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Learning style and task performance in synchronous computer-mediated communication: a case study of Iranian EFL learners

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posted on 2023-05-19, 01:32 authored by Hedayati, M, Foomani, EM
The study reported here explores whether English as a foreign Language (EFL) learners’ preferred ways of learning (i.e., learning styles) affect their task performance in computer-mediated communication (CMC). As Ellis (2010) points out, while the increasing use of different sorts of technology is witnessed in language learning contexts, it is worth studying the conditions in which the most second language (L2) production would be accomplished. The participants were 40 advanced-level Iranian EFL learners enrolled at a language institute in Tehran. Learners’ individual learning styles were probed by Felder-Soloman (1991) Index of Learning Style (ILS) and they were categorized into 8 groups, within 4 dimensions: Active vs. Reflective, Sensing vs. Intuitive, Visual vs. Verbal, and Sequential vs. Global learners. Then, the participants were given the opinion-gap tasks in 6 consecutive online chat sessions within a 3-week period. The participants’ produced language was analyzed at two levels: vocabulary, and grammar. Independent samples t-test were conducted to check if the differences between the groups were significant. The results reveal that the Reflective learners and Visual Learners produced grammatically more complex and lexically denser sentences than the other groups, which suggests that learners’ learning styles may affect their task performance in synchronous computer-mediated communication.

History

Publication title

Educational Technology & Society

Volume

18

Issue

4

Pagination

344-356

ISSN

1176-3647

Department/School

Faculty of Education

Publisher

International Forum of Educational Technology & Society

Place of publication

New Zealand

Rights statement

Copyright 2015 International Forum of Educational Technology & Society. Licensed under Creative Commons CC-BY-ND-NC 3.0 licensed (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/)

Repository Status

  • Open

Socio-economic Objectives

Learner and learning not elsewhere classified

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