effective implementation of a class blog in the traditional classroom setting

Mari Yamauchi Chiba University of Commerce

GloCALL 2011, October 28-29, 2011 Manila, Philippines

Effective implementation of a class blog in the traditional classroom setting: Toward more learner-centered EFL instruction

11年10月30日日曜日

Japanese university students learning EFL (esp. non English majors) need more opportunities to use English

Outside of the classroomFor communicative purposes

BACKGROUND & GOALS

Goals of this 3-year research*

To build an online learning environment where students can use English for communicative purposes

To propose practicable ways to integrate out-of-class activities with in-class activities, esp. where there is limited access to ICT in the classroom

*Supported by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (2011-2013)


Classroom with limited access to ICT → Limited hands-on activities


PLATFORMS CONSIDERED*

*As of September, 2010

Teacher’sreadiness

Cellphonecompatibility Grading Multimedia Organized

activitiesCustomi-

zationClosed

communityOpen

community

Moodle ★★★ ★ ★★★ ★ ★★★ ★★ ★★★ ★

Blogger ★★★ ★★ ★ ★★ ★★ ★★★ ★ ★★★

Posterous ★★ ★★ ★ ★★★ ★★ ★★★ ★★ ★★★

Twitter ★★ ★★★ ★ ★★ ★ ★ ★ ★★★

Facebook ★ ★★ ★ ★★ ★? ★? ★★ ★★★

Tumblr ★ ★★ ★ ★★? ★? ★? ★★? ★★★

Mixi ★ ★★★ ★ ★? ★? ★? ★★★? ★?


USING MOODLE - 2010 FALL


• Using forums for homework writing assignments (to build a learner corpus) ← English 1D (Year 1, N=33)

• Using Moodle Network to set up intercollegiate discussion forums (= “Moodle Project” ) ← English 2B (Year 2, N=25)

• Using forums for warm-up and follow-up activities ← English 2B, English 1D

Uhida & Yamauchi (2011), Yamauchi (2011), Yamauchi & Uchida (2011) , Harashima, Kanda, Sato & Yamauchi (2011)

USING MOODLE, 2010 FALL


1. For some, using Moodle outside of class was difficult, or too much of a hassle.

FINDINGS (2010)

0%# 10%# 20%# 30%# 40%# 50%# 60%# 70%# 80%# 90%# 100%#

Very#easy#to#use#

Easy#to#use#

Not#sure#

A#li;le#diffiult#to#use#

Very#difficult#to#use#

0"

2"

4"

6"

8"

10"

12"

14"

16"

Mixi" Twi-er" Email" Blog" Facebook" Moodle"Don't"know"

Was it easy to use

Moodle? (2B, N = 24)

Which would you like to use for

online discussion? (2B, N = 24)


2. Students enjoy communicating in English online (once they get used to it).

3. Topics that interest them will motivate them to write in English (if they feel they can).

FINDINGS (2010)

0"

2"

4"

6"

8"

10"

12"

14"

16"

18"

Topics"I'm"interested"

in"

Feedback"from"the"teacher"

Interac<on"with"other"students"

Scores" Rankings"

What do you think would motivate you to join?(2B, N = 24)

Don’t know13%

Good idea83%

Very good idea4%

What do you think of sharing information or opinions in English

online? (2B, N=24)


USING A CLASS BLOG - 2011 SPRING


• A class blog was used as the platform, which allowed the students to post by email.

• Topics and target language objectives were selected from the initial class survey, a Can-Do list adapted from CEFR, and students’ posts.

• Student blogging was explicitly integrated with class work, with a lot of pair work/group work

• Focus-on-form instruction was given before and after posting on a particular topic.

USING A CLASS BLOG


BLOG ALLOWED STUDENTS TO POST BY EMAIL

Posting by email → Hands on available in a regular classroom


POSTING USING EMAIL (BLOGGER)



• Topics and target language objectives were selected with reference to the initial class survey, CEFR descriptors, and students’ posts.



USING A CLASS BLOG


TOPICS & LANGUAGE OBJECTIVES ← CEFR, SURVEY, POSTS

A1 A2 B1• familiar

everyday phrases

• very basic phrases

• needs of a concrete type

• questions about personal details

• frequently used expressions

• very basic personal & family information, shopping, local geography

• simple/direct exchange of information on familiar/routine matters

• his/her background, immediate environment/need

• familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure

• situations likely to arise while traveling

• simple connected text on topics familiar or of personal interest

• experiences, events, dreams, hopes, ambitions, reasons, explanations for opinions, plans


TOPICS & LANGUAGE OBJECTIVES：CEFR, SURVEY, POSTS

• Daily life: School, Part-time job, Club, Friends, Family, Shopping, Eating, Pastimes, Hobbies

• Events: Travel, Parties, Festivals, Concerts, Vacation; Memories, Plans

• Reviews: Books, Comics, Movies, Dramas, Songs, Music

• News: Environment, Technology, Society, Health, Science, Politics, Entertainment

“These are the topics the students last year said they would like to

cover in class. What topics would you like to talk about in English?”


TOPICS & LANGUAGE OBJECTIVES ← SURVEY, CEFR, POSTS

Blog post

A: What were you doing at 7 PM yesterday?B: I (am, was) eating dinner. A: What (do, did) you eat?B: I (have, had) pizza and fried noodle.

Grammar Exercise (WS)



• Topics and target language objectives were selected from the initial class survey, a Can-Do list adapted from CEFR, and students’ posts.



USING A CLASS BLOG (2011 SPRING)


Posting

In-class activityFocus on form

Grammar & Conversation

Reading & Interview/

Survey


RESULTS - 2011 SPRING


0%# 10%# 20%# 30%# 40%# 50%# 60%# 70%# 80%# 90%# 100%#

Very#easy#to#use#

Easy#to#use#

Not#sure#

A#li;le#diffiult#to#use#

Very#difficult#to#use#

2010 FallWas it easy

to use Moodle?

(2B, N = 24)

0%# 10%# 20%# 30%# 40%# 50%# 60%# 70%# 80%# 90%# 100%#

Very#easy#

Easy#

A#li7le#difficult#/#a#bit#of#hassle#

Very#difficult#/#a#big#hassle#

2011 SpringWas it easy to post by

email? (2B, N = 27)

ACCESSIBILITY INCREASED


PARTICIPATION INCREASED

0

10

20

30

40

Assignements Posts/Contributer Posts/Topic

2010 Fall (2B, N=24)2011 Spring (2B, N=27)

0

100

200

300

400

Posts


0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

2011.3 2011.4 2011.5 2011.6 2011.7 2011.8

58

2846 29443332

2286

729

Page views: April - July, 2011


I enjoyed reading others’ posts

I enjoyed writing my opinions/ideas in English

I found myself using English more often

It was difficult to write in English

It was difficult to read in English

I'm now feeling more comfortable using English

0 18 35 53 70

What do you think of blogging in English? (2B, N=27)

Do you think blogging in English will help you improve your English? (2B, N=27)

10%7%

83%

Yes No Don’t know

USING ENGLISH - BENEFICIAL; CHALLENGING & FUN

(%)


STUDENTS WANT LANGUAGE HELP/FOCUS ON FORM

How did you like the way your posts were used in class?

Good to learn how to say something I wanted to say

Easier to write something related to what was covered in class

Happy to have my posts used in class

Don’t want my posts used in class

0 18 35 53 70 (%)

Mistakes to be corrected

Posts to be editable

More comments from teacher

Interactions to be increased

0 10 20 30 40

Suggestions for better blogging activities?

(%)


• I feel I understand what it’s like to use English in everyday life.

• It’d be great if we post whenever we like, in addition to assigned tasks.

• My writing skills improved through blogging during this semester.

• I’ve improved my English through blogging so I want to do more next semester.

• Blogging in English was challenging but fun.

• I felt uncomfortable blogging first but I enjoyed it later on as I got used to it.

• I was happy that communication with my classmates increased through blogging.

SOME OF THE STUDENTS’ FEEDBACK (FREE DESCRIPTION)


WRAP UP


• Using posting by email helps get students started easily in a classroom with limited access to ICT.

• Giving students opportunities and help to express what they want to express helps them realize English is a tool for communication.

• As they get used to sharing their writing online, they will become less shy in the classroom.

• As they want to write and communicate more with other people, they will start using a computer.

EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF A CLASS BLOG


NEXT STEP: INTER-SCHOOL / INTERNATIONAL BLOGGING

2011 Spring 2011 Fall


NEXT STEP: IPADS WILL HELP?


Thank you!


mailto:[email protected]




effective implementation of a class blog in the traditional classroom setting

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