QUESTIONS: What kind of conversation assignments best facilitate

1. EFL – EAP online: Teaching oral skills to undergraduate students in Iran through synchronous computer mediated communication (CMC). QUESTIONS: What kind of conversation assignments best facilitate online language learning ? 2. Which pedagogical and technical skills do conversation facilitators need to promote language learning ? James Coburn

2. Learning is situated Course design and requirements for pedagogical skills are dependent on: sociocultural factors: - context ( culture, history) - institutional constraints - learners’ language levels and life situations - teachers’ backgrounds technical affordances - quality of internet Therefore, transferability is limited, but lessons can still be learned

3. BIHE at a glance – see www.bihe.org • BIHE was founded in 1987  • BIHE offers over 700 courses   • BIHE has approximately 275 staff and faculty  • BIHE accepts about 250 students into its first year programs  • An average of 1000 students apply to BIHE every year  • BIHE has three faculties with 17 undergraduate degree programs and 10 graduate programs  • BIHE graduates have been accepted at more than 60 different university graduate programs outside of Iran in: • USA, Canada,, Australia, New Zealand,, India, UK, Germany, France, Netherlands, Norway

4. BIHE EFL-EAP programme • Students often need to use English for Majors • BIHE increasingly online - EFL fully online • Started 2005 with pilot project • Now 5 EFL courses (EFL100-101-102-103-104) • Students enter at different levels (entry test) • Obligatory to pass EFL104 to graduate • CDs and moodle-based course site • Course assessment - 80% written – 20% oral • EFL teachers correct written assignments • Conversation Facilitators hold conversations

5. Affordances (constraints and possibilities) • Slow unreliable internet • Blocking and Censoring (e.g Skype) • Some poor student equipment • Lack of technical training and orientation • No multimedia or Web 2.0 assignments • Surveillance and interference • Need for students to work as well as study • Availability of volunteers with ADSL

6. Theory, methodology, design • CMC studies = Audio and/or Chat • Action research 2006 -> cycles. • Researcher as insider - interviews, questionnaires, e-mail, conversations, engagement • Sociocultural approach ( BIHE, Iran, online) • Topic-based not task-based assignments • Open-ended questions • Obligatory preparation • Conversation topics originally related to written course

7. Conversation Facilitators (CFs) • Varied backgrounds • Basic technical training given • Basic pedagogical training: facilitators not instructors • Mentoring Conversation theory • IRF ( Initiative – response – feedback) • IRF and handover • Contingency and creativity vs monotony • Symmetry, initiative and participation

8. Example of best practice: pedagogical skills • use questions “flexibly not rigidly’’ • “avoid directing the conversation all the time…seek a circular conversation…true dialogue’’. • “it’s a partnership” – “paramount importance of building good relationships” • Worthwhile “as long as the students feel empowered and elated’’ • “silences are normal in most conversations” • “walk with the students at their level’’

9. Pedagogical dilemna • ''get them to make mistakes so they learn'' ... "because often your greatest learning is when you make a mistake". • "Exercises in 'tripping people up a bit' can help them to learn".... • ''true learning would happen if the CFs had to ask questions on the spot'' • But students ''want to feel quite safe'' and ''want to get it right''. • So he ''sticks to the questions'‘ …because he ''doesn't want to stress the students out''.

10. Example of best practice: technical skills • Use of written chat as support tool • Can be used for discreet correction ( e.g really vs rarely) • Can provide links and send files ( e.g photos) to break the ice and personalize • Can bring variety through word games – e.g illustrating appropriateness of genres ( u-you; 2- to; coz-because)

11. Findings for task design • Need to differentiate according to language level • Need for more variation in assignments • Need for more participant-centred topics Findings lead to introduction of new assignments using: • Useful conversational expressions • Role plays • Stories and open-ended stories • Texts including target vocabulary from written course • Student presentations • Student choices of topic • Articles from students’ Majors chosen by students

12. Findings for: technical, personal and pedagogical skills • Need to exploit online affordances (audio/chat/messaging between conversations/sending links and materials) • Critical to develop positive relations to overcome anxiety • Need for CFs to prepare, be flexible, try to empower Further research...

13. Transferability • Online language learning - Synchronous element is important Necessary to develop interactive oral skills Human contact can help to sustain distanced learners Immediate possibility to ensure understanding - Audio/chat vs audiographic/webcam ? Under-stimulation or over-stimulation ? Make the most of what you’ve got ! - Teacher as instructor or facilitator ? Different roles require different skills and attitudes Time demands of synchronous CMC • Course and assignment design Must take into account sociocultural factors and technical constraints. Participants need to be given choice and influence