E-LEARNING AND SOCIAL NETWORKING: FRIENDS OR FOES IN STUDYING ROMANIAN AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE?

Abstract

For Politehnica students, it is only natural to use e-learning tools in and out of the classroom; the rapid technological development has helped both students and teachers in more ways than one. Indeed, for digital natives - the majority of our students -, on-line learning, mobile learning, and social networking feel as natural as breathing. Since technology encourages on-line communication to the detriment of face-to-face interaction, teachers may have a hard time demonstrating the benefits of more traditional methods in studying a foreign language. In this paper, I will draw your attention to the special case of the students who come to the University "Politehnica" of Bucharest to study Romanian as a foreign language. These students, who come from various parts of the world, try their best to adapt to the new environment and overcome the many difficulties posed by the Romanian language at all levels (pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary). Their future professional success is closely linked to their ability to master the Romanian language. Still, there is another aspect to consider here: nobody can learn a language only by studying theories and doing exercises; one also needs a lot of practice - with native speakers, ideally. Taking all that into account, my paper dares to raise the question, "are e-learning tools and social networks friends or foes to our foreign students in their attempt to learn Romanian?" It goes without saying that the necessity for both social adjustment and linguistic accuracy is reflected by activities that combine team work and individual performance and lead to students' becoming accomplished professionals. Nevertheless, how many of those activities should be of the blended type, and how many can we trust students to try on their own? There must be a balance between controlled learning and independent production, when it comes to learning a language; that is why my paper reflects mainly on the necessity of combining the good theories one may get from on-line sources with face-to-face meetings that ensure good communication skills.

Headnote

Abstract: For Politehnica students, it is only natural to use e-learning tools in and out of the classroom; the rapid technological development has helped both students and teachers in more ways than one. Indeed, for digital natives - the majority of our students -, on-line learning, mobile learning, and social networking feel as natural as breathing. Since technology encourages on-line communication to the detriment of face-to-face interaction, teachers may have a hard time demonstrating the benefits of more traditional methods in studying a foreign language. In this paper, I will draw your attention to the special case of the students who come to the University "Politehnica" of Bucharest to study Romanian as a foreign language. These students, who come from various parts of the world, try their best to adapt to the new environment and overcome the many difficulties posed by the Romanian language at all levels (pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary). Their future professional success is closely linked to their ability to master the Romanian language. Still, there is another aspect to consider here: nobody can learn a language only by studying theories and doing exercises; one also needs a lot of practice - with native speakers, ideally. Taking all that into account, my paper dares to raise the question, "are e-learning tools and social networks friends or foes to our foreign students in their attempt to learn Romanian?" It goes without saying that the necessity for both social adjustment and linguistic accuracy is reflected by activities that combine team work and individual performance and lead to students' becoming accomplished professionals. Nevertheless, how many of those activities should be of the blended type, and how many can we trust students to try on their own? There must be a balance between controlled learning and independent production, when it comes to learning a language; that is why my paper reflects mainly on the necessity of combining the good theories one may get from on-line sources with face-to-face meetings that ensure good communication skills.

Keywords: e-learning; social networking; Romanian as a foreign language.

I. INTRODUCTION

This paper is trying to discuss the necessity of striking a balance between controlled learning and independent production in tertiary education, with a focus on teaching/ studying Romanian as a foreign language. More specifically, the question it attempts to answer is: do e-learning tools and social networking help foreigners acquire the necessary skills to master the language? What is more important, do they hinder them in any way from getting in touch with real, flesh and blood people, and learning from native speakers?

Before deciding whether technology is on our side or not, we have to take into account a few points, such as:

· being active on social networks (such as Facebook or Twitter) makes students feel that they communicate effectively with others;

· similarities of taste or interests ensure students that they belong to a modern community, and are not outsiders;

· getting positive reviews from others, when you are a young, foreign student, becomes a goal in one's student life, as it reflects on the person's rate of social success.

On the other hand, learning a language and/ or trying to get used to and understand a new culture require a certain degree of discipline in one's studies and efforts; that is why I have always recommended the blended approach as an effective tool to be employed by those who study Romanian as a foreign language. It is true that these foreign students have to be shown how to blend online-based activities with face-to-face interactions, but, at the same time, they need guidance on their way to acquire the social skills that are considered acceptable in this part of the world. After careful consideration, we may have a few questions to be answered:

· Do e-learning materials help students blend in a new cultural environment?

· To what extent does socializing on the Internet sites help students build a healthy relationship with other members of the targeted society?

· How much do computer-/Internet-based activities prepare foreign students for actual interaction with Romanian people/ authorities/ institutions?

It is my intention to discuss the possible methods to assist the people in my multicultural groups in their effort to learn Romanian. The focus, this time, will be on helping decide to what extent social networking and e-learning prove helpful, and the point where they start turning against the students. Since learning methods and general goals may differ, teachers have the mission to guide students through the maze - but how do we do that?

II. TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIAL SKILLS

We all know that, for a number of reasons, personal comfort included, all students prefer technology, which encourages on-line communication to the detriment of face-to-face interaction; under these circumstances, teachers may have a hard time demonstrating the benefits of more traditional methods in studying a foreign language. Moreover, due to the rapid pace of technological advancement in recent years, there has been an increase in the number of lectures, manuals, exercise books or other types of activities posted online as a replacement for the printed versions of the same materials. In recent years, some digital manuals have been approved by the Romanian Ministry of Education; they are to be used in parallel with the printed ones, in acknowledgement of the fast-changing habits of learning observed in schools, and in agreement with the students' preferences.

Nowadays, publishing houses may boast a wide range of online manuals or activity books, starting with materials that enable pre-school students to colour certain images or try their hands at numbers' and letters' writing, and ending with online lectures for the tertiary level institutions and their students. In spite of the enormous amount of knowledge encapsulated in online materials, and the fast pace in which students accumulate and process the information delivered in this way, there are, still, a few problems to be solved.

First of all, downloading materials and even playing educational interactive games require absolutely no human interaction whatsoever; that is not remarkable if the activities those students are engaged in only require theoretical data, and their only outcome is the acquisition of hard skills. However, that is not the case with learning a foreign language, which requires both language acquisition and the building of social skills.

Secondly, teachers also fear that, while enhancing hard skills, computer-based learning might affect students' ability to acquire the soft skills they will need in their work environment. What is more, those students who prefer e-learning devices tend to also consider virtual relationships as the proper - if not the only - means to socialize, since they feel confident that on-line communication would be their core business in the future. Replacing human contact with the virtual one is a favourite with those students who loathe to interact physically with others (especially if they are shy), and is considered to be a plus in the IT business. That makes the language teacher's job even h arder, and the challenge becomes more serious. Helping students to conceptualize the differences between what it takes to actually communicate with someone and what virtual communication is, has turned into a tough nut to crack lately, especially with Politehnica students.

For the foreign students who come to Romania to study, technology provides the invaluable tools they need; I will list only a few of the benefits mentioned by the researchers:

· Social networking helps students stay in touch with their families and friends; coming from various parts of the world, they try their best to adapt to the new environment, but they also need the (emotional) support of the loved ones.

· The number and variety of online resources (from dictionaries to manuals) encourage students to use technology at all times and in all places; the increasing use of portable devices helps students with their studies.

· Since e-learning (with all its versions, from computer-learning to m-learning) relies heavily on flexibility, that is viewed as an important factor in e-learning satisfaction [18].

· "Mobile learning (m-learning) inherits these advantages from e-learning, but extends their reach by making use of portable (handheld) wireless technologies."[4]

Nonetheless, nobody can learn a language only by studying theories and doing exercises; one also needs a lot of practice - with native speakers, ideally. Taking that into account, my paper dares to raise the question, "are e-learning tools and social networks friends or foes to our foreign students in their attempt to learn Romanian?" It goes without saying that the necessity for both social adjustment and linguistic accuracy is reflected by activities that combine team work and individual performance and lead to students' becoming accomplished professionals. Nevertheless, how many of those activities should be of the blended type, and how many can we trust students to try on their own? As mentioned above, how can we strike a balance between controlled learning and independent production, when it comes to learning a language? There must be a way of combining the good theories one may get from on-line sources with face-to-face meetings that ensure good communication skills; how do we find it?

We must agree on the fact that students are able to choose the most suitable learning methods to accommodate their needs. E-learning helpers do wonders nowadays, as they allow people to choose what and when to study, review material and gain feedback, while coping with modern students' requirements and style.

III. STUDENTS AND THEIR TECHNOLOGICAL FRIENDS

As it happens, nowadays, there is no wonder that students show up in class with the latest technological devices, from tablets and laptops to sophisticated iPhones. Since it is practically impossible for the teacher to ban the use of those e-learning devices, the solution would be is to make the best of the things as they are. Obviously, by using their technological friends, "people are increasingly sharing information, getting help, finding people with similar interests, and learning from each other"[17]. It is, after all, the easiest way to learn and stay in touch with others. The secret to success is to employ the help of technology in order to make some progress with one's studies , not to get distracted from them. At the same time, even though they may assist foreign students with their vocabulary and theoretical elements of studying Romanian, those e-learning helpers cannot cover the whole range of activities that will, hopefully, get them to the desired level of professional success.

One of the most challenging parts in the effort to master the Romanian language is achieving oral fluency. Among other skills, good oral interaction is essential in anyone's social and professional life; in this respect, students have to be made aware of the benefits provided by more traditional classroom activities, which may be doubled by e-learning individual efforts. Although social networking may be viewed as a means of social interaction, that is not nearly enough. I will list below a few of the weak points of relying solely on e-learning methods and social networking:

· e-learning may prove inadequate when it comes to practical activities and real-life simulations;

· both e-learning and social networking tend to neglect the importance of oral production and interaction;

· although social networking is currently considered proper socialising, if practised for the purpose of acquiring linguistic and social skills, it will prove inadequate;

· due to its flexible nature (viewed as a quality in terms of mobility and speed), m-learning may prove a true foe when students tend to make frequent use of it during the language class; instead of paying attention to the lesson and using their own brains, students will try to cheat and get easy, instant answers from the e-learning tools in their possession.

In order to make sure that the foreign students practise their soft skills, I have included some interactive activities that are to be judged and graded in the classroom, but that require some prior (careful) preparation and rehearsal. Combining e-learning with traditional methods of studying is a necessary step in these situations. In my teaching years, I have come upon some strategies that foster both individual growth and social inclusion. I will mention only some of them here:

· help students enhance their communication skills; in class, use role play as often as possible; when students play the parts assigned to them, they embrace a new experience, and open up to a different type of human interaction;

· focus your lessons on activities that simulate real-life professional activities, such as interviews, oral presentations, etc.; in order to succeed professionally, students must be prepared to function properly in the cultural and social environment they aim to be a part of;

· include educational games in classroom activities; thus, students will feel more comfortable and will enjoy learning;

· use a wide range of activities, from various drill exercises to writing scenarios for role-play activities or developing projects;

· gradually prepare students for face-to-face encounters that require more tact on their part (that refers mostly to negotiations and meetings of all sorts); there is a growing need for students in multicultural groups (and expats, in general) to become aware of the peculiarities of the culture they live in, if they want to avoid blunders;

· in parallel with the classroom activities, ask students to engage in group activities (e.g. make projects together); that learning strategy helps prepare students for team-work, in the language they aim to master at some point in time;

· in order to increase students' awareness of other cultures, assign roles when giving students a cultural group assignment ; thus, students learn more about each other's cultures and mentalities, as well as about the Romanian ones;

· encourage foreign students to interact with native speakers as often as possible; students should be prepared to ask for directions or instructions, go shopping or sightseeing; after a while, with a lot of practice, foreign students will succeed in having successful face-to-face oral interactions with Romanians; instruct students to begin by chatting on-line with native speakers, and polish their speech gradually.

IV. CONCLUSIONS

The fact that students prefer e-learning and social networking cannot be disputed or changed in any way. The feeling that on-line communication is not real communication will remain - and for good reasons, too. Thus, coming to terms with both e-learning/social networking and traditional learning is not as easy as it sounds. As proven so many times (not only theoretically) blended learning is useful and necessary in the Romanian language class. If asked, students will tell us that there is a constant need for striking a balance between the usage of online strategies and tools and face-to-face interaction. (Un)fortunately, no one can master a language and become immersed in another culture just by reading about it online or discussing it on social networks.

Although few realize it at first, a language like Romanian is mastered quicker and easier when and if one lives amongst the people who speak it, interacts with them and, if possible, shares ideas with them. If students understand that they may make use of all means of education available to them, especially the "live" ones - the teachers and their own group members, as well as the social environment - they will become good professionals, and the language a powerful tool to work with. From personal observation, corroborated with various questionnaires the students have answered, students tend to adopt the blended type of learning because it helps them adapt more easily, since it is a method with a realistic approach to things.

As a rule, under normal circumstances, properly motivated and guided, students take the opportunity to practice in the real world what they have learnt theoretically. Developing one's social skills does require perseverance and patience, and I recommend that the efforts in learning from online sources be doubled by practising with real people, in face-to-face encounters. Learning Romanian is, ultimately, about blending methods if one wants to mingle in with the Romanians. There is no absolute "friend" or "foe" when we discuss learning methods; there are only tools used to ensure one's success that may be adjusted and improved, as need be.

References

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