The Effects of Task Type and Group Structure on Meaning Negotiation in Synchronous CMC

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of task types and group structure on interactive negotiation in synchronous computer-mediated communication context and to investigates whether EFL learners' oral and written competence can be improved through text-based interaction. A total of 17 Korean students completed three different tasks using the Daedalus textchat program in a campus computer lab. They were grouped into heterogeneous (high-lower) vs. homogeneous (high-high) pairs. Research instruments include electronic textchat, interviews, student self-reports, a cloze test, an essay writing test, the speaking English proficiency test (SEPT), and questionnaires. Findings of the study show that 1) meaning negotiation was highly productive in the jigsaw task in terms of meaning negotiation quantity; 2) the homogeneous groups were more effective than the heterogeneous groups in light of collaborative learning and affective aspects; and 3) SCMC experience had a positive impact on improving student's writing proficiency rather than oral proficiency.