摘要
This paper reports a study designed to observe how a learning community arose when a group of learners of English focused on a common project. The students＇ task was to participate as speakers in an international conference. Undergraduate students in a course of Business English at a small private university in western Mexico worked in teams to research and develop a topic to be sent as a proposal to the conference.The study used Interaction Analysis with a qualitative focus to observe participant interactions. Video and audio recordings were supplemented with participant interviews and questionnaires. Analysis shows that in the course of the project, the students learned not only business terminology, but also how to work together.
本文报告的一项研究是关于一组英语学习者在共同完成一个项目的过程中如何形成一个学习社群(learning community)。学生的任务是作为宣读人参加一个国际会议。墨西哥西部的一所小型私立大学的商务英语课程本科学生组成一个团队,共同研究、撰写一篇拟在国际会议上宣读的课题论文。本研究采用重质性的互动分析方法(Interaction Analysis)、通过观察参加者之间的互动进行,资料采集依赖视频和音频记录、辅以访谈和问卷调查。分析表明,在该项目实施过程中,学生不仅学会商务英语专业术语,也学会如何进行研究合作。
