Incorporating cultural literacy coursework into the digital learning system: a case study in the technical and vocational education system of Taiwan

Yvonne Wen Ying-ya, Pamela Tseng Chiu-fen
National Formosa University

Lai Yen-shou
National Chung-Cheng University
Taiwan

To enhance cultural literacy, the first author developed three sets of coursework and integrated them into the e-Campus 3 Digital Learning System of National Formosa University (NFU) in Taiwan for students in the Department of Applied Foreign Languages. The e-Campus 3 Digital Learning System is a web-based menu-driven system that provides access to courseware where students are supposed to post their weekly learning logs after class, to take quizzes and submit assignments. Students can respond to others' messages asynchronously if they wish to; and they can also reach ten exercises prepared with Author Plus?through the link posted online in the system. In addition, they can review what is taught in class by downloading the audio-visual files made with Mimic Builder?out of the PowerPoint slides shown in class (these audio-visual files are now stored online in the web-pages of the Digital Learning Centre at NFU).

Questionnaires were given to students to find out their responses and receptiveness to this approach to learning, and the results were analysed on the basis of the three types of interaction proposed by Michael Moore (1989). The findings showed that over 90% of the students found it not too difficult to adjust to this virtual learning environment. Also, more than 60% of them interacted with others, besides posting their own reflections; and a similar percentage interacted with the multimedia teaching materials after class by downloading the PowerPoint and audio-visual files and reviewing them at home. Interaction took place not only between students and students but also between teacher and students via asynchronous discussion online -- which, according to the first author, contributed to classroom instruction and activities. Overall, the digital learning system enhanced student interaction and their teaching evaluations demonstrated satisfaction with the process.