The Emergency Transition to Online Learning in University Language Centres in the Netherlands.
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2021-07-19
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en
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Abstract
The present study investigated the way the emergency transition to online learning, caused by the COVID-19 pandemic was realized in university language centres in the Netherlands. To do that, the study explored the strategies adopted by the teachers, the perceptions of the students and teachers towards online learning and the manner in which students’ anxiety and motivation were influenced. The possibilities for interaction in the online medium were also discussed. Seven teachers and six students were interviewed and 66 participants, who followed a Dutch course during the COVID-19 pandemic completed a separate questionnaire. It was found that due to the teachers’ training and familiarity with using CALL, the transition was overall successful. The main issues have to do with interaction, the possibilities to foster inter-personal relations and to use the language spontaneously in the online medium. Videoconferencing is also a problematic aspect for beginner learners, especially when combined with a poor internet connection, which affected comprehension during the course. Strategies need to be developed to encourage more communication between students during the online course and to create an online community. Training should be offered to teachers and students as well to ensure a successful participation. The convenience of the online courses was positively perceived, along with the easier nature of offering feedback mentioned by the teachers. Blended learning has a strong potential to become a strategy to keep part of the education online and at the same time to reduce the disadvantages of the online medium for language learning.
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