Online Language Exchanges: Pedagogical Whys and Technological Hows

Online Language Exchanges:Pedagogical Whys and Technological Hows Dr. Jason R. Jolley Missouri State University

Challenges to Language Learning • At many institutions, learners have only three weekly contact hours – or fewer • Little contact with native speakers on campus and in community • High costs of study away programs limit opportunities to travel and learn abroad • Some students show a low disposition to engage in study outside of class

Online Language Exchanges • Participants from differing linguistic and cultural groups use various online communications tools to help each other learn their respective languages and exchange information about culture and other topics • OLEs are facilitated by free or inexpensive technological solutions, i.e. Web-based communications tools • OLEs are forms of peer-assisted or peer-mediated learning • OLEs Incorporate tandem learning principles • Can be involve just two people or larger groups • Allow for varying degrees of instructor mediation

Tandem Learning • “Language learning in tandem takes place when native speakers of two different languages work together in order to learn each other's language and develop a knowledge of the target culture and community. Partners have the opportunity to give each other help through friendly corrections, advice, questions etc. Tandem learning is underpinned by principles of reciprocity - both partners should benefit equally from the exchange - and autonomy - each partner is responsible for their own language learning, establishing learning goals and deciding on methods and materials.” http://www.shef.ac.uk/mltc/research/tandem • (Tandem learning is not limited to e-learning.)

Tandem Learning Principles • Reciprocity • “Successful learning in tandem is based on reciprocal dependence and mutual support of both partners. Consequently, both partners need to contribute an equal amount of energy to their work together and also both profit to the same extent from this collaboration.” • Learner autonomy • “Each tandem partner is responsible for his own learning. Each person decides for himself what, how and when they want to learn. Only the support which is specifically asked for can be expected of the tandem partner.” http://www.tcd.ie/CLCS/tandem/email/help/learntandem-eng.html

Working from Hunches: Initial Attempts • Applied for internal funding to create an online language exchange community: www.languagetraders.com • Search and messaging functions, discussion boards, chat rooms • Students in my intermediate grammar and conversation classes used the discussion boards to exchange ideas on several issues with EFL students from la Universidad de Castilla La Mancha. • Participation required, designated peer group • Informal questionnaire administered post-exchange • Presentation at 2005 EuroCALL meeting in Prague

Working from Hunches: Initial Attempts • Developed a one-credit summer “intersession” class in which I teach students to use Web-based technologies to improve Spanish proficiency • Emphasis on finding language practice peers in different venues • Informal questionnaire/course evaluation • What technologies they found most helpful • Did OLE participation increase their motivation • Did it affect their perception of their competence

Resources Introduced in Course • Language-based web portals and other sites (browsing for content) • Online language courses and tutorials • Chat rooms • Language exchange websites • E-mail exchanges (virtual pen pals) • Discussion (bulletin) boards (“foros”) • Instant messaging clients (MSN, Yahoo, ICQ, etc.) • Voice-over-IP software (iSkype) • Videoconferencing communities (Paltalk, ISPQ, etc.) • Web portal communities or groups tools (MSN Groups, Yahoo, etc.) • ’Blogs and wikis See: http://www.faculty.missouristate.edu/j/jasonjolley/online/intro.htm

Feedback from intersession courses • The most useful/beneficial aspect of this course was: • “It was good to learn how to use chat, and I hope to make some friends through language exchange. • “Chatting online; it gave me a chance to speak Spanish informally and have native speakers help me.” • “www.mylanguageexchange.com. I was able to find people who wanted to practice and to filter out others.” • “The knowledge that there were tons or resources available on the Internet to help your language skills.

Feedback, cont. • The most enjoyable aspect/activity of this course was: • “E-mailing native speakers, because you can respond at your own pace.” • “Speaking to [peer] with the webcam. Being able to see him while I was talking and he was in Uruguay was fun.” • “Talking from people from all over the world – not just Hispanic countries.” • “I loved creating a ’blog. It will be perfect for my portfolio.”

Feedback, cont. • I feel that this class (did/did not) improve my communication skills in Spanish: • “I learned more about computers than I did about Spanish.” • “Chatting helped me become quicker and more fluent.” • “I realized that I don’t need to say everything perfectly for people to understand me.” • “Talking online in Spanish helped me with verbs and vocabulary more than just speaking in Spanish in general.

Feedback, cont. • After taking this course I feel (more/less) motivated to study Spanish in general: • “Yes. I feel it is more attainable.” • “It encourages me to continue studying so I can be able to talk to or e-mail native speakers.” • “More motivated, because it shows you ways to improve during your own time and when you feel like it.” • “I feel more motivated because now I know a lot of different ways [to study] outside of class and I can do them on my own.”

From Hunch to Research Question • The Missouri State University Academic Development Center sponsors projects in the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) • I Learned how to convert my hunches into testable hypotheses grounded in a theoretical framework • The program forced me to think seriously about research experiment design and data collection and analysis • My project focused on the role of motivation in second language acquisition – how does participation in an OLE affect student motivation and disposition to engage in autonomous types of learning activities • Structured language exchange between Missouri State Spanish 202 students and UANL ESL students

SoTL Project Design Model • Problem/need statement • Review of relevant literature • Project goals • Procedures and research methods • Assessment of results and project • Dissemination of results for public review

Problem/Need • At many institutions, learners have only three weekly contact hours – or fewer • Little contact with native speakers on campus and in community • High costs of study away programs limit opportunities to travel and learn abroad • Some students show a low disposition to engage in study outside of class

Review of Relevant Literature • There is already a large corpus of research regarding motivation in second language acquisition (SLA) studies • Self-determination Theory is an influential model within research on motivation in other disciplines • Previous SLA studies on motivation do not often explore technology as a motivational variable

R.C. Gardner’s “Integrativeness” • A “variable [that] reflects a genuine interest in learning the second language in order to come psychologically closer to the language community.” • I want to learn (Spanish) so I can gain friends who speak it. • Gardner opposes this to utilitarian motivations he calls “instrumental.” • I want to learn (Spanish) to get a better job.

Gardner’s Model (Integrativeness)

Self-Determination Theory • A theory of motivation by Rochester University psychologists Edward Deci and Richard Ryan • Sets up a motivation continuum that runs from “amotivation” through extrinsic motivation to intrinsic motivation, depending on whether they are externally or internally regulated • Posits that good forms of motivation follow when a persons perceives that his or her basic psychological needs (competence, relatedness, and autonomy) are being met • Many validated scales and subscales available

Deci & Ryan’s Model (SDT)

Goals for My SoTL Project • Determine the effect of participation in an online language exchange (OLE) on learners in terms of specific motivational orientations • Determine whether participation in OLEs affects learners’ disposition to engage in other types of autonomous learning activities • Measure effects on learners’ attitudes regarding the specific technologies employed • Provide a replicable model for sound OLE design

Procedures and Research Methods • Students from my Spanish 202 course at SMSU interact with ESL students from the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León using a variety of Web-based tools • A survey is administered before and after the 12-week exchange period • Questionnaire measures for changes in affective variables, especially motivation

MSU/UANL Exchange, Spring 2005 • Exchange was hosted as an MSN Group

SoTL Project Results • Hampered by implementation problems • Difficult for both groups to meet at same time • UANL often had no Internet access • Not all students were “tech-savvy” and needed support dealing with technologies • Only able to implement first phase: message boards • Some students simply chose not to participate

SoTL Project Results, cont. • Negative feedback about the exchange (derived mostly from qualitative surveys): • Students complained that not enough class time was dedicated to the exchange • The inability to coordinate schedules prevented individuals from meeting online • Some students expressed a fear or anxiety over the technologies used • Some students (mostly from the MSU group) expressed a general dislike or distrust of the Internet • Some students complained that the exchange was too time consuming • Some students complained that making the exchange a requirement was unfair • Many students said they disliked message boards • Some students indicated that more technology training would have been helpful • UANL students complained about not having Internet access at home • UANL students complained that MSU peers often seemed unwilling to chat

SoTL Project Results, cont. • Positive feedback about the exchange (derived mostly from qualitative surveys): • Students were able to associate with peers from another linguistic and cultural group. • Students reported learning new vocabulary and idiomatic expressions • Students appreciated having more opportunities to practice the language • Students were able to share their own culture and learn the traditions of others • Students found the exchange to be a fun and enjoyable change of pace • Students felt that the exchange helped to improve their second-language skills • Students felt they were getting authentic linguistic input from peers • Students who did instant messaging enjoyed the interactions • Some students liked the flexibility of practicing on their own time

SoTL Project Results, cont. • Whether the exchange was beneficial or positively influenced learner attitudes: • Most students said they found the exchange beneficial, but a few did remark that it had no impact or had a negative impact. Others commented that the idea sounded good in theory, but noted that it was complicated to put into practice. • Despite the implementation setbacks, many students said that participation in the exchange did in fact positively influence their attitudes toward the native language and culture of the peer group; a minority felt that it had little or no effect • In general the attitudinal reactions of the UANL group were more positive than those of the MSU students, which suggests to me a correspondence between the motivation levels of students prior to the intervention and their evaluation of it once it was over • It was clear from the responses that those students who participated most in the exchange found it more beneficial as a learning tool

Letting the Students Choose • In my fall 2005 Spanish 201 class I developed an assignment in which students would create their own OLE experience – no dedicated exchange group was provided • I provided guidelines and students documented their progress using an activities log • Students completed a qualitative post-exchange questionnaire • More successful than the more prescriptive, instructor-mediated exchange with students from UANL • Suggests that, as SDT predicts, autonomy-supported learning environments increase motivation

Feedback from Spanish 201 Experiment • Almost all students reported enjoying the “e-learning” assignment • They reported increased language proficiency • They reported increases in their motivation • They reported a diverse range of activities and technology preferences (i.e., some liked chat, others IM, some preferred videoconferencing, etc.) • E-mails exchange and IM most popular

Feedback from Spanish 201, cont. • Many students’ comments indicated positive changes in their attitudes regarding the technologies used and language study in general • Many students indicated they planned to explore web-based language-learning activities over the summer or on their own • Comments indicated that providing choices allowed students to explore their own learning strategies and objectives

Specific Comments (SPN 201) • “I think that in the future I will look to the Internet for new ways to learn Spanish. I think that using technology is a great way to learn Spanish.” • “[In the future] e-learning is an approach that should be introduced at the beginning levels of Spanish. I wish I would have found out about it sooner.”

Specific Comments (SPN 201) • “I was hesitant at first – afraid of it really – but it was nice being in an environment where you weren’t worried about test scores or even accuracy. I was never embarrassed by my errors.” • “Language learning doesn’t have to be a drag. You can get to know people and their lives in different ‘worlds’ without opening a textbook – thanks to technology.”

Autonomy: Implications for OLE Design • Consider ways to encourage greater learner autonomy – avoid prescriptive design, excess instructor mediation, and external/extrinsic forms of motivation • Guide students to resources and let them find language practice peers on their own • Allow learner choice, but within shared parameters: e.g., learners may choose from several activity options

An SDT-based Integrative Model Source: Levesque, C., Sell, G. R., & Zimmerman, J. A. (2006). A Theory-Based Integrative Model for Learning and Motivation in Higher Education. In S. Chadwick-Blossey (Ed.). To Improve the Academy, vol. 24, pp. 86-103. Anker Publishing, Bolton, MA.

Basic Steps Toward Successful OLEs • Identify the web-based communications tools available • Seek a language practice peer (or peer group) • Agree on modes of communication (text only, synchronous or asynchronous, audio- and/or video-based mediums, etc.) • Define goals, activities, and schedules • Engage in meaningful practice activities • Document and reflect on practice and learning

Tools for Online Language Exchanges • Web portals and static web sites (browsing for content) • Chat rooms (synchronous interaction) • Language exchange websites • E-mail exchanges (virtual pen pals) • Discussion (bulletin) boards • Instant messaging clients • Voice-over-IP software (i.e. Skype) • Videoconferencing communities • Web portal communities or groups tools • ’Blogs and wikis • Course management systems (Blackboard, etc.)

Finding a Language Practice Peer • Chat rooms • http://www.latinchat.com • http://www.redplaneta.com • http://www.ya.com/chats.html • Language Exchange Communities • http://www.mylanguageexchange.com • http://www.sharedtalk.com • Other ways?

Options in Communications Tools • Asynchronous • E-mail exchanges • Discussion board postings • ’Blogs or wikis • Synchronous • Chat rooms • Instant messaging • Audio- and video-based formats • Instant messaging clients • Videoconferencing communities • Voice-over-IP software (i.e. Skype)

Summary: Tips for Implementation • Consider autonomy-supportive designs – and less instructor mediation • Introduce students to a variety of web-based resources – not just chat rooms • Use class time to train learners in the use of specific technologies – software and hardware • Encourage learners to document their practice and reflect on their learning (logs, ’blogs) • Assess/evaluate the experience, collect data • Encourage learners to continue the exchange

Resources / Links • My list of web resources for online language practice: http://www.faculty.missouristate.edu/j/jasonjolley/online/intro.htm • My basic tutorial for online language exchanges: http://www.faculty.missouristate.edu/j/jasonjolley/online/exchange.htm

Online Language Exchanges: Pedagogical Whys and Technological Hows