Do live captions raise online L2 course grades?

Live Zoom transcripts did not raise academic reading grades, but they helped lower-proficiency students join more in-class activities.

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What design did the live-transcript study use?

A 2×2 factorial design crossing L2 proficiency with transcript presence or absence.

How many students remained in the analysis?

129 participants after excluding non-full attendance.

Did live transcripts improve grades?

No significant grade gains were found for either proficiency group when transcripts were available.

What benefit appeared for lower-proficiency students?

Higher participation / motivation to complete more in-class activities when transcripts were available.

What course hosted the study?

An English academic reading course for science and engineering students taught on Zoom.

How was English proficiency measured?

TOEIC placement scores used by the university.

Did transcripts erase proficiency gaps in grades?

No; lower-proficiency students with transcripts still lagged higher-proficiency students without them.

What perception differences emerged between proficiency groups?

No significant differences in perceived usefulness or reliance on transcripts.

What technical limitation did authors note?

Imperfect transcript accuracy sometimes made information confusing.

Why choose a lecture-heavy English-medium course?

To maximize opportunities for live transcripts during teacher instruction.

What innovative uses did learners report?

Uses beyond listening support, such as confirming information when the network was poor.

Who taught the four classes?

The same teacher across Class A–D.