Action Research to Explore the Future Language ...

The Inaugural European Conference on Technology in the Classroom 2013 Official Conference Proceedings

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Action Research to Explore the Future Language Classroom with iPads Cécile Gabarre*1, Serge Gabarre*1, Rosseni Din*2, Yong Mei Fung*1 *1

University Putra Malaysia, Malaysia, *2National University of Malaysia, Malaysia 0122 The European Conference on Technology in the Classroom 2013 Official Conference Proceedings 2013 Abstract

In foreign language teaching and learning, technology mediated pedagogy fosters active participation by facilitating access to resources. However, current facilities such as computer laboratories and lecture classrooms often dictate how technology is to be accessed and thus limits the flexibility of course delivery. Ideally, classrooms should bridge the advantages of all settings and provide educators with mobile, versatile and reliable technology. Recent studies have shown that tablet computers can perform as interactive whiteboards, transform into mobile computer laboratories while catering for ubiquitous, individualised and collaborative learning. A qualitative action research was implemented to explore the ease-of-use and usefulness of introducing tablet computers from pedagogical and technological perspectives. The intervention was conducted in a French undergraduate course. The lecturer adapted and designed course material, selected applications and taught using the iPad. The data was collected through observations, artefacts and field notes, interviews, learners' self-reflexive logs as well as lecturers' memos before being analysed and coded using ATLAS.ti. Findings confirmed that the devices' features and applications were relevant to language teaching and learning. Embedded aids such as dictionaries and predictive text-input provided instant support. Multimedia recording and sharing tools engaged the learners in dynamic presentations. Additionally, an active online community provided useful resources for both learners and educators. Although designing and delivering course material necessitated some adaptation, the results outweighed the efforts. Nevertheless, the all-in-one technological and pedagogical advantages are hindered by connectivity issues. It is thus recommended to establish a conducive environment before iPads can be successfully incorporated in the classroom.

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Foreign language learning in Malaysia Teaching French in Malaysia is shaped by the challenges faced by educators to tackle the linguistic and cultural barriers resulting from the status of French as a foreign language in the country. French language and communication rules are very distant from local languages. Therefore, in addition to language skills, Malaysian learners need to adjust to different thinking, communicating and socialising competencies. Furthermore, learners lack exposure due to the absence of media in French and opportunities to practice are limited to the classroom. Malaysia is a multicultural and multilingual country; consequently, most learners are at least bilinguals having learnt English and Malay at school in addition to their first language. They grew up exposed to local languages in their daily environment and through communicating with their neighbours and schoolmates. Although they studied Malay and English either as their first or second languages, they have never experienced learning a foreign language per se. For second language bilinguals, this situation is destabilising because they may not be able to interact and socialize as fast as they would want to in the new language which can result in frustrations with specific competencies like speaking and listening. This negatively impacts the learners’ motivation and confidence. In our case, all the students joining the French major program are absolute beginners which increases their anxiety rooted in their fear of not being able to understand the lessons. Moreover, the university admission process appoints applicants to the various faculties based on the students’ academic background rather than on their expressed choices. For that reason, the majority of the learners enrolled in the French Bachelor program feel forced to learn the language. These learners lack motivation as well as confidence and experience greater apprehensions. Technology mediated active learning The French curriculum follows the precepts from the Common European Framework of Reference in regards to the development of cultural and communication skills alongside language proficiency (Barenfanger and Tschirner, 2008). The learning objectives target the four language skills and the lessons emphasise active participation in class. However, discussing one’s opinion in public or spontaneously questioning the lecturer is not naturally part of the Malaysian learning culture (Bouvier, 2003, Robert, 2002) where the learners would consult their peers rather than their lecturers. In addition, the textbook, Connexions, niveau 1 (Mérieux and Loiseau, 2004) from the Editions Didier is exclusively in French which increases the learners’ confusion and need for support as well as their dependence upon their lecturers during lessons. Foreign language instruction requires a greater learners’ participation to compensate for the lack of exposure outside the classroom. The lessons comprise a succession of micro tasks designed to cover the four language skills while developing linguistic and communication competencies. Meaningful active learning is a learner centred teaching method which cultivates the learners’ engagement through the completion of authentic tasks (Dörnyei, 2001). This approach is situated in a social constructivist perspective where learners develop knowledge by tackling real problems with their peers under the guidance of their instructor (Vygotsky, 1934/1962, Wells, 1994). This pedagogy sustains the learners’ engagement and 87


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keeps them involved in transforming the language classroom into an interactive Frenchspeaking zone (Gabarre and Gabarre, 2010a). The scaffolding of tasks creates a reassuring environment nurturing the learners’ motivation and confidence while learners gradually develop language competencies. In foreign language learning, technology mediated learning provides instructors and learners with resources as well as creative, communication and sharing tools (Banister, 2010, Conrad and Donaldson, 2004, Manuguerra and Petocz, 2011). Moreover, instructors are able to ubiquitously engage learners during and after contact hours with learning management systems, blogs, social networking sites and cloud computing. These customised environments allow instructors to design attractive and meaningful environments exposing learners to the target language in a learning experience close to immersion learning. Learners have access to technological, peer as well as instructor support on demand. They can view course content, download lecture notes, share their work or comments on posts anywhere anytime. These features give the learners some control over the learning process (Li et al., 2010). The combination of peer, technological and instructor support was found beneficial with Malaysian learners particularly in helping reducing anxiety, thus increasing their confidence and motivation (Gabarre and Gabarre, 2009, 2010b, 2012). Statement of the problem In foreign language teaching and learning, technology mediated pedagogy sustains active participation by providing learners with multimedia content, authentic material as well as on demand course references and support. However, current facilities such as computer laboratories and lecture classrooms often dictate how technology is to be accessed and thus limits the flexibility of course delivery. In the computer laboratories, the learners have a complete access to online resources to assist them with brainstorming and language construction; however the seating arrangements maintain the learners isolated from each other thus limiting their participation. On the other hand, classrooms are very flexible and allow multiple work configurations and types of activities. However, the learners are deprived of means to check their answer which inhibits their confidence and restrains their engagement. Ideally, classrooms should bridge the advantages of all settings and provide educators with mobile, versatile and reliable technology. Over the past ten years, the evolution of the learners’ mobile equipment has reflected the market’s technological progression from basic hand phones to high-tech smartphones and tablet computers. As demonstrated by global and national market indicators (Choi et al., 2011, The Nielsen Company, 2011), the number of foreign language learners using tablet computers is ever increasing. Likewise, the number of Malaysian foreign language undergraduates in Malaysia relying on iPads for their studies is growing with every intake. These devices’ technological features and associated applications have the potentials to bring the foreign language classroom the advantages of both language laboratories and lecture classrooms. Supporting active learning with iPads In the case of foreign language learning, the learners need a technology mediated open access to textual, audio and video learning support materials in order to individually and collectively discuss, create and share their productions among classmates and with the world (Meurant, 88


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2010). Recent studies have shown that tablet computers can perform as interactive whiteboards (Garner, 2011), transform into mobile computer laboratories while catering for ubiquitous, individualised and collaborative learning (Melhuish and Falloon, 2010, Murphy, 2011, Poe, 2010). Therefore, these devices allow for greater mobility and flexibility in terms of classroom management. Light, compact and user-friendly, tablet computers feature all the necessary tools to engage foreign language learners in active learning (Godwin-Jones, 2012, Kinash et al., 2012) such as digital library, audio and video players, multiple languages dictionaries and predictive text input functionality. Therefore, iPad tablet computers have the potential to cater to various learning styles and provide a just-in-time customised learning support (Li et al., 2010, Melhuish and Falloon, 2010, Mock, 2004, Murray and Olcese, 2011). Research questions This research aimed a) to explore the technological and pedagogical potentials of tablet computers in fostering active learning for foreign language teaching and learning, and b) to investigate the learners’ perceptions of using tablet computers as a foreign language learning tool. Methodology This research was implemented over one semester. The participants were a cohort of 25 Malaysian undergraduates majoring in French. The learners were in their second-semester and their proficiency level was within bandwidth 1. Ten students were lower grade learners and thus were facing greater anxiety and confidence issues than the rest of the group. The students were briefed on the research purposes and implications on the first week of the semester. They unanimously consented to participate in the research. Two researchers were involved throughout the design, implementation and analysis of the project. One of the researchers taught the course and was involved as a participant observer for the intervention. A qualitative action research method was implemented as it best suited the monitoring of the intervention. The first step consisted in the design of the action plan. The university allocated a research grant which enabled the purchase of five iPad 2s. The devices were shared among groups of learners. A Wi-Fi hotspot was set up to connect the iPads to the Internet. The devices were also connected to the classroom projector either through cable or over Wi-Fi. The researchers selected content from the textbook Connexions, niveau 1 (Mérieux and Loiseau, 2004) which needed to be converted into multimedia and interactive formats suitable for the iPads. Permission was graciously granted from the textbook editor, Editions Didier to use the learning sequences and to install them on the iPads. Language learning as well as editing and sharing applications were installed on each device. The data was collected through observations, field notes, pictures, videos, researchers’ memos, learners’ self-reflexive logs and focus-group interviews. The bulk of data was in digital format. The learners’ reflective logs were scanned. The interviews were transcribed verbatim. All the files were then imported into the ATLAS.ti, qualitative data analysis software. The data was analysed using a three-stage coding method comprising initial, selective and theoretical coding based on grounded theory’s principles (Charmaz, 2006). Validity and reliability were ensured with the triangulation of the multiple sources, member checking as well as with reviews from peers and the literature. The research process went 89


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smoothly during the 14 weeks of implementation as the selected research method allowed for flexibility and responsiveness whenever we were faced with unexpected challenges. Findings Teaching was facilitated by integrating all the resources in one tool. Besides being able to play multimedia files, the iPads enabled us to use a wide variety of applications. Although these applications were not always designed with a teaching purpose in mind, they fitted our specific teaching requirements. These applications are listed in Table 1. Table 1. Applications used for teaching Category Lecture notes Presenters Polling applications Annotations Interactive whiteboard Ebooks Internet browser

Name of application Keynote, GoodNotes Prezi, PageSend Teacher clicker Goodnotes, Adobe reader Educreations, Teach iBooks Safari, Puffin, Chrome

Students reported enjoying the control that they had gained by using the iPads. This was marked in instances when students were looking for the meaning of words they had encountered. For them, accessing online resources became a simple process which they performed repeatedly. This added control was also observed during listening comprehension exercises. In a traditional setting, the lecturer controls the audio output and leaves the student with very little control over speed or over the number of times the document is repeated. With the iPad, students became less anxious as they were able to control the audio documents. This was particularly useful for weaker students who generally tended to give up on the exercise once they had lost the thread of the document. Moreover the use of predictive texts enabled the students to correct their mistakes when they were offered a correct alternative by the machine. These control features provided by the iPads are similar to those offered in a full fledge computer laboratory, with the added advantage of being mobile and thus available anywhere the students are learning. Self-regulated learning was facilitated by the devices. Such instances of control are highlighted in the following excerpt from the interviews: It is clearer than the class’ speakers. I can replay the song (Virginie). I use the iPad to search verbs online and to replay the songs (Sophie). iPad is like using the phone. Messages can directly correct my word when I typed wrongly (Camille) For the students, the iPads were considered as an additional resource which did not supersede the others they had grown accustomed to using. As such, the tablets were used concomitantly with their textbooks, their notebooks, their paper dictionaries and even with the computers whenever the class was conducted in the computer laboratory. Additionally, students reported feeling engaged as they viewed their learning with the technology as a game. Although they 90


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viewed their learning seriously, they noted that the ease with which they could create, edit and collaborate made their tasks more game-like. For them, the use of technology enticed their competitiveness. This feeling led to in-class challenges between students in order to produce better works tasking their creativity. These challenges motivated the students to expand their vocabulary in the target language by discovering and memorising new words. In an example of such a task, students were required to search online for a video in French which they though would interest their peers. After having made their selection, they were asked to write a short text to justify their choice. Such a task increases the level of exposure to the target language by allowing the students to view multiple videos and enables them to practice their writing skills. Meaningful exchanges were observed as students replied to the messages posted online by their peers. In a twist on the traditional role-play task, students used the iPads to record themselves while acting a scene in French. Caught-up in the game-like aspect of the task that was provided by the devices, students went to the extent of recreating a news coverage inspired from the TV5 reports. This was obtained by first viewing the presentation style of that specific channel and subsequently reproducing and adapting it to their needs. Realism was further provided by the iPads as students used iMovie to edit their role-plays. Such activities enabled the students to remain engaged and focused on their learning. On multiple occasions, students reported that they enjoyed the class and felt more confident with their learning. Across several of the interviews the theme of flexible learning was preeminent. Students explained that due to the iPad’s compact design, it was feasible for them to bring it anywhere. Furthermore, they described their learning situation where they can show their work to their peers and engage them to collaborate on a given task. In such assignments, groups of students would place the device in a central position and use it to crystallise their collaboration. Brainstorming was collective, and each member of the group reported his or her ideas on the tablet. Similar collaborative tasks with desktop computers did not yield the same results as students were hindered by the lack of mobility of the technological setup. Although less powerful, the features offered by the iPads enabled the students to use them as substitutes for the desktop computers that were available in the computer laboratories. They emphasised the convenience of the mobile device beyond intra-group collaborative tasks. Indeed the benefits of flexible learning enabled inter-group collaboration as the iPads were physically transported across the classroom to accommodate social constructivist behaviours. In such an instance, the mobile devices were employed to resolve a knowledge gap which could only be resolved with inter-group collaboration. The flexibility of the devices enabled the students to move their chairs in order to work in pairs, groups of four and even larger groups. Once again, these possibilities would be harder to recreate with desktop computers or to a lesser extent with laptop computers. Conclusion Findings from this research project were tremendously encouraging. However, we would like to touch on some issues were improvements could still be carried out. In our situation, projecting the learner-created content as well as teaching material with the iPads to the whole classroom could be achieved in two ways. In equipped classes, the iPads could readily be connected with an adaptor into VGA and audio cables available at the lecturer’s desk. This setup enabled the projection of the iPad’s display onto the lecture hall’s white screen via an LCD projector. Sound was amplified before being outputted to the room’s speakers. However, most of the classes are not equipped in this manner, and thus require the lecturer to 91


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carry additional cables and connectors in order to obtain the same result. This requires a certain learning curve as classrooms do not have a standardised setup. Furthermore, the additional time taken to install the projection is taken from the class time. Taking time to install before the class is in most instances not feasible as other lectures are conducted in the preceding time slots. Moreover, additional class time is lost as returning the classroom to its original setup for the next lecture requires removing the connections, and ensuring that the sound and video outputs are still operational. Additional factors which impeded the utmost integration of the iPads in the classroom were related to connectivity issues. Insufficient Wi-Fi coverage remained a problem at all time during the research project. Furthermore, several online applications, such as Skype, Face Time and Messages, were blocked by the university’s security system which prevented us from fully exploiting the potential of the mobile devices’ communicative tools in the language classroom. This issue was partially resolved by creating a Wi-Fi hotspot which did not use the university’s resources. As this ad-hoc connection was far from being sufficient, we experienced time lags when online documents were collaboratively being edited by several students. Whenever the Internet connection was insufficient for the planned activities, we resorted to alternative tasks which did not require online access. Furthermore, students were encouraged to fully utilise the mobility provided by the iPads and to roam freely in the faculty in search of a viable Wi-Fi hotspot. In such situations, communication between students and their lecturers was maintained through real-time status updates in a Facebook group. Having conducted this action research has enabled us to explore teaching opportunities which could not have been possible otherwise. Mobile learning was experienced outside of the classroom, but more importantly within the classroom. Flexibility of movement and the reorganising of classroom learning spaces have enabled novel activities which resolved several issues which we faced in the more traditional setups. By increasing control over their learning, students have grown accustomed to seeing the iPads as another learning tool in the array that they already employed. As lecturers, we have become seasoned to the improvements in teaching afforded by the mobile devices and are now reluctant to return to lower-tech alternatives. The exploration of future language classroom with iPads has taught us that the tablet is here to stay.

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Skitch [Picture editing application from Evernote] TV5 [French television learning application from TV5] SlideShark View and Share Presentation [from Brainshark, Inc.] SPY mouse HD [Game from Electronic arts] Teacher clicker [polling application from Socrative] Teach [Interactive whiteboard application from Knowmia] 100 questions orthographe [French learning application from Méthodos Applications] 4 images 1 mot [Vocabulary game from LOTUM GmbH]

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