The Open University (OU) is a specialist distance learning university in the UK with students based all over the world. The university has challenges; it needs to help its language students improve spoken skills but in distance learning the one-on-one time with tutors can be limited. The OU also recognized that students had more access to mobile devices and were open to utilizing ‘dead time’ when commuting or on breaks from work for learning.
The OU partnered with Learnosity initially to explore how Learnosity’s unique spoken language solutions could be used to address these challenges and offer OU students the kind of flexible spoken learning tools they require in their distance learning course.
“The most interesting finding, I would say, was students commenting on the challenging and authentic aspect of tackling listening and speaking in this more 'realistic' way. That made me re-think how we teach listening and speaking.”
Valérie Demouy, Dept. of Languages Open University
In 2009 the OU and Learnosity collaborated on the first project to support distance mobile learning in language courses. Increasingly more of the OU’s students are using course material whilst on the move and this has led a rethink in terms of improved teaching and learning provision.
As part of a research project to explore the potential of phones to provide a more “flexible approach to course study” the OU’s Department of Languages created Learnosity Voice activities based on the content of DVD-Rom activities currently provided on the OU’s French Intermediate course (L120). Grammar drills, dialogues, oral presentations, pronunciation and intonation activities and listening comprehensions were adapted for use on Learnosity Voice.
Activities consisted of:
A small sample group of students from the Intermediate French Course undertook their normal course activities in parallel with Learnosity powered activities for a limited period of time. At a later stage, these Learnosity powered activities were opened up for all students on the course prior to the end of course assessments.
“This really stretched me. I thought it was very good.”
Student
“..although it wasn’t easy, this activity provides a real-life type of practice.”
Student
“I think of course the way it happens on the phone, you probably don’t quite do as good a job but I think it’s certainly more realistic than doing it on the DVD or in other ways.”
Student
“It made me realise how important repetition is. I listened to some extracts many times more than I would have done if just using the DVD.”
Student
“...for me the mobile side of it was good. I spend half my life running round in the car after the children and on the football pitch.”
Student
“It really helps to be able to study whilst at work where I don't have access to using a computer for the DVDs.”
Student
Following on from feedback from the initial project Learnosity and the OU embarked on the second phase of the project which involved 60 students on the OU’s Beginners French course (L192) and 12 students from an OU English course.
For this phase of the project, the main aim was to test Learnosity Voice for practice and assessment of listening and speaking skills on language courses, the team also aimed to respond to the growing number of mobile applications downloads amongst OU students - 89% of survey participants said they would be happy to download an OU app.
Content was created specifically for this 6 week project. Students could access the activities via a landline phone, mobile, Skype, or via the OU Voice app if they owned iPod or iPhone devices. The content was shaped into interesting and engaging activities built around the syllabus and objectives of each course. An audio comment facility to allow tutors to give audio feedback to students which the students accessed online via a PC, Smartphone or on the app. Students could also access sample answers immediately after completing the activities.
Some concern was raised in Phase 1 about call costs so OU Voice leveraged the WiFi capabilities on the iPod/iPhone devices to enable users connect, listen to the exercises, upload their spoken work and get feedback. Using this method of connectivity meant that students could use their existing methods of Internet connection without any incremental call costs.
OU Mobile strategy coordinator, Rhodri Thomas, highlighted the benefits of Learnosity Voice "students are able to respond to verbal prompts as if they are out and about in France talking to local people. In the past students would have been given oral testing drills online or on DVDs".
He believes that because users have to give an almost immediate response to the verbal prompt as opposed to when using a DVD Learnosity Voice offers “the potential to offer a more natural conversation approach ... getting closer to a reviewable real-time role-playing model than previously."
This was echoed by the participants on the L120 mobile project who liked the authentic experience of having to understand and respond immediately, “I found the recording a little fast but that’s how it should be really because French people on the phone don’t speak slowly for English people who are learning French.
Results from the IOA project confirm these initial findings and suggest that using Learnosity Voice for practising listening and speaking skills increases students’ confidence and ability to perform orally.
“I am currently doing the French introductory course. The CD is more like an exercise; the phone is more interactive, more like real life.”
Student
“It would be like winning the lottery :-), it is difficult to practise only with a few face to face tutorials here and there, it would complement the lack of opportunity to practise oral skills...you got my vote:-)”
Student
“It works. I have come to believe that there are a series of critical steps in language learning. One has to achieve these steps very early on in the learning, or drop out. The first, perhaps, is being able to listen and to perceive even a few words inside a high speed mish mash of normal fast speech. The next step, perhaps, is that first time you say something complicated and a native picks up on it. It is possible to complete whole language courses without ever experiencing these two key events, so one might pass the course and still be unable to claim to have started to experience the language itself. Talkback fixes this quickly and easily, so that one can get started on the long road instead of giving up before making it to the garden gate.”
Student
“Listening and speaking throughout the course, with very little pen and paper work, seemed to increase my capability to 'think' in French, without resorting to as much 'direct translation' as was required previously.”
Student
“I ...hope that it can be built in to future OU language learning courses. There's something about it that feels more "real" than the normal learning method. It definitely encourages more speaking and helped build confidence.”
Student
Check out the OU website relating to Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the projects or watch Valérie Demouy, Dept. of Languages Open University deliver a great presentation on the projects.
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