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| Project Details |
| Funding Scheme : | Early Career Scheme | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Project Number : | 28608920 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Project Title(English) : | Role of Informal Digital Learning of English (IDLE) in Hong Kong university students’ perceptions of English as an International Language (EIL) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Project Title(Chinese) : | 非正規的英語電子學習的角色在香港的大學學生對英語作為國際性語言的觀感 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Principal Investigator(English) : | Dr Lee, Ju Seong | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Principal Investigator(Chinese) : | 李主聖 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Department : | Department of English Language Education | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Institution : | The Education University of Hong Kong | ||||||||||||||||||||
| E-mail Address : | jslee@eduhk.hk | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Tel : | 2948 7391 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Co - Investigator(s) : |
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| Panel : | Humanities, Social Sciences | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Subject Area : | Education | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Exercise Year : | 2020 / 21 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Fund Approved : | 453,150 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Project Status : | Completed | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Completion Date : | 31-12-2022 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Project Objectives : |
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| Abstract as per original application (English/Chinese): |
Due to technological advancement and its growing affordances, English language learning and teaching beyond the classroom with technology has received recent research attention in the fields of Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) (Lai, 2017; Reinders & Benson, 2017). The PI calls this emerging phenomenon Informal Digital Learning of English (IDLE), which is defined as “self-directed, naturalistic, digital learning of English in unstructured, out-of-class environments” (Lee, 2019a, p. 116). Concurrently, it has become increasingly common for ESL/EFL learners to communicate with English speakers from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Against this backdrop, Matsuda (2017) underscores the functional dimension of English from the English as an International Language (EIL) perspective, which broadly encompasses two constructs—namely, perceptions of varieties of English and strategic competence for cross-cultural communication.
Although contemporary ESL/EFL students, as authentic EIL users, are increasingly engaging in cross-cultural communication in a range of IDLE environments (e.g., talking with diverse English speakers via social media or through digital gameplay), to date there is scant research on this topic. Building upon the PI’s previous studies (Lee, 2019a; Lee & Drajati, in press; Lee & Lee, 2019a, 2019b), this proposed research aims to fill the current gap by investigating the relationship between IDLE and two dimensions of EIL among Hong Kong university students, who are increasingly experiencing diverse accents among users of English through IDLE activities (Yung, 2019). Drawing on a sequential explanatory mixed-methods research design, data will be collected from 20 ESL/EFL classes at two universities by means of questionnaires (N = 400), open-ended questions (N = 400), semi-structured interviews (n = 40), and stimulated recalls (n = 40).
With an interdisciplinary approach drawing from CALL, sociolinguistics, and TESOL, theoretically this study can help us better understand and further theorize the way in which informal language practice using technology is related to contemporary students’ perceptions of EIL. From a research perspective, the triangulated data gives us detailed insights into how students’ engagement in IDLE activities is conducive to developing their perceptions of EIL. Pedagogically, the findings will offer practical insights into how English language teachers can better prepare contemporary English learners for cross-cultural interactions in digital or face-to-face milieus. Additionally, since conventional EIL pedagogy seems to be limited within a classroom setting, the findings will broaden the current scope of the EIL pedagogical model beyond a classroom setting. 由於技術的進步及其日益增長的可供性，利用科技進行課堂以外的英語學習和教學在電腦輔助語言學習(CALL)和向其他語言使用者教授英語(TESOL)在近期有很多研究 (Lai, 2017; Reinders & Benson, 2017)。PI將這一新興現象稱為非正式數碼英語學習(IDLE)，它被定義為在非結構化的課外環境中進行自主的、自然主義的數碼英語學習(Lee, 2019a, 第116頁)。與此同時，英文作為第二語言或外國語言(ESL/EFL)的學習者與來自不同語言和文化背景的英語使用者交流已變得越來越普遍。在此背景下，Matsuda(2017)從英語作為國際語言(EIL)的角度強調了英語的功能維度，它大致包括兩個構念，即對英語種類的認知和跨文化交際的策略能力。雖然當代的ESL/EFL學生作為真實的EIL使用者，越來越多地參與到一系列的跨文化交流中(例如，通過社交媒體或數碼遊戲與不同的英語使用者交談)，但迄今為止，這方面的研究還很少。在PI先前研究的基礎上(Lee, 2019a; Lee & Drajati, in press; Lee & Lee, 2019a, 2019b)，這項研究旨在通過調查香港大學生中IDLE和EIL兩個維度之間的關係來填補目前的空白，香港大學生通過IDLE活動越來越多地體驗到英語使用者不同的口音(Yung, 2019)。採用順序解釋混合方法的研究設計，通過問卷調查(N = 400)、開放式問題(N = 400)、半結構式訪談(N = 40)和刺激回憶(N = 40)的方式，從兩所大學的20個ESL/EFL班級收集資料。本研究運用CALL、社會語言學、TESOL等跨學科研究方法。在理論上，本研究幫助我們更好地理解和進一步理論化使用技術的非正式語言實踐與當代學生對EIL的認知之間的關係。從研究的角度來看，三角式資料會為我們提供詳細的見解，讓我們瞭解學生參與IDLE活動是如何有助於發展他們對EIL的看法。在教學方面，這些發現將為英語教師如何更好地為當代英語學習者線上或面對面環境中的跨文化互動做好準備提供實用的見解。此外，由於傳統的EIL教學法似乎局限於課堂環境，研究結果將擴大目前的EIL教學法模式的範圍，使其超越課堂環境。 |
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| Realisation of objectives: | Engaging in passive IDLE activities, such as watching YouTube videos in English, had a significant and positive effect on students' perceptions of different varieties of English. Additionally, both the total amount of IDLE activities and active IDLE activities, such as writing comments on Facebook in English, were significantly and positively associated with students' strategic competence in cross-cultural communication. The way students perceive different varieties of English (or their thoughts about the different accents and types of English spoken by English users) plays a mediating role in the relationship between practicing IDLE activities and their use of cross-cultural communication strategies (or their self-perceived ability to effectively communicate across cultures). The findings from the structural equation model analysis supported the hypothesis, indicating that EFL students are more likely to employ effective strategies for cross-cultural communication when their perception of different varieties of English becomes more positive through regular IDLE practice. The interview data revealed the process through which practicing IDLE activities positively impacts two aspects of English as an International Language (EIL) for students. I watch Korean movies, dramas, and music videos on YouTube. Since I am a big fan of K-pop, I follow my favorite K-pop bands by watching and reading news and interviews about their daily life on Facebook and YouTube. I read and write about K-pop on Twitter and talk to other K-pop fans from Korea, Singapore, and Vietnam . . . I think Korean English is acceptable. (Michelle) • I spend six to eight hours every day chatting with my foreign friends from various countries on social media such as Omegle, Kik, InterPals, Facebook, Skype, and Twitter. I can gain new knowledge about their culture and idiosyncratic English expressions used in those particular countries . . . I also teach my foreign friends about my Indonesian culture. (Jane) • I talk with my Bangladeshi and Indian friends via WhatsApp and Instagram for four to five hours a day. I have learnt a lot about their tradition, language, and culture through our conversation. Sometimes, we even talk about personal problems and trivial matters just like what we do between close friends. Now I can talk to anyone I never met before. (Sarah) I am an amateur rapper. I listen to all kinds of English rap music produced by singers of around the world for at least three hours every day from my MP3 player and YouTube. So, I feel comfortable hearing German English, Indian English, or whatever English may be. I also think that different kinds of English accents are acceptable because each English represents its own style and culture . . . I upload my original songs to rap communities on Facebook, Instagram and SoundCloud. I often talk to rappers and rap fans from other countries in English. For example, I became a Facebook friend with a German amateur rapper who had approached me after listening to my songs from SoundCloud. Although I found it difficult to understand his German-English accent at first, as we continuously talked about various topics, I became used to his accent and style of speaking . . .( Jun Sung) Since I was an elementary school student, I have spent a great deal of time talking to various English speakers while playing massively multiplayer online role-playing games [MMORPGs] . . . These days, I play Overwatch on the North American servers. Since it is a multiplayer first-person shooting game, I need to talk quickly to my team players via mic in English. Since game players are diverse in their nationality, I can hear a variety of English accents from my team members. When I can’t understand their accent, I simply ask them to say it again. It has helped me become more open-minded toward varieties of English accents and communicate more effectively with other game players from different backgrounds . . . I can easily talk to anyone from any country in real-life situations because I just talk as I normally do during digital gameplay (Mi-kyung) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Summary of objectives addressed: |
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| Research Outcome | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Major findings and research outcome: | The main objective of this study was to explore the relationship between engaging in IDLE activities and two aspects of English as an International Language (EIL): perceptions of different varieties of English and strategic competence in cross-cultural communication. The study also aimed to investigate how students' perceptions of varieties of English mediate the relationship between IDLE practice and strategic competence in cross-cultural communication. Additionally, the study examined the processes through which IDLE practice can positively impact these two aspects of EIL. The findings of the study revealed that participating in passive IDLE activities, such as watching YouTube videos in English, had a significant and positive influence on students' perceptions of various forms of English. Moreover, both the overall amount of IDLE activities and active IDLE activities, like writing comments on Facebook in English, were significantly and positively linked to students' strategic competence in cross-cultural communication. Furthermore, students' perceptions of different varieties of English played a mediating role in the connection between engaging in IDLE activities and their use of strategies for cross-cultural communication, which refers to their self-perceived ability to effectively communicate across cultures. In terms of research outcomes, the ECS project assisted the PI in achieving the research objectives, leading to the publication of a book and the expansion of the results to encompass other psychological, emotional, and linguistic aspects of learning English as a second language. The target groups were broadened to include primary and secondary students in Hong Kong, allowing the PI to collaborate with frontline teachers. For example, the findings were disseminated through a monograph (Lee, 2022). Building on these findings, the PI extended their research to investigate the role of IDLE in speaking proficiency, enjoyment of learning a foreign language, and willingness to communicate among primary and secondary EFL students in Hong Kong, which was presented in a public lecture (Lee et al., 2021) and published in journal articles (Lee et al., 2022; Lee & Taylor, 2022). The findings were also utilized to write a systematic review of IDLE from an ecological systems theory perspective (Guo & Lee, 2023). | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Potential for further development of the research and the proposed course of action: |
The research funded by ECS has successfully achieved its intended objectives and laid the groundwork for IDLE research. It has also facilitated the expansion of research to encompass additional aspects of learning English as a foreign language, including psychological factors (e.g., willingness to communicate), emotional factors (e.g., foreign language enjoyment), and linguistic factors (e.g., speaking skills). The target audience has been broadened to include primary and secondary students in Hong Kong, allowing the PI to collaborate with frontline teachers. Moving forward, the PI plans to develop a more comprehensive model of IDLE that incorporates its various antecedents and consequences. This will involve working closely with teachers in K-12 and university settings not only in Hong Kong but also in Mainland China and similar EFL contexts. As part of these efforts, the PI has recently published a teacher guidebook on incorporating IDLE into classroom activities (Dressman, Lee, and Perrot, 2023). Additionally, the PI has applied for the GRF 2024/25 to conduct intervention research focusing on the efficacy of IDLE in improving speaking skills, considering factors such as enjoyment, anxiety, and willingness to communicate. Leveraging the research findings and the teacher guidebook, the PI plans to continue sharing best practices and lesson plans with educators, teachers, and students through public lectures and workshops in both Hong Kong and similar contexts. The aim is to extend the influence of these findings beyond academic circles. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Layman's Summary of Completion Report: | This study aimed to investigate the relationship between engaging in informal digital learning of English (IDLE) activities (e.g., watching English videos online) and two important aspects of English as an International Language (EIL): a) how people perceive different forms of English and b) how well they can communicate across cultures. The researchers also wanted to understand how students' perceptions of English varieties affect the link between IDLE activities and cross-cultural communication skills. The study found that participating in IDLE activities can have a positive impact on these aspects of EIL. To help students develop these critical skills in today’s digitalized, multilingual, and multicultural world, teachers and educators can create opportunities for students to engage in IDLE outside the classroom. This exposure to diverse English speakers, their language varieties, and intercultural communication in digital platforms can greatly benefit students. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Research Output | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Peer-reviewed journal publication(s) arising directly from this research project : (* denotes the corresponding author) |
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| Recognized international conference(s) in which paper(s) related to this research project was/were delivered : |
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| Other impact (e.g. award of patents or prizes, collaboration with other research institutions, technology transfer, etc.): |
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| Realisation of the education plan: | |||||||||||||||||||||
| SCREEN ID: SCRRM00542 |