Integrating cross-cultural interaction through video-communication and virtual worlds in foreign language teaching programs: is there an added value?

Canto, Silvia; Jáuregi, Kristi; Bergh, Huub van den

doi:10.1017/s0958344012000274

Cited by 81 publications

(54 citation statements)

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“…Although this study did not find statistically significant improvement in comprehensibility in the video‐mediated context, it is possible that the participants’ off‐line performance may have improved (see Saito & Akiyama, in press). By extension, future studies may compare the modes of communication (i.e., video vs. face‐to‐face tandem projects) (e.g., Canto, Jauregi, & van den Bergh, ) and how the modality factor influences the development of comprehensibility.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of Comprehensibility and its Linguistic Correlates: A Longitudinal Study of Video‐Mediated Telecollaboration

Akiyama

Saito

2016

The Modern Language Journal

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This study examined whether 30 learners of Japanese in the United States who engaged in a semesterlong video-based eTandem course made gains in global language comprehensibility, that is, ease of understanding (Derwing & Munro, 2009), and what linguistic correlates contributed to these gains. Speech excerpts from Week 2 and 8 of tandem interactions were retrieved and later assessed subjectively and objectively for global comprehensibility and its linguistic correlates (lexical appropriateness, lexical richness, speech rate, and morphological accuracy) in a pre/posttest sample design. The results revealed that, although the group made significant gains in vocabulary and some gains in grammar, improvement in overall comprehensibility was subject to considerable individual variability. According to a follow-up cluster analysis and discriminant analysis, increase in speech rate was the strongest predictor of those individuals who improved comprehensibility. The findings suggest that telecollaborative interaction may promote the development of vocabulary and, to some extent, grammar, but that significant gains in comprehensibility come mostly from the fluency trait of speech rate and may require longer interactional intervention. The findings have implications for the design of telecollaboration that supports second language learning.Keywords: telecollaboration/eTandem; comprehensibility; fluency; vocabulary; L2 interaction; corrective feedback; longitudinal INTERNET-MEDIATED COMMUNICATION technology has made it possible to connect with people who do not share the same physical space. Accordingly, interacting with the target language community, which used to be achieved via physical mobility (e.g., study abroad), is (Kern, 2014). Many language practitioners nowadays incorporate such online intercultural communication in order to enhance language teaching and learning. Thus, Belz (2003) defines telecollaboration as "institutionalized, electronically mediated intercultural communication under the guidance of a languacultural expert (i.e., a teacher) for the purpose of foreign language learning and the development of intercultural competence" (p. 2). 2The Modern Language Journal 100 (2016) Among many possible approaches to telecollaboration, one of the most commonly adopted models is eTandem (Cziko, 2004), in which a pair of learners with different first languages team up and help each other learn their respective languages by making "native speaker voices a central part of the language learning experience" (O'Rourke, 2007, p. 42). In this particularly autonomous yet collaborative learning set-up, learners are expected to work for mutual understanding via negotiation for meaning (Long, 1996) and to provide corrective feedback, which is considered the "central overtly pedagogical element of a tandem partnership" (Little et al., 1999, p. 39).Despite the increasing interest in telecollaboration, however, very few studies have documented the development of oral proficiency at a macro level. This is in contrast with pre...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of Comprehensibility and its Linguistic Correlates: A Longitudinal Study of Video‐Mediated Telecollaboration

Akiyama

Saito

2016

The Modern Language Journal

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“…The role of virtual environments in activating learner cultural knowledge and the efficacy of embedding culture learning materials in virtual environments have also been discussed . Research has also been carried out to explore the potential of virtual environments for developing cultural knowledge (e.g., Peterson, 2010) and to examine how interactions via virtual worlds and/or audiovisual platforms might help to foster (intercultural) communicative competence (Canto, Jauregi, & Bergh, 2013).…”

Section: Enhancing Cultural Knowledge Acquisition With Virtual Enviromentioning

confidence: 99%

A virtual walk through London: culture learning through a cultural immersion experience

Shih

2013

Computer Assisted Language Learning

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Integrating Google Street View into a three-dimensional virtual environment in which users control personal avatars provides these said users with access to an innovative, interactive, and real-world context for communication and culture learning. We have selected London, a city famous for its rich historical, architectural, and artistic heritage, as the location of choice for culture learning. Using avatars, learners walk the virtual streets of London under the guidance of a native English-speaking instructor, and interact with each other using text and voice chat functions. The study examines the effects of this virtual environment on culture learning. Specifically, a qualitative case study combined with a time-series design is used to investigate the virtual context's impact on culture learning in terms of learner knowledge and attitudes, and to track associated change processes across the three research phases (baseline, treatment, and maintenance). The results show that all four English learners involved in the study benefitted from their cultural immersion, to varying extents, in the virtual environment. Four contributing learner factors, namely linguistic proficiency, motivation, character traits, and attitudes were found to correspond to the learners' levels of acquaintance with the target culture.

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“…According to MNT, the rationale for considering two-way videoconferencing technologies such as Zoom to have a high level of media naturalness is based on the similarity between face-to-face and twoway videoconferencing learning environments. Nonetheless, it is important to note that synchronous two-way e-learning differs from face-to-face communication in that participants are not co-located in the same physical space during interactions and thus, some important communication cues may not be conveyed effectively (Canto et al 2013;Warkentin, Sayeed, and Hightower 1997).…”

Section: (Page Number Not For Citation Purpose)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nonetheless, in recent years, synchronous technologies enable real-time interpersonal interactions in cyberspace that create a social environment based on online infrastructure (Barak and Suler 2008;Canto, Jauregi and van den Bergh 2013). With the availability of innovative technologies for synchronous e-learning, the difference between online and face-to-face learning has become blurred, and the gap between the two learning modes (face-to-face and online) which was previously found in students' achievements is decreasing (Kuo 2016;Redpath 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

How do medium naturalness and personality traits shape academic achievement and perceived learning? An experimental study of face-to-face and synchronous e-learning

Blau¹,

Weiser²,

Eshet-Alkalai³

2017

Research in Learning Technology

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This controlled experiment examined how academic achievement and cognitive, emotional and social aspects of perceived learning are affected by the level of medium naturalness (face-to-face, one-way and two-way videoconferencing) and by learners' personality traits (extroversion-introversion and emotional stabilityneuroticism). The Media Naturalness Theory explains the degree of medium naturalness by comparing its characteristics to face-to-face communication, considered to be the most natural form of communication. A total of 76 participants were randomly assigned to three experimental conditions: face-to-face, one-way and two-way videoconferencing. E-learning conditions were conducted through Zoom videoconferencing, which enables natural and spontaneous communication. Findings shed light on the trade-off involved in media naturalness: one-way videoconferencing, the less natural learning condition, enhanced the cognitive aspect of perceived learning but compromised the emotional and social aspects. Regarding the impact of personality, neurotic students tended to enjoy and succeed more in face-to-face learning, whereas emotionally stable students enjoyed and succeeded in all of the learning conditions. Extroverts tended to enjoy more natural learning environments but had lower achievements in these conditions. In accordance with the 'poor get richer' principle, introverts enjoyed environments with a low level of medium naturalness. However, they remained focused and had higher achievements in the face-to-face learning.

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Integrating cross-cultural interaction through video-communication and virtual worlds in foreign language teaching programs: is there an added value?

Cited by 81 publications

References 34 publications

Development of Comprehensibility and its Linguistic Correlates: A Longitudinal Study of Video‐Mediated Telecollaboration

Development of Comprehensibility and its Linguistic Correlates: A Longitudinal Study of Video‐Mediated Telecollaboration

A virtual walk through London: culture learning through a cultural immersion experience

How do medium naturalness and personality traits shape academic achievement and perceived learning? An experimental study of face-to-face and synchronous e-learning

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