It seems to me that a natural online community may include multiple
platforms, with people interacting across Facebook, LINE, Instagram, Tumblr, email, blogs, etc.
But rules for classroom use of social media for Mobile Assisted Language Learning is usually limited to one platform only
Should our MALL instructional design allow students to complete learning tasks via multiple overlapping platforms in order to replicate a natural, organic collaboration?
This real-world characteristic of online interaction may provide confounding variables for researchers gathering control group-experimental group quantitative data for statistical analysis. It is, however, a reality that may occur when MALL technologies are fully integrated into the curriculum because people who know each other are likely to friend or follow each other on multiple social media services, whether teachers like it or not..
What do you think?
It is increasingly difficult to control the means through which students communicate and work in network. Professor, depending on its needs to control the process and record statistics can force the ways of working. I think the right measure is to control only that what is required greater control and ensures consistency or performance of activities. The rest will flow better to the extent that it is natural and comfortable to students.
As a student myself, I would like to have multiple platforms available in the mobile assisted language learning. It will make the learning easier since I could have easy access to some resources in multiple formats. By saying that, in my opinioin, I think it should not be limited to social networking platform per se, but also to other applications as well. Whatever tools that we have on the computer, it would be great if we could have it in a hand-sized form. So, it will fit the purpose of ubiquitous learning. I wonder if that is possible.
Well, I couldn´t quote any study about that so that, in the long run, it appears to be an open question.
Meanwhile, the world is continuously informatized. The use of tablets and smartphones is getting generalized. There are many social nets available that promise mutual language education for their users. And anyway, in order to know people and cooperate through the world it is required that all participants know at least one common language (usually, but not necessarily, English). So I guess the trend favours the existence of so many platform as there come into being.
From the educational standpoint, though, I find it would be too hard to evaluate student´s progress if too many (say more then three) platforms or designs are to be simultaneously used. (though ALTE - http:/www.alte.org - standards might be useful for that).
Just some thoughts, my opinions aren´t based on educational practice but on the personal experience of one who´s learned many foreign language, often autodidactically, and with lots of informatics support.
Dear Michael,
In today's 21st century learning field, technology has made quite an impact on the landscape of classroom teaching and learning undoubtedly. Social media especially has been the interest of the day in the social ecosystem of students and thus, the teaching and learning process has to take this into consideration as a platform to innovate today's classroom pedagogy. I had carried out several studies related to integrating MALL/technology in the teaching of English as a foreign language. Believe me, it did make a difference in students' learning outcomes as they were much more engaged in their learning. However, challenges are inevitable but it can be kept at bay with the close monitoring and interventions of the educators concerned. MALL/technology can be perceived as a supplementary tool to enrich the teaching and learning process in a classroom.
Regards
Malini,
I think that the point you make about supporting the classroom instruction is correct -- the MALL system needs to be PART of the lesson plan, instructional design and curriculum design.
In too many MALL papers I have read, the MALL is optional, not part of the course grade, and used for only a very short period of time.
This is a very important question. I teach a Masters course “Social Networks in Educational Contexts” and am writing a paper on this topic. In this course we use an MLS as well as various social media and social networks. Students at the beginning of the course are not aware of the various possibilities those tools pose for education. As we proceed with the course, it is made clear to all of us that every network responds to another pedagogical need. Instructors should be made aware of the potential encompassed in the new technologies and get help in developing competencies necessary for shaping learning activities, which effectively use of the technology and enhance learning according to their learning objectives. Many of the faculty staff have no experience with social media as much as students do, and in my opinion, it is important to provide resources to lecturers who promote innovative teaching models and help them become acquainted with the properties and benefits of this technology. They should also be aware of the difficulties that are part of the process of implementing a new technology as well as of issues of ownership of knowledge , awareness of the distinction between the private and the public , language fluency , safety, copyright and so on.
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