Computer-mediated Communication Tools Research Articles

Telecollaboration in English Language Teacher Education: A Systematic Review

Telecollaboration practices enable geographically dispersed participants to interact with each other through synchronous or asynchronous computer-mediated communication tools. Telecollaboration plays a significant role in learning cultural differences, raising awareness, and training language teachers by improving intercultural communicative competence (ICC) and language skills. With this role in mind, this paper aims to present a systematic review of the telecollaboration studies conducted within the scope of English language teacher training programs between 2018 and 2022 by analyzing twenty up-to-date and peer-reviewed articles according to the steps of the systematic review study. Along with the differences among study aims and designs, it is found that the findings of the reviewed studies can be grouped under three main themes, which are the benefits of telecollaborative exchanges, the drawbacks associated with telecollaboration and suggestions for further telecollaborative projects. Accordingly, some implications are provided for integrating telecollaboration into language teacher education programs.

Beyond the newsroom: how computer-mediated communication is reshaping journalism in Vietnam

This study aimed to understand the impact of computer-mediated communication (CMC) tools on journalism in Vietnam by employing a quantitative-methods approach influenced by Social Presence Theory, Media Richness Theory, and Uses and Gratifications Theory. A quantitative survey was conducted with 335 journalists and other stakeholders in newsrooms. The results indicated that social presence significantly affects the adoption and efficacy of CMC tools in this unique cultural context. The study extended the Media Richness Theory by adding a cross-cultural dimension, and the Uses and Gratifications Theory sheds light on the motivations behind tool adoption. This research contributed to theory by adapting established frameworks to a new cultural environment and offers practical guidelines for media organizations in Vietnam undergoing digital transformation. Future research should explore interdisciplinary frameworks incorporating cultural, technological, and psychological factors.

A bibliometric analysis of the trends, topics, and findings of research publications on asynchronous and synchronous online language learning over three decades

Since the first study on computer-mediated communication tools in support of language learning was published in 1992, asynchronous and synchronous tools have been widely adopted; however, few reviews have been conducted to explore the research status in this field. As COVID-19 has increased the use of online tools in education, the need to understand how asynchronous and synchronous tools are being used in language education has grown. In this bibliometric analysis, we reviewed asynchronous and synchronous online language learning (ASOLL) by analyzing the trends, topics, and findings of 319 articles on ASOLL. The results indicate that interest in ASOLL has increased over the past three decades with ASOLL for oral proficiency development and collaborative ASOLL being the two main research issues. Interest in three topics – collaborative ASOLL, emotions, and corrective feedback – was especially apparent. The review contributes to the understanding of ASOLL while providing practical implications for using information communication technologies to enhance language learning.

PRE-SERVICE EFL TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF ONLINE COMMUNITY OF INQUIRY IN COMPUTER-MEDIATED SYNCHRONOUS COLLABORATIVE TECHNOLOGY USING GOOGLE DOCS

Participation in online learning environments is increasingly popular following the advent of several computer-mediated communication (CMC) tools. There has been empirical evidence about the positive impacts of using synchronous collaborative technologies on students’ classroom interactions and learning outcomes. This article reports on an examination of Google Docs as collaborative technology for group assignments in a content course on designing test items for young learners of English. A total 54 pre-service EFL teachers were examined for their perceived levels of participation, learning, social, and teaching presence in the online community where Google Docs was utilized as a collaborative platform for sharing work and receiving feedback. Main findings indicate the pre-service teachers’ overall positive perceptions of the use of Google Docs, and their perceived levels of learning, teaching, and social presence were better than those in the face-to-face meeting condition. The results suggest a cohesive community where exchange of ideas and feedback took place effectively and Google Docs was perceived to improve feedback efficiency thanks to its synchronous and asynchronous feedback mechanisms. The study concludes with pedagogical implications for the use of CMC technologies in EFL classrooms and suggestions for future research.

Passive Participation in Collaborative Online Learning Activities: A Scoping Review of Research in Formal School Learning Settings

This scoping review summarizes studies on passive participation in collaborative online learning activities that used computer-mediated communication tools in school settings. A total of 42 articles spanning about 20 years were explored. ERIC and three main journal indexes from Web of Science were used to locate articles. For each year searched, there were only one to five studies that investigated passive participation, indicating that not many researchers have examined this topic in general. Most studies used mixed methods and were conducted in higher education settings in asynchronous online discussions. Three terms have been used to discuss the notion of passive participation: lurking for read-only behavior, legitimate peripheral participation for low contribution, and free riding for no contribution. Studies on passive participation have mainly explored four topical areas: motivational factors and reasons, participation types and behavioral patterns, effect on learning outcomes, and pedagogical strategies for de-lurking. Most studies have investigated passive participation as one of the behavior patterns among various types of participation. A few studies have solely examined read-only behaviors. The notion of passive participation varies among researchers and should therefore be redefined. Overall, there have been few studies on the topic of passive participation and those that have been conducted reveal some inconsistencies in their findings, indicating the topic requires further investigation. Future studies on this topic are urgently needed due to the forced shift to online courses precipitated by the pandemic. While instructors are also responsible for supporting their learners in this unprecedented context, researchers should investigate ways to help instructors better understand passive participants and encourage active learner participation in collaborative online learning space.

Enhancing Organizational Commitment through Effective Computer Communication Practices: A Proposal for Malaysian Organizations

This research aims to explore and propose effective computer communication practices that can enhance organizational commitment in the Malaysian context. As organizations in Malaysia increasingly adopt Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) tools and digital platforms for collaboration, it becomes crucial to understand how these practices influence employees’ commitment to their organizations. This study will identify the specific challenges and opportunities related to CMC in the Malaysian workplace, explore cultural factors, leadership styles, and organizational characteristics that impact organizational commitment, and propose strategies to optimize computer communication to foster higher commitment levels. By addressing the unique needs and dynamics of Malaysian organizations, this research will contribute to the development of tailored approaches to enhance organizational commitment through computer communication practices.

Does Computer-Mediated Communication Competence Enrich Social Capital? The Mediating Role of Social Networks Sites

Social capital enriches social relationships and helps individuals accomplish goals that may not be achievable without it. Computer-mediated communication (CMC) tools have emerged as channels for the development of social capital. Social networks sites (SNSs) are the most crucial of these tools because SNSs users account for half of the world’s population. Numerous studies have explored the factors influencing SNSs use; however, few studies have investigated competence in CMC, a major determinant of SNSs use. Moreover, the relationship between SNSs use and competence in CMC has not been identified, nor has in their effect on social capital. This study bridges this gap by proposing a novel model to determine this relationship, with SNSs as a mediator. The findings can be used as a reference for using competence in CMC to increase the social capital of individuals, thereby offering a competitive advantage to companies on the market.

Distance Matters to Weak Ties

Workers tend to make inferences about one another's commitment and dedication to work depending on what cues are available to them, affecting worker relationships and collaboration outcomes. In this work, we investigate how remote work affects workers' perceptions of their colleagues with different levels of social connectivity, commonly referred to as strong ties and weak ties. When working remotely, workers' perceptions of weak ties may suffer due to the lack of in-person interaction. On the other hand, workers' inferences about their strong ties may also be impacted by losing richer communication cues, even though they had more connections with their strong ties than weak ties. This study explores how remote workers make inferences about engagement levels of and willingness to collaborate with weak ties compared to strong ties. We used a mixed-methods approach involving survey data, experience sampling, and in-depth interviews with 20 workers from different companies in Taiwan. Results showed that workers depended on one-on-one synchronous tools to infer the engagement level of strong ties but used group-based communication tools to infer the engagement level of weak ties. Interestingly, the absence of cues in remote workplaces exacerbated prior impressions formed in the physical office. Furthermore, remote work led workers to develop polarized perceptions of their respective ties. We discuss how characteristics of computer-mediated communication tools and interaction types interplay to affect workers' perceptions of remote colleagues and identify design opportunities for helping remote workers maintain awareness of weak ties.

Do women and extroverts perceive interactivity differently than men and introverts? Role of individual differences in responses to HCI vs. CMC interactivity

Websites, social media, mobile apps and indeed most internet platforms offer two distinct kinds of interactivity: one that involves interacting with the system, or what is commonly known as human-computer interaction (HCI), and another that involves interacting with other users, or computer-mediated communication (CMC). Are some people drawn toward one more than the other? And, is this indicative of one's social orientation? We decided to find out by examining whether extroverts and females are more likely to favor the latter type of interactivity, given their greater emphasis on relational aspects of communication. Through a between-subjects experiment with four conditions (Interactivity with HCI tools vs. CMC tools vs. HCI + CMC tools vs. Control), this research examined how extraversion and gender moderate the psychological effects of message interactivity on a movie news site. Results suggest that interactivity with CMC tools leads to a greater psychological perception of interactivity than interactivity with HCI tools. Moreover, extraversion positively predicts website attitudes for both interactivity types individually, yet it negatively predicts website attitudes when the website affords both together. The study also found a three-way interaction between interactivity, extraversion, and gender on perceived interactivity, revealing that extraversion helps males perceive more interactivity in HCI tools while it helps females perceive more interactivity in CMC tools. Theoretical implications for interactivity literature and practical implications for interface design are discussed.

Network Literacy and Utilization of Electronic Resources Among University Students: The Case of Kabarak University, Kenya

Libraries acquire and facilitate access to electronic information resources that support core functions of universities they serve. Despite substantial investments by universities in infrastructures and resources to facilitate access to electronic resources, studies have revealed that these resources are at times not optimally utilized as expected. Network literacy is defined as the knowledge of web-based information resources, ability to effectively use ICT tools to access resources available online, ability to judge the relevance of information retrieved, and capability to use computer-mediated communication tools to manage or utilize the accessed information. The purpose of this study was to assess network literacy and utilization of electronic resources among Kabarak University students in Kenya and consequently provide some insight into usage of networked resources at the university. Objectives of the study entailed assessing users’ awareness of internet applications and utilization of electronic resources; assessing users’ awareness of Social Networking Sites (SNS) and utilization of electronic resources, establishing the levels of user awareness of electronic resources available at Kabarak University, evaluating users’ competencies in using electronic resources and establishing challenges encountered in utilizing electronic resources at Kabarak University. The study was anchored on the Digital Library model that depicts users’ interaction with networked environments, taking into consideration the various systems involved. The study was undertaken at Kabarak University main campus library. Stratified sampling was used to segregate students and librarians whose opinions were also sought on matters covered by the study. Simple random sampling was used to select students for the study while purposive sampling was employed to select resourceful librarians for the research. The study adopted a descriptive research design and used an approach where qualitative and quantitative data were gathered using a set of structured questionnaires that contained open and close ended questions based on objectives that guided the study. The questionnaires were first pilot – tested at Moi University Eldoret Town campus to determine their validity and also subjected to Cronbach’s Alpha reliability test to determine that acceptable internal reliability levels were attained. These questionnaires were then directly issued to the selected respondents. Analysis of the collected data was done using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) software version 23 and thereafter, responses arranged in themes as appropriate. Frequencies and percentage distributions were used to highlight patterns in the data and facilitate interpretation. Among the findings was that students were aware of existence of electronic resources though some of them were not aware of what these electronic resources entailed specifically, and that among the greatest challenges they faced in using the electronic resources were slow internet connectivity speeds and inadequate points of accessing the internet. The study also established that the library relied majorly on orientation to sensitize students on electronic resources. Reinforcement and regularly conducting orientation programmes were recommended as a means of promoting network literacy at the University.

Developing a Mathematics Module in Support of Secondary School Reflective Learning

Reflective learning is a teaching method where active student learning is a core component of instructional design. In mathematical instructions, reflection and knowledge-construction take place in the language of mathematics. The development of mathematics module in the current study employs three computer-mediated communication (CMC) tools: Google Classroom, discussion forum and text messaging. This study seeks to determine the communication and learning forms which support reflective learning in the usage of CMC tools within the mathematics module. 30 Form 2 students with different mathematical abilities were selected as participants. Data collection include students’ online communication on Google Classroom (GC), forum discussion, and text messaging. A survey of students’ perception of communication using CMC tools and learning were also distributed. Google Classroom and text messaging were reported to have the highest frequency of communication among learners. The combined usage of the three CMC tools was found to be effective as it caters to learners’ preferred learning styles, encouraging collaboration and experiential learning. This study offers insights into group interaction in a reflective learning environment and its influence on the scaffolding of mathematics knowledge.

Improving Intergroup Relations Through Online Contact

This study examined an online professional development program designed to support meaningful acquaintance and reduce stereotypes and prejudices among teachers from different cultures in Israeli society. The rationale of the online program was based on the premise that indirect online contact might improve intergroup relations in diverse societies. The program was designed to progress gradually, starting from basic and leading to a deeper acquaintance, using a variety of computer-mediated communication (CMC) tools. Findings indicated that upon program completion, participants were more respectful towards one another than pre-program. They held a positive view of online learning and were open to multiculturalism (more tolerant and accepting of others than previously) while still maintaining their respective cultural identities. The program participants noticed the gradual progression in task design, expressly noting that this stepwise structure supported forging a connection and then fostering familiarization. This study fills a gap in the research through demonstrating ways that online contact (indirect contact) can be used to promote acquaintance and reduce stereotypes and prejudices among teachers from different groups in Israeli society.

Effects of Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) Peer Review in an EFL Writing Course

This study aims to investigate the effects of the two-step blended computer mediated communication (CMC) peer review process (Word commenting followed by Zoom discussion) in an English writing course for 29 Chinese EFL learners, and their perceptions of this mode. Compared with previous studies, the findings of this study are encouraging: 1) the proportions of revision-oriented comments students gave reached at a high level of above 85% of the total comments; 2) students gave more local comments, but the ratio of revision-oriented comments in global areas to revision-oriented comments in local areas was more balanced (approximately 40% vs 60%); 3) the adoption rates of revision-oriented comments in text revision were also at a high level (63%-73%). What’s more, most students held positive attitudes toward this mode, perceiving it useful in their text revision and development of writing ability. 65% of them expressed their willingness to attend this mode of review activities in the future. This study reveals that the two-step CMC peer review process with Word commenting followed by discussion via online video conferencing system can be used as a useful tool in EFL writing class. This study contributes to the current research on CMC peer review since most previous studies investigated effects of peer review using text-based CMC tools and little research has been done on speech-based tools.

The Impact of Using Cambly on EFL University Students’ Speaking Proficiency

This study sought to investigate the impact of using Cambly, a computer-mediated communication tool, on the speaking proficiency of English as a foreign language (EFL) learners. Further, it aimed to explore the participants’ perceptions of using Cambly. The study employed an experimental design featuring a mixed-methods approach to data collection that involved pre- and post-testing of the participants’ speaking proficiency as well as semi-structured face-to-face interviews. The study sample consisted of 28 EFL university students who were divided into the control and experimental groups. The participants in the experimental group used Cambly to conduct audio calls with native speakers of English over a period of 4 weeks. The quantitative analysis of the participants’ speaking proficiency tests revealed no significant differences between the experimental and control groups’ post-test scores. Moreover, no significant differences were found between the experimental group’s pre- and post-test scores. The qualitative analysis of the participants’ interviews revealed that the use of Cambly had a positive influence on their speaking proficiency, motivation, anxiety level, speaking opportunities, autonomy, social relationships, and cultural awareness.

Using telecollaboration to promote intercultural competence in teacher training classrooms in Turkey and the USA

AbstractSince advances in computer-mediated communication (CMC) tools have made virtual exchanges readily available in educational practices, telecollaboration has been gaining traction as a means to provide practical experiences and cultural exposure to language learners and, more recently, teacher trainees. Drawing upon Byram’s (1997) model of intercultural communicative competence (ICC), this study examines 48 teacher trainees’ interculturality through a telecollaborative project between two teacher training classes from Turkey and the USA. This study relies on data generated by the participants throughout this telecollaborative project: weekly online discussion board posts within groups of six and post-project reflections. Although developing ICC is an arduous and prolonged task, the data analysis suggested that the participants’ experiences in this telecollaboration contributed to their emergent ICC through discussions on the topics of multicultural education and interactions with trainees from another educational context. Their intercultural learning is evidenced by their (1) awareness of heterogeneity in their own and interactants’ culture, (2) nascent critical cultural awareness, and (3) curiosity and willingness to learn more about the other culture. Thus, this study implies that telecollaboration offers an effective teacher training venue that affords teacher trainees with first-hand intercultural encounters to engage with otherness and prepare for their ethnolinguistically diverse classrooms.

Second and Foreign Language Writing and Computer-Mediated Communication: A Qualitative Meta-Synthesis of Recent Research

The use of computer-mediated communication (CMC) in the classroom is common nowadays. The bulk of literature produced so far has done little in informing us the factors that facilitate the role of CMC in language writing, and the nature of the interaction that takes place via CMC in a systematic manner. This paper examines what empirical research has found out about the factors that facilitate the use of CMC in second/ foreign language writing instruction and learning, and the nature of interaction that takes place via CMC in an educational context. 60 peer-reviewed published primary studies from 2007-2017 were reviewed. The key findings are as follows. First, instructor support plays a critical role in ensuring the successful implementation of a CMC tool in the classroom. Second, the affordances of CMC in enhancing the writer’s identity and the presence of an audience can increase learners’ motivation to write. Third, both asynchronous and synchronous CMC have shown to be beneficial, and the provision of training can further enhance the effectiveness of peer reviews. Last, the participatory patterns of CMC in writing are influenced by factors such as task type, personal goals, native-speaker status, and self-perceived competencies. Pedagogical implications are suggested.

Computer-Mediated Communication in the L2 Writing Process

As current computer-mediated communication (CMC) research is omnipresent in the foreign/second language (L2) writing process, a synthesis of the research in this realm is needed to better understand and inform the current pedagogical practices with technology in language classrooms. This article presents a review of 38 studies identifying the major characteristics of CMC use in L2 writing process and aspects of L2 writing where CMC is embedded. The findings indicate that a variety of CMC-embedded L2 writing tasks were mainly integrated in the drafting and revising/editing stages of writing. Also, there has been a clear shift in recent years from blogs and wikis to other CMC tools, such as Google Docs, Facebook, Skype, and instant messaging. Also, existing CMC research on the L2 writing process mainly focuses on improvement in L2 writing ability/production, complexity/accuracy/fluency (CAF) measures, interactivity in L2 writing, and learners' editing/revision strategies. Finally, this review discusses pedagogical implications and offers suggestions for future research on CMC and L2 writing.

The effects of international email and Skype interactions on computer-mediated communication perceptions and attitudes and intercultural competence in Taiwanese students

Learners in an English as a foreign language (EFL) context seldom have the opportunity to interact with people from other cultures and experience intercultural communication in English to foster their intercultural competence (IC), whether inside or outside of the classroom. In an effort to create a brand new opportunity to boost target language interactions, this study utilised two computer-mediated communication (CMC) tools, namely email and Skype, to involve Taiwanese EFL university students in an intercultural project to discuss interesting and cultural topics with university students from the USA. Data were collected from Taiwanese students’ reflective journals, a post-project questionnaire, and interviews. The study’s results indicate that despite encountering numerous problems initially, Taiwanese students eventually have strong positive perceptions and attitudes toward intercultural CMC learning experiences, which can facilitate efficient online discussions with native speakers of the target language and can promote IC. Thus, endeavours to implement such expedient, innovative, and beneficial methods in foreign language courses are encouraged.

ROLE OF MANAGER IN GEOGRAPHICALLY DISTRIBUTED TEAM; A REVIEW

Geographically Distributed Team is a team where members are dispersed in different locations across the globe and collaborate together to achieve a common goal. Such kind of team have the characteristics of both virtual team and global team. The team members work from far flung locations and relying heavily on computer mediated communication tools to interact and to collaborate with each other. The members work in different time zones and are culturally diverse. Managing such distributed team requires a different set of competence than a collocated team. The team leader or manager not only have to manage a team who may have never met or worked with each other before but also have different cultural orientation, working style, values and behaviours. This paper reviews research studies highlighting the managerial challenges of geographically distributed teams as faced by team leaders/ managers and also discuss managerial roles and behaviours that have been found to be effective in overcoming those challenges and to build an effective distributed team.

Expert–Novice Negotiation within Learning Opportunities in Online Intercultural Interactions

Computer-mediated communication (CMC) and e-communication tools have introduced new pedagogical tools and activities that contribute to the development of language learners’ academic, multilingual, and intercultural skills and competences. Moreover, CMC has reinforced communication and collaboration between individuals and educational institutions through projects of intercultural language exchanges (ILE). Most of these exchanges idealise ‘nativeness’, and assert the L1 speaker as an expert ‘by default’. These models of ILE believe that the incorporation of a L1S is key to the creation of learning opportunities. This paper contests this belief. The one-to-one online video conversations took place on Skype between language learners of English and/or French over a period of four months. The dyads comprise the following speakers’ constellations: a L1S of French with a L1S of English, and a L1S of English with an Algerian (L2/LF of French and English). To assure equity in the use of languages, I scheduled two sessions every week, one in English and the second in French. This paper investigates the expert/novice dichotomy and how it is negotiated in the learning opportunities they have created. It also casts light on the speakers’ communicative strategies and linguaculture(s) included in overcoming intercultural misunderstanding and miscommunication when using or not using their L1, French and/or English. These intercultural interactions have uncovered that the novice–expert roles alternate between the speakers despite the language of communication and their L1s. The interactants used several strategies and channels, namely pragmatic strategies such as repetition, nonverbal cues to ask for clarification and signal intercultural misunderstandings, translanguaging and their multilingual repertoires in order to construct meaning, achieve their communicative goals or in case of the lack of linguistic resources.