31.3720, Review: Applied Linguistics; Language Acquisition: Girons, Swinehart (2020)
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LINGUIST List: Vol-31-3720. Thu Dec 03 2020. ISSN: 1069 - 4875.
Subject: 31.3720, Review: Applied Linguistics; Language Acquisition: Girons, Swinehart (2020)
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Date: Thu, 03 Dec 2020 23:04:27
From: Camille Meritan [camille.meritan at gmail.com]
Subject: Teaching Languages in Blended Synchronous Learning Classrooms
Discuss this message:
http://linguistlist.org/pubs/reviews/get-review.cfm?subid=36622137
Book announced at http://linguistlist.org/issues/31/31-1238.html
AUTHOR: Alba Girons
AUTHOR: Nicholas Swinehart
TITLE: Teaching Languages in Blended Synchronous Learning Classrooms
SUBTITLE: A Practical Guide
PUBLISHER: Georgetown University Press
YEAR: 2020
REVIEWER: Camille Meritan, Bentley University
SUMMARY
Teaching Languages in Blended Synchronous Learning Classrooms: A Practical
Guide, is a short 50 pages handbook geared towards World Languages educators,
administrators and technical support staff who do not necessarily have expert
knowledge of Blended Synchronous Learning (BSL). This practical guide aims at
providing educators, administrators and staff with practical ideas and
suggestions on how to set up classrooms adopting BSL, training ideas, as well
as pedagogical challenges of BSL.
This aim is thoroughly achieved through the structure of the book. This book
was divided into 3 chapters. The first chapter titled “Contextualizing Blended
Synchronous Learning” reviews the literature on blended synchronous learning.
The authors define BLS as “technology-mediated learning environments where
face-to-face and remote students are joined synchronously” (p. 3). This
chapter then describes the benefits and challenges associated with this
teaching method, highlights examples of using BLS such as within a single
institution, on multiple campuses within one system, or within a
cross-institutional partnership. The chapter then briefly discusses research
on BLS and notes the lack of “analytical research tied to theories and
methodologies of teaching and learning” (p. 6). Last but not least this first
chapter zooms in on Less Commonly Taught Languages (LCTL) and advances
arguments in favor of BLS for LCTL. The chapter then ends with a brief list of
key terms and their definitions.
The second chapter titled “Preparing BSL environments” gives an overview of
the important factors to take into consideration when reviewing, choosing, and
adopting BSL in the classroom. It first provides the reader with the key
components of BSL environments such as conferencing equipment needed for BSL,
describes face-to-face classrooms and remote learning spaces, as BSL is a
combination of the two. The chapter then offers the readers some advice on
specific technology to facilitate choosing between traditional video
conferencing equipment or web conferencing. The chapter then discusses
different layouts and design of BSL spaces along with ideas for models. The
authors describe 4 models of BSL: the linked classroom, the shared portal, the
personal portals, and small groups layout. This chapter also proposes a
section on training and support for the instructors, the students, and staff.
For instance, the authors give a bullet point list of ground rules for remote
students:
“ ∙ using a […] wireless connection […],
∙ using a space that will be quiet and free from distraction […],
∙ dressing as you would for any other class,
∙ not eating during class […],
∙ using a headset with a microphone,” etc. (p. 25).
Finally, this second chapter discusses the challenges potentially encountered
in a cross-institutional BSL setting. In this last section of the chapter, the
authors describe what they call “course sharing” among institutions and offer
advice on how to overcome these challenges. The chapter ends with a set of
tips and recommendations on how to prepare the BSL environments.
The third and final chapter titled “Pedagogical challenges” is divided into 6
sections offering various tips, advice, and recommendations on group dynamics,
interaction inside and outside the classroom, delivery method, feedback, and
provides suggestions on how to adapt activities for BSL environments. For
instance, pair work in a face-to-face environment where students work
autonomously in pairs, practicing communication could be transformed and
adapted into “breakout rooms” (available on Zoom for example) where students
work in pairs using video conference. In this situation, the instructor can
jump from breakout room to breakout room to observe and answer questions. This
last chapter finally provides readers with an extensive list of tips and
recommendations that “aim to reduce the possible issues that can happen often
in BSL […]” (p. 42). This list offers tricks regarding familiarity with the
technological environment, protocols to give students, backups, availability
of audio/video files, etc.
EVALUATION
This book offers readers valuable content, and gives relevant and important
advice, tips, and suggestions. This guidebook is very easy to read and digest
and is concise yet technical. It provides instructors, admins, and staff with
very valuable material. The context of BSL is thoroughly reviewed and defined.
One of the strong points of this book is its honesty regarding the challenges
that are associated with moving from face-to-face to blended synchronous
learning whether it is within one institution, one program, or within a
cross-institution partnership: “the benefits of BSL come at the cost of
significant challenges and demands on resources in terms of administration,
technology, and pedagogy” (p. 4). Furthermore, this book does an excellent job
at describing the different layouts, designs and models of blended synchronous
learning, and how to implement these new environments in the classroom. The
terminology used by the authors is very user-friendly and addresses a variety
of readers from educators, to administration and support staff. The various
activity suggestions are also very valuable as well as the description of
pedagogical challenges that is triggered by blended synchronous learning. The
authors offer helpful suggestions on how to address these challenges and what
to expect in a blended synchronous classroom. The section on training of
instructors, students and staff is incredibly useful, especially the list of
student ground rules.
This book, however, has some shortcomings. It is, as mentioned earlier, very
short and feels like an overview of blended synchronous learning without going
into too much detail. The section on preparing BSL environments was not
student-centered but very much university-centered and seemed a little tone
deaf to institutions with small budgets, and to Less Commonly Taught Languages
programs which usually have the smallest budget in large institutions. The
authors provide good suggestions regarding the technology to be used in the
classroom. However, they describe the installation (in one classroom) of a
“Mac Mini, external PTZ camera, and table microphone […] for an investment of
$2,500” (p. 17). More low-budget options would have been welcomed to support
small institutions, small LCTL programs or even K-12.
Another shortcoming of this guidebook is the very small feedback/activities
section. The first chapter on the review of the literature and the
contextualization of blended synchronous learning was of course very
important, to provided readers with a background. However, as the book is
titled “A Practical Guide”, it is expected to have more hands-on practical
tools to overcome the challenges that are honestly discussed in this book. And
the feedback and activities sections were very concise compared to the rest of
the book. The focus of the book should have been on this aspect of
practical/hands on tips, tricks, and tools. For instance, the tables pages
43-45 are very helpful but more examples of activities going from face-to-face
to blended synchronous learning would have been useful. It would have been
interesting to see a few activities developed in detail for novice,
intermediate, or advanced learners.
The book also lacks context regarding the current population of students,
Generation Z. What are the benefits or disadvantages of adopting blended
synchronous learning for Gen Z? As research shows, Generation Z marks a break
from even the most recent past in terms of diversity and use of technology
(Seemiller & Grace, 2016, 2019), and they are more pragmatic, seeking a
relevant education they can apply. Furthermore, 98% of Gen Z own a smartphone,
50% are connected online over 10 hours per day, and 40% admit being addicted
to their phones (Marqués, 2019; Seemiller & Grace, 106, 2019; Twenge, 2018).
As a result, they are also called the 8-second generation, as they are the
generation with the least amount of time to make sense of the massive input
they receive on a daily basis through online media and to decide what is worth
their attention (Egnatz, 2018). So how can BLS support this generation of
students practically? This is particularly important since Generation Z
students tend to prefer intrapersonal, self‐directed, independent learning
(Seemiller & Grace, 2019). This books fails to address this generation in the
potential benefits they could gain from blended synchronous learning.
Another shortcoming is the lack of literature, and practical advice on
inclusivity. The summary on the back of the book says “This practical guide
will be useful to teachers, technology staff, and program administrators, all
working together to implement successful BSL programs and ensure quality
learning opportunities for every student”, yet students with disabilities,
whether it be learning disability or physical disability are never mentioned.
In 2015-2016, 19% of undergraduates reported having a disability. And while
blended synchronous learning may benefit those learners, this book fails to
discuss this specific population. How is BLS inclusive? How does it take
disability into consideration? What are tools within BLS that can support
students with disabilities? How can instructors and support staff transform
their inclusive face-to-face activities to blended synchronous activities,
especially for students with hearing or reading impairments?
These are questions that may need to be answered in a second book?
In conclusion, this book comes at the right time considering the pandemic we
are living in, and the complete transformation of face-to-face to online
learning this past Spring, 2020. Furthermore, as many universities across the
nation are leaning toward a form of hybrid learning such as blended
synchronous learning, this book is very much welcome into the literature on
technology in the classroom. Despite its few shortcomings, it is a very
valuable first practical guide for any instructor, language program and
support staff who are looking at moving to blended synchronous learning for
the near future, whether it be temporary or not.
I would therefore argue that this book is an excellent addition to any
instructors’, program directors’ and support staffs’ library, especially in
these dire times.
REFERENCES
Egnatz, L. L. (2018). Teaching Generation Z [PowerPoint Slides].
http://www.lindaegnatz.com/past-presentations.html.
Marqués, D. (2019). From Baby Boomers to Gen Z: Closing the generational gap
[Video Recording].
https://vistahigherlearning.com/vhl-pd-webinars?wchannelid=5p1112jhjw&wvideoid
=1cf0argedr
Seemiller, C. & Grace, M. (2016). Generation Z goes to college. Jossey-Bass.
Seemiller, C. & Grace, M. (2019). Generation Z: A century in the making.
Routledge.
Twenge, J. M. (2018). iGen: why today's super-connected kids are growing up
less rebellious, more tolerant, less happy?: and completely unprepared for
adulthood: and what that means for the rest of us. Atria Books.
https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=60
ABOUT THE REVIEWER
Camille Meritan holds a PhD in French Second Language Acquisition Teacher
Education from the the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is an
Assistant Professor of French at Bentley University. Her research focuses on
self-reflection as a pronunciation learning strategy for Generation Z learners
of French.
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