Exploring Blended Learning in a Postsecondary Spanish Language Program: Observations, Perceptions, and Proficiency Ratings

Abstract

Despite the foreign language community's historical interest in employing technology to support language learning, few research studies have linked its use to instructional outcomes and most have failed to address whether technology enhancements lead to increased proficiency gains. This article examines the relationship between technology use and student performance in a Spanish language program at a research university. Through classroom observation and student and instructor self‐reports, coupled with proficiency data from first‐ and second‐year courses, this project investigated the type and distribution of technology use, instructors’ and students’ perceptions of the value of technology use, and the relationship between observed and perceived technology use and the exit proficiency ratings of student participants. The study found that students and instructors used technology to varying degrees and valued different types of technology use in language learning but viewed face‐to‐face communication as most essential. In addition, regardless of very different technology implementations among instructors and courses, students’ proficiency ratings reached the expected exit level for each course and were remarkably consistent among individuals.

Enhancing instructor candidate oral proficiency through interdepartmental collaboration

“…The ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines (2012) are represented as an inverted pyramid with the geometric area of lower levels of proficiency being smaller than those of higher levels to illustrate the increase in knowledge and skills required for progression. Unlike existing research that has focused on oral proficiency in online contexts with novice language learners (Blake et al, ; Moneypenny & Aldrich, ; Romeo et al, ), this course was designed specifically to help Intermediate High speakers reach an Advanced Low level of proficiency. The fact that even with frequent, carefully structured learning experiences based on current research (Bale, ; Cox, ; Hammadou Sullivan, ) only one of six students at Intermediate High (17%) reached Advanced Low is of concern.…”

“…While the above-mentioned studies help dispel the stigma that is often attached to online language instruction (Hubbard, 2009;Lin & Warschauer, 2015), they have limitations. In addition to the paucity of related studies (Moneypenny & Aldrich, 2016) and the frequent lack of a standardized assessment instrument (Van Deusen-Scholl, 2015), many of the studies that have investigated oral proficiency in online contexts involved novice language learners (Blake et al, 2008;Moneypenny & Aldrich, 2016;Romeo, Bernhardt, Miano, & Leffell, 2017) and thus cannot be generalized to more advanced coursework or to the impact of online language courses on instructor candidates' proficiency. Lin and Warschauer (2015) concluded that better "understanding of the proficiency outcomes of online education is needed to help language educators make informed decisions about whether to embrace it" (p. 99).…”

Tecnología para la enseñanza y el aprendizaje de lenguas extranjeras: revisión de la literatura

“…Obviamente, para ser capaces de observar este tipo de relaciones complejas entre aprendizaje y tecnología necesitamos diseños de investigación de alta complejidad, que, por un lado, vayan más allá de la diada intervención-evaluación. Como ejemplo de este tipo de investigación, Romeo, Bernhardt, Miano y Leffell (2017) incorporan estrategias etnográficas al poner en funcionamiento estrategias de observación en el aula junto con otras estrategias más cuantitativas como auto-informes o evaluación de competencia mediante tests para comprender cómo los diferentes usos de la tecnología pueden generar perfiles competenciales diferentes.…”

“…Blake (2007, p. 83) lo expresa con claridad: "Few language teachers would dare to admit that they are not interested in technology, at least as a support for the language curriculum, for fear of being classified as outdated or out of touch with best practices". En cierto sentido, esto ha generado que, como detectan Romeo, Bernhardt, Miano y Leffell (2017), no usar algún tipo de tecnología en el aula sea impensable para un docente de lenguas del siglo veintiuno.…”

Puzzling Hybrid, Hybrid Puzzling

“…Negotiated online experiences in second language acquisition require investigations that study and document technology enriched, hybrid teaching and learning while considering time variables and what online interactions engender appropriate language acquisition processes. There are beginning to appear insights into online and hybrid language teaching, learning, and language teacher professional development (e.g., England, 2012;Filipi, 2017;Hampel & Stickler, 2015;Isbell, Rawal, Oh, & Loewen, 2017;Jimenez & O'Shanahan, 2016;Kleinsasser, 2012aKleinsasser, , 2012bLiu & Kleinsasser, 2014;2015;Romeo, Bernhardt, Miano, & Leffell, C.M., 2017;Sato, Chen, & Jourdain, 2017;Yi & Anday-Crowder, 2016). Yet, there remains much to do to map landscapes and uncovering boundaries of such evidence when thinking about hybrid second language acquisition, teaching, and learning.…”