Using Skype in a Primary Class : a Case Study

The important role of new technologies to communicate in the globalized world we live in cannot be denied. Teachers must take this fact into account and help their students construct their knowledge through computer-mediated learning in order to better understand how these tools function. In the con...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autor: Cuestas Verjano, Aida
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2013
País:España
Institución:Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Repositorio:Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UAB
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:ddd.uab.cat:108851
Acceso en línea:https://ddd.uab.cat/record/108851
https://dx.doi.org/urn:doi:10.5565/rev/jtl3.521
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Sociocultural theory
ICT
CMC
Interaction, mediation
Teoria sociocultural
TIC
Interacció
Mediació
Teoría sociocultural
Interacción
Mediación
Descripción
Sumario:The important role of new technologies to communicate in the globalized world we live in cannot be denied. Teachers must take this fact into account and help their students construct their knowledge through computer-mediated learning in order to better understand how these tools function. In the context of Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL), Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) has become a powerful tool for learning, as these resources give meaning and real-world relevance to language teaching practices and activities. This small-scale study describes the implementation of an interactional activity, rooted in sociocultural theory, which used Skype as teaching tool. The data stemming from the investigation provides evidence to support the argument that digital resources for foreign language learning hold great potential as mediating tools for increased motivation and enhanced peer interaction.