Abstract

OCHOA ALPAL, CAROL ANNE. Electronic Engineering students' interactions through forums in the virtual component of a blended learning course. Cuad. linguist. hisp. [online]. 2014, n.23, pp.121-150. ISSN 0121-053X.

This article originates from a research project that gathers findings regarding social interaction in a group of students of ESP (English for Specific Purposes) in the virtual component of a mixed learning environment. The group consists of 23 Electronic Engineering students from Universidad Santo Tomás in Tunja. Our purpose is to give evidence of the construction of knowledge and meaning related to a specific subject, using technical English. In order to show how this community interacted and what this process represents in the experience of English learning in a higher education context, interaction processes are reported on from a qualitative perspective through transcriptions of the forums, observations and the application of a survey. Results reveal that the Electronic Engineering students established a social bond that led them to become a virtual learning community in which they shared ideas, agreed on meaning and constructed knowledge through the use of English for Specific Purposes.

Keywords : Mixed learning; forum; university; English for specific purposes; interaction.

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