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STUDENTS EXPERIENCE OF VIRTUAL LEARNINGENVIRONMENTS AMONG BEGINNERS AND POST-

BEGINNERS OF FRENCH

NATHALIE TICHELER

LONDON METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY

N.TICHELER@LONDONMET.AC.UK

HTTP://TICHELER.BLOGSPOT.COM

Institution-Wide LanguageProgrammes, Higher Education

and Blended Learning

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Background information on the targetedinstitution

Institution-Wide Language Programme

Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese and Spanish

1 module = 1 semester = 15 credits at undergraduate level

3 hours per week for 12 weeks, supplemented by self-study on the VLE, includingspecially-tailored e-packs)

Blended Learning approach

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Context and research questions

New university and wideningparticipation

Current context of reorganisation,with budgetary and staffing issues

Completion and retention rates

Blended Learning policy atinstitutional level

No formal mechanism to collectstudents feedback on the VLE, apartfrom standard university modulequestionnaires

Getting extra feedback fromstudents, improvising the e-learningprovision

How do students of French use andperceive the VLE at the targetedinstitution?

Is there any shift in behaviour andattitude as students progress to

post-beginners level?

Does students status(undergraduate, postgraduate,external student...) have an impacton the questions above?

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Theoretical perspective

Hermeneutical phenomenology

Positivism

Interpretivism

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Data collection tools and analysis

SamplingAll the beginners and post-beginnersof French, minus absentees andthose who may opt out(approximately 100 students)

Data collection tools

Self-completion questionnaires(closed and open questions)Learning diariesInterviews (initial interviews ofbeginners and post-beginners,follow-up interviews with post-beginners previously interviewed as

beginnersVLE tracking functionEnd-of-module universityquestionnairesOnline survey through the VLE forpost-beginners who have previouslycompleted the beginners module

A clear focus on students

A mixed approach to research, witha combined quantitative andqualitative treatment of data

SPSS

NVIVO (or other software forqualitative data)Charts from tracking function

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So far ...

RDA1 form

REC form

Assignments from year 1 and year 2

Gaining access

Particular constraints

Progress made ...

Disseminations ... and making yourself visible...

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And finally ...

Ideas?

Suggestions?

Criticism?

Feedback?

Thank you forattending thispresentation!

Nathalie TichelerLondon Metropolitan University

n.ticheler@londonmet.ac.uk

http://ticheler.blogspot.com