blended learning iscar rome 2011

ISCAR Rome 2011

Angelita Quevedo / Adolfo Tanzi NetoCEAD/ PUCSP/ TEED

Blended Learning Implementation Challenges in the Languages

Undergraduate Course on the Grounds of the Activity Theory

PresentationStructure

INTRODUCTION

RESEARCH SETTINGS

METHODOLOGICAL PROCEDURES

FINDINGS

CONSIDERATIONS

Work School Entertaining

Information and Communication technologies

Research and social relations

Challenge of appropriating new cultural and material tools

New forms of

Building knowledge

Living and acting in

virtual communities

Thinking and understanding

the world

Solving problems and searching for information

2007- today :B-learning Research based on AT

Objectives:

To investigate the

contradictions in the activity of implementing

blended-learning

disciplines from the point of view

of the student.

To analyze the virtual language

learning students’ profile

as far as the competences

and skills needed for learning in

digital environments.

To identify the most frequent

contradictions in the activity system and

suggest improvements that could be

implemented in the system in

focus.

To suggest improvements that could be

implemented in the system in

focus.

Participants

96 first-year Languages Undergraduate students enrolled in the discipline: Digital Technologies, distributed in 5 digital classes

Morning group: 41

Evening group: 55

Research Activity System

Data collection based on

Written messages posted in

Forum: Expectations [FE]

Forum: Help [FH]

Forum: Small Talk [FST]

1. Have you ever done a distant course before? Have you ever studied with the help of Internet? How was your experience?

2. What are your expectations to this discipline? What are your worries?

Data collection based on

Assessment given by the teachers:

Tasks

Participation in 3 forums

Group work

Final test

Analysis procedures

Contradictions found in the activity system

Focus on Primary and Secondary [most frequent ones]

Semantic Content analysis made on the students’ messages

Students’ performance assessed by their teachers throughout the discipline

Contradictions found in the activity system

Primary Secondary

Low personal value to distant courses X social demand value

Tools: Learning Virtual Environment [Moodle]/ computers

Communication between teacher-student

Rules: tasks [delivery schedule, correction, grades]; amount of time spent to study

Primary Contradiction

Students think distant learning is not to be seen as serious learning

Evening group: age, social-economic status, computer literacy, Internet skills

Morning group: internet focus shift – entertainment to study.

Morning group [41 students] Evening group [55 students]

47% 32% Less computer-literate

Secondary Contradictions

Subject-tools Computer to entertain X to study

Level of computer literacy and Internet skills

Course design

VLE Interface

Subject-Labor division Communication [teacher-students]: students felt

teachers’ communication could be more frequent

Subject-Rules Amount of time required to study

Students’ profiles/ attitudes towards B-learning

Initial profile definitionInitial profile definition

Open

Semi-Open

Closed

Open

Semi-Open

Closed

Students’ profile/ attitudesOpenPositive adjectives and expressions towards Distant Learning [DL]

“...foruns are really helpful to make people at ease, because Ihardly speak in class. I write a loooooooottttt in forunsHahahahahahahaha. Sorry for my long texts.”

“the most interesting aspect of distant courses is that due tothe fast technology development we can really have accessto content from anywhere !”

Semi-OpenWords and expressions that show some restrictions to DL

“ I still wonder how personal interaction will be during the course...”“I believed that this kind of course [distant course] wouldn’t be worthwhile.”

ClosedNegativeadjectives and expressions towards DL

“I believe that distant courses can never substitute traditionalclasses.”“Distant learning doesn’t contribute to teacher-student relationship. Teacher-student relationship is cold and distant. Don’t tell me that the teacher communicates more … a contact made via machine is not a real contact….”

41%

47%

12%

Evening group – teacher C

Aberto

Semi-aberto

Fechado

53%

26%

21%

Aberto Semi-aberto

Fechado

Evening group – teacher D

35%

55%

10%

Evening group – teacher E

Aberto

Semi-aberto

Fechado

OpenSemi-openClosed

Open

Closed

Semi-open

Open

Semi-open

Closed

Profile/attitude influence throughout the course

1st. Webquest 1st. Test Final Test Participation Final Grade

Closed attitude – student overcomes negative attitude and passes the discipline

Module 1 Module 2 1st. Test Module 3 Module 4 Final Grade

Semi-open: helped by community to overcome fear and insecurity felt at the beginning

1st. Webquest 1st. Test Final Test Participation Final Grade

Open attitude: difficulties with VLE and computers – helped by community

Module 1 Module 2 1st. Test Module 3 Module 4 Final Grade

Some considerations

Importance of the virtual learning community

Interaction among its members

Help to overcome difficulties

Element of transformation [students’ initial attitudes towards B-learning]

Importance of the course design adopted

Language instructions

Resources used [Agenda, forums, chat, etc.]

Teacher’s mediation skills

Thanks!angelita.quevedo@pucsp.brprofessor.tanzi@gmail.com