Pixel International Conferences

Much of the research dealing with digital technology in university education has emphasized its impact on students’ engagement with academic studies. The use of digital content in applied linguistics also has a high didactic potential, considering that one of the defining features of this field is the connection it creates between linguistic observations, the resulting analysis and the real world. In the case of corpus linguistic approaches, applications are self-directing due to the data-oriented character of the discipline. However, teaching applied corpus linguistics can be a challenge to university teachers, who have to tackle issues of motivation, methodology and data interpretation.
Drawing on technology-supported education, the paper argues that students can be successfully motivated to write academic papers in linguistics if they elaborate on topics related to real-life interests specific to their peer group. These topics imply the use of data resources such as vlogs, blogs, forums or video platforms. I will discuss several digital content solutions that a MA thesis can adopt so that students can resonate with their learning and academic tasks. In addition, I will present and debate on the development of the topic for a master’s thesis in the area of applied corpus linguistics. Thesis supervision challenges and recommendations will also be integrated into the discussion.

Keywords: applied linguistics, corpus linguistics, new technologies, digital content, MA thesis, thesis supervision, academic writing, innovative teaching, teaching linguistics, vlogging.

References:

[1] Henderson, M., Selwyn, N., and Aston, R. “What works and why? Student perceptions of ‘useful’ digital technology in university teaching and learning”, Studies in Higher Education, 2017, 42: 8, 1567-1579, DOI: 10.1080/03075079.2015.1007946.
[2] Crystal, D. “Internet linguistics: a student guide”. London, Routledge, 2011.
[3] Hundt, M., Nesselhauf, N., and Biewer, C.(eds).  “Corpus linguistics and the web”, Amsterdam/New York, Rodopi, 2007.
[4] Chitez. M. “Corpus-based phraseology use within an academic writing platform: a plagiarism check”, Conference Proceedings. ICT for Language Learning. 9th edition, Florence, Italy, 17 -18 November 2016, Pixel, Libreriauniversi-taria.it, 2016.
[5] Biel, J.I. and Gatica-Perez, D. “Voices of Vlogging”, Proceedings of the Fourth International AAAI Conference on Weblogs and Social Media, Washington, D.C., May 23-26, 2010, The AAAI Press, Menlo Park, California, 2010, 211-214.
[6] Riboni, G. “THE YOUTUBE MAKEUP TUTORIAL VIDEO: A preliminary linguistic analysis of the language of "makeup gurus"”, Lingue e Linguaggi, 2017, Vol. 21, 189-205.Internet linguistics: A student guide (New York, Routledge. 2011)