Cultural and Contextual Affordances in Language MOOCs

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 48-60
Author(s):  
Carolin Fuchs
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
East Coast ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Private University ◽  
Massive Open Online Courses ◽  
Elective Course ◽  
In The Beginning

This case study explores cultural and contextual affordances in language massive open online courses (LMOOCs), especially the extent to which an LMOOC effectively promotes optimal language learning. Participants included 15 language student teachers of English as a second or foreign language in a spring technology elective course at a private university on the East Coast. Student teachers enrolled in language MOOCs and tracked and evaluated their learning process and progress through weekly logs and surveys. Data was collected from weekly reflection logs and pre- and post-surveys. Results indicate that the cultural affordances were more salient in the advanced Spanish MOOC and the Hindi MOOC, while in the beginning-level LMOOCs, contextual factors were lacking overall.

The Structural and Dialogic Aspects of Language Massive Open Online Courses (LMOOCs)

2016 ◽  
pp. 10-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolin Fuchs
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Massive Open Online Courses ◽  
Massive Open Online ◽  
Teacher Instruction ◽  
Online Language Learning ◽  
Learner’S Perspective ◽  
Structural Aspects

This case study contributes to the growing body of research on Language Massive Open Online Courses (LMOOCs) by examining their structural aspects (i.e., layout and format) and dialogic nature (i.e., interaction and negotiation) from the language learner's perspective. This exploratory study draws on data from 15 student teachers of English as a Second/Foreign Language at a private graduate institution on the East Coast of the U.S. As required by their technology elective, participants who were enrolled in a beginner-level LMOOC of their choice kept a log of their learning process/progress over a period of eight weeks. At the end of the course, they were invited to fill out a post-project questionnaire to reflect on their overall experience. The goal of the project was to educate student teachers on the pedagogical underpinnings of LMOOCs while exposing them to online language learning. In this study, the focus was primarily on self-reported system interaction and profile data since the Author was not involved in the design of any of the LMOOCs. Data collection instruments included a needs analysis, weekly LMOOC logs, and a post-LMOOC questionnaire. According to the questionnaire results, student-teachers' motivation was “satisfactory,” and only four out of 15 student teachers completed their LMOOCs. Results further showed that structural aspects (i.e., content, materials, and procedures) rank higher than dialogic aspects (i.e., scaffolding and feedback). This questions the over-reliance on content transmission and instructivist (or teacher-instruction) approaches in LMOOCs, especially since MOOCs enrolment numbers rely heavily on learner's self-motivation to sign up and complete a course.

The Structural and Dialogic Aspects of Language Massive Open Online Courses (LMOOCs)

2019 ◽  
pp. 1540-1562
Author(s):  
Carolin Fuchs
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Massive Open Online Courses ◽  
Massive Open Online ◽  
Teacher Instruction ◽  
Online Language Learning ◽  
Learner’S Perspective ◽  
Structural Aspects

This case study contributes to the growing body of research on Language Massive Open Online Courses (LMOOCs) by examining their structural aspects (i.e., layout and format) and dialogic nature (i.e., interaction and negotiation) from the language learner's perspective. This exploratory study draws on data from 15 student teachers of English as a Second/Foreign Language at a private graduate institution on the East Coast of the U.S. As required by their technology elective, participants who were enrolled in a beginner-level LMOOC of their choice kept a log of their learning process/progress over a period of eight weeks. At the end of the course, they were invited to fill out a post-project questionnaire to reflect on their overall experience. The goal of the project was to educate student teachers on the pedagogical underpinnings of LMOOCs while exposing them to online language learning. In this study, the focus was primarily on self-reported system interaction and profile data since the Author was not involved in the design of any of the LMOOCs. Data collection instruments included a needs analysis, weekly LMOOC logs, and a post-LMOOC questionnaire. According to the questionnaire results, student-teachers' motivation was “satisfactory,” and only four out of 15 student teachers completed their LMOOCs. Results further showed that structural aspects (i.e., content, materials, and procedures) rank higher than dialogic aspects (i.e., scaffolding and feedback). This questions the over-reliance on content transmission and instructivist (or teacher-instruction) approaches in LMOOCs, especially since MOOCs enrolment numbers rely heavily on learner's self-motivation to sign up and complete a course.

scholarly journals LMOOC para la integración de personas desplazadas

2021 ◽  
pp. 463-477
Author(s):  
Mercedes Sanz Gil
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Massive Open Online Courses ◽  
Cultural Barriers ◽  
Massive Open Online ◽  
Language And Culture ◽  
Displaced People

Uno de los principales retos a los que se enfrentan las personas desplazadas es hacer frente a las barreras lingüísticas y culturales que supone el desconocimiento, en la mayoría de los casos, de la lengua y de la cultura del país de destino. Actualmente, y gracias a las Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación, existen numerosos recursos y aplicaciones que pueden ayudar a paliar dichas carencias, antes o durante el periodo en el que se desarrolla la movilidad. En este artículo presentamos algunos de ellos. En concreto nos centramos en el formato MOOC (Cursos masivos abiertos en línea, por sus siglas en inglés) para el aprendizaje de lenguas extranjeras (LMOOC). Analizaremos dos LMOOC de aprendizaje del Español como Lengua Extranjera (ELE) destinado principalmente al colectivo de personas inmigrantes y refugiadas y tres de aprendizaje del Francés como Lengua Extranjera (FLE) destinado principalmente a personas desplazadas por motivos laborales o educativos. One of the main challenges faced by displaced people is dealing with the linguistic and cultural barriers that arise from the lack of knowledge, in most cases, of the language and culture of the destination country. At present, thanks to Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), there are numerous resources and applications that can help to alleviate these deficiencies, before, or during the period in which mobility develops. In this article we present some of them. More specifically, this article focuses on the MOOC (Massive Open Online Courses) format for foreign language learning (LMOOC). We will analyze two LMOOCs for learning Spanish as a Foreign Language (SFL) aimed mainly at migrants and refugees; and three for learning French as a Foreign Language (FFL) aimed mainly at people displaced for work or educational reasons. L'un des principaux défis auxquels les personnes déplacées sont confrontées est celui de faire face aux barrières linguistiques et culturelles qui découlent du manque de connaissance, dans la plupart des cas, de la langue et de la culture du pays de destination. De nos jours, et grâce aux Technologies de l'Information et de la Communication (TIC), il existe de nombreuses ressources et applications qui peuvent contribuer à pallier ces lacunes, avant, ou pendant la période de mobilité. Dans cet article, nous en présentons quelques-unes. Nous nous concentrons en particulier sur le format MOOC (Massive Open Online Courses) pour l'apprentissage des langues étrangères (LMOOC). Nous analyserons deux LMOOC pour l'apprentissage de l'Espagnol comme Langue Étrangère (ELE) destinés principalement à des personnes migrantes et réfugiées et trois pour l'apprentissage du Français comme Langue Étrangère (FLE) destinés principalement aux personnes en déplacement pour des raisons professionnelles ou éducatives.

scholarly journals Teaching Perspective of the Democratization of Knowledge on Open Educational Resources (OER) for MOOCs in México

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (10) ◽  
pp. 128-137
Author(s):  
José Israel Méndez Ojeda ◽  
Francisco Ramón May Ayuso ◽  
Gabriel Hernández Ravell
Keyword(s):  
Online Courses ◽  
Case Study Research ◽  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
Open Educational Resources ◽  
Educational Resources ◽  
Massive Open Online Courses ◽  
Instructional Models ◽  
Qualitative Approaches ◽  
Elective Course

This research aims to explore the teachers’ perspective from the Autonomous University of Yucatán, México (known as UADY in spanish) about of the Democratization of Knowledge on the Open Educational Resources (OER), especially on adapting the existing instructional models to be designed as Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC). This study was conducted under the qualitative approaches part of the elective course ‘Designing and Developing OERs’ using the case study research method. Triangulation of the participants’ perspectives, teacher and students, was done to ensure reliability and validity.

scholarly journals Exploring Engagement in Online Videos for Language Learning through YouTube’s Learning Analytics

2021 ◽  
pp. 49-58
Author(s):  
Maria Dolores ◽  
Jorge Mañana-Rodriguez
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Learning Analytics ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Main Tool ◽  
Spanish Speakers ◽  
Massive Open Online Courses ◽  
Video Analytics ◽  
Basic Principles ◽  
Foreign Language Instructors

Until a few years ago, video analytics were not accessible to learning stakeholders, mainly because online video platforms did not share the users’ interactions on the system with stakeholders. However, this scenario has changed, and currently YouTube, the world’s largest media sharing site, offers these data. YouTube is also the main tool for transmitting audio-visual content in Language MOOCs (massive open online courses), and its video engagement data can be monitored through the YouTube Studio channel, which provides free and open access to video analytics. In this paper we present our research based on the analysis of viewers’ engagement with 35 videos of the Language MOOC entitled Alemán para hispanohablantes: basic principles (German for Spanish-speakers). The data provided by the YouTube Studio Learning Analytics platform has enabled new insights related to participants’ watching of these videos in Language MOOCs (LMOOCs). The results of our study provide pedagogical implications for Foreign Language instructors concerning the use of videos in language learning.

Assessment : Basic Concepts, Thoughtful Decisions

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-21
Author(s):  
Milton Raul Licona Luna ◽  
Elizabeth Alvarado Martínez
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Assessment For Learning ◽  
Continuous Assessment ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Basic Concepts ◽  
Education In Mexico

Institutions from basic to higher education in Mexico that offer courses of English as a Foreign Language rely heavily on the administering of assessment, usually a formal type of assessment. However, the literature shows how important it is the involvement of other types of assessment in the classroom for effective language learning to take place. For instance, assessment for learning, which consist of a continuous assessment where learners receive feedback so greater learning occurs, what is more, it enables teachers to modify their teaching ways as they reflect on the learners’ progress. To show how assessment is carried out in our context, this research project focuses on a case study within the CAADI from FOD in the UANL.

scholarly journals Inverse translation and the language student: A case study

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 171-193
Author(s):  
Lucía Pintado Gutiérrez
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Language Classroom ◽  
Inverse Translation ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThis article explores the agency of the student in translation in language teaching and learning (or TILT). The purpose of the case study discussed here is to gain an overview of students’ perceptions of translation into the foreign language (FL) (also known as “inverse translation”) following a module on language and translation, and to analyse whether there is any correlation between students’ attitude to translation, its impact on their language learning through effort invested, and the improvement of language skills. The results of the case study reveal translation to be a potentially exciting skill that can be central to FL learning and the analysis gives indications of how and why language teachers may optimise the implementation of translation in the classroom. The outcome of the study suggests that further research is needed on the impact of translation in the language classroom focussing on both teachers’ expectations and students’ achievements.

scholarly journals Treasuring and preserving languages: how the inclusive design in MOOCs might help

2020 ◽  
pp. 5-12
Author(s):  
Kate Borthwick
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Massive Open Online Courses ◽  
Inclusive Design ◽  
Learning Contexts ◽  
Barriers To Access ◽  
Open Content ◽  
The University ◽  
Development Course

This paper reflects on the inclusive design features of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and how these might support and encourage language learning. It considers what inclusivity in the context of MOOCs means, and some of the features of MOOCs which might be inherently inclusive and of value in supporting languages. It presents an example of inclusive design from a MOOC created at the University of Southampton: English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) for Academics, a professional development course for teachers. It shows how this course was particularly designed to appeal to the broadest audience possible, and indicates how this might be relevant in language learning contexts. It considers the challenges of creating inclusive open content, and how MOOC design encourages the treasuring and preserving of languages through global reach and low barriers to access.

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