Schedule: 2009-09-11 (16:30 - 17:30)
Poster Presentations and Commercial Exhibition (Exhibition Hall)

Title: Discussion forums and language teaching: finding a space for feedback
Authors: Florence Le Baron, Liam Murray, Angela Chambers
Abstract: Discussion forums are now widely used in language teaching practices as they enable interaction and reflection among learners. Key elements of their ongoing success include design, interaction (Thomas, 2002), social presence, and teaching presence (Garrison, 2007; Arbaugh and Hwang: 2006). Outside the context of language learning it is generally accepted that teacher interventions should be minimal, as the main aim is to encourage learner participation (Mazzolini and Maddison, 2002). In language learning, however, the role of feedback is crucial (Long, 1998). This raises the question of how the teacher can best provide appropriate feedback without becoming too prominent in the learners’ online interactions.

This poster examines the place and the role of feedback in a discussions forum within a university first-year French class in which students develop their reading, writing and speaking skills through the study of French journalistic texts on aspects of French culture and society. Each week, a group of two or three students present their arguments in a structured oral presentation which then opens a debate within the class. As many cultural references are present in the newspaper articles, students have difficulty understanding the content of the texts. A discussion forum was set up in order to encourage the students to discuss their readings in French and to reflect on the cultural aspects of the articles in the target language, comparing them to their own culture. As it is clearly not appropriate to correct individual errors within the forum, the teacher posts a document in which recurring errors made by the learners are explained and corrected. Where possible, hyperlinks are added to enable the students to visit Web sites where the information related to culture or grammar they need is displayed. The document is freely accessible to the learners in a general resources area, updated weekly. This poster reports on the feedback provided, the recurrence of the errors which were corrected, and the learners’ reactions to this method of online correction based on questionnaires and a semi-structured group interview. This will enable us to assess how the apparent contradiction between the need for as much feedback as possible and as little intervention as possible can be resolved.

Arbaugh, J. B., Hwang, A. (2006) ‘Does “teaching presence” exist in online MBA course?’, Internet and Higher Education, 9, 9-21.

Garrison, D. R. (2007) ‘Online community of inquiry review: social, cognitive, and teaching presence issues’, Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 11(1).

Long, M. (1998) ‘The role of implicit negative feedback in SLA: Models and recasts in Japanese and Spanish’, Modern Language Journal, 82, 357-71.

Thomas, M. J. W. (2002) ‘Learning within incoherent structures: the space of online discussion forums’, Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 18, 351-366.

Mazzolini, M., Maddison, S. (2002) ‘Sage, guide or ghost? The effect of instructor intervention on student participation in online discussion forums’, Computers & Education, 40, 237-253.
Keywords: Discussion Forums – E-learning – Language learning - Feedback – Teachers’ presence

Main topic: Assessment, testing, feedback and guidance in CALL

Biodata: Florence Le Baron is a PhD student funded by the ISSP Liam Murray is a lecturer in the Langauges and Culturals Studies in the University of Limerick Angela Chambers is the director of the Centre of Applied Language Studies in the University of Limerick
Type of presentation Poster

Paper category (Other)

Target educational sector Higher education

Language of delivery English

EU-funded project No

Schedule:	2009-09-11 (16:30 - 17:30) Poster Presentations and Commercial Exhibition (Exhibition Hall)
Title:	Discussion forums and language teaching: finding a space for feedback
Authors:	Florence Le Baron, Liam Murray, Angela Chambers
Abstract:	Discussion forums are now widely used in language teaching practices as they enable interaction and reflection among learners. Key elements of their ongoing success include design, interaction (Thomas, 2002), social presence, and teaching presence (Garrison, 2007; Arbaugh and Hwang: 2006). Outside the context of language learning it is generally accepted that teacher interventions should be minimal, as the main aim is to encourage learner participation (Mazzolini and Maddison, 2002). In language learning, however, the role of feedback is crucial (Long, 1998). This raises the question of how the teacher can best provide appropriate feedback without becoming too prominent in the learners’ online interactions. This poster examines the place and the role of feedback in a discussions forum within a university first-year French class in which students develop their reading, writing and speaking skills through the study of French journalistic texts on aspects of French culture and society. Each week, a group of two or three students present their arguments in a structured oral presentation which then opens a debate within the class. As many cultural references are present in the newspaper articles, students have difficulty understanding the content of the texts. A discussion forum was set up in order to encourage the students to discuss their readings in French and to reflect on the cultural aspects of the articles in the target language, comparing them to their own culture. As it is clearly not appropriate to correct individual errors within the forum, the teacher posts a document in which recurring errors made by the learners are explained and corrected. Where possible, hyperlinks are added to enable the students to visit Web sites where the information related to culture or grammar they need is displayed. The document is freely accessible to the learners in a general resources area, updated weekly. This poster reports on the feedback provided, the recurrence of the errors which were corrected, and the learners’ reactions to this method of online correction based on questionnaires and a semi-structured group interview. This will enable us to assess how the apparent contradiction between the need for as much feedback as possible and as little intervention as possible can be resolved. Arbaugh, J. B., Hwang, A. (2006) ‘Does “teaching presence” exist in online MBA course?’, Internet and Higher Education, 9, 9-21. Garrison, D. R. (2007) ‘Online community of inquiry review: social, cognitive, and teaching presence issues’, Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 11(1). Long, M. (1998) ‘The role of implicit negative feedback in SLA: Models and recasts in Japanese and Spanish’, Modern Language Journal, 82, 357-71. Thomas, M. J. W. (2002) ‘Learning within incoherent structures: the space of online discussion forums’, Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 18, 351-366. Mazzolini, M., Maddison, S. (2002) ‘Sage, guide or ghost? The effect of instructor intervention on student participation in online discussion forums’, Computers & Education, 40, 237-253.
Keywords:	Discussion Forums – E-learning – Language learning - Feedback – Teachers’ presence
Main topic:	Assessment, testing, feedback and guidance in CALL
Biodata:	Florence Le Baron is a PhD student funded by the ISSP Liam Murray is a lecturer in the Langauges and Culturals Studies in the University of Limerick Angela Chambers is the director of the Centre of Applied Language Studies in the University of Limerick
Type of presentation	Poster
Paper category	(Other)
Target educational sector	Higher education
Language of delivery	English
EU-funded project	No