Computer-mediated communication in foreign language learning : case study on the CityCompass application
Erofeeva, Daria (2018)
Erofeeva, Daria
2018
Master's Degree Programme in Media Education
Viestintätieteiden tiedekunta - Faculty of Communication Sciences
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Hyväksymispäivämäärä
2018-06-25
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:uta-201807032232
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:uta-201807032232
Tiivistelmä
Nowadays with the rapid development of technology and increased role of online environment teaching and learning through media is becoming an evitable educational method. The use of media and especially digital media for educational purposes call into question traditional teacher-focused approach to classroom learning. As the media are merging into education, teachers need to adapt to supplementary teaching resources and to a changing from teacher to student-oriented approach. Modified teaching methods require a thorough modification of existing classroom activities and a careful design of new tasks. In order to make teaching through media highly effective and motivating, the teacher needs to be not only a competent educator but also a media literate specialist.
The convergence of media and technology is enriching traditional teaching and learning methods. Computer-mediated communication (CMC) with the essential role of task-oriented activities has become one of the most used concepts of technology use in language learning. Notwithstanding the fact that there is a large volume of published studies devoted to task-based language teaching, the research to date has tended to focus on the traditional face-to-face teaching rather than on the task-based language teaching in the technology-mediated environment.
The aim of the research is to examine a possible impact of the online way-finding application called CityCompass on the Finnish language learners’ speaking skills. The key research question of the study asks what influence computer-mediated communication has on foreign language learning.
The following study is qualitative research due to its aim to explore and understand a researched subject among a particular group of people by means of behavior observations, face-to-face interaction, and the use of audio and visual data. Due to the participatory nature of the research, it employed an action research method.
The data collection procedure of the research involved multiple types of data collection tools: a qualitative observation, interviews, qualitative documents, practical experiments with the implementation of qualitative audio and visual materials and questionnaires.
The findings of this study suggest that computer-mediated communication can have a significant impact on learners’ motivation and encouragement to be actively engaged in the learning process. The second major finding is that computer-mediated communication has a positive effect on learners’ target language speaking skills. Computer-mediated communication in language learning can be a useful tool for expanding learners’ vocabulary and developing their language fluency. Moreover, the analysis of the findings proposes a hypothesis about a positive correlation between the level of students’ media literacy and their task performance.
The convergence of media and technology is enriching traditional teaching and learning methods. Computer-mediated communication (CMC) with the essential role of task-oriented activities has become one of the most used concepts of technology use in language learning. Notwithstanding the fact that there is a large volume of published studies devoted to task-based language teaching, the research to date has tended to focus on the traditional face-to-face teaching rather than on the task-based language teaching in the technology-mediated environment.
The aim of the research is to examine a possible impact of the online way-finding application called CityCompass on the Finnish language learners’ speaking skills. The key research question of the study asks what influence computer-mediated communication has on foreign language learning.
The following study is qualitative research due to its aim to explore and understand a researched subject among a particular group of people by means of behavior observations, face-to-face interaction, and the use of audio and visual data. Due to the participatory nature of the research, it employed an action research method.
The data collection procedure of the research involved multiple types of data collection tools: a qualitative observation, interviews, qualitative documents, practical experiments with the implementation of qualitative audio and visual materials and questionnaires.
The findings of this study suggest that computer-mediated communication can have a significant impact on learners’ motivation and encouragement to be actively engaged in the learning process. The second major finding is that computer-mediated communication has a positive effect on learners’ target language speaking skills. Computer-mediated communication in language learning can be a useful tool for expanding learners’ vocabulary and developing their language fluency. Moreover, the analysis of the findings proposes a hypothesis about a positive correlation between the level of students’ media literacy and their task performance.