Hsu, H.-H. & Wang, S.-K. (2007, Oct). The Effectiveness of Using Weblogs Portfolio to Assist English Language Learning, Paper presented at the 2007 Annual Conference of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology, Anaheim, CA. New York Institute of Technology

English Language Institute 22 International students Placement tests Advanced English Conversation Class Goal: to improve students’ English speaking and listening abilities.

English Language Institute

22 International students

Placement tests

Advanced English Conversation Class

Goal: to improve students’ English speaking and listening abilities.

Teaching methods (two-fold): in-class ( and at-home oral practices In-class: using CD audio clips for pronunciation exercises, formal speeches, and group conversation At-home: listen and respond to assignments using cassette tapes

Teaching methods (two-fold): in-class ( and at-home oral practices

In-class: using CD audio clips for pronunciation exercises, formal speeches, and group conversation

At-home: listen and respond to assignments using cassette tapes

Instructional Problems: Evaluation Process Time spent on playing cassettes back and forth Difficulties in repeating learner’s oral performance Doesn’t allow written feedback or response People rarely use cassettes any more due to new technologies advancement

Instructional Problems: Evaluation Process

Time spent on playing cassettes back and forth

Difficulties in repeating learner’s oral performance

Doesn’t allow written feedback or response

People rarely use cassettes any more due to new technologies advancement

New technologies with multimedia elements that provide: Easier way for Individualized oral feedback on oral performance, especially with pronunciation corrections

New technologies with multimedia elements that provide:

Easier way for Individualized oral feedback on oral performance, especially with pronunciation corrections

Blogs features Fast and easy publishing Chronologically archived posts Compatible with multimedia elements Two way communication between author and readers (Lowe & Williams, 2004)

Blogs features

Fast and easy publishing

Chronologically archived posts

Compatible with multimedia elements

Two way communication between author and readers (Lowe & Williams, 2004)

Pinkman (2005): EFL motivation for writing Bloch (2007): ESL academic writing skills (immigrant learner case study) Huffaker (2005): literacy learning and development through dialogues & storytelling Godwin-Jones (2003): collaborative writing skills, writing for real contexts

Pinkman (2005): EFL motivation for writing

Bloch (2007): ESL academic writing skills (immigrant learner case study)

Huffaker (2005): literacy learning and development through dialogues & storytelling

Godwin-Jones (2003): collaborative writing skills, writing for real contexts

Tsutsui (2004, p374) Interactive: immediate / time limit Intrusive: interruption Delayed: difficult to connect the feedback to their performance due to time lag Criteria of selecting technology Easily record oral feedback Provide individualized feedback Monitor learning progress

Tsutsui (2004, p374)

Interactive: immediate / time limit

Intrusive: interruption

Delayed: difficult to connect the feedback to their performance due to time lag

Criteria of selecting technology

Easily record oral feedback

Provide individualized feedback

Monitor learning progress

Ease of use Easy archiving of assignments for evaluation Close evaluation Self-monitoring learning progress Allowing multiple instructional strategies Extended interaction Individualized feedback

Ease of use

Easy archiving of assignments for evaluation

Close evaluation

Self-monitoring learning progress

Allowing multiple instructional strategies

Extended interaction

Individualized feedback

Explore whether or not audioblog technology can feasibly meet the instructor’s instructional needs Investigate EFL students’ perception of audioblogs’ contribution to improve oral English performance

Explore whether or not audioblog technology can feasibly meet the instructor’s instructional needs

Investigate EFL students’ perception of audioblogs’ contribution to improve oral English performance

Step 1: setup of the blog (blogger.com) Step 2: online audio recording system (Evoca.com) Microphone connected to the computer Cell phone VoIP (Skype) Virtual voice recorder Step 3: distribute and complete the assignments Step 4: assessment audioblog assignments

Step 1: setup of the blog (blogger.com)

Step 2: online audio recording system (Evoca.com)

Microphone connected to the computer

Cell phone

VoIP (Skype)

Virtual voice recorder

Step 3: distribute and complete the assignments

Step 4: assessment audioblog assignments

Evoca ( http://www.evoca.com ) Blog ( http://www.blogger.com ) Setup student blog Setup instructor’s blog (link with student blogs) Record from cell phone sample instructor’s blog: http://languageaudioblog.blogspot.com/ Training materials are listed on the sample blog

Evoca ( http://www.evoca.com )

Blog ( http://www.blogger.com )

Setup student blog

Setup instructor’s blog (link with student blogs)

Record from cell phone

sample instructor’s blog: http://languageaudioblog.blogspot.com/

Training materials are listed on the sample blog

Participants: 22 Mixed-methodology (Tashakkori & Teddlie, 1998) Data Collection and Analysis Student attitude survey Student open-ended questions Instructor interviews Student blog analysis

Participants: 22

Mixed-methodology (Tashakkori & Teddlie, 1998)

Data Collection and Analysis

Student attitude survey

Student open-ended questions

Instructor interviews

Student blog analysis

Survey: Ease of use audioblog (N=17) Likert-scale (1-5) SD 1 D 2 N 3 A 4 SA 5 Mean Std. Deviation Doing my homework with blog is not difficult for me. 0 0 23.5% 41.2% 35.5% 4.12 .781 I faced a lot of problems when creating audio recording entries on my blog. 17.6% 35.3% 35.3% 11.8% 0 2.41 .939 Blog is a great tool to archive my works. 5.9% 17.6% 52.9% 23.5% 3.94 .826 I prefer using audio tape rather than using audio blog. 17.6% 58.8% 5.9% 5.9% 11.8% 2.35 .122 Greater sense of control of portfolio blog vs. tradition 0 5.9% 17.6% 64.7% 11.8% 3.82 .729

Survey: Ease of use audioblog (N=17)

Survey: satisfaction Findings SD 1 D 2 N 3 A 4 SA 5 Mean Std. Deviation Teacher’s review and critiques on my blog is more interesting than a written document 0 0 11.8% 52.9% 35.3% 4.24 .664 Interacting with my instructor on my blog is helpful because of individualized feedback 0 0 5.9% 52.9% 41.2% 4.35 .606 Blog is a good language learning tool 0 0 17.6% 41.2% 41.2% 4.24 .752 I have stronger confidence in using English now 0 5.9% 29.4% 41.2% 23.5% 3.82 .882

Survey: satisfaction

Accessed the instructor's log 58% of students once or twice a week 23% of students at least three times a week 17% of students everyday Created entries on their blogs 82% of students once or twice a week 12% of students at least three times a week 6% of students rarely or never

Accessed the instructor's log

58% of students once or twice a week

23% of students at least three times a week

17% of students everyday

Created entries on their blogs

82% of students once or twice a week

12% of students at least three times a week

6% of students rarely or never

Advantages Easy to interact with the instructor and receive individualized feedback in a timely manner It’s an efficient process to complete oral assignments Allows for practice and for repeated listens to assignments Fun to use Use of cell phone ease the assignment completion process Showcase their learning performance Disadvantages: Technical issues Needs basic computer skills

Advantages

Easy to interact with the instructor and receive individualized feedback in a timely manner

It’s an efficient process to complete oral assignments

Allows for practice and for repeated listens to assignments

Fun to use

Use of cell phone ease the assignment completion process

Showcase their learning performance

Disadvantages:

Technical issues

Needs basic computer skills

How blog facilitate language learning Students listened to the assigned materials and to the feedback on a regular basis Audioblogs enabled students to relate the instructor’s feedback to the mistakes that they had made in an assignment Felt more comfortable in carrying out conversation Suggestions to improve the implementation Use more multimedia-format materials Have students record audio clips on a variety of topics Have students upload self-recorded video Smaller class size

How blog facilitate language learning

Students listened to the assigned materials and to the feedback on a regular basis

Audioblogs enabled students to relate the instructor’s feedback to the mistakes that they had made in an assignment

Felt more comfortable in carrying out conversation

Suggestions to improve the implementation

Use more multimedia-format materials

Have students record audio clips on a variety of topics

Have students upload self-recorded video

Smaller class size

Students who completed assignments regularly and constantly improved their speaking abilities Audioblog facilitated fast and two-way communication It provided an easy method to evaluate oral assignment Easy to provide individualized feedback Audioblog technology helped the instructor manage instruction efficiently and concentrate more on monitoring students’ learning progress over a period of time Audioblog archived all students’ oral assignments Students were motivated to use audioblog

Students who completed assignments regularly and constantly improved their speaking abilities

Audioblog facilitated fast and two-way communication

It provided an easy method to evaluate oral assignment

Easy to provide individualized feedback

Audioblog technology helped the instructor manage instruction efficiently and concentrate more on monitoring students’ learning progress over a period of time

Audioblog archived all students’ oral assignments

Students were motivated to use audioblog

Class size was too big Student compliance: Pass/Fail system cannot encourage on-going effort

Class size was too big

Student compliance: Pass/Fail system cannot encourage on-going effort

It is feasible to integrate audioblogs into an EFL course The instructor confirmed that the technology met the instructional needs A successful implementation: Adopting the right strategies to integrate needs-based technologies Providing constant professional feedback Running a class of a reasonable size, and Motivating students with multi-formats tasks

It is feasible to integrate audioblogs into an EFL course

The instructor confirmed that the technology met the instructional needs

A successful implementation:

Adopting the right strategies to integrate needs-based technologies

Providing constant professional feedback

Running a class of a reasonable size, and

Motivating students with multi-formats tasks

Adopt more strategies for audioblog use Explore the multimedia resources on the Internet to stimulate motivation More blog-based interaction Develop rubrics Smaller class size Enable an RSS function

Adopt more strategies for audioblog use

Explore the multimedia resources on the Internet to stimulate motivation

More blog-based interaction

Develop rubrics

Smaller class size

Enable an RSS function

Hui-Yin Hsu [email_address] Shiang-Kwei Wang [email_address] http://languageaudioblog.blogspot.com/