Matching Items (2)
Description
The use of blogging tools in the second language classroom has been investigated from a variety of theoretical and methodological perspectives (Alm, 2009; Armstrong & Retterer, 2008; Dippold, 2009; Ducate & Lomicka, 2008; Elola & Oskoz, 2008; Jauregi & Banados, 2008; Lee, 2009; Petersen, Divitini, & Chabert, 2008; Pinkman, 2005; Raith, 2009; Soares, 2008; Sun, 2009, 2012; Vurdien, 2011; Yang, 2009) and a growing number of studies examine the use of microblogging tools for language learning (Antenos-Conforti, 2009; Borau, Ullrich, Feng, & Shen, 2009; Lomicka & Lord, 2011; Perifanou, 2009). Grounded in Cultural Historical Activity Theory (Engestrom, 1987), the present study explores the outcomes of a semester-long project based on the Bridging Activities framework (Thorne & Reinhardt, 2008) and implemented in an intermediate hybrid Spanish-language course at a large public university in Arizona, in which students used microblogging and blogging tools to collect digital texts, analyze perspectives of the target culture, and participate as part of an online community of language learners with a broader audience of native speakers. The research questions are: (1) What technology is used by the students, with what frequency and for what purposes in both English and Spanish prior to beginning the project?, (2) What are students' values and attitudes toward using Twitter and Blogger as tools for learning Spanish and how do they change over time through their use in the project during the semester course?, and (3) What tensions emerge in the activity systems of the intermediate Spanish-language students throughout the process of using Twitter and Blogger for the project? What are the underlying reasons for the tensions? How are they resolved? The data was collected using pre-, post-, and periodic surveys, which included Likert and open-ended questions, as well as the participants' microblog and blog posts. The quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and the qualitative data was analyzed to identify emerging themes following the Constant Comparative Method (Glaser & Strauss, 1967). Finally, three participant outliers were selected as case studies for activity theoretical analysis in order to identify tensions and, through their resolution, evidence of expansive learning.
ContributorsAlvarado, Margaret (Author) / Lafford, Barbara (Thesis advisor) / González, Verónica (Committee member) / Cerron-Palomino, Alvaro (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2015
Description
In the past few years the pedagogical model of the "Flipped Classroom" has gained popularity among educators, initially at the secondary level and now at the university level. In the 2015-2016 school year, Arizona State University listed its first intensive language courses, which implemented the flipped model. During this time the author of this project was given the opportunity to work as the facilitator for the flipped French courses FRE 110 and 210. While helping to implement the flipped model, he reflected on his experiences, discussed its advantages and limitations with other second language instructors teaching in a flipped environment, and researched a large array of academic and educational resources. This creative project was completed to practically apply the techniques developed in the intensive French course and those developed by other educators in order to give advice and strategies to future instructors. It represents a web Guide to the Flipped Classroom in Second Language Teaching, which includes research on educational practices such as course design, syllabus creation, and lesson planning; infographics and other visual representations of the flipped model, sample home-made and professional course materials, embedded informational videos, and advice on implementing the flipped model. While other websites exist, there are few that reflect specifically on the use of the flipped classroom in second language teaching, and even fewer that discuss in great detail the challenges and limitations associated with the model. Furthermore, the guide contains an extensive list of online tools for the creation of multimedia materials, such as screen capturing and YouTube-clipping programs as well as a variety of different resource sites where educators can find and share materials. Overall, this web guide acts as a useful tool for second language instructors in secondary education, higher education, or any other educational setting who wish to implement this up-and-coming teaching model.
ContributorsHale, Dakota Keith (Author) / Bahtchevanova, Mariana (Thesis director) / Zhang, Xia (Committee member) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / Department of English (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05