iPad in EFL: a project with Portuguese students using tablets to develop oral communication
Author(s):
Silvia Roda Couvaneiro (presenting / submitting) Neuza Pedro
Conference:
ECER 2015
Format:
Paper

Session Information

ERG SES G 02, ICT and Education

Paper Session

Time:
2015-09-08
09:00-10:30
Room:
303. [Main]
Chair:
Shosh Leshem

Contribution

Different arguments justify mobile technologies entering today’s classrooms and integrating school dynamics. Not only are schools facing generations that want to use technology to learn, as argued by Prensky (2001) and Tapscott (2008), but also because they have proven to bring opportunities to classrooms, impossible otherwise. These technologies assumed their importance in education. The European Commission and UNESCO have agreed on their value to achieve greater equity in the classroom, as well as increasing economic development and competitiveness (Digital Agenda for Europe, 2013; UNESCO, 2013).

Many advantages found in mobile technologies appear to be potentially transformative of TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language). Ozuorcun (2012) and Kwon (2010) point out significant gains, like stimulating self-regulated and collaborative learning, access to interactive resources, transferring learning to real-world situations.

Studies have underlined the iPad's unique capabilities, signalling it surpasses traditional laptops (Hutchison, et al. 2012) for its ease of use and adaptation to students needs, allowing differentiation (Ensor, 2012). Empowering students and a sense of belonging are key factors to lead to motivation (O'Malley, 2013). Although a growing interest, there are not that many studies specifically about the iPad in education. In Portugal, its potential has been studied for senior e-inclusion (Fonseca, 2011), as well as for special (Feijão, 2013) and primary education (Bidarra et al., 2012). Internationally, some reports (Clark, 2013; Karsenti, 2013) and case-studies can be found on the use of the iPad,varying in terms of subjects and students’ needs, ranging from the deployment with children aged 4-5 years (Beschorner & Hutchison, 2013) to support learning in higher education (Gawelek et al, 2011).

This study aimed at corroborating the benefits pointed out by literature, implementing a unit in two Portuguese private schools in Lisbon, with two teachers and their classes. The project focused: i) students’ motivation and involvement in learning, ii) development of spoken production in English, and iii) teachers’ ICT use to support their practices.

Method

The study's methodological approach falls within the pragmatic paradigm. It followed a mixed methodology, using a sequential explanatory strategy for collecting and analysing data (Creswell, 2007). The first steps analysed similar studies with systematic literature review procedures (Gough, Oliver & Thomas, 2012), where the following criteria were considered: a) Apple educational studies, b) other iPad integration impact studies, c) mobile technologies in TEFL studies. Matching these criteria, 25 papers were analysed. The results found here impacted the educational resources and curricular unit preparation. The strategies were implemented in two A2 EFL classes with two teachers in the 2013/14 school year. Using several iPad devices in class, allowed collaborative strategies, so students used them to explore an iBook developed by the first author. Afterwards, students were asked to develop and present a video with news from 2064, demonstrating oral communication competences. The first three types of data collected were meant to answer the research questions: i) students’ survey, assessing EFL learning motivation before and after the unit (Gardner, 2004); ii) students’ projects, to evaluate oral production, and iii) teachers' survey, contrasting their ICT use before and after the unit. After a preliminary analysis, an interview was also conducted to reflect upon the intervention impact by teachers’ perspectives.

Expected Outcomes

Results indicated a favourable answer to the three research questions. Although the students' survey revealed no significant changes in motivation, teachers identified differences in their interview, specially in shyer and struggling students. As for the spoken production, students’ products were assessed, revealing a good language dominance. Teachers added they felt students spoke English more frequently and more spontaneously. The teachers’ surveys revealed a tendency change in ICT use, focusing more on the support to students' productions when mobile technologies aided teachers' practices. In the interview, teachers stressed their willingness to use iPad devices the next school year, not only to support their activities, but also letting students develop more spontaneous and creative productions, promoting a more enjoyable use of the foreign language.

References

Beschorner B., Hutchison, A., 2013. «iPads as a literacy teaching tool in early childhood». International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology, vol.1, nº1, pp. 16-24. Bidarra J., Figueiredo M., Valadas S., Vilhena C., 2012. O gamebook como modelo pedagógico: Investigação e desenvolvimento de um protótipo para iPad. In A. A. Carvalho (Org.), «Aprender na era digital: Jogos e Mobile-Learning», Santo Tirso, DeFactoEditores. Creswell J. W., 2007. Projeto de pesquisa: métodos qualitativo, quantitativo e misto (2nd edition) Porto Alegre, Artmed. Digital Agenda for Europe, 2012. European Commission. Retrieved in January, 2014 from http://ec.europa.eu/digital-agenda/. Ensor T., 2012, «Teaming with technology: “Real” iPad applications», Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, vol. 56, nº3, 193. Feijão M. H., 2013. A multideficiência e as tecnologias de informação e comunicação. Mestrado em Educação Tecnologias de Informação e Comunicação, Lisboa, Instituto de Educação da Universidade de Lisboa. Fonseca I., 2011. O uso de dispositivos multitácteis para a infoinclusão do sénior. Mestrado em Comunicação Multimédia, Aveiro, Universidade de Aveiro. Gardner, R. C. (2004). Attitude/Motivation Test Battery: International AMTB Research Project (English version). Retrieved in January, 2014 from http://publish.uwo.ca/~gardner/. Gawelek M.A., Spataro M., Komarny P., 2011, «Mobile Perspectives: On iPads - Why Mobile?» EDUCAUSE Review, vol.46, nº2, pp. 28-32. Gough D., Oliver S., Thomas J., 2012, An introduction to systematic reviews, London, SAGE Publications Ltd. Hutchison A., Beschorner B., Schmidt-Crawford D., 2012, «Exploring the use of the iPad for Literacy Learning. International Reading Association», The Reading Teacher, vol. 66, nº1, pp.15-23. Karsenti T., Fievez A., 2013, The iPad in education: uses, benefits, and challenges – A survey of 6,057 students and 302 teachers in Quebec, Canada, CRIFPE. Kwon S., Lee J. E., 2010, «Design principles of m-learning for ESL», Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, vol.2, nº2, pp. 1884-1889. Ozuorcun N. C., Tabak F., 2012, «Is M-learning versus E-learning or are they supporting each other?» Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, vol. 46, pp. 299-305. Prensky M., 2001, «Digital natives, Digital immigrants», On the Horizon, vol. 9, nº5, pp. 1-6. Tapscott, D. (2008). Grown up Digital. New York: McGraw-Hill. UNESCO 2013. «Policy Guidelines for Mobile Learning». Retrieved in January, 2014 from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0021/002196/219641e.pdf.

Author Information

Silvia Roda Couvaneiro (presenting / submitting)
Instituto de Educação da Universidade de Lisboa (Institute of Education of Lisbon University)
Almada
Instituto de Educação da Universidade de Lisboa (Institute of Education of Lisbon University), Portugal

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