Marie- Thérèse Batardière University of Limerick, Ireland INTENT conference

1. “I don’t think we got deep enough into the topic”: Examining cognitive presence in students’ asynchronous online discussions Marie-ThérèseBatardière University of Limerick, Ireland INTENT conference University of León, Spain 12-14 Febuary 2014

2. Examining interactions in an online discussion forum • Theoretical perspectives on online (language) learning • Case study of a blendedlearningapproach to interculturallearning: a Franco-Irish online exchange • Study’skeyfindings and conclusion

3. University of Limerick strategic plan/ 2011-2015 Internalisation of the Curriculum “Our goal is to enrich our students’ experiences by increased exposure to diverse cultures and learning opportunities”. (p.39)

4. Scholars have noted a correlation between the growing interest in internationalization as an educational process and the development of web-based e-learning, both of which have a co-dependent relationship with globalization.

5. Using technology in and beyond the language classroomA blended learning environment Blended learning […] The lack of definition allows institutions to adapt and use the term as they see fit, and to develop ownership of it. (Sharpe et al., 2006)

6. Using technology in and beyond the language classroomBL: The ‘new traditional model’ A course which combines face-to-face classroom component with the use of ‘a wide range of recent technologies’ […] (Sharma and Barrett, 2007)

7. Using technology in and beyond the language classroomThe transformative potential of blended learning Some ‘blends’ can transform learning in the sense that learners are no longer receivers of information but active constructors of their own learning through interaction in the new media. (Bonk and Graham, 2006)

8. Using technology in and beyond the language classroom The integration of interactive online communication Blogs, discussion forums, Wikis etc. allow learners to move away from a teacher-controlled environment, to adopt a more active role in their learning experience while increasing the human and communicative aspect of their learning. (e.g., Lee, 2005; Connell, 2006; Sykes, Oskoz, & Thorne, 2008)

9. Using technology in and beyond the language classroomA paradigm shift for teachers The success of the introduction of online teaching and online technologies is in great part due to how well teachers deal with the new ideas and implement them with their learners. (Comas-Quinn, 2011)

10. Using technology in and beyond the language classroomThe extent of teachingpresence Teaching presence has been defined as “the design, facilitation, and direction of cognitive and social processes for the realization of personally meaningful and educationally worthwhile learning outcomes”. (Anderson et al., 2001)

11. Using technology in and beyond the language classroomThe development of cognitive presence:the centrality of task in CMC environments The focus then moves to the direct causal relationship between teaching presence and [learners’] cognitive presence. The assumption is that students are assigned engaging tasks. (Garrison et al., 2010) The structure, content and sequencing of language-learning tasks are critical. (Levy & Stockwell, 2006)

12. Using technology in and beyond the language classroomIntercultural virtual learning experiences In such linguistically rich interactions -including some with native speakers - technology mediated contexts offer unexplored multi-dimensional perspectives to task-based activities and call for new teaching-learning practices that extend beyond the familiar ‘classroom boundaries’. (O’Dowd, 2009)

13. Case study of a blendedlearningapproach to interculturallearning:a Franco-Irish on line exchange http://www.uni-collaboration.eu/?q=node/429

14. Franco-Irish online exchange Participants’ profile • 16 ‘Business with French’ Irish undergraduates (year 4) • Intermediate to advanced L2 learners • Work/ Study abroad undertaken in year 2 or 3 • Previous participation in class Blog • 16NS from France & Belgium • UL Erasmus Students • Partners unknown to L2 students • Already working in tandem face to face partnerships with 3rd UL students –Translation class NNS: 5 males/ 11 females NS: 6 males/ 10 females

15. Franco-Irish online exchangeProject Outline • Individual project on Francophone & European current affairs (1/4 of language module -year 4) • Task-based & blended learning • Research conducted on the Internet • Contact hours: 1 h/w for 4 weeks / Call lab • CMC component = spring board for discussion and reflection -6weeks scheduled (+ 2 extra)

16. Franco-Irish online exchange Setting–up of L2 exchanges • Creation of discussion threads (one per student/ topic) on SULIS module website (UL virtual learning environment) • Short training of Erasmus students on use of discussion forum feature (postings, attachments) • Attribution of topics to Erasmus students

17. Franco-Irish online exchange Task description In-class work precedes on-line activity Stage 1 • Information retrieval (French newspapers websites) • Selection of a controversial article and analysis • Writing of a piece of work demonstrating thorough understanding of the topic Stage 2 • Posting of work + a specific question on chosen topic for allocated partner • Exchanges between NNS and NS – 6 postings per dyad & in French (L2 & L1) Stage 3 • Reflection task

18. Article from the French dailynewspaperLe Monde http://www.lemonde.fr/education/article/2012/07/22/l-eleve-francais-ce-cancre-en-langues-etrangeres_1736714_1473685.html

22. Franco-Irish online exchange Data analysis & findings Students’ postings 180 messages in total Students’ feedback • (written) reflections (end part of project) 16 Irish students/ 16 Erasmus students • online questionnaire (2 weeks after the project on www.surveymonkey.com/) 7 Irish students/ 8 Erasmus students

23. Students’ postings Content analysis –sample of transcripts Focus on students’ cognitive presence in online interactions (i.e., critical thinking & deep learning) The Four Phase Practical Inquiry model: a framework used to describe and assess levels of high order thinking/learning in an educational context generally and online learning specifically (Garrison & Anderson, 2003)

24. Four-Phase Practical Inquiry Model (adapted from Garrison et al., 2001)

25. Four-Phase Practical Inquiry Model (adapted from Garrison et al., 2001)

26. Franco-Irish online exchange Students’ cognitive presence in interactions

27. Students’ perception of learning& satisfaction

28. Students’ feedback -online questionnaireInterculturallyChallenging Exchange IntellectuallyChallenging Exchange

29. InterculturallyChallenging Exchange In any book about Ireland you will read that religion is still a part of people's life, and that we need to be careful about what we say or ask. This exchange made me realize that a lot of young people wish they had more rights (like abortion), and I would not have been able to know that if I had not talked with an Irish girl. French student - 20/12/2012 15:49 (Response to questionnaire: Agree) -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

30. InterculturallyChallenging Exchange My partner provided examples of her experiences and what she had witnessed in relation to the topic in that way it was good to have another point of view. However I have already lived in her country, so was aware of the culture to some extent before our discussion forum. Irish student - 15/12/2012 0:05 (Response to questionnaire: Neither Agree or Disagree) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------

31. IntellectuallyChallenging Exchange We both had the same point of view about the topic, but still we asked different questions and so I think we both had to look to a part of the topic we had not thought of before, or look a it differently. French student - 16/12/2012 13:38 (Response to questionnaire: Strongly agree) ---------------------------------------------------------------------

32. IntellectuallyChallenging Exchange It took me a while to get used to writing long opinion pieces in French. I had to really reflect on my topic, on what I wanted to say, and how I wanted to say it. I had to find the vocabulary that I needed. Irish student - 17/12/2012 16:20 (Response to questionnaire: Agree) ---------------------------------------------------------------------

33. Students’ feedback -reflection task Collaboration: two partners - one voice

34. Students’ feedback -reflection task Online versus face-to-face discussion La discussion en ligne est valable comme méthode parce que cela permet de communiquer à distance très facilement. Aussi, une chose unique de ce type de discussion est son anonymat.On pouvait donc parler sur un sujet polémique et on peut présenter nos points de vue plus honnêtement. Egalement dans une conversation en ligne, on avait le temps de réfléchir et de développer nos idées[…]

35. […] Sans ces barrières qui existent dans une discussion orale, on pouvait s’engager dans une discussion profonde. L’interaction avec une francophone était très utile pour améliorer mon niveau de français. J’avais utilisé des forums de discussion dans le passé mais c’était la première fois que je l’ai utilisé pour une discussion si sérieuse. J’ai trouvé l’échange inestimable. ALAN 12/13/2012 11:00:53 PM Bilan sur la valeur de l’échange en ligne

36. Social presence as a support for cognitive presence and vice versa

37. Off-line teaching presence

38. Understandinglearningin a ‘blended-learning’ environment Deeplearningassociatedwith the quality of students’ engagement • Online Task design & Task time • Students’ TL proficiency • Students’ priorexperience of the TL country • Students’ grade(s) & perceived satisfaction