From: emv@msen.com (Edward Vielmetti)
Newsgroups: alt.uu.future,alt.education.distance
Subject: (Fwd: *C&CD*) Teaching languages with NEWS (5)
Date: 26 Jul 1992 23:59:10 -0400
Organization: Msen, Inc. -- Ann Arbor, Michigan
Reply-To: terri.cononelos@m.cc.utah.edu
NNTP-Posting-Host: nigel.msen.com
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL3

This is a (successful) example of a course at the U of Utah (the other UU)
that incorporated Usenet news into its curriculum.  

--Ed

[ Article crossposted from comp.edu.composition ]

Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 18:13 MDT
From: TERRI CONONELOS <Terri.Cononelos@m.cc.utah.edu>
Subject: Teaching languages with NEWS (5)
Reply-to: Computers & Composition Digest (R. Royar) <R0MILL01@ULKYVX.BITNET>


        Hi we just thought that it could be interesting to propose
a discussion about the topic of an article we are working on.

                Maurizio & Terri


=====================================================================

Oliva/Cononelos  Draft 1
23 July 1992


Good NEWS!  Using The Networks In Advanced
Foreign Language Classes

      In a recent article published in Foreign Language Annals  (May,1992)
Chun and Brandke identified the interactive capability of computers as one of
their greatest advantages for language teachers.  The authors distinguish
between "form based" and "meaning enhancing" interaction, claiming that
although there has been a call for more meaning oriented activities,
second-language software is often restricted to the electronic reproduction of
textbook, form-based exercises.  While we affirm the need for more meaning
based language software geared to all proficiency levels, we believe that
computer networks hold the greatest promise for language teachers seeking
interactive media.

      In this article we will briefly review the history of one network,
INTERNET, and describe how one of its subnets was used in an advanced
Italian-language course focusing on the society and culture of Italy.  Then we
will discuss the benefits of using the networks for language students and
teachers.  Finally we will review the challenges teachers face in using
networks, in an effort to help them access this important resource with
maximum ease.

Development and capabilities of Internet

      Internet was developed in the 1960's as a computer network to be used
for military purposes and later expanded to the international research
community.  Some years ago the government stopped using this network because
the security risk was too great.  This has left the international education
community with an enormously powerful and self expanding tool: more than one
million machines throughout the world and tens of millions of users.

      Among the number of different useful features offered by the operating
system of the machines connected to INTERNET, the electronic bulletin board
called NEWS is especially promising for language teachers. News is constituted
mainly by personal articles posted by users from many countries as well as
some news information services. The articles are organized into four types of
newsgroups: recreation, science, society and talk.  Up to 3600 subgroups may
be accessed in the United States. 1 The following list contains one example
from each of the groups:

      rec. cooking        Food, cooking, cookbooks and recipes
      sci.energy                Discussions about energy,  science,technology
      soc.culture. mexicanDiscussion of Mexico's society
      talk.politics.china Discussion of political issues related toChina

      For the purposes of the Italian course, the instructor focused on the
group called SOC. CULTURE. ITALIAN (SCI).  SCI is a worldwide newsgroup where
people, mostly Italian,  post and read articles about Italian culture mostly
in Italian.  On the average, roughly 150 articles are posted in this newsgroup
each week.


Description of the course

      "Topics in Italian Culture: Contemporary Issues", was a fourth-year
course taught at the University of Utah.  Spring quarter of 1992.  It was the
last in a series of three courses about the contemporary history, literature
and society of Italy.  Six students enrolled, all of whom had achieved
advanced levels of proficiency in reading, writing and speaking Italian.  The
goals of the course were to increase students' knowledge of the recent
political and social history of Italy and to engage them in producing
authentic text for the purpose of communicating with native speakers about
important issues.  All aspects of the course were taught in Italian.

      Students spent the first two weeks reading background material related
to Italian society and culture, gathering the basic tools necessary to use the
Network and choosing the topic which would be the focus of their study during
the quarter.   The teacher supplied a list of possible topics related to
contemporary Italian society about which students could communicate (via
written text sent on the network) with native speakers.  Those who had an area
of interest or expertise not included on the list were encouraged to pursue
it. Among the topics chosen were Italian opera, the role of women in Italian
society and Italy's place in the EEC.

      Since students were to be communicating with highly educated native
speakers about contemporary issues, it was necessary that they have solid
background knowledge about their topics and be familiar with basic information
about the political and social structures of modern Italy.   Toward this end
the teacher assigned readings concerning Italy's constitution and political
parties,  the structure of Italian government institutions, and demographic
information (including population, education level,  unemployment and
migration patterns).   Students also read newspaper and journal articles
relevant to their individual topics of study.

         During the first two weeks, the teacher discussed the assigned
readings and helped students get ready to use the computers.   They began by
obtaining accounts on the Novell network from the University Computer Center,
which enabled them to link up with worldwide news networks.2  The  instructor
then taught the basic word processing skills on Wordperfect,  and how to
access and use the newsreader, Program Editor (PE) and IMail. 3

      Beginning the third week students were required to send three postings
per week to NEWS.  These were written at home so that class time could be
spent sending text to the network, checking mail, and discussing other
students' postings.  .(Students read each others work either before  or after
in was sent to the network.) Those who wished to receive comments from the
teacher prior to posting their texts were able to do so, though drafting was
not mandatory.  The teacher checked NEWS to make sure students were completing
the required amount of writing as well as to monitor the overall quality of
the texts.  Since a good deal  of the monitoring was done during class, the
teacher spent a minimal amount of time outside class reading students' texts.

      Students received an average of three responses for each article they
posted and were required to reply to everyone that posted a follow-up comment
through the NEWS network.4  This was done either by writing an individual
reply to each response, or by writing one text containing replies to various
respondents.  Students also received responses to their newstexts through
IMAIL and were encouraged to reply to those as well.  Since IMAIL accounts are
private, however, the teacher was only able to monitor the frequency with
which the students replied to responses sent through the NEWS network.

      At the end of the course, students submitted a summary and analysis  of
the materials they had posted and the reactions they had received. They also
participated in an evaluation session in which they commented on various
aspects of the course.  All the students believed their writing had improved
as a result of having communicated through the network.  One student stated
specifically that she had overcome grammar problems, while the others reported
feeling more at ease with writing in Italian.  Students suggested that courses
using NEWS also be taught in the third year, based on their belief that
writers at a lower level of proficiency would also be able to effectively use
the resources offered by NEWS.

Benefits

      The highly interactive nature of NEWS is surely its most beneficial
aspect for language students.  It facilitates the teaching of culture by
providing immediate, ongoing contact with native L2 speakers interested in
discussing issues related to their own society.  This sort of audience is
especially important for students wishing to improve their composition
skills.  The  feedback gained from responses of native speakers who are not
language teachers, but share with the student a common area of interest, has
been shown to be effective in improving writing:

Being personally invested in the content lends even a formal text an urgency
(or at least obligation) to get the message  across clearly.  Under those
circumstances, writers willingly consult reference grammars, and use them as
they probably should, principally for editing purposes.  Designating grammar
manuals as reference tools rather than as primary texts actually enhances
retention of the grammar employed by the language learners (Greenia, 34).

      Unlike the best peer and teacher feedback provided in traditional
composition courses, communicating through NEWS allows for an ongoing
conversation to develop between many participants. Student work not only
generates counter- responses directed to them but also sparks dialogue between
respondents.  This makes students co-creators of text generated by parties
authentically interested in the subjects they have chosen.  Thus, by using the
networks advanced FL and composition classes can become more learner-centered
in two ways:   students may choose their own subtopics of study and they
participate in directing and creating a large portion of the text used in
class.  (FREIRE QUOTE)

      Although peer feedback was not used  regularly in Italian 403, courses
using NEWS could easily be modified to include a peer evaluation component.
Students could be required to edit each other's postings prior to sending them
to NEWS, or they could read and respond to the postings once in the network.
Lunde (1990) points out that the network can also be used to connect FL
students with international penpals whose correspondence may extend well
beyond a given course.

      As well as providing benefits to students, NEWS is helpful to teachers
in several ways.  First, it facilitates students producing long texts and
getting extended, ongoing feedback without burdening the teacher.  Although
setting up a course on the network requires extra work for teachers initially,
(Johnson)  in the long run it can greatly reduce the time teachers spend
responding to student writing.  Second, using the networks is an easy way to
introduce a student-centered element into language courses without completely
redesigning them.


Notes

1.  The wide range of cultures represented in the "society:" newsgroup makes
the network useful for a wide variety of language teachers.  At the time of
publication, the University of Utah, which is not able to access all existing
newsgroups, could connect with 50 society and culture groups from all parts of
the world.

2.  All of these tools run under DOS which is an environment familiar to the
many university students.  At the University of Utah, the tools are installed
on a Local Area Network (LAN) connected with the campus NOVELL network so that
they  can be accessed from many different campus locations.

3.  In order to receive an I Mail account students registered themselves at
the University Computer Center. Obtaining accounts proved to be a somewhat
cumbersome and inefficient process.  Some students were not able to get their
accounts functioning until the end of the second week.  In anticipation of
the  Fall 1992 course, the instructor has arranged for the students to be
given an I Mail account automatically upon registering for the course.

4. Only one student received considerably less than the average number of
replies per posting (   ).  When the teacher suggested he change his topic,
the student refused.  He continued to produce the required amount of text and
wait patiently for a sympathetic interlocutor.


References

Chun, D. & K. Brandke. (1992).  Beyond form based drill and practice: Meaning
     Enhancing CALL on the Macintosh. Foreign Language Annals  25(3):255-267.

Greenia, G. (1992).  Computers and teaching composition in a foreign language.
     Foreign Language Annals  25(1):33-45.

Lunde, K. (1990). Using electronic mail as a medium for foreign language study
     and instruction.  CALICO Journal  7(3):68-78.

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