Task-based Collaborative Interaction in a CMC Environment: A Form-Focused Perspective
The study explored the effect of task-based collaborative interactions in a Synchronous Computer-mediated Communication (SCMC) environment on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners' development of grammatical knowledge and accuracy of a specified structure, that is, conditional clauses. T...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Teaching English Language and Literature Society of Iran (TELLSI)
2016-12-01
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| Series: | Teaching English Language |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.teljournal.org/article_53552_099974cba90021ec54fa81185fc76205.pdf |
| _version_ | 1828491165986455552 |
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| author | Azizullah Mirzaei Farzaneh Taheri |
| author_facet | Azizullah Mirzaei Farzaneh Taheri |
| author_sort | Azizullah Mirzaei |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The study explored the effect of task-based collaborative interactions in a Synchronous Computer-mediated Communication (SCMC) environment on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners' development of grammatical knowledge and accuracy of a specified structure, that is, conditional clauses. To this end, at first, two intact EFL-grammar classes from an Iranian university were randomly assigned to control and experimental groups. A grammar test focusing on the above-mentioned structure was used at the pretest and posttest times. The control group learners were exposed to mainstream noncollaborative instruction in which they performed a number of tasks individually within the context of a teacher-fronted classroom. The learners of the experimental group, however, carried out the same planned tasks through peer-peer and teacher-student collaborative interactions in the form of text chats in an SCMC environment (i.e., Skype). Secondly, to trace learners' trajectories of grammatical accuracy, their L2 written outputs produced during the task performance were analyzed, employing the error-free T-unit ratio. The SCMC participants were also interviewed to elicit their attitudes towards employing the approach to grammar instruction. As to grammatical knowledge test, ANCOVA results revealed that the experimental group outperformed the control group in the posttest. In terms of grammatical accuracy, subsequent t-test results indicated significant gains for the SCMC group. Furthermore, learner interviews indicated that most learners had generally positive attitudes toward CMC-oriented grammar instruction. The findings suggested that collaborative interactions in form of text-based exchanges in CMC learning environments can be a useful platform for L2 grammar instruction and learning. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T10:56:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a9204f13acfd427eafbae80040872e69 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2538-5488 2538-547X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T10:56:39Z |
| publishDate | 2016-12-01 |
| publisher | Teaching English Language and Literature Society of Iran (TELLSI) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Teaching English Language |
| spelling | doaj.art-a9204f13acfd427eafbae80040872e692022-12-22T01:10:01ZengTeaching English Language and Literature Society of Iran (TELLSI)Teaching English Language2538-54882538-547X2016-12-0110211314910.22132/tel.2016.5355253552Task-based Collaborative Interaction in a CMC Environment: A Form-Focused PerspectiveAzizullah Mirzaei0Farzaneh Taheri1Shahrekord University, IranShahrekord University, IranThe study explored the effect of task-based collaborative interactions in a Synchronous Computer-mediated Communication (SCMC) environment on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners' development of grammatical knowledge and accuracy of a specified structure, that is, conditional clauses. To this end, at first, two intact EFL-grammar classes from an Iranian university were randomly assigned to control and experimental groups. A grammar test focusing on the above-mentioned structure was used at the pretest and posttest times. The control group learners were exposed to mainstream noncollaborative instruction in which they performed a number of tasks individually within the context of a teacher-fronted classroom. The learners of the experimental group, however, carried out the same planned tasks through peer-peer and teacher-student collaborative interactions in the form of text chats in an SCMC environment (i.e., Skype). Secondly, to trace learners' trajectories of grammatical accuracy, their L2 written outputs produced during the task performance were analyzed, employing the error-free T-unit ratio. The SCMC participants were also interviewed to elicit their attitudes towards employing the approach to grammar instruction. As to grammatical knowledge test, ANCOVA results revealed that the experimental group outperformed the control group in the posttest. In terms of grammatical accuracy, subsequent t-test results indicated significant gains for the SCMC group. Furthermore, learner interviews indicated that most learners had generally positive attitudes toward CMC-oriented grammar instruction. The findings suggested that collaborative interactions in form of text-based exchanges in CMC learning environments can be a useful platform for L2 grammar instruction and learning.http://www.teljournal.org/article_53552_099974cba90021ec54fa81185fc76205.pdfsynchronous computer-mediated communicationcollaborative interactionsskypegrammatical knowledgegrammatical accuracy |
| spellingShingle | Azizullah Mirzaei Farzaneh Taheri Task-based Collaborative Interaction in a CMC Environment: A Form-Focused Perspective Teaching English Language synchronous computer-mediated communication collaborative interactions skype grammatical knowledge grammatical accuracy |
| title | Task-based Collaborative Interaction in a CMC Environment: A Form-Focused Perspective |
| title_full | Task-based Collaborative Interaction in a CMC Environment: A Form-Focused Perspective |
| title_fullStr | Task-based Collaborative Interaction in a CMC Environment: A Form-Focused Perspective |
| title_full_unstemmed | Task-based Collaborative Interaction in a CMC Environment: A Form-Focused Perspective |
| title_short | Task-based Collaborative Interaction in a CMC Environment: A Form-Focused Perspective |
| title_sort | task based collaborative interaction in a cmc environment a form focused perspective |
| topic | synchronous computer-mediated communication collaborative interactions skype grammatical knowledge grammatical accuracy |
| url | http://www.teljournal.org/article_53552_099974cba90021ec54fa81185fc76205.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT azizullahmirzaei taskbasedcollaborativeinteractioninacmcenvironmentaformfocusedperspective AT farzanehtaheri taskbasedcollaborativeinteractioninacmcenvironmentaformfocusedperspective |