Ulf Schuetze (Victoria, Canada) p.3-24
2010 Issue 1
Einsatz digitaler Medien im DaF-Unterricht und in der DaF-Lehrendenausbildung
Abstract
This paper reports on a hybrid second language course using three learning environments every week: one class of face-to-face communication; one class in the multi-media lab; and one class as an online component. The course was taught at the University of Victoria in Canada (L1: English; L2: German) in the fall of 2007 and 2008. The online component consisted of an exchange with the University of Kiel in Germany (L1: German; L2: English) using chat rooms as well as forums. The online component was only used in the last four weeks of the course due to varying term schedules in Canada and Germany. The course was at an advanced level of proficiency. Students from both universities participated in the chat despite the different time zones. The purpose of the study was to investigate learners’ motivation in second language writing by comparing the use of chats with the use of forums by the same students. The study was based on the theory of intrinsic motivation (Deci & Ryan 1985, 2002), which was applied to studies on CMC (Computer Mediated Communication) and SLA (Second Language Acquisition).