This study investigates the role of the Internet in teaching and learning French as a
second language. In facilitating communication with francophones and access to topical
information in French, the use of the Internet addresses many of the criticisms identified
in prior research of the static nature of traditional computer-assisted language learning
(CALL). The Internet potentially plays an important role in realizing the goals of the
communicative approach in the British Columbia Core French curriculum. This study
documents a variety of language learning activities that make use of the Internet's many
facets, such as electronic mail, listservs, gophers, Usenet newsgroups, and World-Wide
Web. Questionnaires were distributed to French teachers who either registered for an
electronically-distributed course or attended a workshop on using the Internet in the
French as a second language classroom. Follow-up interviews were conducted with a
selection of teachers who completed and returned the questionnaire. The present study
found that French teachers continue to value the Internet most for the exchange of
electronic mail with francophone students. While expressing interest in other Internetbased
activities, the teachers identified overriding concerns about keeping their students
on-task, and about the poor quality and quantity of computing facilities at their schools.
Further research should involve case studies with teachers who are implementing a
variety of Internet activities over an extended term.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:BVAU.2429/3780 |
| Date | 11 1900 |
| Creators | Ellis, Stefan |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Relation | UBC Retrospective Theses Digitization Project [http://www.library.ubc.ca/archives/retro_theses/] |
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