Learning to learn collaboratively on Facebook – A pilot study

Abstract

This study aims to examine negotiated interaction amongst English-as-a- foreign-language undergraduates in a real time text-based environment. It looks at the interactional patterns of negotiation on Facebook between dyads of learners and native speakers of English. Overall, all dyads tended to negotiate meaning rather than form, as numerous errors (e.g., morphosyntactic errors) were not repaired during the tasks. The learners were found to employ a number of interactional strategies for communication breakdowns, e.g., clarification request and comprehension check. In addition, the results derived from the interview data reveal that all learners had a positive perception of working with others on Facebook, e.g., increasing motivation and engagement.