It is our pleasure to welcome Mr. Jean-Jacques KOUMBA-N. to the ELC. Mr. KOUMBA-N., or J.J. as he likes to be called, will be with us into the Fall Semester as a Fulbright Visiting Scholar from Gabon. We are hosting him in conjunction with Dr. Isaac Kalumbu who is the Assistant Director for the African Studies Center at MSU. Their Center Director, Dr. Leo Zulu, will also support this endeavor. Mr. KOUMBA-N. will be with us for 6 months while he investigates whether integrating educational technology into English language instruction can improve students’ speaking skills. I have included his research objective below.
During his time as a Fulbrighter with us, he will have a desk in B280, and most likely stay on campus in Owen Hall. Please introduce yourself if you see him in Wells. If you are interested in any areas of his research, please talk with him directly. You’ll find him easy to talk with and a very energetic and personable scholar.
Research Objective: The primary aim of his project is to assess whether integrating educational technology into the English language curriculum enhances students’ speaking skills particularly in contexts like Gabon where limited exposure to English hinders fluency. Recognizing the growing presence of tools such as language apps, speech recognition software, and virtual platforms, he compares traditional teaching methods with technology-enhanced approaches across primary and secondary levels. Using a mixed-methods design, he intends to combine quantitative assessments of pronunciation, fluency, and confidence with qualitative feedback from students and teachers. His research aims to provide evidence-based insights into the effectiveness of these tools, ultimately offering practical recommendations for educators and policymakers to improve spoken English outcomes and expand access to effective language learning opportunities.
