How Facebook Groups are used as an effective tool to enhance teaching and learning English in Vietnam: Reflections & implications

How Facebook Groups are used as an effective tool to enhance

teaching and learning English in Vietnam: Reflections & implications

Tam HoangFaculty of English Linguistics and Literature

University of Social Sciences and Humanities, HCMCVietnam National University, Vietnam

[email protected]

CAMTESOL CONFERENCE 201620 Feb 2016

mailto:[email protected]

1. Reflection How did the FBGs work?

Level 1 – 1 FB group Level 2 – 2 FB groups Level 3 – 3 FB groups How did the improvements take place? 2. Implications for the next course

Reflection How did the Fbgroups work?

Teacher’s activities on these FBGroups (see the data table in the next slideshare)

Students’ activities on these FBGroups (see the data table in the next slideshare)

Please notice the differences among the 3 columns What could make the differences? Let’s explore how differently the FBGroups were

used for each level!

Let’s have a quick look at these FBGs

Reflection How FBGs were used!!!

Language study 1 A


Language study 1 A


Language study 1 A


Language study 1 A


Language study 1 A


Language study 1 A


Language study 1 A


Language study 1 A


Language study 1 A


Language study 1 A


Language study 1 A

Advantages :user-friendlyinteractiveentertaining

Disadvantages:Drift away easilyHard to manage Uncategorized

Consequences :“seen” by everyone

Consequences :But NOT “commented” by everyone

PASSIVE LEARNING, PARTICIPATING


Language study 2 A


Language study 2 A


Language study 2 A


Language study 2 A


Language study 2 A


Language study 2 A

What are the differences? (Improvements)


Language study 2 A


Language study 2 A


Language study 2 A


Language study 2 A


Language study 2 A


Language study 2 A


Language study 2 A


Language study 2 A


Language study 2 A

Albums: 1. reminder & assignment album2. negotiation – writing fluency album3. each student’s writing album4. writing patients’ and doctors’ corner5. each student’s learning log6. mindmap gallery album7. memory-recalling corner album8. Students’ final-test writing essays

Much easier to manage

Utilizing: categorized albumsTools (coloring & highlighting in MS word)Paints Screenshots


Language study 2 A

Advantages :user-friendlyinteractiveEntertainingCategorized

Disadvantages:So many different albums in a FBG

Consequences : much time finding specific ones.

Not very effective


Language study 3 A

What are the differences? (Improvements)

3 FBGs Why 3???


Language study 3 A


Language study 3 A

1.Language Study 3A – Friday2.Assignment – Language Study 3A3.Writing project – Language Study 3A


Language study 3 A

1. Reflection album2. Opened discussion album3. Beneficial writing sources4. Mindmap corner album5. Knowledge-expanding activities

album6. Star group – star member

album7. Language -exploring album8. Compulsory online activities

album9. My site on wordpress album 10.My 20-time participation album

4 kinds of albums1. reflection-writing

album2. Textbook

assignment album3. Identity

assignment album4. Challenges album

38 albums for their final writing products.


Language study 3 A


Language study 3 A


Language study 3 A


Language study 2 A

Advantages :user-friendlyinteractiveEntertainingMUCH MORE Categorized

Drawbacks:Instructions: not comprehensive enough for all of the studentsSo much freedom Students’ habit: crushed doing the assignments near the end of the course weak management of time

Consequences : Suffer pressure Affect the quality of the writing products

Could not maximize the benefits of this learning

approach

Consequences : MUCH increase the students’ writing frequency MUCH increase the students’ participation

Implications for the next course

Strictly manage the deadlinesSolid classroom rules

Clear written guidelines

To sum up

1. Do you think using FBGs is NOT SO difficult to be applied in your future class(es)?

2. What are some of important pieces of advice you got from my teaching experiences?

Tam [email protected]



The researcher has been using Facebook Groups (FBGs) as a means to foster and boost learning and teaching in her three writing classes (level 1, level 2, level 3) to English majors over 3 semesters. In this paper, she is going to provide a close-up and thorough process of her utilizing technology in teaching and learning (FBG) from the very early stage (very new to using it) to the one of mastery, effectiveness and creativity. This is definitely a scaffolding for any language teachers who wish to create an online learning environment which promotes collaborative learning and learners’ autonomy in language learning. Specifically, first she is providing a critical reflection on how FBGs were used in the level-1 class. Second, findings of the positive and negative effects - which expectedly and unexpectedly occurred in the class- of using this approach were discussed. Third, implications were realized for being applied in the level-2 class. Next, the same research processes applied for the level-2 class and level-3 class are analytically presented. Finally, the implications are drawn to continue the action research spiral model for her future writing classes.

Education

How Facebook Groups are used as an effective tool to enhance teaching and learning English in Vietnam: Reflections & implications