WeChat-based Creative Learning for Immersive Cultural Exchange Program

Kazanskaya E.V.¹, Tsoi N.G.²

Kazanskaya E.V.

Rostov State University of Economics
e-mail: jenni.kot@yandex.ru

Tsoi N.G.

Rostov State University of Economics
e-mail: cuiwang@mail.ru

With the growing popularity of mobile devices and internet technologies, digital learning has become a new strategy complementing traditional learning [1, pp. 10-13]. Mobile learning refers to the use of mobile devices and wireless network technologies to access educational information, resources, and services anytime and anywhere. Accessibility of learning through online platforms is a key feature of mobile learning [2]. In the age of gadgetization, the use of mobile applications for learning foreign languages is a key factor in popularizing the educational environment [14, pp. 1-7]. Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL) programs have made learning foreign languages more effective.

The aim of this study was to examine the development of a course for teaching Chinese as a foreign language (CFL) using WeChat, a multimedia instant messaging application used in China, within the framework of connectivist theory, according to which foreign language learning should be based on the creation of an external network [15]. The concept of a network occupies an important place in connectivist theory, which characterizes knowledge as a flow through a network of people and artifacts. Nodes in such a network can be individuals, groups, systems, fields, ideas, resources, or communities [14]. Foreign language education, according to the principles of connectivism, is based on comprehension. It is important that learners are able to perceive the target language as a network of linguistic and syntactic structures and understand the connections between nodes within these networks [16]. With this approach, new information is connected with what is already known, changing the recipient's ideas, thereby facilitating the development of new concepts [17]. In a connectivist learning network, the connections established between nodes should primarily relate to the learner's problem-solving ability, rather than being purely informational, so such a network should be filled not only with information, but also with contacts, personal connections, and other resources.

The innovative nature of the development of a course for teaching Chinese as a foreign language using the WeChat multimedia application lies in the fact that the properties of the WeChat service were taken into account at all levels of the teaching strategy. WeChat (wēixìn, 微信) is the most popular mobile application, developed by Tencent in China in 2011. Initially, this service was invented for sending voice messages. Currently, WeChat is a multifunctional social media platform, allowing users to directly send text messages, make calls, and conduct group chats. Due to WeChat's versatility, its popularity is steadily growing. This service is primarily used in mainland China. The number of active WeChat users in China amounts to more than 938 million people. Outside of China, the audience of this platform's users is at least 100 million people [3, pp. 81-90].

In the context of the experiment under consideration, WeChat was chosen as the environment for the course on teaching Chinese as a foreign language for a number of reasons. The number of advantages of WeChat allows the teacher to effectively use this platform to intensify the educational process of learning a foreign language. This platform organically combines both a microenvironment – its functions are adequate for managing the course and teaching at three levels (individual/group chat, sharing "moments", posting articles on the platform) – and a macroenvironment, implying unimpeded access to the Internet [6, pp. 4-20]. WeChat users have the opportunity to create online communities by publishing texts, photos and video clips in their own WeChat Moments or "moments" – chains of text images posted by them to their circle of friends in order to share their thoughts (similar to the Facebook news feed), conduct video conferences, etc. [4, pp. 409-418]. Publishing on the platform involves an edited post with a specific topic for subscribers to share, like, and comment on.

Research into the effectiveness of foreign language learning using the WeChat platform requires understanding how well learners perceive WeChat, with the aim of generating suggestions or measures to further improve WeChat task management from learners' perspectives. The rationale for investigating learners' feelings and perceptions is that successful learning requires learner effort. Therefore, it is important to examine learners' attitudes toward the learning task, namely, the educational service they are using for the first time. Given that WeChat is still in its exploratory stage, collecting information on learners' perceptions is crucial. A study of WeChat in Chinese language courses demonstrated that it helped them improve their Chinese language skills and increase their motivation for language learning [7, pp. 91-103]. A community of like-minded learners of Chinese was created on this platform.

Total language immersion programs are typically characterized by a strict monolingual teaching method. This teaching style was first invented and developed at Middlebury University in the United States. Results show that this method has excellent results in teaching students Chinese [12]. However, this method of language learning is more suitable for students with an intermediate level of Chinese proficiency. Students with a beginner level of language proficiency should be allowed to use their native language in class and in everyday life [10, pp. 27-52].

The results of the study showed that, compared to other social media, WeChat offers learners with varying abilities and language proficiency levels greater opportunities, consistent with affordance theory. Affordance (as defined by Don Norman) is the relationship between the properties of an object and the capabilities of an agent (in this case, a human), which determines how the object can be used. WeChat was first used by students studying Chinese in Shanghai as part of a creative language immersion program [11, pp. 64-85]. Participants in the experimental program were asked to complete weekly surveys to reflect on their language learning experiences using WeChat. A research teacher simultaneously conducted observations, collecting screenshots of the participants' weekly WeChat activities, such as messages they shared in a public group and their publications. The data obtained already confirmed the effectiveness of using WeChat in learning Chinese in the CFL program. Thus, during interviews with project participants after its completion, the positive role of WeChat in students' acquisition of spoken Chinese was repeatedly noted. All participants confirmed that they had an excellent experience communicating with their native-speaking partners via WeChat. Although respondents viewed WeChat as an innovative and engaging way to supplement classroom learning, a weakness of this method was that students with different levels of Chinese proficiency had varying opportunities to use WeChat's functionality. Students also lacked authentic interaction, which undoubtedly impacted the effectiveness of their learning.

When asked to select the most valuable and interesting features of WeChat, participants noted the following aspects: the opportunity for cultural exchange; establishing new interpersonal contacts; intensive practical use of a foreign language in everyday life; immersion in the language environment; the opportunity to gain experience communicating with a native speaker; increased interest in learning a foreign language; the opportunity to use the language outside the classroom, etc.

Respondents cited difficulty understanding native speakers' speech at a fast pace as one of the challenges of using WeChat.

Despite reports of minor issues, all participants unanimously confirmed that they enjoyed interacting with native-speaking partners.

In our view, WeChat's objectives echo the arguments advanced by constructivists in applied linguistics, who assert that the primary function of language is communication, not presentation. Second language learning occurs most effectively during meaningful interactions between participants. WeChat allows Chinese language learners to interact with native speakers, which is a good example of support for constructivism. To complete a WeChat task, learners must be active and consistently use the target language in everyday life. Thus, WeChat gives students control over the learning process in many aspects. One criterion for assessing whether a learning task embodies low or high agency is how much learners enjoy it. When learners enjoy a learning task, their motivation increases, and, as a result, learning becomes more effective. Reflection on the effectiveness of the learning process can be based on the results of questionnaires and interviews at the final stage of the language program.

The analysis of the effectiveness of foreign language learning using the WeChat platform was based on the experience of a 12-week language exchange program at a Chinese university in 2018-2019 [13]. Over the course of 12 weeks, Chinese students took classes in five courses of conversational English, three courses of Chinese language, two courses of Chinese culture, and two core courses of Chinese as a foreign language. Each student was paired with a native speaker with a higher level of proficiency in the foreign language.

To launch the course platform on WeChat, the researchers used WeChat on three levels. In addition to communication related to the Chinese as a foreign language course, a WeChat group, and a personal chat, the instructor created a public WeChat account for editing, updating, and publishing weekly messages. These posts, which included videos, audio, images, and text, were intended to document the progress of the Chinese language lessons, summarize language scores, and publish assignments for the weekend. Notably, the instructors supervising the project encouraged students to post topics and messages in WeChat in Chinese at the initial stage but required them in the final phase of the program. The instructors recorded comments, took screenshots of students' information flows each week, and integrated them into their own messages during classroom instruction and weekly WeChat messages to help improve the introduction of new vocabulary, re-establish language knowledge nodes, and stimulate their use in real-world situations. Consent for the use of data in this study was obtained from all participants, and the anonymity of all participants was protected by numbering participants instead of using their real names.

Based on the results of a study conducted by Chinese researchers to determine the effectiveness and implementation of WeChat in learning Chinese as a foreign language, we identified key factors that influence the successful implementation of this application in the educational process. First, before interaction between learners and native speakers on WeChat begins, a training session should be organized for a volunteer group of native speakers. The volunteer group of native speakers should be taught to speak measuredly, pausing between sentences and clearly pronouncing each word. The main goal of the training is to increase the native speakers' awareness of how foreigners perceive spoken language. They should also take into account that learners have a limited vocabulary. To ensure learners can quickly understand foreign speech, native speakers should use words selectively, prioritizing basic vocabulary. Moral support from a native speaker is also essential for learners.

Secondly, WeChat task instructions should include a minimum time requirement for in-app use. It is recommended that the minimum amount of time spent on a task be at least one hour per week.

Third, for language exchange partnerships to be sustainable, native-speaking partners should also benefit from interactions on WeChat. For example, in future WeChat usage instructions for Chinese-English pairings, it is recommended to include a friendly reminder that students learning Chinese, for example, should assist their native-speaking partners in mastering English. After the native-speaking partner helps the Chinese learner complete their weekly communication task, a similar amount of time should be devoted to practicing English. Otherwise, native-speaking partners will gradually lose enthusiasm for interacting on WeChat. Finally, to ensure learners are highly motivated to learn Chinese, it is recommended that learners be given the option of working with their own Chinese friends, if they prefer.

All participants in the analyzed experiment demonstrated a positive acceptance of WeChat. Using this application, language learners can: practice linguistic skills with native speakers; apply theoretical knowledge to everyday life; communicate more effectively; and fully immerse themselves in the language environment of the target language. Our analysis of the experimental data revealed a number of challenges faced by the experiment participants: a reluctance on the part of some learners to use WeChat or social media; the lack of a standalone WeChat learning environment; and the impact of low intrinsic motivation on learners' engagement in the learning process using WeChat.

Based on the results of our analysis, the following suggestions are offered for improving the foreign language learning environment and for further research using WeChat. One of the most important aspects affecting the success of foreign language learning using WeChat is students' initial awareness of the need to use WeChat within the context of the language immersion program, both in and out of the classroom, which requires a clear statement of the language exchange program's goals and the language course design. Stimulating students' self-learning should be based on a wide variety of learning materials. Bilingual interaction between language learners and native speakers should be continuous. Student motivation should be fostered through problem-based learning (PBL).

It should be noted that this study had several limitations. First, the number of participants was insufficient. To obtain more reliable results, future studies should consider recruiting larger groups of participants over a longer period. Second, the participants in the study should have different competencies and knowledge (all participants in the study analyzed above were computer science students studying elementary Chinese). Third, the social environment of the course should be controlled and immutable to enable more effective analysis of learning outcomes data. Finally, efforts should be focused on finding ways to increase the capabilities of online monitoring of detailed language learning data using WeChat. This study of the effects of WeChat implementation in a language immersion program for learners of Chinese as a foreign language, conducted within the framework of connectivist theory, has the potential to make an empirical contribution to understanding the qualitative, quantitative, practical, and academic aspects of foreign language learning in a mobile learning system.

With the development of smartphone technology, WeChat as a mobile language learning app has gained increased attention in foreign language teaching due to its largely unconstrained time and location, making it highly convenient for language learners. The model of foreign language learning through WeChat presented in this study, based on the task-based language teaching (TBLT) approach, requires further development to examine and systematize the data from scientific analysis of the results of foreign language learning and teaching through WeChat within the framework of connectivist theory. The data obtained from the analysis of the results of the pedagogical experiment can be used to develop and implement online programs for learning other foreign languages as part of language immersion programs designed for international students.

Literature

1. Al-Shehri C. Connectivism: A New Way to Theorize and Advance Mobile Language Learning//International journal of innovation. 2011. pp. 10-13.
2. Babbie E.R., Wagner V.E., Zaino J.S. Adventures in Social Research: Data Analysis Using IBM SPSS Statistics//Sage. 2015.
3. Black P., William D. Inside the Black Box: Raising Standards through Classroom Assessment//Delta. 2010. pp. 81-90.
4. Bot K. The effectiveness of early foreign language learning//Stud.Second.Language. 2014. P. 409-418.
5. Burston J. Language learning with mobile devices: A selected annotated bibliography of implementation studies from 1994 to 2012//Lang.Learn.Technol. 2013. pp. 157-224.
6. Burston J. Twenty years of the MALL project: a meta-analysis of learning outcomes//ReCALL. 2015. pp. 4-20.
7. Garcia B.J., Ramirez M.S. Problems of self-motivation for engaging students in the open education movement using MOOCs//RUSC. 2015. Pp. 91-103.
8. Downs S. Connectivism and connective knowledge: Essays on meaning and learning networks//National Research Council of Canada. 2012.
9. Jean L. Digital capabilities of WeChat: learning Chinese as a second language//Comput. Assist. Lang. Learn. 2017. pp. 27-52.
10. Kim H. The Effects of Using Mobile Devices in Blended Learning on Reading Comprehension in English//Multimed. 2014. Pp. 64-85.
11. Jiang W., Li W. Connecting Chinese language learners with native speakers via WeChat in the Australian CFL curriculum//Asian Pac. 2018.
12. Chinnery B.H. «"Going to the Mall": Learning Languages with Mobile Devices//Lang.Learn.Technol. 2006. pp. 9-16.
13. Bell F.Connectivism: a network theory for teaching and learning in a connected world. 2009. b. 13-18.
14. Huang X. WeChat-based teaching for an immersion cultural exchange program – a case study in CFL. Smart Learn. Environ. 2019. b. 4-11.
15. Siemens G. Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. Int. J.Instr. Technol. Dist. Learn. 2(1), 2005. p. 3-10
16. Strong K., Hutchins H.M. Connectivism: A theory for learning in a world of growing complexity. Int. J. Appl. E-Learning 1(1), 2009. p. 53-67.

References

1. Al'-Shehri C. Connectivism: a new way of theorizing and promoting mobile language learning // International journal of innovation. 2011. pp. 10-13.
2. Bjebbi Je.R., Wagner VE, Zajno Dzh.S. Adventures in Social research: Data analysis using IBM SPSS data // Sage. 2015.
3. Bljek P., Vil'jam D. Inside the Black Box: Raising standards through classroom assessment // Delta. 2010. pp. 81-90.
4. Bot K. The effectiveness of early learning of a foreign language // Stud.Second.Language. 2014. p. 409-418.
5. Bjorston Dj. Language learning with mobile devices: selected annotated bibliography of implementation studies for 1994–2012 // Lang.Learn.Technol. 2013. pp. 157–224.
6. Bjorston Dj. Dvadcat' let realizacii proekta MALL: metaanaliz rezul'tatov obuchenija [Twenty years of implementation of the MALL-project: meta-analysis of learning outcomes] // ReCALL. 2015. b. 4-20.
7. Garsija B.Dj., Ramires MS. Problems of self-motivation for involving students in the open education movement with the help of MOOCs // RUSC. 2015. pp. 91-103.
8. Dauns S. Connectivism and connective knowledge: essays on meaning and learning networks // National Research Council of Canada. 2012. pp. 48-61
9. Djin L. Digital capabilities of WeChat: Learning Chinese as a second language // Comput. Assist. Lang. Learn. 2017. pp. 27–52.
10. Kim H. The effects of using mobile devices in mixed learning for reading comprehension in English // Multimed. 2014. pp. 64-85.
11. Czjan V., Li V. Svjaz' izuchajushhih kitajskij jazyk s nositeljami jazyka cherez WeChat v avstralijskoj uchebnoj program CFL [Communication of Chinese language learners with native speakers via WeChat in the Australian CFL curriculum] // Asian Pac. 2018, b. 92-101.
12. Chinneri BH. «Let’s go to the mall»: learning languages using mobile devices // Lang.Learn.Technol. 2006. pp. 9-16.
13. Bell F. Connectivism: a network theory for teaching and learning in a connected world. 2009. b. 13-18.
14. Huang X. WeChat-based teaching for an immersion cultural exchange program – a case study in CFL. Smart Learn. Environ. 2019. b. 4-11.
15. Siemens G. Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. Int. J.Instr. Technol. Dist. Learn. 2(1), 2005. p. 3-10
16. Strong K., Hutchins H.M. Connectivism: A theory for learning in a world of growing complexity. Int. J. Appl. E-Learning 1(1), 2009. p. 53-67.