Cooperative Learning and CALL/IVD in Beginning Spanish: An Experiment

Abstract

RECENT RESEARCH IN LEARNING AND IN FOR-eign language teaching has shown that both cooperative learningdefined as those instructional settings that encourage collaborative, interactive, peer teaching and learning-and mediated activities (computer-assisted instruction/computer-assisted language learning-CAI/CALL) can have independent and significant positive effects on student achievement and attitude. Researchers attribute these learning outcomes primarily to the amount of student-student interaction and to the learners' active, purposeful, task-oriented participation in associated learning events. Additional evidence suggests that this type and degree of interaction and participation can further be enhanced by the addition of interactive videodisc (IVD) technology in the language learning environment. 1 Since interaction and active participation are both factors that facilitate second language (L2) learning, and since classroom instruction that focuses on cooperative and mediated activities is thought to promote learner interaction and encourage active participation, the combination of CALL/IVD and cooperative learning can therefore be considered a significant instructional strategy which merits validation for implementation in L2 curricula.This article reports the results of research conducted to evaluate the combined effect of cooperative learning and computer-mediated interactive videodisci.e., individuals alone (monads) versus pairs of learners (dyads) studying at CALL/IVD workstationsand its rela-Thc M o d a Languogc Journal, 75, ii (1991) O1991 Thc M o h Lanpage,]ournai 0026-7902/9 1/OO02/205 $1.50/0 tive impact on achievement in beginning Spanish.

The effect of computer-mediated collaborative learning on solving III-defined problems

“…This result also indicates that the benefits of face-to-face collaboration on problem-solving tasks transfer to a computermediated environment. Participants who worked with a partner appeared to have benefited from the ability to discuss the problem and possible solutions, which is in line with findings from studies on face-to-face collaborative environments for problem solving (Chang & Smith, 1991;Flynn & Klein, 2001;Johnson & Chung, 1999;Johnson et al, 1991;Mergendoller et al, 2000).…”

“…In several case studies conducted to analyze the impact of a collaborative environment on problem solving, collaboration was found to improve performance on complex or higher order thinking activities (Chang & Smith, 1991;Johnson & Chung, 1999;Mergendoller et al, 2000). In these studies, learners appeared to benefit from the ability to discuss the problem, brainstorm potential solutions, and arrive at a final solution.…”

Small Group and Individual Learning with Technology: A Meta-Analysis

“…(text continues on page 510) Baron & Abrami (1992) grade 5-6 reading/language arts individual achievement group of 2 23 0.18 Baron & Abrami (1992) grade 5 Bloomer (1984) college computer skills individual achievement 84 0.34 Butler (1991) grade 6 social studies group task performance 50 0.71 Butler (1991) grade 6 social studies individual achievement 80 0.07 Carrier & Sales (1987) college education individual achievement 33 0.19 Carrier & Sales (1987) college education task completion time 24 0.81 Cavalier & Klein (1998) grade 5-6 earth science individual achievement 125 0.34 Cavalier & Klein (1998) grade 5-6 earth science task completion time 125 -1.19 Chang & Smith (1991) college foreign language individual achievement 113 0.08 Chapman (1985) college medicine attitude toward 88 -0.03 computers Chapman (1985) college medicine attitude toward group 88 0.32 work Chapman (1985) college medicine individual achievement 81 -0.12 Cheney (1977) college Cox & Berger (1985) grade 7-8 science problem group task performance group of 2 12 1.66 solving Cox & Berger (1985) grade 7-8 science problem group task performance group of 3 12 1.44 solving Cox & Berger (1985) grade 7-8 science problem group task performance group of 5 12 1.12 solving Cox & Berger (1985) grade 7-8 science problem task completion time group of 2 7 -0.10 solving Cox & Berger (1985) grade 7-8 science problem task completion time group of 3 7 -0.38 solving Cox & Berger (1985) grade 7 Foot (1986, Exp. 2) grade 3 problem solving individual achievement dual4ceyboard 40 -0.32 Foot (1986, Exp.…”

Psychological Processes in Cooperative Language Learning: Group Dynamics and Motivation

“…By now a fairly solid body of literature has accumulated, including two edited volumes containing a rich selection of conceptual and research studies (Holt, 1993;Kessler, 1992), a number of journal articles (e.g., Bejarano, 1987;Chang & Smith, 1991;Jacob, Rottenberg, Patrick, & Wheeler, 1996;Milleret, 1992;Szostek, 1994), as well as some practical language teaching materials specifically developed for the purpose of CL (e.g., Coelho, Winer, & Olsen, 1989). In addition, in her well-known book on small group work, Cohen (1994) devotes a whole chapter to discussing the bilingual classroom, which includes foreign language classes.…”