You are here

FAU Collections » FAU Research Repository » FAU Theses and Dissertations

Learning culture in the zone of proximal development: E-mail exchanges among foreign language learners

Download pdf | Full Screen View

Date Issued:
2005
Summary:
Scaffolding is the assistance of an expert learner provided to a novice learner to fulfill a given task. This study examined scaffolding in email messages between non-native speakers learning about German culture. The instructor used Internet resources to teach aspects of the target culture to students enrolled in a second semester German course. Email exchanges between two separate classes of German students were designed to elicit scaffolding. Unlike previous studies that have concentrated on the grammatical competence of the students, this study focused on the development of cultural competence as subjects discussed four topics of German culture via email messages. Scaffolded cultural help enables participants to develop an opinion about selected cultural issues. Scaffolded help was found in few email messages and the analysis suggests that participants discussed cultural issues by exchanging factual knowledge rather than providing scaffolded help. Concludes with considerations for further research and teaching.
Title: Learning culture in the zone of proximal development: E-mail exchanges among foreign language learners.
80 views
23 downloads
Name(s): Smasal, Marc.
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
DuBravac, Stayc, Thesis advisor
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Issuance: monographic
Date Issued: 2005
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 76 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: Scaffolding is the assistance of an expert learner provided to a novice learner to fulfill a given task. This study examined scaffolding in email messages between non-native speakers learning about German culture. The instructor used Internet resources to teach aspects of the target culture to students enrolled in a second semester German course. Email exchanges between two separate classes of German students were designed to elicit scaffolding. Unlike previous studies that have concentrated on the grammatical competence of the students, this study focused on the development of cultural competence as subjects discussed four topics of German culture via email messages. Scaffolded cultural help enables participants to develop an opinion about selected cultural issues. Scaffolded help was found in few email messages and the analysis suggests that participants discussed cultural issues by exchanging factual knowledge rather than providing scaffolded help. Concludes with considerations for further research and teaching.
Identifier: 9780542112294 (isbn), 13240 (digitool), FADT13240 (IID), fau:10097 (fedora)
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2005.
Subject(s): German language--Study and teaching
Culture--Study and teaching
Language and culture
Electronic mail messages
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13240
Sublocation: Digital Library
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author, with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Use and Reproduction: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.