Abstract/Résumé

This paper presents selected findings from two projects focusing on the potential of using an Internet-based real-time audio tool to promote the fluency of adult distance language learners. Data from studies conducted in autumn 1998 and in spring 1999 with learners of German and French at the Centre for Modern languages (CML) at the British Open University (OU) are analysed and discussed with a special view on the benefits of enriching the "classic" distance learning framework consisting of books, audio cassettes, video tapes and face-to-face tutorials with the opportunity for students to gather additional oral and aural practice via "meetings" held using a low-cost audio-conferencing tool.
Research into distance language learning has long since shown that one of the biggest hurdles on the track to fluency a student is faced with in this constellation is the lack of opportunities to practice his or her speaking and listening skills and that learners often have but few chances to engage in meaningful interaction with other students in the target language. Thus, while the media learners usually make use of provide them with various opportunities to respond to finely-tuned input and while they undoubtedly prepare them well for a host of situations they will have to master in a target-language community, it seems reasonable to assume that learner performance will further improve if students are provided with additional chances to practise their skills in interaction with others by benefiting both from unfamiliar input and by producing "meaningful output" (Swain).
Acknowledging this potential, the CML has over the last few years investigated a series of tools including telephone tuition and e-mail plus telephone conferencing. Based on the insights obtained from these projects, since 1998 the Centre has also conducted research into student responses and the learning outcome of the use of an Internet-based real-time audio tool that allowed both for joint meetings of students with their tutor and for unmoderated small group work outside plenary sessions. At the end of the OU's academic year in October 1998, students were invited to participate in three on-line activities that were specifically designed to facilitate as much oral practice as possible and at the same time to assess the effects this new learning environment did have on the students. Utilising the results of this trial project that lasted until the end of January 1999, the Centre is currently preparing a follow-up project which will run parallel to the first half of students' regular coursework from March until June 1999.
This paper will outline, discuss and compare selected findings from both of these projects. Beginning with a short description of the general background of the project, the paper will go on to introduce insights obtained from audio-recordings of the learners' interaction, e-mail exchanges amongst the students, learner diaries and from students' feedback to the specific activities. Particular attention will be given to such questions as
- How did students utilise their new learning environment, i.e., which medium or media did they use for which purpose?
- Which communicative routines were students mainly engaged in?
- Which areas did student performance improve in and how does this relate to the project(s)?
- How do the two projects compare with each other, i.e., are there noticeable differences in the students' use of the environment between the first and the second project?

About the speaker/Sur le conférencier