This study investigates the use of authentic subtitled similar task videos (ASSTVs) and their relationship to second language negotiation of meaning and language production among non-native speakers of English in an online task-based language learning (TBLL) environment. Over the course of two weeks, twenty intermediate nonnative speakers (NNSs) of English from the English Language Institute at Texas A&M University engaged in four communicative tasks in pairs using an online TBLL environment designed specifically for this study, and a chat tool in WebCT Vista, a course management system provided by the university. ASSTVs were videotaped and integrated into the online TBLL environment. Participants were divided into two groups, each of which consisted of five dyads, to test the effects of ASSTVs. Five dyads were provided with the ASSTVs and the remaining five dyads were not provided with them before the task completion process. The first section of this study examines the effects of ASSTVs on negotiation of meaning, and the second section examines the effects on language production. The amount of negotiation of meaning was calculated through the negotiation of meaning sequences model developed by Gass and Varonis and revised for online communication by Smith. Language production was investigated in terms of fluency and complexity with regard to lexical and syntactic complexity. A detailed analysis of the data from the chat-scripts showed that NNSs engage in more negotiation of meaning and produce more fluent and lexically diverse language when provided with the ASSTVs than NNSs who were not provided with them. Based on these findings, this study concludes that using ASSTVs in an online TBLL environment is a viable and effective tool for promoting negotiation of meaning and language production in terms of fluency and lexical complexity.

This study investigates the use of authentic subtitled similar task videos (ASSTVs) and their relationship to second language negotiation of meaning and language production among non-native speakers of English in an online task-based language learning (TBLL) environment. Over the course of two weeks, twenty intermediate nonnative speakers (NNSs) of English from the English Language Institute at Texas A&M University engaged in four communicative tasks in pairs using an online TBLL environment designed specifically for this study, and a chat tool in WebCT Vista, a course management system provided by the university. ASSTVs were videotaped and integrated into the online TBLL environment. Participants were divided into two groups, each of which consisted of five dyads, to test the effects of ASSTVs. Five dyads were provided with the ASSTVs and the remaining five dyads were not provided with them before the task completion process. The first section of this study examines the effects of ASSTVs on negotiation of meaning, and the second section examines the effects on language production. The amount of negotiation of meaning was calculated through the negotiation of meaning sequences model developed by Gass and Varonis and revised for online communication by Smith. Language production was investigated in terms of fluency and complexity with regard to lexical and syntactic complexity. A detailed analysis of the data from the chat-scripts showed that NNSs engage in more negotiation of meaning and produce more fluent and lexically diverse language when provided with the ASSTVs than NNSs who were not provided with them. Based on these findings, this study concludes that using ASSTVs in an online TBLL environment is a viable and effective tool for promoting negotiation of meaning and language production in terms of fluency and lexical complexity.

This study explores to what extent frequent language-related episodes aid language acquisition through collaborative writing tasks for L2 learners. Recent research drawingupon established theories such as Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, including the concepts of the zone of proximal development, the more knowledgeable other, and negotiation of meaning indicates that collaborative writing is beneficial for L2 learners (Watanabe & Swain, 2007; Storch, 2011; Swain & Watanabe, 2012). According to The Swedish National Agency of Education, Skolverket (2018), the teacher is responsible for developing the students’ all- round communicative competence in English. Collaborative writing is one approach that may help the students acquire that competence. However, there is some degree of debate regarding the pairing together of interlocutors who are at varying proficiency levels. That is, some scholars argue that a more knowledgeable other may scaffold the less proficient peer, while others argue that the teacher should not pair together learners who are at different proficiency levels. Furthermore, there are a limited number of studies that focus particularly on secondary school L2 learners. As a result, we investigate what implications the results of L2 learners in control and experimental groups in higher education have for secondary school learners as well.

Adopting a Socio-Constructivist theoretical framework, this study investigated the French language discourse produced by a focal group of five intermediate learners of French while immersed in a virtual learning environment (VLE) and engaged in a problem-based activity. Adopting a mixed methods approach, this study analyzed both quantitative and qualitative data to examine the second language (L2) negotiation and co-construction of meaning process in this group's discourse; as well, it investigated these learners' emerging L2 critical thinking, problem solving, and technology literacy skills. Results indicated that the discourse produced by these students was significantly impacted by the problem-based activity itself, and characterized by a progressive trend towards higher levels of L2 critical thinking, with sustained episodes of negotiation and co-construction of meaning. Most notably, the discourse analysis indicated that it was during the consensus-building phase of the problem-based activity that most instances of higher level critical thinking occurred. Moreover, the 3-D representation of learners (as avatars) and space, as well as the immediacy of synchronous chat-based interactions in the VLE had a positive social, motivational, and linguistic impact on this process. These results lend support to the claim that VLEs, with an underlying problem-based and consensus-building component, provide optimal learning opportunities for learners to develop L2 critical thinking and problem solving abilities. Discussion is offered about the benefits of a mixed methods approach to research, as well as about the reliability and validity of Hull & Saxon's (2009) Interaction Analysis model for L2 discourse analysis. Implications for the L2 classroom as well as for future research on L2 negotiation of meaning are also provided.

<p>Peer response is a method which is widely used on higher levels of second-language learning in Sweden, such as universities. The approach is not used as much in upper secondary school; and, the aim of this paper is to investigate upper secondary students' opinions of the value of peer response. The aim is also to investigate if the teacher's grading differed between the first version of a text and the final vesrion that had been revised after peer response.</p><p>Research has shown that there seems to be more negotiation of meaning when students are working collaboratively and this can lead to better revisions of written texts, especially in terms of content development. On the other hand, collaborative writing can also create anxiety in some students who therefore dislike peer response. This investigation has shown that students taking part in the investigation are generally positive towards the approach. They also believe that giving and receiving feedback can help them improve their writing. There are, however, a few students who dislike it and want the texts to be read only by the teacher. The investigation has also shown that students mainly focus on formal aspects such as spelling and grammar when giving feedback to each other, whereas content was rarely commented on. Moreover, the results have shown that many of the students' grades improved on the final version compared to the first version. In conclusion, this investigation indicates that peer response could be used as an alternative, or complement, to ordinary teacher-student feedback in upper secondary school.</p>

This dissertation investigated Taiwanese English as Foreign Language (EFL) learners' incidental noticing and their subsequent language learning in relation to learner proficiency level and dyadic type in a text-based computer-mediated communication (CMC) environment. Sixty participants were included to form 30 dyads. At random, eight low-intermediate and eight advanced nonnative English speakers (NNESs) were paired with 16 native English speakers (NESs) to form 16 NES-NNES dyads; another 14 advanced NNESs and 14 low-intermediate NNESs were paired to form 14 mixedproficiency NNES-NNES dyads. The results revealed that the synchronous computer-mediated communication (SCMC) medium could, in general, enhance the occurrence of learners' incidental noticing and their subsequent second language (L2) learning regardless of learners' proficiency levels and dyadic types. No significant differences were found in the amount of the language-related episodes (LREs) produced by the NES-NNES dyads when compared to the NNES-NNES dyads. With regard to the number of LREs generated by the learners of different proficiency levels, the results showed that: (1) in the NESNNES dyads, no significant difference was found between the low-intermediate and advanced learners, and (2) in the NNES-NNES dyads, the low-intermediate learners produced a significantly greater number of LREs than their advanced interlocutors. In terms of the effect of interlocutors' proficiency levels on the number of LREs produced by the learners, the results revealed that: (1) the low-intermediate learners in the NESNNES dyads produced a significantly greater number of LREs than the low-intermediate learners in the NNES-NNES dyads, and (2) the advanced learners in the NES-NNES dyads also produced a significantly greater number of LREs than the advanced learners in the NNES-NNES dyads. With respect to the learners' performance on both posttests, the results of chi-square analyses showed that: (1) no significant differences were found both within and across the two dyadic types, and (2) no significant differences were found between learners of different proficiency levels within and across both NES-NNS and NNES-NNES dyads. Logistic regression analyses revealed that five LRE characteristics (type, source, complexity, proficiency, and successful uptake) in the NES-NNES dyads and three LRE characteristics (proficiency, timing and successful uptake) in the NNES-NNES dyads were shown to be significant predictor variables of the learners' subsequent L2 learning. Successful uptake was the most prevalent predictor variable of the learners' subsequent L2 learning across the two dyadic types. Besides, proficiency appeared to be the second prevalent variable but played a different role in these two dyadic types. Considering the language aspects focused in the LREs, negotiations on the linguistic features of grammar, vocabulary, and spelling were much more prevalent than the pragmatic aspects of language.

In the study, it was aimed at determining the discourse patterns of text-based CMC in Second Life in terms of social presence, negotiation of meaning and turn distribution of the students. During the data collection procedure, 54 freshman students participated in the study. Some reading and writing tasks were carried out in Second Life. During the data analysis, the taxonomy adapted by Akayoglu &amp / Altun (2008) was used for negotiation of meaning and the taxonomy prepared by Rourke, Anderson, Garrison and Archer (2001) was used for social presence. Finally, the words uttered by each student were counted and the equality of turn distribution of the students was measured using Gini Coefficient. At the end of the study, it was found that the most frequently used social presence function was &ldquo / expression of emotions&rdquo / and the least frequently used function was &ldquo / quoting from others&rsquo / messages&rdquo / . In terms of negotiation of meaning functions, the most frequently used function was &ldquo / confirmation&rdquo / and the least frequently used function was &ldquo / reply vocabulary&rdquo / . As for the third research question, the numbers of the words uttered by the students were counted and Gini Coefficient was calculated. At the end of this analysis, it was seen that there was equality in all sessions in terms of turn distribution of the students as it was hypothesized in literature. The findings of this study might be helpful for students, educators and researchers who are willing to attend to and design language courses in Second Life. They might better understand the context.

Science centres have been identified as an important resource in encouraging teenagers to choose higher education in science and technology. This is of interest to society, since there seems to be a problem in getting sufficient numbers to do so. And accomplishing this is sometimes described as a fatal question for a nation’s future prosperity and development. Still, there is an international trend where teenagers fail to visit science centres.   Through research, little is known about what is interesting or useful to the public, as well as how to reach those who are ‘unengaged’. Considering teenagers as exponents for what distinguishes today’s society makes their apparent unwillingness to participate in science centres interesting to study with regards to what culture, history and ideology these centres were initially produced. Hence, from this point of view, what is missing in science centres that would make them interesting for the young people of today?   Many studies of learning in science centres have come to focus on visitors who visit voluntarily and how well the embedded messages in the exhibits have been acknowledged by these visitors. This study focuses instead on teenagers who are reluctant to participate in science centres, with their perspective of science centres as the point of departure, specifically what kind of social activities are formed in their encounters with science centre exhibits. This encounter is regarded as an encounter between the two different practices of the science centre and the teenagers. The applied theoretical perspective is mainly assembled from socio-cultural theories of learning.   This research is a microanalytic study of five teenagers who were equipped with video cameras and asked to film a visit to the local science centre, Teknikens Hus. The films were later discussed in a focus-group interview consisting of the teenagers and the researcher. Visual ethnography provided the theoretical framework for this research design.   The results showed that the teenagers want to use exhibits to have the authority of interpretations and the possibilities to contribute to the meaning of the activity. At the same time, they want to use the exhibits in a way that the activities become places for developing social identity. To negotiate the meaning of the exhibits there is a need for an openness that may be constrained by too inflexible and limiting exhibit designs. This pattern is described as two different forms of participation in the exhibits; ignoring or extending the intended meaning of the exhibits. Meaningfulness also demands a closeness created by connections between the exhibit and the user’s personal experiences. This pattern is described as two different ways in which the teenagers identified the exhibits; exhibits which they dissociated from or to which they had an ongoing relationship. Providing a space for negotiation seems crucial to inviting teenagers into opportunities of meaningful experiences, even more significant than any specific physical feature in the exhibit.   The teenagers’ agenda, in which forming practices where they can express themselves and contribute to the meaning seem to be very important, appears not to be greatly enabled by science centre exhibits. In this situation they learn to not participate. Science and technology represented in this matter show a ‘ready-made’ world that they cannot change. The missing link in learning in science centres is here described as the part of the meaning making process where the teenagers get to re-negotiate the meaning of the activities in the centre and use the exhibits as tools to accomplish this.

nÃo hà / Fundamentada na teoria sociointeracionista de aquisiÃÃo de segunda lÃngua e nos conceitos de interaÃÃo e negociaÃÃo de sentidos, esta pesquisa tem como objetivo geral investigar a negociaÃÃo de sentidos em fÃruns online de disciplinas de lÃngua inglesa, a partir da anÃlise da conversaÃÃo, dos padrÃes de interaÃÃo e do feedback. A fim de atingirmos esse objetivo, realizamos uma anÃlise qualitativa com algum tratamento estatÃstico, indutiva, de dados interpretativos. Primeiramente, elaboramos um instrumento para anÃlise das interaÃÃes e negociaÃÃo de sentidos em fÃruns educacionais online, baseado em categorias da anÃlise da conversaÃÃo (SEEDHOUSE, 2004), da interaÃÃo (SPADA & FRÃHLICH, 1995), da negociaÃÃo de sentido (GASS & e VARONIS, 1985) e do feedback (BARBOSA, 2011). Para testarmos a confiabilidade do instrumento elaborado, 10 (dez) professores de LÃngua Inglesa o utilizaram para analisar mensagens postadas e agrupadas em 15 (quinze) blocos de interaÃÃo de um fÃrum de uma disciplina de inglÃs da Licenciatura a DistÃncia em Letras: LÃngua Inglesa da UFC/UAB. As respostas fornecidas por esses professores foram submetidos a dois procedimentos estatÃsticos: o ANOVA de Friedman e o alfa de Cronbach. ApÃs algumas alteraÃÃes feitas à versÃo inicial do instrumento, obtivemos o Ãndice alfa de Cronbach de 0,786 e ANOVA, entre 0,025 e 0,031. A versÃo final do instrumento foi usada para a anÃlise quantitativa que serviu de base para a anÃlise qualitativa da interaÃÃo e da negociaÃÃo de sentido em fÃruns educacionais online de 06 (seis) disciplinas da licenciatura mencionada. As disciplinas foram agrupadas em trÃs grupos: lÃngua, metalinguagem e literatura. Foram analisadas as interaÃÃes ocorridas em trÃs fÃruns de cada uma das seis disciplinas, totalizando 18 (dezoito) fÃruns. Os resultados das anÃlises apontaram que, em relaÃÃo aos padrÃes de conversaÃÃo, a maioria dos turnos nos fÃruns analisados foi iniciada pelos tutores, 64,70% (sessenta e quatro vÃrgula setenta por cento) e que a sequÃncia nÃo foi mantida na maioria dos fÃruns. Em todos os fÃruns analisados, apenas dois blocos apresentaram instÃncias de negociaÃÃo de sentido, sendo essas instÃncias em uma Ãnica disciplina. A negociaÃÃo de sentido ocorreu tanto a partir de um pseudo-pedido, um pedido autÃntico, uma informaÃÃo imprevisÃvel ou uma informaÃÃo previsÃvel. Observamos tambÃm que, nos dois casos de negociaÃÃo de sentidos, ocorreu discurso mantido e uso irrestrito das formas linguÃsticas. Ainda, nas instÃncias de negociaÃÃo de sentidos, evidenciamos a ocorrÃncia do feedback corretivo em um dos blocos, enquanto que no outro bloco nÃo houve feedback. Com base nas anÃlises empreendidas, defendemos a tese de que, em fÃruns educacionais online, podem ocorrer dois tipos de negociaÃÃo de sentido: um tipo mais restrito a instÃncias especÃficas de negociaÃÃo de algum termo ou estrutura que gera uma quebra no fluxo comunicacional; e um tipo mais amplo (proposto pela pesquisadora) em que os interlocutores se engajam em uma negociaÃÃo visando discutir e compreender um determinado conceito. Quando a negociaÃÃo de sentido acontece em seu sentido mais amplo, nÃo hà necessidade de que haja um feedback na posiÃÃo de indicador. Na verdade, o indicador pode nem existir, uma vez que o conceito pode ser criado a partir de uma dÃvida de um aluno ou de uma pergunta feita pelo tutor ou outro participante da interaÃÃo. Em relaÃÃo à negociaÃÃo de uma palavra ou estrutura especÃfica, acreditamos que o feedback corretivo, principalmente o explÃcito, seja mais favorÃvel a negociaÃÃo por apontar diretamente o erro do aluno, facilitando sua identificaÃÃo. / Based on sociointeractionist theories of second language acquisition, this study aimed at investigating the negotiation of meaning that takes place in online forums of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) courses. Data were collected using aqualitative research methodology which had included some statiscal treatment. First, an instrument was elaborated to analyze the interactions and the negotiation of meaning that take place in online language learning forums. The elaboration of the instrument employed categories borrowed from Conversation Analysis (SEEDHOUSE, 2004), Interaction Patterns (SPADA & FRÃHLICH, 1995), Meaning Negotiation (GASS & e VARONIS, 1985) and Feedback Analysis(BARBOSA, 2011). Next the instrument was tested for its validity. Ten EFL teachers used the elaborated instrument to analyze forum posts of an EFL course organized in 15 (fifteen) interaction blocks of interaction. The answers given by the ten teachers were submitted to two statistical procedures: Cronbach Alpha and Friedman ANOVA. During the validation process, a few modifications were made to the elaborated instrument. The final version obtained the following results: Cronbach Alpha of 0.786 and 0.025â0.031 ANOVA. The final version used in the quantitative analysis served as the starting point for the qualitative analysis of the interactions and of the negotiation of meaning that took place in the online forums of 06 (six) courses of an online English Teaching Certificate Program at UFC-UAB. These courses were grouped into 02 (two) language courses, 02 (two) metalanguage courses and 02 (two) literature courses. Three forums of each course were analyzed for a total of 18 analyzed forums. Results indicated that, in relation to Conversation Patterns, most conversation turns in the analyzed forums were initiated by the tutors, 64.7% of the time (sixty four point seven percent), and conversation sequence was not maintained in most of the forums. In all analyzed forums, only two presented instances of meaning negotiation, and these two instances occurred in forums of the same course. These instances of meaning negotiation happened as the result of either a pseudo inquiry or a true inquiry, or as a response to either some predictable or unpredictable information. In both instances of negotiation, discourse was maintained and unrestricted forms of language were used. Also, in the two instances of meaning negotiation, corrective feedback occurred in one, while in the other there was no corrective feedback. The results of this study support the argument that, in online educational forums, two types of negotiation of meaning can occur: one which is restricted to specific instances of negotiation of the meaning of one word or language form, which interrupts the communication flow of an interaction; and the other, of a broader type (proposed by this researcher), in which two or more participants interact while trying to understand the meaning of a concept or idea. This broader type of negotiation does not depend on feedback to be triggered. In fact, there is no need of a specific trigger, since negotiation can happen as the result of a doubt raised by a student or of a question asked by the tutor or by another student. Results also indicated that corrective feedback, especially of the explicit type, favors a more restricted type of negotiation of the meaning, than of a specific word or language form.

This study aims to investigate how key personnel in a government agency integrate cross-sectorial issues into their activities. The survey shows that it is possible to understand the work as a pedagogical practice. However, this approach is based on another conceptual tradition of learning than the general one. Cross-sectorial commissions do not seem to lead to the integration of different issues. It is rather the agency’s and the employees' approach to the assignment and the cross-sectorial practice that is crucial. A socio-cultural perspective on learning can help the authority consider the cross-sectorial community of practice to be an asset, thus utilising learning within them in a more strategic and systematic way. The survey also helps to understand negotiation of meaning as a way to integrate practices. The study has a deductive approach and is based on a socio-cultural perspective on learning to contribute to the understanding of the implementation as pedagogical practices. The survey includes one government agency that works with two different cross-sectorial commissions. The work of each government commission has been investigated through interviews with key persons within the agency. The phenomenological point of departure has also influenced the compilation, interpretation and thematic analysis of the results of the survey. / Studien syftar till att undersöka hur nyckelpersoner i en statlig myndighet arbetar med tvärsektoriella uppdrag för att integrera tvärsektoriella frågor i verksamheten. Undersökningen visar att det är möjligt att förstå arbetet som en pedagogisk praktik, men att detta synsätt utgår från en annan idétradition om lärande än den allmänt förekommande. Uppdragen i sig verkar inte leda till att olika sakfrågeperspektiv överbryggas. Det är istället myndigheten och dess medarbetares förhållningssätt till uppdraget och den tvärsektoriella praktiken som är avgörande. Ett sociokulturellt perspektiv på lärande kan bidra till att myndigheten betraktar den tvärsektoriella praktikgemenskapen som en tillgång och tillvaratar lärandet som sker där på ett mer strategiskt och systematiskt sätt. Undersökningen bidrar också till att förstå meningsskapande som ett sätt att integrera olika praktiker. Studien har en deduktiv ansats och undersökningen görs utifrån ett sociokulturellt perspektiv på lärande för att bidra till förståelsen om uppdragens genomförande som pedagogiska praktiker. Undersökningen omfattar en statlig myndighet som arbetar med två olika tvärsektoriella regeringsuppdrag. Arbetet med respektive regeringsuppdrag har undersökts genom forskningsintervjuer med nyckelpersoner inom myndigheten. Den fenomenologiska utgångspunkten har även påverkat sammanställning, tolkning och tematiska analys av undersökningens resultat.