Language learners’ emotion regulation and enjoyment in an online collaborative writing program

Collaborative learning in online contexts is emotionally challenging for language learners. To achieve successful learning outcomes, language learners need to regulate their emotions and sustain positive emotions during the collaborative learning process. This study investigated language learners’ emotion regulation and enjoyment, the most extensively researched positive emotion in foreign language learning, in an online collaborative English learning environment. In the study, we collected data by surveying 336 Chinese students majoring in English who collaboratively completed a series of English language writing tasks in 108 online groups facilitated by a social media app (WeChat). Principal component analysis revealed two primary types of emotion regulation: peer regulation and group regulation. The analysis also revealed one factor underpinning enjoyment: enjoyment of online collaboration. Correlation analysis showed medium and positive relationships between peer regulation, group regulation, and enjoyment of online collaboration. Structural equation modeling analysis further found that group regulation exerted a medium-sized direct effect on enjoyment of online collaboration. Peer regulation affected enjoyment of online collaboration moderately and indirectly via group regulation. The theoretical and pedagogical implications of the findings can help to optimize face-to-face and online collaborative language learning activities.Collaborative learning in online contexts is emotionally challenging for language learners. To achieve successful learning outcomes, language learners need to regulate their emotions and sustain positive emotions during the collaborative learning process. This study investigated language learners’ emotion regulation and enjoyment, the most extensively researched positive emotion in foreign language learning, in an online collaborative English learning environment. In the study, we collected data by surveying 336 Chinese students majoring in English who collaboratively completed a series of English language writing tasks in 108 online groups facilitated by a social media app (WeChat). Principal component analysis revealed two primary types of emotion regulation: peer regulation and group regulation. The analysis also revealed one factor underpinning enjoyment: enjoyment of online collaboration. Correlation analysis showed medium and positive relationships between peer regulation, group regulation, and enjoyment of online collaboration. Structural equation modeling analysis further found that group regulation exerted a medium-sized direct effect on enjoyment of online collaboration. Peer regulation affected enjoyment of online collaboration moderately and indirectly via group regulation. The theoretical and pedagogical implications of the findings can help to optimize face-to-face and online collaborative language learning activities

Reimagining the Stacks: Classroom Technology and Library Collaboration for Writing in the Disciplines

This article details the process by which one university redesigned a first year writing course to better promote discipline-specific and best-practice research techniques. The program offers experiential learning activities through scholarly collaboration, using library staff as mentors, producing an open-access peer-reviewed student journal, and emphasizing face-to-face interaction of peer research communities. It has the potential to establish for students in high school, community colleges and universities that research writing is fundamentally about joining and contributing to a conversation

Using Blogs to Foster Inquiry, Collaboration, and Feedback in Pre-Service Teacher Education

This chapter presents a critical case study on the use of information technology in a pre-service teacher education program. The authors integrated Weblogs (blogs) into two constructivist-oriented teacher preparation courses with the goal of helping students learn to think like a teacher through enhanced inquiry, collaboration, and feedback. The authors found that, through the use of blogs, pre-service teaching candidates grew in their abilities to reflect on their own teaching and to provide constructive comments to peers. The authors’ experience also indicated that while instructor and peer feedback via blogs was valuable, it functioned best when paired with face-to-face meetings between the instructors and students. They discussed design principles for combining online and face-to-face environments and offer possibilities for the expanded use of blogs in pre-service teacher education

Enabling peer-to-peer collaboration within online learning environments and virtual laboratories.

This literature review will provide a foundation for future research into the emerging cloud campus within The University of Glasgow. I have previously described the cloud campus concept as a working definition, used to describe the node between located (face-to-face) learning and virtual learning through the use of digital technologies (Dunn, 2016:29). There have been similar constructs established by other academics in the past (Knowles, 1984; Kopp and Hill, 2008; Urban-Woldron, 2013). These constructs tend to be based on recognised theories of learning; for example, connectivism (Siemens, 2005) and the time-tested epistemological frameworks described by Piaget (1963) and Vygotsky (1978) through cognitivism and constructivism (including social- constructivism). This review will provide a synthesis of key papers and it will argue the case for peer-to-peer collaboration within virtual spaces. Specifically, it will argue for the use of technology to support such collaboration within online virtual learning environments and within physical learning spaces as newly defined ‘virtual laboratories’. The paper will present the arguments by illustrating the opportunities and challenges within teacher agency and in physical space design

Promoting Students\u27 Listening Comprehension Through Online Peer-Correction

Listening practices have widely been conducted face to face in language laboratory for years in language laboratory. However, students\u27 interaction and collaboration were not much emphasized because of teacher-centred learning. The teaching of listening in language laboratory focuses primarily on how to answer comprehension questions correctly without any interactive discussion. Students just relied on teacher\u27s absolute role in language laboratory. Thus, the students were not independent in learning listening. Meanwhile, limited materials used in listening instruction are mostly influenced by teacher educator\u27s textbooks whose content lacked of authenticity. Promoting online learning in listening practices and evaluating students\u27 outcomes through peer-corrective feedback through learning platform were needed to enhance their comprehension. This article highlighted five central issues, including: (1) theoritical framework of online learning; (2) edmodo as a learning platform for online mediated listening tool; (3) the selection of authentic listening materials; (4) peer-collaborative correction in listening tasks; and (5) the development of students\u27 autonomous listening through online corrective feedbacks. The impacts of this article findings successfully contributed to support teachers\u27 educators face-to-face language laboratory based listening practices while promoting students\u27 collaboration, autonomy, and comprehension

Promoting Students’ Listening Comprehension through Online Peer-Correction

Listening practices have widely been conducted face to face in language laboratory for years in language laboratory. However, students’ interaction and collaboration were not much emphasized because of teacher-centred learning. The teaching of listening in language laboratory focuses primarily on how to answer comprehension questions correctly without any interactive discussion. Students just relied on teacher’s absolute role in language laboratory. Thus, the students were not independent in learning listening. Meanwhile, limited materials used in listening instruction are mostly influenced by teacher educator’s textbooks whose content lacked of authenticity. Promoting online learning in listening practices and evaluating students’ outcomes through peer-corrective feedback through learning platform were needed to enhance their comprehension. This article highlighted five central issues, including: (1) theoritical framework of online learning; (2) edmodo as a learning platform for online mediated listening tool; (3) the selection of authentic listening materials; (4) peer-collaborative correction in listening tasks; and (5) the development of students’ autonomous listening through online corrective feedbacks. The impacts of this article findings successfully contributed to support teachers’ educators face-to-face language laboratory based listening practices while promoting students’ collaboration, autonomy, and comprehension.

Vibrant and engaging online social learning: an innovative response to threatened part-time study in Higher Education

Austerity measures and increased tuition fees place heightened pressures on universities to provide sustainable, cost effective, high quality provision. This paper analyses how a team of staff in a School of Education at a UK University are leading collaborative work with partner colleges, to deliver a model that ameliorates the financial pressures, whilst developing high quality student-centred engagement for part-time students. When face-to-face teaching sessions were significantly reduced, an online academic social network for tutors and students was introduced to encourage collaboration, peer support and ‘coffee room’ discussion. Feedback from participants through focus groups and surveys confirmed a social support network as important for engagement and was perceived as supporting achievement, even by those who were reluctant to join the network. Recommendations include: more time face-to-face at the beginning of the course, more online tutor presence and scaffolded activities to build confidence in using an academic social network

The concept of peer cognisance : exploring participants' experiences of collaboration in a networked learning project.

This thesis explores the concept of 'peer cognisance' - a mutual sense of awareness, cognition and responsibility among learners - in the context of online and face-toface collaboration. The study builds on a constructivist, learner-centred approach, and argues the need for reflective practice in education. The literature reviewed for the thesis builds on these concepts, linking reflexivity, motivation, learner autonomy and facilitation to successful collaboration. The research outlines two studies. A preliminary study involved sixteen students in higher education institutions in Germany and the U.S., which had to be curtailed due to lack of participation. The main motivating factor for participants was the mutual sense of responsibility for and awareness of other group members' needs, leading to the second, main study of the thesis, which sought to actively facilitate this awareness, or 'peer cognisance'. The main study grouped 13-year old pupils and paired them with university language students during their year abroad, encouraging the younger learners to take control of their learning environment as much as possible. Collaboration took place online via WebCT, and, for the pupils, face-to-face in the classroom. Facilitation occurred both online and face-to-face during visits to the school. The study adopts a qualitative approach to data analysis, using narrative accounts from students, pupils and facilitator to explore motivations behind collaboration. The analysis conftrmed the initial fmdings from the fIrst study, and led to recommendations for the successful facilitation of collaboration through the concept of peer cognisance

Cognitive and Emotional Changes in Peer Educators of Type 2 Diabetes Patients After Starting Peer-Support Activities

Background: Diabetes self-management education through peer support has beneficial effects, especially in regions with limited medical resources. To ensure peer educators continue to provide peer-led education programs, it is important that they remain motivated to instruct patients. Here, to explore measures to enhance peer-educators’ motivation toward such programs, we examined the cognitive and emotional changes in Filipino type 2 diabetics after 7-month activities as peer educators. Methods: We individually performed semi-structured interviews with 13 peer educators with 20 years of age or above in August 2017 (immediately before starting their peer-education activities) and in March 2018 (7 months after the start). The first interview was performed after the peer educators had received 2-day training of diabetes self-management. In both interviews, we asked the peer educators about their feelings toward peer-led educational activities (e.g., satisfaction, difficulty, reward, confidence, and challenges). Their replies about their own cognition and emotions were interpreted and integrated, and then analyzed qualitatively. Results: Four and seven categories were extracted from the first and second interviews, respectively. The category “Cognition of patients’ active learning attitudes and of positive changes in patients’ physical conditions and behavior” observed in the second interview led to “Cognition of growth as a peer educator” and “Satisfaction with supporting patients as a peer educator.” These two feelings gave the peer educators’ “Increased motivation to continue the activities as a peer educator.” This motivation was also associated with “Active collaboration among peer educators,” which was affected by “Difficulties and concerns in working as a peer educator.” Conclusion: To sustain diabetic peer-led education programs, we suggest that interventions be implemented that increase peer educators’ motivation toward their activities and stimulate their awareness of the importance of collaborating with one another. Such collaboration should help to overcome the difficulties they may face in providing peer-led education