Investigating Chinese HE EFL Classrooms: Using Collaborative Learning to Enhance Learning PDF
Preview Investigating Chinese HE EFL Classrooms: Using Collaborative Learning to Enhance Learning
Lin Lin Investigating Chinese HE EFL Classrooms Using Collaborative Learning to Enhance Learning Investigating Chinese HE EFL Classrooms Lin Lin Investigating Chinese HE EFL Classrooms Using Collaborative Learning to Enhance Learning 123 LinLin School ofEnglishStudies Xi’an International StudiesUniversity Xi’an China ISBN 978-3-662-44502-0 ISBN 978-3-662-44503-7 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-3-662-44503-7 LibraryofCongressControlNumber:2014947142 SpringerHeidelbergNewYorkDordrechtLondon ©Springer-VerlagBerlinHeidelberg2015 Thisworkissubjecttocopyright.AllrightsarereservedbythePublisher,whetherthewholeorpartof the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation,broadcasting,reproductiononmicrofilmsorinanyotherphysicalway,andtransmissionor informationstorageandretrieval,electronicadaptation,computersoftware,orbysimilarordissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. Exempted from this legal reservation are brief excerpts in connection with reviews or scholarly analysis or material supplied specifically for the purposeofbeingenteredandexecutedonacomputersystem,forexclusiveusebythepurchaserofthe work. Duplication of this publication or parts thereof is permitted only under the provisions of theCopyright Law of the Publisher’s location, in its current version, and permission for use must always be obtained from Springer. Permissions for use may be obtained through RightsLink at the CopyrightClearanceCenter.ViolationsareliabletoprosecutionundertherespectiveCopyrightLaw. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publicationdoesnotimply,evenintheabsenceofaspecificstatement,thatsuchnamesareexempt fromtherelevantprotectivelawsandregulationsandthereforefreeforgeneraluse. While the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication,neithertheauthorsnortheeditorsnorthepublishercanacceptanylegalresponsibilityfor anyerrorsoromissionsthatmaybemade.Thepublishermakesnowarranty,expressorimplied,with respecttothematerialcontainedherein. Printedonacid-freepaper SpringerispartofSpringerScience+BusinessMedia(www.springer.com) (Studying without friends makes you ignorant and ill-informed) (The Book of Rites) (If three of us are walking together, at least one of the other two is good enough to be my teacher) (The Analects) To my mum, Madam He Li, with all my love, and in memory of my father, Mr. Lin Xiaoming, with all mercy and respect. Preface The study presented in this book investigated the use of collaborative learning (henceforth CL) in two Chinese Higher Education (HE) English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms. Its theoretical framework integrated theories from Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory of mind, second language acquisition (SLA) and theaffectivedomainofmotivation.Theresearchfocusedonstudents’engagement, learningpreferencesandmotivation.Italsoexploredtheparticipants’attitudesand perceptions.InviewofthehithertorareuseofCLinChineseHEEFLclassrooms, this research also explored issues relating to CL task design, implementation, and aspects of CL evaluation relevant to that context. A12-week teaching interventionwas therefore conducted in which six types of CL tasks, either self-designed or adapted, were integrated into the formal English teaching classes. Sixty participants were recruited from one of the leading foreign language teaching universities in China, using non-probability purposive sampling methodasacasestudy.Specificresearchmethodsincludedclassroomobservation, questionnaires, students’ learning journals, focus group interviews, and motivation tests, data from which were used to triangulate perspectives and findings. The results suggested the overall effectiveness of CL in facilitating students’ Englishlearninginthecontextunderinvestigation.Positiveoutcomesrangedfrom students’ internal psychological change to the wider development of lifelong learningskills.TheresultsalsoindicatedthatCLhelpedsignificantlyinenhancing students’engagement.Itwasveryimportantthatparticipantswerefoundtobegood listenersandnottointerrupt peers duringthewholeflowoftalk,andinterestingly, rarelydidtheyaskforhelpfromtheirEnglishteacherduringCL.Theinfluenceof CLalsoextendedtostudents’learningmotivation,wherestudentsweremuchmore motivated to learn English and became more willing to assimilate into the English language community. More affirmative attitudes toward their course and English teacher also emerged. Negative reports were mainly concerned with students’ already formed learning habits, the traditional grammar-oriented exams, and stu- dents’ language deficiencies, which affected the effectiveness of CL. The occur- renceofpseudogroups,theuseofL1tomediateL2learning,andpeerrelationships were emergent findings, and seemed to influence the success or otherwise of CL ix x Preface implementation, all of which have been presented and explained in detail in the main text. Recommendations and guidelines for Chinese EFL teachers to further promote the application of CL and ways to revitalize language teaching in HE are alsoproposed,asareevidence-basedproposalsformodificationstoaCLapproach to make it better “fit” for a Chinese teaching context. Acknowledgments Mydeepestgratitudegoesfirstandforemosttomysupervisor,Dr.TonyJohnstone Young from the School of Education, Communication and Language Sciences, Newcastle University, for his continuous support, encouragement, and guidance during my years of study in the UK. Without his consistent and illuminating instruction, this book would not reach the presentform. Itis his brilliantideas and expertise that eventually led this piece of work to its successful outcomes. Special thanks also go to Professor Steve Walsh from Newcastle University and Dr. Tom Morton from Birkbeck, University of London for their valuable suggestions while preparing the publication of the book. I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to the students who have participated in the research project, for their willingness to join the fieldwork, and the valuable time they have spent, without whom this study would not have been possible and fulfilled. Special thanks and appreciation go to the administration of Xi’an International Studies University for granting me permission to do the fieldwork. I should finally express my heartfelt appreciation to my beloved parents, who have always been by my side to inspire me and impart courage without a word of complaint. My mum, Madam He Li, a very precious gift through all my life, has always educated me with her wisdom of peace, love, and sympathy. My father, Mr. Lin Xiaoming, from whom I learned life experience of his courage, wit, and competenceinallrespects.Thanksfortheirlove,support,understanding,andbelief in me through the years. Very warm thanks also go to my friends, who have generously encouraged and supported me during the difficult times of my life. My thanks and praise to those who offered me everything. xi Contents 1 Background to Collaborative Learning and Chinese EFL Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1.1 An Overview and Structure of the Volume. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1.2 Scope of the Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 1.2.1 Aims and Objectives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 1.2.2 Paradigms and Perspectives of “Learning” in This Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 1.3 English as a Foreign Language in Chinese Higher Education: The Context for Learning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 1.3.1 Social Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 1.3.2 Cultural Context. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 1.3.3 Institutional Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 1.4 Problems in the Chinese EFL Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 1.5 Significance of the Collaborative Learning Research Project in EFL Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 2 Exploring Collaborative Learning: Theoretical and Conceptual Perspectives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 2.1 Foundations of Collaborative Learning: Theoretical Supports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 2.1.1 Vygotskian Perspective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 2.1.2 SLA Perspective. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 2.1.3 Motivational Perspective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 2.2 Definitions and Typology of Collaborative Learning. . . . . . . . 16 2.2.1 Definitions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 2.2.2 Collaboration, Cooperation, and Group Work as Different Communicative Strands . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 2.3 Characteristics of Collaborative Learning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 xiii
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