| Popis: |
Within the sociocultural theory [1], often associated with the application of e-learning 2.0 in language instruction, learning is seen as arising from the interaction of an individual with his/her social and cultural context, as an individual and social process in which meaning is created and mediated by language, physical artefacts and technological tools. These theoretical concepts can also provide a backdrop to instructional approaches to English as a Foreign Language (EFL) grammar [2]. In this paper we investigate students’ perception of online grammar activities (e-tivities) supported by Web 2.0 tools in a tertiary EFL course. As has been suggested in the literature, the effectiveness of acquisition of foreign language structures can be determined by various factors including learner variables and type of instruction [3]. Similarly, some of the research foci related to learners’ evaluation of digital collaborative writing tools are their perception of collaborative written activities and their attitudes toward the role of grammar in EFL instruction [4]. The empirical study in this paper aims to establish the role of students’ individual preferences for two types of form-focused instruction (FFI) – conceptualized in [5] as the isolated and integrated FFI – on their perception of grammar e-tivities in the EFL course. The criterion variables in the study are student evaluation of: (a) three aspects of grammar e-tivities ; (b) the online tool (wiki) used for collaborative writing in grammar e-tivities and (c) the learning diary as a reflective activity. In the correlation analysis of data collected via the survey after the performance of e-tivities statistically significant relationships and higher correlation coefficients were obtained between all criterion variables on the one hand and the students’ self- reported preference for the isolated FFI on the other, while no significant correlations were established between the criterion variables and students’ self-reported preferences for the integrated FFI. In other words, students that are more likely to engage with explicit grammar rules and structures in their EFL learning also more favourably assessed the type of form-focused e-tivities in this study, which in terms of design were closer to the concept of isolated FFI. |
