Schedule: 2009-09-11 (17:30 - 18:15)
Parallel Session 1 (Room A-30)

Title: The use of Wikis in an English for Specific Academic Purposes (ESAP) Course
Authors: Salomi Papadima Sophocleous, Christina Yerou
Abstract: Wikis constitute a major component of a new wave of web tools and applications, the Web 2.0. Wikis have been defined as web communication tools that can be used “to engage students in learning with others within a collaborative environment” (Parker and Chao, 2007, p.57). Although wikis were introduced more than a decade ago (Evans, 2006), they have only recently begun to gain ground in academia. Their potential educational value as a means to promote deeper learning has also been realised in ESL (English as a Second Language) (Baya, 2006; Godwin-Jones, 2003; Kiliçkaya, 2008; Langdon, 2005; Lynch, 2004; Lund, 2008; Franco, 2008). It seems that the effort to address wikis in a CALL perspective at the tertiary level needs to be further exploited (Kovacic, Bubas and Zlatovic, 2008). Kovacic, Bubas and Zlatovic (2007) have touched this newly evolving learning opportunity in the field of ESP (English for Specific Purposes) by aiming to evaluate the potential uses of a wiki in teaching ESP courses. One of the researchers’ main conclusions is that incorporating wikis in ESP (and ESL) courses is a useful and innovative way of enriching the learning environment of students. Such a practice not only takes the classroom “into the real world that the students inhabit”, but most importantly “brings their real world into their classroom” (Harding, 2007, p.8). For this to be achieved, careful planning, preparation, as well as reflection and adequate feedback to the students are required. The popularity of wikis can be attributed to their numerous benefits. Wikis enhance asynchronous communication, promote cooperation (De Pedro et al., 2006), autonomous learning as well as positive interdependence of group members (Parker and Chao, 2007). Additionally, wikis encourage a sense of belonging among students, due to the virtual learning space that is created. This space enables learners to gather, organise and share writing, photos, videos, presentations and other digital creations (Chen et al., 2005). The concept of learner-centred curriculum (Nunan, 1987) implies that the learners’ subjective needs and perceptions are taken into account. In the light of such a statement, this study attempts to investigate, through student’s perceptions, what and in what way the use of wikis in the ESAP course of first year university students of the department of Commerce, Finance and Shipping has contributed to their learning of English, and more specifically in the areas of the following course components: English, ICT, academic and social skills. Students’ views regarding the wiki experience were collected and identified prior to the beginning of the course. Students then worked with wikis during the whole semester, and recorded their reflections concerning the integration of the wiki and the perceived effect it had on their language learning. The wiki experience involved not only participation and contribution to a central course wiki but also to the creation of individual students’ wiki, linked to the course one. The student individual wikis were used to project students’ individual online digital portfolios. The views from their experience were again collected at the end of the course.
Keywords: English for Specific Academic Purposes, wiki, learner perceptions, computer-aided language learning, digital portfolios, reflective and autonomous learning

Main topic: Curriculum development for CALL.

Biodata: Salomi Papadima-Sophocleous is a visiting assistant professor, language adviser at the Cyprus University of Cyprus. She teaches TEFL and CALL at the University of Nicosia. She has taught and participated in teacher education projects in Australia and Greece. Her research interests include on campus/online L2 teaching and learning (English, French and Greek), teacher-training, testing, curriculum development (printed/electronic), CALL, and Quality Assurance. Her publications include journal articles, conference proceedings and printed/electronic L2 teaching materials. Christina Yerou is an English Language Instructor at the Language Centre of the Cyprus University of Technology. She holds a BA in ELT (with merit) and an MSc in CALL and TESOL from the University of Stirling. Her research interests include Learner Autonomy and Computer Technology in Language Learning/ Teaching.
Type of presentation Paper presentation

Paper category Reflective Practice

Target educational sector Primary education

Language of delivery English

EU-funded project Yes

Schedule:	2009-09-11 (17:30 - 18:15) Parallel Session 1 (Room A-30)
Title:	The use of Wikis in an English for Specific Academic Purposes (ESAP) Course
Authors:	Salomi Papadima Sophocleous, Christina Yerou
Abstract:	Wikis constitute a major component of a new wave of web tools and applications, the Web 2.0. Wikis have been defined as web communication tools that can be used “to engage students in learning with others within a collaborative environment” (Parker and Chao, 2007, p.57). Although wikis were introduced more than a decade ago (Evans, 2006), they have only recently begun to gain ground in academia. Their potential educational value as a means to promote deeper learning has also been realised in ESL (English as a Second Language) (Baya, 2006; Godwin-Jones, 2003; Kiliçkaya, 2008; Langdon, 2005; Lynch, 2004; Lund, 2008; Franco, 2008). It seems that the effort to address wikis in a CALL perspective at the tertiary level needs to be further exploited (Kovacic, Bubas and Zlatovic, 2008). Kovacic, Bubas and Zlatovic (2007) have touched this newly evolving learning opportunity in the field of ESP (English for Specific Purposes) by aiming to evaluate the potential uses of a wiki in teaching ESP courses. One of the researchers’ main conclusions is that incorporating wikis in ESP (and ESL) courses is a useful and innovative way of enriching the learning environment of students. Such a practice not only takes the classroom “into the real world that the students inhabit”, but most importantly “brings their real world into their classroom” (Harding, 2007, p.8). For this to be achieved, careful planning, preparation, as well as reflection and adequate feedback to the students are required. The popularity of wikis can be attributed to their numerous benefits. Wikis enhance asynchronous communication, promote cooperation (De Pedro et al., 2006), autonomous learning as well as positive interdependence of group members (Parker and Chao, 2007). Additionally, wikis encourage a sense of belonging among students, due to the virtual learning space that is created. This space enables learners to gather, organise and share writing, photos, videos, presentations and other digital creations (Chen et al., 2005). The concept of learner-centred curriculum (Nunan, 1987) implies that the learners’ subjective needs and perceptions are taken into account. In the light of such a statement, this study attempts to investigate, through student’s perceptions, what and in what way the use of wikis in the ESAP course of first year university students of the department of Commerce, Finance and Shipping has contributed to their learning of English, and more specifically in the areas of the following course components: English, ICT, academic and social skills. Students’ views regarding the wiki experience were collected and identified prior to the beginning of the course. Students then worked with wikis during the whole semester, and recorded their reflections concerning the integration of the wiki and the perceived effect it had on their language learning. The wiki experience involved not only participation and contribution to a central course wiki but also to the creation of individual students’ wiki, linked to the course one. The student individual wikis were used to project students’ individual online digital portfolios. The views from their experience were again collected at the end of the course.
Keywords:	English for Specific Academic Purposes, wiki, learner perceptions, computer-aided language learning, digital portfolios, reflective and autonomous learning
Main topic:	Curriculum development for CALL.
Biodata:	Salomi Papadima-Sophocleous is a visiting assistant professor, language adviser at the Cyprus University of Cyprus. She teaches TEFL and CALL at the University of Nicosia. She has taught and participated in teacher education projects in Australia and Greece. Her research interests include on campus/online L2 teaching and learning (English, French and Greek), teacher-training, testing, curriculum development (printed/electronic), CALL, and Quality Assurance. Her publications include journal articles, conference proceedings and printed/electronic L2 teaching materials. Christina Yerou is an English Language Instructor at the Language Centre of the Cyprus University of Technology. She holds a BA in ELT (with merit) and an MSc in CALL and TESOL from the University of Stirling. Her research interests include Learner Autonomy and Computer Technology in Language Learning/ Teaching.
Type of presentation	Paper presentation
Paper category	Reflective Practice
Target educational sector	Primary education
Language of delivery	English
EU-funded project	Yes