Abstract
Attributable to the fast pace of globalization, demand for effective English speaking skills has been growing rapidly. It is clear that a greater enhancement of the communication skills of university students is a critical mission of English educators. At the current time, an array of communication platforms is being used across different education levels. The purpose of the study was to explore university students’ perceptions of the pros and cons of using a chat-based communication platform for English speaking courses. The target population for this study was students at a selected university in northern Taiwan. This study employed a qualitative approach. Specifically, interviews were conducted to gather qualitative data to gain insight into the perceptions of the participating students. Results of the study revealed that students are generally satisfied with the technology for educational purposes due to its accessibility and practicality. However, students pointed out several limitations that prevented the software from being an ideal substitute for actual classroom meetings, especially for speaking courses. It is concluded that despite the usefulness of chat-based communication platforms for online classes, students in speaking courses have a noticeable preference for direct interactions with their classmates and instructor in person. Recommendations are made for instructors of speaking courses to conduct an optimal online learning environment that best resembles the characteristics of actual face-to-face interactions.
Author Information
Dylan Sung, Chung Yuan Christian University, Taiwan
Paper Information
Conference: PCE2022
Stream: Foreign Languages Education & Applied Linguistics (including ESL/TESL/TEFL)
This paper is part of the PCE2022 Conference Proceedings (View)
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To cite this article:
Sung D. (2022) University Students’ Perceptions of Using a Communication Platform for English Speaking Courses ISSN: 2758-0962 The Paris Conference on Education 2022: Official Conference Proceedings https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2758-0962.2022.23
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2758-0962.2022.23
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