intercultural language learning & group-to-group videoconferencing
DESCRIPTION
Intercultural Language Learning & Group-to-Group Videoconferencing. Robert O´Dowd University of Essen, Germany. Contact & Learning. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Intercultural Language Intercultural Language Learning & Group-to-Group Learning & Group-to-Group
VideoconferencingVideoconferencing Robert O´DowdRobert O´Dowd
University of University of Essen,Essen,GermanyGermany
Contact & LearningContact & Learning ““Most teachers who have used the Internet have Most teachers who have used the Internet have
started out with some kind of simple key pal started out with some kind of simple key pal (computer pen pal) exchanges. And most (computer pen pal) exchanges. And most teachers who have used these exchanges have teachers who have used these exchanges have felt something lacking. Simply put, there is no felt something lacking. Simply put, there is no more reason to except a significant educational more reason to except a significant educational outcome from simply creating a pen pal outcome from simply creating a pen pal connection than there is from simply bringing connection than there is from simply bringing two students into a room and asking them to two students into a room and asking them to talk.”talk.”
Mark Warschauer & P. Mark Warschauer & P. FawnFawn Whittaker (1997) Whittaker (1997) http://iteslj.org/Articles/Warschauer-Internet.htmlhttp://iteslj.org/Articles/Warschauer-Internet.html
The Challenge The Challenge
““...for communication to be ...for communication to be meaningful, we need to do more meaningful, we need to do more than link computers: We need to than link computers: We need to construct an approach to how construct an approach to how others, in other cultures, experience others, in other cultures, experience their world (Furstenberg et al., their world (Furstenberg et al., 2001:2).”2001:2).”
OverviewOverview What do language learners learn What do language learners learn
from contact?from contact? Towards an ethnographic approachTowards an ethnographic approach Background on videoconferencingBackground on videoconferencing Videoconferencing in LeVideoconferencing in Leónón
Tasks Tasks Opportunities for intercultural LearningOpportunities for intercultural Learning Guidelines and lessons learnedGuidelines and lessons learned
1. 1. What are they looking What are they looking for? Definitions of culture…for? Definitions of culture…
Cristina (Spanish student):Cristina (Spanish student):““They live alone and not with their parents – as They live alone and not with their parents – as almost all Spanish students do“almost all Spanish students do“
Marta (Spanish student): Marta (Spanish student): ““Like everybody else, some Americans are like Like everybody else, some Americans are like you and me and some are differentyou and me and some are different..””
2. Students receive information, 2. Students receive information, but do not know how to interpret itbut do not know how to interpret it Interview with Cristina after Interview with Cristina after
videoconferences with USA:videoconferences with USA: Q: What did you think of Americans before the Q: What did you think of Americans before the
exchange?exchange? A: People who are always thinking of themselves and A: People who are always thinking of themselves and
don‘t care about others.don‘t care about others. Q: Did you get this impression from the Q: Did you get this impression from the
videoconference?videoconference? A: Maybe, cos they did not seem very interested.A: Maybe, cos they did not seem very interested. Q: All of them?Q: All of them? A: No, but that boy who was drinking coffee – he A: No, but that boy who was drinking coffee – he
wasn‘t serious at all.wasn‘t serious at all.
Intercultural Intercultural Communicative Communicative
Competence (Byram 1997)Competence (Byram 1997) Attitudes of curiosity and opennessAttitudes of curiosity and openness Knowledge of social groups and their Knowledge of social groups and their
products and practices in both culturesproducts and practices in both cultures Skills of discovery and interaction – how Skills of discovery and interaction – how
to acquire new knowledge about a to acquire new knowledge about a cultureculture
Skill of interpreting a document or event Skill of interpreting a document or event from another culture ...and relating it to from another culture ...and relating it to documents from one’s own culturedocuments from one’s own culture
Critical cultural awarenessCritical cultural awareness
Students as Students as ethnographersethnographers
A move away from an encyclopaedic A move away from an encyclopaedic approach of seeing culture as a approach of seeing culture as a collection of facts and figures to…collection of facts and figures to…
an ethnographic approach: “…the an ethnographic approach: “…the
study of a group’s social and cultural study of a group’s social and cultural practices from an insider’s practices from an insider’s perspective”perspective” (Roberts et al. 2001) (Roberts et al. 2001)
Spradley on Ethnography Spradley on Ethnography (1979:6)(1979:6)
“…“…we do not eliminate an interest in we do not eliminate an interest in behavior, customs, objects, or behavior, customs, objects, or emotions. We have merely shifted emotions. We have merely shifted the emphasis from these phenomena the emphasis from these phenomena to their meaning. The ethnographer to their meaning. The ethnographer observes behavior, but goes beyond observes behavior, but goes beyond it to inquire about the meaning of it to inquire about the meaning of that behavior.“ that behavior.“
Videoconferencing in Videoconferencing in Foreign Language LearningForeign Language Learning Teacher-ClassTeacher-Class
Traditional teacher-led instructionTraditional teacher-led instruction Student-StudentStudent-Student
Tandem-Style intercambiosTandem-Style intercambios Class-ClassClass-Class
Presentation, debate and group Presentation, debate and group discussiondiscussion
Videoconferencing Videoconferencing ExchangesExchanges 1999-2001 1999-2001
Universidad de León, Spain.Universidad de León, Spain. 2nd Years Students of 2nd Years Students of
English.English.Connections Made:Connections Made:
http://www.iecc.org/http://www.iecc.org/ http://http://www.ialic.orgwww.ialic.org
Partner Classes:Partner Classes:Students of Spanish Students of Spanish
at:at: University of University of
Michigan, USA.Michigan, USA. University of University of
DundeeDundee University of University of
NottinghamNottingham
Videoconferencing Videoconferencing Facilities Facilities
Large view of other Large view of other group and own group and own group on screengroup on screen
Pictures and text Pictures and text can be presented on can be presented on screen via projectorscreen via projector
Video clips can also Video clips can also be shown on main be shown on main screenscreen
Task CycleTask Cycle
2. VideoconferenceWith Partner Class
3. Review of Videoconference
1. Task in Home Class
Some Examples of TasksSome Examples of Tasks Students present products or Students present products or
practices from their home culture practices from their home culture which they think might be strange or which they think might be strange or different for the other group (e.g. different for the other group (e.g. Easter in Spain)Easter in Spain)
Comparative reviews of filmsComparative reviews of films Both groups try to agree on Both groups try to agree on
punishments for controversial crimespunishments for controversial crimes
How Can How Can Videoconferencing Videoconferencing
Contribute to Intercultural Contribute to Intercultural Learning?Learning?1. Presentations by members of the target culture1. Presentations by members of the target culture
Insight into the foreign perspectiveInsight into the foreign perspective
Explanations of products and practices are Explanations of products and practices are supported through media and demonstrations supported through media and demonstrations
How Can How Can Videoconferencing Videoconferencing
Contribute to Intercultural Contribute to Intercultural Learning?Learning?2. Discussion and debate brings about:2. Discussion and debate brings about:
Better understanding of the reasoning Better understanding of the reasoning and values that underly beliefs and and values that underly beliefs and behaviour in the target culturebehaviour in the target culture
Practice in negotiation and interaction Practice in negotiation and interaction with members of the target culture with members of the target culture
Drawbacks of the Drawbacks of the TechnologyTechnology
Time delay between sound and Time delay between sound and imageimage
Rules of interaction: Turn taking, Rules of interaction: Turn taking, interruptions and simultaneous interruptions and simultaneous startsstarts
Passive viewingPassive viewing Organisational practicalitiesOrganisational practicalities
Practical GuidelinesPractical Guidelines Integrate visual materials (photos, video, Integrate visual materials (photos, video,
overheads, real objects) overheads, real objects) Give the sessions a clear structure Give the sessions a clear structure
beforehandbeforehand Begin with icebreakers such as quizzes or Begin with icebreakers such as quizzes or
vocabulary gamesvocabulary games Make clear to whom comments and Make clear to whom comments and
questions are directed questions are directed Use non-verbal signals to show Use non-verbal signals to show
understandingunderstanding
Pedagogical Guidelines Pedagogical Guidelines Add-on v. integrated approachesAdd-on v. integrated approaches Balance personal views with Balance personal views with
statistics and factual materialstatistics and factual material Follow-up discussions and feedbackFollow-up discussions and feedback Reciprocity in language use and Reciprocity in language use and
workloadworkload
All Contact WelcomeAll Contact Welcome
[email protected]@uni-essen.de http://www.uni-essen.de/odowd/vcing2002http://www.uni-essen.de/odowd/vcing2002
Bibliography (1)Bibliography (1) Byram, M. (1997) Byram, M. (1997) Teaching and Assessing Teaching and Assessing
Intercultural Communicative Competence.Intercultural Communicative Competence. Multilingual Matters.Multilingual Matters.
Feldman, A. (2000) Feldman, A. (2000) Network science – A Network science – A decade later.decade later.
Furstenberg, G. et al. (2001) Furstenberg, G. et al. (2001) Giving a virtual Giving a virtual voice to the silent language of culture: The voice to the silent language of culture: The Cultura project Cultura project Language Learning and Language Learning and Technology (Vol. 5:1).Technology (Vol. 5:1). http://llt.msu.edu/vol5num1/furstenberg/http://llt.msu.edu/vol5num1/furstenberg/
Intercultural E-mail Classroom ConnectionsIntercultural E-mail Classroom Connections http://http://wwwwww..iecciecc..orgorg//
Bibliography (2)Bibliography (2) International Association for Languages International Association for Languages
and Intercultural Communication.and Intercultural Communication. http://http://wwwwww..ialicialic..orgorg
Roberts, C. et al. (2001) Roberts, C. et al. (2001) Language Learners Language Learners as ethnographers.as ethnographers. Multilingual Matters. Multilingual Matters.
Spradley, J. (1979) Spradley, J. (1979) The ethnographic The ethnographic interview.interview. Hold, Rinehart and Winston Inc. Hold, Rinehart and Winston Inc.
Warschauer, M. & Whitaker, P. (1997) Warschauer, M. & Whitaker, P. (1997) The The Internet for English teaching: Guidlines for Internet for English teaching: Guidlines for teachersteachers The Internet TESOL Journal (Vol 3:10) The Internet TESOL Journal (Vol 3:10) http://iteslj.org/Articles/Warschauer-Internet.hthttp://iteslj.org/Articles/Warschauer-Internet.htmlml