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Un Meurtre à Cinet (Un homicidio en Toluca): A Web and Email Whodunit to Develop Writing Competence in Intermediate-Level Language Classes
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, , California State University, United States

IJET Volume 3, Number 2, ISSN 1077-9124 Publisher: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE), Chesapeake, VA

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Abstract

Un Meurtre à Cinet (Un homicidio en Toluca) is an intermediate-level language, role-playing project in which students collaborate to solve a murder mystery using email, a listserver, and a World Wide Web (Web)-based environment. (See a demonstration of a multiple media package, including Internet activities, Web site, email murder mystery, and student CD-ROM at http://flan.csusb.edu/documentation/MurderDemo/Overview/overv.htm.) The murder mystery is designed to provide those students who study language at a distance with an opportunity to work collaboratively in a linguistically and culturally rich context without ever having to meet face-to-face. The use of email focuses attention on the subtleties of using writing as a communicative tool since students' ability to solve the murder mystery depends upon their ablity to ask challenging questions to gain the information they need while avoiding giving answers that incriminate themselves (http://flan.csusb.edu/documentation/MurderDemo/title.htm). The project makes extensive use of realia. The use of a Web-based environment allows for the distribution of this realia electronically, and the use of a listserver facilitates extensive asynchronous interactivity among the students regardless of location. Initial results, based upon attitudinal surveys, demonstrate that in most cases, students perceive this to be an interesting and valuable activity. Some students, however, expect instructors to pay more attention to grammatical accuracy when evaluating performance. A follow-up study will address these issues.

Citation

Oliver, W.C. & Nelson, T. (1997). Un Meurtre à Cinet (Un homicidio en Toluca): A Web and Email Whodunit to Develop Writing Competence in Intermediate-Level Language Classes. International Journal of Educational Telecommunications, 3(2), 205-217. Charlottesville, VA: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). Retrieved August 12, 2024 from .

© 1997 Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE)

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References

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