Communicative tasks for language students and teacher trainees in video web communication and virtual worlds Kristi Jauregi, Rick de Graaff, Utrecht University

Overview Short introduction to NIFLAR Task design principles for intercultural communicative competence Video-web communication in Dutch Second Life in Spanish Results and discussion

NIFLAR Time span: 1 January 2009 – 31 December 2010 Lifelong Learning Programme Partners: Universities of –Granada and Valencia in Spain –Coimbra in Portugal –Palacky in Olomouc the Czech Republic, –Nevsky and Novosibirsk in Russia –Concepción in Chile TELL Consult (Netherlands) 2 secondary schools, in Spain and The Netherlands Coordination: Utrecht University Target languages: Dutch, Portuguese, Russian & Spanish

Enrich and innovate academic programs of foreign languages (target groups: FL learners and pre-service teachers) By facilitating social and pedagogical authentic interaction in the target language, using adequate tasks with a focus on intercultural communication Using 2 innovative ICT environments Objectives & ambitions NIFLAR

Webcam image Logged in members Chat On-line writing Shared documents Record FL learning in video-web communication

FL learning in virtual worlds

Task design principles for ICC in video-web communication and virtual worlds Design principles for: Communicative competence in L2 acquisition ( Willis, 1996; Doughty & Long, 2003; Ellis, 2003; Moonen, 2007; Long, 2009) Intercultural competence in L2 acquisition (Byram, 1997; Müller-Jacquier, 2003) The application of VWC and VW in L2 acquisition (Jauregi & Bañados, 2008; Deutschmann, Panichi & Molka, 2009)

Design principles for communicative L2 competence Exposure to rich, authentic, multimodal and contextually relevant language input Elicitation of meaningful, contextually appropriate language use Focus on language form alonside meaning Convergent communicative outcome as a result of negotiation of meaning

Design principles for intercultural L2 competence Taking conceptions and misconceptions in daily life as a starting point Focus on intercultural contrasts and similarities Need to understand each other’s point of view for task completion Need to evaluate one’s own points of view by means of someone else’s

Design principles for the application of VWC Video-web communication: Personal contact is relevant Access to visual cues is crucial Nonverbal interaction is relevant Only communication partners are present Visual context outside communication partners is irrelevant Multimodal creation and negotiation of meaning

Design principles for the application of VW Virtual worlds: Visual context around communication partners is relevant Context is specifically selected for conversation topics As in real-life, others might interfere Tasks should trigger oral communication Contexts might be adapted (simplified, exaggerated) in order to promote awareness and learning

Pilot video-web communication Dutch Utrecht University Participants: - 32 pre-service teachers of different TLs(Dutch, English, Spanish, French, German) Integration in Mastercourse: Language Education February-April 2009: 10 weeks Palacky University in Olomouc -36 Czech students of Dutch 19 A B1 (CEFR) - Dutch Language Course A2 + B1 (CEFR)

Pre-service teachers (UU) Introduction to NIFLAR Workgroup sessions on tasks, CMC, CEFR, ICC Virtual meeting with PU Development of tasks in groups Creation of evaluation schemes for interaction sessions Development of pre-/posttests Tutorial about VWC tool Plenary session 3 interaction sessions (25 min.) Poster-presentations & paper experiences NIFLAR surveys + interviews Certificates of participation NIFLAR experiences with Dutch - Process FL learners of Dutch (PU) Introduction to NIFLAR Virtual meeting with UU Tutorial about VWC tool Plenary session 3 interaction sessions (25 min.) NIFLAR evaluation NIFLAR surveys + interviews Certificates of participation

FL learning in video-web communication

Examples of tasks developed by pre-service teachers

Results NIFLAR surveys (UU & PU) Questions on the FL learners’ learning process (1 disagree … 5 agree) T (UU) N25 Mean StDev FL (PU) N25 Mean StDev 38 a. I/They have learned to talk more fluently4,00,73,50,9 38 b. I/They became more confident talking in the TL4,10,74,00,4 38 c. I/They became more aware of cultural contrasts & similarities 3,70,93,21,3 38 d. I/They have learned new words and expressions3,70,63,20,7 38 e. I/They can talk more accurately3,00,62,61,7

Results NIFLAR surveys (UU & PU) Questions on the learning process of pre-service teachers What have you learned in this project? T (UU) N25 Mean SD 60 a. How to use VWC tools for teaching purposes4,20,6 60 b. How to use VWC tools for implementing purposeful interaction in the TL 3,90,8 60 c. To get familiar with (the elaboration of) tasks that contribute to the development of (intercultural) communicative competence 3,90,8 60 d. To be aware of the problems foreign language learners face when trying to communicate in the target language 3,70,8 60 e. To be aware of and develop adequate teaching strategies to help FL learners to overcome problems/shortages in their attempts to communicate in the target language. 3,51,1

Pilot Second Life Spanish Period: June & July 2009 Participants: 2 NS student teachers (Granada/Valencia); 2 NNS L students (Utrecht) Objectives: 1.Explore possibilities of existing SL worlds for enhancing interaction 2.Study anonymity versus familiarity in modeling interaction 3.Compare experiences: VWC versus SL Tasks: 1.Reflecting about intercultural similarities & differences 2.Exploring Spanish SL worlds & interviewing anonymous NSs 3.Sharing experiences & touring together 4.Evaluating the experience

Pilot tasks for ICC in Second Life

Example Second Life

Task Evaluation Task 1 and 4: – dynamic verbal turn-taking –no space for silences, little action –Interaction merely task-oriented Task 2 and 3 –much action and movements –large episodes of silence while touring around –Interaction merely process-oriented

Learners and teachers experiences in Second Life Were tasks adequate? (4,4,4,3) Should SL be integrated in language courses? (5,4,4,2) Which environment offers more possibilities to enrich your learning language experience? (a. Second Life b. video web communication) (a!) Is SL adequate for learning languages? (Yes!) If you had the possibility to choose the environment in future projects, which one would you use? (SL)

February 2010: Research on task environment effectiveness 3 conditions: VWC; VW; classroom Comparing ICC development –Interaction growth first/last session –Pretest/posttest Analysis: –LC: fluency, accuracy, complexity, adequacy –ICC: attitudes, knowledge, skills, awareness

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