Camilla Vasquez’s scientific contributions

This quasi-experimental study examined whether there was any difference in the quantity and quality of the written texts produced by two groups (N=18) of intermediate Chinese language learners. Over one semester, students in the experimental (E) group wrote weekly updates and comments in Chinese on a designated Facebook group page, while students in the control (C) group did not post on the Facebook page. Three writing tasks were administered at the beginning, middle, and end of the semester. Results of a non-parametric statistical test revealed that there was a significant difference in writing quantity between the two groups. Specifically, while there was no significant difference between the two groups in the first writing task, the E group produced significantly more Chinese characters than the C group in the later writing tasks. However, in terms of the writing quality, results of a Mann-Whitney Test showed no significant differences between the two groups in all three writing tasks. As the small sample size may have had some impact on the study’s outcome with respect to the quality of students’ writing, the results are more promising in the area of quantity. These results indicate that Facebook could be used as an alternative pedagogical space for L2 literacy practice outside of class, with the potential for helping L2 learners improve at least some aspects of their writing performance.

This article reviews research on the use of Web 2.0 technologies in second language learning. Its purpose is to explore the current state of research on this topic, to investigate the theoretical perspectives framing the current research, to identify some of the benefits of using Web 2.0 technologies in second language learning, and to discuss some of the limitations of existing research. The review of research found that blogs and wikis have been the most studied Web 2.0 tools, while others, such as social networking applications and virtual worlds, have been less frequently explored. In addition, the most commonly investigated languages have been English as a Second/Foreign Language (ESL/EFL), Spanish, German and French. Considerably less research has been conducted on applying Web 2.0 technologies to less commonly taught languages, such as Arabic, Chinese, or Russian. Additionally, the language learning environments afforded by Web 2.0 technologies have greatly broadened the scope of topics explored in computer-assisted language learning (CALL): from earlier research which tended to concentrate on the traditional four language skills, to more recent topics such as learners’ identities, online collaboration, and learning communities. Although very few studies surveyed have actually examined students’ progress and learning outcomes associated with these tools, the most frequently reported benefit associated with Web 2.0 technologies is the favorable language learning environments they help to foster. Finally, this review found that much research on Web 2.0 technology and language learning is not clearly grounded in theory, and that a number of studies suffer from a set of common methodological limitations.