Computer-Mediated Communication and Video Chat

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Computer-Mediated Communication and Video Chat

• Randall Sadler
• University of Illinois _at_
• Urbana-Champaign

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What is CMC/NBLT?

• Computer-Mediated Communication (for language
  learning) is the use of computers connected by
  networks to engage in authentic communication
  with other language learners and/or teachers.

NBLT represents a new and different side of
CALL, where human-to-human communication is the
focus (Kern Warschauer, 2000, p. 1).
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How is that different from CALL?

• CALL has traditionally been associated with
  self-contained, programmed applications such as
  tutorials, drills, simulations, instructional
  games, tests, and so on (Kern Warschauer,
  2000, p. 1) .

• Many of these influenced by The Audiolingual
  Approach
• Aka, Drill and Kill

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A VERY short review of research

• Email Absalon Marden, 2004 Biesenbach-Lucas
  Weasenforth, 2001 Fedderholdt, 2001 O'Dowd,
  2003 Shang, 2003
• Message Boards Benton, 1996 Kamhi-Stein, 2000
  Ware, 2004
• MUDs and MOOs Kötter, 2001b Peterson, 2001
  Weininger Shield, 2003
• Text Chat Bearden, 2003 Freiermuth, 2002
  Perez, 2003 D. B. Smith, 2001 Tudini, 2003
  Williams, 2003

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Okay, a fairly short review

• Audio Chat Cziko Park, 2003 Hampel Hauck,
  2004 Kötter, 2001a Kötter, Shield, Stevens,
  1999 Lamy, 2004
• Video Conferencing Goodfellow et al., 1996
  Kinginger, 1998 Matthews, 1998 McAndrew,
  Foubister, Mayes, 1996 Egert, 2000
• Video Chat Wang, 2004

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Research Questions

• What programs are freely available for engaging
  in synchronous video chat?
• How different are these tools from each other in
  terms of technical and pedagogical issues?
• How suitable are these programs for personal
  communication?
• How suitable are these programs for language
  teaching purposes?

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What did the study do?

• Evaluated 8 freely available video chat programs
• CU-See Me World
• ICQ
• MSN Messenger
• Paltalk
• Skype
• Yahoo Messenger

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Participants

• Turkey
• 8 MATEFL students
• 4 female 4 male
• Taking course on The use of computers for
  language learning

• US
• 10 MA TESL students
• 5 male 5 female
• U.S., Argentina, China, Cambodia, and Korea
• Taking course on CMC for Language Teaching

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Procedure

• Groups of 2-3 students used each program for
  international communication
• Each student completed a 28-item questionnaire
  for each tool a final questionnaire
• 3,132 item responses total

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Results
Tool M (over 95) SD Rank
MSN 80.50 13.10 1
Skype 76.55 9.30 2
Yahoo 56.44 14.23 3
ICQ 46.77 15.20 4
CUworld 41.83 15.16 5
Paltalk 35.61 16.63 6
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Paired t-tests15 possible combinations of video
tool pairs.
MSN Messenger MSN Messenger Skype
Yahoo ICQ Yahoo ICQ Yahoo ICQ
ICQ CUworld ICQ CUworld ICQ CUworld
CUworld CUworld Paltalk
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Technical Use Issues
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The Upper 3rdMSN Skype (Traditional)
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What they liked/disliked

• High audio and video quality
• Ability to make landline calls
• Familiarity
• No possibility for multi-user video chat
• Skypesmall user video

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The Lower 3rdPaltalk CUworld (Community
Oriented)
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What they liked/disliked

• Potential for multi-user chat
• Pre-existing interest groups
• Free usage restricted
• Button turn-taking (Paltalk)
• Technical Issues (CUworld)
• Wow/Yikes Factor

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The Middle 3rdYahoo ICQ (Transitional Tools)
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The Middle 3rdYahoo ICQ (Transitional Tools)

• Free
• Multiuser video chat for freeICQ
• Some video and audio issues
• Annoying extra software (Yahoo)
• Chat overload317

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What does all this mean for us?

1. Do you need video?
2. In class or out of class usage?
3. Individual or class to class (videoconferencing)?
   
4. Free or pay?
5. 1-1 or multi-person communication?
6. Have a partner or need a partner?
7. xLingo mylanguageexchange