ERIC Number: EJ1459220
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 28
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1461-0213
EISSN: EISSN-1570-5595
Available Date: N/A
Extremely Virtual and Incredibly Physical: Investigating Language Students' Mediation Strategies through Digital Storytelling and Digital Social Reading
AILA Review, v37 n2 p360-387 2024
Digital mediation strategies are key soft skills to develop amongst students as they prepare to interact in increasingly collaborative settings, socially and professionally. Defined as a set of communication strategies deployed to reach mutual agreement over a dispute, mediation enables students' cooperation in task-based language teaching settings. However, there is an absence of research investigating learning practices in digital social spaces that allow students to develop mediation strategies while using foreign languages to achieve group task goals. In this article, we will outline and compare the results of two case studies exploring the interaction potential of digital educational activities: Digital Storytelling and Digital Social Reading. The analysis of students' multimodal conversations during the activities shows that while there are intrinsic interactional affordances related to the technologies (StoryMaps, izi.Travel, ThingLink, Immerse and Glose for Education) used in educational contexts, fostering students' mediation strategies has only been feasible through a sound instructional methodology. Starting from the data analysis, pedagogical implications are drawn to help language teachers implement virtual technologies to boost students' digital mediation strategies to act successfully in their professional and social lives. Considerations include pre-activity tech and strategy training and the integration of asynchronous and synchronous moments of reflection. Further discussion pertains to creating a community of practice collaborating to understand tool usability for attaining activity goals.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Secondary School Students, English (Second Language), Second Language Learning, Computer Mediated Communication, Clubs, Reading Programs, Technology Uses in Education, Computer Software, Communication (Thought Transfer), Learning Strategies, Teaching Methods, Story Reading, Story Telling
John Benjamins Publishing Company. Klaprozenweg 105 Postbus 36224, NL-1020 ME Amsterdam, Netherlands. Tel: +31-20-6304747; Fax: +31-20-6739773; e-mail: subscription@benjamins.nl; Web site: https://www.benjamins.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Italy; Hungary
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A