Reflections in cyberspace: Web conferencing for language teacher education

An in depth evaluation of a distance format Applied Linguistics course in which web based computer conferencing was used as a tool to support student knowledge construction and collaborative group work is reported.

Abstract

This paper reports on an in depth evaluation of a distance format Applied Linguistics course in which web based computer conferencing was used as a tool to support student knowledge construction and collaborative group work. Students and their teacher reflected on what they expected from the course, whether or not computer supported discussion was effective for personal learning, and how e-learning environments could be improved. The findings are reported within categories of social cohesion and the role of online discussion to support meaningful experiential learning. More generally, the paper discusses how situated evaluation can help educators gain a better understanding of the roles of task, structure, and language use in e-learning environments.