A platform for developing student competence: a look at the online Korean classroom

Abstract

This paper looks at the online undergraduate classroom in a South Korean context. Due to the prolonged COVID 19 pandemic, educational institutions around the world have adapted to online learning for course delivery. In addition, recent years have seen an increase in attention to multimodality, and according to Stein (2000), an array of resources including language and other modes, such as gesture, sound, images, textures, and silences should be used when making meaning. Multimodality can play an important part in developing L2 learners’ awareness and sensitivity to language and meaning, for increased effective communication. The current study looks at the undergraduate learner in an online, multimodal classroom context. Students met online through Zoom weekly for their classes and participated in online discussions with the lecturer and their fellow peers. Results indicate L2 learners’ heightened awareness of both linguistic and multimodal aspects developed through the online learning platform. The details of the class and overall design will be outlined in the paper, as will examples and data excerpts. While the current study was based in a South Korean undergraduate classroom, the pedagogical method can be easily applied across different contexts and adapted to suit various classrooms and needs.