Chapter 11. Evaluation of an online, task-based Chinese course
-
Katharine Brown Nielson
Abstract
This chapter describes and evaluates an intermediate online, task-based Chinese course through an analysis of learner performance on the course tasks and assessments, including the performance-based assessments (PBAs) developed specifically for the course. After a brief consideration of online instruction and task-based language teaching (TBLT), the online TBLT course is described in some depth and the technology-mediated pedagogic tasks and associated PBAs are presented. The findings from these tasks and assessments are then reported, followed by a discussion of what the outcomes data revealed about online language instruction, TBLT, and technology-mediated tasks. The goal of this research is to evaluate this particular course in order to provide insights into how best to structure and assess learners during online foreign language classes, offering a model for instruction as well as empirical findings related to the effectiveness of both online and task-based foreign language courses.
Abstract
This chapter describes and evaluates an intermediate online, task-based Chinese course through an analysis of learner performance on the course tasks and assessments, including the performance-based assessments (PBAs) developed specifically for the course. After a brief consideration of online instruction and task-based language teaching (TBLT), the online TBLT course is described in some depth and the technology-mediated pedagogic tasks and associated PBAs are presented. The findings from these tasks and assessments are then reported, followed by a discussion of what the outcomes data revealed about online language instruction, TBLT, and technology-mediated tasks. The goal of this research is to evaluate this particular course in order to provide insights into how best to structure and assess learners during online foreign language classes, offering a model for instruction as well as empirical findings related to the effectiveness of both online and task-based foreign language courses.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Chapter 1. Towards technology-mediated TBLT 1
- Chapter 2. The need for needs analysis in technology-mediated TBLT 23
- Chapter 3. Prior knowledge and second language task production in text chat 51
- Chapter 4. Textbooks, tasks, and technology 79
- Chapter 5. Promoting foreign language collaborative writing through the use of Web 2.0 tools and tasks 115
- Chapter 6. TBLT and synthetic immersive environments 149
- Chapter 7. Collaborative tasks for negotiation of intercultural meaning in virtual worlds and video-web communication 183
- Chapter 8. The third dimension 213
- Chapter 9. Lessons from the fandom 239
- Chapter 10. Formative, task-based oral assessments in an advanced Chinese-language class 263
- Chapter 11. Evaluation of an online, task-based Chinese course 295
- Chapter 12. Afterword 323
- index 335
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Chapter 1. Towards technology-mediated TBLT 1
- Chapter 2. The need for needs analysis in technology-mediated TBLT 23
- Chapter 3. Prior knowledge and second language task production in text chat 51
- Chapter 4. Textbooks, tasks, and technology 79
- Chapter 5. Promoting foreign language collaborative writing through the use of Web 2.0 tools and tasks 115
- Chapter 6. TBLT and synthetic immersive environments 149
- Chapter 7. Collaborative tasks for negotiation of intercultural meaning in virtual worlds and video-web communication 183
- Chapter 8. The third dimension 213
- Chapter 9. Lessons from the fandom 239
- Chapter 10. Formative, task-based oral assessments in an advanced Chinese-language class 263
- Chapter 11. Evaluation of an online, task-based Chinese course 295
- Chapter 12. Afterword 323
- index 335
