ESOL pre-service teachers’ experiences and learning in completing a reflection paper and digital storytelling

Abstract

This qualitative study investigated how pre-service teachers of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) experienced and learned from their completion of a reflective project, including a reflection paper and digital storytelling. The participants were 20 graduate students in a program for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) at a university in the United States. This study aimed to identify participants’ experiences when completing the project and its influences on their learning. The findings demonstrated their diverse performance and perspectives during the tasks, as well as their learning in language, culture, education, and technology. Based on these findings, dialogic hybrid learning and the pedagogical implications are discussed.

Effects of smartphone-based collaborative vlog projects on EFL learners’ speaking performance and learning engagement

“…The integration of vlog projects supports the learning goals and provides EFL learners with the opportunity to apply the knowledge acquired in classes to realworld workplaces (Hung, 2011). Through student-generated video filming learning projects, students are able to transform textbook knowledge into creative products with digital media literacy, problem-solving, collaboration and creativity, all of which align with 21st century skills in a changing world (Niemi & Multisilta, 2016;Oskoz & Elola, 2016;Park, 2019;Perry, 2018;Sousa, 2017). Vygotsky (1978Vygotsky ( , 1986 believed that social constructivism focuses on the social, cultural mechanisms of learning and knowledge construction.…”

“…Students reported that they enjoyed a sense of achievement, and the video or vlog projects enhanced class engagement in terms of English learning (Aldukhayel, 2019;Gromik, 2012Gromik, , 2015. Finally, video-producing projects can help to improve literacy proficiency (McKenney & Voogt, 2011;Yang & Wu, 2012), enhance students' social skills while interacting with peers (Park, 2019), and promote active learning (Anas, 2019).…”

“…The creative skills shown at the top of Bloom's revised taxonomy can be accomplished through technology (Churches, 2008;Niemi & Multisilta, 2016;Sousa, 2017). It is essential for teachers to realise how digital media can empower students to become active learners and transfer their existing knowledge to a new task in order to develop their cognition and higher-order thinking skills (Park, 2019;Schultz & Quinn, 2013;Sousa, 2017). Hence, students possessing 21st century skills can experience meaningful learning by increasing their ability to think critically and show their creativity in the transformation of learning (Sousa, 2017;Trilling & Fadel, 2009).…”

“…C. Huang, 2015;OECD, 2017). Such involvement leading to transformative learning helps the new learning enter the students' long-term memory and promotes retention (H. C. Huang, 2015;Park, 2019;Sousa, 2017).…”

“…Students can create learning material to express their ideas via various media, such as audio, videos, photos and digital documents. Earlier studies found that video projects enhance students' learning motivation and interests (Anas, 2019;Kirkgöz, 2011;Park, 2019;Shih, 2010) and increase their learning self-efficacy (Gromik, 2012(Gromik, , 2015Hung, 2011). In other project-based learning environments, video projects were found to provide greater authentic learning opportunities (H. C. Huang, 2015;Meyer & Forester, 2015) and improve EFL students' learning performance (Encalada & Sarmiento, 2019;Yang & Wu, 2012).…”