scholarly journals Facebook as a Virtual Learning Space to Connect Multiple Language Classrooms

2015 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 44-69
Author(s):  
Paul L. Sebastian ◽  
Rob A. Martinsen
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Learning ◽  
Learning Spaces ◽  
Student Interactions ◽  
Learning Space ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Language Classes ◽  
Language Classrooms ◽  
Project Data ◽  
The University ◽  
Student Reports

This study examined the potential of the Facebook group utility inassisting 54 university Spanish students and pre-service Spanishteachers as they explored their roles as teachers and learners.Participants represented two Spanish language classes and twoSpanish teaching methods classes at the university level. These classeswere combined into a Facebook group and student interactions wererecorded. A qualitative case study was used to frame the 12 weekresearch project. Data were collected from the Facebook group wall,weekly student reports, and a final optional survey (n = 42). Resultswere organized with respect to how participants used the Facebookgroup, how the virtual and physical learning spaces were connected,benefits of participation as perceived by the students, and genuinenessof student contributions. Recommendations are offered for thoseconsidering the implementation of similar virtual learning spaces asextensions of face-to-face foreign language or teacher trainingclassrooms.

The DE Hub Virtual Learning Space

2012 ◽  
pp. 136-146
Author(s):  
Nathan Wise ◽  
Belinda Tynan
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Online Social Network ◽  
Virtual Learning ◽  
Virtual Space ◽  
Knowledge Dissemination ◽  
Learning Spaces ◽  
Learning Space ◽  
Space Design ◽  
Education Hub ◽  
Simultaneous Process

Our concept of ‘virtual learning spaces’ is changing, as are the practices that are adopted within these spaces. To understand these changes, this chapter will provide an exploration of the conceptualisation and creation of an interactive, online, social network community of practice. The case that will be used is based around the Distance Education Hub (DE Hub) which is both virtual and physical. DE Hub is in the simultaneous process of constructing and facilitating a virtual space to support and encourage both knowledge dissemination and knowledge creation. The DE Hub space focuses on learning as a cooperative, constructive, and dynamic process involving engaged communities of scholars, learners and practitioners. It will tackle the question of why this virtual learning space is defined as a niche social network and how this impacts on the conceptualisation and consequent development of virtual spaces — in this instance, co-development by the community. Finally, it will demonstrate through this analysis how changing concepts of ‘virtual learning spaces’ are put into practice through ‘virtual space’ design and development for creating and supporting niche social networks.

scholarly journals Using virtual and physical learning spaces to develop a successful mathematical learning community, both for on-site and distance provision

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-36
Author(s):  
Belinda Huntley ◽  
Andrew Middleton ◽  
Jeff Waldock
Keyword(s):  
Academic Success ◽  
Learning Community ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Learning Spaces ◽  
Learning Space ◽  
Mathematical Learning ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Student Belonging ◽  
Effective Use ◽  
Physical Spaces

This paper considers learning space and its relationship to student belonging and becoming. Student engagement, satisfaction and academic success are outcomes of a supportive learning community which can flourish in a culture of expectation and behaviour created by providing suitable support structures and by considering the effective use of physical and virtual learning spaces. We describe our innovative use of discipline-specific virtual and physical spaces to develop successful mathematical learning communities, in both a UK university where activities are principally face-to-face, and at a South African university where they are mainly virtual. By comparing our practices and spaces, we explore the ‘equivalence of place’ and the roles of academic staff in fostering the development of professional learner identities through each context. Based on evidence from our respective practices, we make recommendations for designing new learning spaces and for making effective use of existing learning spaces. Although this study focuses on mathematics, many of these suggestions can benefit all disciplines.

scholarly journals Room 101: A Movement towards Social Learning Spaces? A Survey of SAC Managers in UK Higher Education

2015 ◽  
pp. 124-137
Author(s):  
Michael Allhouse
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Social Learning ◽  
Mobile Devices ◽  
Learning Spaces ◽  
Learning Space ◽  
Physical Resources ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The University ◽  
Uk Higher Education ◽  
Valuable Role

As more and more self-access facilities face up to the challenge of shrinking budgets and responding to the ubiquity of mobile devices for learning, Michael Allhouse’s column examining the movement towards social learning that has taken place at the University of Bradford reminds us that such centres have a valuable role beyond providing access to physical resources. In this final instalment of his three-part series, Allhouse examines the provision of self-access in UK Higher Education, in order to determine to what extent Room 101’s journey towards becoming a social learning space is reflected in other centres around the country. By widening the scope of his research to examine not only the attitudes of learners at his own centre, but also wider trends across the UK, he reveals a diverse picture of self-access, and one in which social learning plays a vital and growing role.

Pair interactions and mode of communication

2010 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 27.1-27.24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lan Liana Tan ◽  
Gillian Wigglesworth ◽  
Neomy Storch
Keyword(s):  
Small Groups ◽  
Computer Mediated Communication ◽  
Pair Interaction ◽  
Mediated Communication ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
Language Classes ◽  
Language Classrooms ◽  
On Line ◽  
Expert Novice

In today’s second language classrooms, students are often asked to work in pairs or small groups. Such collaboration can take place face-to-face, but now more often via computer mediated communication. This paper reports on a study which investigated the effect of the medium of communication on the nature of pair interaction. The study involved six pairs of beginner participants in a Chinese class completing seven different tasks. Each task was completed twice, once face to face (FTF), and once via computer mediated communication (CMC). All pair talk was audio recorded, and on-line communication was logged. Using Storch’s (2002) model of patterns of pair interaction, five patterns were identified: collaborative, cooperative, dominant/dominant, dominant/passive and expert/novice. The medium of communication was found to affect the pattern of interaction. In CMC some pairs became more collaborative, or cooperative. The implications of these findings for language teaching, particularly for the use of CMC in language classes, are discussed.

The Role of Institutions in Creating Student-Focused Virtual Learning Spaces with ePortfolio Systems

2012 ◽  
pp. 119-135
Author(s):  
Eva Heinrich ◽  
Yuliya Bozhko
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Lifelong Learning ◽  
Virtual Learning ◽  
Practical Experience ◽  
Learning Spaces ◽  
Learning Space ◽  
Web 2.0 Tools ◽  
The World ◽  
Research Findings

In this chapter, we explore the currently dominant virtual learning spaces employed in institutions of higher education and contrast them with the virtual social spaces provided by Web 2.0 tools. Guided by the increasing focus on lifelong learning skills in the world of work and in higher education, we identify the gap that exists between institutional and social virtual spaces. We argue for filling this gap by providing access to institutional e-Portfolio systems to students in higher education, giving students an institutionally supported student-focused virtual learning space. By examining the perspectives of stakeholders involved in higher education, we identify challenges inherent in the adoption of institutional e-Portfolio systems and make recommendations for overcoming these based on practical experience and research findings.

Student Mentors in Physical and Virtual Learning Spaces

2014 ◽  
pp. 1109-1125
Author(s):  
Keith Kirkwood ◽  
Gill Best ◽  
Robin McCormack ◽  
Dan Tout
Keyword(s):  
Learning Communities ◽  
Peer Learning ◽  
Virtual Learning ◽  
Learning Support ◽  
Peer Mentors ◽  
Learning Spaces ◽  
Learning Space ◽  
Human Element ◽  
Operational Design ◽  
Student Mentors

This chapter explores the human element in the learning space through the notion that once a learning space is inhabited, it becomes a learning place of agency, purpose and community involving both staff and students. The School of Languages and Learning at Victoria University in Melbourne has initiated a multifaceted peer learning support strategy, ‘Students Supporting Student Learning' (SSSL), involving the deployment of student peer mentors into various physical and virtual learning spaces. The chapter discusses the dynamics of peer learning across these learning space settings and the challenges involved in instituting the shift from teacher- to learning-centred pedagogies within such spaces. Both physical and virtual dimensions are considered, with the SNAPVU Platform introduced as a strategy for facilitating virtual learning communities of practice in which staff, mentors, and students will be able to engage in mutual learning support. The chapter concludes with calls for the explicit inclusion of peer learning in the operational design of learning spaces.

Supporting Electronic Collaborative Experiences at Universities Based on Learning Spaces and LAMS

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sofia Th. Papadimitriou ◽  
Spyros Papadakis ◽  
Antonis Emm. Lionarakis
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Learning Technologies ◽  
Learning Theories ◽  
Learning Spaces ◽  
Learning Sequence ◽  
Learning Space ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Modern Learning

The development of networks and web based environments combined with modern learning theories compose the new area of Learning Spaces aiming at enhancing interactive processes between educators, the Net generation's learners and the educational content. Collaboration at a distance (e-collaboration) supported by advanced learning technologies is today feasible and effective at a large scale opening up new perspectives in higher education. The paper presents a case study at the Hellenic Open University regarding the development of a learning sequence aimed at achieving high degrees of interactions among students, students and educators, and also at guiding them between face-to-face meetings when they prepare an essay. The Learning Space of the case study is realized by authoring sequences of learning activities using an LMS LAMS. Extending the case study, a methodology is illustrated to author collaborative sequences using LMS addressing to Open Universities in particular and also to conventional Universities in general.

Building a Model for Online Distance Courses through Social Media and Networks

2014 ◽  
pp. 71-88
Author(s):  
Ed Dixon
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Learning Spaces ◽  
Student Interactions ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
The Face ◽  
Online Distance ◽  
Language Teaching And Learning

This chapter describes the affordances of social media and networks for online Elementary German courses that have been taught at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) since 2010. These online courses were created to provide students the opportunity to take Elementary German as part of the language requirement or Penn credit during the summer months when students are away from campus. Like their face-to-face counterparts, the online courses are grounded on the principles of communicative language teaching and learning but clearly reveal the potential of these principles to maximize participation, promote learner autonomy, and influence learning outcomes when applied to collaborative online learning spaces. This chapter illustrates the pedagogical principles behind the online courses, outlines their relationship to the face-to-face language classroom, and describes how student interactions are key to the learning process in the online class. It considers the importance of electronic and digital literacy (Warschauer, 2006) to the growth of new approaches, materials development, assessment, articulation, intercultural pragmatic competence, and linguistic progress. This chapter also compares the instructor’s experiences of teaching in the online environment with those of the face-to-face classroom and discusses how these distinct and separate learning spaces are in many ways related and can inform each other. Finally, the author discusses potential implications for future language teaching and learning through emerging technologies.

Student Mentors in Physical and Virtual Learning Spaces

2012 ◽  
pp. 278-294 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith Kirkwood ◽  
Gill Best ◽  
Robin McCormack ◽  
Dan Tout
Keyword(s):  
Learning Communities ◽  
Peer Learning ◽  
Virtual Learning ◽  
Learning Support ◽  
Peer Mentors ◽  
Learning Spaces ◽  
Learning Space ◽  
Human Element ◽  
Operational Design ◽  
Student Mentors

This chapter explores the human element in the learning space through the notion that once a learning space is inhabited, it becomes a learning place of agency, purpose and community involving both staff and students. The School of Languages and Learning at Victoria University in Melbourne has initiated a multifaceted peer learning support strategy, ‘Students Supporting Student Learning’ (SSSL), involving the deployment of student peer mentors into various physical and virtual learning spaces. The chapter discusses the dynamics of peer learning across these learning space settings and the challenges involved in instituting the shift from teacher- to learning-centred pedagogies within such spaces. Both physical and virtual dimensions are considered, with the SNAPVU Platform introduced as a strategy for facilitating virtual learning communities of practice in which staff, mentors, and students will be able to engage in mutual learning support. The chapter concludes with calls for the explicit inclusion of peer learning in the operational design of learning spaces.

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