Investigating Chinese HE EFL Classrooms: Using Collaborative Learning to Enhance Learning

321 Pages·2015·27.51 MB·English

by  Lin Lin (auth.)

Lin Lin
Investigating
Chinese HE EFL
Classrooms
Using Collaborative Learning to Enhance
Learning
Investigating Chinese HE EFL Classrooms
Lin Lin
Investigating Chinese
HE EFL Classrooms
Using Collaborative Learning to Enhance
Learning
123
LinLin
School ofEnglishStudies
Xi’an International StudiesUniversity
Xi’an
China
ISBN 978-3-662-44502-0 ISBN 978-3-662-44503-7 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-3-662-44503-7
LibraryofCongressControlNumber:2014947142
SpringerHeidelbergNewYorkDordrechtLondon
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(Studying without friends makes you
ignorant and ill-informed)
(The Book of Rites)
(If three of us are walking together, at least
one of the other two is good enough to be my
teacher)
(The Analects)
To my mum, Madam He Li, with all my love,
and in memory of my father,
Mr. Lin Xiaoming, with all mercy
and respect.
Preface
The study presented in this book investigated the use of collaborative learning
(henceforth CL) in two Chinese Higher Education (HE) English as a Foreign
Language (EFL) classrooms. Its theoretical framework integrated theories from
Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory of mind, second language acquisition (SLA) and
theaffectivedomainofmotivation.Theresearchfocusedonstudents’engagement,
learningpreferencesandmotivation.Italsoexploredtheparticipants’attitudesand
perceptions.InviewofthehithertorareuseofCLinChineseHEEFLclassrooms,
this research also explored issues relating to CL task design, implementation, and
aspects of CL evaluation relevant to that context.
A12-week teaching interventionwas therefore conducted in which six types of
CL tasks, either self-designed or adapted, were integrated into the formal English
teaching classes. Sixty participants were recruited from one of the leading foreign
language teaching universities in China, using non-probability purposive sampling
methodasacasestudy.Specificresearchmethodsincludedclassroomobservation,
questionnaires, students’ learning journals, focus group interviews, and motivation
tests, data from which were used to triangulate perspectives and findings.
The results suggested the overall effectiveness of CL in facilitating students’
Englishlearninginthecontextunderinvestigation.Positiveoutcomesrangedfrom
students’ internal psychological change to the wider development of lifelong
learningskills.TheresultsalsoindicatedthatCLhelpedsignificantlyinenhancing
students’engagement.Itwasveryimportantthatparticipantswerefoundtobegood
listenersandnottointerrupt peers duringthewholeflowoftalk,andinterestingly,
rarelydidtheyaskforhelpfromtheirEnglishteacherduringCL.Theinfluenceof
CLalsoextendedtostudents’learningmotivation,wherestudentsweremuchmore
motivated to learn English and became more willing to assimilate into the English
language community. More affirmative attitudes toward their course and English
teacher also emerged. Negative reports were mainly concerned with students’
already formed learning habits, the traditional grammar-oriented exams, and stu-
dents’ language deficiencies, which affected the effectiveness of CL. The occur-
renceofpseudogroups,theuseofL1tomediateL2learning,andpeerrelationships
were emergent findings, and seemed to influence the success or otherwise of CL
ix
x Preface
implementation, all of which have been presented and explained in detail in the
main text. Recommendations and guidelines for Chinese EFL teachers to further
promote the application of CL and ways to revitalize language teaching in HE are
alsoproposed,asareevidence-basedproposalsformodificationstoaCLapproach
to make it better “fit” for a Chinese teaching context.
Acknowledgments
Mydeepestgratitudegoesfirstandforemosttomysupervisor,Dr.TonyJohnstone
Young from the School of Education, Communication and Language Sciences,
Newcastle University, for his continuous support, encouragement, and guidance
during my years of study in the UK. Without his consistent and illuminating
instruction, this book would not reach the presentform. Itis his brilliantideas and
expertise that eventually led this piece of work to its successful outcomes. Special
thanks also go to Professor Steve Walsh from Newcastle University and Dr. Tom
Morton from Birkbeck, University of London for their valuable suggestions while
preparing the publication of the book.
I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to the students who have
participated in the research project, for their willingness to join the fieldwork, and
the valuable time they have spent, without whom this study would not have been
possible and fulfilled. Special thanks and appreciation go to the administration of
Xi’an International Studies University for granting me permission to do the
fieldwork.
I should finally express my heartfelt appreciation to my beloved parents, who
have always been by my side to inspire me and impart courage without a word of
complaint. My mum, Madam He Li, a very precious gift through all my life, has
always educated me with her wisdom of peace, love, and sympathy. My father,
Mr. Lin Xiaoming, from whom I learned life experience of his courage, wit, and
competenceinallrespects.Thanksfortheirlove,support,understanding,andbelief
in me through the years. Very warm thanks also go to my friends, who have
generously encouraged and supported me during the difficult times of my life.
My thanks and praise to those who offered me everything.
xi
Contents
1 Background to Collaborative Learning and Chinese
EFL Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.1 An Overview and Structure of the Volume. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.2 Scope of the Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.2.1 Aims and Objectives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.2.2 Paradigms and Perspectives of “Learning”
in This Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.3 English as a Foreign Language in Chinese Higher
Education: The Context for Learning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.3.1 Social Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.3.2 Cultural Context. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.3.3 Institutional Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
1.4 Problems in the Chinese EFL Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.5 Significance of the Collaborative Learning Research
Project in EFL Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2 Exploring Collaborative Learning: Theoretical
and Conceptual Perspectives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2.1 Foundations of Collaborative Learning:
Theoretical Supports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2.1.1 Vygotskian Perspective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2.1.2 SLA Perspective. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
2.1.3 Motivational Perspective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
2.2 Definitions and Typology of Collaborative Learning. . . . . . . . 16
2.2.1 Definitions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
2.2.2 Collaboration, Cooperation, and Group Work
as Different Communicative Strands . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
2.3 Characteristics of Collaborative Learning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
xiii