Speaker
ABSTRACT
The mode of communication in second language pedagogic tasks can significantly affect learners’ sense of agency, engagement, and their overall learning outcomes. To explore this issue, this presentation will report on a study that investigated the impact of synchronous computer-mediated communication (SCMC) mode on engagement in collaborative pre-task planning, and whether learner engagement is linked to subsequent task performance quality. One hundred twenty-eight Hong Kong learners of English were assigned to either a face-to-face (FTF) planning group or a synchronous computer-mediated communication (SCMC) planning group, where they completed in collaborative pre-task planning in preparation for an oral monologic problem-solution task. Learner self-ratings assessed emotional engagement, while discourse analytic measures evaluated behavioural engagement, cognitive engagement, and social engagement. Results from a multivariate analysis of variance showed that certain indicators of behavioural, cognitive, and social engagement in FTF planning mode were significantly higher than in SCMC planning mode. A multiple linear regression revealed that the number of words, affiliative backchannels, and elaborative clauses produced in pre-task planning were predictive of learners’ subsequent task performances. The presentation will discuss how these findings contribute to an understanding of engagement in SCMC and FTF modes and their impact on second language learning through task performance.
KEYWORDS
Task-based language learning, computer-mediated language learning, pre-task planning, learner engagement
| TITLE | The effect of synchronous computer-mediated and face-to-face communication |
|---|---|
| RELEVANT SIG | Task-Based Learning (TBL) |
| FORMAT | Research-oriented Oral Face-to-face presentation (25 minutes, including Q&A) |
