Training Future Teachers through Online Exchanges

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Training Future Teachers through Online Exchanges

• François Mangenot

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Training future teachers for and through Online
Exchange

• Online interaction and collaboration is
  infamously difficult to organise and implement
  ODowd, Epal 2009
• It is quite clear that our capacity to make
  effective use of information technology in
  educational settings is impaired by inadequate
  preparation of teachers (as well as learners)
  Spector, de la Teja, 2001

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Outline

• 1. Overview / parameters of online exchanges (i.
  e. telecollaboration)
• 2. A case study training future teachers into
  e-learning (and IT) through an online exchange,
  Le Français en (première) Ligne
• 3. Planning online interaction through
  communicational scenarios?

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1. Some parameters of on-line exchange

•  A great diversity  (ODowd, Epal 2009)
• Language(s) used during the exchange
• More or less focus on the cultural dimension
• Tasks, project, collaboration?
• Number of participants, individuals or groups
• Tutoring (or no online guidance)
• Mode of integration (gtassessment), blended
  learning
• Communicational tools / scenarios (see part 3)
• References Warschauer Kern (2000), Belz
  (2003), Belz Thorne (2006), Dejean Mangenot
  (2006), ODowd (2007), Degache Mangenot (2007),
  EPAL Conference Proceedings 2007 2009
  (EPAL échanger pour apprendre en ligne ).

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Language(s)

• Two languages, reception production reciprocal
  learning (Tandem as archetype)
• Two languages but production only in L1 (Cultura)
• Several languages of the same family (Galanet
  Romance languages)
• Only one language
• not all partners are language learners (ODowd,
  2006)
• English as lingua franca (Japan-Korea in ODowd)
• participation in non-educational networks (Hanna
  de Nooy, 2003, Ollivier, 2007)
• future teachers interacting with learners

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More or less focus on the cultural dimension

• Cultura as archetype
• Language always linked with culture, but more or
  less focus on ICC development  The move from
  exchanging information to intercultural learning
  is very hard to achieve  (ODowd, 2009).
• The issue of  failed communication  (Belz,
  Thorne, Ware, etc.)
• Differences in communication style, tools
  culture-of-use
• Online intercultural interaction requires
  specific skills and attitudes
• Issue of visible and invisible culture facts and
  communicative ethos (Kerbrat-Orecchioni, 2004).

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Tasks? Project? Collaboration?

• Task-based design (see Müller-Hartmann 2000,
  2007) frequent but not unique model
• Le français en (première) ligne task-based
• No compulsory tasks (e-Tandem)
• Questionnaires forum discussions (Cultura)
• Projects (i. e. collective realisation of a
   product  over a rather long period, Progetto
  Incontro, Tridem)
• Combination of above approaches Galanet

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Different distance working modes (Mangenot
Dejean-Thircuir, 2009)
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Participatory structure (Ellis, 2003)

• The participatory structure of a lesson refers
  to the procedures that govern how the teacher's
  and students' contributions to the performance of
  the task are organized (Ellis, 2003).
• Careful design of work flow processes
  (Dooly, 2007)
• A lot more possibilities online than in F2F
  class
• One to one / e-mail (Tandem)
• One to one to one / audioconferencing blogs
  (Tridem)
• Small collaborative groups with different tools
• At a distance Projetto Incontro, Tridem
• Locally On fait de la radio?, Galanet
• Groups of 6 to 10 performing tasks in forums
  under the guidance of 1 or 2 tutors (Français en
  (première) ligne)
• Larger groups performing discussions (Cultura)
• Example desktop or room-based videoconferencing
  (ODowd, 2007)

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Guidance? Integration?

• No online tutors but integration into F2F class
  (Tandem, Cultura, Progetto Incontro)
• Online tutors who are more moderators
  integration into F2F class (Galanet)
• Online tutors future teachers (Le français en
  (première) ligne)
• Assessment ( very little of course grade is
  awarded for completion of exchanges despite high
  work load , ODowd, Epal 2009)

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2. Le français en (première) ligne

• Learners of French / Pre-service teachers
  (Masters Program) communicate in French project
  devised by Christine Develotte, Lyon, and
  launched in 2002 by F. Mangenot in Besançon
• Different objectives for the 2 groups
• learn French / be in contact with French culture
  through native partners / tutors
• train ICT e-learning through a  learning by
  doing  approach / reflect upon this experience
• Since 2002 Australia (Sydney, Melbourne), USA
  (North Virginia, Berkeley), Spain, Japan, Latvia
  // universities of Besançon, Grenoble 3, Lyon 2,
  Luxembourg (gt500 students)
• All online tasks and interactions have been
  saved
• Project website (description, tasks, interaction
  samples) http//w3.u-grenoble3.fr/fle-1-ligne

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Some features of Le français en (première) ligne

• Fully integrated project (part of study plan
  and assessment - on both sides)
• Asymmetric roles of the partners (peer / tutor,
  Dejean-Thircuir Mangenot, 2006)
• Task-based approach, strong guidance (gt
  pre-service teachers learn how to design tasks
  for distance learning and how to be a tutor)
• For the future teachers, ICT training through a
  situated learning approach (Develotte, Mangenot,
  Zourou, Recall 17(2), 2005, Mangenot, Zourou,
  2005)
• e. g. Audacity (see Mangenot, Zourou, 2007,
  Alsic)
• A cultural dimension exists for both groups

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Which teaching skills aimed at through this
project?

• Two different versions in Lyon and in Grenoble
  synchronous vs. asynchronous interactions (which
  lead to different skills, see Guichon, 2009,
  Salam Valmas, 2009)
• Technological know-how LMS, sound, picture and
  video software, communication tools
• Integrating technology into a syllabus,
  conceptualising CALL (Levy)
• Task design more accurate instructions, input
• Online tutoring socio-affective, socio-cognitive
  and organisational dimensions, corrective
  feedback
• Intercultural competence

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How are the future teacher evaluated?

• No grade for task design nor for tutoring (high
  motivation, see Develotte, Mangenot, Zourou,
  2005)
• Interaction analysis of a previous year (done in
  dyads) 50 of the grade
• Reflective blog advised
• Reflective report due after the end of the
  exchange 50 of the grade

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Two difficult dimensions

• A time consuming project (for the future
  teachers)
• Problem task design and tutoring takes approx.
  10 hours / week ( 4 h in class)
• Solution a course with 7,5 credits (ects)
• Another solution task design by a pair for the
  whole group, synchronous exchange (Lyon)
• Intercultural competence
• Cultural differences may remain unnoticed or not
  enough deepened. Example 1
• Reflective practices, but not enough time and no
  change in attitude. Example 2

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Forum message extracts from Japanese students
(the task consisted in comparing the course of an
ordinary students day in France and in Japan
French tutors had provided a multimedia
description of their day)

• So, I dont do much homework. I think you work
  more than me.
• Me too, I watch TV in the evening, but I dont
  work much. I think you are more hardworking than
  me.
• I work less than you after dinner hence you are
  a better student than me!!!!
• Then, you work much better than me
• After dinner, I do my homework for the next
  day. But I am more whimsical than you hence I
  stop at 10 pm.
• Example taken from (Mangenot, Zourou, 2007)

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A  revisited rich point  (Thorne, 2006) which
did not elicit a change in attitude

• As I already said it in class, I had a hard time
  coping with our learners behaviour they were
  underestimating themselves all the time, and were
  so perfectionist with their productions. Whereas
  at the beginning, I could give attention to their
  anxiety, later I got fed up with repeating all
  the time  Dont worry! You manage pretty well,
  go on like this! . I had a feeling of dishonesty
  (jai eu limpression dêtre hypocrite) and I
  really didnt appreciate this situation.Extract
  from a reflective report, 2008

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Tokyo Grenoble exchange a communicative
challenge

• Partners do not know each other
• Dissimilar cultures / attitudes / ethos
• Communication mainly through asynchronous forums
  (exchange of audio files)
• One or two tutors for up to 12 students (like in
  a real e-learning course)
• Different settings of the Moodle working space
  (espace dexposition discursive, Develotte,
  2006).gt Examples showing how communication may
  be affected by the way tools are set up.

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3. Communicational scenario

• The range of activities available in online
  settings and the multiple conditions of time in
  which they take place are evidence that the
  technology demands placed on online teachers are
  somewhat more significant than those associated
  with classroom teachers. Spector, de la Teja,
  2001
• Bringing future teachers to think in terms of
  communicational scenarios (for a given task)
  might be heuristic pedagoggical and instrumental
  dimensions.
• Definition planning of envisaged online
  communication (linked to a task)

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Learning scenario
Task(s) (outcome)
Communicational scenario (tools)
Genre ?
Interactions
Resources Sub-tasks
student/tutor
between peers
Chronology
Mangenot, 2008
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Parameters of a communicational scenario

• Degree of collaboration, participatory structure,
  roles
• Work flow processes (Dooly, 2007), information
  to be exchanged
• Chronology (synchronous / asynchronous)
• Tutoring
• Tools and their affordances (ex. blog), their
  habitual uses in society (ODowd, 2007)

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Examples from Tokyo Grenoble (1)

• Task  Would you prefer to study in Paris or in
  Grenoble? 
• Type/genre Discussing an issue
• Resource Internet sites about both cities
• Challenge finding the right arguments
• Participatory structure dyads of Japanese
  students record their voice (mp3) ideally, one
  prefers Paris, the other Grenoble

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Transcript of an oral production in French (Paris
Grenoble, total length 1 min.)

• Where do you want to study?
• I prefer Paris.
• Why?
• Because it is more convenient, there is a subway,
  buses, etc. And you, where do you want to go?
• I prefer Grenoble, because I love skiing.
• I envy you. In Paris, there is a lot to see, for
  instance the Louvre or Orsay Museum.
• In Grenoble, there is a lot of nature.

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Examples from Tokyo Grenoble (2)

• Task  Tell me about a Japanese tradition 
• Type/genre Explaining something
• Resource a self-made (by the tutors) video about
  the ritual of tasting wine
• Challenge managing to explain traditions
• Participatory structure dyads of Japanese
  students record their voice (mp3) for the French
  tutors

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Transcript of an oral production in
French(Japanese tradition, total length 1
min.15)

• Hello, Im Takuya
• Im Naokazu
• Today, we are going to present you with Japanese
  traditions. I think a unique and funny tradition
  in Japan is the crowded train. There are a lot of
  people in a car. I often hear foreigners who get
  surprised at seeing the crowded trains at peak
  hours. Its quite tiring for the people who go to
  work that way. So, we go to Hanami Cherry
  blossom feast to take a rest in spring.
• Naokazu tells about the Hanami tradition

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Examples from Tokyo Grenoble (3) instructions

• Task 5 The land of the rising sun and me
• Step 1 You are going to listen to short
  interviews of 4 French people of different ages
  Romain (10), an elementary school pupil, Camille
  (17), who is in her last secondary school year
  (just before entering university), Ludovic (39)
  and Françoise (55), who are both employed. We
  asked them what Japan called up for them.
• Step 2 fill in the comprehension sheet
• Step 3 You are going to reply to at least 3
  French people youve just listened to. Tell them
  about Japan taking into account what they have
  said. Work individually. Record separate
  monologues (at least 1 min each) for each person.
  Speak to the person  Hello, Romain, you are
  right ,  Hello, Camille, you ought to .

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Transcript of oral productions

• Interview (French tutor, her son Romain - 10)
• So, Romain, Id like to hear what you know about
  Japan.
• I know er there are many mangas there are many
  videogames, there are many people So is it
• Reaction from a Japanese student
• Hello Romain. You are right, in Japan there are
  quite interesting mangas. I like Dragon Ball most
  of all. Which mangas do you like? And then, I
  also like videogames. I love

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The land of the rising sun and me

• Task replying to 4 French people of different
  ages (other than the tutors) who express what
  Japan calls up for them
• Type/genre Dialogue (but asynchronous)
• Resource 4 brief interviews (audio files, 1)
• Challenge to establish a contact with unknown
  interlocutors despite asynchronicity
• Participatory structure one to one (a Japanese
  student talks to one of the 4 French people, and
  then to another) French people may reply.

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Summary of part 3

• Communicational scenario tools, participatory
  structure, working mode, chronology, guidance,
  information flow
• Exploiting tools in relation to their affordances
• Importance of a real information exchange (see
  TBLT)
• Input / Output as social genres (ex. 2 3)

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Conclusion our future teachers have been
trained to

• Design online tasks (internet as input and as
  medium) and communicational scenarios
• Communicate socially online (socio-affective role
  of a tutor)
• Explain/Correct/Assess online (cognitive role)
• Reflect upon their practice
• Reflect about cultural differences (Intercultural
  Communicative Competence)
• And last but not least they have learnt how to
  organise an online exchange

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Extract from a reflective report (translation)

• After a 3 months participation in  Le français
  en première ligne , it is time for me to reflect
  on this experience and to assess it. This project
  has been terribly time-consuming throughout the
  whole semester and demanded a strong personal
  commitment. It has taken me a lot of time to put
  this experience at a some distance and I still
  dont always manage to do it, because I became so
  much involved both personally and emotionally.

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• Thank you for your attention !