Confirmation of Candidature - Azizah Majed Almutairi

Confirmation recording - Click here

Abstract

Due to the increasing use of social media in the world, there are now hundreds of studies of effective programs focusing on Social Media in Languages Teaching and Learning (Reinhardt, 2019). Despite this advance, less attention has been directed to studies that focus on using social media learning tasks for Arabic language teaching outside the classroom. Therefore, this study explores WhatsApp's effect to enhance cooperative learning in Arabic language learning as a second language and explores how mobile devices and social media applications can promote and provide more cooperative learning strategies in the Saudi Arabian Princess Noura University setting. In addition, the study asks how WhatsApp can function as a support tool to solidify Arabic grammar use and understanding.  The study will utilise sociocultural theories, for example activity theory and connectivism, to analyse how students interact during a designed learning task on WhatsApp and will identify their use of strategies in a cooperative social media setting. Since activity theory considers a multi-dimensional view of how tasks are approached, it is essential to understand some of the critical mediational tools involved, in particular, studies on different forms of language, the process of “visualizing” issues and concepts through speech or text (Swain et al., 2009). In addition, connectivism, being one of the most prominent theories of e-learning developed for e-learning environments, provides a useful lens through which teaching and learning using technologies can be studied (Goldie, 2016). Therefore, this study will focus on activity theory and connectivism theory through a qualitative methods approach, in which qualitative data will be obtained will focus on interviews, WhatsApp observations, and WhatsApp group chat. 

Supervisors

Dr. Simone Smala (Principal advisor)

Prof. Robyn Gillies (Associate Advisor)

Panel

Chair: Associate Prof. Garth Stahl

Panel Member: Prof. Tisha Morrell 

Date: 30th March 2021                                           Time: 2pm

All HDR candidates and staff are welcome to attend Azizah's presentation via Zoom:

Zoom link: https://uqz.zoom.us/j/86933400047