SOCIAL NETWORKING IN SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNING Informal Online Interactions DOCTORAL THESIS (original) (raw)
L2 Learners’ Informal Online Interactions in Social Network Communities
This paper reports on a study on the use of SNSs designed for L2 learning, such as Livemocha and Busuu, where learners autonomously seek opportunities for authentic interaction in spontaneous ways. The study consists in a longitudinal multiple case study approach to investigate learners' informal online interactions taking place in the SNSs. This paper will focus on the results related to the analysis of learners' interactions and to whether the construction of learning opportunities is fostered or impeded by the social dimension that is intrinsic in these communities. In other words, it explores how and if learners are able to cope with both the social and the learning trajectory during their online interactions. The objectives are to learn more about the dynamics and the behaviours enacted by learners with reference to the online interaction with peers, and to explore the role played by the social aspect and its relationship with the learning aspect. To attain these objectives, the paper analyses intercultural, open-ended, dyadic conversations occurring between learners and native speakers (NSs), and learners and non-native speakers (NNSs) in the semi-instructional context of these learning communities and in the absence of teachers and pedagogical tasks. Drawing on socio-cultural approaches, the paper also raises central issues that are related to the surrounding environment of online language learners, such as roles' definition, learners' identity, scaffolding and peer-assistance (macro-level). It then applies these issues to key-concepts in SLA, such as turn-taking, language selection, language alternation, repair strategies and noticing (micro-level). The data collection includes semi-structured interaction interviews and a wide and variegated corpus data consisting of textual private messages and emails, audio and video recordings and textual chats analysed respectively through virtual ethnography and Conversation Analysis (CA). The preliminary results provide insights on learners' ability or inability to manage both the social and the pedagogical trajectories simultaneously. These deliveries are expected to shed more light on their interaction patterns and to provide a better understanding of nowadays' lifelong L2 learning practices in the naturalistic and out-of-class contexts of online communities.
Social Networking in Second Language Learning
… Understanding Media Today Barcelona May 23rd25th, 2011
This study is related to nowadays' knowledge society in the era of the Internet and aims to investigate the most important potentialities of the communities in Social Network Sites (SNSs) for second language (L2) learners. In this way, it would be possible to assess how to insert in formal learning activities some of the new forms of learning beyond the book that are taking place through the Web 2.0, taking into consideration that the term "learning" itself is being constantly explored and redefined according to the needs of Web 2.0 learners and to the new possibilities offered by our era. My research, in particular, attempts to raise awareness of some of the complex issues (learner autonomy, motivation, collaboration) surrounding learning taking place on SNS communities referring to the context of in informal L2 learning and reframing these communities as Personal Learning Environments (PLEs). Ethnographic data (e.g. rich accounts of learners' perceptions about their experiences in learning a language on SNSs, interviews and electronic discourse) will paint a picture of learners' behaviour when interacting in these social spaces and sharing videos, pictures, games related to their target language. In this way, I will be able to map out possible difficulties and opportunities for further research into the potential use of SNSs for second language learners.
Telecollaboration in online communities for L2 learning
This paper reports on a PhD study about informal second language learning in online communities (Livemocha and Busuu). In these communities learners autonomously seek opportunities for telecollaboration with Native Speakers (NSs) in the absence of teachers and pedagogical tasks, and in an informal context. This paper focuses on learning and social resources of these communities as a support for tandem activities. The methodology adopted had an interpretative framework and consisted of six phases. Results showed that these online environments have a potential for learners to engage in naturalistic repair trajectories. The conclusions that can be drawn from this study are that, despite today's flourishing of social media and new technologies, tandem language learning still presents the same challenges and more investigation is required on the adequate support learners need.
The use of social network sites for second and foreign (L2) language learning and teaching has recently gained attention by practitioners and researchers of applied linguistics and L2 education. Informed by socially informed theories of language learning and computer-assisted language learning (CALL) studies, researchers have examined L2 learning and use in non-educational or vernacular sites like Facebook, L2 pedagogy using vernacular sites, and the use of commercial social networks designed specifically for language learning, like LiveMocha. Findings implicate the role of self-organized, autonomous learning processes, the development of socio-collaborative learning community, and the challenges of balancing the learning benefits emergent from the user-driven agency of everyday use with the demands to meet formal curriculum-driven objectives. After a brief discussion of influences and definitions, this chapter examines, analyzes, and synthesizes selected research that illustrates these findings, concluding with problems and future directions.
Online Learning: Social Interaction and the Creation of a Sense of Community
J. Educ. Technol. Soc., 2004
This paper centres on the sense of isolation that online study may engender among learners, a factor often ignored by many educators, but one that may make the difference between a successful and an unsuccessful online learning environment for many students. The importance of a proper appreciation of the learners’ social context is stressed, as is the concept of the ‘virtual self’ that individual learners may choose to portray during online communication. The authors suggest three protocols that can be built into the fabric of online courses in order that a sense of community may be enabled to exist, and productive social interaction can occur. These are (1) the greater use of synchronous communication facilities (in addition to, rather than instead of, asynchronous ones), (2) the deliberate design and inclusion of a ‘forming’ stage, or ‘warm-up’ period, incorporated as an essential component into the course structure, and (3) a much greater emphasis on the provision of (and adheren...
Issues in Language Teaching (ILT), 2018
With the current availability of state-of-the-art technology, particularly the Internet, people have expanded their channels of communication. This has similarly led to many people utilizing technology to learn second/foreign languages. Nevertheless, many current computer-assisted language learning (CALL) programs still appear to be lacking in interactivity and what is termed social presence, which is in turn an obstacle to the learners assuming active roles in their online experience of L2 learning. Consequently, the existing CALL programs do not seem to have updated themselves from the obsolete behavioristic and communicative genres to reach for the integrative one to yield optimum interactivity. The present study has attempted to cast light on the prospect of creating an online learning community that could optimize the patterns of interaction among the students and the teacher with the intention of creating online social presence. Using a qualitative research based on grounded theory, the researchers attempted to collect and analyze the data vis-à-vis the participants' feedback on the research questions that were cyclically obtained from 42 English students of the first researcher's weblog through 41 semi-structured interviews at the end of each virtual class on Skype and Discord over one year. The results suggested that content-based instruction (CBI) in which the students can opt for and create the content of the course through engaging in asynchronous activities and performing peer-assessment in the comment forms and discussion boards before practicing negotiation of meaning in each synchronous class could maximize the level of student-student interactivity and social presence among the L2 learners.
2010
The following contribution pretends to cope with the demands of a globalised, post-modern environment through the design and implementation of an online international project where an SNS is used in order to join English as Second Language (ESL) students from different parts of the world. The design of the project appears around the implementation of the Bologna process in the Faculty of Education from the University of Girona where the basic prerequisite of all students to acquire English at the level B1 of the Common European Portfolio makes English a compulsory competence for communication among its higher education candidates in order to develop in the world. Together with the University of Girona, there is the International Educational and Resources Network (iEARN) which promotes the participation of schools around the world in online international projects
Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Technology-Enhanced Language Learning, 2018
The goal of the paper is to highlight the research examined within the context of social networking sites (SNSs), cross-cultural approaches, and relevant findings and implications for second language teaching and learning (L2TL). Furthermore, the study also investigates applicable frameworks across the academia that can be adapted by applied linguists and L2TL experts in SNS research. For this purpose, relevant findings from other fields of research and their potential implications for L2TL are presented along with applicable theoretical and methodological frameworks. It is pointed out that a number of studies from the fields can contribute to a better understanding of social networking technologies and their roles in language teaching and learning context. Therefore, it is recommended that L2TL experts investigating SNSs should familiarize themselves with SNS research across the academia and they carry out interdisciplinary projects by employing applicable theoretical and methodological frameworks.
Journal of Literature, Languages and Linguistics, 2020
Despite the fact that language researchers propose the integration of language learning and technology, Pakistani universities seem to be struggling between traditional and digital methodologies. E-learning and CALL are the products of such efforts in modern pedagogical practices. Social Networking Sites (SNS) are one of the available resources that mediate E-learning or digital learning and teaching. This Study explores the views of L2 learners on language learning through social networking sites. The qualitative approach has been used in the present study to address the issue. The participants ( n=10) were recruited using purposive sampling. The researchers used interview as a data collection tool. Participants’ responses were analyzed by using extensive content analysis. The study found that Social networking sites (SNS) are helpful in learning English language; however, the individual experiences and practices influence the learning process. The study further finds that the vagu...