Speaker
Description
Distant learning and constant changes in learning process organization have shown that there is a significant need to select the technologies to scaffold the learning process in humanities. Students should be equipped with the tools to conduct research, visualize data and acquire study material.
The goal of the present ongoing research is to investigate the functionality of digital tools Knightlab and Twine and pilot them at the tertiary level. The theoretical research framework considers the application of behaviourism, web-constructivism and cooperative learning principles in the digital learning environment.
The present study is an exploratory case study which investigates the functionality and students' attitude to Knightlab and Twine digital tools. The tools enhance text perception and processing skills and enable the students to do text analysis using Knighlab timeline tool to represent a chronological narration and Twine interactive game to represent cyclical narration digitally.
The research unfolds by investigating the functionality of the tools, considering their relevance for deductive and inductive instruction. Then, the seminar tasks for piloting are developed to form and develop students’ understanding of applied linguistics and digital humanities as branches of linguistics. Finally, the students' attitude is collected through a survey.
The yielded research results show that the functionality of the tools allows the delivery of the subject matter interactively and investigates text rhetorical organization in depth. Since it is rather new for students, if the assignment set-up is in teams, it will facilitate the development of interpersonal and transversal skills and stimulate an active learning experience of a complex subject matter. It occurs because once students are placed in a cooperative environment, they are forced to work towards individual and group goals. Some of them are more advanced with technologies than others, so distributing roles will be an instrument to maximize individual and peer learning outcomes. The more engagement is provided, the more advanced knowledge base and general cognitive development are achieved by students. The students also note that groupwork enables the acquisition of digital tools and concepts in humanities.
Affiliation of the author(s)
University of Latvia
Biographical note(s) of the author(s)
I am an associate professor at the University of Latvia, Faculty of Humanities. My research interests comprise descriptive grammar and the use of digital tools in the learning process.
| Contact e-mail address | jana.kuzmina@lu.lv |
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