International Society for Language Studies 2011 Conference Oranjestad, Arbua June 23rd – 25th Presented by Luba Iskold, Ed.
Download
Report
Transcript International Society for Language Studies 2011 Conference Oranjestad, Arbua June 23rd – 25th Presented by Luba Iskold, Ed.
International Society for Language Studies
2011 Conference
Oranjestad, Arbua
June 23rd – 25th
Presented by
Luba Iskold, Ed. D
Muhlenberg College
Presentation Outline
Introduction:
Perspectives on collaborative nature of Web 2.0 tools
Research related to the use of SNSs for SLA
Potential benefits and possible drawbacks
Instructor’s role
Classroom examples
Student reactions to class-related FB experiences
2
Definition of Terms
Avatar – Graphical representation of a user
Blog – Abbreviation for “weblog” with personal entries
CALL – Computer-Assisted Language Learning
CMC – Computer Mediated Communication
FB – Facebook, a social networking site
L2 – The terms “second language,” “target language,” “foreign
language” refer to languages other than English taught as an
academic subject
SNS – Social Networking Site
3
Introduction:
Perspectives on collaborative nature of
Web 2.0 tools
Users not only engage in one-way communication,
i.e., access web pages to retrieve content
They engage in multi-way communication, i.e.,
create content, contribute, share, and collaborate
Web 2.0 is about “encouraging and enabling
participation through open applications and
services” (Davis, 2005)
4
Perspectives on collaborative nature of Web
2.0 tools
Social-Networking Sites (SNSs) are the most
convenient Web 2.0 tools for user collaboration
SNSs allow users to
express themselves
keep in touch with friends
interact with others
set up privacy specifications
5
Research Related to SNSs
Why incorporate SNSs into class-related activities?
Role in today’s society
User demographics
Communication and identity performance are both carried out via SNSs
SNSs are common in the workplace and in the job searches
90% of people ages 20-30 participate in SNSs (Tufekci, 2008)
SNSs are a “civil society of teenage culture” (boyd & Ellison, 2007)
Magnetizing power
Observing friends’ profile updates
Immediate reactions from friends
Teenagers enjoy experimenting with identities and impression management
(Tufekci, 2008)
SNSs provide for a safe experimentation with multiple identities
(Sykes et.al, 2008)
6
Research Related to SNSs & SLA
‘Performing identities’ is the central activity on SNSs where
users “write themselves into being” (Atkinson, 2002)
Current generation of students has developed “new learning
styles and qualitatively different thought patterns”
(Thorne & Payne, 2005)
SNSs “foster the ideal language learning environment, one
that encourages interaction and collaboration-the major
goals, after all, or of language itself” (Lomicka & Lord, 2009)
Learning a language through interactions with others ties in
with Vygotsky’s (1978) socio-cultural approach to learning
and its later adaptation for L2 teaching and learning
Incorporating communicative acts via an SNS “could be as
practical for [L2] students as teaching them how to order in a
restaurant” (McBride, 2009)
7
Research on Experimenting with and
Development of Identities
Acquiring an L2 involves the development of a new identity
(Pavlenko & Lantolf)
CMC affords additive (vs. subtractive in face-to-face)
experimentation with multiple identities
SNSs are characterized by “radical expansion of possibilities for
artistic expression” (McBride, 2009)
8
Research on Experimenting with and
Development of Identities
“Self-authorship,” i.e., remixing the self through text and
media, may serve as the basis for new learning and lessons
in CALL (McBride, 2009)
Using student-created materials for further learning fits
with “student-centered” pedagogy
Self-authorship may lead to
more time spent on task
raise interest in and motivation for learning
result in more active learning
9
Academic Benefits
Students:
Learn to analyze and appreciate netiquette
Develop critical thinking about social interactions with
others
Distinguish what is public and what is private
Learn to avoid indulging in uncritical narcissism as in “me-
me-I-I-I”
(Thorne & Payne, 2005)
Integrate new knowledge and other’s perspectives into one’s
personal experience
10
Limitations: Analysis of L1 online interactions
and
L2 implications
Because SNSs are used primarily to maintain social bonds,
exchanges are brief and frequently use simplified language,
spelling, and colloquialisms
Writing does not require a “process” approach
Texts are scanned rather than read thoroughly
Messages with images are perceived differently than plain text
11
Student Challenges
Personal reasons not to be ‘friends’ with someone in
class
‘Popularity contest’-may elevate anxiety and cause
alienation in some L2 learners
Lack of L2 pragmatic knowledge in introductory
language courses may make writing and interactions
with others difficult
12
Instructors’ Challenges
Should the instructor be included?
Do students find it awkward?
Is there a difference between communicating with an authority figure via email vs. a
SNS
Do SNSs undermine instructor’s authority?
(Mazer, Murphy & Simonds, 2007)
Curricular limitations- difficulty to incorporate additional activities into
syllabi
Time constraints- first learn about the technology and only then design
own teaching
Resistance from more traditional instructors
Development of assessment strategies and grading parameters
13
Instructors’ Challenges
Curricular limitations- difficulty to incorporate additional activities
into syllabi
Time constraints- first learn about the technology and only then
design own teaching
Resistance from more traditional instructors
Development of assessment strategies and grading parameters
14
Why Facebook?
Student familiarity with this particular SNS eliminates the
need for L1 training
Ease of navigation and use
Privacy settings
Ability to set the interface and IM in L2
Convenience: meeting social and class needs in one place
15
Examples of what was done in Russian
Language and Literature Classes
16
17
18
19
20
Alternative vs. Real
Identity Profiles
Extending oneself by taking the point of view of one’s respective character
Choosing among the characters may increase motivation and interest
Keeps learners away from overindulging in themselves
Student popularity in class may suffer less
Engage in further development of L2 characters
Use critical thinking and analytical skills to invent new situation and plot developments
Employ additional resources to develop characters’ attributes and ensure
their authenticity
Participate in task-based experiential learning focused on online exchanges
between characters
Learn how to make predictions relevant to the country where L2 is spoken
Creating stereotypes seems less dangerous
(vs. collaborating in groups to create a fictitious L2 profile)
21
Facebook Pre-Survey
Questions
Help me express myself more creatively
Provide an additional way to interact with peers in class
Help me spend more time writing and communicating in Russian
Motivate me to experiment with a Russian character identity
Be a “popularity contest” in class
Distract me from learning the course content
Consume too much time relative to other assignments
Motivate me to expand my vocabulary in Russian
Motivate me to look for additional resources to develop my character’s attributes
My peers in class will quickly react and comment on my profile
I will frequently update and check my Russian profile
I find it awkward to have my instructor on my ‘friends’ list
I have trouble being ‘friends’ with individuals in class
Instructor’s corrective feedback will diminish my ego
I am familiar with Facebook and will not need technical assistance
Standard
Deviation
Mean
0.991
0.641
0.744
1.509
0.787
0.535
1.488
0.744
1.069
0.000
0.354
0.926
0.744
0.707
0.744
3.875
4.125
4.625
3.875
1.571
1.500
2.500
4.375
3.500
3.000
3.875
2.000
1.375
1.750
4.625
Note. Judgments were made on 5-point scale (1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree).
22
Facebook Post-Survey
Questions
Helped me express myself more creatively
Provided an additional way to interact with peers in class
Helped me spend more time writing and communicating in Russian
Motivated me to experiment with a Russian character identity
Was a “popularity contest” in class
Distracted me from learning the course content
Consumed too much time relative to other assignments
Motivated me to expand my vocabulary in Russian
Motivated me to look for additional resources to develop my character’s
attributes
My peers in class quickly reacted and commented on my profile
I frequently updated and checked my Russian profile
I found it awkward to have my instructor on my ‘friends’ list
I had trouble being ‘friends’ with individuals in class
Instructor’s corrective feedback diminished my ego
I was familiar with Facebook and did not need technical assistance
I would like to continue using FB for my study of Russian
Standard
Deviation
Mean
0.629
1.113
0.921
0.094
0.213
0.276
0.327
1.001
0.862
3.61
3.94
3.67
3.89
2.06
2.00
2.11
3.83
3.80
0.292
0.412
0.519
0.412
0.328
1.184
3.07
2.60
1.80
1.87
1.93
4.27
0.763
3.33
Note. Judgments were made on 5-point scale (1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree).
23
Conclusions
Discuss upcoming projects and potential problems
Use SNSs projects that can support course objectives
Explain the connection to students
Specify expected quality and quantity of communication
Develop brief tasks tied to topics covered in class
Examples:
Physical and personality descriptions
Likes and dislikes, hobbies
Daily routines
Context-based plot development
Provide corrective feedback only in individual messages
24
Bibliography
Atkinson, D. (2002). Toward a sociocognitive approach to second language acquisition. Modern
Language Journal, 86, 525-545.
boyd, d. m., & Ellison, N. B. (2007). Social network sites: Definition, history, and scholarship. Journal of
Computer-Mediated Communication, 13(1), article 11.
http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol13/issue1/boyd.ellison.html
Davis, I. (2005, July 4). Talis, Web 2.0 and all that. Internet Alchemy blog. Retrieved December 31, 2008,
from http://iandavis.com/blog/2005/07/talis-Web-20-and-all-that
Lange, P.G. (2007). Publicly private and privately public: Social networking on YouTube. Journal of
Computer-Mediated Communication, 13(1). Retrieved November 28, 2008, from
http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol13/issue1/lange.html
Larsen Freeman, D. (1997). Chaos/complexity science and second language acquisition. Applied
Linguistics, 18, 141-165.
Lomicka, L., & Lord, G. (2009). Introduction to social networking, collaboration, and web 2.0 tools. In L.
Lomicka, & G. Lord, The next generation: Social networking and online collaboration in foreign
language learning (pp. 1-11). San Marcos, Texas: CALICO.
Mazer, J.P., Murphy, R.E., & Simonds, C. J. (2007). I'll see you on "Facebook": The effects of computermediated teacher self-disclosure on student motivation, affective learning, and classroom climate.
Communication education, 56, 1-17.
McBride, K. (2009). Social Networking sites in foreign language classes: Opportunities for re-creation. In
L. Lomicka, & G. Lord, The next generation: Social networking and online collaboration in foreign
language learning (pp. 35-58). San Marcos, Texas: CALICO.
Pavlenko, A., & Lantolf, J.P. (2000). Second language learning as participation and the (re)construction of
selves. In J.P. Lantolf (Ed.), Mediating discourse online (pp. 331-355). Philadelphia: John Benjamins.
Sykes, J.M., Oskoz, A., & Thorne, S.L. (2008). Web 2.0, synthetic immersive environments, and mobile
resources for language education. CALICO Journal, 25, 529-546. Retrieved December 26, 2008, from
https://calico.org/page.php?id=5
Thorne, S. L., & Payne, J.S. (2005). Evolutionary trajectories, internet mediated expression, and
language education. CALICO Journal, 22, 371-397. Retrieved December 26, 2008, from
https://calico.org/page.php?id=5
Tufecki, Z. (2008). Grooming, gossip, Facebook and MySpace. Information, Communication, and Society,
11, 544-564.
25
Contact Information:
Dr. Luba Iskold
2400 Chew Street
Muhlenberg College,
Languages, Literatures and Cultures,
Allentown, PA 18104
Phone: 484-664-3516
Fax: 484-664-3722
E-mail: [email protected]
http://www.muhlenberg.edu/depts/forlang/LLC/iskold_home/ind
ex.htm
26