WIKIS - AN ENVIRONMENT FOR DEVELOPING SPECIFIC (ACADEMIC) LANGUAGE LEARNING AND DIGITAL COMPETENCES

Abstract

This study is based on an ongoing investigation on the impact of Web 2.0 technologies, namely a wiki-based learning environment, part of a blended approach to teaching English for Specific (Academic) Purposes for undergraduate students in a Romanian university. So far, most of the authors' research has focused on student engagement in the learning process, with special attention paid to the means, techniques, and methods to increase their participation. A second objective has been to research and analyse the effects of introducing a collaborative approach on teaching and learning. Recent reports show that European education policy makers are having a difficult time keeping up the pace with the effects of technological advance on the educational landscape and graduate employability. An increasing number of educational experts and researchers participate in a joint effort to define, extend and improve digital competence as an essential component in a rapidly changing world. The present research is based on the assumption that new technologies generate educational, social, and cultural effects that are visible in the learning environment. For instance, within the area of languages for specific and academic purposes, digital and media literacy have been embedded in online courses as cross-curricular competences. Starting from the definition of digital competence as "the capacity to mobilize different "literacies" to manage the information and communicate knowledge and solve issues in an evolving society" the authors investigate whether digital competences needed in an wiki-based online environment built for academic language learning are enhanced during the learning process. For this purpose, a selection of digital competences from the Framework published in 2013 is used to analyse and interpret data collected from a sample of wiki pages containing students' assignments carried out during an academic semester. The major competence areas targeted are information management, communication and content creation. The results of the study are expected to provide valuable information on the capacity of a Web 2.0 learning environment to sustain and improve digital competence. Additionally, the authors consider that the findings will be helpful in taking new curricular decisions within the area of teaching languages for specific (academic) purposes.