2004 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Research and Development of Tasks for English Classes Utilizing Online Chat
| Project/Area Number |
15520361
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Foreign language education
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| Research Institution | KYUSHU UNIVERSITY |
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Principal Investigator |
SUZUKI Yubun Kyushu University, Faculty of Languages and Cultures, Associate Professor, 言語文化研究院, 助教授 (90243873)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2003 – 2004
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| Keywords | English Education / Virtual Cyberspace / Chat / Written Chat / Written English Communication |
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| Research Abstract |
Three-Dimensional interactive Education System (3d-ies) is welcomed by students taking English communication classes and has something attractive leading to students' active participation in class activities. In order to enhance this advantage of the system, the investigator has tried to improve tasks carried out in classes so that students may find the classes even more attractive.
The investigator asked students in his classes connected by means of the Internet to Hokkaido University students and instructor in the spring and fall semesters of the academic year 2004 to answer a questionnaire with respect to what type of tasks they prefer and which actual tasks they find to be fruitful or discouraging out of 36 in the spring semester and 38 in the other semester.
What follows is the result of the investigation. First of all, tasks based on discussion (sometimes something like an academic debate) are preferred to Role-playing activities. Students want to be assigned their partner(s) in ch
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at activities by the automatic grouping function of the system rather than having to find their partner(s) by themselves in the 3-dimensinal cyberspace. Tasks using complicated function of the system or intricate procedures are not well-received, which the investigator interprets as an indication of students desire to be concentrated on discussion itself. Topics of the discussion or the debate they prefer are those whose background and related arguments are well-known among ordinary people. They do not want narrow topics in their fields of study typical in their departments. When they tackle with role-playing activities, they prefer those with an open ending : they hate to be told to reach a particular ending with a given plot of a story. To the investigator's surprise, it does not matter very much whether tasks are meant for amusement or entertainment. It does not matter either whether discussion groups consist of two students or three. Something outlandish also is not attractive to the students. As a result, we can draw a conclusion that what counts most seems to be exciting and substantial discussion and debate. We ought to take these observations into account when we prepare tasks for chat-based English communication classes. Less
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