Community Language Classes: How Ready are Students for More Technology?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14297/jpaap.v1i1.35Keywords:
e-learning, community education, language learning, learning technology, diversityAbstract
Are students at community language classes ready to use more technology for their learning? Although research into the use of technology in many language learning settings is widespread, the particular needs of the diverse body of community classes which are open to all have received little attention. This article reports on a survey on technological preconditions (e-readiness) prior to introducing more technology to community language classes at a large UK university.
Results showed that almost all students were extremely e-ready in regard to physical access to computers and competence with basic word processing applications. However, only 50% used more sophisticated applications, such as chat, discussions or gaming. 66% regularly updated their computer skills and were very motivated and confident computer users. There was a strong interest (over 90%) in the introduction of more computer-based resources for language learning. The introduction of blended learning was of interest to 75% of learners.
Older participants, and those not in the labour force, displayed a lower degree of e-readiness, particularly regarding their skills and confidence. They were also slightly less interested in the introduction of online resources. Women displayed less confidence than men.
Implications for the introduction and choice of technologies for community language learners are discussed.
References
Adams H. and Nicolson M. (2011). Learner Diversity In Language Teaching in Blended Contexts, eds. M. Nicolson, L. Murphy and M. Southgate, 29-42. Edinburgh: Dunedin Academic Press.
Andersson, A. (2004). Digital Divides Revisited: Towards a Model for Analysis. In Electronic Government. Lecture Notes on Computer Science 3183, ed. R. Traunmüller, 289-292. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag.
Bayne, S. and Ross, J. (2007). “The ‘digital native’ and ‘digital immigrant’: A dangerous opposition,” paper presented at the Annual Conference of the Society for Research into Higher Education (SRHE) [December]. Available online: http://www.malts.ed.ac.uk/staff/sian/natives_final.pdf.
Bryman, A., & Cramer, D. (2005). Quantitative data analysis with SPSS 12 and 13: A guide for social scientist. Routledge.
Chapelle, C. (2010). The spread of computer-assisted language learning. Language Teaching 43, no 1: 66-74.
Cooper, J. (2006). The digital divide: the special case of gender. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning. 22, no 5: 320-334.
DiMaggio, P., Hargittai, E., Celeste, C. and Shafer, S. (2001). From Unequal Access to Differentiated Use: A Literature Review and Agenda for Research on Digital Inequality. Available online: http://www.eszter.com/research/pubs/dimaggio-etal-digitalinequality.pdf.
EACEA (2007/09). Study on the Impact of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and New Media on Language Learning. Available online: http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/llp/studies/study_impact_ict_new_media_language_learning_en.php.
Eurostat (2009). Information Society Statistics. Available online: http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/information_society/data/main_tables.
Eurostat (2010). Information Society Statistics. Available online: http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/information_society/data/main_tables.
Fox, S. and Vitak, J. (2008). Degrees of Access (May 2008 data). Pew Internet and American Life Project. Available online: http://www.pewinternet.org/Presentations/2008/Degrees-of-Access-(May-2008-data).aspx.
Garcia, P. and Qin, J. (2007). Identifying the generation gap in higher education: Where do the differences really lie? Innovate, 3, no 4. Available online: http://www.innovateonline.info/pdf/vol3_issue4/Identifying_the_Generation_Gap_in_Higher_Education-__Where_Do_the_Differences_Really_Lie_.pdf .
Hargittai, E. and Shafer, S. (2006). Differences in Actual and Perceived Online Skills: The Role of Gender. Social Science Quarterly. 87, no 2: 434-448. Available online: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/118550929/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0.
Hohlfeld, T., Ritzhaupt, A., Barron, A. and Kemker, K. (2008). Examining the digital divide in K-12 public schools: Four-year trends for supporting ICT literacy in Florida. Computers & Education 51(4): 1648-1663
Kennedy, T., Wellman, B. and Klement, K. (2003). Gendering the Digital Divide. IT & Society, 1, no 5: 72-96.
Kinginger, C. (2007). Technology, telecommunication and foreign language teaching in the languages review consultation report: a view from the US. Language Learning Journal 35, no 1: 113-115.
Lenhart, A. (2009). Adults and Social Network Websites. Pew Internet and American Life Project. Available online: http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2009/Adults-and-Social-Network-Websites.aspx.
Miller, L., Tsang, E.S.C., & Hopkins, M. (2007). Establishing a self-access center in a secondary school. ELT Journal, 61, no 3: 220–227.
Nicolson, M. and Adams, H. (2010). The Language Classroom: Place of Comfort or Obstacle Course? Language Learning Journal, 38, no 1: 37-49.
OECD (2006). Are Students Ready for a Technology Rich World? What Pisa Studies Tell Us. Programme for International Student Assessment. Available online: http://www.oecd.org/document/31/0,3343,en_32252351_32236173_35995743_1_1_1_1,00.html.
OfCom Metrics bulletin. (2010). Available online: http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/research/media-literacy/digi-participation/2010-metrics/metrics-bulletin-2010.pdf
Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development (2005). Core ICT Indicators. (New York: UNICT Task Force). Available online: http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/partnership/material/CoreICTIndicators.pdf.
Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development (2010). Core ICT Indicators 2010. Available online: http://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-d/opb/ind/D-IND-ICT_CORE-2010-PDF-E.pdf.
Partridge, Helen L. (2007). Redefining the digital divide: Attitudes do matter!
Proceedings of the American Society for Information Science and Technology. 44, no 1: 1-17.
Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants part 1. On the horizon, 9 no 5, 1-6.
Prensky, M. (2009). H. sapiens digital: From digital immigrants and digital natives to digital wisdom. Innovate, 5, no 3. Available online: http://www.innovateonline.info/index.php?view=article&id=705.
Robson, C. (2002). Real world research: A resource for social scientists and practitioner-researchers (Vol. 2). Oxford: Blackwell.
Stoerger, S. (2009). The digital melting pot: Bridging the digital native-immigrant divide. First Monday, 14, no 7. Available online: http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2474/2243.
Usher, R., Bryant, I., & Johnston, R. (1997). Reconfiguring the ‘other’: self, and experience in adult learning. Adult Education and the Postmodern Challenge, 93-121.
Wehner, A.K., Gump, A. W. & Downey, S. (2011). The effects of Second Life on the motivation of undergraduate students learning a foreign language. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 24, no 3, 277-289.
Published
Issue
Section
License
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
Journal of Perspectives in Applied Academic Practice has made best effort to ensure accuracy of the contents of this journal, however makes no claims to the authenticity and completeness of the articles published. Authors are responsible for ensuring copyright clearance for any images, tables etc which are supplied from an outside source.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
