EFFECTS OF BLENDED INSTRUCTION ON BUSINESS ENGLISH COLLOCATION LEARNING FOR STUDENTS AT A UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY IN TAIWAN

• Main Authors: Bi-fen Chang, 張碧芬
• Other Authors: Ye-ling Chang
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2012
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/34387275788643738903

博士 === 國立高雄師範大學 === 英語學系 === 100 === ABSTRACT This study aims to investigate the effect of the blended instruction on business English collocation learning for the students at Kun-shan University of Technology. To achieve the purpose, the researcher recruited 95 undergraduate freshmen in the department of international trade. The study was conducted for 16 weeks. The control group (CG) received traditional business English collocation instruction (traditional BECI); while the experimental group (the EG) received blended business English collocation instruction (blended BECI). Specifically, the business English collocation performance of the CG and the EG was compared by independent samples t-test. Second, the CG’s and the EG’s awareness of business English collocation was explored by independent samples t-test. Third, the EG’s responses to the instructional design of the business E-collocation Platform (http://elearning.ksu.edu.tw/learn/ index. php) were investigated by descriptive statistics. Finally, the correlations among the EG’s business English collocation performance, their awareness of the business English collocation and those to the instructional design of the business E-Collocation Platform were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively by correlation analysis. Based on the data analysis, the major findings of the study are summarized as follows: 1. There is a significant difference in the CG’s business English collocation performance before and after the study; so is that in the EG’s. In addition, there is a significant difference in the performance between the CG and the EG after the study. The EG’s test performance outperformed the CG’s. 2. There is a significant difference in the CG’s business English collocation performance in terms of five types of lexical collocation before and after the BECI, so is that in the EG’s. 3. There is a significant difference between the EG’s and the CG’s performance on untaught business English collocation after the study. In addition, the EG’s test performance outperformed the CG’s. On the other hand, there is no significant difference in the performance of the taught business English collocation between the CG’s and EG’s after the study. 4. There are no significant differences between the CG’s and EG’s awareness of business English collocation after the study. 5. Most of the EG showed positive responses to the interactivity and online communication of instructional design of the E-collocation platform. As for the difficulties in learning business English collocation, most of the EG considered their insufficient knowledge of business English vocabulary and their poor grammatical knowledge were the top two difficulties. As for the suggestions for using business English collocation, the EG suggested use of L1 and multimedia to make the blended BECI more comprehensible and interesting. 6. There is a positive correlation among the EG’s awareness of Business English collocation, responses to the instructional design and business English collocation performance in the blended BECI. Based on the study findings, some pedagogical implications are provided. Hopefully, the blended instruction can help promote the students’ literacy and their applying ability of business English collocation