A Study On Collaborative EFL Learning Through Web Projects

In recent years, collaborative learning has been widely employed in many disciplines as an effective instructional strategy. Its use implies a change from teacher-centered learning to a focus on learner-centered learning. It presents learning as an active social process of communication with others.After exploring literature review on definitions of collaborative learning, computer-supported collaborative learning and their implications for language learning as well as the related theories, the researcher found that, some empirical studies have been conducted on collaborative foreign language learning and computer supported collaborative language learning. However, little research has been conducted in the context of China to examine collaborative EFL learning, and even lesser studies explored online collaborative learning.The purposes of this thesis were to explore online collaborative language learning environment and its impacts on Chinese EFL learners. Specifically it aimed at investigating its impacts in five areas: language development in an authentic language environment, affective factors necessary for EFL learning, attitude toward collaboration, learner autonomy, and cultural learning. At the same time, the study also attempted to examine whether Chinese EFL learners with different learning styles could have the same benefits from the online collaborative EFL learning environment.Research questions included I) What are the impacts of online collaborative language learning environment on Chinese EFL learners? This was further dividedinto five questions: 1) How does authentic online collaborative learning environment impact on student's language development? 2) Does online collaborative learning environment promote students' positive affects? 3) Does online collaborative learning environment promote students' learner autonomy? 4) Does online collaborative learning environment promote students' collaboration among students? 5) What's the impact of cross-cultural collaborative learning environment on students' cultural awareness? II) Does online collaborative learning environment fit for learners with different learning styles?The study was conducted in a selective course titled Computer-assisted International Communication at English Education Department of Capital Normal University (CNU) in the autumn semester of 2003. Thirty-six students enrolled in the above mentioned course participated in this study and joined two web projects that involved collaborative and cross-cultural learning tasks.A mixed research approach was used in this study. Various forms of data were collected through questionnaires, observation, computer recording, interview, collection of texts produced by students including their self-reports.By using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) for Windows, a commonly used tool for managing, analyzing, and displaying data, two-tailed t-test, Pearson correlation were conducted; at the same time, a reliability analysis was also done in order to verify the quality of the researcher-designed questionnaire on online collaborative language learning environment and its effects.The analysis of the combined data in this research indicates that onlinecollaborative learning environment combined with cross-cultural activities may 1) help with students' language development; 2) promote positive affects in students in the respects of motivation, self-confidence, and reduction of anxiety level for language learning; 3) give students a great deal of independence and responsibility for their own learning, thus promoting their learner autonomy; 4) create a collaborative learning atmosphere, thus promoting their collaboration; 5) improve the students' cultural learning, enhance their cultural awareness and knowledge; 6) suit the students with different learning styles.At the end of the thesis, three implications of the study, limitations and suggestions for future research were discussed.