A Qualitative Study of the Perceptions of Iranian EFL Learners’ Attitudes towards CMC Tools Usefulness

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (8) ◽  
pp. 682
Author(s):  
Sanam Mehri ◽  
Siros Izadpanah
Keyword(s):  
Student Perceptions ◽  
English Language ◽  
Computer Mediated Communication ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Mediated Communication ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Before And After ◽  
E Mail ◽  
Experimental Group

This project examined the perceptions of Iranian EFL learners’ attitudes towards online computer-mediated communication tools usefulness. Few researches have been done to evaluate student perceptions of the helpfulness of CMC tools in online learning. In this regard, based on convenient sampling method, 60 English Language Teaching students (B.A) of Zanjan Azad University were selected. The students attended in two classes that were held by two different instructors. To homogenize the participants, PET was administered. Those participants whose scores was ±1 above and below the standard deviation were selected as the statistical sample (n= 60). Then, the selected participants were randomly assigned to one experimental (n= 30) and one control group (n= 30).The Community of Inquiry (CoI) questionnaire was distributed among the participants in groups before the treatment. During the study, the experimental group was taught using e-mail and telegram chat. In the control group, the learners were taught through traditional way of teaching. At the end of the treatment, the CoI questionnaire was re-administered among the learners in the both groups. Responses before and after the treatment revealed that the perceptions’ of the learners in the experimental group were significantly influenced as a result of instructing by e-mail and telegram.

scholarly journals The Effect of Using Web-Cam Chat on the Undergraduate EFL Learners᾽ Socio-Cultural Competence

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 242
Author(s):  
Ahmad Mousa Bataineh ◽  
Ahmed I. Al-Abdali
Keyword(s):  
Computer Mediated Communication ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Mediated Communication ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
English As Foreign Language ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Conversational Skills ◽  
Academic Year ◽  
Experimental Group ◽  
Year 2013

<p>This study aimed at investigating the use of web-cam chat as one of the most effective tools of<br />Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC), and measuring its effect on the sociocultural<br />competence of the English as foreign language learners. The sample of the study consisted of<br />38 undergraduate EFL learners who registered for a Conversational Skills Course at Al-alBayt<br />University during the academic year 2013-2014. However, the chosen sample of the study was<br />of two groups: Group one consisted of (20) students, which was chosen as an experimental<br />group, and group two consisted of (18) students, which was assigned as a control group. Data<br />were collected within 8 weeks and statistical analysis was prepared (T-test, one-way analysis of<br />variance, and Scheffe). To assess the effect of using web-cam chat on EFL learners<br />sociocultural competence, students in both groups sat for a written and an oral test at the<br />beginning of the second semester of the academic year 2013-2014 so as to determine their<br />actual sociocultural knowledge before starting the experiment. After 8 weeks, the same test<br />was administered as a posttest. The results of the study indicated that the experimental group<br />performed better that the control group in the sociocultural aspects of language due to the new<br />method of teaching that is Web-cam chat. The results of the study showed that the experimental<br />group acquired some sociocultural aspects rather than the others. Additionally, the findings of<br />the study revealed that the experimental group students have developed their language skills.<br />This might be due to the effect of web-cam chat through which the experimental groups'<br />students interacted a lot with native speakers of English. Accordingly, a set of<br />recommendations were provided at the end of this study.</p>

scholarly journals Improving EFL Learners’ Critical Thinking Skills in Argumentative Writing

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nabila Nejmaoui
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
English Language ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Argumentative Writing ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Short Time ◽  
Experimental Group

In the 21st century where information has become easily available and accessible, education has shifted its attention to teaching students how to process and think critically about the information they receive. Welcoming the changes that education constantly witnesses, the field of English Language Teaching (ELT) has embraced the integration of critical thinking. Accordingly, the present paper aims to explore the effect, if any, of integrating critical thinking on learners&rsquo; use of critical thinking skills in argumentative writing. To this end, an experimental study was conducted; 36 Moroccan EFL learners from the department of English were divided evenly into an experimental group and a control group. While the participants in the experimental group were taught writing with critical thinking skills, the others were taught writing with no reference to these skills. The participants in both groups took a pre-test and posttest to evaluate the development of their use of critical thinking skills in argumentative writing. The data which has been quantitatively analyzed indicates that the experimental group significantly outperformed the control group. The students&rsquo; ability to use more credible evidence, address alternative arguments, support conclusions, and maintain the logical flow of ideas in their essays did not reach a mastery level in the posttest, yet the average level they reached is reassuring in view of the short time of the training they had. An integration of CT for longer periods may bring forth encouraging outcomes.

scholarly journals The Effect of Computer-mediated Communication Tools in Online Setting on Iranian EFL Learners’ Teaching, Social and Cognitive Existence

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 978 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanam Mehri ◽  
Siros Izadpanah
Keyword(s):  
Computer Mediated Communication ◽  
Online Communication ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Mediated Communication ◽  
Communication Tools ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
Online Setting ◽  
Online Communication Tools ◽  
Experimental Group

This study was conducted to explore the effect of computer-mediated communication tools in online setting on Iranian EFL learners’ teaching, social and cognitive existence. The population of the study included 60 English Language Teaching students (B.A) of Zanjan Islamic Azad University using convenient sampling method. Experimental group included half of the participants (n=30) and other half of the participants (n=30) was assigned to control group. As a pretest, participants were asked to fill in the Community of Inquiry (CoI) questionnaire in both experimental and control groups. The learners in the experimental group were taught through electronic mail and chat and the assignments and homework were sent to the learners by E-mail. The teachers asked the learners to answer the questions and send the fulfilled assignments in the telegram group. The learners in the control group were taught conventionally. After the treatment, the questionnaire was re-administered among the learners in the both groups as posttest. The learners who received synchronous online communication tools, compared to the respondents who received no treatment, gained higher mean scores on social, teaching and cognitive presence. The findings of the present study can have implications for ESL/EFL contexts from several aspects.

scholarly journals An Experimental Study on the Innovative CDIO Method in English Language Teaching

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 15
Author(s):  
Ahmet Yusuf ◽  
Filiz Yalçin Tilfarlioğlu
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
English Language ◽  
Treatment Process ◽  
Teaching Method ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Control Group ◽  
The Mean ◽  
New Perspective ◽  
Experimental Group ◽  
Learning English

This experimental study is an attempt to bring a new perspective and a new teaching method CDIO (Conceiving, Designing, Implementing, and Operating) to the ELT field. The CDIO method was applied in the 11th grade in a private high school in Diyarbakir, Turkey. The students were subjected to a pretest before the treatment process and to a posttest after the process. The treatment procedures and materials were prepared according to the CDIO curriculum and standards. The treatment process lasted for fifteen weeks for the experimental group while the control group continued learning English without being exposed to the CDIO teaching method. Subsequently, the collected data was analyzed with the assistance of IBM SPSS Statistics 23.0 to see whether the CDIO methodology has effective results on the students’ performance or not. After the data was collected and analyzed, the results showed that the students performed better after learning English using CDIO in the rate of 14.45%, where the mean score of the pretest was 71.66 while the mean score of the posttest was 86.23. Moreover, the results exhibit that the participants’ fulfillment developed in grammar, vocabulary and reading comprehension skills. Accordingly, there is a great improvement in the students’ performance of the experimental group. Also, the outcomes show that the CDIO has played a big role in developing the students’ level and has shown a positive effect on learning English. Finally, it is expected from this research to open the door for schools and faculties of teaching English to adopt the CDIO approach and apply it in their programs.

scholarly journals English language teaching and assessment in blended learning

2014 ◽  
pp. 67-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sejdi Sejdiu
Keyword(s):  
Blended Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
The Face ◽  
Face To Face Instruction ◽  
Experimental Group

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of blended learning vis-à-vis face-to-face instruction. In order to achieve this aim, three research questions including were raised. The study was conducted using the case study approach which was supported by the collection of qualitative and quantitative data. The study involved two teachers, one who taught the experimental group using blended learning, and another one who taught the control group using face-to-face instruction. The results showed that the blended learning instructor executed instruction better and used more effective methods of assessment than the face-to-face instruction teacher. This is supported by differences in students’ performances which show that the experimental group performed better by scoring higher means and recording lower variances.

scholarly journals Effects of English Teaching with Interactive Whiteboards in the Elementary English Classrooms

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 127
Author(s):  
Ching-Ying Lin ◽  
Jo-Ting Chu
Keyword(s):  
Retention Test ◽  
English Language ◽  
Interactive Whiteboards ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Control Group ◽  
English Classrooms ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Specific Factors ◽  
Grade 3 ◽  
Experimental Group

<p><em>The purpose of the study was to probe the effectiveness of English language teaching through Interactive Whiteboards (IWBs). Three specific factors were probed: (a) the results from immediate test and retention test; (b) students’ perceptions related to the utilization of IWBs; (c) the advantages and disadvantages of the technology-supported instruction. Forty-three students from Grade 3 students in Sahes Elementary School in Taiwan were engaged in either technology-supported group or </em><em>none </em><em>technology-supported group. The results revealed that the experimental group through technology-supported instruction significantly outperformed the control group on students’ immediate test and retention test. Moreover, students’ perceptions related to the IWBs indicated that most of them </em><em>enjoying</em><em> lear</em><em>ning</em><em> English in the technology-supported classrooms. Finally, the results also showed the advantages and disadvantages through </em><em>the </em><em>IWBs instructions.</em><em> The study</em><em> </em><em>revealed</em><em> that teaching through technology was </em><em>an </em><em>effective way to help students </em><em>in </em><em>English</em><em> learning</em><em>.</em><em></em></p>

scholarly journals COMMUNICATIVE TECHNIQUES IN FORIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING IN THE FIELD OF SPORT

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 93-97
Author(s):  
Tatiana Hristakieva
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Learning Methods ◽  
Sport Practice ◽  
Basic Language ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Student’S T ◽  
Experimental Group

This article presents ideas and models for English language learning, using elements of two communicative learning methods for the specific purposes of sport practice. It is part of a pedagogical experiment, carried out with students from the National Sport Academy “V.Levski”, Sofia, organized into an experimental group (34) and a control group (34). The aim of the experiment was to study the influence of interactive techniques applied in the specialized English language course for sport terminology. The experimental course work involved using elements of different interactive learning methods to teach sport terminology to the experimental group of students for about 30-40 minutes of every academic class of 90 minutes. Initial and final tests of the basic language skills and knowledge of sports terminology were carried out with the experimental and control group of students, in order to establish their language competences before and after the experimental course. The results from the tests were processed with statistical methods – variation analysis and Student’s t-test (dependent and independent samples). The results from the initial and final tests of the two groups have shown that students from the experimental group have improved their language skills, their confidence in using the language and their knowledge of sports terms to a greater extent than the control group. Applying interactive techniques in language learning for the needs of sport specialists leads to better results in their language acquisition.

Using Mobile Instant Messaging in Teaching Vocabulary to Pre-intermediate EFL Learners: The Case of WhatsApp

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Ehsan Namaziandost ◽  
Sajad Shafiee ◽  
Ray Suryadi
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Application ◽  
English Language ◽  
Instant Messaging ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Vocabulary Test ◽  
Daily Lives ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Post Test ◽  
English Language Institute ◽  
Experimental Group

Smartphones are becoming an increasingly common part of our daily lives. Applications used in these systems are extremely varied due to their extraordinary efficiency. With respect to language teaching, the use of these technologies has opened up new doors, changing innovatively the way teachers teach and students learn. Accordingly, this study aimed to find out the impacts of using WhatsApp as a mobile instant messaging application on teaching vocabulary among pre-intermediate EFL learners. To this end, 60 Iranian pre-intermediate EFL learners were selected from a private English Language Institute. Then, they were randomly assigned to two equal groups- an experimental group and a control group. They were pre-tested by a researcher-made vocabulary test.  Then, the treatment was applied to both groups. As the treatment, the control group was taught with traditional activities whereas the experimental group was taught with the use of mobile application (WhatsApp). At the end of the instruction, a researcher-made vocabulary post-test was administered. The results of independent samples t-test and one-way ANCOVA indicated that the experimental group had better performance on the post-test compared to control group revealing the usefulness of the mobile application utilized in this study on learning vocabulary.

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