The study aimed to investigate two aspects: ƒ the students’ responses to theimplementation of mock conferences as a form of situated learning in interpreting classes, and 2 the impact of
Classification of motivation as proposed by Deci and Ryan (1992)
This study adheres to the classification proposed by Deci and Ryan (as cited in Vallerand, 1992), which develops the theory proposed by Deci (1975) because it encompasses constructs that are relevant to the nature of situated learning activities. a) Intrinsic motivation
Intrinsic motivation refers to the internal drive or desire that individuals have when engaging in activities for their own inherent satisfaction or personal fulfillment (Deci, 1975; Deci and Ryan, 1985) An illustration of intrinsic motivation can be observed in the behavior of a student who attends interpreting classes due to a genuine interest and personal satisfaction derived from acquiring further knowledge in this specific discipline According to Deci and Ryan (1985), intrinsic motivation arises from the inherent psychological requirements of competence and self-determination. Therefore, activities that afford individuals the opportunity to encounter such emotions will be willingly pursued once more in the context of instant messaging.
While the majority of academics argue for the existence of a global intrinsic motivation construct, a subset of theorists (Deci, 1975) put out the idea that intrinsic motivation could be further divided into more specialized motives Regrettably, the authors have not provided any indication of the specific varieties of intrinsic motivation that can be derived from the broader design In more recent times, scholars have proposed a tripartite taxonomy of intrinsic motivation (Vallerand, Blais, Briere, and Pelletier, 1989) This taxonomy is derived from the existing literature, which has identified three distinct categories of intrinsic motivation that have been studied individually According to Li (2015), three distinct categories of intrinsic motivation can be delineated as intrinsic motivation to know, intrinsic motivation to accomplish
17 things, and intrinsic motivation to experience stimulation The subsequent sections provide a more comprehensive description of the aforementioned sub-categories of intrinsic motivation.
Intrinsic motivation to know (IMK): The concept of intrinsic motivation to acquire knowledge is a fundamental aspect of human behavior that drives individuals to seek knowledge for its own sake The utilization of intrinsic motivation in educational research has a rich and extensive history This phenomenon is associated with various constructs, including exploration, curiosity, learning goals, innate intellectual orientation, and the inclination to engage in learning activities (Gottfried, 1985; Harter, 1981) In addition to the aforementioned viewpoints that pertain specifically to the field of education, it is possible to incorporate additional perspectives of a more universal nature, such as the epistemic imperative to acquire knowledge and comprehension, as well as the pursuit of significance (Vallerand et al., 1989) Therefore, the concept of “intrinsic motivation - to know” can be delineated as the deliberate engagement in an endeavor driven by personal gratification and the inherent sense of fulfillment derived from acquiring knowledge, investigating, or comprehending novel concepts For example, students exhibit intrinsic motivation when they engage in looking up new words only for the purpose of deriving enjoyment from the process of acquiring new knowledge.
Intrinsic_motivation to accomplish things (IMA): The concept of intrinsic motivation towards successes has been the subject of investigation in the field of developmental psychology, as well as in educational research, where it has been explored within the framework of notions such as mastery motivation (Harter, 1981). Furthermore, it has been proposed by some scholars that individuals engage with their surroundings as a means to experience a sense of competence and to generate distinctive achievements (Deci, 1975; Deci & Ryan, 1985, 1991) In conclusion, when individuals prioritize the process of attaining goals rather than solely focusing on the end result, their desire for achievement can be considered as encompassed
18 within the broader framework of intrinsic motivation, which pertains to the drive to perform tasks Therefore, the concept of intrinsic motivation towards accomplishments can be defined as the phenomenon of participating in an activity for the purpose of experiencing pleasure and satisfaction while striving to achieve or produce something Students who go above the prescribed requirements of a term paper with the aim of deriving pleasure and satisfaction, as well as challenging themselves to exceed their own expectations, demonstrate intrinsic motivation to accomplish things.
Intrinsic motivation to experience stimulation (IMS): This concept refers to an individual's inherent drive to seek out and engage in activities that provide sensory or cognitive stimulation These sensations may include sensory pleasure, aesthetic experiences, as well as feelings of fun and excitement that arise from the individual's engagement in the activity The study of the dynamic and comprehensive phenomenon known as flow, as well as the examination of the experience of excitement in interactive media, aesthetic stimulation, and peak experiences, exemplifies the nature of this particular sort of interactive media (Csikszentmi-halyi,
1975) Students who attend interpreting classes with the intention of engaging in lively and thought-provoking discussions, or who read reference books to derive cognitive pleasure from passionate and exhilarating passages, exemplify individuals who possess intrinsic motivation to experience stimulation in the realm of education. b) Extrinsic motivation
In contrast to intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation refers to the psychological drive that is derived from external factors, such as rewards or punishments, rather than from an individual It encompasses a diverse range of activities that are undertaken as a means to achieve a specific outcome rather than for their inherent value (Deci, 1975) Deci, Ryan, and his colleagues (Deci and Ryan,
1985, 1991) have put forth the proposition that three distinct categories of extrinsic motivation can be arranged along a continuum of self-determination The various
19 degrees of self-determination can be classified as follows: external regulation, introjection, and identification, in ascending order.
External regulation (EME): The term "external regulation" is commonly used in academic literature to refer to the concept of extrinsic motivation In other words, conduct is governed by extrinsic mechanisms such as rewards and constraints As an illustration, a student may express: "I engage in studying the night prior to interpreting examinations due to the influence exerted by my parents."
Introjected regulation (EMIN): Through the process of introjected regulation, individuals gradually internalize the underlying rationales that drive their actions. Nevertheless, this particular process of internalization, although it occurs within the individual, lacks genuine self-determination as it is confined to the internalization of previous external influences Consequently, the individual may express: "I engage in pre-examination study sessions as it aligns with the expectations of diligent students."
Identification (EMID): The internalization of extrinsic reasons is governed by identification when the conduct is highly valued and deemed significant for the individual, particularly when it is viewed as a personal choice The individual may express, for instance: "I have made the decision to engage in studying this evening due to its significance in my personal pursuits." c) Amotivation (AM)
Amotivation refers to a state characterized by a lack of motivation or a complete absence of motivation Deci and Ryan (1985) have lately proposed the inclusion of a third motivational component, alongside intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, as a crucial element in comprehending human behavior holistically The phrase used to describe this notion is amotivation Amotivation is observed in those who lack the perception of dependencies between outcomes and their own behaviors. They exhibit a lack of both internal and external motivation When persons who lack
20 motivation experience sentiments of incompetence and hold expectations of uncontrollability Individuals consider their behavior as being influenced by external influences beyond their personal control The individuals experience a sense of disillusionment and begin to question the purpose of their educational pursuits Over time, individuals may discontinue their engagement in scholarly pursuits (Deci andRyan, 1985, 1991).
Established scales to measure the level of mofivafion ô‹ 21
The Situated Motivation Scale (SIMS): This is a psychometric tool used to measure motivation in situated learning contexts The scale utilized in this study was originally established by Guay et al (2000) with the specific purpose of assessing motivation within the setting of contextual learning The assessment tool known as the SIMS comprises a total of 14 items; however, these items are designed to evaluate three distinct elements that have an impact on an individual's motivation only, namely intrinsic motivation, identified regulation, and external regulation.
Comprising multiple subtests designed to evaluate distinct facets of motivation, the Attitudes and Motivation Test Battery (AMTB) was formulated by Gardner et al (1979) to measure such facets as integrative motivation, instrumental motivation, and attitudes towards learning Regrettably, the current scale has been specifically developed to assess motivation and attitudes towards second language acquisition, rendering it less suitable for evaluating interpreting courses.
The Motivation and Engagement Scale (MES): This scale was developed by Martin (2007) in order to evaluate various dimensions of motivation and engagement. These dimensions include positive motivation, which encompasses self-belief, valuing, and a focus on learning positive engagement is another dimension, which includes planning, task management, and persistence On the other hand, negative motivation encompasses anxiety, failure avoidance, and uncertain control Lastly, negative engagement includes self-sabotage and disengagement Nevertheless, this
21 scale pits motivation against engagement, presenting a difficulty in assessing the individual levels of motivation and engagement among students Consequently, I made the decision to refrain from utilizing it in the present study.
Seemingly to address all abovementioned cons, The Academic Motivation Scale (AMS), which was developed by Vallerand et al (1992) to measure motivation in academic contexts was selected to be employed in this study The AMS includes
28 items that assess main factors that influence academic motivation: intrinsic motivation to know, intrinsic motivation to accomplish things, intrinsic motivation to experience stimulation, external regulation, introjection, identification, and amotivation.
Related studies o- << cọ cọ Họ TH TH 000009600 22 2.5 Chapter SUMIMALY 5< G 5< G6 %9 9899 9994 99994899 9894 989400895898948994.08894.96 24
Regarding the utilization of mock conferences as a tool in interpreting training, numerous research conducted in international educational contexts have indicated that mock conferences serve as a highly effective training approach for interpreting.
Li (2015) provides further support for the utilization of mock conferences as a form of situated learning activity within interpretation training programs The study highlights the significance of acquiring diverse non-linguistic dimensions of competence through this particular pedagogical approach The effective execution of a mock conference is also confirmed by Fomina (2018) whose research study concludes that mock conferences play a pivotal role in helping students develop relevant communication skills through the analysis of social settings This involves the practical application of recommended communication patterns Additionally, Fomina contends that mock conferences simultaneously contribute to the refinement of students’ interpreting skills Mirzoyeva (2023) echoes the sentiments of earlier scholars The study was conducted within the context of training for pre-service translators The primary objective of this initiative is to enhance the language proficiency and consecutive translation abilities of the participants In general, the aforementioned works illustrate the beneficial effects of simulated conferences on
22 interpreter training In a Vietnamese context, Duong (2021) undertook a case study to assess the efficacy of mock conferences as a means of enhancing interpreting training The primary objective of this study is to investigate the potential impact of mock conferences on the development of students’ interpreting competencies such as the areas of concentration and professionalism The data for this study were obtained by administering web-based questionnaires to a sample of 35 graduate trainees in the field of Interpreting who were in their third year of study The trainees evaluated mock conferences as beneficial, advantageous, and stimulating occurrences, and their evaluations exhibited a positive correlation with the frequency of their participation as interpreters in mock conferences The results of the study suggest that the development of competences related to professionalism, psychological competence, strategic competence, and various other nonlinguistic elements may be more effectively achieved by participation in mock conferences as opposed to typical interpreting classes.
When it comes to the impacts of mock conferences on students’ motivation, research has consistently shown the positive impact of mock conferences on motivation and skill development Kumar (2011) applied this model in a first-year undergraduate course, where students delivered conference-style oral presentations and virtual poster presentations Throughout the staged preparation process, the researcher provided guidance The researcher's conclusion suggests that mock conferences have the potential to stimulate learners' motivation This, in turn, contributes to the cultivation of self-directed and autonomous learners, as students are prompted to assume responsibility for their own learning Furthermore, the incorporation of mock conferences ensures equal opportunities for success among students with diverse learning preferences and needs This is achieved by introducing variety and flexibility into the presentation of course materials (Kumar, 2011) This is accompanied by the research study by Gao (2019) In a comprehensive two-week study encompassing both horizontal and vertical analyses, Gao (2019) investigates the impact of mock conferences compared to the traditional interpreting teaching
23 model on the internalization of motivation among translation and interpreting learners The study utilized three questionnaires administered at different stages before the author ultimately arrived at the conclusion that mock conferences have the potential to significantly enhance the motivation of students engaged in translation and interpreting studies As a result, it can be seen that these studies collectively suggest that mock conferences can be a powerful tool for enhancing motivation in various educational contexts.
The efficacy of incorporating mock conferences as a form of situational learning activities in interpretation training has been demonstrated in several contexts, including both international and Vietnamese settings Mock conferences are acknowledged as effective tools for boosting students’ motivation across a diverse range of training contexts Nevertheless, the existing amount of research on the impact of mock conferences in improving the motivation of interpretation trainees is somewhat limited, particularly within the context of Vietnamese educational institutions There is still a lack of research on the efficacy of mock conferences as a contextual learning technique for enhancing the motivation levels of student interpreters and their perceptions of mock conferences.
This chapter, which serves as the theoretical foundation for the entire study, primarily presents and analyzes a number of study-related concepts, including situated learning, mock conferences, and motivation Additionally, relevant studies are examined as well, highlighting the research gap.
RESEARCH METHODOLOOY 5-55 Sen 155
Research COTIẨCXXÍ - c6 s9 9.999 0n 0000910 040600 000980 28 1 ResearCH S€[ÍẽHV Ăn HH HH kh 28 2 ResearCh DATẨÍCẽDTIES cv TH TH HH HH 29 3.4 Research instrument œ- 55 < 5< s99 0000000006 08 29 3.4.1 Pre-intervention surveys and post-intervention SurV€yS
of intrinsic motivation, three categories of extrinsic motivation, and amotivation Its central query revolves around the reason for attending college, with the items designed to mirror potential responses to this inquiry, thereby capturing the diverse facets of motivation In my adopted surveys, I modified the questions to delve into the fundamental motivations driving my students' attendance of both the course and the mock conferences This adjustment was essential to align with the specific objectives of my research To be specific, each of the adapted questionnaires included
28 items that assessed main factors affecting the students’ motivation: intrinsic motivation to know, intrinsic motivation to accomplish things, intrinsic motivation to experience stimulation, external regulation, introjection, identification, and amotivation Data collected from this set of surveys was utilized to answer research question 2.
A common feature in all the surveys is that the students were not required to give their name in the questionnaire so that the results from the instrument would be more valid.
3.4.2 Pre-intervention interviews and post-intervention interviews
Additionally, in order to gain a more comprehensive insight into how students perceived mock conferences as a situated learning, semi-constructed interviews were implemented before and after the intervention It was anticipated that the utilization of surveys as the initial quantitative instrument would provide substantial help in enabling me to gain a comprehensive understanding of the students’ responses and
31 perceptions The interviews were conducted in Vietnamese to avoid any possible misunderstanding between the students and me The interviews were employed to address the first research question.
3.4.3 While-intervention observation and teaching journals
Teaching journals were utilized throughout the research process as the primary instrument for documenting the teaching technique and the teacher's systematic reflections Burns (2010) underscores the significance of journals as a highly valuable means of documenting noteworthy reflections and occurrences in a continuous manner The utilization of this particular instrument is often regarded as a fundamental component in the field of action research due to its ability to enable educators to document not only the occurrences inside a certain context, but also their introspective analysis, convictions, and perceptions regarding their instructional methodologies (Burns, 2010) According to Wallace (2001), journals serve as a valuable instrument for fostering reflective teaching and facilitating the growth of reflective practices From the assortment of journal formats outlined by Burns (2010),
I chose to focus on descriptive and reflective teaching journals These particular journals serve the purpose of not only documenting factual events, but also capturing subjective elements such as thoughts, reflections, insights, emotions, and responses to the instructional material.
This study employed journals as a means of data collection to address research question 2, hence substantiating the reliability and validity of the data obtained from the surveys Moreover, the insights contained within these journals proved to be valuable contributions for me in modifying and adjusting the instructional approach throughout the research endeavor, ultimately leading to enhanced educational outcomes.
In accordance with the guidelines and prompts presented by Burns (2010), I modified the inquiries and devised a format for the instructional diary employed in
32 this study, as demonstrated in an extract of my teaching journal provided in the subsequent table.
Table 3.2 An extract of the teaching journal
What is happening? What are my perceptions/ attitudes about what is
What are my responses/ interpretations of
+ Lecture 4in the course syllabus
Cycle 1 - (Preliminary investigation): I surveyed the students for their current level of motivation using the Academic Motivation Scale by Vallerand et al (1992) I conducted an additional
Step 2 insights into — students’ evaluation of practical activities in their previous interpreting class(es).
Cycle 1 - Step 3 (Hypothesis): I had two hypotheses
Hypothesis 1: Mock conferences might be perceived by the students as an effective situated activity.
Hypothesis 2: Mock conferences in interpreting training might improve the students’ motivation.
+ The happening? students had a low level of motivation based on the AMS framework.
They had had insignificant exposure to situated learning activities in the previous interpreting course. what has happened?
+ I decided to conduct an action research study with the hope to motivate my students in the interpreting course.
Lecture 5 in the course syllabus
I introduced the mock conference activity to the students, wherein the aims and roles associated with the mock conference (organizing team, speakers, interpreters) were described.
[helped the students organize the mock conference.
+ Lecture 6 in the course syllabus
The students with different assigned roles organized the mock conference. well-prepared speech visual aids while the other two relied heavily on their scripts Regarding students playing the roles’ of interpreters, six in nine of them relied on the prepared scripts of the speakers.
When it comes to the participants, seven 1n
+ The students were to some extent new to this activity and got quite confused during the preparation process.
Some _ speakers seemed to have sent their prepared scripts to their interpreters.
Some _ students might have not been totally aware of the purposes of the mock conference.
Based on observation, 1t could be concluded that generally the students did not pay due attention to the mock conference.
+ Itried to give the students coherent explanation and guidance.
I decided to give them a week to prepare for the mock conference.
The first mock conference did not help in motivating the students.
I decided to figure out the possible reasons. twelve had private talks, and three in twelve even used their smartphones during the event.
The duration of this action research spanned a period of 15 weeks within the selected semester The research was planned to be conducted after the first week, allowing sufficient time for students and the teacher to familiarize themselves with one another and acquire a foundational understanding of the course There are multiple models available that depict the sequential stages of action research. According to Kemmis and Mc Taggart (1988), action research typically encompasses four primary phases: planning, action, observation, and reflection The aforementioned model can be classified as cyclical in nature, as the initial cycle has the potential to perpetuate a series of subsequent cycles until the researcher achieves a satisfactory outcome The comprehensive iteration of the action research model developed by Kemmis and McTaggart (1988) is depicted in Figure 1, showcasing the recursive characteristics inherent in the process.
Figure 3.1 Cyclical action research model
Despite occasional criticism for being overly rigid, inflexible and prescriptive, the aforementioned model remains a valuable tool that effectively encapsulates the fundamental steps of an action research study (Burns, 2010) Nunan (1992) established a well-recognized model of action research technique, which consists of seven distinct steps According to Nunan (1992), the action research cycle consists of seven distinct processes, including initiation, preliminary investigation, hypothesis, intervention, evaluation, dissemination, and follow-up This action research study adopted Nunan's model of action research due to its perceived comprehensiveness and alignment with my plan Furthermore, the study approach adhered to the iterative
36 and cyclical characteristics of action research, as outlined in the model proposed by Kemmis and McTaggart In other words, it is possible for multiple cycles to occur until the desired outcome 1s attained.
The procedure consisted of two cycles as follow:
CYCLE 1: Mock conference conducted without a clear and _ well-defined procedure
I observed and realized the low level of motivation among the students in my interpreting class (from week | to week 3).
I surveyed the students for their current level of motivation using the Academic Motivation Scale by Vallerand et al (1992) I conducted an additional survey to gather further insights into students’ evaluation of practical activities in their previous interpreting class(es) Subsequently, I conducted follow-up semi-structured interviews for further information about the students’ insights into their motivation in this interpreting class.
The questionnaire utilized in the first survey was adapted from the Academic Motivation Scale (C version) by Vallerand et al (1992) The development of the second survey questionnaire was informed by relevant literature on characteristics of situated learning (as presented in Chapter 2).
The research study posited the following hypotheses:
Hypothesis 1: Mock conferences might be perceived by the students as an effective situated activity.
Hypothesis 2: Mock conferences in interpreting training might improve the students’ motivation.
Intervention phases in Cycle 1 m Description of the phase
I introduced the mock conference activity to the students, | I kept teaching wherein the aims and roles associated with the mock} journal during conference (organizing team, speakers, interpreters) were | the process described.
I helped the students organize the mock conference, following the established procedures for a mock conference in interpreting training by Li (2015):
+ Assigning the topic/ theme of the mock conference
+ Assigning students with different roles in the mock conference: 01 chairman to host the event, 04 speakers (two in English, two in Vietnamese language), 09 interpreters (one for the chairman, two for each speaker), and 12 participants
+ Elucidating the responsibilities of each role in the mock conference, delineating their duties before, during and after the event.
The students with different assigned roles organized the mock conference.
Speaker 01 delivered speech through Interpreters 02 and 03.
Speaker 02 delivered speech through Interpreters 04 and 05.
Speaker 03 delivered speech through Interpreters 06 and 07.
Speaker 04 delivered speech through Interpreters 08 and 09.
The other students acted as audience during the mock conference.
I observed my own class and kept reflection in the teaching journal.
Chapter SUITWINAT do 5G G5 5 9 9 9.99 9 90.90.990.000 009650 52
This chapter conducts a thorough examination and discussion of the acquired data in order to provide a comprehensive analysis and address the two research questions. The findings of this study are divided into two main sections that correlate to the two research questions.
What are the perceptions of student interpreters towards mock conferences as a situated learning approach?
4.1.1 Results of the pre-intervention survey and interview
Basically, the students could acknowledge the importance of situated learning; however; they had not gained much experience with this approach in their previous interpreting course.
THE IMPORTANCE OF PRACTICE- EXPOSURE TO PRACTICE-BASED BASED AND SPECIFIC CONTEXTS AND SPECIFIC CONTEXTS
Rarely or never Strongly disagree Always 19%
Chart 4.1 Students’ perception towards the factor of specific contexts
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION ccsccssssssssssessscsscsscescessnsenees 53 4.1 Answer to research question Í .o- <5 5< s sen 009089608 53 4.1.1 Results of the pre-intervention survey and interview
This chapter conducts a thorough examination and discussion of the acquired data in order to provide a comprehensive analysis and address the two research questions. The findings of this study are divided into two main sections that correlate to the two research questions.
What are the perceptions of student interpreters towards mock conferences as a situated learning approach?
4.1.1 Results of the pre-intervention survey and interview
Basically, the students could acknowledge the importance of situated learning; however; they had not gained much experience with this approach in their previous interpreting course.
THE IMPORTANCE OF PRACTICE- EXPOSURE TO PRACTICE-BASED BASED AND SPECIFIC CONTEXTS AND SPECIFIC CONTEXTS
Rarely or never Strongly disagree Always 19%
Chart 4.1 Students’ perception towards the factor of specific contexts
Regarding the first attribute of situated learning (Lunce, 2006), an overwhelming 85% of the students expressed their belief that engaging in practical activities within a specific setting played an important role in their learning experience Nevertheless, 54% of respondents indicated that they were only occasionally exposed to such situations Approximately a fifth of the participants (19%) asserted that they rarely or never encountered practice-oriented and specific situations during their previous interpreting training During the pre-intervention interview, it was disclosed that in their previous interpreting course, the students were introduced to the fundamental concepts and skills required for consecutive interpretation The teacher typically utilized video or audio materials, and the students would then take turns interpreting the content Occasionally, the pupils were instructed to record their interpretation This practice was deemed impractical as it was stated by the students to equip them with a certain understanding of the role of an interpreter, yet failed to expose them to the pressure and actual working conditions of interpreters Consequently, the students anticipated an increase in the volume of practical activities in class to provide them with realistic experiences as interpreters.
THE IMPORTANCE OF EXPOSURE TO A COLLABORATIVE COLLABORATIVE ENVIRONMENT ENVIRONMENT
Chart 4.2 Students’ perception towards the factor of collaborative environment
Regarding the second aspect of situated learning, the majority of students (88%) acknowledged the significance of a collaborative setting in interpretation training A notable 76% of respondents reported being exposed to a collaborative setting in their prior course Specifically, the students were instructed to collaborate in teams while honing their interpreting skills in their prior training course, during which they engaged with two or three more classmates This technique was deemed beneficial since it allowed the students to acquire new knowledge from their peers, such as register, style, word choice, and note-taking skills The students also expressed that they might acquire additional knowledge from the teacher when the teacher provided them with comments and feedback within group settings. Nevertheless, they anticipated further activities to enhance their collaborative learning.
THE ASSUMED PRESENCE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF ACQUIRING TACIT
TACIT KNOWLEDGE KNOWLEDGE THROUGH PRACTICAL
Chart 4.3 Students’ perception towards the factor of tacit language
With regard to tacit knowledge (Lunce, 2006), seven out of ten students acknowledged its presence in their prior interpreting course, and all students recognized the significance of gaining tacit knowledge through hands-on experience, albeit at varying rates During the interview, the students expressed that they perceived a discrepancy between theory and practice due to insufficient opportunities for in-class practice The importance of tacit knowledge in note-taking skills was emphasized Despite being provided with principles and detailed guidance on note- taking skills for interpreters, they still encountered difficulties in practice due to the need to multitask This involved listening to the speaker, analyzing data, memorizing information, taking notes, and subsequently retelling the story Often, the students paid overdue attention to note-taking and did not effectively utilize their working memory, resulting in incomplete messages being delivered to the audience They strongly wanted additional opportunities for tacit knowledge sharing.
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EXPOSURE TO A TOOL OR ARTIFACT IN
EQUIPPED WITH A TOOL OR REAL-LIFE SITUATION TO ACCOMPLISH
ARTIFACT FOR EVERYDAY REAL-WORLD KNOWLEDGE
Chart 4.4 Students’ perception towards the factor of tools and artifacts for everyday cognition
Last but not least, a significant majority of students (96%) acknowledged the significance of a tool or artifact for everyday cognition A substantial majority of 85% reported being exposed to these tools and artifacts in real-life scenarios to acquire practical knowledge Furthermore, during the interview, it was disclosed that the tools and artifacts included guidance and knowledge imparted by their teacher, as well as a lexicon with the proper names of international and national organizations in English and Vietnamese The students anticipated a tool that was more readily available and could assist them in their interpretation.
4.1.2 Results of the post- intervention survey and interview
In general, the students provided positive feedback for the mock conference, considering it an effective situated learning activity Out of the four components of situated learning identified by Lunce (2006), the tool or artifact for everyday cognition was found to be the most important characteristic of the mock conference, with the highest mean value.
As mentioned earlier, 12 items in the questionnaire were designed based on four fundamental characteristics of situated learning (Lunce, 2006), namely (1) a specific context, (2) a collaborative environment, (3) the assumed presence of tacit knowledge, and (4) tools or artifacts for everyday cognition Each characteristic was measured via three questions; as a result, the Cronbach’s alpha coefficients were computed using SPSS software to ensure the internal consistency and reliability.
Table 4.1 Cronbach’s alpha coefficients for the characteristics of situated learning (post-intervention survey)
Characteristics of situated learning | Alpha (n = 26) | Number of items
The scales exhibited a range of internal consistency, with values ranging from 0.703 to 0.926 The Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the collaborative environment was measured at the highest value of 0.926, indicating that the items within this attribute had exceptionally strong internal consistency Following that, the everyday cognition construct figure was reported at a high value of 0.902, indicating a remarkably strong level of internal consistency The figures for tacit language and specific context were comparatively lower, measuring 0.816 and 0.703, respectively. However, all the results were above 0.7, indicating a high level of internal consistency and reliability.
Table 4.2 Descriptive statistics for the students’ opinions towards mock conferences as a situated learning approach (post-intervention)
Characteristics of situated | Minimuml| Maximum Mean Std. learning (Lunce, 2006) Deviation situated learning activity showed that the students provided highly positive feedback on the mock conferences as a situated learning activity The Mean figures for four constructs varied from 3.3205 to 3.6026, and the SD values ranged from 0.51258 to 0.69590 To be specific, the highest mean value was reported in everyday cognition (M = 3.6026; SD = 0.54176), followed closely by the data for tacit language (M 3.4359; SD = 0.60933), and specific context (M = 3.4231; SD = 0.51258) The Mean value for collaborative environment was the lowest (M= 3.3205) yet it experienced the most significant SD (SD = 0.69590).
The survey findings were corroborated by the post-intervention interview findings First, it was stated by the students that the presence of specific contexts throughout the mock conferences facilitated their learning process In contrast to conventional interpreting courses, the mock conferences provided an opportunity for the students to simulate the position of interpreters and experience the genuine pressure of performing in front of an audience The necessity of this type of pressure
59 for their job advancement was emphasized Another element of specific contexts was the interpersonal interaction between the interpreters and speakers, as well as between the interpreters and audience Student 05 emphasized her interest in interacting with the speakers in person, instead of recorded videos or audios Student 05 also appreciated the opportunity to have face-to-face communication with the speakers, thus asking the speakers to repeat themselves when needed The students were convinced that such engagement created realistic contexts for interpreters. Nevertheless, student 10 revealed that such an environment may not fully replicate the authentic working environment of interpreters This is due to her strong familiarity with her classmates, which led her to perceive a lack of the necessary formality required for a conference.
Second, the mock conferences enabled the students to engage in a peer-based
“community of practice” in which they were able to interact with and learn from other students, rather than the conventional teacher-student interaction Student 03 highlighted that she could learn many things from the other peers, ranging from their working attitudes, style, register and word choice.
Third, the acquisition of tacit knowledge, which might be difficult to articulate and communicate, was somehow enhanced in this learning setting A telling example among the students was their interaction with the speakers and audience Student 11 admitted that as an interpreter in the mock conferences, he sometimes became overly fixated on the speaker's slides, resulting in a failure to maintain eye contact with the audience Nevertheless, he subsequently endeavored to compose himself and establish a more effective rapport with the audience.
Fourth, the students stated they were equipped with useful advice in a real- life situation to accomplish real-world knowledge Student 07 highlighted the valuable advice on how to search for the information and prepare for a glossary. However, many other students claimed that the procedure to organize the second mock conference was still not clear enough, especially for the students playing the
60 role of audience when they had to interact with the speakers by posing questions after their presentation Student 03 added that the time was relatively limited, and suggested that the mock conference should be extended to two or three hours long so that all students playing the role of audience could pose questions to the speakers A consensus was formed among the students that each interpreting course should include 03 mock conferences as this would allow them to play different roles in different mock conferences and acquire more opportunities to gain stimulated experience.