Interaction with Tutors and Peers in Virtual Classroom: A Case Study of Online English Language Teaching Programme in Pakistan

Abstract

Interaction is one of the important aspects of effective learning environment. Interaction can take place in different forms. It may be between a student and course materials, student and learning activities, student and teacher and among students. Computer-mediated communication (CMC) offers a type of interaction which is different from the traditional teacher-based classroom as it provides the learners multiple opportunities to explore alternative means to interact with teachers, peers, course material and activities. The present study focuses on feedback of the students who attended online courses of MA Teaching of English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) offered by the Department of English Language and Applied Linguistics of Allama Iqbal Open Univerisy (AIOU). In this experimental study, two groups of students were selected randomly for CMC-based instructions in 2007 and 2008. The results of the experimentation suggested that the use of CMC in the existing distance education system improved peer interaction in a virtual classroom which helped students in their learning and professional development.