Blended learning, Web 2.0 and learner beliefs – promises and realities of students’ use of technology for language learning

Ruth Trinder

Structure

Background: Promises (new media) and realities (Business English at WU)

Rationale for blended learning approach at WU

Study 1: Student perceptions and use of blended learning (traditional CALL)

Study 2: Student perceptions and use of new & social media for language learning

Promises of new (web 2.0) media in LL&LT

Any time, any place, any pace, any focus access to (authentic) input or adapted/dedicated content

Reading (plus annotations, access to dictionary, exercises...)

Listening/watching Writing/publishing (Wikis,

blogs) Corpora, concordances

Native speakers and non-natives

Interaction (oral and written)

Cooperation Socialising e.g. Social media

(Facebook, Skype): all four skills

Individualised access to material resources

Access to social resources

Realities: Constraints of Business English programme

Large class sizes: EBC 1 (70-90 students, no mandatory attendance ); EBC 2,3,4 (25-40)

Standardised programme Heterogeneous groups Strong emphasis on content and terminology Focus on receptive skills; reading

comprehension, vocabulary, collocations Formal register ‘General’ English neglected

Little opportunity for oral interaction

Rationale for online support

Need for individualised practice

opportunities

E-materials complement class topics

Content, terminology and language tasks

Grammar and glossary Best case: independent learning; students

can choose ‘path to goal’

Empirical data (Study 1)Classes: expectations and functions

• Linguistic/content:Global introduction to new topicsListening (and speaking)

• Social:Keeping in touch with fellow studentsCompeting and comparing

• Strategic:Regularity and structureExam hints

Empirical data (Study 1) E-learning: expectations andfunctions

• Linguistic/content:Detail-focused learning; checking of understanding; practice; self-testing

• Social:Forum – opportunity for contact with all students of EBC 1

• Strategic:Exam-oriented studying; swapping of hints and tips via forum

Empirical data (Study 1) Student use of online materials

Why failure to use regularly?

Teacher dependence – lack of endorsement Inexperience in self-directed learning Overconfidence Reliance on ‘just-in-time’ cramming for

examination Learner beliefs

User perceptions: Positive factors

choice of time, place and speed

individualised practice

immediacy of explanations & feedback

monitoring and consolidation of knowledge

RUTH TRINDER, VIENNA UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

A great advantage of e-learning is that you can study at any point-of-need and concentrate on special topics.

What I like about e-learning is that you can do the tasks and learn whenever you have time and you want to and you can do it on your own, with a tempo that

suits you best.

That it explains the right answers and explains why others are wrong

Helps me understand what we have learnt in class, reinforce my knowledge and prepare for exams

User perceptions:Negative factors

Learner beliefs about language learning

Belief in importance of oral interaction

Too much use of e-learning in general

RUTH TRINDER, VIENNA UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

in english i don't like it, cause in my opinion discussing in groups or just speaking with other people is much better.

I didn’t use it because that’s not how languages are learnt

I don't really like working with computers all the time

Conclusion 1: Influences on use of online materials

Contextual factors endorsement by opinion leaders external structure exam relevance

Learner factors

perceived need capacity for self-regulated learning learner beliefs, learning styles and

main goals

Conclusion 2

Student beliefs and aims shape their use of new technologies

Aims: study-related and job-related Job-related skills: focus on oral competence –

negotations, presentations; prerequisite: fluency (vocab & pronunciation)

Beliefs: learning by speaking and imitating; superiority of native speaker as model; overt corrections help

Communicative oral competence: benchmark of good English

Study 2: Students’ use of material and social resources outside class

‘Old media’: books, films, SAT-TV, English text books for other courses...

Online reading: newspapers, blogs, journals...

Online listening/watching: American sitcoms...

Native speakers (f2f) preferred!

New media: rarely used for oral communication; often with non-natives

->useful for “keeping in touch”, but not seen as learning/practice opportunity

material resources social resources

Conclusion – promises not fully realized

Facebook etc. replace one-to-one electronic communication, change nature of communicationValue of written communication and communication with non-natives underestimatedIndependent learning opportunities of CMC (mail, chat…) overlooked

“ I’m convinced that speaking would be much more helpful to

improve your language skills than simply writing emails or

communicating via Skype”

rtrinder@wu.ac.at

Thank you for your attention

RUTH TRINDER, VIENNA UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION