{"id":18200,"date":"2022-02-04T00:40:07","date_gmt":"2022-02-03T15:40:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.tesl-ej.org\/wordpress\/?page_id=18200"},"modified":"2022-02-11T17:59:36","modified_gmt":"2022-02-11T08:59:36","slug":"ej100a9","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/tesl-ej.org\/wordpress\/issues\/volume25\/ej100\/ej100a9\/","title":{"rendered":"Addressing Media Literacy through an International Virtual Exchange: A Report of One ESL-EFL Collaboration"},"content":{"rendered":"

February 2022 – Volume 25, Number 4<\/h2>\n

Nikola Lehotska<\/strong>
\nConstantine The Philosopher University in Nitra, Slovakia
\n<nikola.lehotska\"atmark\"ukf.sk><\/p>\n

Zuzana Toma\u0161<\/strong>
\nEastern Michigan University, Michigan, United States
\n<ztomas\"atmark\"emich.edu><\/p>\n

Margita Vojtkulakova<\/strong>
\nFrontier International Academy, Detroit, Michigan, United States
\n<vojtkulakovam\"atmark\"gee-edu.com><\/p>\n

Abstract<\/h3>\n

This article contributes to the literature on the value of Virtual Exchanges (VEs) in the field of technology-mediated language learning. Specifically, we report on a pilot program for high school English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners in Slovakia and English as a Second Language (ESL) learners in Michigan, USA who engaged in a 10-week, international VE focused on media literacy. Learners in both countries collaborated on a project that involved developing and administering a survey on media literacy beliefs and practices among high schoolers at their institutions and provided feedback on their international peers\u2019 survey designs and presentations of survey findings. Learners also worked to raise awareness about misinformation through a media literacy campaign implemented in their social media networks. To guide language educators interested in implementing VEs, we also address the technological tools that enhanced the VE program and discuss several pedagogical issues that are important to consider in VEs for language learners.<\/p>\n

Keywords<\/em><\/strong>: English Language Education, Media Literacy, Virtual Exchange<\/p>\n

The Need to Teach Media Literacy<\/h3>\n

Traditionally, literacy pedagogy, whether in ESL or EFL contexts, has revolved around teaching students to read and write. With the advances of the internet and other technologies, literacy has increasingly been conceptualized as a much more multifaceted competency. For example, the Framework for 21st Century Learning foregrounds information, media, and ICT (information and communications technology) literacy in addition to the mastery of one\u2019s native and world language, as well as career and life skills (Partnership for 21st Century Learning, 2019). New Literacies is another theoretical framework that expands beyond foundational reading and writing skills, and recognizes the evolving nature of literacy and the role of new technologies, online social interactions, and shifts from \u201coffline\u201d to \u201conline\u201d literacy (Leu et al., 2015).<\/p>\n

Among the expanded types of literacies is media literacy<\/em> which has been defined as one\u2019s ability to \u201caccess, analyze, evaluate, create, and act using all forms of communication\u201d and \u201cencode and decode the symbols transmitted via media and synthesize, analyze and produce mediated messages\u201d (National Association for Media Literacy Education, n.d., p. 1). Pedagogy for media literacy primarily draws upon discussions of credibility and warnings about manipulation (National Association for Media Literacy Education, 2019), such as in the case of click baits, sponsored content, photo and video manipulation, and fake news. At the more global level, media literacy is seen as critical in advancing democracy (e.g., Jolls & Johnsen, 2018; Mason et al., 2018), and, at times, even a prerequisite for survival (e.g., in instances where misinformation about pandemics, vaccinations, etc. leads to death of individuals unable to discern the differences between hoax or fake news and legitimate, scientifically-based information).<\/p>\n

When educators think about addressing media literacy in the context of their individual countries and\/or regions, they are wary of the fact that media literacy is politicized and, at times, even biased\u2014a concern we ourselves grappled with when teaching these skills prior to the VE program. To illustrate, consider a single English language classroom with students whose families may be politically polarized, who themselves may be divided on key issues around politics or religion, who may be suspicious of each other\u2019s beliefs and doubtful about each other\u2019s sources of information. Students may feel reactionary toward certain topics, texts, or tasks, or even shut down when a teacher attempts to address the topic of misinformation, fake news, etc.<\/p>\n

So, how can language teachers begin to address media literacy in ways that do not further divisiveness, but instead, cultivate openness and critical thinking? It is our view that addressing media literacy with an international, rather than regional or national framing, can create more productive instructional spaces. One way to accomplish this is through the use of Virtual Exchanges (VEs) – a globalized approach that has already shown promise as a vehicle for addressing media literacy (see Hobbs et al., 2018 for a pilot university-level VE project on political propaganda). In the sections that follow, we first briefly describe VEs and then discuss how and why our VE program succeeded in engaging English learners in the United States and Slovakia in a meaningful media literacy project. We demonstrate how the VE facilitated the establishment of a temporary global community wherein learners felt invested in not only practicing English and increasing intercultural awareness, but also in developing a greater sense of global citizenship through playing an active role in promoting media literacy.<\/p>\n

The Value of Virtual Exchanges in Language Education<\/h3>\n

Language educators\u2019 interest in and use of VEs has grown rapidly over the past 20 years (O\u2019Dowd, 2021). Whether referred to as telecollaboration (Guth & Helm, 2010), collaborative online international learning, e-tandem learning, or online intercultural exchange (Lewis & O\u2019Dowd, 2016), VEs involve two groups of students who communicate and collaborate together in an online environment (Lewis & O\u2019Dowd, 2016; O\u2019Dowd, 2021). This collaboration can take the form of information exchange, comparison and analysis, and collaboration on a common product (Hauck, 2019; O\u2019Dowd & Waire, 2009). The information exchange tasks engage participants in sharing information around their personal lives, experiences, interests, and countries. The comparison and analysis VE tasks provide opportunities for learners to determine similarities and differences between their cultures in different contexts, as well as compare and analyze their perspectives on various topics experienced globally. The collaborative tasks engage learners in deep thinking or acquisition of specific skills and\/or prompt them to work together toward a common end product, such as an e-magazine, a poster, a presentation, a community-project, etc. Many VEs progress through the tasks or combine them in order to meet their specific goals.<\/p>\n

Implementation of VEs in language classrooms has demonstrated benefits for learners related to the development of language skills, intercultural communication, digital literacy, and encouragement of independent learning (Guth & Helm, 2010; O\u2019Dowd & Waire, 2009)\u2014all of which are important in attaining competences around global citizenship (Lenkaitis & Loranc-Paszylk, 2021). These skills are particularly relevant for life in the 21st century\u2014people communicate with each other via the internet on a daily basis. This online communication often involves internet users from all over the world via various online platforms, which proved particularly helpful during the recent COVID-19 pandemic (e.g., Cohen & Daniel, 2021; O\u2019Dowd, 2021). Undoubtedly, teachers with experience and expertise in implementing VEs and other meaningful, engaging technological tools were better positioned to provide effective online pedagogy. Indeed, VEs can greatly facilitate the improvement of 21st century skills, including competencies in digital literacy as educational activities are increasingly mediated by technology (Hauck, 2019).<\/p>\n

An ESL-EFL VE Program on Media Literacy<\/h3>\n

Building on scholarship that examines the value of VEs in addressing media literacy in the university context (e.g., Hobbs et al., 2018) and our own interest and experiences in this area, we developed a collaborative VE program that engaged a group of Slovak EFL students and a group of U.S.-based ESL learners. Both groups of students attended a high school; eight Slovak EFL students self-selected to participate in the 10-week VE after-school program and 10 ESL learners from Michigan as part of their ESL curriculum. During the 10 weeks, the Slovak students met synchronously via Google Meet for at least 60 minutes once a week. The U.S.-based learners attended their 40-minute Zoom ESL classes twice a week. The Slovak students were homogeneous in terms of their cultural background and their English proficiency ranged between high intermediate (B2 levels) to low advanced (C1 level) according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR; Council of Europe, 2020). The ESL learners came to Michigan from Yemen and Bangladesh and were bilingual in Arabic or Bengali and English. In English, four students tested at WIDA 2 level and six students at WIDA 3 level (A2-B1 according to CEFR).<\/p>\n

Similar to Beckett and Slater\u2019s Project Framework (2005), our VE was guided by three broad goals that represented our vision for content, language, and skills development in the program (see Table 1). In essence, media literacy was conceptualized as “content” in our program with the focus on distinguishing fake and real news. Students analyzed examples using a fact-checking strategy of lateral reading (Breakstone et al., 2021; KQED, n.d.).<\/p>\n

Table 1. Goals for the ESL-EFL VE Program on Media Literacy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Language Development <\/strong><\/td>\nMedia Literacy Development <\/strong><\/td>\n21st Century Skills Development <\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Create a meaningful, authentic learning opportunity to practice English language and intercultural communication skills.<\/td>\nEngage students in critical thinking in the area of media literacy, with a specific focus on recognizing fake news, considering the audience, and exercising agency to promote media literacy awareness.<\/td>\nInvolve students in developing key 21st century skills, such as creativity, collaboration, self-direction, and technology skills.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/a>
\nThe early sessions of the media literacy program (see Appendix A<\/a> for a PowerPoint lesson plan of lessons 1 and 2) focused on identifying and verifying fake news (see Appendix B<\/a> for an overview of the 10 program sessions). The key vocabulary on fake news (e.g., reliable information,<\/em> misinformation<\/em>, disinformation<\/em>, propaganda<\/em>, clickbait<\/em>, sponsored content<\/em>) was explicitly addressed and the impact of fake news discussed. Learners were introduced to risky media behavior enacted by so-called \u201cmedia monsters\u201d (National Association for Media Literacy Education, n.d.) and brainstormed ideas on how to protect themselves from becoming a media monster. They considered and practiced the lateral reading strategy and were guided to pose critical questions such as: Is this real? Is this fake? How do I know?<\/em> Once they familiarized themselves with the terms and different techniques to recognize real from fake news, they collaboratively worked on creating a list of strategies. The activities (e.g., Appendix C<\/a>) in the program were learner-centered, modeled by the teacher when needed, and scaffolded with sentence frames.<\/p>\n

Following the above-described lessons on media literacy, we chose to localize the content by having each group of learners create a survey for peers at their respective schools. Although this meant losing some opportunities for mixed-group collaboration on the main projects, it was important to us to center learner agency and possibility for impact in students\u2019 respective local communities. The survey was designed to assess competencies and attitudes related to identifying and processing fake news. Learners drafted questions for their media literacy survey focused on awareness of fake news, provided feedback to each other, and drew inspiration from each other\u2019s drafts as they worked to revise and eventually present their surveys. They wanted to learn how much their school communities know about fake news; hence, both sets of surveys included similar open-ended questions, such as: What is fake news?<\/em> Where do you get your information from?<\/em> How do you check if information is real or fake? How do you recognize fake news?<\/em> In their survey, the Slovak learners were interested in respondents\u2019 feelings about fake news, while the U.S.-based learners wanted to know if their respondents were able to recognize click baits and fake news based on the given examples (see Appendix D<\/a> for the students\u2019 surveys).<\/p>\n

After analyzing their survey results, learners created Google Slides based on their findings (see Appendix E<\/a> for the Slovak EFL learners\u2019 presentation and U.S.-based ESL learners\u2019 presentation) and practiced presentation skills. Next, learners presented results of their survey to their international peers in a synchronous meeting and compared their findings, carefully considering similarities and differences. Finally, learners reflected on key trends in their surveys and their partners\u2019 and used them as a foundation for their online media literacy campaigns (see Appendix F<\/a>), which consisted of a series of Facebook and Instagram posts that highlighted the key media literacy insights from the surveys and students\u2019 research on recognizing fake news. In their posts, students were also expected to apply concepts from a lesson involving the Pathos-Logos-Ethos concepts by making their posts compelling to the specific local audiences (see Appendix G<\/a> for the full lesson plan). The media literacy campaigns were posted on schools\u2019 Facebook and Instagram accounts and received multiple positive responses from students\u2019 peers.<\/p>\n

Regarding English language development, the VE lessons provided learners with opportunities to:<\/p>\n