Teaching English as a Second Language at a University in Colombia That Uses Virtual Environments: A Case Study
This article presents the results of a research study conducted with college students at a University in Colombia that offers an online program of English as a Foreign Language. The goal of this study was to understand the students’ perceptions. It mainly responded to the following research question...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica
2017-08-01
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| Series: | Revista Electrónica Educare |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.revistas.una.ac.cr/index.php/EDUCARE/article/view/7914 |
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| author | Sandra Vega-Carrero Manuel Pulido Nancy Esther Ruiz-Gallego |
| author_facet | Sandra Vega-Carrero Manuel Pulido Nancy Esther Ruiz-Gallego |
| author_sort | Sandra Vega-Carrero |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This article presents the results of a research study conducted with college students at a University in Colombia that offers an online program of English as a Foreign Language. The goal of this study was to understand the students’ perceptions. It mainly responded to the following research questions: Why do these students participate in an EFL online program? What are their perspectives about the methodology used in the virtual environment to learn a second language? What are their perspectives about the environmental factors involved in the learning process? And how are technical factors influencing the online learning process? This study used a qualitative research method. A questionnaire-based survey method was used for data collection. The population participating in this research was selected randomly, and the participants were promised anonymity prior to the completion of the questionnaire. It was found that online students master technology while learning in a virtual environment. In addition, students perceived that, with the activities promoted in the e-learning environments, they increased their vocabulary skills. Also their grammar and reading skills tended to improve considerably. However, students perceived that the interaction between them and their instructors should increase, so they would have the possibility of answering their questions and strengthening their speaking and writing skills. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ec9bdba38b35463d85f7d1c0e75431e3 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1409-4258 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2017-08-01 |
| publisher | Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Revista Electrónica Educare |
| spelling | doaj-art-ec9bdba38b35463d85f7d1c0e75431e32025-08-20T03:21:23ZengUniversidad Nacional, Costa RicaRevista Electrónica Educare1409-42582017-08-0121312110.15359/ree.21-3.99126Teaching English as a Second Language at a University in Colombia That Uses Virtual Environments: A Case StudySandra Vega-Carrero0Manuel Pulido1Nancy Esther Ruiz-Gallego2University of Kansas Fulbright ScholarUniversity of Kansas Fulbright ScolarCorporación Universitaria AdventistaThis article presents the results of a research study conducted with college students at a University in Colombia that offers an online program of English as a Foreign Language. The goal of this study was to understand the students’ perceptions. It mainly responded to the following research questions: Why do these students participate in an EFL online program? What are their perspectives about the methodology used in the virtual environment to learn a second language? What are their perspectives about the environmental factors involved in the learning process? And how are technical factors influencing the online learning process? This study used a qualitative research method. A questionnaire-based survey method was used for data collection. The population participating in this research was selected randomly, and the participants were promised anonymity prior to the completion of the questionnaire. It was found that online students master technology while learning in a virtual environment. In addition, students perceived that, with the activities promoted in the e-learning environments, they increased their vocabulary skills. Also their grammar and reading skills tended to improve considerably. However, students perceived that the interaction between them and their instructors should increase, so they would have the possibility of answering their questions and strengthening their speaking and writing skills.http://www.revistas.una.ac.cr/index.php/EDUCARE/article/view/7914English as a foreign languageonline educationstudents’ perceptionsadult education. |
| spellingShingle | Sandra Vega-Carrero Manuel Pulido Nancy Esther Ruiz-Gallego Teaching English as a Second Language at a University in Colombia That Uses Virtual Environments: A Case Study Revista Electrónica Educare English as a foreign language online education students’ perceptions adult education. |
| title | Teaching English as a Second Language at a University in Colombia That Uses Virtual Environments: A Case Study |
| title_full | Teaching English as a Second Language at a University in Colombia That Uses Virtual Environments: A Case Study |
| title_fullStr | Teaching English as a Second Language at a University in Colombia That Uses Virtual Environments: A Case Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Teaching English as a Second Language at a University in Colombia That Uses Virtual Environments: A Case Study |
| title_short | Teaching English as a Second Language at a University in Colombia That Uses Virtual Environments: A Case Study |
| title_sort | teaching english as a second language at a university in colombia that uses virtual environments a case study |
| topic | English as a foreign language online education students’ perceptions adult education. |
| url | http://www.revistas.una.ac.cr/index.php/EDUCARE/article/view/7914 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sandravegacarrero teachingenglishasasecondlanguageatauniversityincolombiathatusesvirtualenvironmentsacasestudy AT manuelpulido teachingenglishasasecondlanguageatauniversityincolombiathatusesvirtualenvironmentsacasestudy AT nancyestherruizgallego teachingenglishasasecondlanguageatauniversityincolombiathatusesvirtualenvironmentsacasestudy |