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Communication and Colaboration
Gabriela Amaro
Rodrigo Caballero
Michelle Perales
• Communication is a crucial component of language learning environments (Chapelle, 1998).
• The term communication implies simply conveying knowledge either one way or through an exchange.
• Collaboration will be taken to mean the process during which learners interact socially to create shared understandings (Nykos & Hashimoto, 1997)
• Many educators believe that technology’s capability to support communication and collaboration has changed the classroom more than any of its other capabilities.
By interacting and negotiating meaning with others in the target language, learners can:
• Take advantage of modeling
• Gain new comprehensible language input
• Use language creatively
• Work together to understand new experiences and derive meaning from them.
• Solve language and content problems
• Gain control of a situation or person
• Learn to use language appropriately
• Transfer information
• Focus on language structure and use
• Because computers available in classrooms cannot respond in such a way. The effectiveness of the collaboration tool depends on many variables.
Supporting Communication and Collaboration
• In CALL Environments (Egbert & Hanson-Smith, 1999) there are many ways to develop interactive technology-enhanced tasks for these different group arrangements and participants.
• Because learners are put into work groups or asked to participate does not mean that they will interact, or that they will facilitate language learning. The teacher must plan carefully to ensure that the interaction is effective.
1. Provide opportunities for learners to be active
• In study groups, some students do the work and others do not participate. Those who do not participate may acquire some of the task’s language or content, but they may also be missing out on the interaction they need to succeed.
Provide reasons for learners to listen and respond.
• Many times at the end of a group task, learners are required to present their products to the whole class. In reality, they are addressing their presentations to the teacher for evaluation.
• These techniques are related, to the confition of autonomy.
Do you think that the arrangement of the technology is one factor that impacts the potential for student interaction and
collaboration?
Interaction in the Computer Lab
• Students are sequestered in their own carrels or are sitting behind the computers.
• They are useful not only for individual language learning activities such as using self-access software, conducting research, writing papers, sending e-mail, and completing practice exercises
Interaction in the Multiple-Computer Classroom
• Computer classrooms, allow for more group configurations and activities than traditional labs do. In this type of classroom the students have room to work without the computer and use it only when and if they need it.
• Technology serves as a tool for all kinds of exercises.
Interaction in the One-Computer Classroom
• Although one computer would seem to be insufficient for many CALL activities, the one-computer classroom has some benefits:
• The teacher can see what all learners are doing on the computer.
• The teacher has more control and more opportunities to directly facilitate interaction.
• Technology is available at any time.
• Students can see each other and work cooperatively without barriers.
• It is easier for the teacher to give feedback.
• Having only one computer shifts the focus from the technology to learning and interacting.
• It is easy to use a variety of group configurations.
• Learners in one-computer settings typically do not collaborate with partners at a distance, but this is a rich context for face-to-face interaction.
• These three contexts, and other variations on technology-enhanced settings all support CALL activities.
• However, teachers must consider the physical setting’s impact on not only the efficiency but also the effectiveness of language learning.
Tips for designing a computer Enhanced Collaborative Project
• Teachers should consider what they know about their students, as much as possible, tailor the conditions to student´s needs and abilities.
• Teacher must pay attention to the student´s first language and cultures, educational backgrounds and lever of target language proficiency.
Teacher should
• Consider of technical expertise and key boarding proficiency.
• Technology fits the project.• Motivate students to interact in the target
language.
Activities that Encourage communication and Collaboration
Activities Using Stand Alone Software
One of the benefits of using stand alone software packages is that they do not change.
Idiomatic expressions
• Activity• Two volunteers
http://a4esl.org/q/f/x/xz49mjc.htm
Examples
Putting Vocabulary into Context.• Diana y Evaristo are sitting together in the
computer lab, Diana turning away from the computer and Evaristo is working with the vocabulary software. As each word appears into the screen, he dictates it aloud to Diana, who copies it into her paper.
Tool Vocabulary practice software
Interaction Student pairs
Roles Computer operator - the writer
Choice Students decide on their partner
Reasons to listen and respond
Students must cooperate to get the words and definitions down on paper.
Learning about the US
• The National inspire (version 1.0) simulation provides each student team with a set of six map of the US. Each map has information about a different aspect of the economy, geography, or demographics of each of the 50 states. The teacher set the software, and the software gives the team a set of criteria that they must meet as they travel across 10 states. Students will score the most points if they land in states have more than one attribute.
Neighborhood Trip
• The class is preparing for a field trip around their community; while one group is developing a set of questions to answer ,other group uses Map Machine version 2.0 on the computer to make a community map.
• When the map is finishes the group
present how to use it to the class and the other group share
questions and resources.
Choices, choices
Students are working with a software simulation. Problem: the soccer field at their school is dirty and not ready for the upcoming big game. Students have to solve the problem by choosing a goal and work on it. The choices of goals are: (a) make less trash, (b) have fun at recess, (c) keep the playing field clean, (d) win the soccer game. They use software to click on their choice and then they receive feedback from the software.
Activities using online resources• Shopping on the web• Students teams are asked to develop a new
advertising campaign for a common product. Students check different web site to compare their product’s prices, features and advertising.
• Finally they present it to the class for evaluation.
Reading Circles• Students are required to post a weekly
reading reflection to their Bb.• The teacher has assigned each student to
reply two other students’ reflections• Clarify points of view, persuade own point
of view.• Write a summary of what learned from the
discussion.
WebQuests• Teacher assigns a specific task (with
multiple sub-tasks).• Students divide research task among
themselves.• The students compile all information
develop.
Tools for Communication and Collaboration
• Using software and Internet tools synchronously and asynchronously.
• Useful in language classroom.
MOO• Multi-user Object-Oriented domain.• Text-based program that runs on a
computer.• Accessed by a large number AOTW.• Provide map of locations and “help screen”
to get around.• Type to chat with other users synchronously
and commands to explore aspects of the virtual words.
• Develop map skills, working in text, interacting with other users worldwide.
Chat
• Forum to communicate in real time.• Useful for interviews, guest lectures,
discussions, participation.• Conversations scroll quickly , messages not
always in order.
Discussion Forums
• Asynchronous written conversation.• More time to think before post themed
threads.• Messages easy to follow.
Electronic Lists
• Listservs.• Set up and run a list.• E-mail to exchange information• Mail list – message automatically sent to
everyone in the list.
Software
• Packages that support collaboration and communication.
• Word processing programs for collaboration.
• “Comment” function in Microsoft Word• Tools support work with others during tasks
and collaborations.
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