Strategies to Enhance Student Outcomes in Virtual Learning

Environments

Teresa MacKinnonSenior Tutor: e-learning

Language Centre

Language Centre: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/languagecentre/

Language Centre Experience of using Blackboard Collaborate

• 1500 students per year• 8 languages for academic credit• Increasing importance of oral/aural skills

contributing 15-20% each to summative total• 2-3 hours contact time a week

Addressing the needs of language learners

• Limited contact time• Expressed need for consolidation and practice• Tailored language for individuals• Creation of engaging opportunities for listening

and speaking• Increasing need for interaction

“Weaknesses in foreign language skills have been exacerbated since the requirement to take a language at GCSE level was ended in 2004, 76% of employers are not satisfied with the level of these skills among young people.”

CBI Education and Skills Survey 2011

Our challenges

• 27% of businesses say they have no need for foreign language skills

• Important in manufacturing, banking, finance, insurance reflecting the globalisation of these sectors

• The greatest demand (21%) of these skills is in building relationships overseas

• Core European languages are still most in demand from employersFrench (61%), German (52%) and Spanish (40%), Polish

(29%) and Mandarin (23%)

Languages in today’s market

“In a statistical sense, we may one day communicate with each other far more through computer mediation than in direct interaction.” Crystal, 2001

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voiceboards

voice email generators

voice presentations

podcaster

Voice Tools: Usage data Sept ‘08 – May ‘11

Number of resources Total number of messages

Voice Boards 60 622

Voice Authoring recordings

10 552

Voice E-Mails 13 6

Total 83 1180

Popularity of voice tools

•Blackboard IM Accounts Total Users: 118; Total Instructors: 9 •Blackboard IM-Enabled Courses Total Number of Blackboard IM-Enabled Courses: 69 7 with 5+ users (14%)4 with 10+ users (8%)1 with 30+ users (2%)•Blackboard IM Usage Average Number of Personal Contacts: 5 84% of users have ≥ 1 personal contact7.6% of users have ≥ 10 personal contacts2.5% of users have ≥ 30 personal contactsTotal Number of Users who Have Created a Profile: 44

Informal ad-hoc collaboration

Finding the tool for the job

Nature of communication

one to one one to manymany to

many immediate sustained

suitable for collaborative

communication

Voice email √ √

Voice board √ √ √ √

Voice podcaster √ √ √

Voice direct √ √ √ √

Voice presentation √ √ √ √

BB EIM √ √ √ √

Online classroom √ √ √ √ √ √

Deep integration

Easy access and control

Use cases

• Japanese – recorded revision materials summarising grammatical points with voice and powerpoint using web conferencing tool

• Chinese – use of voice boards and voice authoring to increase exposure to tailored spoken language.

• French – Use of voice boards for asynchronous role play practice and voice podcaster to deliver listening materials straight to mp3 player/phone.

• German – voice boards to give pronunciation practice and feedback.

• Useful process to encourage dialogue• Community of practice• Reflective practitioners• Importance of awareness of research• Student engagement and desire for control!

Conclusions from earlier research into voice tools use

Success factors

• Find a technical and pedagogic champion/s• Connect to a community of practice (Wenger,

2000)• Be willing to use the support available and share

what you have discovered• Supply a decent headset and internet connection• Have a passion for languages in use!

Student comments• “An innovative way of learning.”• “I think it is a brilliant idea for oral practice.”• “A very impressive form of technology and very

useful.”• “I listened in and got some ideas about materials

and pronunciation of words”• “It helped with revision.”• “Matching your own articulation against the

teacher’s recording was helpful.”• “It was useful to have a chance to review the

material from classes and practice listening.”

Teresa MacKinnonSenior tutor: e-learningLanguage Centre

Language Centre site: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/languagecentre/Teaching site: http://m2.warwicklanguage.org.uk/Follow WarwickLanguage on twitter

Thank you!