Aprendizagem mediada por tecnologias móveis: novos desafios para as práticas pedagógicas

O estudo de investigação que apresentamos foi realizado, no ano lectivo 2008/2009, em contextos de aprendizagem suportados por tecnologias móveis possuídas pelos alunos, em particular o telemóvel. Trata-se de um estudo exploratório de cariz qualitativo com opção metodológica pelo estudo de casos múltiplos (quatro), mas com apenas uma unidade de análise. Participaram sessenta e oito alunos do ensino secundário geral e profissional, diurno e nocturno, de duas escolas urbanas, uma pública e outra semi-privada. As técnicas de recolha de dados utilizadas foram o inquérito e a observação. Os dados recolhidos revelaram grande satisfação dos alunos pelas tarefas realizadas, por tornarem o processo de ensino e aprendizagem mais atractivo e o reconhecimento do potencial educacional do telemóvel para apoio às práticas de estudo. Este estudo pretende ser um contributo para a integração de dispositivos móveis na educação e alertar para as novas oportunidades de aprendizagem do mobile learning.This research study was conducted in the academic year 2008/2009, in education learning contexts supported by mobile technologies owned by students, particularly the mobile phone. An exploratory study was conducted with a multiple cases (four), but with only one unit of analysis. Sixty-eight secondary students attending both day and night regular and vocational courses in two urban schools, being one a state school and the other semi-private, participated in this study. The techniques used for data collection were inquiry and observation. The data revealed students have greater satisfaction when they are accomplishing the tasks because the process of teaching and learning becomes more appealing, and there is the recognition of the educational potential of mobile devices to support student’s studying practices. This study is a contribution for the integration of mobile devices, such as the mobiFundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

Focus and setting in mobile learning research: a review of the literature

Mobile learning (mLearning) is an ubiquitous learning activity supported by the appropriate mobile technology and pedagogical approach. Mobile learning research has experienced a significant growth in the last half a decade, following the increase in innovative applications and the expansion of the contexts in which mLearning is deployed. Based on a review of publications found in international conference proceedings and journals, this study classifies mLearning research according to its focus, and proposes a classification framework. Patterns in shifting research focus are identified and some defining characteristics of the approaches undertaken are elicited. The results of the analysis show that while mobile learning research continues to be motivated by the innovative mobile technology it is also increasingly concerned with the development of a theoretical foundation in order to underpin the new paradigm and inform contemporary mobile learning design and practice

EMPOWERING THE USE OF MOBILE-BASED VOCABULARY NOTEBOOKS

The high demand on the mobile devices like smart phones and Ipads in daily life has given a rise to mobile learning trends in foreign language learning. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in vocabulary achievement level of students keeping mobile-based and paper-based vocabulary notebooks in English language learning. The study was designed through mixed method where a pre-post test control group quasi-experimental study was conducted. Data were collected through a vocabulary achievement test used as pre and post tests. The results indicated mobile-based vocabulary notebooks have positive effects on students’ vocabulary achievement

The role of Quizlet in learning business vocabulary

In these revolutionary times of technological progress, the use of ICT has become widespread. It is used in all areas of language learning and influences both the learning and the teaching process. Quizlet is an online flashcard programme which offers learners opportunities to enhance their vocabulary. The following article describes an experiment conducted in three ESP classes of Business English at the Faculty of Business and Administration of Masaryk University, Czech Republic. In two of the classes, the use of Quizlet was promoted both in class and out of class throughout the term. The learners in the remaining class, the control group, did not use Quizlet. The experiment took place during one of the seminars. Learners in different groups were asked to study carefully chosen sets of twenty English-Czech word pairs, using either Quizlet or classic, paper-based lists. In one of the Quizlet sets, the meaning of the words was illustrated using context clues. A series of two translation tests then gauged the students’ active and passive knowledge of the word meanings. As a follow-up, the results of the translation part of the final credit test were compared. Also, a questionnaire was distributed, mapping learners’ study habits as well as their attitude to Quizlet. The experiment was designed to determine if, and to what degree, Quizlet helps learners acquire vocabulary more efficiently, and to help us investigate the role of context in learning vocabulary. The present article describes and discusses the results of the experiment, which illuminate how students perceive Quizlet in terms of effectiveness and user-friendliness

Affordances of PDAs: Undergraduate Student Perceptions

This paper reports on an empirical study of undergraduate students’ exploration and use of PDAs for educational purposes over a period of six months. In previous studies, educational applications of PDAs have focused mainly on exploring designed research or experiments, in which students have used this technology for prescribed learning tasks. Students have fewer opportunities to explore how PDAs can be used effectively for general educational and study purposes. How students perceive and use PDAs on their own is not well understood. This study explores student understandings and use of PDAs to support their academic studies at a university. It investigates students’ free exploration and use of PDAs for various educational purposes through applying rich, descriptive qualitative research methodology. Two cases are reported in this study. Data collection methods included: interviews with students, a review of student artifacts created using the PDA, student electronic journals and observation of student PDA uses. Seven emerging categories of PDA affordances were identified. They include: multimedia collection, multimedia access, communication, scheduling, data processing , connectivity and representation. Each category is presented both at rich descriptive and interpretive levels. I mplications regarding findings are explored.published_or_final_versio

Using PDA for undergraduate student incidental vocabulary testing

Recent studies have explored English vocabulary learning in environments where students used mobile technologies for prescribed vocabulary learning tasks, or tested designed personalized learning systems to enhance student vocabulary learning for short periods of time in language related courses. Dictionary use via mobile devices has mostly been used for referential purposes. Referential use refers to applications that provide student access to content such as dictionaries, e-books, etc. at places where learning activities occur, taking advantage of the portability and mobility of mobile devices. Research on free student use of mobile devices to foster incidental vocabulary learning in non-English courses remains scant, and no in-depth studies have been carried out to investigate the value of dictionary use on mobile devices for incidental vocabulary learning in higher education. This one-year multiple-case study investigated undergraduate students’ dictionary and other uses of Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) to enhance their incidental vocabulary learning in an English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) university. The research findings show: (a) the students made various uses of the PDA to improve their vocabulary learning, namely, referential, situated, constructive, reflective, explorative and conversing uses, (b) the students adopted integrated uses of the tools on the PDA and the computer for their incidental vocabulary learning, and (c) the integrated use of the PDA and the computer shaped the vocabulary learning activities and vice versa. These research results indicate that PDAs can be used in more flexible, novel and extended ways for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) vocabulary teaching and learning in higher education, taking student needs and contexts into consideration.published_or_final_versio

Effect of using texting on vocabulary instruction for English learners

This article reports on a study that examined the effectiveness of an intervention using text messages to enhance the academic vocabulary acquisition of English language learners (ELLs). With a random control trial design, we compared students’ learning gain of target vocabulary (direct effect) and its subsequent impact on academic vocabulary learning (transfer effect) with and without the intervention treatment. The study included 108 undergraduate ELLs in a large Canadian university in Ontario. The intervention was aligned with the lesson plans of two comparable content-based courses on English for academic purposes required for the ELLs and aimed at teaching frequently used academic words embedded within the assigned course readings. The results indicated that, with the intervention, students learned significantly more target words. However, there was no difference between the treatment and control groups on academic vocabulary post-test performance measuring the transfer effect. The pedagogical implication of the findings and suggestions for future research are discussed

Trilho matemático digital com o MathCityMap: um estudo no 6.º ano de escolaridade no domínio da Geometria

Relatório Final de Prática de Ensino Supervisionada do Mestrado em Ensino do 1º Ciclo do Ensino Básico e de Matemática e Ciências Naturais no 2º Ciclo do Ensino Básico apresentado na Escola Superior de Educação do Instituto Politécnico de Viana do CasteloEste relatório foi desenvolvido no âmbito da unidade curricular de Prática de Ensino Supervisionada, no curso de Mestrado em Ensino do 1º CEB e de Matemática e Ciências Naturais no 2º CEB. O relatório encontra-se dividido em três partes: a primeira focada nos contextos educativos, onde seriam realizadas as intervenções didáticas, relatando acontecimentos importantes no decorrer deste percurso; a segunda parte, apresenta-se um estudo que seria realizado numa turma do 2º CEB na área disciplinar de Matemática; e na terceira parte, é retratada uma reflexão global sobre as experiências vividas na unidade curricular de Prática de Ensino Supervisionada. O estudo referido anteriormente, seria realizado numa turma do 6º ano de escolaridade, com 18 alunos, no âmbito da disciplina de Matemática. Pretendia-se compreender o modo como alunos do 6º ano de escolaridade mobilizam conhecimentos de Geometria na realização de um trilho matemático com a aplicação MathCityMap. Neste sentido, foram formuladas duas questões orientadoras: (1) Como se caracteriza o desempenho dos alunos na resolução de tarefas da Geometria num trilho matemático com a aplicação MathCityMap?; e (2) Que atitudes evidenciam os alunos na realização de um trilho matemático com a aplicação MathCityMap? Optou-se por uma metodologia de investigação de natureza qualitativa, designado estudo de caso. Tendo em conta a situação pandémica imposta pela COVID- 19, não foi possível realizar a recolha de dados, apesar de todos os procedimentos terem sido planeados. A recolha de dados envolveria toda a turma, mas seria focada em dois grupos de alunos. Os dados seriam recolhidos através de questionários, entrevistas, documentos, observações e registos audiovisuais. Estes métodos de recolha de dados, iriam permitir que o investigador analisasse de forma mais detalhada os aspetos relacionados com o desempenho e as atitudes dos alunos. De um modo geral, tendo em conta que não foi possível implementar este estudo, procurou-se discutir expectativas com base no trabalho que foi planeado, tendo como referência a literatura destacada neste relatório.This report was developed within the scope of the Supervised Teaching Practice curricular unit, in the Masters course in Teaching at the 1st cycle and in Mathematics and Natural Sciences at the 2nd cycle. The report is divided into three parts: the first focused on the educational contexts, where the didactical interventions would be carried out, reporting important events along this path; the second part presents a study that would be carried out in a class from the 2nd cycle in the subject area of Mathematics; and the third part, portrays a global reflection on the experiences in the curricular unit of Supervised Teaching Practice. The above mentioned study, would be carried out in a 6th grade class ling, with 18 students, within the scope of the subject of Mathematics. It was intended to understand the way 6th grade students apply Geometry knowledge in a math trial vising the application MathCityMap. In this sense, two guiding questions were formulated:(1) How is the performance of students characterized when solving Geometry on a math trail using MathCityMap?; and (2) What attitudes do the students show when carrying out a math trail using MathCityMap? We chose a qualitative research methodology, focusing on a case study. Taking into account the pandemic situation imposed by COVID-19, it was not possible to carry out the data collection. This data collection would involve all the students, but it would two groups of students. Data would be collected through questionnaires, interviews, documents, observations and audiovisual records. The data collection methods would allow the researcher to analyze in more detail all the aspects related to the student’s performance and attitudes. In general, taking into account that this study was not possible to implement, we tried to discuss expectations based on the work that was planned, compared with the literature highlighted in this report

Examining Task Transferability in Task-Based Language Teaching: A Multi-Case Study

Although there has been a surge of research on the effectiveness of task-based language teaching (TBLT), little is known about transferability of task performance skills and vocabulary in a different context such as in a public domain (Benson, 2015; Ellis, 2017; Long, 2016). The purpose of the current dissertation was to examine transferability in task performance skills and target vocabulary between pedagogical tasks, real-world tasks and vocabulary learning in different contexts while utilizing two modalities. Learner perceptions of the effects of pedagogical tasks and real-world tasks on language learning are also examined. Four lower level English as a Second Language (ESL) learners participated in two TBLT units of study over four weeks: “Unit 1: Discount Grocery Shopping” and “Unit 2: Choosing a Quality Gift”. There were two pedagogical and one real-world task in each unit of study. Transfer was examined in task performance abilities (such as the use of technology and collaboration) and vocabulary use . Collaboration was operationalized as interaction episodes (three types: learner-learner, learner-instructor, learner-unknown interlocutor) and the number of turns during task performance. Receptive and productive vocabulary frequencies (i.e. in types and tokens) were counted and vocabulary learning was measured on a vocabulary knowledge scale (VKS). In order to examine the role of modalities in task performance, Unit 1 tasks focus on face-to-face interactions, whereas Unit 2 tasks require mobile-assisted text chats. Finally, students’ perceptions of pedagogical tasks, real-world tasks and their role in vocabulary learning were examined using interviews, focus group discussions and learning journals. The findings indicate that transfer was observed when learners transitioned from the classroom to the public domain sites in task performance skills. There were positive gains in vocabulary learning on VKS outcomes and delayed posttests showed retention and/or additional positive gains in VKS outcomes. Emerging themes from qualitative data added insight into learner perspectives, such as the effectiveness of performing ‘tasks’ in public, and other themes. The implications from this study suggest ways that classroom instruction can be linked to social situations, such as stores and many other contexts, for learning opportunities through TBLT