A Participatory Survey on Effective Utilization of Teacher-Student and Student-Peer Interaction on Online Platforms in Second Language Teaching Pedagogy

Abstract

Education today has moved from direct interaction with students to distant learning as a means of adapting to the restrictions caused by the pandemic. The traditional classroom has been replaced by synchronous e-learning platforms introducing a novel experience to the teachers and students alike. In this light, the present study investigated the effective use of interaction in the virtual second language classroom at undergraduate level. The data was collected through a self administered questionnaire distributed among a group of 116 undergraduate participants representing the first and the second years of three BSc degree programs. In addition, focus group discussions were also employed to obtain the learners’ perception on virtual language learning. The findings revealed that while the learners were benefitted from online learning activities, interaction takes place best in the traditional physical classroom. Further, the responses to the questionnaire indicated that even though communication with peers was an effective approach towards language development, the learners prefer the involvement of the teacher during interactive activities. However, as per the outcomes of the study, it was evident that the participants were satisfied with online language learning as they viewed it as an innovative experience and a productive approach in second language acquisition.