Facing up to Facebook: Expanding language learning beyond the classroom

Abstract:
Social Network Sites (SNS) such as Facebook have a vast number of users and there is growing interest in SNS usage - not only from an organizational point of view but also from an educational perspective. This lecture will discuss some factors that affect interactions in SNS’s provision of scaffoldings amongst Japanese language learners and native speakers. The interactions were analysed using Wells’ (2001) modified joint activity system. The findings presented will be useful for future studies involving online discussion forums.
Following the lecture, a hands-on workshop will discuss the implications of introducing SNS usage into face-to-face modes of delivering language curricula. Participants are encouraged to bring a laptop as well as samples of student work such as compositions.

Introduction:
Motoko Christensen is a native speaker of Japanese with over 25 years of teaching Japanese as a second language in Australia. She completed her Bachelor of Arts and Diploma of Education at Macquarie University Australia and began her career teaching Japanese as a second language from early age childhood to the university level. She has developed a number of Japanese programs including a computer-assisted language learning program designed to allow language teachers to become teachers of Japanese. She has a Master of Applied Linguistic from Macquarie University and recently submitted her PhD thesis at The University of New South Wales, Australia, titled ‘An investigation of Japanese foreign language learners' out-of-classroom online learning processes’.

Time and place:

September 26, 13:00-15:00
CBS, Dalgas Have 15, 2000 Frederiksberg, Room: D1V108

Please sign up at arc.int@cbs.dk