Abstract:
Underpinned by content-based instruction (CBI) (Richards & Rodgers, 2014), this project aims to develop a Language Small Private Online Course (LSPOC), which cultivates students’ intercultural competence (Jackson, 2018) and enriches students’ ideas and vocabulary when attempting IELTS essay writing and speaking tests. Intercultural education is treated as an end and a means in this project. In other words, one of the goals of the LSPOC is to enable students to explore global issues from multiple cultural perspectives. At the same time, students’ understanding and awareness of intercultural perspectives are used as a tool to develop students’ content and vocabulary for attempting IELTS essay writing and speaking (Coffin, 2004; Khan, 2006). To maximise its impact on EdUHK students’ learning, the LSPOC will be co-designed/developed by a group of international students under the project investigator, the project team, and an external consultant specialising in CALL e-Learning content development. The LSPOC will be made available to all EdUHK students via Microsoft Teams. This project will benefit all EdUHK students, in particular full-time undergraduate students at EdUHK who are required to take IELTS as the language exit requirement and who would like to develop their intercultural competence through an online course.
Code:
T0226
Principal Project Supervisors:
Keywords provided by authors:
Start Date:
01 Jul 2020
End Date:
31 Dec 2021
Status:
Completed
Result:
The LSPOC launched on Microsft Teams enrolled 128 EdUHK students. It employed Hall et al. (2013)'s web-based instruction model by considering the seven design features of web-based learning environments: directionality, usability, consistency, interactivity, multi-modality, adaptability, and accountability. Students' responses to the LSPOC were generally positive. They increased cultural knowledge of Pakistan, Thailand, and Russia, developed a positive attitude towards cultural diversities and expanded their lexical resource through exposure to and discussion of various global issues with international students. They also developed IELTS Speaking and Writing test-taking strategies and gained an enriched online language learning experience. Meanwhile, this project provided the involved international students with a valuable experiential learning experience and developed the professional skills essential for their future teaching career. As a result of the project, two e-learning packages were designed for IELTS preparation and intercultural education.
Impact:
The project offered a unique non-formal English language enhancement course to 128 EdUHK students. Through participating in this course, they acquired interesting cultural knowledge of Pakistan, Thailand, and Russia and benefited from the interactions with international student tutors and their cultures in a virtual classroom. This learning experience enhanced their understanding of cultural diversities and language learning motivation. Meanwhile, they acquired topical vocabulary related to a range of global issues and gained new perspectives and useful IELTS test-taking strategies for Speaking and Writing papers to help them attain the Language Exit Requirement. Overall, their online learning language experience was enriched and extended outside the formal curriculum. The action of engaging international students not only provided them with valuable experiential learning experience of curriculum design and development and online language teaching, but also set a good example of curriculum internationalisation. It is expected that the e-learning resources developed by the project will be integrated into blended learning or self-study to help students enhance intercultural competence and develop IELTS test-taking strategies and complement the formal English enhancement curriculum.
Deliverables:
Books/ Book Chapters/ Journal Articles/ Conference Papers
Chong, S. W., Reinders, H., Khan, M. A., Lin, C. Y. (2020, October 15-16). A review of language MOOCs and development of a design framework [Online symposium presentation]. KTH Royal Institute of Technology (Stockholm, Sweden) and the Research Institute for Learner Autonomy Education (RILAE) at Kanda University of International Studies (Chiba, Japan). (Number of participants: 24 academics) (https://kuis.kandagaigo.ac.jp/rilae/events/symposium2020/symposium-2020-...) (https://repository.eduhk.hk/en/publications/a-review-of-language-moocs-and-development-of-a-design-framework)
Seminars/Presentations/Sharing Sessions
Reinders, H. (2020, September 28). The rise, fall, and reprise of MOOCs ---- what every teacher needs to know [Webinar]. The Education University of Hong Kong. (Number of participants: 79 students and 50 EdUHK and other academics) (https://repository.eduhk.hk/en/publications/the-rise-fall-and-reprise-of-moocs-what-every-teacher-needs-to-kn)
Reinders, H. (2020, October 27). Online Workshop: Online Language Course Design and Curriculum Development [Online workshop]. The Education University of Hong Kong. (Number of participants: 3 students) (https://repository.eduhk.hk/en/publications/online-workshop-online-language-course-design-and-curriculum-deve)
Reinders, H. (2020, November 30). Online Workshop: Online Language Course Design and Curriculum Development [Online workshop]. The Education University of Hong Kong. (Number of participants: 3 students) (https://repository.eduhk.hk/en/publications/online-workshop-online-language-course-design-and-curriculum-deve-2)
Reinders, H. (2021 February 3). Online Workshop: Online Language Course Design and Curriculum Development [Online Workshop]. The Education University of Hong Kong. (Number of participants: 3 students) (https://repository.eduhk.hk/en/publications/online-workshop-online-language-course-design-and-curriculum-deve-3)
Khan, M. A. (2021 January 13). Hands-on Microsoft teams and forms [Webinar]. The Education University of Hong Kong. (Number of participants: 3 students) (https://repository.eduhk.hk/en/publications/hands-on-microsoft-teams-and-forms)
Chong, S. W. & Lin, C. Y. (2021, May 19 and May 26). Online Workshop: IELTS Writing and Speaking Training [Online Workshop]. The Education University of Hong Kong. (Number of participants: 6 students) (https://repository.eduhk.hk/en/publications/online-workshop-ielts-writing-and-speaking-training)
Teaching and Learning Resources/ Materials (including online resources)
IELTS Preparation and Intercultural Education E-learning Package.(https://uedhk.sharepoint.com/:o:/s/o365grp_IELTSPreparationandInterculturalEducation-Asynchrono9/EnT11d4ohW9BvpdJ_PUDfu8BClaxkFx6IwepreHImYG_BA?e=qr4YRq) (https://repository.eduhk.hk/en/publications/ielts-preparation-and-intercultural-education-e-learning-package)
Intercultural Education E-learning Package. (https://uedhk.sharepoint.com/:o:/s/o365grp_Interculturaleducation-asynchronouspilotrun2/EmfxSCN6YYtJpNXmbVCstH8BbefRr3kkbyUFiAK9-OMHCw?e=rKWGGj) (https://repository.eduhk.hk/en/publications/intercultural-education-e-learning-package)
Financial Year:
2019-20
Type:
TDG