Finally, their achievement will be evaluated in real classroom teaching. This project makes use of corpus research findings at different linguistic levels, and has the potential to generate tangible pedagogical products that will benefit the large field of language education, as well as contribute significantly to the professional training of student English teachers from all three faculties by developing their corpus literacy. In addition, this project will help develop in students the four core competencies: positive personality, positive work attitude, cooperation and teamwork, and interpersonal skills. Finally, this project will demonstrate how flipped learning enhanced by mobile technologies can be used effectively to deliver subject knowledge, which will be beneficial to all disciplines at the university.
Project Start Year: 2018, Principal Investigator(s): MA, Qing 馬清

 
Enhancing English Reading Skills of Children Living in Poverty by E-books: A Randomized Experimental Study
This proposed study is a 4-week cluster randomized, controlled intervention trials, in which 120 kindergarten year 2 students aged 4 and 6 will be recruited, following a 2x2 factorial design, randomly assigned to one of the following four groups: 1) students independently read four e-books with multi-media illustrations (including motion, music and sound); 2) students independently read four e-books with interactive features (e.g. hotspots for vocabulary instruction); 3) students independently read four e-books with both multi-media illustrations and interactive features; and 4) children independently play non-literacy related computer educational games related to mathematics. Participants will be recruited from 8 kindergartens and they will go through a screening, a pre-test assessment (20 minutes and within two weeks prior to the intervention), an intervention stage (4 weeks), and finally a post-test assessment (30 minutes and within 5 days after the last session of intervention). The intervention will take eight sessions spread over 4 weeks (2 per week) and children will read two stories per session and four different stories each four times. The order of the stories will be randomized and each session will last for about 12-14 minutes. Their receptive and expressive, and target vocabulary will be measured in pre- and post-test assessment while their retelling one of stories and story comprehension will only be post-tested.

Theoretically, the proposed study will make a significant contribution to the literature regarding the impact of technology-enhanced storybooks on second language development by differentiating a number of theories, including the dual coding theory, the visual superiority theory and the cognitive load theory. In addition, the findings of this proposed study may also have strong policy implications by developing and evaluating a low-cost but effective intervention that helps a lot of children living in poverty in their English learning.
Project Start Year: 2018, Principal Investigator(s): CHEUNG, Chi Kin 張志健 (MA, Qing 馬清 as Co-Investigator)

 
A Self-regulated and Personalised Vocabulary Learning Approach Mediated by Mobile Technologies for Hong Kong and Mainland Chinese University Students
This research will construct and pilot a tailor-made self-training platform (with a mobile compatible version) via Schoology (a Learning Management System) to facilitate two group’s self-training. The online platform for the experimental group contains information and resources for implementing the SRP approach in four perspectives: (1) self-regulation, (2) vocabulary pedagogy, (3) personalised learning and (4) resources for academic vocabulary. First, Zimmerman’s (2011) three-stage of self-regulated learning will be shown to students with concrete examples for language learning where students are guided to develop their self-regulated learning plan in a step-by-step manner. Second, Ma’s (2014) four essential stages for effective vocabulary learning will be expounded to students with concrete examples and exercises. Third, ways to enhance personalised learning together with successful personalised learning stories collected from the PI’s previous work (Ma, 2014; Ma, 2017) will be used to encourage students to personalise and diversify their vocabulary learning. Finally, participants will be advised to devise a one-semester vocabulary learning plan to prepare for taking the IELTS in future. Their focus should be on academic vocabulary that prepares them for their targeted tests. For this reason, several officially recommended vocabulary lists for taking the IELTS test will be uploaded to the online platform for participants to check their self-selected academic vocabulary items. As for the control group, the online platform will contain information and resources from two perspectives: (1) self-regulation and (2) resources for academic vocabulary, which would be identical to those for the experimental group. A briefing session (lasting around 1 hour) will be held for the participants for each group to introduce them to the intervention details and the self-training online platform.
Project Start Year: 2017, Principal Investigator(s): MA, Qing 馬清

 
Educational Linguistics 2.0 – The use of corpora in language teaching
In recent decades, corpus linguistics has offered a new approach to collecting and analysing language data, greatly boosting our understanding of various linguistic and language issues. The thousands of language data, after input into speedy and user-friendly concordancers, reveal authentic and interesting linguistic features which would not be discovered if an intuition-based approach had been taken. Despite the efforts made by linguists and researchers, a corpus-based linguistic approach remains largely unknown to the majority of professional teaching community, particularly language teachers in schools who often rely on an intuition-based approach to solving language issues as well as developing pedagogical materials. So are students’ approaches to language learning. Such an intuition-based approach may not always be efficient or satisfactory. Corpus linguistics has been identified as a strategic area to be focused on since the establishment of the LML department in 2012. Several colleagues have developed various corpora (http://corpus.ied.edu.hk/) in different languages (i.e., English, Chinese, Cantonese and Japanese), most of which being specialised corpora with a clear focus on certain specific language features. For example, the Chinese-English Parallel Corpora provide a good venue for examining literature translation from English to Chinese or vice versa; the English for Academic Purpose corpora (EAP) are used to improve students’ academic writing skills; the Spoken Corpora and Asian Corpus of English (ACE) can be used to improve students’ pronunciation; the Multilingual Parallel Corpora and Cantonese Movie Corpora provide learners with a multimodal approach to language learning. The research on these corpora has been fruitful and resulted in several projects (including GRF/ECS) and publications. Being aware of the good potential of the education values of these corpora, a number of colleagues from LML proposed a collective KTP in order to transfer the expertise and knowledge acquired by the department to school teachers in both Hong Kong and elsewhere (mainland China or other countries/regions).
Project Start Year: 2017, Principal Investigator(s): MA, Qing 馬清

 
Innovative English Language Teaching for Primary Students
One aim of the project was to enhance preservice teachers’ materials development skills, and their abilities to discuss and evaluate observed lessons. The student teachers who joined the project developed resources on the teaching of readers, grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation. Another aim of the project was to strengthen links with the Department of Education of Guangdong Province and schools in Foshan. The project team visited Nanhai Experimental Primary School, in which the participating student teachers tried out the materials developed and observed local teachers' class teaching. Post-lesson conferences were held.
Project Start Year: 2016, Principal Investigator(s): LEE, Fung King Jackie 李鳳琼 (MA, Qing 馬清 as Co-Investigator)

 
Promoting Mobile Learning in the EdUHK and beyond through further development of a Mobile Learning Community
In recent years, the fast development of mobile technologies has greatly enriched and assisted students’ subject learning in higher education, and more and more lecturers have started using mobile technologies (smart phone, tablet, pocket pc, notebook, etc.) to assist their teaching. This project aims to showcase the vitality and creativity of tertiary students of different levels (undergraduates, masters, doctorates) and from different disciplines (Science, Social Science, Education, Arts and Humanities, etc.) in mobile learning, and lecturers’ good practices of utilizing mobile technologies in assisting their teaching, with the ultimate goal of promoting mobile learning in the EdUHK and beyond.

From 2013 to 2015, through a Community of Practice (CoP) project led by the current PIs, a Mobile Learning Community (MLC) was established successfully in the HKIEd. Although the CoP project was a success, without funding support, it is hard to sustain the meaningful community activities. In this newly proposed project, we aim to promote mobile learning in the EdUHK and beyond through further development of the Mobile Learning Community we have established. First, we aim to expand the membership of the MLC, and include members from sister institutions in Hong Kong, and from overseas institutions. A survey among EdUHK staff members about their current practices regarding the use of mobile technologies in their teaching will be conducted, and follow up interviews will be carried out, so as to identify and promote good practices of mobile-assisted teaching. Students’ mobile learning stories will also be collected and shared. Furthermore, we will conduct a series of seminars/workshops/sharing sessions on mobile learning by students and staff from EdUHK, and invite experts in this area from outside EdUHK to give public lectures on mobile learning. E-portfolios about students’ mobile learning experiences and teachers’ mobile-assisted teaching experiences will be compiled and uploaded onto the MLC website. Large number of App reviews related to different subject learning written by students will be uploaded onto MLC website for sharing as well. A Facebook page will be created to allow community members to exchange ideas about mobile learning conveniently.

It is hoped that, through this project, an extended and intensive study of the use of mobile technologies by students and academic staff can be carried out, which will shed light on how mobile technologies can be integrated into existing technology use in higher education and enhance students’ subject learning.
Project Start Year: 2016, Principal Investigator(s): WANG, Lixun 王立勛 (MA, Qing 馬清 as Co-Principal Investigator)

 
Investigation of university students' self-regulated mobile-assisted vocabulary learning (MAVL) across different language learning contexts
Mobile technologies have brought great affordances and opportunities for mobile-assisted language learning (MALL). As a large proportion of MALL takes place outside the classroom (Burston, 2014; Ma, forthcoming a) and is beyond the control of teachers, effective learning hinges upon learners’ capacity to adequately self-regulate their own learning. Self-regulation has proved to be one of the key predictors of academic success (Nota et al., 2004; Zimmerman & Martinez-Pons, 1986, 1988; Zimmerman & Kitsantas, 2014). Only a tiny number of studies investigate self-regulation in MALL, largely using intervention programmes in a localised context. Although such localised studies, each with a different focus, agenda and language learning context, provide readers with some indication of how students engage in and self-regulate MALL, it is difficult to estimate the generalisability of these studies and arrive at an agreed upon conclusion. This research focuses on one key language skill, vocabulary, and investigates how university students engage in mobile-assisted vocabulary learning (MAVL) and self-regulate their MAVL.
Project Start Year: 2015, Principal Investigator(s): MA, Qing 馬清

 
Student Network Group for Mobile Learning of the English language
In this project, a student network group will be established. First, 6 students who engage in mobile learning proactively at HKIEd are invited to be co-investigators (student leaders) of the project. These students will take leading roles in establishing the student network group for mobile learning. They will first identify students’ needs regarding mobile learning by carrying out a survey on mobile learning among 100-200 HKIEd students, and then follow-up focus-group interviews (questionnaire design will be guided by their teachers (principal investigators)), and after data analysis they will respond to students’ mobile learning needs based on survey results by starting various initiatives to promote mobile learning, such as inviting their peers to write in-depth apps reviews on latest mobile learning apps, to showcase successful mobile learning experiences on a dedicated mobile learning website, to facilitate online discussions on mobile learning, and to organize competitions about best mobile learning practices. Social media platforms such as Facebook will be used to ensure extensive interactions among members in the student network group. To disseminate their achievements, students will organize various sharing sessions, invited talks, etc., so that successful mobile learning experiences can be shared in the wider community. It is hoped that through the establishment of the student network group for mobile learning, students from different disciplines and at different levels can interact and benefit from each other, and become better and successful learners through the assistance of mobile technologies. The SNG used will be distinctive from conventional teacher-led approaches to learning and teaching in the courses, as students will serve as change agents and playing a leading role in promoting effective learning.
Project Start Year: 2015, Principal Investigator(s): WANG, Lixun (MA, Qing as Co-Principal Investigator)

 
Student Network Groups as Change Agents
The project has a key theme to engage students directly to take the role as “change agents” in the learning and teaching process through Student Network Group (SNG). Through the four sub-SNG projects, students work in groups and form SNGs to investigate their interested topics. The student leadership role may take different forms in the sub-project i.e. led by students, partnership with teachers or guided by teachers. As a whole, the project aims to improve the learning and teaching experience and promote a student-teacher collaboration environment on campus.
Project Start Year: 2015, Principal Investigator(s): CHENG, May Hung May 鄭美紅 (MA, Qing 馬清 as Co-Investigator)

 
A comparative multi-case study of Hong Kong and mainland Chinese university students’ self-regulated mobile-assisted vocabulary learning (MAVL)
Mobile technologies brought great affordances and opportunities for mobile assisted-language learning (MALL). As a considerable proportion of MALL takes place outside the classroom (Burston, 2014; Ma, forthcoming a) and is beyond the control of teachers, effective learning hinges upon learners’ capacity to self-regulate their own learning adequately. Self-regulation has proved to be one of the key predictors of academic success (Nota et al., 2004; Zimmerman & Martinez-Pons, 1986, 1988; Zimmerman & Kitsantas, 2014). Only a tiny number of studies have investigated self-regulation in MALL, largely using intervention programmes in a localised context. Although such localised studies, each with a different focus, agenda and language learning context, provide readers with some indication of how students engage in and self-regulate MALL, it is difficult to estimate the generalisability of these studies as well as arrive at an agreed upon conclusion. This research focuses on one key language skill, vocabulary, and investigates how students engage in mobile assisted vocabulary learning (MAVL) and self-regulate their MAVL in two common language learning settings: English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) and English as a Foreign Language (EFL).
Project Start Year: 2014, Principal Investigator(s): MA, Qing 馬清

 
A keyword study of novice and expert researchers’ research reports related to anguage studies/education
The proposed project builds on two one-million-word EAP corpora specialising in language studies/education. This project makes use of two distinct EAP corpora: (1) an EAP learner corpus, collected from student assignments on linguistics or language education-related courses in an English department in a Hong Kong tertiary institution; (2) an EAP expert corpus, put together from published international journal articles or book chapters related to language studies or education. Using both the syntactically and semantically tagged corpora and focusing on one sub-component, i.e. ELT research (about 200,000 words in each component), keyword searches (available in WordSmith) will be performed in order to identify a list of separate keywords and key phrases pertinent to either the novice or expert researchers. Based on these initial statistical results, further qualitative analysis will be carried out at the semantic, syntactical and discourse levels with the view to revealing the difference systematically between the two types of researchers in terms of both linguistic features and research content.
Project Start Year: 2014, Principal Investigator(s): MA, Qing 馬清

 
Fostering a mobile learning community: The use of mobile technologies in studying subject knowledge through English in tertiary education in Hong Kong
This project intends to achieve the following objectives: 1). Identifying creative and effective use of mobile technologies in learning subject knowledge through English; 2). Investigating how such mobile learning helps to enhance students’ subject and English learning through guided self-reflection; 3). Helping students to conduct critical evaluations of their mobile learning and make strategic efforts to address weak areas in both their subject knowledge and their English; 4). Building a community of mobile learning among tertiary students and academic/teaching staff and motivating them to use mobile technologies in learning and teaching EMI (English as a Medium of Instruction) courses; 5). Discussing EMI and EAP (English for Academic Purposes) related issues and offering pedagogical suggestions on mobile learning/teaching of subject knowledge through English for both teachers and students; 6). Sustaining the community members’ interest in using mobile technologies in learning and teaching through regular sharing of members’ successful experience.
Project Start Year: 2013, Principal Investigator(s): MA, Qing

 
Promoting Mobile Seamless Language Learning (MSLL) among students in HKIED
In response to the current “trilingual and biliterate” language policy adopted in the HK SAR, this project will explore the potential of using mobile devices/resources, including apps for language learning available on major operating platforms such as Apple stores and Android from Google. Students (30) who use mobile devices regularly and creatively for learning English, Cantonese or Putonghua respectively will be invited to share their learning experience. Different learner groups will be targeted for each language focus: English and non-English majors for English, Chinese majors for Putonghua, and mainland or international students for Cantonese. Their learning stories, in verbal texts, audio files, and movie clips, together with artifacts (e.g. screen shots or notes), will be built into a learning website so that their good
practice and experience of successful seamless learning can be shared with others. They will also be invited to evaluate commonly used language learning apps and post their reviews online. Hopefully this practice can be
followed by other students who, after knowing and understanding seamless learning, are inspired and motivated to use mobile devices for language learning. In addition, general guidance in language learning and strategy use, with reference to mobile seamless learning, will be provided on the website, together with links to other open, useful web resources. When launching the website, selected students who contributed data to the project will be invited to attend a seminar to showcase how they made good use of mobile devices and resources for improving their language learning.
Project Start Year: 2012, Principal Investigator(s): MA, Qing 馬清

 
Investigating the features of Chinese students’ written English from a World Englishes’ perspective
In the milieu where World Englishes (WE), composed of different varieties of English (native or non-native), are flourishing and gaining world-wide recognition, the variety of English used by Chinese speakers has received increasing attention by both local and international scholars (e.g. Du & Jiang, 2001; Hu, 2004; Kirkpatrick & Xu, 2002; He & Li, 2009; Xu, 2010). While many researchers agree that Chinese English (CE) is based on Standard English with Chinese-culture specific features at different linguistic levels (e.g. Li, 1993; He & Li, 2009), it is impossible for CE to be entirely free of L1 influence which may result in traditionally so-called linguistic errors. With the recognition of CE as a developing member of WE, a considerable amount of work remains to be done to pave the way for CE to gain its legitimacy, notably in codifying its features in written language. Given the paramount importance accorded to written language in education, it is essential to codify the recurrent features (deviant from standard use) in written language produced by advanced Chinese learners of English and make a distinction between innovative use and linguistic errors. This serves as the first step towards a comprehensive codification of CE. A thorough and systematic codification of the written language is a hallmark for a new variety and has a far-reaching impact on ELT pedagogies in China. Traditionally, codification of peculiar features of emerging varieties focuses on spoken language. This research uses written data and aims to investigate different English speakers’ understanding and acceptance of deviant features in essay writing produced by advanced Chinese English learners.
Project Start Year: 2012, Principal Investigator(s): MA, Qing 馬清

 
Wrong to Right: A Cognitive Linguistic Approach to the Analysis of Second Language Errors
Error Analysis (EA) responded to how contrastive analysis (CA) failed to predict second language (L2) errors from L1 and L2 contrasts (e.g. Richards 1971; 1974a; 1974b, Corder, 1973; 1981, Dulay and Burt, 1974, James, 1998). Interest in EA waned because it assessed learner language from a non-developmental perspective and found identifying the sources of errors problematic (e.g. Shachter and Celce-Murcia, 1977; Ellis and Barkhuizen, 2007). Cognitive Linguistics (CL) renews interest, however, by treating all form as meaningful and meaning as originating in the conceptualizations through which an enactive cognition structures experience (e.g. Talmy, 1978, Lakoff, 1987, Langacker 1990). CL has revitalised Sapir (1949) and Whorf¡¦s (1956) proposition that different languages give cultures different ways of structuring reality (e.g. Lucy and Gaskins, 1979; Lucy and Shweder 2001) thus emphasizing how language learners must cross a conceptual divide. Concomitantly, some L2 errors begin in the use of second language forms with first language meanings and the conceptualizations that these carry (Slobin, 1985; 1996, Valeva, 1996; Holme, 2004) requiring from the student what has come to be called conceptual fluency¡¦ (Valeva, 1996). This project has two phases. In Phase 1 we exploit a one million word corpus of academic writing from Chinese L1 users of academic English compiled in a previous internally financed project. We use this corpus to search for consistent errors and place them on the lexico-grammatical continuum categorizing them as grammatical and semantically schematic or lexical and semantically substantive. We search the error type to determine its relative frequency, disregard the infrequent and thus compile an inventory of significant errors and their exemplars for this learner group. In phase 2 we translate the errors into Chinese and search for their frequency on the ICLE (International Corpus of Learner English) looking at files from non-Chinese learners. Erro
Project Start Year: 2012, Principal Investigator(s): HOLME, Hugh Randal (MA, Qing as Co-Investigator)

 
Wrong to Right, on Error Analysis
The project is re-opening the topic of error analysis to provide an investigative framework that takes account of developments in Cognitive Linguistics and associated research into Linguistic Relativity. To investigate errors, the project is using a learner corpus of academic writing compiled from students with an L1 in a Chinese language.
Project Start Year: 2010, Principal Investigator(s): HOLME, Hugh Randal (MA, Qing 馬清 as Co-Investigator)

 
Matching learning process with learning outcome: focusing on L2 vocabulary acquisition
Previous research on vocabulary strategy use has primarily concerned documenting the learning process without explicitly linking it to the learning outcome. There have been a few attempts made to uncover the relationship between the two but the emerging picture is nevertheless unclear. The aim is to find out how and why use of certain strategies affects L2 vocabulary acquisition with the view to helping learners to be strategically aware of their vocabulary learning process and thus plan their vocabulary learning more efficiently and effectively.
Project Start Year: 2010, Principal Investigator(s): MA, Qing 馬清

 
Developing Students’ Affective Attitude in Secondary EFL Classrooms in the PRC
The study investigates the beliefs, design and practices of secondary school teachers from the PRC when implementing the affective dimension of the English language curriculum, and finds out the extent the pedagogy and approaches suggested in the curriculum for developing students’ affective attitude are employed in teachers’ lessons. Twelve teachers from the 3-week Inservice Course for Guangdong Secondary School English Teachers held in the HKIEd in July 2009 will be identified and invited to take part in the study in which a combination of data collection procedures within the qualitative paradigm, for example, document analysis, interviews and observations, and the study of task materials, e.g. lesson plans and samples of student work, will be used.
Project Start Year: 2010, Principal Investigator(s): LI, Ka Wo, Benjamin 李家和 (MA, Qing 馬清 as Co-Investigator)

 
Comparing Pre-service and in-service teachers’ vocabulary instruction beliefs
This project examines both pre-service and in-service teachers’ vocabulary instruction beliefs as well as identifies differences and similarities between the two groups of teachers’ pedagogical beliefs.
Project Start Year: 2009, Principal Investigator(s): MA, Qing 馬清

 
In-service Programme for Guangdong English Teachers 2009
A total of 40 teachers and researchers from different parts of the Guangdong province participated in the programme, which was held at HKIEd from 6 July 2009 to 24 July 2009. This was the 10th Programme jointly orgainised by the Guangdong Education Bureau, the EDB and the Department of English of the HKIED since this kind of collaboration started in 1999. The major aim of the Course was to further develop the professionalism of these teachers and researchers through reflecting upon English language teaching theories and practice. The participants completed six modules on the Programme and participated in "Fun with English" - activities conducted by Graduate English Teachers from CLE - which aimed at enhancing their English proficiency. During the programme the participants stayed in our Jockey Club Student Quarters to experience the life as full-time students on campus for three weeks.
Project Start Year: 2009, Principal Investigator(s): LI, Ka Wo Benjamin 李家和 (MA, Qing 馬清 as Team Member)

 
A Corpus-based Online Learning System: Improving Undergraduates' Use of Lexico-grammatical Items
This project will develop a corpus-based online learning system to help English majors at HKIEd improve their academic writing to improve their use of lexico-grammatical items. The project involves compiling three corpera: (1) an English for Academic purpose (EAP) learner corpus; (2) the EAP corpus collected from professional academic authors; (3) a Chinese for academic purpose (CAP) corpus.
Project Start Year: 2009, Principal Investigator(s): MA, Qing 馬清

 
Assessing Vocabulary Strategy use through a Process-Oriented Learning Approach
The project will investigate learner Vocabulary strategy use by identifying and verifying several necessary stages that lead to successful vocabulary learning. It involves piloting, developing, and validating a questionnaore that will give insights into the vocabulary learning process.
Project Start Year: 2009, Principal Investigator(s): MA, Qing 馬清