Developing Interaction Via CMC: A Developing Interaction Via CMC: A Case Study of Chinese Students’ Case Study of Chinese Students’ Discourse On Bulletin Board Discourse On Bulletin Board SystemSystem

JIANG YaoyiJIANG YaoyiBeijing Forestry UniversityBeijing Forestry University

OverviewOverview

1. 1. Why are they ‘Why are they ‘reticentreticent’?’? 2. Why CMC may help?2. Why CMC may help? 3. How do they interact in CMC?3. How do they interact in CMC? 4. Reticence or Active interaction? And 4. Reticence or Active interaction? And

why?why?

1. Why are we silent?1. Why are we silent?

1.1 Cultural Attributes1.1 Cultural Attributes

FaceFace ModestyModesty Teachers’ HierarchyTeachers’ Hierarchy

1.2 Teaching Process in China1.2 Teaching Process in China

Large amount of information to be Large amount of information to be conveyedconveyed

Limited class hours Limited class hours Big classBig class Teacher-centredTeacher-centred

1.3 Non-Authentic tasks1.3 Non-Authentic tasks

in a traditional EFL classroom: in a traditional EFL classroom:

The questions and activities—— The questions and activities—— purposeless and non-authenticpurposeless and non-authentic

1.4 Anxiety about English Language1.4 Anxiety about English Language

The Chinese students feel The Chinese students feel embarrassedembarrassed to volunteers for fear of making mistakes.to volunteers for fear of making mistakes.

They are They are nervousnervous if the teacher asks a if the teacher asks a question that they do not know.question that they do not know.

They feel They feel uneasyuneasy if they fail to express if they fail to express themselves or if they feel that their themselves or if they feel that their classmates’ English is better.classmates’ English is better.

(Liu, 1989)(Liu, 1989)

1.5 Expectations of Good Students1.5 Expectations of Good Students

A good studentA good student % of respondents% of respondents

is is hardhard workingworking

pays attention to the teacherpays attention to the teacher

co-operates with the teacherco-operates with the teacher

asks questionsasks questions

43.0%43.0%

15.5%15.5%

11.8%11.8%

6.6%6.6%

(N=135) (partly quoted from Cortazzi and Jin, 1996: 189)

2. Why CMC may help?2. Why CMC may help?

CMC may give a voice to students who CMC may give a voice to students who are usually silent in traditional classrooms are usually silent in traditional classrooms (Colomb and Simutis, 1996:208) and may (Colomb and Simutis, 1996:208) and may lead to more student-initiated interaction lead to more student-initiated interaction (Gonz(González-Buena, 1998ález-Buena, 1998))

2.1 Technical Conveniences2.1 Technical Conveniences

Increase the richness and diversity of Increase the richness and diversity of informationinformation

Flexibility of time and spaceFlexibility of time and space Information conveyed over long distanceInformation conveyed over long distance Text-basedText-based

2.2 Collaboration2.2 Collaboration

Key features of online learning are Key features of online learning are cooperation and collaboration (Salmon, cooperation and collaboration (Salmon, 1998)1998)

voluntary contributionvoluntary contribution

2.3 Social dynamics2.3 Social dynamics

Social factorsSocial factors

Li (2000): Li (2000):

The tasks with audiences---active interactionThe tasks with audiences---active interaction

The tasks without audiences--- less The tasks without audiences--- less interactioninteraction

2.4 Task Authenticity2.4 Task Authenticity

CMC tasks:CMC tasks: more conversational and informalmore conversational and informal goal-oriented with communicative purposegoal-oriented with communicative purpose assist the development of individuation. assist the development of individuation.

E.g. :-)E.g. :-) － － , :-(, :-( － －

2.5 Lower Anxiety2.5 Lower Anxiety

Anonymity --- Less face-threatening & Anonymity --- Less face-threatening & safer writing environment than a safer writing environment than a classroom classroom

Text-base --- permanent record for Text-base --- permanent record for revisionrevision

Time-independent CMC --- more time to Time-independent CMC --- more time to organize the discourseorganize the discourse

2.6 Equality2.6 Equality

CMC:CMC:

“ “a means to share the teacher’s authority” a means to share the teacher’s authority” (Colomb and Simutis, 1996: 211)(Colomb and Simutis, 1996: 211)

Face & ModestyFace & Modesty

Asking questions Asking questions is not importantis not important

AnxietyAnxiety

Non-AuthenticNon-Authentic taskstasks

Large amount of Large amount of informationinformation

& Limited class hours& Limited class hours Big classBig class

Teachers’Teachers’ HierarchyHierarchy

Anonymity

Technical Conveniences

Equality

Social dynamics

Task Authenticity

Voluntary contribution

Lower Anxiety

A Chinese EFL classroom

A CMC EFL environment

Hypotheses

3. Methodology3. Methodology

MediumMedium: A BBS named : A BBS named English English OnlineOnline (EO for short) (EO for short)

Voluntary and anonymous Voluntary and anonymous participation participation

‘‘Question & Answer’ time on every Question & Answer’ time on every Wednesday afternoonWednesday afternoon

2003-11-31 04:25 PM 2003-11-31 04:25 PM

TONGUE TWISTER TONGUE TWISTER I'd drive five miles on Friday night to see a fight that I like. I'd drive five miles on Friday night to see a fight that I like. 　　　　　星期五晚上我要开车五公里去看我喜欢的一场搏斗。　　　　　星期五晚上我要开车五公里去看我喜欢的一场搏斗。 You know I know that you know. I know that you know that I You know I know that you know. I know that you know that I know. know. 　　　　　你知道我知道你知道。我知道你知道我知道。 　　　　　你知道我知道你知道。我知道你知道我知道。 A fat man sat on a black cat and the black cat was squashed A fat man sat on a black cat and the black cat was squashed flat, for the man was mad. flat, for the man was mad. 　　　　　一个胖子坐在一只黑猫身上，这只黑猫被压扁了，　　　　　一个胖子坐在一只黑猫身上，这只黑猫被压扁了，因为这个人发疯了。 因为这个人发疯了。 Farmer Barnes goes to market in a car, and drives many a Farmer Barnes goes to market in a car, and drives many a hard bargain buying and selling calves. hard bargain buying and selling calves. 　　　　　农民巴恩斯坐车去集市上为了买卖小牛而讨价还价，　　　　　农民巴恩斯坐车去集市上为了买卖小牛而讨价还价，费尽口舌。 费尽口舌。 To run and play under the sun is fun. When your work is To run and play under the sun is fun. When your work is done, come out in the sun and have some fun. done, come out in the sun and have some fun. 在阳光下追逐在阳光下追逐嬉戏非常有趣。当你的工作完成后就赶快到阳光下尽情地玩儿 嬉戏非常有趣。当你的工作完成后就赶快到阳光下尽情地玩儿

Catty2000 Catty2000 (author’s (author’s name)name)　　　　　　　　超级菜包子超级菜包子(Super Pie)(Super Pie)

发帖数发帖数 : 80: 80

(messages (messages posted)posted)

注册时间注册时间time of time of registrationregistration ）：）： 30033003 －－ 1010 －－3131

The interface of message page of EO

Period: Ten weeks from Oct 21 to Dec 30, Period: Ten weeks from Oct 21 to Dec 30, 20032003

Subject: Students (around 5000) in Subject: Students (around 5000) in NEUSoft Institute of Information NEUSoft Institute of Information TechnologyTechnology

Research question: How do the Chinese Research question: How do the Chinese students make interaction in a CMC EFL students make interaction in a CMC EFL learning environment? If reticence is learning environment? If reticence is found, why?found, why?

4. Active interaction or 4. Active interaction or reticence?reticence?

DataData: a. everyday discourse was recorded : a. everyday discourse was recorded and coded.and coded.

b. 11 students, including 3 non-b. 11 students, including 3 non-participants, were interviewedparticipants, were interviewed

4.1 Active Interaction4.1 Active Interaction

topic messages:153topic messages:153

976 messages 976 messages

responding messages: 823responding messages: 823

Number of TopicsNumber of Topics 1010 8989 4040 1515 66 33

Number of Responding Number of Responding MessagesMessages

00 1-51-5 6-6-1010

11-11-1515

16-16-2020

12-12-2626

Student-initiated: 112

Teacher- initiated: 41

Model 1: S TModel 1: S T Model 2: S S T Model 2: S S T Model 3: S T S Model 3: S T S Model 4: S S T S SModel 4: S S T S S Model 5: S SModel 5: S S Model 6: S/T (topic 1) S (topic 2)Model 6: S/T (topic 1) S (topic 2)

Level of InteractionLevel of Interaction

Focus of CommunicationFocus of Communication

351

591

31

3

34

Soci alcommuni cati on

EFL l earni ng

BBs bul i di ng

Off -topi cmessage

Proportion of different category of EO messages

Number of EFL dialogues and social conversations Number of EFL dialogues and social conversations in ten weeksin ten weeks

3

51

83 74

28

72 66 57

108

49

16 24

6779

11

45 3650

39

140

20406080

100120

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10Refl ect i ve di al ogueSoci al Conversat i on

4.2 Reticence4.2 Reticence

Total number of students: around 5000 Total number of students: around 5000

Total number of students that registered Total number of students that registered on EO: 1134on EO: 1134

Total number of hits: 9078Total number of hits: 9078

Total number of messages: 976Total number of messages: 976

5. Reasons for reticence on EO5. Reasons for reticence on EO1) Anxiety and Face problem still exist.1) Anxiety and Face problem still exist.2) Unsatisfactory writing feedback2) Unsatisfactory writing feedback3) Learners’ need3) Learners’ need4) Quality of English language 4) Quality of English language 5) Lost in the learner-centred EO5) Lost in the learner-centred EO6) Teacher’s role. 6) Teacher’s role. a. changeable Q&A timea. changeable Q&A time b. late feedbackb. late feedback c. limited coverage of contentc. limited coverage of content

6. New findings6. New findings The use of images was helpful to express The use of images was helpful to express

feelings more directly, in particular for those feelings more directly, in particular for those who are shy and don’t say much in real life.who are shy and don’t say much in real life.

EO has shorten the distance and develop EO has shorten the distance and develop the friendship between the teachers and the the friendship between the teachers and the studentsstudents

‘‘Super Pie’ is regarded as a figure of Super Pie’ is regarded as a figure of authorityauthority

Keeping silent on EO is selfishKeeping silent on EO is selfish

7. Implications7. Implications

Feedback: timely and help; in more detailsFeedback: timely and help; in more details More authentic learning materialMore authentic learning material More instruction given to participantsMore instruction given to participants Schooling managementSchooling management All the learners’ needAll the learners’ need Quality of target languageQuality of target language