DOI: 10.5176/2251-2195_CSEIT34
Authors: Yuko Ikuma
Abstract:
The present study investigates how and what extent the learners utilize the CALL (computer assisted language learning) system outside the classroom. They engaged in the two kings of assignments every week throughout the six-month course; (1) to complete the compulsory tasks and the optional tasks every week, and (2) to report the parts completed as optional tasks and post some comments. For Assignment (2), there are two conditions; Condition (a) Students sent repots and comments to the instructor via e-mail individually, and Condition (b) Students posted them on the blog launched for the participants. The author analyzed both the CALL logs and the blog reports. The result showed that both learning time and the amount of the tasks increased throughout the training period and there seemed that the learning community was constructed outside the classroom among peer students on Condition (b); sharing students’ comments on the blog; whereas on Condition (a), the autonomous learning was not observed. There were also some differences in the variety of tasks completed; the students in Condition (b) tackled much greater variety of tasks than students in Condition (a). These results derive through these
comparison suggest that to create the learning community outside the classroom would be the key for the effective and sustainable use of self-study CALL materials, and propose the use of the social network system, like the blog.
Keywords:
collaborative learning; computer assisted language learning (CALL); learning community; blog; peer instruction
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