Instanarratives: Stories of foreign language learning on Instagram
Introduction
From an ecological point of view, environments provide meaningful opportunities to learners. Therefore, it is by interacting with and within the environments that meanings become available, and affordances are perceived. As well as Connectivism, the Ecological Perspective does not see learning as a head-to-head meaning transfer, but rather as emergence of actionable knowledge, possibilities for dealing with the world, a networked world.
This paper reports on a study whose main objective was to investigate foreign Language Learning Histories (LLHs) in an online community (Rheingold, 1994). Based on Connectivism and Learning Ecology, this study explores an online community on Instagram as a learning network. The analysis also considers the elements, characteristics, and parameters of networks (Siemens, 2005, 2006, 2008; Downes, 2010, 2012), as well as the affordances (Gibson, 1986; van Lier, 2000, 2002, 2004) perceived in personal learning networks (Richardson & Mancabelli, 2011).
Section snippets
Connectivism: understanding learning in contemporary times
Connectivism is a learning theory which conceives knowledge as constructed through the establishment of networks and connections. From this perspective, learning is the ability to build knowledge within networks. Knowledge is available in the world and emerges from connections and interactions with humans and non-human appliances.
This theory is proposed by Siemens (2005) who argues that the development of learning theories, such as behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism happened before
Methods
As stated by Dörnyei (2007), qualitative research involves procedures that result in primarily open and non-numerical data that are subsequently analyzed by non-statistical methods. Denzin and Lincoln (2006) claim that qualitative research offers a field of investigation characterized by crossing disciplines, fields, and subjects. In their perspective, the qualitative approach emphasizes the qualities of entities, processes, and meanings that cannot be quantified or measured experimentally.
Understanding the learning network
By analyzing the 48 instant stories, the messages sent by the followers, as well as their comments, several aspects related to the network principles proposed by Downes (2012) were identified. They will be presented in the following subsections.
Concluding remarks
By analyzing the instanarratives community under the theoretical perspectives addressed in this paper, it became evident that it is a learning network in expansion. Instagram analytics indicated continuous follower growth. Furthermore, the expressive likes, impressions, and reach rates indicate that the network is evolving, which suggests a strong possibility to constitute more nodes and stronger connections.
In their LLHs, members mention several elements they believe could offer benefits to
CRediT authorship contribution statement
Ronaldo Corrêa Gomes Junior: Conceptualization, Investigation, Data curation, Writing - original draft, Visualization.
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank my colleagues Daniela Ferreira, Diego Mideros, Junia Braga and Vera Menezes for their thoughtful suggestions on this study. Their insights greatly helped improve the ideas in this article. I am also grateful to the anonymous reviewers for their specific suggestions. Their perspicacious comments also enriched my research knowledge.
References (44)
- et al.
Emoções no desenvolvimento de Habilidades orais com tecnologias digitais
(2017) language Learning in mind body world: A sociocognitive approach to second language acquisition
Language Teaching
(2014)Narrativas, crenças e experiências de aprender inglês
Revista Linguagem & Ensino
(2006)Narrative research in applied linguistics
(2013)- et al.
Narrative inquiry in language teaching and learning
(2014) Connectivism: Its place in theory-informed research and innovation in technology-enabled learning
International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning
(2011)English-language learners, fan communities, and 21st century skills
Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy
(2011)The social turn in second language acquisition
(2003)- et al.
Aprendizagem móvel No contexto de formação continuada: Um estudo sobre as affordances emergentes de interações de professores de inglês via whatsapp
Polifonia
(2017) - et al.
The SAGE handbook of qualitative research
(2005)
Research methods in applied linguistics
Learning networks and connective knowledge
Connectivism and connective knowledge: Essays on meaning and learning networks
Social dimensions and differences in instructed SLA
We are not alone: The power of personal learning networks
Synergy
The ecological approach to perception
Connectivism: A knowledge learning theory for the digital age?
Medical Teacher
Os aprendizes são viajantes: Identidades metaforizadas de estudantes de inglês de Hong Kong e belo horizonte
Scripta
TECH2TALK: o desenvolvimento de habilidades orais por meio de tecnologias digitais
Caminhos em Linguística Aplicada
Affordances de tecnologias digitais para o desenvolvimento de habilidades orais em inglês
Revista Brasileira de Linguística Aplicada
Computer-mediated language learning: Making meaning in multimodal virtual learning spaces
JALT CALL Journal
Doing and writing qualitative research
Cited by (9)
Instagram for learning interculturally: a blueprint in a global Englishes era
2024, Language and Intercultural CommunicationForeign Language Learning in the Digital Wilds: A Qualitative Research Synthesis
2023, CALICO JournalExploring the effect of social media in Personal Learning Environments in the university settings: analysing experiences and detecting future challenges
2023, Revista de Educación a DistanciaThe Role of the Russian Social Network Vkontakte During the Covid-19 Pandemic in Teaching Students of Agro-Industrial Faculties the First Foreign Language
2023, Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems