ARMY POLYTECHNIC SCHOOL DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGES APPLIED LINGUISTICS IN ENGLISH CAREER - DISTANCE LEARNING EDUCATIO N VIRTUAL CLASSROOMS AS A STRATEGY TO IMPROVE THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE ACQUISITION OF STUDENTS OF THE COMPUTING FACULTY BELONGING TO “UNIVERSIDAD CATÓLICA DE CUENCA” DURING THE TERM OCTOBER – DECEMBER 2010 BY: Jenny Karina Vizñay Durán

Problematic Situation Part I

IDENTIFICATION OF THE PROBLEM

VARIABLES WORKING OUT

GENERAL To demonstrate that the use of technological teaching methods as Virtual Classrooms assist the students to improve their English language acquisition. SPECIFIC To promote the use of Virtual Classrooms to practice the target language. To show that the use of this technology influences on the English learning in a better way. To explain how to use Virtual Classrooms for the teaching-learning purpose.

Chapter 1 Theoretical and Conceptual Focus Chapter 2 English Language Teaching Methodology Chapter 3 Technological tools as a complement in education Chapter 4 New trends to improve English Language acquisition Part II

T E A C H I N GL E A R N I N G P R O C E S S CHAPTER I Theoretical and Conceptual Focus

Cognitive AffectiveLinguistic Direct Grammar Translation Audio- lingual Community Language Learning Silent way Suggestopedia Total physical response The natural approach CONSTRUCTIONISM CONSTRUCTIVISM CHAPTER II English Language Teaching Methodology

CHAPTER III Technological Tools as a Complement in Education VIRTUAL SPACES synthetic reality REAL VIRTUAL HOMOGENIZER

NO GEOGRAPHIC LIMITS NO TIME ALL YOUR SENSES WORKING EASY ACCESS

Methodologies of Virtual Classrooms Synchronic Asynchronic Polarizing

Methodology Experimenting with Methodology CHAPTER IV New Trends to improve English Language Acquisition

Research Procedure Part III

GROUPSPRE-TESTTREATMENTPOST-TEST EgEg Prt 1 XPot 2 CgCg Prt 3 -Pot 4 Population 230 Sample 29

Hypothesis Analysis & Interpretation of results Part IV

NULL HYPOTHESIS There is no any improvement in the learning of English in the students exposed to Virtual Classrooms methodology. WORKING HYPOTHESIS The application of Virtual Classrooms in English classes help students of Computing Faculty belonging to “Universidad Católica de Cuenca” to improve their English language acquisition Hypothesis System

EXPERIMENTAL GROUP PRE-TEST EXPERIMENTAL GROUP POST-TEST

GRAPHICAL INTERPRETATION OF THE MEAN VALUE IN THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP (PRE & POST TEST)

CONCLUSION The use of Virtual Classrooms as a Strategy to improve English Language Acquisition had positive results.

RECOMMENDATION Suggest to English teachers and train them in the use of technological tools like Virtual Classrooms as a complement in the English Language Acquisition, because it was demonstrated this strategy allows you to grab the students’ attention to work in an interactive way and learn in a funny way.

Part V

GENERAL OBJECTIVES To develop a technical guide for helping students to create an account in: for learning English in a funnier way. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES To persuade students to create his/her own account to have access to this virtual classroom (virtual community) for learning English. DEVELOPMENT In this technical guide students will learn how to: 1.Create an account in busuu 2.Use busuu for learning grammar, listening, speaking, writing and chat sessions.

1. Create an account in busuu 2. Use busuu for learning grammar, listening, speaking, writing and chat sessions.

Conclusion of this Research Project * Eg have improved their English Language Acquistion with the help of virtual classrooms. * Students are happy with the use of this Strategy as a complement in their education. * Virtual Classrooms help to teachers in their classes. * Virtual Classrooms can be considered as an assistant to teachers.