Presentation about task design challenges given by Pilar Munday & Jaya Kannan from Sacred Heart University,CT,USA at the XVIII International CALL Research Conference in Tarragona, Spain : July 6-8 2015 The theme of the conference was task design & CALL

1. TASK DESIGN CHALLENGES
Pilar Munday & Jaya Kannan ~ Sacred Heart University,CT,USA
XVIII International CALL Research Conference
Tarragona, Spain : July 6-8 2015
The meta task of building PLNs
for foreign language acquisition

2. Overview
1. Teaching Scenario
2. Pedagogical questions
3. Challenges and possible solutions
4. Q & A

3. “A task is a holistic activity which engages language
use in order to achieve some non-linguistic
outcome while meeting a linguistic challenge, with
the overall aim of promoting language learning,
through process or product or both.
Samuda, V., & Bygate, M. (2008). Tasks in second language learning. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

4. TEACHING SCENARIO
FOR TASK BASED LEARNING

5. THE ONLINE COURSE
Learning objectives:
➢ to achieve a higher level of proficiency in Spanish by
reviewing advanced grammar topics, which were practiced
via social media
➢ to be able to reflect on both the advanced grammar as well
as the social and cultural aspects learned throughout the
course in a personal, public blog
➢ to identify some key concepts related to digital citizenship,
such as digital footprint, content curation, privacy and
ethics and develop their own personal learning network to
be used to augment their knowledge of the culture and
language of the Spanish speaking world

6. FINAL PROJECT
Present a Personal
Learning Network (PLN)
that they had developed to
augment their knowledge
of the culture and
language of the Spanish
speaking world

7. Work flow of class

8. HOW DO WE DECIDE ON
TASK TYPES?

9. TASK ELEMENTS
HOLISTIC ACTIVITY

10. TASK ELEMENTS
ENGAGE LANGUAGE USE

11. TASK ELEMENTS
NON LINGUISTIC OUTCOME

12. TASK ELEMENTS
LINGUISTIC CHALLENGE

13. HOW DO WE SHAPE THE
TASK?

14. Need Analysis Model
Technology
tasks
Language
tasks
Gonzalez-Lloret, M (2014) The need for needs analysis in technology-mediated TBLT. In Gonzalez-
Lloret, M. & Ortega, L. (Eds.) Technology and tasks: Exploring technology-mediated TBLT (pp. 23-50).
Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins

15. Need Analysis throughout the course
Activities Tool Rationale
Survey to establish
knowledge and participation
about Social Networks
Google form
Gauge student interest,
mastery about these networks
in native language
Discussion about different
websites
Google Plus
Communities
Students can start learning
about their own interests
Video interviews with
instructor and students to
discuss activities to be
completed
Google
Hangouts
Students can ask questions
about elements of activity
which are not clear. Video can
be posted on class website to
clarify activities

16. HOW DO WE MONITOR
AND EVALUATE THE
TASK?

17. ASSESSMENT
Continuous loops of:
➢ Query from instructor to verify learning
➢ Response from student through the task of communication
within the Google Plus communities or demonstration of
learning through the task submission
➢ Feedback from the instructor to clarify, provide
intervention, or guide the student forward in the process of
developing the PLN

18. ASSESSMENT
Role of self regulated learning

19. CHALLENGES &
SOLUTIONS (?)

20. CHALLENGES
➢ Emotional response to
technology based
networked learning
➢ Difficulty of students to
see links between mini
tasks and vision of meta
task
➢ Comprehension of task
instructions
➢ No continuity of
feedback

21. CHALLENGES & POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
➢ Emotional response to
technology based
networked learning
➢ Difficulty of students to
see links between mini
tasks and vision of meta
task
➢ Comprehension of task
instructions
➢ No continuity of
feedback
→
➢ Be flexible
➢ Make the PLN
not the final task
➢ Be mindful of
continuity
➢ Give more value
to “responses” in
discussion boards
or blog posts

22. See your project grow!

23. Thanks!
Any questions?
You can find us at:
@mundaysa on
mundayp@sacredheart.edu
@jkannan_2000 on
kannanj@sacredheart.edu

24. Credits
▷ Presentation template by SlidesCarnival
▷ Photo by Death to Stock Photos. License
here.