Engaging with the world: Applying connected learning in a university language learning context

Abstract

This article introduces an empirical study of “Connected Learning” in a Japanese EFL classroom context, instantiated through the Bridging Activities pedagogical framework. Students considered their interests, made groups, and joined Reddit communities. Self-selected texts were then analyzed with rigorous teacher mediation. Students participated by creating Reddit posts and several presentations detailing their text analysis and participation. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected from these presentations and questionnaires. Findings revealed that students in this context focused predominantly on gaming and anime communities, and participated multimodally using text, images, videos, and polls. Regarding language learning, attention was paid to cultural similarities and differences, vocabulary, acronyms, and slang. Student perceptions were positive, with 96% of students considering the topics covered appropriate to their future language needs. Additionally, the opportunity to engage in intercultural communication with target language users was considered novel, meaningful, and empowering. Pedagogical implications of using public websites in FL instruction and future research ideas are discussed.