A Collaborative Tale with Two Taiwanese EFL College Groups

Abstract

本文是探討兩組大學生如何應用辯論學習以達共助學習的目的，並探討其成功與失敗的因素。參與本研者為中正大外文系的大一學生。資料收集方式有學習日誌，半結構式訪設法及問卷調查法等三種，而資料分析則採話題與主題分析法及內容比較分析法。資料結果共分三個討論焦點:語言智能、學習態度及性別差異等三方面。本研究結果顯示共助學習成功之道乃因組員之間願意共同分享資料來源與知識習得並且不分性別與語言智能的高低，互相支持與鼓勵。至於失敗則歸因於組員之間語言智能的差異及錯誤的信賴棋式;此外，組員被動的學習態度與男女同學對辯論學習過程中「爭議」持有不同的觀念等因素以致共助學習無法圓滿達成。最後並依據研究結果，提出幾項有關教學上的建議，以供英文教師諜室內使用共助教學時參考用。

The purpose of this study was to investigate how two groups of Taiwanese EFL college students engaged in debate as collaborative inquiry. The debate requiredparticipants not only to take critical stances but also to cooperate in solving problemsof social concem. Sixteen Taiwanese college students, divided into four groups，participated in this research. This paper focuses on two of the four groups. Leaminglogs, semi-structured oral interviews and open-ended uestionnaires were used to gather data. The topical unit was first used to categorize the data. The relevant units were then grouped together as a perspective, which reflected a common or a recurnng pa位em. Then comparative content analysis was finally used to interpret the data. Three perspectives influencing the success or failure of collaborative leaming are presented in this paper. They include: linguistic competence, leaming attitudes and gender differences. The results indicate that sharing, understanding and mutual support are crucial to a successful collaboration. Failure in collaboration involves faulty interdependent relationships, lack of altruism, and lack of leaming motivation. Gender differences toward the concept of arguments and disagreements also play a role. Some pedagogical implications are suggested for ESLlEFL classroom use.