Web-based video training & feedback in oral production classes

Robert Gettings

Hokusei Gakuen University, Sapporo, Japan Euro CALL 2008.09.04 14:30 – 15:15(A-0036)

Online guided analysis of conver-sation & presentation videos (2005) In a continuing action research

project (Nishihara, A. & Presenter, 2006), freshman college English majors in Japan record their EFL conversations or presentations, and using Moodle, a course management system, upload the files to the web, view the videos, target areas for improvement, design an improvement practice plan, evaluate the results, and continue by repeating the process.

We investigated three questions. How do students conceptualize good and bad

practices for improving oral EFL skills? To what extent can teachers be non-directive in

facilitating student awareness of good and bad practices?

Is it possible to create scaffolding (video & online) that will guide but not intrude into students’ sense of autonomy in reflection, allowing them to independently decide an area to improve and a plan for practicing for improvement?

We explored these questions through direct observation and coaching of students, reading and reacting to student logs and a formal evaluation (online questionnaire).

Tasks:

Five minute free conversation with a student and also a tutor Challenge: all English

Interview on a topic with five or more questions

Presentation Evaluation: “Is it

interesting?”Video

Students’ concepts of good and bad practices Focus on broad

categories Bad pronunciation More vocabulary Better English

Visual – body language, etc.

Very little focus on communication strategies or presentation skills Some strategies had

been taught Giving longer answers Asking follow-up

questions Asking for clarification

Either present or not Not selected as a way

to practice to improve

To what extent can teachers be non-directive? Students needed

coaching to be specific in analysis

Some pre-teaching or consciousness raising about practices for improvement

Students have only vague concepts, especially about communication strategies

Why video based analysis?

Video has often been used to record students and give them feedback on oral production activities such as conversations (Murphy & Woo, 1999).

Students often don’t have a concrete image of their own oral production strengths and weaknesses

Analysis of presentations

Web based video systems, such as DiViDU, are also being integrated into foreign language teaching (Corda & Goedemans, 2007).

Streamed video Feedback attached to a

ny part of video

Video training for good practices in making presentations Misumi, M. & Sasao, T. (2007 & 2008) Short video clips illustrating good presentation

practices for high school EFL curriculum Ppt presentations and picture show and tell Best presentation from each class competes a

t a whole-school assembly for prizes Gestures, eye contact, clarity of voice, not rea

ding, etc.

Many of the approaches, however,

Rely on the teacher or technical staff to undertake many of the difficult technical tasks involved Set up of equipment & recording Processing video (digitizing) Uploading to the web Specialized software for analysis

This project?

Practice rather than production Low tech/high tech balance Focus on a cycle of peer evaluation, goal setting

and support Digital video format, recent cameras and open-

source software make individualized CALL technology affordable and user friendly.

Practice rather than production

Students make a before and after video with the requirement that they spend several weeks trying to attain their goals.

Presentations are given to small groups five to seven times.

Identifying new goals and continuing new practices is stressed.

Low tech/high tech balance

Software and hardware chosen so that students can record, upload, analyze and reflect on the videos themselves, in or out of class.

The teacher and IT staff are coaches but not indispensable elements in the production process.

Paper & CALL

Low – high tech

Xacti & SD card Lowest setting

Web – 1.5 MB/min. Up to ?? minutes

Moodle upload (under 8 MG)

Not streamed

Focus on cycle of peer evaluation, goal setting and support Evaluation is carried out

by students, coaching by teachers.

Students share their own goals before practice with a conversation partner or presentation audience

They receive feedback on those goals immediately after the activity is completed.

Peer evaluation

Practice

(Re)design

Action research: 2005 2005 Evaluated highly by students. They also

seemed fascinated with making and viewing the videos.

BUT: Guided analysis took too much time Students confused about the task Need for consciousness raising concerning good and

bad practices Students lost focus on the area that they wanted to

improve during the four to six week practice.

Action research: 2006 - 2007

Used video for analysis of presentation skills First year conversation class Second year content-based History class

Simplified guided analysis From six questions & a long written answer To questionnaire format with short written answers

More teacher modeling of good and bad practices

More guidance during the four week practice period

Action research: 2008

Presentation Good & Bad Practices Video (Spring) Class that viewed the

video seemed to include more good practices than the class that only had teacher modeling

Develop and test more good practices videos Video

Good & bad practices for EFL

Task introduction Global variables

Is it interesting and informative?

Does it help you to improve your EFL skills?

Specific study & communication strategies Video

bgettings.com

Thanks!

References

Corda, A. & Goedemans, R. 2007. Streaming video as a tool for. reflection. Eurocall Conference. Coleraine.

Misumi, M. & Sasao, T. 2007. One Year Instruction of Presentations Develops Balanced Language Skills. JALT Hokkaido 24th Annual Language Teaching Conference

Misumi, M., & Sasao, T. (2008). Building confidence with picture show-and-tell. In K. Bradford-Watts (Ed.), JALT2007 Conference Proceedings. Tokyo: JALT

Murphy, T. & Woo, L. 1998. Videoing conversation for student evaluation: Educational video's diamond in the rough. The Language Teacher, 22 (8), 21-24.

Nishihara, A. & Gettings, R. 2006. A CALL- Based Student Action Research Project for Developing a Reflective Approach to Improving English Conversation Skills, Hokusei Review, 4: 1-22.