Affordances of telecollaboration tools for English for Specific Purposes online learning

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Published: Oct 14, 2016
Updated: 2016-10-14
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2016-10-14 (2)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.18844/wjet.v8i3.696

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Ana Sevilla-Pavón
University of Valencia

Abstract

This paper explores students' perceptions of the affordances of different telecollaboration tools used in an innovation project for English for Specific Purposes online learning carried out between the University of Valencia (Spain) and Wofford College (South Carolina, United States) during the school year 2015-2016. Different tools for synchronous and asynchronous communication were used. The asynchronous tools included a discussion forum, a wiki, social networking websites and Google forms; while the tools used for synchronous communication were text, voice and video chat, videoconferencing tools and Google Drive. All the tools were accessible through the online platform used in the project, Google+. By using these tools, students from both sides of the Atlantic Ocean carried out a number of activities and tasks through online telecollaborative methods, involving both synchronous and asynchronous communication. The tasks completed by students through the use of the different tools were aimed at fostering distance online collaboration among American and Spanish students for the development of their linguistic, intercultural and digital literacies.

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How to Cite
Sevilla-Pavón, A. (2016). Affordances of telecollaboration tools for English for Specific Purposes online learning. World Journal on Educational Technology: Current Issues, 8(3), 218–223. https://doi.org/10.18844/wjet.v8i3.696
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Vol. 8 No. 3 (2016): October
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Articles
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Author Biography

Ana Sevilla-Pavón, University of Valencia

Dr Ana Sevilla Pavón is Assistant Professor at the University of Valencia. Her research interests revolve around computer-assisted language learning, testing, courseware and task design; intercultural communication; and English for Specific Purposes. She has participated in a number of international conferences (EuroCALL, WorldCALL, CALICO, AESLA) and research projects (TOOLS, PAULEX, APPRAISALWEB). Moreover, she has published books and book chapters (Cambridge Scholars Publishing, Springer, De Gruyter) as well as articles in journals such as the Revista de Educación a Distancia, European Journal of Open and Distance Learning, Revista Iberoamericana de Educación, Eurocall Review, Didáctica - Lengua y Literatura and Revista Latinoamericana de Tecnología Educativa, among others.

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