Integrating cross-cultural interaction through video-communication and

virtual worlds in FLT programs: burden or added value?

Kristi Jauregi, Rick de Graaff & Silvia CantoUtrecht University and partners

Eurocall 2011

NIFLAR 2009-2011Objectives:

• Enrich• Innovate learning processes • Improve

Make them more rewarding!!

How?

Interaction

Telecollaboration

Learner centeredness

ICC

Authenticity of language

learning

Blended learning

Second Life

Open Sim

Video- communication

Adobe connect

Virtual worlds

NIFLAR 2009-2011, Virtual environments:

Experiences NIFLAR (2009-2011)

• 22 pilot experiences have been carried out in video-communication and Second Life (OS),

• Both with secondary and tertiary learners (A1-B2 / pre-service teachers)

• 430 students have participated in cross-cultural sessions (1 to 1 / 1 to 2) (3 to 5 sessions)

• 60 interaction tasks for Dutch, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish have been developed & tested.

• Data gathered for research

Integrating telecollaboration,• burden or • added value?

L

Individual level

Classroom level

1. Learners current level of ICC

2. Learners’motivation & expectations

8. Technology (tools, access)9. General organisation of course/study

Socioinstitutional level

6. Local group dynamics

7. Preexchange briefing

10. Prestige of TL & culture

8. Technology (tools, access)9. General organisation of course/study

Classroom level

L

Individual level

6. Local group dynamics

7. Preexchange briefing 7. Preexchange briefing

10. Prestige of TL & culture

1. Learners current level of ICC

2. Learners’motivation & expectations

5. Learner matching procedures

4. Task design (content, sequencing)3. Teacher-teacher relationship: communication

Socioinstitutional level

Interaction level

Research issues

1. What are foreign language learners’ experiences? 2. Is there any impact on motivation?3. Is there any indication suggesting that learners

learn more if they have the opportunity to engage in networked interaction with experts according to relevant tasks?

4. What happens during those cross-cultural interactions?

Is there an added value in implementing virtual interaction through video-communication & virtual worlds in language teaching curricula?

Data sources

• Pre-, mid- and postsurveys• Interviews• Pre & post oral tests• Recorded interactions

Research issues

1. What are foreign language learners’ experiences? 2. Is there any impact on motivation?3. Is there any indication suggesting that learners

learn more if they have the opportunity to engage in networked interaction with experts according to relevant tasks?

4. What happens during those cross-cultural interactions?

Is there an added value in implementing virtual interaction through video-communication & virtual worlds in language teaching curricula?

Language learners’ experiencesEnvironment

Videocommunication Second Life

0

5

10

15

20

25

Cou

nt

2

3

4

good

How do you value the environment you have used?

VWC n=52VW=14

Videocommunication Second Life

0

5

10

15

20

25

Cou

nt

2

3

4

good

How has the virtual environment functioned?VWC N=52VW N=14

Videocommunication Second Life

0

5

10

15

20

Cou

nt

a little

2

3

4

a lot

How often have you used the chat during the sessions?VWC N=52VW N=14

“Transcription of unknown (new) words or difficult words (spelling)”

Second Life

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Cou

nt

2

3

4

You haven’t been able to see the real person you were talking to, but just his/her avatar. Did you find this

annoying?VW N=14

Videocommunication Second Life

0

10

20

30

40

50

Cou

nt

hinders

facilitates

no preference

Do you think that seeing your partner while talking hinders or facilitates communication?

VWC N=52VW N=14

“To see facial Expressions and gestures, it helps the communication” (VWC)

“Eye-contact motivates to talk more” (VWC)

“It’s more anonimous, so less nervous” (VW)

X: 2,8X: 2,6

X: 3,7 X: 3,0

X: 4,1 X: 3,6

Language learners’ experiencesLearning outcomes

Videocommunication Second Life

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Cou

nt

a little

2

3

4

a lot

To talk more fluentlyVWC N=52VW N=14

Videocommunication Second Life

0

5

10

15

20

25

Coun

t

a little

2

3

4

a lot

To become confident talking in the target languageVWC N=52VW N=14

Videocommunication Second Life

0

5

10

15

20

25

Cou

nt

a little

2

3

4

a lot

New wordsVWC N=52VW N=14

Videocommunication Second Life

0

5

10

15

20

25

Coun

t

a little

3

4

a lot

To talk moreVWC N=52VW N=14

Videocommunication Second Life

0

5

10

15

20

25

Cou

nt

a little

2

3

4

a lot

To take more initiative in the conversationVWC N=52VW N=14

Videocommunication Second Life

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Coun

t

2

3

4

a lot

To be more motivated to talkVWC N=52VW N=14

4,2 4,1

3,8 3,9 4 4,4

3,9 3,5

3,7 3,9 3,7 4

Foreign language learners’ experiences: positive aspects

“Step by step you learn to speak more easily in the target language without feeling any boundaries. It improves

your talking skills”

“We learned a lot of new words, known culture and lifestyle in the Netherlands. I have no fear of speaking”

“We learned a lot of new words, known culture and lifestyle in the Netherlands. I have no fear of speaking”

“I had an opportunity to talk with a native speaker which is not very frequent in the language course. We had also interesting tasks, so it was something different than a normal lesson”

“I had an opportunity to talk with a native speaker which is not very frequent in the language course. We had also interesting tasks, so it was something different than a normal lesson”

“Personally I think that the greatest thing is that we made new friends from the Netherlands so we can keep in touch and keep improving”

“Personally I think that the greatest thing is that we made new friends from the Netherlands so we can keep in touch and keep improving”

Research issue 2

1. What are foreign language learners’ experiences? 2. Is there any impact on motivation?3. Is there any indication suggesting that learners

learn more if they have the opportunity to engage in networked interaction with experts according to relevant tasks?

4. What happens during those cross-cultural interactions?

Is it worth implementing virtual interaction through video-web communication or virtual worlds in language teaching curricula?

3 groups of Spanish (B1) at random:1. Experimental group VC (N:14)

2. Experimental group SL (N:14)

3. Control group (N: 14)

participated in 5 interaction sessions during a 7 weeks’ course and filled in a 13 item survey every week covering:

– Attitudes towards interacting with native speakers (Willingness to Communicate: Learning goals, Linguistic self-confidence, Language anxiety).

– Attitudes towards the course– Attitudes to the L2 culture

Impact on motivation

Comparisons between experimental and control groups reached significant values for:

• perceived competence in the target language,

• decrease of speaking anxiety.

Impact on motivation. Results:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Week

2

3

4

5

Ave

rag

e A

nsw

er

VC VC VC

VC

VC

VC

VC

SL SL SL

SL

SL

SL

SL

C C C C C C C

Competence

Start interaction sessions

Start interaction sessions

5 point Likert scale Spanish

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Week

2

3

4

5A

vera

ge A

nsw

er

VV

VV

VV

V

SS

SS

SS

S

C C C C C C C

I get very worried if I make mistakes when interacting in the target language

Start interaction sessions

Start interaction sessions

5 point Likert scale Spanish

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Week

2

3

4

5A

vera

ge A

nsw

er

VV

VV

VV

V

SS

S

S

S

S

S

C C C C C C C

I feel nervous when speaking in the target language

Start interaction sessions

Start interaction sessions5 point Likertscale Spanish

Research issue 3

1. What are foreign language learners’ experiences? 2. Is there any impact on motivation?3. Is there any indication suggesting that learners

learn more if they have the opportunity to engage in networked interaction with experts according to relevant tasks?

4. What happens during those cross-cultural interactions?

Is it worth implementing virtual interaction through video-web communication or virtual worlds in language teaching curricula?

3 groups of Spanish (B1) at random chosen:

1. Experimental group VC (N:14)

2. Experimental group SL (N:14)

3. Control group (N: 14) participated in 5 sessions during a 7 weeks’

course.

Instruments:- Pre- & post- oral tests were taken and recorded- Oral tests were assessed by 2 independent

raters according to an assessment grid (CEFR: range, accuracy, fluency, coherence & adequacy)

Learning effect

Interaction effect between condition and pre- and post-tests was found to be significant. In other words, the difference between pre- and post- test scores depends on the specific condition (F 2, 34 = 5.01; p = .012).

Pre Post

4.0

4.8

5.6

6.4

7.2

8.0S

core

VW

VW

SL

SL

C

C

The results show that the difference between pre- and post- oral tests depends on the specific condition. Especially in the SL and VWC condition students show on average more progression than in the control condition. Hence, both SL and VWC have an additive effect on students’ test scores.

Learning effect. Results.

Research issues

1. What are foreign language learners’ experiences? 2. Is there any impact on motivation?3. Is there any indication suggesting that learners

learn more if they have the opportunity to engage in networked interaction with experts according to relevant tasks?

4. What happens during those cross-cultural interactions?

Is it worth implementing virtual interaction through video-web communication or virtual worlds in language teaching curricula?

Interaction analysis

Click to access recordingClick to access recording

Interaction analysis

Click to access recordingClick to access recording

Interaction analysis

• Learners exposed to very rich input (i+1; pragmatic adequacy).

• Learners use language meaningfully (output hypothesis + ICC).• Varied sequences of negotiation of cultural and linguistic

meaning emerge.• Authenticity of interaction.• Positive learning atmosphere. It is fun!• Differences VC v. SL:

– VC static, visual added value (gestures), more quantity of talk

– SL dynamic, creative, unexpected L use linguistic focus, more silences

EVen España no hay muchas personas que van en bici / hora / un poco por / en las grandes ciudades empiezan a construir carriles bici para//

EU1 ¿carriles?

EVcarriles bici es la vía por donde va la bicicleta porque Valencia es una gran ciudad donde hay mucho / muchos coches / entonces ellos fabrican una pequeña vía especial solamente para bicicletas

EU1 okei

EV está pintada en rojo y nosotros vamos / la

bicicletas / es más seguro ir por el carril bici / pero es muy nuevo / es un concepto de hace cuatro o cinco años / normalmente los españoles cogen mucho el coche

EU1 okei

EV es una pena

EU1 en Holanda hay muchos carriles bici

Is it worth integrating networked interaction in FL teaching?

Yes!– Foreign language learners’ experiences are very

positive– Significant impact on motivation– Indications suggesting that learners learn more

if they have the opportunity to engage in networked interaction with experts according to relevant tasks

– Richness of cross-cultural interactions

But:• Be aware of administration and coordination overload for organizing

telecollaboration projects.

• Be flexible, develop strategies to face the challenges of synchronous interaction.

• Be aware that technical problems may arise.

BE AWARE OF THE BURDEN!

• Be enthusiastic, innovative and creative because it is worth the effort.

ENJOY THE ADDED VALUE!

• Remember: it is not about environments but about effective pedagogy > adequate integration according to effective pedagogical tasks.

Would you like to know more about NIFLAR?

niflar.ning.comwww.niflar.eu

Thank you for your attention!!

FUTURE: Euroversityhttp://euroversity.ning.com