Wireless Notebooks in Project-based Learning

1. Wireless Notebooks in Project-based Learning Don Hinkelman Sapporo Gakuin University PacCALL/GloCALL Conference, 2007.11.3 Hanoi University, Vietnam An Institutional Case Study

2. Permission to use • All PacCALL participants and teachers everywhere may use this file freely. You may copy slides as well. Please attribute as follows. • Source: Hinkelman (2007) • Reference: Hinkelman, D. (2007). Wireless notebooks in project-based learning. Presentation to GloCALL Conference, Hanoi University, Vietnam. November 3, 2007. PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

3. PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

4. Abstract • Saturday, November 3, 2007 - 11:05-11:40, Room 4 • Wireless Notebooks in Project-based Learning (41) • A project-based language learning curriculum was developed by a collaborative teaching team for 200 low-level university students an EFL program for information science students. Supported by paper-based task booklets, an online learning management system, mobile notebook computers and wireless networking, the program attempted to implement a blended learning environment and provide motivation for discouraged learners. This report summarizes results of this two year action research case study conducted by four faculty members of a university in Japan. All students were required to own wireless notebooks as a condition of enrollment, and this condition was used as an opportunity to add online language learning activities and custom-designed project management tools for an open source learning management system (Moodle LMS). Research data was collected in the form of weekly teaching team reports, personal reflections and interviews of the four teachers, and student surveys and focus group meetings. The affordances and constraints of the blended environment were then analyzed on a cyclical basis to determine annual and semesterly aims and proposals for improvement in teaching process, environmental configuration, and programming of project management plugin module for the Moodle LMS. The presenter will discuss implications of these results and invite suggestions for future research and development. PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

5. Aims of Presentation Report on institutional practice & collaborative action research • Historical & Theoretical Rationale • for project-based language learning • Research Design • Critical approach - action research • Multi-site case studies -- triangulation • Multi-positionality of researchers - triangulation • Results • first year’s team collaboration • second year’s team collaboration • Conclusions • For institutional innovation and for blended learning theory PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

6. Historical Rationale:Institution Profile • Number of Students: 5000 • Nationality: Japan • Level: Low • Majors: Commerce, Econ, Law, Psychology, English • Classes: 100+ • Requirements: two years of “A” English-reading/listening two years of “B” English-communication • Students per class: 28 (average) • Number of Teachers: 40 • Teacher Nationality: A classes -- Japanese B classes -- Native PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

7. Institutional Problems Students • Passive background • Skill imbalance • Low motivation • Poor attendence • English not relevant Teachers • Dissatisfied teachers • No accountability - high independence PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

8. Institutional Teaching History • Tradition of teacher independence • Choose texts and materials • Choose requirements and assessment • Choose topics and emphasis • 50% part-time staff • Extensive computer laboratory facilities • Ten labs • Special purpose CALL lab “first in Northern Japan” • Required two year curriculum • No student choice • Textbook-based, no school materials • General curriculum, not content-based by department PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

9. History of Costs & Configuration PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

10. Institutional Innovation • 2002: Add projects to textbook-based courses • Powerpoint Speeches: Bossaer, Hinkelman, Miyamachi (2002) • 2004: Remove textbooks, only projects • PowerPoint Projects: Kay & Flenner (2004) • Self-designed textbooks: Gemmell (2004) • 2006: Coordinated curriculum • Common projects by year • Shared materials • Student-owned technology wireless notebooks, mobile phones • Language support PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

11. Action Research Questions 2002: Can teachers technically manage large classes of students using presentation software? 2004: How can projects be made more communicative? 2006: What should be coordinated, what should be independently-designed? PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

12. Theoretical Rationale PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

13. What theory? What is your core perspective of learning? • Learning is more solitary • Learning is more collaborative Vygotsky (1979): Learning cannot be understood by study of the individual. Learning is embedded in social events. Learning happens primarily through participation in social activities--peer interaction and modeling. Let us look at some theories of second language learning PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

14. Theories of Second Language Learning • Second Language Instruction (SLI) • Second Language Acquisition (SLA) • Second Language Socialisation (SLS) PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

15. Theory of SLI ごしどう Second Language Instruction (SLI) 第二言語指導 • Based on linguistics • A second language is learned best by learning the grammatical rules and vocabulary of the language. • It is instructed in school classrooms or on self-study materials. • Researchers analyze the language by dividing it into smaller bits (reductionism). • Teaching is by putting these small pieces in a logical order. Sentences, words and phrases are focused on. PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

16. Intermediate Words Advanced Words Present Tense Present Perfect Tense Basic Words Past Tense And so on And so on Model of SLI • Grammar Progression • Vocabulary Progression PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

17. Theory of SLA しゅうとく Second Language Acquisition (SLA) 第二言語習得 • Theory from psychology • A second language is learned best by following the natural pattern of developing a language in the brain • It is “acquired”, not instructed, in both the real world and through classroom study or self-study. • Researchers analyze the stages that learners pick up a language (interlanguage). • Researchers look at mental processes. • Teaching is by paying attention to the natural order of acquisition. Students should focus on good learning strategies, not the structure & meaning of a language. Communicative discourse is more important than sentence structure. PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

18. Model of SLA Information processing metaphor Inputs Processing Output Books Student Teaching Essays Speeches Test Answers Media PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

19. Shortcomings of SLA • Disregard of environment • Clumsy handling of roles and role-changing • Ignored spaces • Focus on single learner • Focus on psychological processes Need a theoretical framework that handles roles, spaces, communities, environments, collaborative groups PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

20. Theory of SLS 　　しゃかいか Second Language Socialisation (SLS) 第二言語の社会化 • Influenced by sociology/anthropology/ecology • A second language is learned best by joining a community that uses that language for specific purposes. • It happens through purposeful projects and tasks inside that community. • Researchers analyze the language acts and how veterans teach apprentices to do those jobs. • Teaching is by designing and facilitating a community that is full of real-life projects for students to do. • PPAARR PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

21. NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS SS NS SS SS T VS T VS VS SS OB VS NS OV SS OV SS NS Model of SLS Ecological/Environmental metaphor Kramsch (2002), Van Lier (2001, 2005) Learning Community T=Teacher NS=Novice VS=Veteran Student OV=Outside Veteran SS=Sister School OB/OG=Alumni PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

22. History of Approaches and Foci in Second Language Pedagogy PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

23. Aims of Presentation Report on institutional practice & collaborative action research • Historical & Theoretical Rationale • for project-based language learning • Research Design • Critical approach - action research • Multi-site case studies -- triangulation • Multi-positionality of researchers - triangulation • Results • first year’s team collaboration • second year’s team collaboration • Conclusions • for blended learning and institutional innovation PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

24. Research Design • Philosophy: Interpretive, critical • Approach: Action Research (long-term, cyclical, ethnographic) • Data Selection/Collection: Teacher Interviews/Forums/Papers • Data Analysis/Interpetation: Actor Network Mapping, Space Analysis, Task/Time Analysis, Interface Affordance Analysis PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

25. Participants in Study • The teachers • 4 teachers – 4 styles • The students • Social Information Majors (computer science) • The classes • 6 wireless PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

26. Participants Profile • Number of Students: 192 • Nationality: Japan • Level: First year, university • Majors: Psychology, English • Classes: 7 • Students per class: 28 (average) • Number of Teachers: 3 • Nationality: Canada, USA, Japan PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

27. Research Design II Site Comparison—Cycles, Methodology, Participants, Data Collection, Data Analysis PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

28. Action Research Positionality Table 10: Examples of Research Positionality in Educational Settings PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

29. Research Design III:Positionality PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

30. Action Research Validity I:Triangulation Table 12: Processes for Increasing Internal Validity in Action Research PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University • (Validity types based on Burns, 1999, pp. 162-166)

31. Action Research Validity II:External Checks Table 11: Herr & Anderson’s Validity Questions for Action Research PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University (based on Herr & Anderson, 2005, pp. 53-57)

32. Action Research Validity III:Internal Checks Table 12: Processes for Increasing Internal Validity in Action Research (Burns, 1999) PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

33. Research Design IV:Validity PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

34. Rationale for PBL Research Design Data Collection Data Reflection (results) Conclusions Data Collection Interviews Forums Journals Photos Materials Data Collection PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

35. Methods Interviews Forums Journals Photos Materials Sites Kanda U. Sapporo Gakuin U. Hokkaido U.* Keihoku H.S.* New sites added: Purposive sampling Data Collection PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

36. Aims of Presentation Report on institutional practice & collaborative action research • Historical & Theoretical Rationale • for project-based language learning • Research Design • Critical approach - action research • Multi-site case studies -- triangulation • Multi-positionality of researchers - triangulation • Results • first year’s team collaboration • second year’s team collaboration • Conclusions • for blended learning and institutional innovation PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

37. Permeation ofMobile Technology Based on reports by 20 year-old English Department students at Sapporo Gakuin University during the 2003 term *projection PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

38. Actual Internet Device Permeation Sapporo Gakuin University Student Population n=5000 Estimated Input Devices to Web e-Learning *previous projection **current projection PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

39. 1st Year Students Self and Japan Sapporo Personal interests Japanese celebrities Japanese culture Summer holidays Ghost stories 2nd Year Students International Planning a trip abroad Int’l celebrities Int’l culture Foreign movies Course Syllabus PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

40. Student Courses PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

41. Teacher Repository & Weekly Reflection PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

42. Course Preparation • Set up Moodle courses • One Course for each class • Pre-enrolled students • Pin numbers • One Teacher’s area • Space for sharing documents/ ideas PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

43. Sample Project:Hokkaido Guidebook Authentic Audience: Visiting Korean students arriving for one week cultural exchange at SGU PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

44. Affordance Analysis:Wired and Wireless PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

45. Questions of this model • Why did Kanda Univ. have an easier time with blended classrooms? • Why did we abandon the old CALL room? A simple wired/wireless dichotomy oversimplifies the conditions PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

46. Space AnalysisA Wired/Wireless Continuum PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

47. Research Methods PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

48. Task/Time Analysis Sample blended task • face-to-face intro 5 min FF • choral practice - pronunciation 5 min FF • take a survey 5 min OL • display survey results on projector 5 min OL/FF • ask questions to partner 10 min FF • fill out a paper feedback form 5 min P • do interaction game with the whole class 20 min FF • practice key words in a quiz online 10 min OL • at home, write reflection on learning 20 min OL PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

49. 1. Kanda - Spaces • Strong Spaces • SALC • Blended learning rooms • Online class spaces • Lounge • Weak Spaces • International • Group access • Newspapers • Clubs, camps • trains PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University

50. 2. Kanda - Teams • Research Teams (12) • Research Coordinators • Lesson Files/Repository • Informal Professional Development PacCALL/GloCALL -Hanoi University