The Learning Dialogue of University Language Students in a Digital Environment for Online Text Annotation

The article discusses how an open access tool for collaborative online interaction (Hypothes.is) can be used to enhance collaborative and individual actions of language awareness and critical multimodal awareness for groups of undergraduate and postgraduate university students of English as a foreign language. The research questions focus on how student online collaboration can contribute to (or hinder) the process of critical analysis of multimodal texts, and to what extent collaboration through a digital environment can promote learner autonomy and peer learning through shared discourse and online/offline actions. The digital environment which is the main digital context of interaction for the study is LearnWeb/CELL: CELL (Communicating in English for Language Learning) is a community hosted within the LearnWeb digital environment developed by the L3S Research Center at Leibniz University (Hanover, Germany) (Marenzi 2014) and it is customized as a collaborative environment for undergraduate and postgraduate language courses at the University of Udine (Italy). The LearnWeb developers have embedded an open access application for website annotation (Hypothes.is) in the LearnWeb/CELL digital environment, so that it can be accessed and used by students and teachers. In the study we focus on the reflective learning dialogue that takes place between students when they analyze texts collaboratively. In general terms, this learning dialogue is usually rather elusive and difficult to capture because it happens informally outside the classroom. Our starting hypothesis was that the digital functionalities and affordances of Hypothes.is in CELL would capture at least a part of that learning dialogue and, more specifically, they would record what the students decide to disclose and reveal through their online annotations. Within the limitations of a small-scale study, the paper discusses the students\u2019 individual and collective process of reflection on multimodal text analysis. This use of the digital environment allows teachers, researchers and the whole class to \u2018see\u2019 the powerful effect of learning with peers and from peers while developing learning autonomy and exploring learning strategies

Information environment of blended learning: aspects of teaching and quality

The aim of the study in frame of the international project IRNet - International Research Network for the study and development of new tools and methods for advanced pedagogical science in the field of ICT instruments, e-learning and intercultural competences is to understand how the quality of digital learning environment and a new methodology for teaching activities contribute to achievement of learning outcomes sought by modern society. The data from a comparative analysis of regulations in the field of e-learning in some countries participating in the project is represented. The article substantiates indicators of virtual educational invironment in accordance with European standard of quality in higher education. The psychodidactic approach based on accounting of general concepts: information, communication and interaction management in a network learning environment used for evaluation of teaching activities in blended learning. The study hypothesis is based on the data obtained from analysis of the students' views and attitudes towards various educational processes in digital learning environment and represents a set of conditions for system formation of university virtual educational environment and the effective use of e-learning technologies. At a later stage of research teachers in all the universities involved in project will be surveyed

Enhancing Multimodal Interaction and Communicative Competence through Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) in Synchronous Computer-Mediated Communication (SCMC)

The number of publications on live online teaching and distance learning has significantly increased over the past two years since the outbreak and worldwide spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, but more research is needed on effective methodologies and their impact on the learning process. This research aimed to analyze student interaction and multimodal communication through Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) in a Synchronous Computer-Mediated Communication (SCMC) environment. For this purpose, 90 teacher candidates enrolled in the subject Applied Linguistics at a university were randomly assigned in different teams to create collaboratively digital infographics based on different language teaching methods. Then, all the teams explained their projects online and the classmates completed two multimedia activities based on each method. Finally, the participants discussed the self-perceived benefits (relevance, enjoyment, interest) and limitations (connectivity, distraction) of SCMC in language learning. Quantitative and qualitative data were gathered through pre- and post-tests, class observation and online discussion. The statistical data and research findings revealed a positive attitude towards the integration of TBLT in an SCMC environment and a high level of satisfaction with multimodal communication (written, verbal, visual) and student interaction. However, the language teacher candidates complained about the low quality of the digital materials, the use of technology just for substitution, and the lack of peer-to-peer interaction in their live online classes during the pandemic

The UPC digital campus and the project based learning: a compatibility effort

The Digital Campus is a project developed in the Technical University of Catalonia (Spain) to build an asynchronous collaboration platform in a educational environment. The Digital Campus is a set of applications with a unique and simple interface that helps to improve the interaction between professor and students beyond the limited relationship in classroom. These applications are developed in Lotus Domino (a documental database) and the user can access them through a web browser or a Lotus Notes client. Since 2001, one of its school, the Polytechnic School of Castelldefels, offers a Master's degree in Telecommunication Engineering using the Project Based Learning (PBL) methodology, where the student as an individual become a student as a member of a group. The aim of this paper is to explain the overall functionalities of the Digital Campus and the experience of the adaptation of this collaboration tool to this new learning methodology.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

eShakespeare and performance

The capabilities of Web 2.0 technology are pushing digital communications into a new phase of development. The social networking environments of Facebook and MySpace seem to invent new strategies of learning and experience, but I argue that the theatre and university pedagogy have been involved in co-ordinating social interactivity for a very long time. In order to develop critical approaches to the online world and its interaction with Shakespeare it is necessary to draw on critical writing outside the boundaries of Shakespeare studies and even outside literary criticism. Drawing together practical examples of new digital approaches with a range of critical writing, this essay attempts to set out a productive approach to dealing with the creative, collaborative and interactive environment of the Web 2.0 world

College Students’ Perspectives of E-Learning System Use in High Education

The purpose of this study was primarily to create, on a digital learning platform, a digital learning environment with freedom from such constraints for a group of seven college students. The researchers selected seven students from the Applied English program that were taking part in an internship combination program at San Diego State University. The study makes use of in-depth interviews in carrying out a qualitative investigation to determine whether or not utilizing a digital learning system provides students with a superior mode of educational interaction. Thirty-minute interviews inquiring into the students' feelings about handling all coursework over the digital learning platform were held once every two months, for a total of three interviews per student during the semester. At the same time, the researchers made use of questions and uploaded homework from the students to record each student's progress, which formed the second class of data for analysis. Results indicate that compared with the traditional ways of learning, through the digital learning server system, teacher-student interactions increased, with the Real-time Discussion Area emerging as the students' favorite function. Moreover, the instructor was able to provide timely feedback, which was encouraging to these students living so far from home for the first time. In sum, the digital learning environment effectively assisted the teacher in establishing a ubiquitous learning environment

Care, community and curriculum: a case study of an academic professional development programme.

In March 2020, teaching and learning (T&L) in higher education pivoted online and in 2021 the disruption to traditional forms of teaching, learning and assessment continues. Like many other academic development programmes, our PG Cert programme pivoted online effectively and efficiently. Programme evaluation data (June 2020) reported that modelling of online teaching and learning within our programme helped lecturers teach online, facilitate peer interaction among their students and assisted informed change in assessment practices to suit the online context. At the heart of our programme’s ethos lies a commitment to community building among students. However, the art of gathering is more than bringing students into a virtual room. Design and careful planning is necessary to elevate a learning experience from modes of presence to participation and to foster a sense of belonging for students within that learning environment. Also given the Pandemic context, a period where the effects of isolation from other people and society were felt acutely, the programme team felt it vital that time was designated for check-ins with participants of the learning environment. Bali (2020) advocates a Pedagogy of care, an approach that demonstrates a genuine concern for students’ wellbeing and life experiences. This exploratory case study examines how the pivot to online teaching on our Postgraduate (PG) Certificate in University Learning and Teaching has impacted on teaching practices of academic staff across the disciplines undertaking the programme. We wish to investigate if and how community building and care was subsequently implemented in the learning environments of academic staff who undertook the PG Cert. Secondly, to inspect what T&L practices, with a focus on the pedagogy of care, that might remain in place in a post pandemic university. Thirdly, to investigate if fully online learning is suitable and viable for the PG Certificate which values community, professional relationships and shared practice. Lastly, this disruptive change to online teaching necessitates the investigation of the future teaching development needs for lecturers teaching in online and blended spaces. Also, in our context, as an emerging technological university, through our experiences and research we propose some recommendations for the university to consider at a strategic level in support of the development of teaching and learning practice in a post digital higher education environment

The digital divide and Higher Education

An analysis of the magnitude and impact of the digital divide is the foundation of this presentation. The digital divide is changing from one of accessibility to one of a knowledge gap generated by differing levels of digital competencies (Wang, Myers, & Sundaram, 2013). Real concern is being raised that while digital technologies are becoming increasingly accessible, a new digital divide is emerging (White, 2013), (Bartlett & Miller, 2012), (Resnick, 2002). The divide has broadened to influence social relationships, communities, education and the meaningful way we use information technology and communication (Broadbent & Papadopoulos, 2013; Peña-López, 2010; van Dijk, 2006; Warschauer, 2004; Wei & Hindman, 2011). Within the complex array of elements that is the digital divide, tertiary institutions continue to grapple with leveling the playing field particularly with students who are the first in their family to study at tertiary level and those who are from low socio economic backgrounds (Ann Luzeckyj, King, Scutter, & Brinkworth, 2011; Johnston, Lee, Shah, Shields, & Spinks, 2014; O'Shea, 2015). Many university students are neither prepared nor proficient at navigating the digital environment and lack the technical skills to effectively participate in online and blended educational programs (Burck, 2005; Manca & Ranieri, 2013). The lack of meaningful interaction with the digital environment is creating inequality within our society (Haycock, 2004). This presentation intends to develop a critical consciousness regarding the impact of digital learning environments and discuss if a new hurdle has emerged to student retention and success in higher education