The second phase of the NCCA project was named FÓN. As well as being the Irish word for phone it also stands for Foghlaim Ón Nuatheicneolaíocht which in translates to Learning through new technology.
Learnosity partnered with the NCCA to provide Learnosity Voice to power the project.
The project started in April 2008 and ran to September 2009. The project was awarded the European Award for Languages in late September 2009 where the jury comments read that “ the approach used in this project appears to permeate all aspects of the learning of Irish. Resources are carefully and creatively used…There is clear evidence of student progression…This initiative appears to stimulate interest and enhanced motivation”.
The objectives of the project were to investigate the use of ICT to:
(FÓN Report 2009, NCCA)
Learnosity Voice and some of the as yet unreleased products in Learnosity Labs were used during the project:
Both teachers and students were given access to secure online areas where they could manage certain aspects. The teachers could use the area to access the student work that had been recorded, initiate voice connect and text connect session for the class(es) and schedule delivery of the SMS.
Students similarly used the online area, using it to play or download their own recordings and see any teacher feedback associated with them, listen to sample answers for each prompt on the system, access text connect sessions and track all SMS received.
Schools from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland participated in FÓN and represented in a 50/50 split.
Students in Northern Ireland were year 10 students studying Irish for their GCSE exams (taken in year 12). Students taking part from the Republic were second year students and studying for their Junior Certificate in third year. A total of 14 teachers and 420 students across 6 schools participated the FÓN project, five times as many as the first phase MALL project.
“The majority of teachers were very positive about the integration of the FÓN system and it's associated technologies into their classrooms”
Teacher, NCCA FÓN Project
Teachers noticed an increase in student competence that they attributed to the use of Learnosity Voice which powered the FÓN system.
Comprehension of the language was another key area of improvement and it was also reported that students were familiar with and understood more the language spoken in a variety of regional accents which are diverse.
Vocabulary increased as did use of tenses, verbs and fluency levels.
Students were inclined to learn language topics faster and were more inclined to practice these topics using Learnosity Voice than previously. Learnosity Voice enabled the students to sequentially and repetitively practise language topics which led improved competence. Over the course of the project the student answers developed from short and stilted to longer, more fluent and complex answers.
Teachers reported that the students were more confident speaking the language and happier to speak in class.
“Students were very interested and excited to use the mobile phones in class. They were interested – [which] was evident by their use of the phones at home. They wanted to use the phones and listen to other people’s answers in every class.”
Teacher, NCCA FÓN Project
Teachers reported the increased opportunities that the students had during the project to practise Irish and take charge of their own learning. Teachers were appreciative of the shift away from teacher led learning and towards autonomous student led learning.
“Now I’m facilitating students, rather than lecturing…it’s easier to balance each person’s role where we’re leaning more towards their doing their own work…doing it themselves as opposed to me beating the brush!”
Teacher, NCCA FÓN Project
Teachers appreciated that students could work and learn at a pace that was suited to them and noted that the system is suitable for all levels of student and caters to student needs on an individual basis.
Learnosity Voice enabled teachers to hear all students in their class – even the quiet ones. The teachers were often surprised at how the shyer students were far more confident and spoke clearly into a phone rather than out in front of the class.
“..it was startling to hear shyer students who don’t usually open their mouths…but I was able to hear their voices on a regular basis and they were very good on the phone.”
Teacher, NCCA FÓN Project
Teachers reported that the students involved in the project were excited and positive about learning language in this way and the enthusiasm was sustained throughout the project. The students enjoyed learning Irish more using Learnosity Voice:
“They were eager to use the phones as much as possible and were disappointed when we weren’t using them. The number of students who logged on at home without being asked shows the enjoyment students had for the project.”
Teacher, NCCA FÓN Project
Students had no reported difficulties learning to use the mobile phones or web applications, 99% of students participating in the project had their own mobiles so could “use the phones with their eyes closed”. FÓN report, NCCA, 2009.
Whilst using Learnosity Voice during the project students became fully engaged in the session, refusing to be interrupted and distracted by their peers. Such motivation to learn the language was a theme throughout the report. One teacher commented that, “motivation went through the roof!.” Teachers who, in the past had difficulty keeping the class focused on Irish for 40 minutes had no problems during the FÓN project.
Along with the increased enjoyment and improved competence in the language the teachers also reported on students’ improved confidence in speaking out in Irish. Many teachers identified this improved confidence as one of the main benefits of Learnosity Voice. Teachers reported the increase in the amount of Irish that students used of their own accord in the classroom during the project.
Teachers reported positively on the use of Learnosity Voice as a tool for formatively assessing students and facilitating student oral practice and self assessment.
Teachers were able to monitor and check in on student recordings to:
Teachers noted the ease with which they could pick up on recurring mistakes across the student recordings, address this in class and check in future recordings that the issue was rectified. This would not be possible in a traditional finite period class as students would not have the opportunity to talk individually and be observed by the teacher.
Teachers welcomed the ways in which they were able to give feedback to students using the Learnosity online areas.
“...more interesting and easier than working with copybooks.”
Teacher, NCCA FÓN Project
The FÓN project enabled the teachers to more extensively evaluate the student when compared to more traditional methods.
“I realise that much more analysis can be made of each students’ language abilities through FÓN technologies, e.g. grammar, syntax, vocabulary, sentence construction etc..”
Teacher, NCCA FÓN Project
Teachers were very positive about the students’ ability to self assess during the project. Using Learnosity Voice the participants could listen to each answer and re-record until they were entirely happy.
“students learn most when they hear themselves on the phone and then making their answers better.”
Teacher, NCCA FÓN Project
Students used sample answers accessed through their online area to compare how they were doing with answers from other students at similar levels. Teachers agreed that Learnosity Voice could be used for practising and conducting an oral exam, wether in school or state.
“it is the best way I have seen of assessing their oral work.”
Teacher, NCCA FÓN Project
Student views concurred with the teachers in that they reported increase competence in oral Irish. Specifically students said that they had a greater vocabulary, were able to think of the right word to use faster and being able to recognise words that they had heard on the phone when they heard them in another context.
Students reported improved speaking abilities, with 73% of the participants saying that their Irish had improved more than normal as a result of participating in the FÓN project. One student said, “I feel I have improved because I had the chance to speak and hear Irish more than what I usually would.” Another summed up the experience with “..I realised it’s not that hard to talk in Irish.”
In terms of comprehension of Irish, a further 19% reported that this skill had improved and one explained that this improvement meant that he knew “what most of the questions meant without checking it.”.
The student feedback echoed that of the teachers with the main positive areas being, they were more motivated, they felt more confident, under less pressure, could hear their mistakes, construct sentences and overall Irish became easier.
Students recognised that learning and practising language this way made Irish more interesting, fun and enjoyable and allowed them to learn Irish quicker. They liked that it was a different way to learn Irish and told of how the system helped them understand dialects.
“I did enjoy using phones as it made Irish interesting and fun!! For once I didn’t mind doing Irish homework.”
Student, NCCA FÓN Project
Students reported that they liked being able to listen back to the recorded answer that they had give to a question (Learnosity Voice) and re-record it if they were not happy. It was recognised as a “very good way to test yourself on what you learned in class.”
The majority of students recognised the system as a way to prepare for oral assessments as well as helping them to improve their overall Irish competence.
94% of students recommended that other students be provided with the opportunity to participate in the FÓN project. When asked why the responses were a mix of:
The 2009 FÓN report concludes that the FÓN project has been successful in achieving its aims. The benefits are recognised as increased competence, motivation, enjoyment, use of oral Irish, achieving meaningful and authentic communication, self assessment, tailored language practice and assessment, formative and summative assessment and finally the opportunity to listen to all students.
The report recommends that the next stage of work should be to focus on the potential of the technologies (Learnosity Voice) to directly support the assessment of oral language in the state examinations.
The entire report is available on line on the NCCA Website.
