Digital Natives and ELT at UJED

Transcription

1 Digital Natives and ELT at UJED María del Carmen Reyes Fierro Katherine Grace Durán Howard Nadia Patricia Mejía Rosales Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango Abstract This paper seeks to reflect on the problems related to the use of technology and Internet in a blended learning model for English Language Teaching [ELT], which is based to a large degree on the use of technology and Internet. Today s students, often described as the Millennial Generation, are entering our colleges and universities with very specific characteristics and expectations which are based to a large degree on their use of technology and dependence on the Internet. The paper focuses on BA students of the Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango, who are requiredby UJED, specifically, to study English through the blended-learning model the university offers across all its schools and faculties. The sample is based on students entering higher education currently taking part on the blended-learning model mentioned above. The research tool used is a contextualized adaptation from a questionnaire used in Germany to obtain data on computer experience, access and use, and electronic literacy. (Oxford & Oxford, 2008, p. 47) 1 Introduction The Project for institutionalizing and standardizing the learning of English in all undergraduate programs offered by the Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango, [UJED] was devised by a team of English teachers of the Self-learning Language Center, with three main characteristics: 1. After the standards project for learning languages suggested by the Ministry of Public Education through the General Management Office for Accreditation, Incorporation and Validation, which was designed after the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Evaluation. 2. Taking into account the University policy of quality assurance, so that accreditation of the compulsory levels is granted after approving national and international examinations, with the possibility of designing UJED s standardised exams with external British and American advisors from acknowledged universities. Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala Facultad de Filosofía y Letras 564

2 3. Being studied at any language institution and at any time, but accredited by the abovementioned exams. 4. Since certain level of achievement is proposed as compulsory, UJED needed to offer a learning opportunity. This opportunity was proposed under a Modelo Educativo Semipresencial Virtual [MESEV], according to the University Educational Model which promotes a learner-centered paradigm, socio-constructivist and competency-based approaches with the use of technology and a gradual developing of autonomous learning. Besides these reasons for designing such a blended learning model, there were three more facts: the recent research done and course taught by one of the teachers in part fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master in Educational Technology & ELT: Design and Evaluation of an Online Medical English Course at a Mexican University (Reyes, 2005). Learners at this course expressed being happy with the use of technology and the Internet, but also expressed the need for having at least some face-to-face sessions with the tutor. The other reason was the lack of enough teachers with at least a BA in ELT, because the BA in ELT has just started in So, having senior teachers leading the design of courses and materials, and preparing face-to-face and online tutors was seen as a solution for this problem. The idea of attending more learners than the ones integrating groups with very specific schedules for five or more sessions was also taken into account by UJED authorities. Since most of the undergraduate students at that time were already born in the later part of the 20 th Century, characterized by learning paradigm evolved into something totally different from that of the educators generation (Oxford & Oxford, 2009: 01), we took for granted that the learners of English under a blended-learning mode were going to feel motivated with the use of technology. But dropouts started in many groups and learners were complaining because they had to learn informatics besides English. That is why we realized that serious reflections should be done, and these being followed by some sort of research. And so we did. In fact, some research on the materials showed us that it took the learners more time than the one planned. This was in part due to the lack of ability to type, to download and upload materials, as well as to use audio and video recording devices. Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala Facultad de Filosofía y Letras 565

3 Another reason was the time spent in waiting for programs to be loaded because of problems with internet bandwidth. So two types of analysis are done: first, a discussion of theoretical backgrounds underpinning the idea of digital natives, blended learning and the role of technology, and secondly, a survey answered by learners of English within MESEV attending the first semester of different undergraduate programs, is analysed for findings relevant to plan changes. Finally, some conclusions are drawn as the basis for planning the way in which MESEV will be restructured for the next semester start. 2 Theoretical background Digital Natives The term Digital Natives refers to the present generation of students who are all native speakers of the digital language of computers, video games and the Internet (Prensky, 2001: 01). This type of students have also been called the Net Generation by Dan Tapscott in his book Growing Up Digital (1998), referring to those born from 1977 to 1997, who have grown up in a digital and Internet driven world. Research has identified some characteristics in this generation. First of all, they are considered to have technophilia. They feel extremely attracted to all kinds of technologies. Their entertainment, leisure, communication, information and formation needs are satisfied by ICT. Their work, learning and games are approached in new ways, resulting in the development of special skills that allow students to absorb information through images and videos, which has resulted in a more visual learning. This generation expects immediate responses and answers; they also remain in constant communication and create their own content, however, they have weak interpersonal skills (Garcia, F, et al, 2004) (Coates, J., 2007). Digital natives are part of a new generation that has been raised among the new technologies growing up among technological equipment, video games, and all type of digital paraphernalia, where mobile phones, video games, internet, , and instant messenger have become integrated as part of their lives and reality. They are multi-task people, they prefer graphic formats instead of texts and they prefer games more than serious work. They have been found to be impatient and impulsive in their actions. Psychologically a digital native has built his own Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala Facultad de Filosofía y Letras 566

4 concepts about space, number, time, reasons, identity, memory and mind from the digital objects he is surrounded by, which belong to technological surroundings. The Net Generation, far from being a fashion, is the reality of a new generation (Coates,J., 2007). Among some of the characteristics of what Coats (2007) call Generation Y that our learners share, we can cite: 1. Programmed and team oriented. Some college administrators believe that many Gen Y's have "lost the sense of pure play." They expect everything to be planned for them and do not expect to have as much freedom - or responsibility for structuring their educational lives. 2. Involved. This is a generation of activists - young people who believe they can make a difference. 3. Egalitarian. This cohort often prefers to work in teams or groups. They definitely do not prefer hierarchy. Sometimes faculty finds the lack of authoritarian hierarchy in their groups creates ambiguity when it comes to having a point of contact for information. 4. Demanding of themselves and others.... They sometimes "expect" to get good grades and are upset when this does not happen. 5. Stressed. Compared with five years ago, 81% of college mental health service directors reported an increase in students with serious psychological problems. Pressure to succeed is one reason identified by some counsellors. 6. Multi-taskers. This generation can easily manage to listen to music, work on the computer and watch television at the same time. This means they need a lot of stimulation in their learning environments and may be more focused than it seems to their teachers. It is also important to consider what Tapsscott s states (in Windsor s 2009) as digital natives differences with previous generations: 1. They want freedom in everything they do, from freedom of choice to freedom of expression. 2. They love to customize, personalize. 3. They are the new scrutinizers. Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala Facultad de Filosofía y Letras 567

5 4. They look for corporate integrity and openness when deciding what to buy and where to work. 5. The Net Gen wants entertainment and play in their work, education, and social life. 6. They are the collaboration and relationship generation. 7. The Net Gen has a need for speed and not just in video games. 8. They are the innovators. However, we also have to mention that some of our learners coming from small distant towns are not digital natives at all. The only technology they are familiar with is radio, CD and video players, and sometimes TV. This is the case that David Gunkel calls the digital divide, that is, the gap separating those individuals who have access to new forms of information technology from those who do not. (2003: 1). So, We must recognise the limitations of the digital divides discourse if we are to address issues of inclusion and access to ICTs (Traxler, 2008). Another warning about teaching digital natives, especially by digital immigrants, in order to really improve learning through the use of technology, it needs to become embedded as centrally as technology is at present (Tompsett, 2007). Without that, research in this community will become increasingly self-focused, leading to improvements in a virtual reality that are incapable of influencing educational practice in a real world. Finally, Goertler (in Oxford & Oxford), states that,...it cannot be assumed that because someone is a digital native that that person wants to learn any particular subject matter in a digital format (p. 61).... certain constraints, such as language learning preferences and computer literacy skills, need to be taken into account even among the members of the Net Generation. Blended learning Blended learning is a style that is considered to facilitate learning for students, especially the ones from the present generation, because they are proficient users of the various technologies (Compernolle, R., Williams in Oxford & Oxford, 2009: Chapter 1.) Another definition from Singh and Reed (2001), states that a learning program where more than one delivery mode is being used with the objective of optimizing the learning outcome and cost of program delivery. Kurtus (2004, in Analytic Quality Glossary) states that: Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala Facultad de Filosofía y Letras 568

6 Blended learning is a mixture of the various learning strategies and delivery methods that will optimize the learning experience of the user. Classroom training sessions, Computer- Based Training (CBT) via a CD-ROM, Web-Based Training (WBT) can be combined as a way to train the learners. WBT can be on demand or at a specific time with an instructor and other students involved. The current director of CUAAL piloted a blended-learning course a group of students from the Medical School, and then offered the model to the University s authorities to be implemented in all of the other schools and faculties. It was an excellent option for covering all schools and catering for all of the university s students needs of learning English. Therefore, it was adopted as part of institutional changes and English for undergraduate students became compulsory. Even though different factors influenced the decision for choosing this learning model, such as the use of technology, it seems that the final decision was made considering this as the best option, because it is justified as a solution to the economical problems that have arisen by traditional education but trying to improve quality. Blended learning has been important because it reduces costs but it also justifies the effort higher education is making to meet new learning approaches (Antonio, B., 2004). Bartolomé (2004) mentions in his research on Blended Learning, that this learning style is extremely important for the future performance of a student because he has to: Look and find relevant information in the net. Develop criteria to evaluate the information. Apply information to real situations. Working in a team making and sharing information. Take decisions based on contrastive information. Make group decisions. A student who is in a classroom face-to-face does not develop these competencies, but the blended learning model encourages their development. All of the above information was kept in mind when designing the courses for the Millennial generation of UJED students that were going to join the MESEV Project. However, some other factors are considered to have been influencing the results of the program, such as the extremely diverse schedules these students have, the limited number of tutors trained under these new paradigms and approaches, students coming from different schools within the university with Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala Facultad de Filosofía y Letras 569

7 different characteristics, needs and expectations, and the believes, attitudes and resistance to change from students, but most of all, from some teachers and managers in their schools. 3 Research Methodology & Findings An online survey was devised to have a better understanding of what students feelings and believes were. The participants that took part in this survey were 51 students attending the first semester of undergraduate programs at some of UJED schools and faculties, including the BA in ELT; however, only 48 finished successfully. From the whole participant population 94.12% are within the age range of what has been called by Oxford and Oxford (2009: 01) as the Net Generation, or with the term previously coined by Prensky (2001, p.1) Digital Natives. Only the responses from the students within this age range were taken into account when analysing the data. Data Collection The researchers limited their investigation to the population involved in English Language learning classes within UJED, since it is them who would be benefited by any improvements derived from this and further research on this topic. The applied questionnaire is an adaptation of a survey created by Fuchs (2009, 47-51). It was chosen to be adapted because of its focus on technological competences and its suitability to the aims of this research. It consists of three parts: four-level linkert (selected by the survey creator in order to get a tendency); multiple choice and open-ended questions. It was contextually adapted for the population to which it was to be applied; thus, it was also translated to Spanish. The survey asks at first for personal information such as age, place where the participants studied elementary and secondary school and the average population of those places. This first part is the one that was adapted the most, especially those questions regarding the population of the participant's places of study, where some examples were included in order to give them a clear idea of the amount of people that reside in the different municipalities. The questionnaire continues with more focused questions on technological access and use, the amount of time they usually spend on the computer, how much of it they spend on the Internet, the subjects where they use technology in and finally the websites where they usually find information to complete Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala Facultad de Filosofía y Letras 570

8 their homework or to use as sources for academic information. They self rated their abilities and skills in commonly used software and web 2.0 tools. The survey was applied online on February 2010 through the survey console platform 33. It was applied in the student's self-access session or in their blended-learning model classes (where they have access to computers and Internet) by the researchers themselves, in order to avoid losing data through third parties. Data analysis To keep the research within the age range of the people who belong to the Net Generation some data had to be excluded (those students over 33 years old). Also, the number of participants varied from question to question since there were some that didn't finish answering the survey, however the questions they did answer were taken into account. The results were analyzed as a whole, gathering age groups and schools together for all questions. Full tables, statistics and graphs are available from the researchers upon request. Results According to the results that the survey showed, only 27% of the participants used computers in elementary school. 83% of the population surveyed used computers in secondary school. In contrast, the whole population surveyed used computers in high-school. It also showed that 81.25% of the participants say they can type rather fast. It is interesting that only 4.17 % consider themselves as fast typewriters. All of the participants prefer doing homework using the computer. However, only 36.76% have a computer with access to Internet at home % have access to computers and Internet at school. This is an interesting finding giving the fact that there is a general thought that digital natives have easy access to technology, and this shows us that in our context students not necessarily do. An eye-catching finding is that 54.17% of the participants spend more than four hours on the internet. However, 64.54% use the computer without accessing Internet for an hour or less. This shows that the participants rely on internet for doing their school work and to have fun as well, 33 Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala Facultad de Filosofía y Letras 571

9 and the time they spend on the internet its four times as much as the time they spend on the computer working without it. The results also showed that the participants perceive their skills on the majority of commonly used software and internet tools as satisfactory or better (see table 1). Regarding their abilities Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala Facultad de Filosofía y Letras 572

10 Table 1 Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala Facultad de Filosofía y Letras 573

11 in using a word processor, 69.57% selected the options good and very good. ( Very good was selected by 36.96% of the participants). In contrast, 43.48% rated their abilities using worksheets as satisfactory. There was an attention-grabbing result on the student s perceived skills on the use of chats, where a 23.91% selected satisfactory, another 23.91% selected good, and 26.09% very good. On the other hand, results on the use of instant messengers as MSN 65.22% selected the options very good and excellent. 4 Conclusions According to the social characteristics of digital natives, there is a need for more team work. Current learning tasks are devised to work in pairs. Also related to the need for socializing, tutors need to be trained in designing rubrics for all sort of evaluation, so that self-, peer- and team-evaluation is used at most. The use of rubrics will also fulfill the students rejection of authoritarian hierarchies. This also will solve the problems of the desire for good grades because how to get them will become very clear. The way in which they approach work, learning and games allow students to absorb information through images and videos, which has resulted in a more visual learning. This and the fact that most of the learners weaknesses in competences being developed are in the oral comprehension, interaction and production, make the use of video and video clips advisable. The involvement characteristic of learners must lead us to design learning tasks that require more collaborative and creative work from them. This will eventually result in a higher level of stimulation which in turn will help to meet their need for carrying out multiple tasks simultaneously. In all cases, the post-task cycle should include an ingredient of transferring developed competences to new situations in some sort of innovative ways, taking into account that they are the innovators. On the other hand, the low percentage of learners having computers at home makes necessary to devise schedules in a different way so that learners have the opportunity of working at school. An increase number of computers with Internet will also be needed in the near future. Other low percentage shown was that related to the use of Skype. The training in its use will support the communication mediated by computers better than Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala Facultad de Filosofía y Letras 574

12 other instant messengers with the web cam option. This will also result in the reduction of virus caused by the use of Microsoft Messenger. The development of typing tasks, preferably via games, will also be necessary. Additional training will also be needed for students from small and distant towns where no computer technology is available. Bibliography Antonio, B. (2008) Blended Learning. Conceptos básicos. Píxel-Bit. Revista de Medios y Educación, 23, pp Bartolomé, A. (2004) Blended Learning. Conceptos básicos. Píxel-Bit. Revista de Medios y Educación, Coates, J. Fuchs, C García, Felipe et al Gunkel, D. J Kurtus Oxford, Raquel & Jeff Oxford Eds. Prensky, Marc Reyes Fierro, María del Carmen Tapscott, Dan Thorne, K. (2007) Generational Learning Styles. LERN Books, a division of Learning Resources Network (LERN), retrieve February 3 rd. From (2009) Digital Natives and their Self-Rated Electronic Literacy Skills: Empirical Findings From a Survey Study in German Secondary Schools. In R. Oxford, & J. Oxford (2009) (2008) Nativos Digitales y Problemas de Aprendizaje. Retrieved February 2010, from (2003) Second Thoughts: Towards a Critique of the Digital Divide. New Media and Society, volume 5, number 4, pp (2004) Analytical Quality Glossary. Retrieved in January 2010 from (2009) Second Language Teaching and Learning in the Net Generation. Hawaii: National Language Resource Center, Universoty of Hawaii at Mānoa. (2001) Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. From On the Horizon (MCB University Press, Vol. 9 No. 5, October 2001). Retrieved from %20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf (2005) Design and Evaluation of an Online Medical English Course at a Mexican University. UK: University of Manchester, Language and Literacy Studies in Education. (1998) Growing up Digital. The Rise of the Net Generation. New York: McGraw-Hill. (2003) Blended Learning. How to integrate online and traditional learning. London: Kogan Page Limited. Tompsett, Chris (2007) Tipping into the abyss: with more than a virtual parachute? UK: Kingston University, in Association for Learning Technology, Vol. 15, No.2, June 2007, pp Traxler, John Windsor, J. (2008) Modernity, mobility and the digital divides. UK: University of Wolverhampton, in Association for Learning Technology-C 2008 Research Proceedings. (2009) Who are the digital natives? And what do they want? Retrieved February 9, from Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala Facultad de Filosofía y Letras 575

13 The authors María del Carmen Reyes Fierro. Maestra de Inglés egresada de la Escuela Normal Superior Nueva Galicia de Guadalajara, Jal. Maestra en Eduación Tecnológica y Enseñanza de Lengua Inglesa en la Universidad de Manchester, Inglaterra.Actualmente es Directora del Centro Universitario de Auto-Aprendizaje en Lenguas de la UJED. Toda su vida profesional ha estado dedicada a la enseñanza de inglés en todos los niveles educativos. Cuando laboró para el Centro de Bachillerato Tecnologico Federal No.4, se desempeño en varias ocasiones como presidenta estatal, regional y nacional de la Academia del Área del Lenguaje y Comunicación. Participo además con la DGETA en la elaboración de programas de estudio para la asignatura de Lengua Adicional al Español (Inglés). Elaboró una serie de manuales y recursos de aprendizaje, principalmente en el área de enseñanza de inglés. Elaboro también un proyecto de libro de texto para la SEIT. Ya en el CUAAL de la UJED, ha participado en estancias académicas internacionales y en proyectos de intercambio virtual entre estudiantes de la UJED y de universidades Inglesas. Participo en el proyecto UJED de Licenciatura de Enseñanza de Lengua Inglesa, bajo la modalidad de competencias que tiene cinco semestres de haber sido implementada.. Miembro del cuerpo académico Enseñanza Aprendizaje de Lenguas Contacto: [email protected] Nadia Patricia Mejía Rosales. Licenciado en Diseño Gráfico por la Universidad Autónoma de Durango.Recientemente obtuvo el Certificado de Postgrado en Enseñanza de Lengua Inglesa por la Universidad de Southampton y actualmente estudia la Maestria en Enseñanza de Lengua Inglesa con la misma universidad. Profesor de Desarrollo de Lengua Inglesa III, Computer- AssistedLanguageLearning II y Didáctica de Enseñanza de Lenguas Extranjerasen la licenciatura de Enseñanza en Lengua Inglesa y Coordinador de Investigación en el Centro Universitario de Auto-Aprendizaje en Lenguas de la Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango. Contacto: [email protected] Lizeth Alvarado Acosta. Contador Público egresado de la Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango. Maestra de ComputerAssistedLanguageLearning en la Licenciatura en Docencia de la Lengua Inglesa del Centro Universitario de Auto-Aprendizaje en Lenguas de la Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango, y Diseñadora de Materiales y Cursos en Línea para el Aprendizaje de la Lengua Inglesa. Contacto:[email protected] Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala Facultad de Filosofía y Letras 576