Điều tra về nhận thức và việc ứng dụng phần mền xã hội để tự học tiếng anh ở ngoài lớp học của sinh viên năm thứ 3 chuyên ngành tiếng anh tại trường đại học ngoại ngữ đại học huế

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HUE UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES NGO THI QUYNH PHUONG AN INVESTIGATION INTO PERCEPTIONS AND USE OF SOCIAL SOFTWARE TO SELF-STUDY ENGLISH OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM BY THIRD YEAR EFL STUDENTS AT HUE UNIVERSITY, COLLEGE OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES MA THESIS IN THEORY AND METHODOLOGY OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts, Hue University of Foreign Languages HUE, 2015 MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HUE UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES NGO THI QUYNH PHUONG AN INVESTIGATION INTO PERCEPTIONS AND USE OF SOCIAL SOFTWARE TO SELF-STUDY ENGLISH OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM BY THIRD YEAR EFL STUDENTS AT HUE UNIVERSITY, COLLEGE OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES MA THESIS IN THEORY AND METHODOLOGY OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING CODE: 60.14.01.11 SUPERVISOR: ASSOC PROF DR LE PHAM HOAI HUONG HUE, 2015 i BỘ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO ĐẠI HỌC HUẾ TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC NGOẠI NGỮ NGÔ THỊ QUỲNH PHƯƠNG ĐIỀU TRA VỀ SỰ NHẬN THỨC VÀ VIỆC ỨNG DỤNG PHẦN MỀM XÃ HỘI ĐỂ TỰ HỌC TIẾNG ANH Ở NGOÀI LỚP HỌC CỦA SINH VIÊN NĂM THỨ BA CHUYÊN NGÀNH TIẾNG ANH TẠI TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC NGOẠI NGỮ, ĐẠI HỌC HUẾ LUẬN VĂN THẠC SĨ LÝ LUẬN VÀ PHƯƠNG PHÁP DẠY HỌC BỘ MÔN TIẾNG ANH MÃ SỐ: 60.14.01.11 NGƯỜI HƯỚNG DẪN KHOA HỌC: PGS TS LÊ PHẠM HOÀI HƯƠNG HUẾ, 2015 ii STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY This work has not previously been submitted for a degree or diploma in any university To the best of my knowledge and belief, the thesis contains no material previously published or written by another person except where due reference is made in the thesis itself Date: 20/ 6/ 2015 Signature Ngo Thi Quynh Phuong iii ABSTRACT Social software is now more and more popular to EFL learners It is an effective tool for language learners to improve their English This study investigated perceptions and use of social software to self-study English outside the classroom by third year ELF students at Hue University, College of Foreign Languages To collect the data, the questionnaire, interview and diary were used 100 students responded the questionnaires, 10 students out of the 100 group were invited for the interviews and 10 other students were requested to keep ten-day diaries The findings revealed that the students were highly aware of the necessity of using social software to selfstudy English outside the classroom Most of them agreed that social software is an effective learning tool to support English learning The research also investigated how the students used social software tools to self-study English and some problems and difficulties that they encountered when using social software to self-study English On the basis of the findings, some suggestions for learners and teachers as well as educational administrators were recommended in order to use social software in selfstudying English outside the classroom more effectively iv ACKNOWLEGEMENTS First and foremost, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my supervisor, Assoc Prof Dr Le Pham Hoai Huong for her whole-hearted guidance, valuable comments and sincere encouragement she has given to me throughout the entire development of the study Without her experienced instructions and critical comments, my research would be far from being completed I would like to express my thanks to my lovely good friend, Doan Ngoc Ai Phuong, for her available help in piloting the questionnaires and collecting the needed data Special words of thanks also go to all the informants who spent time responding to the questionnaires, interviews and diaries which contributed as an essential part to the success of the research In addition, many thanks go to my close friends, my classmates in the Master of Arts class and my colleagues at Bui Thi Xuan High School for their available help and warm support during the time I conducted the study Finally, my deepest gratitude and appreciation go to my family members Their love, support and constant encouragement gave me a great deal of strength and determination that helped me during the stressful time of writing this thesis v TABLE OF CONTENTS Pages SUB COVER PAGE i STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY iii ABSTRACT iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS v TABLE OF CONTENTS vi LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ix LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES x CHAPTER INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationale 1.2 Research aims 1.3 Research questions 1.4 Significance of the study 1.5 Scope of the study 1.6 Organization of the study CHAPTER LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Theoretical background 2.2.1 Terms related to social software 2.2.1.1 What is Web 2.0? 2.2.1.2 What is social software? 2.2.1.2.1 Definitions of social software 2.2.1.2.2 Types of social software 2.2.1.2.3 How to use social software 10 2.2.1.2.4 Advantages and disadvantages of social software in education 11 vi 2.2.1.2.4.1 Advantages of social software in education 11 2.2.1.2.4.2 Disadvantages of social software in education 12 2.2.2 What is self-study? 14 2.2.3 Social software as a learning tool to self-study English outside the classroom 14 2.3 Review of previous studies 16 2.3.1 Review of studies worldwide 16 2.3.2 Review of studies in Vietnam 18 2.3.3 Gaps in the literature 20 2.4 Chapter summary 20 CHAPTER RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 21 3.1 Introduction 21 3.2 Research approach 21 3.3 Participants 21 3.4 Data collection instruments 22 3.4.1 Questionnaire 22 3.4.2 Interview 23 3.4.3 Diary 24 3.5 Procedures 24 3.5.1 The pilot study 24 3.5.2 The main study 24 3.6 Data analysis 25 3.7 Chapter summary 26 CHAPTER FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 27 4.1 Introduction 27 4.2 Third year EFL students’ perceptions of using social software to self-study English outside the classroom 27 vii 4.3 How third year EFL students use social software to self-study English outside the classroom 32 4.4 Problems and difficulties of using social software to self-study English 44 4.5 Chapter summary 51 CHAPTER CONCLUSIONS, IMPLICATIONS, LIMITATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE STUDIES 52 5.1 Summary of the findings 52 5.2 Implications 53 5.2.1 For students 54 5.2.2 For teachers 54 5.2.3 For educational administrators 55 5.3 Contribution of the study 55 5.4 Limitations of the study 56 5.5 Suggestions for further research 56 5.6 Conclusion 57 REFERENCES 58 APPENDICES 66 viii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS EFL : English as a Foreign Language HUCFL : Hue University, College of Foreign Languages ix Owen, M., Grant, L., Sayers, S., & Facer, K (2006) Open education: Social software and learning Bristol: FutureLab, 2-44 Retrieved August 25, 2014, from www2.futurelab.org.uk_resources_documents_opening_education_Social_S oftware_report.pdf Oxford, R L (1990) Language Learning Strategies: What Every Teacher Should Know Boston: Heinle & Heinle Pinkman, K (2005) Using blogs in the foreign classroom: Encouraging learner independence JALT CALL Journal, 1(1), 12-24 Quach, T H (2013) An investigation into the Use of the Internet outside the classroom for the Practice of the Listening Skill by First Year English Majors at Thua Thien Hue College of Education Hue University Rudd, P (2008) Using social software for teaching and learning National Foundation for Educational Research in England and Wales Retrieved August 2, 2014, from http://www.nfer.ac.uk/nfer/research/projects/usingsocial-software/ Shaughnessy, J M (2007) Research on statistics learning Second handbook of research on mathematics teaching and learning, 957-1009 Simon, S., Duran, M., & Guillaumes, L (2008) Enhancing learning beyond the classroom: Blogging and other social networking Paper presented at International UNIVEST'09 Conference, Girona Sponcil, M., & Gitimu, P (2012) Use of social media by college students: Relationship to communication and self-concept Journal of Technology Research, 4, 16-28 Stevenson, M P., & Liu, M (2013) Learning a language with Web 2.0: Exploring the use of social networking features of foreign language learning websites Calico Journal, 27(2), 233-259 Student’s handbook (2014) Vietnam: Hue University College of Foreign Languages 64 The Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (2005) Oxford: Oxford University Press (7th edition) Truong, N H T (2013) The Impact of Using some ESL/EFL Websites on English Language Learning: The case of the Third Year Students at HUCFL Hue University Unveren, Z (2008) Benefits of Using Self-Study Centres on Language Learning UK Vietnam NetCitizens Report (2011) Internet Usage and Development in Vietnam Retrieved April 20, 2014, from http://www.cimigo.com/en/download/research_report/348 Warr, W (2008) Social software: fun and games, or business tools? Journal of Information Science, 34(4), pp, 591-604 UK Waycott, J., Gray, K., Clerehan, R., Hamilton, M., Richardson, J., Sheard, J., & Thompson, C (2010) Implications for academic integrity of using Web 2.0 for teaching, learning and assessment in higher education International Journal for Educational Integrity, 6(2) Wellington, J (2000) Educational research: Contemporary issues and practical approaches Bloomsbury Publishing Wever, B D., Mechant, P., Veevaete, P., & Hauttekeete, L (2007, December) ELearning 2.0: social software for educational use In Multimedia Workshops, 2007 ISMW'07 Ninth IEEE International Symposium on (pp 511-516) IEEE Wisker, G (2001) The postgraduate research handbook London: Palgrave Yakin, I (2013) The utilization of social media tools for informal learning activities: a survey study Mevlana International Journal of Education, 3(4), 108-117 Retrieved August 7, 2014, from http://mije.mevlana.edu.tr/ Yaşar, Ö., & Karadeniz, Ş (2011) The power of social media in informal learning Education in a Technological World: Communicating Current and Emerging Research and Technological Efforts, Formatex, Badajoz 65 APPENDIX QUESTIONNARE FOR STUDENTS I am conducting a study entitled “An investigation into perceptions and use of social software to self-study English outside the classroom by third year EFL students at Hue University, College of Foreign Languages” In order to complete this study, I appreciate your cooperation in answering the questions below Your responses are very important to the success of the survey The data will be surely used for my study project only and no other purposes Please supply some personal information: Student’s full name (Optional): Gender:  Male  Female  Please tick () into the box which is appropriate with your idea: Using social software to self-study English outside the classroom is necessary  Strongly agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly disagree How often you use social software to self-study English per week?  – times  – times  More than times  Everyday I prefer self-studying English on social software to practicing English with books or cassette tapes  Strongly agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly disagree How long does it take you to use social software to self-study English each time?  Less than one hour  – hours  – hours  more than hours How you like using social software to self-study English?  Strongly like  Like  Neutral  Dislike  Strongly dislike Using social software to self-study English outside the classroom is useful  Strongly agree  Agree  Neutral 66  Disagree  Strongly disagree I can use social software to self-study English anywhere and anytime  Strongly agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly disagree Social software distracts and reduces the quality of learning English  Strongly agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly disagree What devices you use to access social software? (You can tick () more than one options)  Desktop computer  Laptop  Tablet computer  Smartphone  Normal mobile phone  Others (please specify)…………………………………………………… 10 When using social software to self-study English, what you often on social software tools? (You can tick () more than one options)  To get information  To contribute information To share information  Others (please specify)………………………………………………………… 11 The slow Internet connection prevents me from using social software to selfstudy English  Strongly agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly disagree 12 What social software tools you usually use to self-study English? (You can tick () more than one options)  Blogs (http://wordpress.com, www.blogger.com, http://blog.yume.vn )  Wikis (www.wikipedia.org, http://pbwiki.com, http://en.wikipedia.org )  Multimedia sharing sites (www.slideshare.com, www.flickr.com, www.vi.scribd.com )  Social networking sites (www.facebook.com, www.twitter.com, www.myspace.com )  Social bookmarking sites (http://delicious.com, www.pinterest.com, http://instagram.com )  Others (please specify)……………………………………………………… 67 13 Where you normally use social software to self-study English outside the classroom?  Café shop  Home  Internet shop  Library  Others (please specify)…………………………………………………………… 14 It will be more helpful if the teachers instruct me in using social software to self-study English effectively  Strongly agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly disagree 15 What you practice when you use social software to self-study English? (You can tick () more than one options)  Reading skill  Speaking skill  Pronunciation  Grammar  Listening skill  Writing skill  Vocabulary  Others (please specify)………………………………………………………… 16 What you often when you use social software to self-study English? (You can tick () more than one options)  Writing blogs  Listening to podcasts (on BBC, VOA )  Searching for information (on Wikis, SlideShare, Delicious )  Sharing English learning pages to friends  Watching English videos (on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest ) (on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter )  Following English learning pages  Bookmarking English learning pages for reference (on Delicious, (on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest ) Pinterest, Instagram )  Uploading or downloading English  Commenting on English learning learning files (on SlideShare, Scribd, pages (on Facebook, Pinterest, Facebook ) Blogger )  Others (please specify)…………………………………………………………… 68 17 Social software is troublesome with unreliable contents and authorship copyrights  Strongly agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly disagree 18 Who you often connect with when using social software to self-study English?  Classmates  Friends  Acquaintances  All who have the same interest  Others (please specify)………………………………………………………… 19 Social software is an effective learning tool to support English learning  Strongly agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly disagree 20 It is difficult for me to find a device (computer, laptop, smartphone ) when I want to use social software to self-study English  Strongly agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly disagree 21 Who you seek help when using social software to self-study English?  Teachers  Friends  Family members  Myself  Others (please specify)………………………………………………………… 22 It costs a lot of money to access social software tools  Strongly agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly disagree THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION! 69 APPENDIX QUESTIONS FOR INTERVIEW (FOR STUDENTS) What you think about using social software to self-study English? In your opinion, is using social software important and necessary in learning English? Why? Or why not? What are your favorite social software tools when self-studying English? What difficulties you encounter when using social software tools to selfstudy English? Do you need teachers’ instructions when using social software to self-study English outside the classroom? Why? Or why not? From whom you seek help when using social software to self-study English? 70 APPENDIX CÂU HỎI PHỎNG VẤN (DÀNH CHO SINH VIÊN) Bạn nghĩ việc sử dụng phần mềm xã hội để học tiếng Anh? Theo bạn, việc dùng phần mềm xã hội có quan trọng cần thiết việc học tiếng Anh không? Tại sao? Hoặc không? Phần mềm xã hội yêu thích bạn tự học tiếng Anh bao gồm phần mềm nào? Các khó khăn mà bạn gặp phải sử dụng phần mềm xã hội để học tiếng Anh gì? Bạn có cần lời hướng dẫn giáo viên sử dụng phần mềm xã hội để tự học tiếng Anh ngồi lớp học khơng? Tại có? Hoặc khơng? Bạn thường hỏi lời khuyên từ sử dụng phần mềm xã hội để tự học tiếng Anh? 71 APPENDIX DIARY Guidelines for diary completion Thank you for agreeing to keep a diary This 10-day diary is specifically interested in your day-to-day experiences of your using social software to self-study English outside the classroom Please try to fill in the diary every evening, by looking back over the day and thinking of time, places, social software tools or content you learned when using social software to self-study English outside the classroom Please don’t worry about grammar, spelling or handwriting You can write in Vietnamese Date: Time: Social software tools I used today: What I did: (write a comment, write a blog, share an English page, watch a YouTube video ) Where I was: (At home, in the library, at the coffee shop, at the park, in the internet shop ) How I felt: (interested, excited, happy, bored ) What I learned: (new words, model sentences, pronunciation, reading skill ) Please write the words/ structures/ or anything that you learned from social software today THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION! 72 APPENDIX LIST OF USEFUL SOCIAL SOFTWARE ADDRESSES http://www.facebook.com Facebook is an excellent source where EFL learners can join groups, share ideas and contribute their opinions online http://twitter.com Twitter is the same as Facebook It connects all people who have the same interest together Learners can find useful information, tips and contributive ideas here http://edublogs.org This is an interesting site You can search for advice, support and resources for education http://delicious.com This page is used to see sources tagged by others by searching terms such as reading skill, English tests or CEFR http://www.babbel.com This website provides opportunities for language learners to interact with other learners in order to learn a new language http://www.limocha.com Self-paced lessons are combined with a social learning environment on Limocha in which language learners can choose how they would prefer to 73 learn a new language Learners can track their progress through online courses and access other learners directly from their profile pages http://www.wikispaces.com It provides free wikis for educators, students and individuals Teachers can create their own wikis for different educational purposes and learners may join an existing wiki to participate in and share their ideas http://voicethread.com A voice thread is a collaborative multimedia slideshow that contains images, documents and videos It allows users to navigate slides and leave comments in ways (voice, text, audio file or video) It will be interesting if language learners share a Voicethread with friends, classmates for them to record comments http://openstudy.com OpenStudy is a social learning network where language learners can ask questions, give help, and connect other learners on different kinds of fields around the world Language learners may choose “English” subject for the purpose of learning English 74 10 http://www.mindmeister.com Language learners who are good at learning with mind maps may be interested in this one MindMeister allows learners together with collaborative solutions with colorful and well-designed mind maps 11 http://www.google.com/edu/product This one brings teachers, classrooms s/productivity-tools and learners together with different kinds of applications that allow them to collaborate and work creatively 12 http://instagram.com This one is special for language learners who like learning with photos They can join foreign language photo blogs and flashcard sharing groups to learn languages 13 http://www.pinterest.com This is an online photo sharing and a visual bookmarking tool Languages learners can find many worksheets, activities, articles and tips related to what they are learning here 14 http://memorize.com The Memorise community uses images and science to make language learning easy and fun Learners can create learning materials themselves and others here 75 for 15 http://www.slideshare.net SlideShare is a PowerPoint sharing site where users can upload, share PowerPoint presentations and create a collaborative learning and sharing network for free These social software tools are useful for learning and teaching English, especially they are very helpful for students to self-study English outside the classroom 76 77 78