Evaluation of a web conferencing tool and collaborative tasks in an online Chinese course

Sijia Guo

doi:10.14705/rpnet.2014.000205

Evaluation of a web conferencing tool and collaborative tasks in an online Chinese course

Sijia Guo

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference proceeding contribution › peer-review

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Abstract

This case study aims to explore the best practice of applying task-based language teaching (TBLT) via the web conferencing tool Blackboard Collaborate in a beginners' online Chinese course by evaluating the technical capacity of the software and the pedagogical values and limitations of the tasks designed. In this paper, Chapelle's (2001) criteria for CALL task appropriateness are adopted and adapted to evaluate five tasks designed for an online environment in terms of practicality, language learning potential, learner fit, authenticity and positive impact. In the second semester, 2013, eight BA on-campus students who enrolled in an introductory Chinese language course agreed to participate in this project. Five fortnightly one-hour online sessions were conducted, which included two jigsaw tasks, two decision-making tasks and one information-gap task. Learners' interaction in the online sessions has been recorded and transcribed for a deep investigation of learners' negotiation actions in peer-peer interaction. Their experiences of using Blackboard Collaborate and tasks were recorded in in-depth interviews and pre and post-session questionnaires.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	CALL Design
Subtitle of host publication	Principles and Practice - Proceedings of the 2014 EUROCALL Conference, Groningen, The Netherlands
Editors	Sake Jager, Linda Bradley, Estelle J. Meima, Sylvie Thouësny
Place of Publication	Dublin, Ireland
Publisher	Research-publishing.net
Pages	119-126
Number of pages	8
ISBN (Print)	9781908416209
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.14705/rpnet.2014.000205
Publication status	Published - 2014
Event	European Association for Computer-Assisted Language Learning Conference - Groningen, Netherlands Duration: 20 Aug 2014 → 23 Aug 2014

Conference

Conference	European Association for Computer-Assisted Language Learning Conference
City	Groningen, Netherlands
Period	20/08/14 → 23/08/14

Bibliographical note

Copyright the Author(s) 2014. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

Keywords

CALL evaluation
TBLT
Web conferencing
SLA
Second language acquisition
Online Chinese teaching

Access to Document

10.14705/rpnet.2014.000205

Publisher version (open access)Final published version, 860 KBLicence: Unspecified

Cite this

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title = "Evaluation of a web conferencing tool and collaborative tasks in an online Chinese course",

abstract = "This case study aims to explore the best practice of applying task-based language teaching (TBLT) via the web conferencing tool Blackboard Collaborate in a beginners' online Chinese course by evaluating the technical capacity of the software and the pedagogical values and limitations of the tasks designed. In this paper, Chapelle's (2001) criteria for CALL task appropriateness are adopted and adapted to evaluate five tasks designed for an online environment in terms of practicality, language learning potential, learner fit, authenticity and positive impact. In the second semester, 2013, eight BA on-campus students who enrolled in an introductory Chinese language course agreed to participate in this project. Five fortnightly one-hour online sessions were conducted, which included two jigsaw tasks, two decision-making tasks and one information-gap task. Learners' interaction in the online sessions has been recorded and transcribed for a deep investigation of learners' negotiation actions in peer-peer interaction. Their experiences of using Blackboard Collaborate and tasks were recorded in in-depth interviews and pre and post-session questionnaires.",

keywords = "CALL evaluation, TBLT, Web conferencing, SLA, Second language acquisition, Online Chinese teaching",

author = "Sijia Guo",

note = "Copyright the Author(s) 2014. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.; European Association for Computer-Assisted Language Learning Conference ; Conference date: 20-08-2014 Through 23-08-2014",

year = "2014",

doi = "10.14705/rpnet.2014.000205",

language = "English",

isbn = "9781908416209",

pages = "119--126",

editor = "Sake Jager and Linda Bradley and Meima, {Estelle J.} and Sylvie Thou{\"e}sny",

booktitle = "CALL Design",

publisher = "Research-publishing.net",

}

Guo, S 2014, Evaluation of a web conferencing tool and collaborative tasks in an online Chinese course. in S Jager, L Bradley, EJ Meima & S Thouësny (eds), CALL Design: Principles and Practice - Proceedings of the 2014 EUROCALL Conference, Groningen, The Netherlands. Research-publishing.net, Dublin, Ireland, pp. 119-126, European Association for Computer-Assisted Language Learning Conference, Groningen, Netherlands, 20/08/14. https://doi.org/10.14705/rpnet.2014.000205

Evaluation of a web conferencing tool and collaborative tasks in an online Chinese course. / Guo, Sijia.
CALL Design: Principles and Practice - Proceedings of the 2014 EUROCALL Conference, Groningen, The Netherlands. ed. / Sake Jager; Linda Bradley; Estelle J. Meima; Sylvie Thouësny. Dublin, Ireland: Research-publishing.net, 2014. p. 119-126.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference proceeding contribution › peer-review

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Y1 - 2014

N2 - This case study aims to explore the best practice of applying task-based language teaching (TBLT) via the web conferencing tool Blackboard Collaborate in a beginners' online Chinese course by evaluating the technical capacity of the software and the pedagogical values and limitations of the tasks designed. In this paper, Chapelle's (2001) criteria for CALL task appropriateness are adopted and adapted to evaluate five tasks designed for an online environment in terms of practicality, language learning potential, learner fit, authenticity and positive impact. In the second semester, 2013, eight BA on-campus students who enrolled in an introductory Chinese language course agreed to participate in this project. Five fortnightly one-hour online sessions were conducted, which included two jigsaw tasks, two decision-making tasks and one information-gap task. Learners' interaction in the online sessions has been recorded and transcribed for a deep investigation of learners' negotiation actions in peer-peer interaction. Their experiences of using Blackboard Collaborate and tasks were recorded in in-depth interviews and pre and post-session questionnaires.

AB - This case study aims to explore the best practice of applying task-based language teaching (TBLT) via the web conferencing tool Blackboard Collaborate in a beginners' online Chinese course by evaluating the technical capacity of the software and the pedagogical values and limitations of the tasks designed. In this paper, Chapelle's (2001) criteria for CALL task appropriateness are adopted and adapted to evaluate five tasks designed for an online environment in terms of practicality, language learning potential, learner fit, authenticity and positive impact. In the second semester, 2013, eight BA on-campus students who enrolled in an introductory Chinese language course agreed to participate in this project. Five fortnightly one-hour online sessions were conducted, which included two jigsaw tasks, two decision-making tasks and one information-gap task. Learners' interaction in the online sessions has been recorded and transcribed for a deep investigation of learners' negotiation actions in peer-peer interaction. Their experiences of using Blackboard Collaborate and tasks were recorded in in-depth interviews and pre and post-session questionnaires.

KW - CALL evaluation

KW - TBLT

KW - Web conferencing

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KW - Second language acquisition

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DO - 10.14705/rpnet.2014.000205

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BT - CALL Design

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A2 - Meima, Estelle J.

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T2 - European Association for Computer-Assisted Language Learning Conference

Y2 - 20 August 2014 through 23 August 2014

ER -

Evaluation of a web conferencing tool and collaborative tasks in an online Chinese course

Abstract

Conference

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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