Blended Learning Implementation Challenges in the Languages Undergraduate Course on the Grounds of the Activity Theory Angelita Quevedo / Adolfo Tanzi Neto CEAD/ PUCSP/ TEED
ISCAR Rome 2011
Presentation Structure INTRODUCTION RESEARCH SETTINGS METHODOLOGICAL PROCEDURES FINDINGS
CONSIDERATIONS
Challenge of appropriating new cultural and material tools
Work
School
Entertaining
Information and Communication technologies Research and social relations
New forms of Thinking and understanding the world
Solving problems and searching for information
Living and acting in virtual communities
Building knowledge
2007-‐ today :B-‐learning Research based on AT
Objectives:
To investigate the contradictions in the activity of implementing blended-‐learning disciplines from the point of view of the student.
To analyze the virtual language learning students’ profile as far as the competences and skills needed for learning in digital environments.
To identify the most frequent contradictions in the activity system and suggest improvements that could be implemented in the system in focus.
To suggest improvements that could be implemented in the system in focus.
Participants § 96 first-‐year Languages Undergraduate
students enrolled in the discipline: Digital Technologies, distributed in 5 digital classes ú Morning group: 41 ú Evening group: 55
Research Activity System
Data collection based on § Written messages posted in
ú Forum: Expectations [FE] 1. Have you ever done a distant course before? Have you ever studied with the help of Internet? How was your experience? 2. What are your expectations to this discipline? What are your worries?
ú Forum: Help [FH] ú Forum: Small Talk [FST]
Data collection based on § Assessment given by the teachers: ú Tasks ú Participation in 3 forums ú Group work ú Final test
Analysis procedures § Contradictions found in the activity system ú Focus on Primary and Secondary [most frequent
ones]
§ Semantic Content analysis made on the
students’ messages § Students’ performance assessed by their teachers throughout the discipline
Contradictions found in the activity system Primary
§ Low personal value to
distant courses X social demand value
Secondary § Tools: Learning Virtual
Environment [Moodle]/ computers § Communication between teacher-‐student § Rules: tasks [delivery schedule, correction, grades]; amount of time spent to study
Primary Contradiction ú Students think distant learning is not to be seen as
serious learning
Morning group [41 students] Evening group [55 students] 47%
32% Less computer-‐literate
Evening group: age, social-‐economic status, computer literacy, Internet skills Morning group: internet focus shift – entertainment to study.
Secondary Contradictions § Subject-‐tools ú ú ú ú
Computer to entertain X to study Level of computer literacy and Internet skills Course design VLE Interface
§ Subject-‐Labor division ú Communication [teacher-‐students]: students felt
teachers’ communication could be more frequent
§ Subject-‐Rules ú Amount of time required to study
Students’ profiles/ attitudes towards B-‐learning
Initial profile definition
Open Semi-‐ Open Closed
Initial profile definition
Open Semi-‐ Open Closed
Students’ profile/ attitudes Open Positive adjectives and expressions towards Distant Learning [DL]
“...foruns are really helpful to make people at ease, because I hardly speak in class. I write a loooooooottttt in foruns Hahahahahahahaha. Sorry for my long texts.” “the most interesting aspect of distant courses is that due to the fast technology development we can really have access to content from anywhere !”
Semi-‐Open Words and expressions that show some restrictions to DL
“ I still wonder how personal interaction will be during the course...” “I believed that this kind of course [distant course] wouldn’t be worthwhile.”
Closed Negative adjectives and expressions towards DL
“I believe that distant courses can never substitute traditional classes.” “Distant learning doesn’t contribute to teacher-‐student relationship. Teacher-‐student relationship is cold and distant. Don’t tell me that the teacher communicates more … a contact made via machine is not a real contact….”
Evening group – teacher C 12% 41%
47%
Aberto Open Semi-‐aberto Semi-‐open
Evening group – teacher D
Closed Fechado
21%
Evening group – teacher E
53%
26%
10% 35% 55%
Aberto Semi-‐open Semi-‐aberto Closed Fechado Open
Aberto Open Semi-‐aberto Semi-‐open Fechado Closed
Profile/attitude influence throughout the course
1st. Webquest 1st. Test Final Test Participation Final Grade
Closed attitude – student overcomes negative attitude and passes the discipline
Module 1 Module 2 1st. Test Module 3 Module 4 Final Grade
Semi-‐open: helped by community to overcome fear and insecurity felt at the beginning
1st. Webquest 1st. Test Final Test Participation Final Grade
Open attitude: difficulties with VLE and computers – helped by community
Module 1 Module 2 1st. Test Module 3 Module 4 Final Grade
Some considerations § Importance of the virtual learning community ú Interaction among its members ú Help to overcome difficulties ú Element of transformation [students’ initial
attitudes towards B-‐learning]
§ Importance of the course design adopted ú Language instructions ú Resources used [Agenda, forums, chat, etc.]
§ Teacher’s mediation skills
Thanks!
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