Development of online teaching in communication and language studies

University students’ experiences and perceptions of communication

Authors

• Janne Niinivaara Helsingin yliopisto
• Heini Lehtonen Helsingin yliopisto

DOI: https://doi.org/10.33352/prlg.119994

Keywords:

language learning, language centre, teaching development, online teaching, communication competence

Abstract

This article examines the perceptions and experiences university students have on communication in online courses at a language centre during the pandemic. Based on the results, we outline guidelines for research-based pedagogical development suitable for language centres. We focus on clarifying/assessing the effects online teaching has on the development of communication and language skills. This article is based on a student survey collected at the University of Helsinki in 2021 (n=512). In the data-driven content analysis, three key issues were found: teacher's different forms of presence, special characteristics of peer communication, and the competing needs and expectations of communication in the online teaching of communication and language studies. Students' perceptions and experiences of the desired and suitable communication during the online courses varied greatly both in the communication among the students and with the teachers. This article proposes a more systematic consideration of this variety in the teaching programmes, in curriculum design and in the development of various forms of teaching and instructional communication.  In the development of language centre teaching, interdisciplinary understanding drawn from both communication sciences and linguistics should be utilized/used. It is particularly important to identify and define digital communication competence and develop it in communication and language studies. Digitization and online teaching should not only be approached as teaching methods, but in the development of teaching. The technological environments of working life must also be consistently considered as places and goals for communication competence.