This research project investigates to what extent a social constructivist approach to
teaching and learning online can enhance the use of language acquisition for learners
of foreign languages. I designed an online role-play simulation in which the students
sailed on the expedition of Nicolas Baudin to Australia and took different authentic
roles on a simulated voyage. All communication was conducted in the French
language, thus enabling the students to interact in realistic conversations, relevant to
this historic event. Being in a third year TAFE French class, the students had already
been exposed to sound grounding in grammar, relevant vocabulary, and use of
colloquial and idiomatic expressions, and thus they had acquired a reasonably high
level of proficiency in the language.
The study was conducted over a four-week period in which I examined the intense
interaction between the participants, while fulfilling the role of facilitator/moderator.
In this role, I gave clear guidelines as to what was expected from the participants;
provided the students with their identity which was unknown to the other participants
during the simulation; created incidents through a weekly Course of Events
announcement; answered all questions within 12 24 hours; encouraged engagement
within the learning community; made occasional suggestions if the characters seemed
uncertain of what to do next; and, above all, endeavoured to create a non-threatening,
friendly online environment for the students.
After the four-week online role-play simulation, the participants met for a debriefing
session in which they revealed their identities and discussed any issues, in particular
technical issues, that had emerged. This provided an opportunity for the participants
to disengage from the virtual world in which they have been immersed for four weeks
as well as an opportunity to reflect upon their personal learning.
A qualitative methodology, drawing on interpretive research, was employed to
analyse the data. Student pre- and post-questionnaires, online contributions by the
students and the debriefing discussion were used as the major sources of data
collection.
Most of the students took up the challenge of interacting online through asynchronous
and synchronous communication. The study focused on how the use of a social
constructivist epistemology could enhance language acquisition for learners of foreign
languages and also analysed to what extent did the students participation in a webbased
online role-play simulation affect their communication skills and fluency in the
second language.
The findings provided me with guidance for future implementation of online role-play
simulations in which I would ensure that all students have the basic computer skills
and necessary access to internet in order to participate fully in the simulation.
Nevertheless, this study demonstrated many benefits to the language enhancement of
the participants and will become a regular activity as it permits students to use their
conversational skills in a real-life virtual learning community.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/217876 |
| Date | January 2004 |
| Creators | hartlv@perth.training.wa.gov.au, Andree Vanda Barbara Hartley |
| Publisher | Murdoch University |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | http://www.murdoch.edu.au/goto/CopyrightNotice, Copyright Andree Vanda Barbara Hartley |
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