Perceived benefits and drawbacks of synchronous voice-based computer-mediated communication in the foreign language classroom

Abstract

This study explored the benefits and drawbacks of synchronous voice-based computer-mediated communication (CMC) in a blended course of English for specific purposes. Quantitative and qualitative data from two groups following the same syllabus, except for the oral component, were compared. Oral tasks were carried out face-to-face with same L1 partners in the control group and through synchronous voice-based CMC with different L1 partners in the experimental group. The analysis included data from general proficiency pre- and post-test scores, oral Power Point presentation grades, students' questionnaires and students' and teachers' diaries. The results showed that achievements were significantly better in the experimental group and that there was also an increase of other positive factors which may effectively contribute both to second language acquisition (SLA) and to solving many of the problems which make speaking skills the weakest skill in foreign language contexts.

Keywords:

• computer-mediated communication
• voice-based exchanges
• non-native/non-native CMC
• students' perceptions
• oral skills

Acknowledgment

The author would like to express her gratitude to Dr. Nekane Oroz for her valuable comments on a previous draft of this paper and to Deborah Fletcher for her revisions and encouragement.

Notes

1. Researchers at the Open University UK use the term “audiographic conferencing” because their in-house platform includes text chat and graphics, and interaction takes place in groups. We used voice-based CMC instead as students were limited to the audio capability of Skype and interactions were one to one.

2. The tasks used were two-way information exchange tasks in the form of open-ended questions (Lee, 2004) and close questions in which students had to share information they had and the other student had missing in their questionnaire. An example of the first task is included as Appendix 2.

3. Oxford Placement Test.

4. Proficiency refers here to “a learner's general language ability in speaking, listening, reading and/or writing based on some kind of criteria or measure” (Leeser, 2004, p. 58).