ERIC Number: EJ1168820
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2018-Feb
Pages: 28
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-1094-3501
EISSN: N/A
Pre-Service EFL Teachers' Online Participation, Interaction, and Social Presence
Satar, H. Muge; Akcan, Sumru
Language Learning & Technology, v22 n1 p157-183 Feb 2018
Participation in online communities is an increasing need for future language teachers and their professional development. Through such participation, they can experience and develop an awareness of the behaviors required to facilitate their future learners' participation in online learning. This article investigates participation, interaction patterns, and social presence (SP) levels of pre-service English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers in online communication within a longitudinal blended learning setting. A secondary aim of this article is to explore social network analysis (SNA) as an alternative method to measure SP. Data analysis included calculation of number of forum entries and words, qualitative analysis of interaction patterns, content analysis, and SNA. The results indicated that an online course on tutoring skills and SP improved pre-service EFL teachers' online participation skills. Increased interaction and a more cohesive network were observed as the course progressed. The findings are significant in that they suggest a relationship between content analysis for SP (especially the interactive dimension) and SNA measures (centrality, influence, and prestige), implicating SNA as an emerging research method for the investigation of SP. This article concludes with future research perspectives and suggestions for EFL teacher training
Descriptors: Preservice Teachers, Language Teachers, English (Second Language), Second Language Instruction, Interaction, Student Participation, Blended Learning, Educational Technology, Technology Uses in Education, Computer Mediated Communication, Social Networks, Network Analysis, Measurement Techniques, Content Analysis, Online Courses, Skill Development, Correlation, Qualitative Research, Case Studies, Foreign Countries, Documentation, Coding, Statistical Analysis
University of Hawaii National Foreign Language Resource Center. 1859 East-West Road #106, Honolulu, HI 96822. Tel: 808-956-9424; Fax: 808-956-5983; e-mail: llt@hawaii.edu; Web site: http://llt.msu.edu
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Turkey
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A