Computer-mediated online language learning programmes vs. tailor-made teaching practices at university level: a foul relationship or a perfect match?

Abstract

This paper explores the potential of digital learning environments to address current issues related to individualised instruction and the expansion of educational opportunities in English as a foreign language at university level. To do so, an applied linguistics-centred research endeavour was carried out. This reflection led to the implementation of a twofold device composed of an online English course designed to enable students to submit production tasks (oral and written) and an individualised feedback generation system providing students with tailor-made revision sheets. In order to analyse the potential of this pedagogical device to (i) manage groups of heterogeneous students, (ii) offer ‘reasonably’ time-consuming revision procedures for the teaching staff and (iii) have students achieve institutional objectives (i.e. reach a threshold level in English), an experimental study (2013–2014) was carried out amongst 250 French undergraduate STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) students at University Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris). In this study, various sets of data were collected and analysed: students’ attendance, satisfaction and performance at the final examination; time spent tutoring those students’ online production tasks throughout the year. Cross-references and comparison of the data revealed encouraging results, thus contributing to a discussion on distance solutions for foreign languages and on tailor-made foreign language teaching and learning practices at university level.

Keywords:

• technology-enhanced language learning
• computer-assisted language teaching
• student heterogeneity management
• online tutoring
• online recasts
• time-cost ratio

Disclosure statement

I hereby declare that I have no relevant financial or nonfinancial relationships to disclose.

Notes on contributor

Notes

1. For further details concerning those levels, please refer to the following website http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/education/elp/elp-reg/cefr_scale_EN.asp where the illustrative scales and descriptors of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) are presented.

2. According to Schmidt (1990, 1993, 1994), noticing is a conscious cognitive operation which would enable hypothesis generation and testing (Vanpatten, 1994), rehearsal in working memory and, subsequently, storage in long term memory (Baddeley, 1995).

3. Every time a tutor clicks on the flag key in the module, a small flag literally appears in the progress bar of the audio player, thus indicating where a problem has been noticed.

4. Suggested ‘calculation’ method to establish a ‘fair’ workload: when the amount of money earned for a given online teaching activity coincides (as much as possible) with the amount of time actually dedicated to carry out the specific online teaching activity.

5. http://firstyearenglishcourse.xooit.com/index.php.

6. Examples of successful online language courses – but in a synchronous context – also exist (see for instance, Hampel & Hauck, 2005).