Seamless Language Learning: Second Language Learning with Social Media

This conceptual paper describes a language learning model that applies social media to foster contextualized and connected language learning in communities. The model emphasizes weaving together different forms of language learning activities that take place in different learning contexts to achieve seamless language learning. It promotes social interactions with social media about the learners’ day-to-day life using the targeted second or foreign language. The paper first identifies three key features of the language learning approach, namely, authenticity, contextualization and socialization. How these features are related to the communicative approach of language learning are subsequently explicated. This is followed by further explication on how the notion of seamless language learning could inform learning designers and learners in synergizing the desired characteristics of language learning together. Eventually, we propose the SMILLA (Social MedIa as Language Learning Artifacts) Framework to operationalize seamless language learning with the use of social media. A case of seamless language learning environment design known as MyCloud will be described to illustrate the practicality of the SMILLA Framework

The Smartpen as a Mediational Tool for Learning Language and Content Areas: The Case of English Learners in Mainstream Classrooms

The use of mobile devices for supporting the instruction of second language (L2) learners is an emerging and rapidly growing area of inquiry. Previous research on mobile assisted language learning (MALL) has concentrated on the development of isolated linguistic skills through a common set of mobile technologies, such as PDAs and iPods, with limited attention given to alternative mobile devices or situations of L2 learning that require the simultaneous learning of language and academic content (Wu, Jim Wu, Chen, Kao, Lin, & Huang, 2012; Viberg & Grönlund, 2012; 2013). In particular, little is understood about how English Learners (ELs) educated within mainstream classrooms choose to appropriate mobile technologies to meet their learning needs, with respect to both their development linguistically and across academic course disciplines. To inform this gap in research, this study used a quasi-ethnographic, instrumental case study design to explore how a group of middle school ELs used an understudied mobile device, the Echo Smartpen, to mediate their learning of language skills (e.g., speaking, reading, writing, listening, vocabulary) and of academic content areas (e.g., math, science, social studies). It also sought to examine how the Smartpen could assist ELs\u27 learning processes with respect to individual learner characteristics (e.g., affective, cognitive, metacognitive). To accomplish this purpose, multiple sources of data were collected from seven student participants, their English as a Second Language (ESL) specialist, and primary mainstream teacher. These sources consisted of technologically-mediated digital data, such as the students\u27 digitized notebooks, as well as traditional methods qualitative data collection, including individual and focus group interviews, and learning artifacts. The overall theoretical framework guiding the data analysis was Vygotskian sociocultural theory (SCT), complemented by grounded theory and the constant comparison coding method (Strauss & Corbin, 1990; 1998). Key principles for the analysis were the Vygotskian notions of mediated learning through physical and psychological tool use (Lantolf, 2000). Findings from this study provide insights about the process of mediated language and content learning with the Smartpen for ELs clustered around three major themes: 1) extended opportunities for language learning through self-constructed artifacts; (2) extended opportunities for content learning through co-constructed artifacts; and (3) extended learning self with the Smartpen. In addition to the main emergent themes, research findings incorporate the participant-based metaphorical concept of time travel as an important sub-thematic element in tracing ELs\u27 use of the Smartpen across temporal and educational contexts (e.g., school and home). Finally, this study concludes with a discussion of theoretical and pedagogical implications for the integration of mobile devices for ELs in mainstream settings, as well as with recommendations for future research deriving from this research

Mobile collaborative language learning: State of the art

This paper presents a review of mobile collaborative language learning studies published in 2012–16 with the aim to improve understanding of how mobile technologies have been used to support collaborative learning among second and foreign language students. We identify affordances, general pedagogical approaches, second- and foreign-language pedagogical approaches, second language acquisition (SLA) principles and affective designs. The results indicate that affordances such as flexible use, continuity of use, timely feedback, personalisation, socialisation, self-evaluation, active participation, peer coaching, sources of inspiration outdoors and cultural authenticity have been emphasised. These affordances were found to be particularly suited to promote social constructivism, which is often sustained by game-based, task based and seamless learning. In terms of second and foreign language pedagogical approaches, the combination of individualised and collaborative learning prevails, along with task based, situated and communicative language learning, and raising orthographic awareness. Among SLA principles, negotiation of meaning and opportunities for feedback are highlighted. Affective aspects include increases in motivation, engagement and enjoyment, mutual encouragement, reduction in nervousness and embarrassment, and a few negative reports of risk of distraction, safety concerns, feelings of uncertainty and technical problems. The reviewed studies present a convincing case for the benefits of collaboration in mobile language learning

Seamless Language Learning: Second Language Learning with Social Media

This conceptual paper describes a language learning model that applies social media to foster contextualized and connected language learning in communities. The model emphasizes weaving together different forms of language learning activities that take place in different learning contexts to achieve seamless language learning. It promotes social interactions with social media about the learners’ day-to-day life using the targeted second or foreign language. The paper first identifies three key features of the language learning approach, namely, authenticity, contextualization and socialization. How these features are related to the communicative approach of language learning are subsequently explicated. This is followed by further explication on how the notion of seamless language learning could inform learning designers and learners in synergizing the desired characteristics of language learning together. Eventually, we propose the SMILLA (Social MedIa as Language Learning Artifacts) Framework to operationalize seamless language learning with the use of social media. A case of seamless language learning environment design known as MyCloud will be described to illustrate the practicality of the SMILLA Framework

Personalization of language learning through mobile technologies

This paper aims to help education stakeholders consider how mobile learning can contribute to improving language teaching and learning by facilitating personalized learning. A high-level overview of mobile learning is presented and the role of personalization in mobile learning is explained. A number of case studies illustrate salient aspects of mobile personalized learning from research and practice. In the final section, considerations for policy and practice are discussed

Learning Buckets: Helping Teachers Introduce Flexibility in the Management of Learning Artifacts Across Spaces

Producción Científicaechnology offers rich opportunities for learning across different physical and virtual spaces. However, most of current across-spaces proposals are either highly teacher-centered, inflexible in the students’ self-management of learning artifacts during the enactment, or allow the teacher little/no control of such students’ management of artifacts. Moreover, these proposals tend to be disconnected from the practices and tools that are usual in the classroom. How can we achieve a middle ground between keeping the teacher in control of across-spaces situations and, at the same time, providing students with a degree of flexibility to manage learning artifacts? Aiming to address such challenge we propose the notion of learning bucket, and the Bucket-Server, a system implementing such notion. A learning bucket is a container of learning artifacts which are generated and/or accessed across-spaces by the students during the enactment, according to constraints configured by teachers at design time. The responsive evaluation conducted, based on a feature analysis and a pilot study with experts, suggests that learning buckets can help evolve from teacher- to student-centered approaches, while maintaining the teacher in control of students’ actions. The evaluation also indicates that the Bucket-Server surpasses the support provided by alternative proposals to across-spaces learning.Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad (Project TIN2014- 53199-C3-2- R)Junta de Castilla y León (programa de apoyo a proyectos de investigación – Ref. VA277U14

Factores que determinan la baja utilización de herramientas móviles por parte de estudiantes en su aprendizaje de vocabulario en lengua inglesa

The article is based on the results of a large scale mixed methods study which took place in Romania in 2014. The study explored high school students’ use of digital vocabulary English learning strategies and the attitudes of Romanian students towards learning vocabulary in second language acquisition with digital tools. The results of the main study indicated that the participants had a low usage of digital tools and strategies in their vocabulary learning and that the majority of the participants showed neutral attitudes towards the use of mobile assisted learning (MALL) tools in their vocabulary learning. The data also revealed that certain factors determine students’ low usage of digital tools in second language acquisition in their vocabulary learning. These factors were: the lack of a ‘culture’ associated with the use of digital tools in the language classroom, personal learning style, some pedagogical issues associated with digital tools, lack of teacher guidance, the view of digital tools as simply entertaining tools, students’ multitasking behavior in association with the use of their device, a preference for unconscious learning of vocabulary and the level of motivation to use technology for second language acquisition.El artículo se basa en los resultados de un estudio a gran escala con métodos mixtos que tuvo lugar en Rumanía en 2014. El estudio exploró la utilización de estrategias digitales para el aprendizaje de vocabulario en lengua inglesa por parte de estudiantes de secundaria y las actitudes de los estudiantes rumanos hacia el aprendizaje del vocabulario de un segundo idioma con herramientas digitales. Los resultados del estudio principal indican que los participantes tenían un bajo uso de herramientas y estrategias digitales en su aprendizaje de vocabulario y que la mayoría de los participantes mostraron actitudes neutrales hacia el uso de herramientas móviles (MALL) en su aprendizaje del vocabulario. Los datos también revelaron que ciertos factores determinan el poco uso de los alumnos de las herramientas digitales en la adquisición de un segundo idioma en relación al aprendizaje del vocabulario. Estos factores son: la falta de una “cultura” asociada con el uso de herramientas digitales en la clase de lengua, el estilo personal de aprendizaje, algunas cuestiones pedagógicas asociadas a las herramientas digitales, la falta de la guía del profesor, la percepción de las herramientas digitales como meras herramientas de entretenimiento, un comportamiento multitarea de los estudiantes en relación con el uso de su dispositivo, una preferencia por el aprendizaje inconsciente del vocabulario y el nivel de motivación para utilizar la tecnología para la adquisición de un segundo idioma

Pengembangan Mobile Seamless Learning Platform untuk Meningkatkan Pengetahuan Kader PKK

The number of Empowerment and Family Welfare Cadres which are called PKK Cadres, is very large and spread all over Indonesia, making the state budget unable to reach all of them to obtain increased capacity of Human Resources (HR), for this reason a mobile seamless learning platform is being developed to increase the knowledge of PKK Cadres. This research and development aim to produce a platform to increase the knowledge of PKK Cadres and test the level of product feasibility, using the Lee & Owens model. In addition, to determine whether there is an increase in the knowledge of PKK Cadres, a paired/dependent sample t-test was performed on the pretest and posttest value data. The product developed is a mobile seamless learning platform and is equipped with content in the form of reading materials, PowerPoint presentation materials, videos and learning evaluation tests. The platform validation results produce very good criteria based on material aspects as well as media and learning design aspects. The response of PKK cadres and teachers obtained very good criteria for the feasibility of the platform as a learning medium. Based on the results of statistical tests, it was concluded that there was an increase in the knowledge of PKK Cadres after using the mobile seamless learning platform.AbstrakJumlah Kader PKK yang sangat besar dan tersebar di seluruh penjuru Indonesia, membuat anggaran negara belum mampu menjangkau seluruhnya untuk memperoleh peningkatan kapasitas Sumber Daya Manusia (SDM), untuk itu maka dilakukan pengembangan mobile seamless learning platform untuk peningkatan pengetahuan Kader PKK. Penelitian dan pengembangan ini bertujuan untuk menghasilkan platform untuk meningkatkan pengetahuan Kader PKK dan menguji tingkat kelayakan produk, dengan menggunakan model multimedia based instructional design Lee & Owens. Produk yang dikembangkan berupa aplikasi mobile seamless learning platform dan dilengkapi dengan konten berupa bahan bacaan, bahan tayang powerpoint, video dan tes evaluasi pembelajaran. Hasil validasi platform menghasilkan skor rata – rata sebesar 88,05% dengan kriteria sangat baik, aspek materi 94,67% serta aspek media dan desain pembelajaran 84,33 %. Respon Kader PKK mendapat skor 89,74% dan respon pengajar mendapatkan skor 92,31% kesimpulannya platform memiliki kriteria yang sangat baik untuk kelayakan platform sebagai media pembelajaran. Selain itu untuk mengetahui adanya peningkatan pengetahuan Kader PKK dilakukan uji statistik paired/dependent sample t-test sehingga diperoleh kesimpulan terdapat peningkatan pengetahuan Kader PKK setelah menggunakan mobile seamless learning platform

ECO D2.6 Web 2.0 requirements analysis

ECO sMOOCs are social and seamless and the pedagogical design puts the learner central, taking an active role and learning through interactions and connections with others. The platforms have to provide the features not only support social interaction but promote and enhance these. This deliverable puts forward what features can scaffold interactions, taking into account lessons learned from popular social media.Part of the work carried out has been funded with support from the European Commission, under the ICT Policy Support Programme, as part of the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP) in the ECO project under grant agreement n° 21127

Supporting teacher orchestration of across-spaces learning situations

La tesis doctoral trata sobre la orquestación de situaciones de aprendizaje “a través de espacios” (across-spaces, AS, en inglés): situaciones de aprendizaje que integran actividades que tienen lugar en múltiples espacios físicos y virtuales, y donde se da una transición suave, o continua, entre los distintos espacios. En particular, la tesis intenta proporcionar herramientas conceptuales y tecnológicas para apoyar a los docentes en la orquestación de este tipo de situaciones de aprendizaje, que puedan incluir espacios físicos, web y mundos virtuales 3D. Siguiendo la Metodología de Investigación de Desarrollo de Sistemas, y con un paradigma de investigación interpretativo subyacente, se proponen dos constructos (modelo de POI y noción de cubo de aprendizaje o learning bucket) y dos sistemas (GLUEPS-AR y Bucket-Server), para ayudar a los docentes en la orquestación de situaciones de aprendizaje AS. Para la evaluación de las propuestas, se realizaron múltiples análisis de características, estudios pilotos y estudios de evaluación, enmarcados en un modelo de evaluación “receptivo”Departamento de Teoría de la Señal y Comunicaciones e Ingeniería TelemáticaNota: In reference to IEEE copyrighted material which is used with permission in this thesis, the IEEE does not endorse any of Universidad de Valladolid's products or services. Internal or personal use of this material is permitted. If interested in reprinting/republishing IEEE copyrighted material for advertising or promotional purposes or for creating new collective works for resale or redistribution, please go to http://www.ieee.org/publications_standards/publications/rights/rights_link.html to learn how to obtain a License from RightsLink. If applicable, University Microfilms and/or ProQuest Library, or the Archives of Canada may supply single copies of the dissertation