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Learners� identity, communities of practice and investment in learning english as a foreign language through online teaching

 

Identidad de los estudiantes, comunidades de pr�ctica e inversi�n en el aprendizaje del ingl�s como lengua extranjera a trav�s de ense�anza en l�nea

 

Identidade do aluno, comunidades de pr�tica e investimento na aprendizagem de ingl�s como l�ngua estrangeira por meio do ensino online

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Correspondencia: macross2125@gmail.com

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Ciencias de la educaci�n

��������������������������������������������������������� Art�culo de investigaci�n ���������������

 

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*Recibido: 20 de diciembre de 2020 *Aceptado: 12 de enero de 2021 * Publicado: 08 de febrero de 2021

 

 

        I.            Universidad Andr�s Bello, Vi�a del Mar, Chile.

     II.            Magister en Ense�anza del Ingles como Lengua Extranjera, Licenciado en Ciencias de la Educacion Profesor de Idiomas Ingles, Licenciado en Administracion de Empresas, Grupo de Investigaci�n Med and Linguistics, Facultad de Salud P�blica, Escuela Superior Polit�cnica de Chimborazo, �Riobamba, Ecuador.

   III.            Magister en Ense�anza de Ingles como Lengua Extranjera, Ingeniero Industrial, Supervisor Industrial, Grupo de Investigaci�n Med and Linguistics, Facultad de Salud P�blica, Escuela Superior Polit�cnica de Chimborazo, �Riobamba, Ecuador.

�IV.            Magister en Linguistica Aplicada al Aprendizaje del Ingles, Licenciado en Ciencias de la Educacion Profesor de Idiomas Ingles, Grupo de Investigaci�n Med and Linguistics, Facultad de Salud P�blica, Escuela Superior Polit�cnica de Chimborazo, �Riobamba, Ecuador.

Abstract

The present study explored the identity of students as online learners, their communities of practice and investment in learning English and how these dimensions influenced language learning inside and outside the classroom. The research was a case study that considered participants from the Escuela Superior Polit�cnica de Chimborazo. Before applying the pedagogical intervention plan, an interview consisting of ten questions was applied, oriented to the dimensions of the identity and investment of the students and the communities of practice inside and outside the classroom as their dimensions.

Subsequently, an interview was applied to compile the data on the perceptions of the students who participated in the study and finally, a narrative and pedagogical intervention of three sessions was carried out, the data collected from the instruments were analyzed based on the content analysis.

The main findings showed that participants recognized the benefits of learning English through online activities, inside and outside the classroom. In addition, the importance of knowing their identity as virtual learners, how much time and resources they invest and in which communities of practice they participated. A more comprehensive study is recommended to learn more about learning English through online activities.

Keywords: Identity; investment; communities of practice; online games.

 

Resumen

El presente estudio explor� la identidad de los estudiantes como alumnos en l�nea, sus comunidades de pr�ctica e inversi�n en el aprendizaje del ingl�s y c�mo estas dimensiones influyeron en el aprendi-zaje del idioma dentro y fuera del aula de clase. La investigaci�n fue un estudio de caso que consider� a participantes de la Escuela Superior Polit�cnica de Chimborazo. Previo a la aplicaci�n del plan de intervenci�n pedag�gico se aplic� una entrevista conformada por diez preguntas, orientadas a las di-mensiones de la identidad e inversi�n de los estudiantes y las comunidades de pr�ctica dentro y fuera del aula como sus dimensiones. Posteriormente, se aplic� una entrevista para recompilar los datos so-bre las percepciones de los estudiantes que participaron en el estudio y finalmente, se realiz� una in-tervenci�n narrativa y pedag�gica de tres sesiones, los datos recolectados de los instrumentos fueron analizados en base al an�lisis de contenido. Los principales hallazgos mostraron que los participantes reconocieron los beneficios de aprender ingl�s a trav�s de actividades en l�nea, dentro y fuera del aula. Adem�s, la importancia de conocer su identidad como aprendices virtuales, cu�nto tiempo y recursos invierten y en qu� comunidades de pr�ctica participaron. Se recomienda un estudio m�s completo para obtener m�s informaci�n sobre el aprendizaje del ingl�s a trav�s de actividades en l�nea.

Palabras Clave: Identidad; inversi�n; comunidades de pr�ctica; juegos en l�nea.

 

Resumo

O presente estudo explorou a identidade dos alunos como aprendizes online, suas comunidades de pr�tica e investimento na aprendizagem de ingl�s e como essas dimens�es influenciaram a aprendizagem de l�nguas dentro e fora da sala de aula. A pesquisa foi um estudo de caso que considerou participantes da Escola Superior Polit�cnica de Chimborazo. Previamente � aplica��o do plano de interven��o pedag�gica, foi aplicada uma entrevista composta por dez quest�es, orientada para as dimens�es da identidade e investimento dos alunos e as comunidades de pr�tica dentro e fora da sala de aula como suas dimens�es. Posteriormente, foi aplicada uma entrevista para compilar os dados sobre as percep��es dos alunos participantes do estudo e, por fim, foi realizada uma interven��o narrativa e pedag�gica de tr�s sess�es, os dados coletados nos instrumentos foram analisados ​​a partir da an�lise de conte�do. As principais descobertas mostraram que os participantes reconheceram os benef�cios de aprender ingl�s por meio de atividades online, dentro e fora da sala de aula. Al�m disso, a import�ncia de conhecer sua identidade como aprendizes virtuais, quanto tempo e recursos eles investem e em quais comunidades de pr�tica participam. Recomenda-se um estudo mais abrangente para aprender mais sobre como aprender ingl�s por meio de atividades online.

Palavras-chave: Identidade; investimento; comunidades de pr�tica; jogos online.

 

Introduction

Research on language learning suggests that achieving communicative competence in a second lan-guage involves constructing a learner's identity (Wenger, 1998). However, Norton (1995) has argued that second language acquisition researchers' struggle to conceptualize the concerning the learners' language and their social world has taken place because they have not been able to come up with a new theory regarding the learners' social identity (Vygotsky, 1978), which blends not only the learn-ers' language but also their learning in context. Furthermore, Vygotsky (1978) emphasizes that the relation between learning a second language and the construction of identity--as well as part of learners' motivation, which promotes the development of the communicative competence--is closely related to the type of identity a student wants to build within a community of practice.

Concerning the learner's identity, Wenger (1999) has proposed three forms of affiliation to a commu-nity: engagement, alignment, and affiliation. Firstly, engagement consists of the learner's active in-volvement in the process of negotiation of meaning in the target language. Secondly, alignment re-lates not only to the learner's energy but also to the activities they participate in, which must fit broader social structures and contribute to broader enterprises. Finally, affiliation consists of the learner's imagination within a community of practice, which also addresses the extent to which im-ages of the world are created (Lave & Wenger, 1991). These three elements are presented by Lave & Wegner (1991) as a fundamental aspect of language learning, which also relates to the kind of moti-vation a learner might have to invest time in learning a foreign language.

�Upcoming investigations have adopted a different perspective to understanding the students' motiva-tions to develop competencies in a second language. For instance, researchers have pointed out that students who achieve a high level of proficiency in the target language do so by investing in certain types of identities, which are described by Wenger (1998) as identities that include the ability to shape not only those meanings that define communities of practice but also those forms of belonging to these communities. To this, Norton (1995) adds that investment in a second language acquisition context is most definitely part of a broader social theory; however, the author has not yet found a comprehensive discussion of the term in some contexts, as related to the kind of motivation learners need to become part of a community of practice in which the target language is, for example, Eng-lish.

�With the idea of developing the necessary competencies to be part of a community, second language learners' experiences as being part of an online students community have been used as a reference to investigate the use of video classes as a technological tool in the classroom and as an alternative method and determine learners' motivations.

�To contextualize this study and have a much more in-depth understanding of the environment where the participants are immerse. Because of the pandemics (COVID�19) students from Escuela Superior Polit�cnica de Chimborazo are receiving classes under the virtual modality in which the lack meth-ods and techniques involving the use of technology represent a great handicap. In the university stu-dents are required to develop a remarkable level of English. Students use both a student's and an activity book to cover topic content and exercise grammatical aspects. The assessment tools used to test the students' skills are designed according to the expected students' performance. The tests are virtual based, developed in the E-learning platform according the academic calendar in which all tests are scheduled, which seems to be detrimental to assess the current students' learning progres-sion. Another critical aspect to highlight regarding the learner's background is the seeming lack of motivation to learn a foreign language, clearly evident in the pandemics context. Part of the problem seems to emerge from the virtual class application mode. Ecuadorian students adopt the methodolo-gies used in virtual class.

 

Methodology

Virtual class interaction are highly compelling to help students with lack of interest in learning a second language in an ESL classroom if methods and activities are adequate and innovative. (Hay & Nilsson, 2016). Most of its fascinating features have been covered interactive activities like games and videos which are a very useful mean to gain the students attention (Norton & Darvin, 2015). This particular practice not only contributes to engaging the learners with a select type of online users giving them the perception of belonging, but they also fit in amongst others who use English to communicate, team up to set plans, and to create strategies towards a common target. This kind of learner is usually considered indifferent to the teacher�s lesson in the classroom, after showing signs of boredom and their attitude seemed to be focused onto something else.

This scientific article explores how the learners� identity as virtual learners influences language learning inside and outside the classroom. The study was conducted using a qualitative paradigm, and it followed a descriptive and exploratory design. The instruments used for this study correspond with this type of study and design as the data gathered for the research was analyzed and coded employing content analysis.

In this regard, the present case study was considered part of the relation between the modern vision of the power and effects represented by the virtual class in learners and the development of specific individual skills. The mastering of English skills is higher in students who know how to interact virtually in the target language at home, but this investigation aimed at going more in-depth into why the participant incorporates more vocabulary and fluency outside the classroom with virtual sources at home rather than in the classroom community.

The students from the public health faculty medicine career were participants of this research. They were in the second and fourth semesters, with ages around 19-22, including Ecuadorian citizens. This study had a duration of one term, 2 hours weekly from October 2020 to January 2021, and divided into two groups chosen meticulously. The control and the experimental groups were formed by 200 students administered, as the table below shows.

 

Table 1: Population

Source: Research population

Author: Ure�a David, 2020

 

The focus groups were carried out by 100 participants of two classes from the second and the fourth semester of public health faculty of medicine career. Moreover, the instruments in this study a interview has been directed to both control and experimental groups of students. This type of data collection is a valuable information. This research tool is to determine how task-based learning could be used to enhance learners speaking skill and their learning of English.

 

Method of data collection and analysis

For this investigation, two data collection instruments were administered, an interview before and after the pedagogical intervention and a narrative completed by the participants during the pedagogical intervention sessions. The instruments will be described in the following sections.

 

Interview

Turner (2010) has explored three types of interviews; the first is the informal conversational interview, which allows a natural interaction between the participant and the interviewer but is considered by many experts as unstable or unreliable because it is difficult to code data (Creswell, 2017). The second type is the general interview guide approach, commonly seen in job interviews, as they are more structured than the informal, but still, a bit flexible as the interviewer may change the order of the questions and adapt them as the participant is answering accordingly. However, this type of interview may affect the answers' consistency as the participant is exposed to the interviewer's style rather than the original questions (Cresswell, 2017). Finally, the author describes standardized open-ended interviews, which are more structured in terms of the information asked but still may allow the participant to answer anything they like for most questions. For this investigation, the general interview guide approach was used so that it was possible to obtain the necessary data from the participants' perspective.

Therefore, to better understand what was taken under consideration, the questions' context and answers within this research, the interview was divided into three dimensions: identity, communities of practice, and investment. For this, three sets of questions were formulated, which were adapted from Catells (2009), Dai and Fry (2013), and Galletta (2009).

The first set of questions related to identity, the questions aimed at exploring the participants' identity towards his learning process in English inside and outside the classroom, considering the participants' feelings and emotions regarding their identity as a virtual learner and his identity as a student into a virtual classroom. The second set of questions related to communities of practice; hence, the questions aimed at exploring the participant's feelings and interests regarding the interaction with two different communities of practice: the classroom community and the one with members of an online community. This interview dimension was also used to obtain information about the level of interaction and participation in these two different communities of practice.

This investigation was also considered a second in-depth interview, divided into the three dimensions previously stated. The questions were adapted from Van Eck (2006), Squire (2007), and Tomei (2017)

The second instrument used to gather the necessary data for this investigation was the narrative. The learners were asked to reflect on the pedagogical intervention sessions conducted for this investigation through this instrument. The participants completed three narratives, as they answered the same question after each session in a written format. Done to determine the extent to which the learner's identity, communities of practice, and investment influenced language learning in an EFL context after his pedagogical intervention participation.

Szurmak and Thuna (2013) describe the narrative as the approach that helps learners to "perceive both the detail and the big picture at the same time, unconsciously" of a lesson (p.546). The authors claim this instrument to be a versatile and functional learning tool that activates compelling learning motivation.

 

For the narrative, the participants were asked to write down a reflection considering the following question: How did the computer-based lesson within an outside the classroom context influence or affect your identity as a virtual learner in a foreign language?

 

Pedagogical intervention

Wise (2014) describes the pedagogical intervention as the systematic effort to integrate, on the one hand, the use of the production part of teaching and, on the other hand, the learning practices in any educational context; thus, helping teachers and students to develop general understandings of teaching and learning practices.

According to F�lix-Brasdefer (2008), researchers use data collection methods, such as journals, field notes, as a response to the issues found within the investigation and as instruments that respond to an intervention conducted in the area. In this investigation, a pedagogical intervention was conducted to present the participants with tasks and activities related to a virtual classroom setting to elicit the learners' perceptions and beliefs towards their identity as a virtual learner, their communities of practice, and the kind of investment in language learning.

 

Table 2: Pedagogical intervention session

Source: Pre-Interview and Narrative

Author: Ure�a David, 2020

 

Results

The data of this study collected from 200 students of Public health faculty medicine career of Escuela Superior Politecnica de Chimborazo. The objective of this research was to determine the impact of virtual class intervention to enhance English learning Language. The data were gathered by two different means, which are Pre and post-test. Finally, descriptive and inferential statistic methods were used for analyzing and presenting the results.

According to the information presented before, two groups of students participated in this study, the control group and the experimental one. The first group had a population of 100 learners, and 100 students formed the second group. Besides, interviews, narratives, and interventions have been applied to the teachers' virtual classroom�data obtained with 100 cases of the control and other 100 cases of the experimental group. The data were classified according to the students' perception demonstrated in the pre-interview dimensions: identity, investment, and communities of practice in which the students affirm they are involved. First, identity as a virtual learner was determined by the first interview and the narrative coded as: (Students identify themselves as virtual learners � students do not identify themselves as virtual learners), the investment was classified from the narrative and the intervention answers in which students mention: (students invest time inside the virtual classroom) � (students invest time outside the virtual classroom). Finally, the communities of practice information were taken from the perceptions in the interview applied after the intervention in which students describe if they are immersed in practice community inside the virtual classroom and outside virtual classroom hours.�

Data collected were tabulated manually, but statistics were applied once the three dimensions' comprehensive data were acquired. For this e-learning platform, formats were used to ease categorizing the students' answers to the interview, but three different teachers reviewed the narratives. It is essential to mention that narratives were concise paragraphs for teachers to read and categorize.

In order to verify if the students �identify themselves as virtual leaners involving the time that they invest and practice two hypothesis were stablished.

Hypothesis: students� identify themselves as virtual English learners due to the time they invest and the communities in which they practice.�

Null Hypothesis:� students� do not identify themselves as virtual English learners.

First, the identity of the students as virtual leaners was classified when the interview and the narrative where applied. So students of both control and experimental group may identify themselves. Data collected show that:

 

 

Table 3: Students� identity perception

Source: Pre-Interview and Narrative

Author: Ure�a David (2020)

�

Graph 1. Students� identity

 

As the data displayed in the control group after the application a review of the interview the control group participant mention that only 25% percent of them identify themselves as virtual English learners, meanwhile the other 75% percent do not identify themselves as virtual English learners. After the narrative was applied and the students have a better understanding of being a virtual English learner 35% percent of them identify themselves as virtual English learners and 65% maintain their stance. On the other hand experimental group that teachers talk about what involves being a virtual English learner displayed that: when the interview was applied 61% percent identify themselves as virtual English learners and 39% mention that they do not identify themselves as virtual English learners

 

Table 4: Students� time investment

Source: Narrative and intervention worksheets

Author: Ure�a David, 2020

��

Graphic 2: Students�time investment

 

In the second analysis, students identify that 72% of the control group invest time to study English in the classroom because they focus on the lessons and are very keen on what the teacher present, fifty-seven percent of the same group mention that outside the classroom, they practice English by any means necessary including English private lessons. About the experimental group, 90% percent were focused since the application study started. Moreover, 60% percent of them try to use their time to study in another way the English language. This data represents the importance of students to identify themselves as virtual English students because they focus investing time learning

 

Table 5: Students� communities of practice

Source: Post interview

Author: Ure�a David, 2020

 

 

�

Graphic 3: Control group vs experimental group

 

Finally, concerning the third dimension about the control group, 44% of them stated that they belong to a community of practice because most of them have private lessons, 66% percent of them mention that they do not belong to a community of practice. However, this data may change because it has not been mentioned that online video games in which they use English at any level can be considered as a community of practice. About the experimental group, 83% percent of students consider that they belong to a community of practice, and only 17% stated that they do not belong to a community. The previous explanation about the study students from the experimental group had more information about what they can consider a community of practice.

Overall results show a relevant difference between the control group and the experimental group, students from the experimental group understood that they must identify themselves as virtual English learners because, in that way, they have a sense of progression with the activities they develop inside and outside the classroom. Moreover, they consider that academic activities are essential to learning English. Other activities like listening to music or playing video games online have become crucial because they involve the learner in real situations.

Finally, the last table represents the overall results considering the three dimensions researched in this study: the control and experimental groups. The table displays statistically the progression of both groups in which the total population of 200 students was analyzed.

�

 

 

Table 5: Overall data display

	Students Identity	Students Investment	Students communities of practice	MEAN	MEDIAN	OVERALL DATA TOTAL
Control group	43%	65%	41,50%	0,6025	43	50%
Experimental group	69%	81,00%	63,50%		69	71%

Source: Statistical analysis

Author: Ure�a David, 2020

 

Analysis and interpretation

In concordance with data displayed in the previous tables, the overall data results show that about the control group, fifty percent of the participants manifested a favorable position about that students� identify themselves as virtual English learners due to the time they invest and the communities in which they practice. It represents a significant percentage due to the characteristics they were exposed to. However, the experimental group manifested that seventy percent of the participants agree with the hypothesis statement. With these ciphers, the hypothesis is accepted, and the null hypothesis is discarded.

 

Conclusions

This research shows that the participants have a positive perception towards virtual classes to learn English. Besides, the participants are consistent in describing their own identity as virtual learners and their attitude towards language learning in that the communities of practice they participate in relating to been exposed to virtual activities through which the learner believes English is of prime importance; therefore, the participants claim that they have learned the language merely from virtual activities. Thus, they invest time and effort in doing so. Additionally, the use of technology as online computer-based tasks outside the classroom presented the learners with another possibility to master the target language; this was acknowledged considering participants' perception of this volunteer participation in online communities of practice at home. Moreover, the data analyzed in this research has shown the importance of the virtual identity the participants have built and cast into the online communities of practice to learn English outside the classroom in a more relaxed and joyful environment.

 

Most of the students understood their role in the classroom. They started to identify themselves as virtual learners; meanwhile, the intervention occurs, it is necessary to continue with the virtual instruction with a wired variety of activities and careful instruction. It is important to remark that students at first do not consider that other activities like playing video games in English or even using phone apps in their smartphones configured in the English language were useful for them to learn and understand the target language. Besides, students from the control group who were not exposed to a previous explanation about the research did not fully understand what identity is.

It is concluded that the mix of identities in the classroom allows the students to stay out of the active participation in one activity, and therefore they cannot recognize their level of English to engage in those activities. Narratives were beneficial to corroborate the point of view of the students about their identity and investment. At first, the students stated that the lack of motivation goes too deep into any task reviewed in class. Consequently, it is not worthwhile for their learning process in the target language. This idea suddenly changes while the class progresses. Even though they are challenging to review, they represented the most valuable and real information that this research has to have. In most of the narratives, students' perspectives about classes always were positive while the intervention was in progress.

The participants stated that online activities trigger motivation about practice communities even when the members of that community of practice are native speakers. The research study displays that extra time at home is essential to participate in English online communities actively is the best option to upgrade the vocabulary and fluency towards the target language. The participants compared the time invested in class to learning English versus investing in other virtual activities.

Research goals were archived. Not only did statistical results demonstrate it, but students' good grades also developed, complying with homework assignments and fine performances on tests and oral presentations remark the result. ��

 

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