Effect of asynchronous online interaction on foreign language teacher trainees’ spoken performance

Abstract

With the integration of technology into the classrooms, the use of Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) gained ground quickly and with it, the study of Asynchronous Online Interactions has become popular in the field of education. Asynchronous Online Discussions (commonly referred to as AoD), are being used more frequently in higher education either as an online component or as an aid in face to face, blended or hybrid classes. AoDs in the form of text discussion forums have been widely researched in different teaching modalities, but the usage and effects of these forums through voice interaction is still incipient.
To contribute to the research up to date, this thesis intends to show, through cooperative action research in a blended learning environment, the effects that activities designed for voice discussion forums produce on the perception of the teaching and learning of spoken production as well as in spoken language itself and investigate any other feature that might be impacted by AoDs on Pre-service English Language Teachers in northern Mexico.
The methodology used is a mostly qualitative mixed method approach that includes focus groups, pre and post speaking tests, a cooperative action research through tasks designed cooperatively for voice discussion forums, written assessment of the designs, written reflections on the intervention and a final interview as research instruments. Results are compared to existing literature and findings shed light on the impact of voice discussion forum design in the field of foreign language teaching and learning. Data collection occurred over the fall semester of 2019 with thirty-seven pre-service teachers at an undergraduate English course in the field of teacher training in English Language Teaching.
Findings suggest that the design AoD in the form of voice discussion forums, also known as voice boards, are a tool that can prove to be very effective in improving aspects of spoken performance such as fluency, accuracy, vocabulary among others in accordance with literature on the topic but need to be designed correctly, otherwise its positive effects may not be present. Evidence from this study, not mentioned in previous studies, showed that pre-service teachers feel increased levels of motivation if they are included in the design of the discussion forums and that fosters a heightened reflection on their future as teachers. Results indicate that if the topics that pre-service teachers (in their role of learners) choose are used for performing teaching/learning tasks, they become more engaged and dedicate more time to completing the tasks. Finally, another element that emerged is that limiting the amount of people who can reply to participants in a forum fosters interaction of all the group.

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