Using Facebook as a Language Learning Tool: Building Language Learning Communities among Students.

Claudia BehnkeNorthern Arizona University

SWCOLT 2012

Why use technology in Language Learning? Language is cultural and social: Vygotsky’s Sociocultural theory.

Technology offers students the opportunity to produce more than what

is learned, “Zone of proximal development”.

Technology allows students to receive feedback from the professor, from

other students, native-speakers and computer generated feedback.

Interaction can occur with technology and/or through technology.

Virtual on-line Communities What is an on-line community?

“groups of people, connected via-technology-mediated communication, who actively engage one another in collaborative, learner-centered activities to intentionally foster the creation of knowledge, while sharing a number of values and practices” (Ludwig-Hardman, 2003).

What are the benefits of an on-line community? Share life, work and school experiences. Permit group expression. Higher levels of academic success, retention of information and satisfaction of

University life (Price, 2005). Bridge the gap between the social and academic worlds.

How do students participate in an on-line learning community?

Create an on-line identity (“All about me”): Creation of profiles, sharing pictures, asking questions, publishing status updates.

Actively participate and collaborate in an informal manner (with others students and/or professor). Give and receive feedback. Ask and answer questions.

Share multi-media (music, animations, links, etc.).

Why use Facebook? Enhance communication between students and between students and the professor.

Share and participate in ways not possible in the classroom (i.e. sharing multimedia).

Create surveys, applications, play games, joins groups, practice languages, sync and connect other websites with your Facebook account, etc.

Facebook is attractive and appealing, students are masters in navigating Facebook, and it’s free!

Promote student collaboration outside of class, receive information from ‘friends’ and foster relationships with classmates (i.e. through a group page, or the newsfeed).

Promote the responsible and professional use of Facebook and other social networking sites.

Why use Facebook in the Language classroom?

70% of Facebook users live in other countries all around the world, and speak more than 70 different languages, which are available on Facebook.

Facebook allows students to be involved and interact with their classmates in a familiar setting in the target language. “lurking” or “stalking” = input! Commenting, “liking” or sharing content.

Facebook permits the access to and sharing of authentic materials and other cultural relevant items.

Action Research SPA101 – Honors; 17 students; All undergraduate.

Materials: Tally of observed participation (solicited and unsolicited). Questionnaire:

Demographic information, previous experience and exposure to Spanish Personal use of Facebook. Opinions and level of comfort using Facebook in the class.

Research questions: What are student opinions and perceptions of using Facebook in Spanish class? How do students participate in a Spanish class group on Facebook?

Facebook Activities 1. Create a private Facebook account and join the secret class group.

2. Share reading and listening activities (notes, blogs, videos, comments).

3. Create and share multimedia.

4. Publish to the group page.

5. Comment other student work.

6. Publish and ‘tag’ photos.

7. Announcements, reminders, events, etc.

1. Create a private Facebook account and join the secret class group

2. Share reading and listening activities (notes, blogs, videos, comments)

2. Share reading and listening activities (notes, blogs, videos, comments), cont.

3. Create and share multimedia.

4. Publish to the group page: Student comments and questions

4. Publish to the group page: Student comments and questions, cont.

4. Publish to the group page: Student projects

4. Publish to the group page: Predictions, reactions, stories, etc.

5. Comment other student work.

6. Publish and ‘tag’ photos

6. Publish and ‘tag’ photos, cont.

7. Announcements, reminders, events, etc.

Student opinion and perception: How do you like using Facebook?

Using Facebook Sharing your work0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

I like It a lot!I somewhat like itIndifferentI somewhat dislike itI dislike it a lot!

Student opinion and perception: How do you like using Facebook?

“It is easy to use and I can use it to keep track of what I have done”

“I particularly dislike sharing my work. I don’t like the lack of privacy”

“It is a great way to network/connect It brings a social aspect to Spanish learning.

Student opinion and perception: Would you recommend Facebook for another class?

Si No Si/No0123456789

Student opinion and perception: Would you recommend Facebook for another class?

“I don’t like using a public forum to display my work – it makes me uncomfortable knowing that everyone can see it/judge me based on my work.”

“It creates a bridge between personal and academic that I don’t like. It is too informal of a setting for academics”

Student opinion and perception: Would you recommend Facebook for another class?

“Since most of us already use Facebook we know what we’re doing and it is more enjoyable and faster”

“Because Facebook is something that I can use and that I remember to check frequently”

“I think for certain types of classes, like languages, it is the best way to maximize our interaction and language practice.”

Tally of observed participation Classification of FB use Solicited Not solicited“me gusta”/ “like” 0 24Comment a publication 5 51Publish on the professor’s wall 0 4Publish to a classmates' wall 0 4Publish to the class group 144 9Publish/comment a note 152 1Status update 0 2Multimedia 85 4Photos 3 (albums) 16

Tally of observed participation, cont. Yes No

Did the student add a profile picture? 16 1

Did the student add personal information to the profile? 4 13

Is he/she “friends” with the rest of the class? 17 0

Recommendations & Conclusiones Recommendations:

Create a ‘secret’ group. Be an active member. Only correct errors through a private message. Encourage professional ‘participation’.

Conclusions: Facebook is useful tool to increase possibility of student interaction. Students are comfortable with Facebook and prefer Facebook over Bblearn. Students do not like like to publish their written work on Facebook!

Bibliography

Buckley, C., Hastings, A., & Mottershead, R. (2009), ‘Using Web 2.0 Technologies to Build Learning Communities’. International Conference held in Barcelona 23rd -28th February 2009). Barcelona: IADIS

chavez-Solario, Nesly. A Comparison of Student outcomes and attitudes in Tecnology enhanced vs. traditional second-semester Spanish language courses. Proquest dissertations and theses; 2003; Proquest Dissertations and theses (PQDT)

Naditz, N. “Friend” of Foe: Facebook in a High School Language Class. The language educator, Nov 2011

Lakshmi, G.V.S., Sailaja, S. Contribution of technology in Language learning. Sino-US English teaching. Jan, 2010, Volume 7, No.1

Mills, N. Situated learning through social networking communities: The development of joint Enterprise, mutual engagemente, and a shared repertoire. CALICO 28 (2).p. 245-386. 2011.

Bibliography, cont. Neil Selyn (2009): Facebooking: exploring students’ education-related use of Facebook.

Learning, Media and Technology, 34:2 157 – 174.

chwartz, H. Facebook: The Classroom Commons? The Chronicle of Higher Education. SEp. 28, 2009

Stevens, M. Learning a Language with Web 2.0: Exploring the use of social networking features of Foreign language learning websites. CALIC, 27 (2). 2010

Terantino, J. & Graf, K. Using Facebook in the Language Classrrom as part of the Net Generation Curriculum. In the Classroom. The Language educator, Nov 2011

Thomas, P. Avoiding the ‘Virtual’: Building learning communities in off-campus language learning. Australian Review of Applied linguistics. No 7, 2003.

Questions?