Understanding the use of online role-play for collaborative argument through teacher experiencing: a case study

Abstract

As computers and the Internet are increasingly employed in language teaching and learning, preparing teachers for the impending reality of online teaching is of paramount importance. This study investigated 10 in-service teachers participating in an online role-play as part of a digital education methods course to acquire an understanding of the use of online role-play for collaborative argument. The role-play lasted for 3 weeks and underwent three stages: preparation, implementation and reflection. Analyses of data gathered from the questionnaire survey, the class website for role-play, the blogs and the interviews indicate that online role-play was an appropriate way for teaching collaborative argument given that the topics were well-chosen and well-prepared, and that asynchronous role-play was more helpful than the synchronous role-play given the challenge of tracking the development of ideas. Benefits and problems of online role-play through synchronous chat were analysed and solutions were discussed. The research provides a new perspective on how teachers can be educated to integrate technology into their language instruction through their own experience of learning.