Abstract

CLAVIJO OLARTE, Amparo; HINE, Nicolas Alexander  and  QUINTERO, Luz Mary. The Virtual Forum as an Alternative Way to Enhance Foreign Language Learning*. profile [online]. 2008, n.9, pp.219-236. ISSN 1657-0790.

A web-based story sharing forum has been established to provide students in Bogotá, Colombia, New Brunswick, Canada and Dundee, Scotland with the opportunity to exchange cross-cultural stories as a complement to the regular ELT Curriculum. This paper will describe the process through which the exchange experience was established and the progress achieved by the group of Colombian students in their regular interaction through blogs, theme-based wikis, social forums and online debates. The teaching practices utilized in the forum have fostered the creation of communities of interest and practice among teachers and students in the forum. Early results suggest that this innovative way of implementing the ELT curriculum has promoted student involvement and language development through the use of ICTs.

Keywords : EFL learning mediated by ICTs; learning communities; blogs as tools for language learning.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in English     · English ( pdf )