Intercultural Language Intercultural Language Learning & Group-to-Group Learning & Group-to-Group

VideoconferencingVideoconferencing Robert O´DowdRobert O´Dowd

University of University of Essen,Essen,

GermanyGermany

Contact & LearningContact & Learning

““Most teachers who have used the Internet have Most teachers who have used the Internet have started out with some kind of simple key pal started out with some kind of simple key pal (computer pen pal) exchanges. And most (computer pen pal) exchanges. And most teachers who have used these exchanges have teachers who have used these exchanges have felt something lacking. Simply put, there is no felt something lacking. Simply put, there is no more reason to except a significant educational more reason to except a significant educational outcome from simply creating a pen pal outcome from simply creating a pen pal connection than there is from simply bringing connection than there is from simply bringing two students into a room and asking them to two students into a room and asking them to talk.”talk.”

Mark Warschauer & P. Mark Warschauer & P. FawnFawn Whittaker (1997) Whittaker (1997) http://iteslj.org/Articles/Warschauer-Internet.htmlhttp://iteslj.org/Articles/Warschauer-Internet.html

The Challenge The Challenge

““...for communication to be ...for communication to be meaningful, we need to do more meaningful, we need to do more than link computers: We need to than link computers: We need to construct an approach to how construct an approach to how others, in other cultures, experience others, in other cultures, experience their world (Furstenberg et al., their world (Furstenberg et al., 2001:2).”2001:2).”

OverviewOverview

What do language learners learn What do language learners learn from contact?from contact?

Towards an ethnographic approachTowards an ethnographic approach Background on videoconferencingBackground on videoconferencing Videoconferencing in LeVideoconferencing in Leónón

Tasks Tasks Opportunities for intercultural LearningOpportunities for intercultural Learning Guidelines and lessons learnedGuidelines and lessons learned

1. 1. What are they looking What are they looking for? Definitions of culture…for? Definitions of culture…

Cristina (Spanish student):Cristina (Spanish student):““They live alone and not with their parents – as They live alone and not with their parents – as almost all Spanish students do“almost all Spanish students do“

Marta (Spanish student): Marta (Spanish student): ““Like everybody else, some Americans are like Like everybody else, some Americans are like you and me and some are differentyou and me and some are different..””

2. Students receive information, 2. Students receive information, but do not know how to interpret itbut do not know how to interpret it Interview with Cristina after Interview with Cristina after

videoconferences with USA:videoconferences with USA: Q: What did you think of Americans before the Q: What did you think of Americans before the

exchange?exchange? A: People who are always thinking of themselves and A: People who are always thinking of themselves and

don‘t care about others.don‘t care about others. Q: Did you get this impression from the Q: Did you get this impression from the

videoconference?videoconference? A: Maybe, cos they did not seem very interested.A: Maybe, cos they did not seem very interested. Q: All of them?Q: All of them? A: No, but that boy who was drinking coffee – he A: No, but that boy who was drinking coffee – he

wasn‘t serious at all.wasn‘t serious at all.

Intercultural Intercultural Communicative Communicative

Competence (Byram 1997)Competence (Byram 1997) Attitudes of curiosity and opennessAttitudes of curiosity and openness Knowledge of social groups and their Knowledge of social groups and their

products and practices in both culturesproducts and practices in both cultures Skills of discovery and interaction – how Skills of discovery and interaction – how

to acquire new knowledge about a to acquire new knowledge about a cultureculture

Skill of interpreting a document or event Skill of interpreting a document or event from another culture ...and relating it to from another culture ...and relating it to documents from one’s own culturedocuments from one’s own culture

Critical cultural awarenessCritical cultural awareness

Students as Students as ethnographersethnographers

A move away from an encyclopaedic A move away from an encyclopaedic approach of seeing culture as a approach of seeing culture as a collection of facts and figures to…collection of facts and figures to…

an ethnographic approach: “…the an ethnographic approach: “…the

study of a group’s social and cultural study of a group’s social and cultural practices from an insider’s practices from an insider’s perspective”perspective” (Roberts et al. 2001)(Roberts et al. 2001)

Spradley on Ethnography Spradley on Ethnography (1979:6)(1979:6)

“…“…we do not eliminate an interest in we do not eliminate an interest in behavior, customs, objects, or behavior, customs, objects, or emotions. We have merely shifted emotions. We have merely shifted the emphasis from these phenomena the emphasis from these phenomena to their meaning. The ethnographer to their meaning. The ethnographer observes behavior, but goes beyond observes behavior, but goes beyond it to inquire about the meaning of it to inquire about the meaning of that behavior.“ that behavior.“

Videoconferencing in Videoconferencing in Foreign Language LearningForeign Language Learning Teacher-ClassTeacher-Class

Traditional teacher-led instructionTraditional teacher-led instruction Student-StudentStudent-Student

Tandem-Style intercambiosTandem-Style intercambios Class-ClassClass-Class

Presentation, debate and group Presentation, debate and group discussiondiscussion

Videoconferencing Videoconferencing ExchangesExchanges 1999-2001 1999-2001

Universidad de León, Spain.Universidad de León, Spain. 2nd Years Students of 2nd Years Students of

English.English.Connections Made:Connections Made:

http://www.iecc.org/http://www.iecc.org/ http://http://www.ialic.orgwww.ialic.org

Partner Classes:Partner Classes:

Students of Spanish Students of Spanish at:at: University of University of

Michigan, USA.Michigan, USA. University of University of

DundeeDundee University of University of

NottinghamNottingham

Videoconferencing Videoconferencing Facilities Facilities

Large view of other Large view of other group and own group and own group on screengroup on screen

Pictures and text Pictures and text can be presented on can be presented on screen via projectorscreen via projector

Video clips can also Video clips can also be shown on main be shown on main screenscreen

Task CycleTask Cycle

2. VideoconferenceWith Partner Class

3. Review of Videoconference

1. Task in Home Class

Some Examples of TasksSome Examples of Tasks

Students present products or Students present products or practices from their home culture practices from their home culture which they think might be strange or which they think might be strange or different for the other group (e.g. different for the other group (e.g. Easter in Spain)Easter in Spain)

Comparative reviews of filmsComparative reviews of films Both groups try to agree on Both groups try to agree on

punishments for controversial punishments for controversial crimescrimes

How Can How Can Videoconferencing Videoconferencing

Contribute to Intercultural Contribute to Intercultural Learning?Learning?1. Presentations by members of the target 1. Presentations by members of the target

cultureculture

Insight into the foreign perspectiveInsight into the foreign perspective

Explanations of products and practices are Explanations of products and practices are supported through media and supported through media and demonstrations demonstrations

How Can How Can Videoconferencing Videoconferencing

Contribute to Intercultural Contribute to Intercultural Learning?Learning?2. Discussion and debate brings about:2. Discussion and debate brings about:

Better understanding of the reasoning Better understanding of the reasoning and values that underly beliefs and and values that underly beliefs and behaviour in the target culturebehaviour in the target culture

Practice in negotiation and interaction Practice in negotiation and interaction with members of the target culture with members of the target culture

Drawbacks of the Drawbacks of the TechnologyTechnology

Time delay between sound and Time delay between sound and imageimage

Rules of interaction: Turn taking, Rules of interaction: Turn taking, interruptions and simultaneous interruptions and simultaneous startsstarts

Passive viewingPassive viewing Organisational practicalitiesOrganisational practicalities

Practical GuidelinesPractical Guidelines

Integrate visual materials (photos, video, Integrate visual materials (photos, video, overheads, real objects) overheads, real objects)

Give the sessions a clear structure Give the sessions a clear structure beforehandbeforehand

Begin with icebreakers such as quizzes or Begin with icebreakers such as quizzes or vocabulary gamesvocabulary games

Make clear to whom comments and Make clear to whom comments and questions are directed questions are directed

Use non-verbal signals to show Use non-verbal signals to show understandingunderstanding

Pedagogical Guidelines Pedagogical Guidelines

Add-on v. integrated approachesAdd-on v. integrated approaches Balance personal views with Balance personal views with

statistics and factual materialstatistics and factual material Follow-up discussions and feedbackFollow-up discussions and feedback Reciprocity in language use and Reciprocity in language use and

workloadworkload

All Contact WelcomeAll Contact Welcome

Robert.Robert.odowdodowd@uni-essen.de@uni-essen.de http://www.uni-essen.de/odowd/vcing2002http://www.uni-essen.de/odowd/vcing2002

Bibliography (1)Bibliography (1) Byram, M. (1997) Byram, M. (1997) Teaching and Assessing Teaching and Assessing

Intercultural Communicative Competence.Intercultural Communicative Competence. Multilingual Matters.Multilingual Matters.

Feldman, A. (2000) Feldman, A. (2000) Network science – A Network science – A decade later.decade later.

Furstenberg, G. et al. (2001) Furstenberg, G. et al. (2001) Giving a virtual Giving a virtual voice to the silent language of culture: voice to the silent language of culture: The Cultura project The Cultura project Language Learning and Language Learning and Technology (Vol. 5:1).Technology (Vol. 5:1). http://llt.msu.edu/vol5num1/furstenberg/http://llt.msu.edu/vol5num1/furstenberg/

Intercultural E-mail Classroom Intercultural E-mail Classroom ConnectionsConnections http://http://wwwwww..iecciecc..orgorg//

Bibliography (2)Bibliography (2) International Association for Languages International Association for Languages

and Intercultural Communication.and Intercultural Communication. http://http://wwwwww..ialicialic..orgorg

Roberts, C. et al. (2001) Roberts, C. et al. (2001) Language Learners Language Learners as ethnographers.as ethnographers. Multilingual Matters. Multilingual Matters.

Spradley, J. (1979) Spradley, J. (1979) The ethnographic The ethnographic interview.interview. Hold, Rinehart and Winston Inc. Hold, Rinehart and Winston Inc.

Warschauer, M. & Whitaker, P. (1997) Warschauer, M. & Whitaker, P. (1997) The The Internet for English teaching: Guidlines for Internet for English teaching: Guidlines for teachersteachers The Internet TESOL Journal (Vol 3:10) The Internet TESOL Journal (Vol 3:10) http://iteslj.org/Articles/Warschauer-Internet.hthttp://iteslj.org/Articles/Warschauer-Internet.htmlml