Linda Bradley

Rationalities of collaboration for language learning in a wiki

For language learning, online environments allowing for user generated content are becoming increasingly important since they offer possibilities for learners to elaborate on assignments and projects. This study investigates what wikis can do as a means to enhance group interaction, when students are encouraged to participate in constructing text and exchanging peer response. The research focus is on exploring what interaction unfolds in the wiki and how it promotes language learning, from a sociocultural perspective. This interaction is framed both by affordances in the wiki but also by what is expected from students as language learners in an English for Specific Purposes class environment. The analysis has a multilevel approach, focusing on patterns of interaction and the nature of feedback. The study shows that collaboration becomes specifically interesting from a language learning perspective. In the findings, on the student wiki pages there are numerous contributions relating to both local language and global content. Revising co-constructed text opens up possibilities for the students to evaluate existing contributions and it also provides opportunities for them to suggest constructive changes. In addition, with the environment being web based, we discuss certain benefits arising from the fact that it allows for user-generated content.

Peer Reviewing Across the Atlantic: Patterns and Trends in L1 and L2 Comments Made in an Asynchronous Online Collaborative Learning Exchange Between Technical Communication Students in Sweden and in the United States

In a globally networked learning environment (GNLE), 16 students at a university in Sweden and 17 students at a university in the United States exchanged peer-review comments on drafts of assignments they prepared in English for their technical communication classes. The instructors of both sets of students had assigned the same projects and taught their courses in the same way that they had in the previous year, which contrasts with the common practice of having students in partnering courses work on the same assignment or on linked assignments created specifically for the GNLE. The authors coded the students’ 816 comments according to their focus and orientation in order to investigate the possible differences between the comments made by the L2 students in Sweden and those made by the L1 (English as a second language) students in the United States, the possible impact of peer reviewing online, and the influence of the instructors’ directions on the students’ peer-reviewing behavior.

Investigating Mobile Technology Resources for Integration: The Technology-Pedagogy-Language-Culture (TPLC) Model

Acquiring language and culture of the host society are essential prerequisites for integration. As many migrants have smartphones, they can be used for integration purposes. In this study, mobile applications (apps) for Swedish language training, information about host society and contacts with locals targeted at newly arrived Arabic migrants are analysed. With focus on language and cultural training we developed a model for evaluation that takes into account both Technological, Pedagogical, Linguistic and Cultural aspects. The TPLC-model for evaluation shows that language training as well as translation and vocabulary apps dominate the Swedish market, while societal information is largely absent. Most of the analysed apps are technically reliable, free of charge and available for Android or both Android and iOS. However, in regard to the pedagogical aspects, the apps demonstrate a focus on traditional pedagogical approaches with basic vocabulary training and similar, while more active learning and pronunciation and speaking activities are less common. The latter can, together with expansion of intercultural communication, be areas for further development in mobile learning for integration purposes.

CALL in a climate of change: adapting to turbulent global conditions – short papers from EUROCALL 2017

2017 saw the 25th conference for the European Association of Computer-Assisted Language Learning (EUROCALL). Every year, EUROCALL serves as a rich venue to share research, practice, new ideas, and to make new international friends – and this year was no different. It is an innovative and inspiring conference in which researchers and practitioners share their novel and insightful work on the use of technology in language learning and teaching. This volume of short papers captures the pioneering spirit of the conference and you will find here both inspiration and ideas for theory and practice.

Awarding a Community Membership Badge - Teachers’ Development of Digital Competences in a cMOOC

In this article the badge given in connection with a cMOOC designed by and for teachers is explored. Digitala skollyftet aimed to raise the digital competence amongst teachers in Swedish schools. The participants in Digitala skollyftet could apply to be awarded a badge for their participation. The awarding process, as well as the participation, of a small group of people who were awarded badges is analysed. Blog-posts were taken as evidence when applying for badges and blogging thereby became an important way to participate. Blogs can be regarded as exhibition spaces where the blogger exhibits and reflects on their learning process. Results show that there is a difference in how the blogs are designed, depending on the level of experience from the blogger. To a large extent, forums, such as Facebook and Twitter, are used as performance spaces, which facilitate the interaction and discussion with other participants.