me gusta - Site auxiliaire de l`IUFM de l`académie de Grenoble

Transcripción

Language learning as bricolage
in new media environments
EUROCALL
September 10th, 2009
Steven L. Thorne
Department of Applied Linguistics | Center for Language Acquisition
The Pennsylvania State University
Remixing and fan faction
Black, R.W. (2008). Adolescents and online fan fiction. New York: Peter Lang.
Thorne, S. L., & Black, R. (2007). Language and literacy development in computer-mediated
contexts and communities. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 27: 133-160.
Thorne, S. L., & Black, R. W. (forthcoming). Identity and interaction in Internet-mediated
contexts. In C. Higgins (ed.), Negotiating the self in a second language: Identity formation and crosscultural adaptation in a globalizing world. New York: Mouton de Gruyter.
World of Warcraft
Big context & emerging environments

1.7 billion Internet users world wide
1 in 10 individuals in the U.S. have started a blog
16 + million play World of Warcraft
90 + % of students use facebook & other social
media, 3-5 million new facebook users per week
Users of social media “curate” online personas
(Clive Thompson, NY Times, 2008)
Our challenges as researchers/educators

L2 education involves determining the acquisitional
potential of different social practices
Re-weighting the use and exchange values of the
object of educational activity
What are the possibilities for revisioning
educational practice through critical recognition of
new media genres and literacies?
A talk in 4 parts

Part 1: Theoretical orientations
{

Cultural historical activity theory (CHAT) + friends
Part 2: Instant messaging, blogs, and multi-directional flows
{
{
CHAT as in interventionist and interpretive framework
Descriptive corpus analyses of language development

Part 3: Gaming and virtual environments

Part 4: Cultivating language awareness through bridging activities
{
Convergent and divergent genres
Part 1: Cultural-historical psychology
Thorne, S. L. (2005). Epistemology, politics,
and ethics in sociocultural theory. Modern
Language Journal, 89: 393-409.
Thorne, S. L. (2000). Second language
acquisition theory and some truth(s) about
relativity. In J. Lantolf (ed.), Sociocultural theory
and second language learning (pp. 219-243).
Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Thorne, S. L., & Lantolf, J. (2007). A
linguistics of communicative activity. In S.
Makoni & A. Pennycook (eds.), Disinventing
and reconstituting languages (pp. 170-195).
Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.
Vygotsky’s model of mediated action
Mediational
Means
Subject

Object
Human activity is mediated by symbolic and material artifacts
Strong mediation and “cultures-of-use” (Thorne, 2003; Thorne &
Black, 2007)
Modern cultural historical activity theory

Activity theory as heuristic: Engeström’s model (1987)
Cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT)

Structurationist lineage: human activity structures, and is
structured by, enduring properties of the social-material world -> “ratcheting up” (Tomasello, 1999)
CHAT analyses attempt to establish systems of culturally
organized practices and their interrelations -- Multiple activity
systems are always at work!
CHAT = a dialectical focus on explaining & evoking human
development -- research and innovation/intervention
Post-language pedagogy

Historical ‘invention’ of languages/genres -- processes that reify
mutable, local, and contingent language use into categorical
linguistic varieties (e.g., Makoni & Pennycook, 2007)
‘Language’ is the epiphenomenon of professional linguists and
conservative epistemological prescriptivists
A “linguistics of communicative activity” (Thorne & Lantolf, 2007)
{
{

Recuperation and extension of usage-based and meaning centered
approaches to linguistically mediated human action
It is “solely through the utterance [use] that language makes contact
with communication, is imbued with its vital power, and becomes a
reality” (Volosinov, 1973)
Fragments and repertoires --> bricolage
Part 2a: Instant messaging, blogs,
& multi-directional semiotic flows:
An intervention study
Thorne, S. L. (2009). ‘Community’, semiotic flows, and
mediated contribution to activity. Language Teaching, 42(1).
Designing for relevance & interpenetration

High school Spanish AP (5) and level 2 courses
Pedagogical intervention: Integrating blog and IM use
{ Semiotic ecology that is inclusive of both schooling and
students’ broader life contexts (actual and desired)
Research focus: relation between in and out of school
communication -- interactivity system analysis
Technology available at school (labs and laptop carts), public
library, and home
Laminating literacies & cultures
1.
2.
3.
1.
2.
3.
Use of IM for social purposes with peers
Use of IM for education with classmates
Blogs catalyze interactivity system fusion
*CHAT graphic based on Engeström 1987, 1993
Everyday culture-of-use of IM
Educational uses of IM
Blogs in and out of class
1.
2.
Non-institutional identities
Student subject positions
Spanish as an expanded object

Student_1: “I’ve noticed that people sort of find their own style of
writing blogs or IM and you sort of adopt that as you go
whether it be in English or Spanish.”
Student_2: “its kinda like any conversation you’d have [with] like
a friend on IM or facebook or something its like the same thing
but you’re doing it in Spanish”
Student_3: “You have Spanish IMs, so being clever and using words
well and you know how it is -- you have to make up a personality
using words, so you have to do that in Spanish.”
Students deemphasize the particularities of any specific
language and instead focus on doing things with language
Multi-directional semiotic flows
Centripetal emphasis on exogenous activity systems/language
socialization practices influencing education (Thorne, 1999, 2000,
2003)
Centrifugal dynamics in evidence --> ‘school knowledge’ out to world!
Frequently using Spanish over IM when not required
Posting Spanish blog entries from class to personal blogs and
translating personal blog entries into Spanish
Spanish a resource for the expanded object of becoming an engaging
socially desirable interlocutor – “stylization” (Rampton, 2002),
“shuttling” (Canagarajah, 2006)
Development is always fundamentally about identity (Gee; Lave &
Wenger; Leont’ev; Vygotsky)
Part 2b: Use value and development:
A corpus-informed assessment of L2 writing
With Julieta Fernandez & Aziz Yuldashev
Thorne, S. L., Fernandez, J., Yuldashev, A. (in preparation). Use value and
digital literacies: A corpus-informed assessment of L2 writing.
Basic Tenets of Corpus Analysis

Data driven, highly empirical
A grammar of use based on attested utterance types
Language structure, i.e., formulaic sequences comprise ~60%
of language use (Wray, 2002; Schmitt & Carter, 2004)
Emergent grammar (Hopper, 2002; Bybee, 2001)
{ Grammar = observable patterns in discourse
{ Grammar a consequence, not a precondition -epiphenomenal
{ “Grammar contracts as texts expand” --> fragments and
repertoires
Corpus assessment of Spanish L2 Writing

Compilation of blog and IM texts from the State College
Area High school district compiled March 2009
The Spanish AP corpus currently = 500,000 tokens (and
growing / under construction)
For the present study, data from the academic year 20052006
Tracking the microgenesis of language development
Blogs -- most recurrent 2-word chunks
#
Freq
2-w chunks
translation
1
2
3
5
6
7
8
9
10
758
335
214
210
199
185
184
178
169
me gusta
pienso que
voy a
mi familia
la universidad
la escuela
state college
me encanta
mis amigos
i like
i think that
i’m going to
my family
(the) university
(the) school
state college
i really like
my friends
Blogs -- most recurrent 3-word chunks
#
Freq
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
189
93
82
82
80
78
71
69
67
62
3-w chunks
no me gusta
la clase de
los estados unidos
me gusta la
me gusta el
me gusta mucho
en state college
en la clase
mi familia y
pienso que es
translation
i don’t like
the … class
the united states
i like [feminine]
i like [masculine]
i like … a lot
in state college
in the class
my family and
I think that is
Me gusta
#
construction
1 Me gusta + noun (phr.)
sample from corpus
me gusta [mucho la comida de
Tailandia]
I like [Thai food a lot]
2 Me gusta + noun clause
3 Me gusta + verb (inf)
4 Me gusta + adverb (phr.)
me gusta [que puedes ver todos los
blogs de tus amigos]
I like [that you can see all of your friends’
blogs]
me gusta [mucho viajar]
I like [to travel]
no me gusta [cuando hace mucho
calor]
I don’t like [when it is very hot]
5 A mí me gusta(n)…
a mí me gusta [mirar deportes]
I like [to watch sports]
learner/week
(Carlos/
week 3)
(Mercedes/
week 8)
(Alicia/
week 3)
(Jose/
week 35b)
(Marcos/
week 11)
Uses of me gusta by week – Benito
# of uses
4
3
2
me gusta
yo me gusta
1
no me gusta
yo no me gusta
0
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24
25 26 27 28
29 30 31 32
33 34 35 36
*Yo me gusta [*I me like] → me gusta [I like]
No me gusta [I don’t like] ↔ *yo no me gusta [*I me don’t like]
37 38
Weeks
Blog concordancing lines: me gusta by Isabel
# of uses
Uses of me gusta by week – Isabel
5
4
3
2
Yo me gusta
1
Yo me gustan
0
Me gusta
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22
No me gusta
23 24 25 26
27 28 29 30
31 32 33 34
35 36 37 38
Weeks
*Yo me gusta [I me like + sing]
*Yo me gustan [I me like + pl]
*Yo no me gusta [I me don’t like]
Me gusta [I like + sing]
Me gustan [I like + pl]
No me gusta [I don’t like + sing]
No me gustan [I don’t like + pl]
Most recurrent 2-word chunks: Blogs
#
Freq
2-w chunks
translation
1
2
3
5
6
7
8
9
10
758
335
214
210
199
185
184
178
169
me gusta
pienso que
voy a
mi familia
la universidad
la escuela
state college
me encanta
mis amigos
i like
i think that
i’m going to
my family
(the) university
(the) school
state college
i really like
my friends
Pienso que -- Alicia -- Blog
pienso que -- i think that...
pienso de [esta estacion/del invierno] -- my opinion about [this season/winter]
pienso en [state college] -- I think about [state college]
lo primero pienso cuando pienso en la primavera -- the first thing I think about when I think about spring

Corpus assessment of L2 writing

Descriptive assessment of change in L2 writing over time
Focus on actual language use in non-testing contexts
Illustrates erratic paths generally trending toward preferred
usages of high frequency expressions
Continuing Research: Application of usage-based model of
linguistics/language acquisition (Tomasello, 2003)
Processes of entrenchment & preemption
Formulaic sequence --> low scope pattern --> construction
Schematization and analogy
Part 3: Gaming & virtual environments
Thorne, S. L., Black, R. W., & Sykes, J. (accepted, forthcoming in 2009). Second
Language Use, Socialization, and Learning in Internet Interest Communities and Online
Games. Modern Language Journal, 93.
Sykes, J., Oskoz, A., & Thorne, S. L. (2008). Web 2.0, synthetic immersive
environments, and mobile resources for language education. CALICO Journal, 25(3):
528-546.
Thorne, S. L. (2008). Transcultural communication in open Internet environments and
massively multiplayer online games. In S. Magnan (ed.), Mediating discourse online (pp. 305327). Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
Open
Persistent
Spaces
MMOGs
SIEs
“Serious Gaming”
Multiple stances and social identities
Sykes & Thorne, 2008
Approaches to virtual environments
1.
Reproduction of conventional educational architectures and
activities (i.e., virtual campuses, classrooms, & learning spaces)
{
{
{
2.
3.
Power point presentations
One-to-many lecturing and interactional patterns
Group and dyad work using written or voice chat
Exploration of “naturally occurring” online activity (Second Life --
> French, Spanish, Italian, ESL areas; MMOs)
{
Virtual ethnography
{
Social interaction, relationship development, dancing ...
Expansion of conventional educational spaces, tasks, and goalorientations utilizing gaming principles (i.e., “Serious Games”, SIEs)
{
{
{
{
Simulations with ‘bots (e.g., pragmatics, Sykes, in progress)
Bounded constructed spaces
Work space for instructor- and student-initiated projects
Support concrete goal-directed action, emphasizing particular language
functions
VEs vs. MMOs
What MMOs have that most VEs don’t
Quests -- Game-specific goal-directed actions
Sculpted environments designed to foster learning-as-process
(effectivity-affordance, failure states & universal success)
Score keeping, leveling, progressive access to more complexity
NPCs and in-game support resources as pedagogical forces

‘Action talk’ and high stakes scenarios: negotiation, corrective
feedback, directives, argumentation, compromise, expression of
frustration and encouragement, …

Complex social organization --> Groups & Guilds
World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft
“IRL”
Representation
Cultural Artifacts:
Machinima,
Modding,
Narrative, & Art
Metaplay:
Resources,
Strategizing, &
Documentation
Game Play:
Leveling,
Socializing, &
Collaboration
“IRL”
Representation
Cultural Artifacts:
Machinima,
Modding,
Narrative, & Art
Metaplay:
Resources,
Strategizing, &
Documentation
Game Play:
Leveling,
Socializing, &
Collaboration
Transnational multilingual communication in WoW
(Thorne, 2008)

Transnational multilingual communication in WoW
The Setting: “This dialogue started in a valley off the the
side of a zone I was in. I was hunting baby dragons for xp
when another higher level character came along and
started hunting them too. I sent a message asking why
they were hunting them since they wouldn’t get much xp
off them anymore, and they said they just wanted the
leather. I then worked out a deal with them that they
would just skin the stuff I killed so I could get the xp and
they would get the leather, and then they messaged me
with this”
WoW and communication
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
….
Zomn: ti russkij slychajno ?
Meme: ?
Zomn: :)) sry
Meme: what language was that?
Zomn: russian :)
Meme: was going to guess that
Meme: you speak english well?
Zomn: :)) where r u from ?
Meme: USA, Pennslyvania
Zomn: im from Ukraine ...
Interactivity system resources:
“just in time” learning | polyfocality
Mem IMs hometown friend from Ukraine
Hometown social network
WoW activity system
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
Meme: kak dela?
Zomn: :))) normalno :)))
Meme: if I may ask, what did I say haha, I'm not quite sure
Zomn: how r u :) ///
Meme: what does normalno mean? good?
Zomn: i sad goooooood :)))
Meme: alright =)
‘Ideal’ language learning conditions?

A “sociolinguistics of mobile resources” (Jan Blommaert)
Naturally occurring mixed language conversation
Reciprocal alternations of expert status
Both provided explicit corrections and requests for assistance
Collaboratively assembled repair sequences
Potentially enduring bond established (friend list) -- using
fragments of multiple languages to build a relationship of
significance
L2 learning through game play
Jan Blommaert’s son: “Dad, I need 6 more months of
Runescape …”
L2 learning through game play
Why care about informal play contexts?

The efficacy of informal play as language learning environment
Black (2005, 2006, 2008), Thorne (2009) and Lam (2004): Fanfic sites --> kids
producing hundreds of pages of meaningful fiction
L2 development: Tarone & Liu 1995; Liu, 1991 --> participation in varying social
contexts --> variable production of interlanguage forms and varying rate and route
of L2 acquisition (English Q forms)
Bob’s language use and learning
1.
Teacher =
- quantity (260) | - complex structures
2.
Peers in class =
~ quantity (2449) | ~ complex structures (40)
3.
In play context =
+ quantity (5716) | + complex structures (177)
Play, L2 study, and future research

Gaming the reason for FL study!
{

University students studying Chinese, Korean, and Russian
to improve WoW play and social integration
More research needed on conditions of possibility for L2
learning in affinity spaces (Gee, 2005) like WoW
Part 4: Post-Language Bridging
Activities
Language awareness
Power genres
Digital vernaculars
Thorne, S. L. & Reinhardt, J. (2008). “Bridging activities,” new media
literacies and advanced foreign language proficiency. CALICO Journal,
25(3): 558-572.
Issues and contexts

Tensions between -->
o Traditional emphases within the academy -- analytic rigor,
epistemological and linguistic prescriptivism
o Web 2.0 as an “open source epistemology” (Lankshear &
Knobel, 2007) -- epistemological and linguistic pluralism

Double-bind contradiction
{
{
Critical importance of high stakes power genres
Emergent-contingent logics of high frequency digital
vernaculars (= stigmatized varieties (Labov; Bourdieu))
Allure (and dangers) of the digital commons

Mediated communication is not a proxy or
practice environment, it’s the real thing
In some cases, how to carry out mediated
communication should be the goal of educational
practice
Revisioning L2 education with attention to new
media literacies and convergent and divergent
genres/vernaculars
The pedagogy of bridging activities

Coupling the analytic traditions of schooling with the life
experiences of today’s students
Have students bring in and seriously analyze relevant examples
of communicative activities and genres
The ultimate goal extends beyond language proficiency to
intercultural and symbolic competence (e.g., Kramsch, 2006;
Thorne, 2006)
The superordinate goal: To develop critical language awareness
of the contextual variability as well as stable formations and genres
The pedagogy of bridging activities
Stylistic examination of relevant texts asking:
What’s distinctive about this text?
{ How does it compare with roughly genre equivalent print
literacy text types or equivalent texts in other languages?
{ How are differences linguistically and stylistically realized?
3-phase cycle approach:
1.
Observation and collection
2.
Guided exploration and analysis
3.
Creation and participation
{

Concluding pedagogical thoughts

A pedagogy of adaptation to rapidly shifting epistolary and
communicative conventions
Emphasis on “strong purpose” language activities
Teacher’s role is critically important -- teachers, other
students, and peers mediate the processes of meaningful
language use and development of language awareness
Larger goal: To develop critical language awareness that
will enable lifelong learning and participation in existing and
future genres of language use
Discussion !
Steve Thorne
[email protected]
language.la.psu.edu/~thorne