An EBL Case Study with Mixed Results… Graham Webb Head of Languages Leeds Metropolitan University

EBL with What is ? Use of WebCT voice tools to link students in UK with students in France, Spain & Germany Enables students to practice speaking & listening skills via any PC, where and when convenient to them Uses synchronous and asynchronous facility TQEF Funded project run by Graham Webb and Dr Jane Shelton, Leeds Met

How is it organised? Students in UK and abroad are linked in groups of 4 (AB:AB) Each student communicates with one foreign student in their own language and with the other in the “foreign” language Year 2 students are involved as they will be going abroad in Year 3

What do the students do? Students communicate with their partner abroad to find out all they need to know before their Year Abroad They decide what they want to find out, ask the questions and await the answers They also respond to the questions posed by the “foreign” student

What do the students gain? Improved speaking and listening skills Increased confidence with colloquial language and vocabulary Engagement with someone their own age with similar interests and motivation An assessment of their own needs and their language development

As well as… The possibility of integrating more quickly on their Year Abroad Personal contacts/friends in the foreign country Output in the form of an oral report on what they have learnt – information and tips to other students

Also… How to “be coached” and how to coach others in language learning Engagement in effective Technology Enhanced Learning How to set their own objectives and achieve them through a series of tasks – “Enquiry Based Learning”

What will be the outcomes? Research into students’ attitudes to this resource Research into their speaking & listening confidence levels Research into their experience of integration during their Year Abroad Assessment of the Project, amendment and implementation

What did we ask students to do?… In order to provide a purpose for the oral communication we would like every student to produce a short document by May 2009 (either a written or an oral, recorded document in either English or Spanish) that will contain information, guidance, vocabulary, suggestions etc of use to future students going on their period abroad to Spain or England.

What did students actually do?… Ignore our guidelines Ignore the EBL focus Ask very general questions Try to find a “soul mate” Ask their “soul mate” questions personal and pertinent to themselves

What did students actually do?… Use the resource for their own “purpose” Avoided what they felt a “constraint” Saw the opportunity provided and exploited it Used it for information gathering re “cultural” issues

What did students say about it?… The technology worked fine The resource was extremely flexible The EBL focus was “too constraining” To stick to it seemed “false” They were more engaged by the opportunity to set their own “agenda” Where a flexible resource exists they will exploit it.

What did students say about it?… In future leave the students to decide how they use it If we must give guidelines make them more flexible Offer a range of “discussion boards” Accommodation University life Lifestyle (what do students get up to?) Sex “n” drugs “n” rock & roll…. Sport

Recap With this resource the EBL framework was seen as inflexible Where the resource is robust and flexible students will exploit it for learning In this instance the EBL framework was not seen as sufficiently engaging… Or can I phrase the “guidelines” differently in future?

Many thanks Graham Webb