Clicker systems as a smart technology-based tool for teaching English to master’s students majoring in public administration

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Institute of Public Administration and Research in Civil Protection

Clicker systems as a smart technology-based tool for teaching English to master's students majoring in public administration

Kateryna I. Shykhnenko,

PhD of Pedagogical Sciences, Associate Professor, Head of the Department of Language Training,

Kyiv

Abstract

student educational english professional

This study experimentally verifies how the ESP learning environment supported by the use of clickers influences learners' academic motivation, academic self-efficacy, cognitive reflection, speed of decision making, functioning of a dominant brain type, and performance in learning English for specific purposes. This research relies on mixed methods and focuses on clickers like Kahoot and Socrative. The entry and outcome data were obtained through Rasch's measurement model that was used to measure academic motivation, Byrne and Matotti-designed academic confidence measurement techniques used to measure academic self-efficacy, Frederick's methodology for diagnosing cognitive reflection and decision making, a comprehensive ESP test consisting of the listening, reading, speaking and writing sections and Attitude/motivation test battery to measure shifts in the functioning of the students' dominant brain type used to perform them. Those measurements were considered as dependent variables for this study. At the postexperimental stage, both a focus-group semi-structured interview and numerical and qualitative data analyses were carried out to validate the statistical significance of the experiment outcomes. Furthermore, a two-way ANOVA was used to define the dependence of the above-mentioned variables on the use of clickers. The data processing procedure relied on the application of free Two-Way ANOVA Statistics Software (Calculator) for non-commercial (academic) use. The responses of the focus group participants were processed under the guidelines for focus group research. This study found that integration of clicker systems as a type of smart technology into teaching English for Specific Purposes to Master's Degree students majoring in Public Administration (in civil protection) is effective, as it triggers the students' desire to learn, creates a relaxed environment, develops students' cognitive sphere, and enhances students' academic performance. Additionally, the results of the experiment suggest that due to clickers, language learning turns into a challenging experience allowing students to consolidate their knowledge and master their skills in information search and processing. The paper states that this teaching approach is student-centered, which reduces the teacher's dominance and gives way to the student's autonomy.

Keywords: smart technologies; English for Specific Purposes; Master's Degree students majoring in Public Administration; clicker systems

Анотація

Клікерні системи як засіб інтеграції смарт-технологій у навчання англійської мови магістрів публічного управління та адміністрування

Шихненко Катерина Іванівна,

кандидат педагогічних наук, доцент, завідувачка кафедри мовної підготовки

Інститут державного управління та наукових досліджень з цивільного захисту, м. Київ, Україна

У статті наведено результати експериментальної перевірки впливу навчального середовища, що супроводжується з використанням клікерних систем під час вивчення дисципліни «Англійська мова за професійним спрямуванням» на навчальну мотивацію слухачів, їх академічну самоефективність та когнітивну рефлексію, на зміни в домінуючому типі мислення та швидкості прийняття слухачами рішень, на продуктивність у сприйнятті на слух, при читанні, говорінні та письмі. Дослідження ґрунтується на змішаних методах та зосереджено на таких клікерних системах, як-от: Kahoot та Socrative. Вхідні та вихідні дані отримано за допомогою моделі вимірювання академічної мотивації Раша Г. (Rasch G.), методики вимірювання рівня впевненості Бірна М. (Byrne M.) та Матотті Ш. (Matotti S.), методології Фредеріка С. (Frederick S.) для діагностики когнітивної рефлексії та прийняття рішень, тесту з «Англійської мови за професійним спрямуванням», що містив завдання з аудіювання, читання, говоріння та письма, і шкали оцінювання ставлення/мотивації Гарднера Р. (Gardner R.) для вимірювання змін домінуючого типу мислення. Параметри, що вимірюються, визначено як залежні змінні. На етапі пост-експерименту проведено напівструктуроване інтерв'ю з фокус-групою та якісний аналіз даних для підтвердження статистичної значущості результатів експерименту. Безкоштовне програмне забезпечення (калькулятор) ANOVA для некомерційного (академічного) застосування було залучено для визначення залежності вище зазначених змінних від використання клікерів. Відповіді учасників фокус-групи було оброблено відповідно до існуючих рекомендацій до проведення такого типу досліджень. Встановлено, що інтеграція клікерних систем як виду смарт-технологій у викладання англійської мови для професійних цілей для магістрів зі спеціальності «Публічне управління та адміністрування (у сфері цивільного захисту)» є ефективною, оскільки викликає бажання в слухачів вчитися, створює невимушену атмосферу на заняттях, розвиває пізнавальну сферу та покращує результати навчання слухачів. Зазначено, що завдяки клікерам, вивчення мови перетворюється на корисний досвід, що дозволяє слухачам закріпити знання та оволодіти навичками пошуку й обробки інформації. Встановлено, що такий підхід до навчання, орієнтований на слухача, зменшує домінування викладача та сприяє формуванню навчальної автономії слухачів.

Ключові слова: смарт-технології; англійська мова за професійним спрямуванням; магістри за спеціальністю «Публічне управління та адміністрування»; клікерні системи.

Аннотация

Кликерные системы как средство интеграции смарт-технологий в обучение английскому языку магистров публичного управления и администрирования

Шихненко Екатерина Ивановна,

кандидат педагогических наук, доцент, заведующая кафедрой языковой подготовки

Институт государственного управления и научных исследований в сфере гражданской защиты,

г. Киев, Украина

В статье приведены результаты экспериментальной проверки влияния учебной среды, сопровождающейся с использованием кликерних систем при изучении дисциплины «Английский язык профессионального направления» на учебную мотивацию слушателей, их академическую самоэффективность и когнитивную рефлексию, на изменения в доминирующем типе мышления и скорости принятия слушателями решений, на производительность в восприятии на слух, при чтении, говорении и письме. Исследование основывается на смешанных методах и сосредоточено на таких кликерних системах, как Kahoot и Socrative. Входные и выходные данные получены с помощью модели измерения академической мотивации Раша Г. (Rasch G.), методики измерения уровня уверенности Бирна М. (Byrne M.) и Матотти Ш. (Matotti S.), методологии Фредерика С. (Frederick S.) для диагностики когнитивной рефлексии и принятия решений, теста по английскому языку профессионального направления, включавшему задачи по аудированию, чтению, говорению и письму, и шкалы оценивания отношения / мотивации Гарднера Р. (Gardner R.) для измерения изменений доминирующего типа мышления. Указанные параметры измерения определены как зависимые переменные. На этапе пост-эксперимента проведено полуструктурированное интервью с фокус-группой и качественный анализ данных для подтверждения статистической значимости результатов эксперимента. Кроме того, бесплатное программное обеспечение (калькулятор) ANOVA для некоммерческого (академического) использования было применено для определения зависимости вышеупомянутых переменных от кликерных систем. Ответы участников фокус-групы обработаны в соответствии с рекомендациями к проведению таких исследований. Установлено, что интеграция кликерних систем как вида смарт-технологий в преподавание английского языка для профессиональных целей для магистров по специальности «Публичное управление и администрирование» (в сфере гражданской защиты) является эффективной, поскольку вызывает желание у слушателей учиться, создает непринужденную атмосферу на занятиях, развивает познавательную сферу и улучшает результаты обучения слушателей. Отмечено, что благодаря кликерным системам изучение языка превращается в полезный опыт, позволяющий слушателям закрепить знания и овладеть навыками поиска и обработки информации. Установлено, что такой подход к обучению, ориентированный на слушателя, уменьшает доминирование преподавателя и способствует формированию учебной автономии слушателей.

Ключевые слова: смарт-технологии; английский язык профессионального направления; магистры по специальности «Публичное управление и администрирование»; кликерные системы.

Introduction

Statement of the problem. The integration of smart technologies into the teaching of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) to those undertaking either undergraduate or postgraduate study in tertiary schools has been used as a way to upgrade the content and teaching methods, as well as enhance learners' motivation and boost learning outcomes for two recent decades [1], [2]. Other advantages of the use of smart technologies in teaching ESP are the opportunity for students to experience new strategies to learn the specialism - related language content and to meet their own needs, to get engaged in learning activities, and to enjoy learning, as smart technology usually uses gamification elements [3]. Additionally, it corresponds to the concept and instructional principles of ESP [4]. It has changed the ways the educators explore educational concepts that provide convenience, drastically changes students' learning experience, and increases student engagement in the learning process. The above suggests that adopting smart technology in teaching ESP can be considered to be a pedagogic solution that is time-efficient, easy-tailored, flexible, affordable, easy-scalable, and adjustable to anyone's intellectual style or learning pace, and it shows good potential to increase the quality of the ESP teaching.

Analysis of recent research and publications. There exists an extensive body of research investigating the application of technology for the formation of various language and speaking skills when teaching ESP [5], [6], and the use of smart technologies in the settings of ESP learning environment [6], [7], [8]. Those scientific works either advocate or challenge their effectiveness in terms of meeting learning objectives and outcomes. Some ESP-teaching - related studies revealed the influence of smart technology on cognitive and creative spheres of a person [9]. A number of studies prove that the use of smart technology in a lesson can increase time-efficiency and students' engagement, provide students with a more gamified and more authentic learning environment, and improve class management making a shift to collaboration and interaction based on students' responsibility for their results and individual learning styles [10], [11], [12], [13], [14].

Clicker systems or audience response systems (ARS) or electronic voting systems are increasingly used in traditional teaching as a tool to engage and assess students, to diversify their learning experience [15]. There are several examples of them, which are as follows: Acadly (https://www.acadly.com) is found by instructors to be a helpful tool to design and deliver engaging lectures, and keep records of attendance; Mentimeter (https://www.mentimeter.com/) is an interactive presentation platform for real-time presenter - participant interaction; DialogLoop (https://dialogloop.com) is proven optimum for the teachers who run real-time surveys, engage students in live question-answer sessions, and interact with students through live private chatting and networking; Verso (http://versolearning.com/) is used to create virtual learning environment; Kahoot (https://kahoot.com/) allows teachers to create quizzes and surveys; Socrative (https://socrative.com/) is for both collaborative and self-paced learning.

From the instructional perspective, the value of using clickers is as follows: they prompt deeper thinking towards a particular question; enable real-time classroom management (students are monitored and given instant feedback); and spark discussions to reason or justify the participants' views [16].

Identified research gap. The clickers are widely used in teaching Social Studies, Business Studies, Engineering [6] but there have been few studies dedicated to the use of clickers in the ESP teaching, specifically, the relation between the use of the clicker systems and the Brain-based Learning Approach [17].

Research purpose. Considering the above as reasoning, the purpose for this study was to experimentally test how the ESP learning environment supported by the use of clickers influences learners' academic motivation, academic self-efficacy, cognitive reflection and speed of decision making, dominant brain type, performance in listening, reading, speaking and writing skills trained in the ESP course.

1. The theoretical background for this research

This study relies on several might-be-connected theoretical concepts like CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) [18], a pedagogic use of the clicker systems [15], gamification in instruction [19], Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy [20] and Brain - based Learning Approach (BBLA) [21]. We are confident that the convergent use of the above can both empower the teacher with a potentially better teaching instrument capable of increasing alertness, ensuring both organised immersion and active information processing, and bringing positive change to students' cognitive, behavioural, language and academic selfefficacy domains [22]. This research was inspired by the easy-to-adjust nature of technology, which fits the principles of teaching Languages for Specific Purposes and the CLIL approach to teaching Languages (Linguistics) at tertiary schools. It also relies on the principles of the concept of authenticity in the study of foreign languages, which is associated with the use of language produced by a native speaker orally or in writing [13].

2. Methods

This research relies on the methods used for mixed methods studies, as it was intended to analyse the impact that the clickers like Kahoot and Socrative have on the sampled students' academic motivation, academic self-efficacy, cognitive reflection, speed of decision making, functioning shift of certain brain type dominance, performance in the English language listening, reading, speaking and writing skills. The entry and outcome data were obtained through Rasch's measurement model that was used to measure academic motivation [23], Byrne and Matotti academic confidence measurement techniques [24 modified by Sachitra and Bandara] used to measure academic self-efficacy, Frederick's methodology [25] for diagnosing cognitive reflection and decision making, a comprehensive ESP test consisting of the listening, reading, speaking and writing sections and Attitude/motivation test battery [26] to measure the functioning shift of certain brain type dominance. Language skills, academic motivation, academic self-efficacy, cognitive reflection and decision making, and functioning shift of certain brain type dominance were the dependent variables for this study. Secondary data like the teacher's observations were also used to increase the validity of this investigation. At the post-experimental stage, a focus-group semi-structured interview and a numerical and qualitative data analysis were carried out to validate the statistical significance of the experiment outcomes. Furthermore, a two-way ANOVA was used to define the dependence of the above-mentioned variables on the use of clickers. The two-way ANOVA relied on the application of free Two-Way ANOVA Statistics Software (Calculator) for noncommercial (academic) use [27]. The responses of the focus group participants were processed under the guidelines for the focus group research [28].

Overall, this was a quasi-experimental research of pre-test-post-test design conducted under the natural conditions of the educational process. The research took all the year of 2019 through with half a year spent on the experimental stage. The prior - and post-experimental stages lasted approximately between two and three months each. The first stage (a priorexperimental stage) was dedicated to literature and best practices review to identify a research gap, work out the research design and design the materials to be ready for uploading at Kahoot and Socrative resources and sampling (pre-testing). The experimental stage involved the ESP course delivery to the experimental and control groups and data collection through post-testing. At the post-experimental stage, the data were analysed, consolidated, and interpreted to make conclusions (see the research design visualised in Figure 1).

The research relied on a two-stage cluster sampling considering the fact that the students obtaining education in the same field of specialism could be mutually homogeneous. Two academic groups of 20 (13 females and 7 males aged between 28 and 35) and 20 (12 females and 8 males aged between 27 and 41) students seeking a Master's degree in Public Administration were purposefully sampled for this experiment. At the second stage of sampling, the entry measurements of academic motivation, academic self-efficacy, cognitive reflection, speed of decision making, dominating brain type, performance in listening, reading, speaking, and writing were performed using the above-mentioned tests. The results of measurements are presented as tables (see mean values in Tables 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6).

Suggesting that the values for academic motivation varying between - 2 < x < - T2 are acceptable, results are presented in Table 1 with the residual figures being 1.21 for the CG, and 1.19 for the EG are statistically significant. Even though the figures seemed to fit the Rasch's model, attitudinal aspects of personal incentives tended to be the lowest while behavioural features of desire to learn reached their high of 0.61 in the CG and 0.63 in the EG. In Table 2, the figures for the level of academic self-confidence measured with a five - point Likert scale were almost similar in both groups (EG - 3.30 and CG - 3.33). Judging by the mean values for cognitive reflection that are presented in Table 3, both groups performed approximately equally (EG - 1.52 and CG - 1.51). In Table 4, the mean values for the type entitled «Determined by the foreseeable consequences» appeared dominant. It was noteworthy that in both groups right-brain type dominated, which meant that the participants with better - developed imagination, emotional intelligence, and creativity were a larger proportion than the other types, which seemed a disadvantage for learning a foreign language (see Table 5). The grades for the ESP test administered in both groups were also approximately similar. The majority of the students had grades between 70 - 79 (ECTS), which was acceptable for this study (see Table 6).

Table 1. Mean values obtained through the Rasch's measurement model to measure academic motivation