Abstract
The present study is based on a previous pilot study (Gutiérrez-Colon, 2008)[1]. The present study aimed at widening the scope of the pilot study and increased the sample size in number of participants, degree courses and number of universities. This time, four Spanish universities were involved, and the number of participants was 197, who were registered in English Philology (N=72), Business Studies (N=36) and Mechanical Engineering (N=89). The data were organised into four main areas which describe the essential methodological teaching practices that are present and should/should not be avoided in blended virtual courses according to the interviewed students: a) Management of the subject, b) Students’ perception of the subject, c) Design of the course and the documents, d) Feedback from the teacher. The results obtained indicate that techers should modofy their teaching habits and methodology when teaching online. [1] Gutierrez-Colon, M. (2008). Frustration in virtual learning environments. In Handbook of research on e-learning methodologies for language acquisition, (Marriott, R. & Torres, P. Eds). Idea Group Publishing.
Highlights
The origins of the present study are a set of impressions gathered during many years of online teaching, reading published literature on CALL and attending conference presentations
We have not experienced enough all the possibilities that new technologies offer and we have just transformed the basic principles applied to face-to-face learning into online learning. This fact has many times led teachers to use the same methodology to two completely different teaching environments. This mismatch between the methodological approach and the specific learning environment has brought many different problems among teachers and students, which have sometimes even led to high numbers of student drop outs, frustrations, anxiety, fear and distress reflected in their work as well as in their feedback
The present study aimed at widening the scope of the pilot study and increased the sample size in number of participants, degree courses and number of universities. This time, four Spanish universities were involved, namely Universitat Rovira i Virgili (Tarragona) (URV), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Universitat de Barcelona (UB) and Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) and the number of participants was 197, who were registered in English Philology (N=72), Business Studies (N=36) and Mechanical Engineering (N=89)
Summary
The origins of the present study are a set of impressions gathered during many years of online teaching, reading published literature on CALL and attending conference presentations. We have not experienced enough all the possibilities that new technologies offer and we have just transformed the basic principles applied to face-to-face learning into online learning This fact has many times led teachers to use the same methodology (with few adaptations) to two completely different teaching environments. Cushion (2006) gives us one clear example of how CALL is being studied and developed mainly as a subset of computing science, rather than from the point of view of a second language methodological approach He argues that CALL can be reviewed as a subset of computer software engineering. 2.6 Do you think that virtual courses - help the learning process? During the course - have you felt frustration? - have you felt stress? - have you felt alone because nobody helped you with your doubts? 2.7 In general, do you think that virtual learning helps you in your learning process? Why? 2.8 In order to facilitate the students’ learning process, is there anything that you think should be included in the virtual subject? 2.9 Would you like to add anything else? (From Gutiérrez-Colon, 2008)
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