Paige, D.W & Robert O ( February, 2008). Peer Feedback on Language Form In Telecollaboration. Language Learning & Technology, 12 (1), 43-63. Retrieved August 20, 2009 from llt.msu.edu/vol12num1/wareodowd/default.html
a. Title: Peer Feedback on Language Form In Telecollaboration.
b. Language Learning & Technology, Vol.12, No.1, February 2008, pp. 43-63.
c. The first author is Paige Ware who is an assistant professor at Southern Methodist University. She possesses a Ph.D. in Language, Literacy, and Culture from the University of California at Berkeley. A research on the use of new technologies to support adolescent language learners and the integration of telecollaboration into ESL and EFL courses is one of her publications. She recently directs and teaches in Project CONNECT, a program for secondary teachers to work with English language learners. She can be connected through her e-mail: pware@smu.edu.
The second author is Robert O'Dowd who is teaching EFL and Foreign Language Methodology at the University of León in Spain. He also possesses a Ph.D. on the development of intercultural competence through the use of networked technologies. Now, he is one of the executive committees of Eurocall and IALIC. His publications extensively cover on the themes of on-line foreign language education and on the role of culture in foreign language learning. He can be connected through his e-mail: robert.odowd@unileon.es
This study investigates the integration of peer feedback on language into classroom-based adult foreign language learning, the type and frequency of language-related episodes, feedback strategies students use to focus on morphosyntactic forms and, students’ attitudes toward the presence or absence of a focus on language in their online interactions. By using qualitative and quantitative methods, this two-phase study assigns students to one of two conditions which are e-tutoring and e-partnering. In Phase I, there were 22 post-secondary advanced EFL students (ages 19-22) from Spain University and 4 post-secondary students from US University (ages 19-21) through a monolingual online exchange in English during the spring semester of 2006 involved. Two of the U.S. students were required to provide weekly feedback to 11 Spanish students in the e-tutoring condition while another two only give feedback if their EFL partners asked to in the e-partnering condition. The students needed to complete the task cycle using a course management system called Moodle which allows data storage, file sharing, asynchronous and synchronous interaction (Robb, 2004). In Phase II, there were 14 students who took advanced Spanish grammar course in US University and 14 students in the second author's Advanced EFL course in Spain were being paired for eight weeks in the e-tutoring condition. There were 22 U.S. students who took advanced Spanish conversation course and 22 advanced EFL course students were in Chile for 10 weeks involved in the e-partnering condition. Students in the e-tutoring condition were permitted to select different tasks. Students in the e-partnering condition were asked to write about themes associated to movies they watched as part of their coursework. Students must write at least 300 words in each language weekly. All students in Phase II communicated in asynchronous interactions using a course management system called Blackboard. The findings of this study showed that Phase I student has greater percentage of Language-Related Episodes (LREs) in the e-tutoring condition as they had to give feedback on their partner’s language whether it was asked or not. The result was contradicted with the e-partnering condition. The phase II study also produced the same result. It was also found that the most feedback strategy that frequently used by students in both phases was commentaries. Interestingly, metalinguistic commentaries were used frequently by Spanish students compared to American students. Commentaries given by the American students were not quite precise and with limited accuracy and depth of explanations. In terms of participant attitudes, American students in the e-tutoring condition in Phase I were initially reluctant to write commentaries about their partner's language use. Spanish students in both conditions were interested to learn and understand members of the target culture, to improve their English and be exposed to informal English language from native speakers. Finally, in Phase II, there were no significant differences between students’ attitudes in the e-tutoring and e-partnering toward language feedback.
I find this article is really interesting as it provides an exciting way of learning language form or grammar especially for mature students instead of exercising a drill practice. This method is also interesting as students needs to collaborate with their peers and it also fosters student-centred approach. It arouses students’ motivation to improve their grammar as they collaborate between one another. The students will be paying more attention as they are required to give feedback. Another reason is it integrates technology in teaching and learning process. As we all know, technology has become an integral part of our daily lives. This research is also well conducted as it is a planned research. There are many elements being considered such as time frame and the distinctions between the control and uncontrolled group. This research is important in the teaching and learning of EFL/ESL as it helps teachers to generate ideas on how to make lessons differ from the usual activity. From teacher-centred approach, it becomes student-centred approach. This learning method also does not disregard technology. However, teachers need to have a proper plan and consider a lot of factors such as the accessibility of computer and doing assessments before doing this activity in order to avoid problems while conducting this activity. In short, this method makes the mind wonder beyond the four walls of the classroom! (700 words)
a. Title: Peer Feedback on Language Form In Telecollaboration.
b. Language Learning & Technology, Vol.12, No.1, February 2008, pp. 43-63.
c. The first author is Paige Ware who is an assistant professor at Southern Methodist University. She possesses a Ph.D. in Language, Literacy, and Culture from the University of California at Berkeley. A research on the use of new technologies to support adolescent language learners and the integration of telecollaboration into ESL and EFL courses is one of her publications. She recently directs and teaches in Project CONNECT, a program for secondary teachers to work with English language learners. She can be connected through her e-mail: pware@smu.edu.
The second author is Robert O'Dowd who is teaching EFL and Foreign Language Methodology at the University of León in Spain. He also possesses a Ph.D. on the development of intercultural competence through the use of networked technologies. Now, he is one of the executive committees of Eurocall and IALIC. His publications extensively cover on the themes of on-line foreign language education and on the role of culture in foreign language learning. He can be connected through his e-mail: robert.odowd@unileon.es
This study investigates the integration of peer feedback on language into classroom-based adult foreign language learning, the type and frequency of language-related episodes, feedback strategies students use to focus on morphosyntactic forms and, students’ attitudes toward the presence or absence of a focus on language in their online interactions. By using qualitative and quantitative methods, this two-phase study assigns students to one of two conditions which are e-tutoring and e-partnering. In Phase I, there were 22 post-secondary advanced EFL students (ages 19-22) from Spain University and 4 post-secondary students from US University (ages 19-21) through a monolingual online exchange in English during the spring semester of 2006 involved. Two of the U.S. students were required to provide weekly feedback to 11 Spanish students in the e-tutoring condition while another two only give feedback if their EFL partners asked to in the e-partnering condition. The students needed to complete the task cycle using a course management system called Moodle which allows data storage, file sharing, asynchronous and synchronous interaction (Robb, 2004). In Phase II, there were 14 students who took advanced Spanish grammar course in US University and 14 students in the second author's Advanced EFL course in Spain were being paired for eight weeks in the e-tutoring condition. There were 22 U.S. students who took advanced Spanish conversation course and 22 advanced EFL course students were in Chile for 10 weeks involved in the e-partnering condition. Students in the e-tutoring condition were permitted to select different tasks. Students in the e-partnering condition were asked to write about themes associated to movies they watched as part of their coursework. Students must write at least 300 words in each language weekly. All students in Phase II communicated in asynchronous interactions using a course management system called Blackboard. The findings of this study showed that Phase I student has greater percentage of Language-Related Episodes (LREs) in the e-tutoring condition as they had to give feedback on their partner’s language whether it was asked or not. The result was contradicted with the e-partnering condition. The phase II study also produced the same result. It was also found that the most feedback strategy that frequently used by students in both phases was commentaries. Interestingly, metalinguistic commentaries were used frequently by Spanish students compared to American students. Commentaries given by the American students were not quite precise and with limited accuracy and depth of explanations. In terms of participant attitudes, American students in the e-tutoring condition in Phase I were initially reluctant to write commentaries about their partner's language use. Spanish students in both conditions were interested to learn and understand members of the target culture, to improve their English and be exposed to informal English language from native speakers. Finally, in Phase II, there were no significant differences between students’ attitudes in the e-tutoring and e-partnering toward language feedback.
I find this article is really interesting as it provides an exciting way of learning language form or grammar especially for mature students instead of exercising a drill practice. This method is also interesting as students needs to collaborate with their peers and it also fosters student-centred approach. It arouses students’ motivation to improve their grammar as they collaborate between one another. The students will be paying more attention as they are required to give feedback. Another reason is it integrates technology in teaching and learning process. As we all know, technology has become an integral part of our daily lives. This research is also well conducted as it is a planned research. There are many elements being considered such as time frame and the distinctions between the control and uncontrolled group. This research is important in the teaching and learning of EFL/ESL as it helps teachers to generate ideas on how to make lessons differ from the usual activity. From teacher-centred approach, it becomes student-centred approach. This learning method also does not disregard technology. However, teachers need to have a proper plan and consider a lot of factors such as the accessibility of computer and doing assessments before doing this activity in order to avoid problems while conducting this activity. In short, this method makes the mind wonder beyond the four walls of the classroom! (700 words)
