教育技术在专题研习课堂中的效能研究

Learning in a Project-based Classroom: The Effect of Technology

为满足汉语水平参差、学习背景多元的高级对外汉语学习者的需求,自2014年始,研究者采用专题研习法进行高级对外汉语交际课程的教学。以专题研习为本的课程不但可以为学生创造具较强目的性的语言输入、输出机会,凸显语言学习的特性,还可以加强学生的学习动机,提升学生学习的合作性和自主性(Stoller,2006)。2016年,研究者对专题研习的效能进行研究,发现如果能打破空间和时间局限,利用网络进行部分教学,则有可能最大化地发挥专题研习的特点(Liang&Lam,2017)。2017—2018年,研究者结合教育技术与专题研习法,建设了一个高级对外汉语交际课程教育技术平台。该教育技术平台提供了六种独特的功能:电子教材、阅读模块、写作模块、口语模块、中文网络词典以及自学模块。除了展示加强版课程和配合课程设计的技术平台外,本研究致力于探究教育技术的运用能否强化上述专题研习的特点,更进一步提高学生的学习成果。本研究主要采用问卷调查和焦点小组访谈的形式进行,并辅以文件分析。研究结果显示,教育技术与专题研习法的结合对不同学习背景和学习需求的学生有莫大裨益。

In order to cater to the varied learning needs of students with very different language abilities and cultural backgrounds, the researchers have adopted a Project-based Language Learning(PBLL) approach since 2014 in the teaching of an advanced Chinese communication course for non-Chinese speakers. It is believed that the PBLL course creates purposeful opportunities for language input and output, highlights specific features for language learning, as well as enhances student motivation, and collaborative and autonomous learning(Stoller, 2006). In 2016, the researchers investigated the effectiveness of the PBLL course, and concluded that the abovementioned benefits of PBLL would be optimized if the time and space constraints imposed by a strictly face-to-face delivery could be eased through blended online teaching(Liang & Lam, 2017). Between 2017 and 2018, a Web-based Learning Platform(We LP) which incorporated the concepts of Technology-enhanced Language Learning(TELL) and PBLL was constructed for the advanced Chinese communication course for non-Chinese speakers. The purpose-built webbased learning platform offers six distinctive functions: E-book, Reading Corner, Writing Corner, Speaking Corner, Chinese Pop-up Dictionary, and Self-learning Corner. Apart from introducing the design of the revised curriculum and the learning platform, this study seeks to investigate if the above-mentioned benefits of PBLL can be optimized when TELL is incorporated into the curriculum design and implementation. Surveys, focus group interviews and document analysis have been used in this research. The findings of the present study suggest that students of diverse backgrounds and learning needs can benefit greatly from a PBLL curriculum which is supported by a TELL platform.