Good to see you again to another post, buddies! In this post I would like to continue reviewing and paraphrasing the Findings Section. Finding section is where you report the findings of your study based upon the methodology [or methodologies] you applied to gather information. It should state the findings of the research arranged in a logical sequence without bias or interpretation. Let's have a look to this journal's findings section.
FINDINGS
The role of the
iPad in mediating speaking tasks
How iPad has been used as meadiating
tool between student and L2 is analyzed in this research. In particular, the
data shows 1) Students can revise and correct their speaking performance in the
iPad storage, and teachers take the tasks and reflected it. Student can develop
their autonomy to become larger in doing tasks and improve their competency by
repeat their language task as much as they want. The evidence of this research
provided in the example that taken from learning observation and interview
data. The lack of interest in question practice during EFL caused a student
faced some problems in the correct use of questing intonation. He gradually
involved in the learning task when he used iPad, it possibly make him to work
by his own speed based on his weakness. He became very motivated and finish all
his recording, he also listened to the recording he gave to his teacher who
gave personal feedback.
“…I didn’t
really like repeating questions and intonation, also the teacher was asking me
to do
it every lesson.
When I started using the iPad, I thought it was a useful exercise. The thing is
that
no one can
listen to me, so I do the activity and I don’t care what the others think…I
feel my
pronunciation
has improved a lot”.
(G. student –
interview data)
2) This dynamic
created collaborative habit where the teachers and students worked together to
develop L2 learning base on what has been observed. Evidence of self-reflective
and involve collaboration during language task showed by many researches (Lys,
2013; Pellerin, 2014). Self-reflection supported by the use cellular device
that possibly to “digital documentation or learning evidence that real and
vivid” confirmed by this study (Pellerin 2012a, page. 14). This research gave
example the use of iPad to record and listen individual performance as the
proof of learning consciousness and students’ self control. By using the
function of recording, they can listen, recognize, and change some aspect (e.g.
some pronunciations, connecting device to improve fluency, etc.), students talk
several time about this. Experience always considered to be their performance
reflection as positive practice.
Features of
mediation in MALL
Two different features from tablets
mediation in the class have been possibly identificated: they were supporting
interaction and facilitate scaffolding. 1) They possibly can make way to interact
speaking based on tasks, one to one or to many, modifiable, and learning oriented.
It supported the idea that interaction which based on tasks and mediated
computer can be ‘cognitive reinforcement’, which means it gives a new dimension
and stimulate learning. iPad especially used to build asynchrony interaction
with teacher by students who involved in this research. For example, through
the use of specific app like Evernote they can ask and got personalized feedback.
The tools was mediating this interaction by giving them a chance to fasten the
process of making a good speaking performance. In general, based on techers
feedback, students could do speaking tasks with high quality and fast even
though it is absolutely that times and amount of mediation needed by each students
are different. The tools offer fast working in revision, for example, it
impacted to students’ pronunciation.
2) The
importance of sfaffolding functions is provided and supported by tablet. Through
scaffolding that made in the interaction with medium students might be done out
of Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). According to Vygotsky “the distance
between the actual development level as determined by independent problem
solving, and the level of potential development as determined through problem
solving under adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers”
(Vygotsky; 1978, p.86). As a proof for this statement, researcher could see
students repeated their recording more than once when class observation was
being held. To support their performance, recording is often used as
scaffolding technique. Students explained this habit as positive aspect to
improve their accuracy.
Access to many authentic language sample is owned by
students; some method is used by tool to mediate their understandings about
content and task instruction. First, it is possible to listen to sample as much
as they want according to their proficiency in L2, it is in line with what they
told. Motivator, Scaffolder and task simplifier are the functions of iPad in
this case. Considering the quality of
their performance irrespectively in
foreign language, finally students could finish the tasks by the time provided.
This is in line which Lantolf and Thorne (2006) stated, in reality, the frequency
and quality of help and mediation needed in new language can be varied depend
on sort period of time even though the performance itself doesn’t change
significantly from a lesson to another lesson (Aljaafreh & Lantolf, 1994).
Students who involved in this research for example, need moments to response
positively the lesson mediator from a new tool, it is maybe because the used to
know that teacher is only mediator in language class. Therefore, as Lantolf and
Thorne (2006, p.208) supported in the
name of development, “while nothing has ostensibly changed in the learner’s
actual performance, development has taken place because the quality of
mediation needed to prompt the performance has changed.” As proof from this statement, example, it is
actually didn’t necessary for the last lesson, some of scaffolding activities
needed in the earlier project, such as following the instructions from pdf file
or listening to recording in order to find the key of information. If it is not
has meaning as a good cognitive dimension for students the symbols wouldn’t be valuable.
Availability of cellular devices are not only known by students as physical
tools. This fact also in this research and supporting other research (Pellerin,
2014). Students know how to operate and the keys of media and how to implement
it in the daily life. iPad can be tool to learn about second language is
unrecognizable by students in the earlier research. Guidance from their teachers
is needed in order to take them to the level of recognition. Students are
recognized the use of iPad has been impacted their speaking performance after
they started to did particular speaking tasks. The move of this perspective doesn’t
need to be clarified by teachers explicitly. Furthermore, the difference of the
expectations of the students involved toward
realty make it harder. In reality, most of students didn’t believe that iPad
can help them with their speaking skills improvement as this research
concluded.
That is my paraphrase, thank you for your visit and see you to another post.
