Computer-mediated communication: Implications for ESP1

The use of the language made by students taking English language as a subject at the UOC

“…Molts més estudis coincideixen en la idea de considerar el llenguatge del missatge electrònic com un híbrid entre el llenguatge oral i l'escrit (Ferrara, Brunner i Whittemore, 1991), i fins i tot el classifiquen com un gènere derivat d'aquests dos, però completament nou (Zuboff, 1988;Murray, 1988;Black et al, 1983;Ferrara et al 1991). Però la majoria estan d'acord que encara no s'ha investigat prou per a definir el llenguatge del missatge electrònic, a causa de la seva actualitat.…”

Idea: Electronic Writing in L2: Accuracy Vs Other Outcomes

“…To date, however, most studies have focused on an analysis of discourse and content-oriented components of writing proficiency (Murray 1988;Zuboff 1988;Ferrara, Brunner and Whittenmore 1991), but few have looked at the development of more formal writing components, such as grammatical and lexical accuracy. Even among those, there does not seem to be agreement concerning the benefits of CMC in developing grammatical accuracy.…”

Assessing the impact of asynchronous computer-mediated communication environments on second language learning activities

“…Asynchronous CMC studiesin both LI and foreign and secondlanguage research, regardless ofthe instructional goals that motivate the application oftechnology, seem to uphold the implicit assumption that all asynchronous CMC environments have the same impact on instructional tasks and the language output (cf Murray, 1988), an assumption that needs to be revised in light ofthe different features that asynchronous environments may contain and the many different variables that interact during the execution of any given language task (Chapelle, 1997;Chapelle & Green, 1992;Egbert & Jessup, 1996;Ortega, 1997;Pica, 1987).…”

“…They offer anecdotal evidenceabout the ways e-mail can improve classroom participation and facilitate dynamic interactions with real audiences (Singhal, 1997); they address differences between electronic and conversational discourse (e.g.. Kern, 1995;Murray, 1988;Black, et al, 1983;Warschawer, 1997), paper-andpencil and as5mchronous CMC (e.g., Gonzalez-Bueno, 1998), and synchronous and asynchronous CMC (e.g.. Black et al, 1983). They have highlighted features in the mode of language (e.g., electronic vs. face-to-face discourse) and have analyzed the effect of temporal constraints on discourse (e.g., synchronous vs. asynchronous electronic environments).…”

“…Not many studies in second and foreign language instruction address possible connections between the application of asynchronous CMC and theteaching and learning ofwnting skills. Murray (1988) carried out a longitudinal ethnographic study which describes the main features of computer-mediated interactions. The data for this research includes e-mail messages collected at an IBM research facility during a ten-month period, interviews and formal discussions with participants (native speakers ofEnglish), as well as e-mail messages written by college students attending a critical thinking class.…”