Is This a Real Person? A Tutor's Response to Navigating Identity in the Spaces of a Synchronous Electronic Writing Center

2011 ◽  
pp. 231-260
Author(s):  
Amy Lee Locklear
Keyword(s):  
Writing Center ◽  
Pedagogical Issues ◽  
Tutor Training ◽  
Online Identity ◽  
Online Writing ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Electronic Writing ◽  
Real Person ◽  
Identity Perception ◽  
Synchronous Online

This chapter explores some of the theoretical and pedagogical issues that emerged from a study of identity, collaboration, and discourse methods in synchronous online writing center tutoring. Based on a newly introduced online component of an established university writing center, the premise of this study was to advance tutor training in the context of transferring traditional face-to-face (F2F) methodology to a synchronous terminal-to-terminal environment in a way that effectively preserved the integrity of dialogic collaboration. What emerged became a study of the rhetoric of face and space, in which an understanding of the complexities of online identity perception and projection becomes key to adapting existing F2F tutoring methods to online space in a way that promotes pedagogically sound discourse and learning.

scholarly journals E-Classroom Interactional Competencies: Mediating and Assisting Language Learning During Synchronous Online Lessons

RELC Journal ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 003368822098527
Author(s):  
Benjamin Luke Moorhouse ◽  
Yanna Li ◽  
Steve Walsh
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
English Language ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Online Environment ◽  
Management Competencies ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
English Language Teachers ◽  
Synchronous Online

Interaction is seen by many English language teachers and scholars as an essential part of face-to-face English language classrooms. Teachers require specific competencies to effectively use interaction as a tool for mediating and assisting learning. These can be referred to as classroom interactional competence (CIC). However, the situation created by the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic which began in early 2020, and the recent advancement in technologies have led to teachers conducting synchronous online lessons through video-conferencing software. The online environment is distinctly different from the face-to-face classroom and teachers require new and additional skills to effectively utilise interaction online in real time. This exploratory study used an online mixed-method survey of 75 university level English language teachers who had engaged in synchronous online teaching due to COVID-19, to explore the competencies that teachers need to use interaction as a tool to mediate and assist language learning in synchronous online lessons. Teachers were found to require three competencies, in addition to their CIC – technological competencies, online environment management competencies, and online teacher interactional competencies – which together constitute e-CIC. The findings provide greater insights into the needs of teachers required to teach synchronously online and will be of interest to teachers and teacher educators.

scholarly journals THE INFLUENCE OF PERSONALITY AND LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY ON ESL LEARNERS' WORD CONTRIBUTIONS IN FACE-TO-FACE AND SYNCHRONOUS ONLINE FORUMS

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 199-221
Author(s):  
Shin Yi Chew ◽  
Lee Luan Ng
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Online Discussions ◽  
Online Forums ◽  
School Students ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Esl Learners ◽  
Synchronous Online

Background and Purpose: Recent technological advancements and Covid-19 pandemic have prompted more opportunities for online learning. However, there is a dearth of empirical research that is focused on high school students. Therefore, this study aims to obtain a more comprehensive view of ESL learners’ involvement or word contributions in a ‘normal’ face-to-face situation and in a synchronous online text-based environment by relating it to their personality and language proficiency.   Methodology: In this study, a quasi-experiment was carried out over four weeks. It involved eight sessions of face-to-face and online discussions with 48 Malaysian high school students who were divided into two matched-sample groups. The participants' feedback was used to support and provide insights on the findings. The quantitative data were analysed using using IBM SPSS statistics 26 software while the participants’ responses to the online feedback session were analysed using open coding and axial coding strategies.   Findings: Statistically significant difference was found in learners’ word contributions during face-to-face and online discussions. Apart from the extroverts with high-intermediate language proficiency, the other groups of learners who are either introverts or having lower level language proficiency were found to produce significantly more words in synchronous online text-based discussions. The non-face-to-face context of online forums might have lowered the learners’ level of anxiety and increased their confidence to interact with their peers. Contributions: Learners’ personalities and language proficiency levels should be considered when choosing a discussion setting and when facilitating discussion activities. More support should be provided for the less proficient or introverted learners to express themselves in a face-to-face discussion.     Keywords: Personality, Language proficiency, Computer-mediated communication, Synchronous text-based online discussions, Word contributions   Cite as: Chew, S. Y., & Ng, L. L. (2021). The influence of personality and language proficiency on ESL learners' word contributions in face-to-face and synchronous online forums. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 6(1), 199-221. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol6iss1pp199-221

Use of Computer Technology for Writing Consultations

2014 ◽  
pp. 257-275
Author(s):  
Cynthia Lee
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Computer Technology ◽  
Professional Knowledge ◽  
Platform Design ◽  
Online Writing ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
English Writing

This chapter investigates the use of computer technology for writing consultations from the tutors' perspective. Tutors' opinions of the hybrid (i.e., a combination of face-to-face and virtual consultations) and the virtual consultation modes in an English writing enhancement service in a university in Hong Kong were collected. Questionnaires were administered to 10 tutors who had used the two consultation modes. It was found that the majority of the tutors were in favor of the two modes, and that they appreciated the benefits of online writing consultations and the text-only consultation platform design. However, they also expressed reservations about replacing the traditional face-to-face writing consultations with computers, because they could not see much increase in tutee-tutor interactions via the two consultation modes. In light of their opinions, recommendations are made to improve the text-only consultation platform and to develop tutors' professional knowledge and pedagogies for online writing consultations.

Learning to Teach Online

2016 ◽  
pp. 2092-2113
Author(s):  
Christina M. Tschida ◽  
Elizabeth M. Hodge ◽  
Steven W. Schmidt
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Distance Education ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Rapid Expansion ◽  
Pedagogical Issues ◽  
State University ◽  
Faculty Professional Development ◽  
Course Content ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Institutions Of Higher Learning

The rapid expansion of distance education in higher education has left a high demand for faculty willing to design and teach online courses, often with little or no training. The path from face-to-face to online courses is not an easy one and can be filled with frustration and doubt for many faculty. Professional development often focuses on technology tools rather than pedagogical issues of online learning or course content. This chapter focuses on research that examines the experience of several faculty from the college of education at a state university in the Southeast United States, as they learned to teach online. It presents their negotiations of issues of online platform and pedagogy and their efforts to find professional development to meet their needs. The implications for institutions of higher learning are important as distance education continues to increase and more and more faculty are asked (or told) to transfer their courses online.

Questioning Prompts to Examine Blended PK-20 Learning Environments

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-20
Author(s):  
Neal Shambaugh
Keyword(s):  
Public School ◽  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Graduate Programs ◽  
Instructional Delivery ◽  
Academic Program ◽  
Pedagogical Issues ◽  
Blended Instruction ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Use Of Technology ◽  
Learner Differences

The decision to deliver a course or an academic program must address issues of learning outcomes and curriculum, what is to be taught along with choices of pedagogy or how the content is taught, as well as face-to-face or online delivery. The question of whether or not online or blended instruction is more effective than face to face teaching is not about the delivery decision but about curriculum and pedagogical issues. A set of questioning prompts, organized by public school and undergraduate/graduate programs, help educators systematically think through issues of learner differences, learning outcomes, teaching options, including the use of technology and instructional delivery approaches. Best practices are organized by public school and undergraduate/graduate programs. Research questions are suggested.

scholarly journals Using Breakout Rooms in Synchronous Online Tutorials

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathy Chandler
Keyword(s):  
Small Scale ◽  
Building Relationships ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Online Tutorial ◽  
Online Tutorials ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Interaction Interaction ◽  
Student Skill ◽  
Rare Opportunity ◽  
Synchronous Online

This paper describes a small-scale, practitioner-led study of the use of breakout rooms for small group work in synchronous online tutorials using the Blackboard Collaborate tool. The project draws on the writer’s own experience of using breakout rooms in online tutorials over a period of 10 months, both as a tutor of two health and social care undergraduate modules and as a student of modules in a different faculty. It also draws on the experience of tutor colleagues. The project identifies three main benefits of using breakout rooms. Firstly, they are a useful tool for facilitating collaborative learning and interaction. Interaction takes on particular significance in online tutorials. In a face-to-face session the tutor can see if a student’s attention has wandered and gauge their response to the session. In contrast, a student can log into an online tutorial room and appear to be fully engaged with a lecture style session, whilst actually doing many other things and learning little. Interaction in an online tutorial also provides students learning at a distance with a rare opportunity for peer-to-peer contact, which can be invaluable in building relationships and confidence. Further benefits are identified in terms of empowering students to contribute to the session plan and content and also giving the tutor a break from presenting. Perceived barriers to breakout room use are identified around technical difficulties, small numbers of students and in terms of student skill and confidence. The only significant actual barrier to breakout room use identified relates to tutor skill and confidence.

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