Potential Effects of Mobile Jigsaw II Activities on Teamwork, Language Performance and Language Anxiety

Abstract

Teamwork and English language skills are crucial for the 21st century workforce. The significance of such skills is continously emphasised in numerous reports both from developed and developing countries. In Sri Lanka, too, employers are consistently looking for teamwork and English language skills in potential employees. Further, it has been argued that language anxiety could impede the development of teamwork and English language skills. Therefore, alleviating language anxiety can be seen as vital to promoting these two important skills. It has been suggested in the literature that mobile computer supported collaborative learning (mCSCL) could foster teamwork, language performance and alleviate language anxiety. However, limited studies have examined the potential effects of mCSCL learning by applying structured collaborative learning strategies, such as Jigsaw II activities, in a mobile environment. The purpose of this study was to examine the potential influences of mobile Jigsaw II activities on teamwork skills, language performance and language anxiety in a technical and vocational education and training (TVET) setting in Sri Lanka. A quasi-experimental mixed-method design was employed with a sample of 94 students enrolled in a mandatory Building Career Skills course. Data were collected using questionnaires, open-ended surveys, researcher’s field notes and WhatsApp interactions. The quantitative results indicated that the students of mobile Jigsaw II group had a higher perception of their decision-making and adaptability skills than the two other groups, indicating that the intervention would have likely made a difference in those two areas. However, there was no evidence that mobile Jigsaw II could improve other teamwork-related skills, language performance and decrease language anxiety any more than for the other groups. On the contrary, the qualitative data indicated positive improvements in teamwork skills, language skills and degree of language anxiety. Overall, this thesis contributes to understanding ways in which participants’ language anxiety and beliefs about language learning could hinder the acquisition of skills and how factors such as lack of social interactions, intervention duration, group size, social skills and device distractions can influence the learning outcomes. This study and its findings, therefore, highlight the importance of considering diverse dimensions when investigating participants’ learning outcomes.