2019 Saturday Sessions, May 25
9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Room: Mozart
Beyond Simulation: VR as a Creative and Communicative Medium for Language Learning
Trent Hoy
What if Star Trek’s holodeck were real and available in your classroom? Where would you go and with whom would you talk? Focusing on learner-created content and telecollaboration, this session will examine how low-cost mobile VR technology can be integrated into communicative classroom activities.
Room: Beethoven
French Strand
Astronautes FLS: A Digital Game for L2 French Vocabulary and Pronunciation
Denis Liakin, Walcir Cardoso and Natallia Liakina
Digital gaming in education has been expanding in popularity and is gradually being applied to L2 contexts (Godwin-Jones, 2014), with results supporting the hypothesis that its use can enhance learners’ second language acquisition (e.g., Sykes & Reinhardt, 2013). This study introduces Astronautes FLS, a mobile digital game created to motivate L2 learners to practice French anytime anywhere. Adopting a mixed-methods approach for data collection and analysis, we report the results of game-playing observations, survey analyses and focus group discussions, and discuss implications for L2 learning, particularly in mobile-assisted settings.
Room: Ravel
“Will I actually be able to stay motivated to do it?”: An Exploratory Study of Online Language Learning
Wendy Martelle
This presentation reports on a study exploring the relationship between a student’s individual language learning characteristics and the online language learning environment. Data sources include interviews, a series of questionnaires, and the student’s language learning journal and artifacts. Through the process of learning L2 Korean in a synchronous online setting, the student reflected on the learning opportunities afforded by the online platform, and made many connections between in-person classroom contexts and online language learning. Additional themes that emerged from the data include “maintaining motivation” and “managing anxiety.”
Room: Brahms
Content-based Learning in Telecollaboration: The Role of Genre
D. Joseph Cunningham
This study explores the intersection of language and content learning in a university-level genre-based business German course. Two dyads and two triads of students conducted synchronous audiovisual interviews with Berlin-based entrepreneurs in order to practice advanced language skills and gain knowledge of German business culture. Through discourse analysis of four hours of computer-mediated interview data, the study sheds light on how L2 learners are able to display both previously and newly acquired content knowledge while communicating with L1 interlocutors. These findings provide evidence that genre can provide an important link between content and language learning outcomes in SCMC-based telecollaboration.
Room: Tchaikovsky
Media Literacy Education as a Social Justice Experience for International Students in the U.S.
Ellen Yeh
Previous research shows that international students are less likely to speak up on social justice issues (Duff, 2001). One possible solution is finding ways to leverage media literacy to foster social justice in the ESL curriculum. This study draws on theories of multimodal literacy (Choi & Yi, 2016) and the Standards for Teaching Social Justice from Teaching Tolerance, demonstrating ways to incorporate media literacy by using FlipGrid and video production into the curriculum to raise awareness of social justice and inclusion in the target language and culture.
Panel — 9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
Room: Concerto
Teaching Less Commonly Taught Languages in a Distance Environment: Teacher and Learner Perspectives
Nelleke Van Deusen-Scholl, Stephane Charitos, Chris Kaiser and Mary Jo Lubrano
For the past six years, Yale, Columbia, and Cornell have collaborated on a project to share instruction in the less commonly taught languages (LCTLs) via videoconferencing. In this panel, we discuss the results of a longitudinal research project in which we collected a rich array of qualitative and quantitative data on approximately 600 learners studying more than 20 languages. The panel consists of a general introduction to the project, highlighting the current the state of language education in the US, followed by three papers that focus on teacher and learner perspectives and learning outcomes in this distance environment, respectively.
9:45 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
Room: Mozart
Designing Affordances for Sustained Virtual Exchanges
Françoise Blin and Maria Loftus
This presentation reports on the design and implementation of a CALL ecosystem whose primary purpose is to facilitate sustainable virtual exchanges with a view to better prepare students for a period of residence in a French speaking country, while developing their spoken language skills and digital competences. Drawing on Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) nested ecosystems theory and on the theory of affordances (Gibson 1979, van Lier 2000), it first explicates the educational and technological affordances that were designed at a macro level. It then presents and discusses the preliminary results of mixed-methods study that sought to explore learners perceptions of these affordances and their enactment of the latter. The presentation concludes with some implications for future designs.
Room: Beethoven
French Strand
A Student-Driven Multimedia Project to Promote and Preserve Louisiana French
John Moran and Melanie Hackney
This presentation focuses on a multimedia project serving as the central component of a course developed in the Department of French Literature, Thought, and Culture at New York University to target the preservation and promotion of the language and cultures of French-speaking communities in south-central Louisiana. Students travel to Louisiana, record interviews with native Louisiana-French speakers, and then use that data in the creation of an interactive oral histories website project showcasing their transcriptions and analyses. This work allows students to contribute personally to the larger academic community as well as increase awareness of endangered language communities in the US.
Room: Ravel
Self-Regulated Learning in an Online Community College Language Course: A Follow-up Study
Christopher Hromalik
This session will describe and provide the findings of a follow-up to a qualitative case study investigating how novice-level community college language students self-regulate their learning during the use of online learning resources. An analysis of a new set of data, using the same procedures as the original study, yielded similar results: higher-performing learners were different from lower-performing learners in their use of time, monitoring of performance, and methods of learning. No differences were seen in participant motivation or in how they regulated their physical environment. Based on these findings, implications for practice will be provided.
Room: Tchaikovsky
The Acquisition of Complex Spanish Grammar among Online Students with a Low Aptitude for Language Learning
Victoria Russell
The presenter reports the results of a longitudinal study that compared processing instruction (PI)—a research-based pedagogical technique—with traditional instruction (TI) for the acquisition of complex Spanish grammar among 40 online students who demonstrated a low aptitude for language learning as measured by Part IV of the Modern Language Aptitude Test (Words in Sentences), which measures grammatical sensitivity. The results indicated that PI was more effective than TI for interpretation tasks and equally effective as TI for production tasks. The results of this study may help online language educators differentiate their instruction more effectively.
Room: Brahms
Potential Benefits of Text Messaging on L2 Spanish Vocabulary Acquisition
Lori Nevin Lye and Gilllian Lord Ward
While mobile devices have become integral to students’ lives, there is an apparent disconnect between this trend and most second language (L2) pedagogies. The present study investigates potential benefits of a nontraditional mobile assignment texting on vocabulary acquisition by adult learners of Spanish. Preliminary results support the idea that nontraditional writing tasks can provide a beneficial supplement to traditional classroom instruction, by offering a place for peer-to-peer interaction, which has been shown to increase learners’ vocabulary and motivation. The need for future research regarding texting in language learning is discussed in light of these results.
10:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Room: Mozart
Interactional Feedback in Text-Based and Voice-Based SCMC
Farah Akbar
This longitudinal study investigated the effects of NS interactional feedback within and across text-based and voice-based SCMC and whether the NNS perception of feedback and recognition of the target of feedback rendered the feedback ineffective. Data consisted of 1) chat transcripts of 15 English NS-NNS dyads who participated in 45 minutes chat sessions four times a week for 10 weeks; 2) five stimulated recall interviews with each participant. NS primarily used reformulations in the text-based environment but preferred elicitations in the voice-based environment. Apart from morphosyntax, NNS were relatively accurate in their perception of lexical, semantic, and phonological feedback.
Room: Concerto
Linguistic Landscape and Multilingualism: An International Learning Space for Reflection and Noticing
Lara Lomicka and Lara Ducate
Examining one’s linguistic landscape (“language in the environment, words and images displayed and exposed in public spaces” Shohamy and Gorter, 2008) can assist students in making sense of and reflecting on language and their intercultural learning and experiences in new ways. This presentation reports on projects during which students used technology to understand their linguistic landscape at home and abroad (padlet, 360º cameras). The goal of the project was to promote and illustrate a deeper engagement with the culture and to share ideas for successfully engaging students in critical thinking. Technology tools for similar cultural reflection projects will be discussed.
Room: Beethoven
French Strand
Créé-le et fais-le : l’apprentissage par la création d’activités pédagogiques
Nandini Sarma and Helene Knoerr
À l’ère numérique, l’enseignant post-secondaire doit tenir compte non seulement de la transmission de la matière, mais également du développement des compétences transférables du 21e siècle : la collaboration en présentiel et à distance, le développement d’un produit, l’(auto)évaluation, la maîtrise du numérique (Dede, 2010). Il doit aussi proposer des activités langagières engageantes basées sur une pédagogie actionnelle (Conseil de l’Europe, 2000; Puren, 2006). Nous proposons de conjuguer les deux dans un cours de langue seconde en amenant les apprenants à créer des activités pédagogiques en ligne avec un outil technologique en ligne (vidéotech.ca).
Room: Ravel
Why are We Here and Where are We Going? Creating a Partnership for Language Learning and Use
Leonie Hintze and Senta Goertler
Language learners often have preconceived notions about, how language learning works, and where it can or should lead them. For this action-research curricular innovation project two project-based units were introduced to break down misconceptions and develop agency. The projects included reflection, online background research, expert interviews; and culminated in a public digital output (i.e., a decision-making guide for education abroad and a creative presentation on language and identity). All unit artifacts were collected and analyzed to answer the questions: Did the project-based units change the learners’ attitudes? Did the learners start taking agency in their own language learning and use?
Room: Brahms
The Development of an International MOOC for Teacher Training in Educational Technology: Lessons Learned
Kim Becker, Volker Hegelheimer, Tim Kochem and Ananda Muhammad
Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) for professional development provide an accessible medium for instruction. However, the sheer number of participants in MOOCs is still a top reason for most issues encountered during the delivery process. This presentation focuses on the development of international MOOC with over 10,000 enrollees, the focus of which was using educational technology in the English language classroom. We will explain the design process and address strategies used to strengthen quality assurance and to support enrollees, as well as explore the possibilities and limitations of this increasingly-used medium.
11:15 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
Room: Mozart
Digital Preferences of iGen Students for Language Engagement Outside the Classroom
Eduardo Garcia
This classroom-based study examines the type of engagement that iGen students choose to practice their language skills outside the classroom. Students in a college-level intermediate Spanish course selected and completed communicative activities from a given list ranging from social media posts to chatting with native speakers. A critical text analysis of student reflections on their experiences and a satisfaction questionnaire were used to categorize the perceived benefits of the activities for language practice and improvement. The study found that students clearly preferred using technology for language engagement, and listening activities over others. Pedagogical implications of these choices will be examined.
Room: Concerto
Individual Cultural Mindset Inventory (ICMI) – An Instrument and Data Display Pilot
Chris Brown, Lamba Mohamad-Aziz and Afsaneh Nahavandi
The Individual Cultural Mindset Inventory (ICMI) is an online self-assessment designed to gauge the following attributes: cultural knowledge, cultural self-awareness, self-monitoring, growth mindset, fixed mindset, cultural curiosity, parochial/ethnocentric/plural mindset, and metacognition. A pilot project was conducted with students participating in a 10-week summer intensive language program. A data display application was developed to visualize change in respondents’ cultural mindset at the pre-, post-, and post-post- intervals. We will report on the pilot’s results, describe teaching interventions that addressed transcultural competence, and discuss the limitations and implications for further development of the ICMI and for teaching and development of transcultural competence.
Room: Beethoven
French Strand
Doper la production des clitiques objets du français L2 à l’oral grâce à la communication médiée par les technologies
Adel Jebali
Quand il s’agit de produire les clitiques objets du français L2, la plupart des tâches se heurtent au problème de l’évitement de ces formes; les apprenants recourent à plusieurs stratégies pour ne pas employer ces pronoms. Pour trouver un moyen de doper la production des clitiques objets, nous avons mené une recherche empirique dans le but de définir l’apport de deux variables : la nature de la tâche d’élicitation et le canal de communication orale. Nos résultats démontrent que le recours à la communication orale médiée par les technologies jumelée à des tâches tâches actionnelles permet aux apprenants d’améliorer considérablement leur production orale spontanée des clitiques objets.
Room: Ravel
Fostering Global Citizenship through L2 Digital Literacies
Deniz Gokcora
Professors teaching language classes in higher education aim at including global competency objectives, such as cultural understanding and intercultural competence, and these have become important goals for second language learners in the 21st century. This presentation reports on the study that focuses on second language learners’ discussion and learning of global competencies through digital literacy. Data collection included ESL students’ comments on the oral presentations on social justice issues, using Blackboard and participant interviews. Thorough data analysis revealed many of the social issues. Interviews with students supported the use of presentations as a learning experience of global learning.
Room: Tchaikovsky
Listening Strategy Use in CALL Assessments
Cristina Pardo
This longitudinal study examines the effect of input modality on strategy use with 140 intermediate-low Spanish learners and 123 intermediate-mid Spanish learners when taking several listening tests. It also examine the effect of different instructional formats (online-hybrid vs. face2face-blended) on learners’ strategy use. Participants completed a questionnaire after each listening test to learn about learners’ strategies before listening, while listening, and after listening in order to elicit information about the particular strategies that learners used to complete the listening test. The results of the study have pedagogical implications for teaching listening comprehension.
Room: Brahms
Challenges to Integrating the TESOL Technology Standards into a CALL Course
Philip Hubbard
In 2008, TESOL released its Technology Standards Framework (https://www.tesol.org/docs/default-source/books/bk_technologystandards_framework_721.pdf). This talk describes the process of integrating the Standards into a CALL seminar taught annually and how feedback from prior student comments led to a restructuring of the course. A major finding was that some of the Standards were difficult for teacher candidates not actively teaching to meet. Potential changes to the format of some of the performance indicator-based “can-do” statements and to the interpretation of certain Standards are discussed with the aim of improving them.