Investigating external motivating factors in CALL settings
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Investigating external motivating factors in CALL settings
Dr George S. YpsilandisDept. of Italian Studies
Aristotle University of Thessalonikiypsi@itl.auth.gr
The Background: IntroductionVocational Education Polytechnics Technical
Universities
Vocational Education Vocational
Schools
GeographyVocational
SchoolsSecondary Education
Technical Universities Universities
The situation
English language Problematic
Lack of suitable material
Mixed ability groups
Vocational Schools
clientele from secondary education
Schools whereFrench lang. English lang.
Placement Test
Beginners 5 hours per week
Advanced 2 hours per week
Beginners + Advanced for ESP
Again mixed ability
The teaching method
Course bookGrammar oriented
The problemThose students with HIGH
interlanguage level thought they had nothing
to learn
Those students with LOW interlanguage level
thought they could not learn
Motivation was very low
Indicators of low Motivation
Class attendance
was lowWillingness
to participate in class
activities was low
Motivation is contagious
… and so is lack of
motivation
Motivation is increased by “unique combination of tutorial, interactive, and visual capabilities” Kenning & Kenning (1983:3)
Low student motivationNeither instl nor integr
Internal or external
Any negative reactionwas attributed to technophobia of students or teachers
Teacher motivation
Computer
Enthusiasts by increasing self confidence (Ahmad et al. 1985)
“an innate attraction... (especially for teenage boys..)” Roberts (1981:121)
• Language as a subject of study and not as a medium
• Not giving ‘voice and identity’• Or ‘engage in future selves’
Teacher Reaction
Employ engagement / pedagogical strategies to
enhance motivation
“there is no evidence whatever in the extensive research literature on the affective and motivational aspects of second language
acquisition (see e.g. Gardner 1979; Heckhausen and Weiner 1972), to suggest that the
computer - or any other extrinsic motivator - will have more than a very short-term effect in
enthusing the jaded language learner” (Thomas1986:117).
Scholfield, P.J. & Ypsilandis G.S. (1994) "Evaluating Computer Assisted Language
Learning from the Learners΄ Point of View" in Graddol, D. and Swann, J. Evaluating Language
Multilingual Matters LTD. pp. 62-74.
Traditional Use
At a later stage
1st Stage
2nd Stage1st MC 1. Ind. 2. Group
2nd SB 3. Ind. 4. Group
3rd GF 5. Ind. 6 Group
The experiment: 3 stages
1st Stage Vocabulary, Grammar, Cultural
HyperTexted Material
Practice: Testing Software
2nd Stage Preparation Stage of a topic
Some Linguistic Input
3rd Stage Class discussion
Teacher’s Role: Offer Extra Feedback
Teacher’s Role: Assist Preparation
Teacher’s Role: Coordination discussion in target language
Data Collection
Class Observations
28 items QuestionnaireOdell’s (1986)• Technical•Pedagogical
Results: General Indicators of Motivation change from observations
Class attendance
was increased Class
participation was
increased
• Students used their break to study the
material!!!!!
Results: Technical Design Features
Loading the program
Get Help
Quitting the program
Repeating the program
Following the instructions
Opti
ons o
ffere
d
Manipulating the Cursor
Screen Layout
Generally Positive in all seven groups
Strong disagreement of first 6 with 7
Compatibility of program with other teaching.
Adequacy of feedback provided by program
1 2 3 4 5 6 701020304050
1 2 3 4 5 6 701020304050
Kruskal-Wallis’s test (p= .0000).
Mann-Whitney’s test p=.0001.
Kruskal-Wallis’s test (p= .0000).
Mann-Whitney’s test p=.0002.
Strong disagreement of first 6 with 7
Suitability of program to personal needs
1 2 3 4 5 6 7010203040
Intrinsic interest of program
1 2 3 4 5 6 70
1 02 03 04 05 0
Kruskal-Wallis’s test (p= .0298). Mann-Whitney’s test showed that wasdue to marked correlations between the subjects 2,4,5,6
Kruskal-Wallis’s test (p= .0002).
Mann-Whitney’s test ALL 6
Strong disagreement of first 6 with 7Motivating quality of
computer task
1 2 3 4 5 6 701020304050
Preference for computer based learning
1 2 3 4 5 6 701020304050
Kruskal-Wallis’s test (p= .0000).
Mann-Whitney’s test p=.0007.
Kruskal-Wallis’s test (p= .0000).
Mann-Whitney’s test ALL 6
Suitability of content to objectives
1 2 3 4 5 6 701020304050
Suitability of content to task
1 2 3 4 5 6 70102030405060
Kruskal-Wallis’s test (p= .0000).
Mann-Whitney’s test 2,4,5,6
Kruskal-Wallis’s test (p= .0006).
Mann-Whitney’s test 4,6
Some agreement of traditional with experimental
Further exploration of the Data, Exploratory Correlations among Dependent variables (Spearman)
Program useful to needs
Thematic content suited to objectives
(p=0.04)
Linguistic content suited to student level
(p=0.02)
Preference for computer-based learning
(p=0.09)
Found the task motivating
Further exploration of the Data, Exploratory Correlations among Dependent variables (Spearman)
Words/text useful regardless of the
activity
Linguistic content suited to student level
(p=0.08)
Preference for computer-based learning
(p=0.005)
Found the task motivating
Conclusions: Impact of motivation theory on CALL?
Motivation seems to be a ‘multidimensional construct closely linked with the content of task which needs to satisfy learner’s personal needs and be at the right level.
Giving voice and identity to what the learner wishes to do
with language
The type of activity does not add to motivation if the above is missing.
Activities need to be meaningful
Further conclusions
integrating CALL material with what is going on in the rest of a language course is seen positively by users. CALL to match method of teaching
The more elaborate feedback does not pass unnoticed by CALL users and indeed receives a more favourable reaction.
Feedback seems to be playing a major role in subjects’ attitudes (positive or negative) to CALL software.
LimitationsPPP approach…. Now out of fashion
The questionnaire was very general and, therefore, it could not provide an in-depth analysis of any area. Rather it has played a reconnaissance role, in spotting areas of difficulty with possible suggestions, which, however, need further experimentation and evaluation.
This procedure does not tell us much about the learning process itself which could be the target in future CALL research
Finally
Technology by itself does not add to motivationHowever
It may have a possible effect as a pedagogical / engagement strategy
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