MOOCs for language learning – opportunities and challenges: the case of the Open University Italian Beginners’ MOOCs

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) are a fairly recent development in online education. Language MOOCs (LMOOCs) have recently been added to the ever-growing list of open courses offered by various providers, including FutureLearn. For learners, MOOCs offer an innovative and inexpensive alternative to formal and traditional learning. For course designers and developers, this emerging learning model raises important issues concerning the affordances of the new learning environment and the rationale for adopting a particular pedagogical approach to sustain the learning experience. The authors offer an insight into their own experiences in designing and delivering an Italian for Beginners MOOC on Future Learn. This case study explores the opportunities and challenges we met and the link with existing research

Genetic variation for the duration of pre-anthesis development in durum wheat and its interaction with vernalization treatment and photoperiod

A recombinant inbred durum wheat population was grown under three contrasting regimes: long days following vernalization (LDV), long days without vernalization (LD), and short days following vernalization (SDV). The length of several pre-anthesis stages and the number of leaves and the phyllochron were measured. Different groups of genes were involved in determining the phenology in the three treatments, as demonstrated by a quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis. The length of the period required to reach the terminal spikelet stage was correlated with the time to anthesis only in the case of LDV- and LD-grown plants where the timing of anthesis depended on the final leaf number. However, for SDV-grown plants, anthesis date was more dependent on the length of the period between the terminal spikelet stage and anthesis and was independent of leaf number. The involvement of the phyllochron in determining the duration of pre-anthesis development was also treatment-dependent. QTL mapping of the various flowering time associated traits uncovered some novel loci (such as those associated with the phyllochron), in addition to confirming the presence of several well-established loci

Effects of triticale cultivars grown in a Mediterranean environment on biomass yield and quality

Triticale is a valuable crop in Mediterranean environments because its growth capacity at low temperatures and its precocity make it possible to obtain high biomass yields in early spring. Precocity of triticale is particularly appreciated in Mediterranean environment, where irrigation allows the sowing of a spring–summer corn crop after a winter cereal crop has been harvested for silage. In these conditions, early planted corn can take advantage of both longer-cycle cultivars and of the lower incidence of the European corn borer Ostrinia nubilalis attacks. Nutritional quality of triticale as forage is related to the phenological stage at harvest, cultivar choice, seeding rate and environmental conditions. The work reported in this paper was aimed at verifying if the hypothesized effects of the different habitus (cold requirement) of triticale cultivar grown at different seeding rates affect biomass quantity and quality at the stages of flowering and milk-waxy-maturity, which are the most relevant for triticale silage production

The Linkedup Project: an online repository for language teachers

LinkedUp is a repository of open educational resources (OER) aimed at language teachers and learners between 4-19 years. The main aim of the project was to tackle the shortage of free high quality online materials. The author examines how the use of technology and a ‘learner-centred’ approach led to the creation of engaging new learning activities. During the creative process, emphasis was placed on collaboration and openness with participants encouraged to share ideas throughout the project. This case study focuses on one project whose aim was to combine language learning with business studies and illustrates how learners, through a mixture of formal and informal activities and settings, contributed to the creation of the learning materials. It reports on how this creative engagement led to an increase in both the learners’ participation in the learning experience and in their appreciation of the importance of gaining transferable skills. At the end of the project a collection of reusable and adaptable digital and interactive materials was added to the site. This case study is part of a growing body of research on how the OER movement is democratising learning. However, as many of these projects still rely on short-term external funding, concerns are expressed about whether OER repositories are sustainable in the long term

A Netnographic Study Of Online Informal Language Learning Collaborations

This study employs netnography (Kozinets, 2015) to explore the dynamics of online informal peer collaborations in language learning and practice. Against the backdrop of increasing reliance on digital platforms for autonomous learning, this research examines (1) the part that spontaneous peer collaborations play in supporting language learning and practice, (2) the motivations driving learners to engage with others via social media, (3) the forms of collaboration that emerge in these digital contexts, and (4) how such collaborations contribute to language development. Drawing on the concepts of social presence, participatory literacy, participatory culture, and online global citizenship, the enquiry provides learner-centred insights into how collaboration in OILL enhances learner motivations and confidence, fosters authentic and spontaneous communication and bridges cultural divides, providing a powerful alternative to traditional learning approaches. Data were collected through online observation of interactions in three language learning communities combined with an online questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The research explores informal learner behaviours, practices and norms, captured in the three online sites. The multiple accounts, including the researcher’s reflections of her own experience, are triangulated to provide validity and rigour. Data is analysed using thematic analysis techniques to identify patterns across the dataset. The analysis revealed that learners engage in diverse collaborative practices, including reciprocal correction, resource sharing, co-construction of meaning, and emotional support. Motivations were found to range from the learner-centred pursuit of linguistic competence and intercultural exchange to the community centred development of social connections and accountability. The research finds that collaborations play a significant and multifaceted role in informal language learning, enhancing language proficiency, learner autonomy, and motivation, while also fostering a sense of belonging and mutual responsibility. The enquiry also reveals that learners formed different types of collaborations that varied from being highly structured and transactional (language exchange) to highly unstructured, spontaneous and emergent (chatting). In either case, learners indicated to adopt a variety of strategies (e.g. sharing, dealing with mistakes, peer modelling, peer-correction and feedback and translanguaging) that facilitated the development of their linguistic competence. The study identifies that learners’ attitudes towards the community can be described as broadly ‘altruistic’ or ‘instrumental’, with implications for both learner participation and literacy acquisition. By adopting netnography as a research method, the study demonstrates to be original and innovative and highlights its methodological value for studying peer generated collaborations through online interactions and digital participation as xperienced by the learners. Additionally, this enquiry offers valuable insights for research on social presence, participatory literacy, participatory culture, and online global citizenship. However, the researcher acknowledges certain limitations including the interpretive nature of the analysis, a small, self-selected sample, and the predominance of English in interactions. While multiple platforms were used to reflect the fluidity of online spaces, this sometimes resulted in excessive data. Ethical complexities in netnographic observation also posed challenges in interpreting context

Designing OERs to teach Italian pronunciation in an open educational environment: a case study

This case study reports on work that was carried out as part of a project developed by the Open University’s Department of Languages (Collaborative Writing and Peer Review) between November 2011 and May 2012. The project was led by the Open University’s LORO team and the participants were teachers in the Department of Languages. The teachers who took part in the project were interested in the collaborative production of OERs and in benefiting from each other's expertise and feedback in the field of online and blended language teaching and learning. The authors worked collaboratively in producing a set of online audio-visual materials aimed at helping students of Italian to master the pronunciation of five specific sounds. This process provided an example of how the production and design stage of OERs (which involved goal-setting, planning, researching and designing activities) benefited from openness and sharing. This case study is addressed to members of the online teaching community who are interested in the sharing of resources, practices and intellectual capital as a means to enhance professional development and raise individual tutors' and institutional profiles

Ancient wheat species are suitable to grain-only and grain plus herbage utilisations in marginal Mediterranean environments

Thanks to their low fertilization requirements and high consumer demand, ancient wheats and old durum wheat cultivars represent an attractive option for the marginal areas of Mediterranean environments no longer cultivated due to the low grain yields attainable using modern wheat cultivars. Dual-purpose utilization may increase their value in these cropping systems, but no information is available on the suitability of ancient wheat species to this type of utilization. To fill this gap, Khorasan, einkorn, and emmer wheats, clipped at the terminal spikelet stage or left unclipped, were compared in a two-year field trial. The grains were sown in the month of October, in Sardinia (41°N, 80 m asl), Italy, on low-fertility soils and with low-medium fertilization rates. Einkorn cultivars produced the highest biomass yield (2–3 t ha−1), reflecting the longer time to the onset of the terminal spikelet stage (119–138 days). After clipping, all species recovered their ability to intercept radiation to the levels of the unclipped crops, but clipping lowered their radiation use-efficiency. Grain yield was not penalized by clipping: the increase in the harvest index compensated for the decrease in biomass. Here we show for the first time that ancient wheat species are suitable for dual-purpose utilization (herbage plus grain in the same season) rendering them valuable for marginal areas; this was because the early sowing adopted for dual-purpose utilization allowed them to take full advantage of their lateness in terms of herbage yield, and to bring flowering forward (i.e. make it earlier) so that a satisfactory grain yield was obtained, even under severe water stress. Dual-purpose utilization of ancient wheats increases the sustainability of mixed cropping systems, by making herbage available to animals in a critical period, without decreasing the grain yield attainable after grazing in the same season

Durum wheat cultivars grown in Mediterranean environments can combine high grain nitrogen content with high grain yield

Grain protein percentage is one of the main determinants of durum wheat grain quality. However, high grain protein percentages are generally associated with low grain yields. Our aim was to identify the genotypic constraints to the realization of high grain yields with high grain nitrogen contents. To investigate this relationship, four cultivars specifically selected for their large range in 'grain yield-grain protein' relationship were compared across three seasons in a Mediterranean environment at three nitrogen (N) fertilization rates (0, 80 and 160 kg N ha(-1)). The genotypic superiority in protein percentage was consistently associated with lower number of grains m(-2) and high grain weight across years, N treatments and yield levels (from 3.5 to 8.5 t ha(-1)), whereas grain yield ranking varied with year and N treatment. A high and consistent grain protein percentage was the consequence of a high N uptake by anthesis (250 kg N ha(-1) at the higher N rate) and was consistently associated to a low grain yield. The good capacity to absorb N after anthesis, on the contrary, resulted in a grain N percentage less reliable than that obtained through a high pre-anthesis N uptake, but still high and associated with the ability to make the most of favourable weather conditions by combining a high grain N with a grain yield comparable to those of more productive cultivars. Post-anthesis N uptake and high potential grain weight are two interesting targets in breeding for high yielding, high protein cultivars

Effects of triticale cultivars grown in a Mediterranean environment on biomass yield and quality

Triticale is a valuable crop in Mediterranean environments because its growth capacity at low temperatures and its precocity make it possible to obtain high biomass yields in early spring. Precocity of triticale is particularly appreciated in Mediterranean environment, where irrigation allows the sowing of a spring–summer corn crop after a winter cereal crop has been harvested for silage. In these conditions, early planted corn can take advantage of both longer-cycle cultivars and of the lower incidence of the European corn borerOstrinia nubilalisattacks. Nutritional quality of triticale as forage is related to the phenological stage at harvest, cultivar choice, seeding rate and environmental conditions. The work reported in this paper was aimed at verifying if the hypothesized effects of the differenthabitus(cold requirement) of triticale cultivar grown at different seeding rates affect biomass quantity and quality at the stages of flowering and milk-waxy-maturity, which are the most relevant for triticale silage production

Investigating the benefits of online peer mentoring for student confidence and motivation

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to report the findings of an online peer-mentoring initiative for language students at the Open University, UK. The communities of practice (CoP) model (Wenger, 2010) was used as a theoretical framework within which to explore the nature and extent of mentor and mentee participation; and the impact of the scheme on student confidence and motivation. Design/methodology/approach - Within a qualitative paradigm, multi-data sources were employed to collect and analyse data. Participation was measured from analysis of online interaction, while participant views were captured through interviews, forum posts and surveys. Findings - Findings revealed that mentors were perceived by students who used the scheme to be instrumental in building confidence and motivation. In addition, varying participation patterns indicated that students used the online learning communities to meet their differing needs during their studies. These needs involved passively reading posts as well as actively posting. Research limitations/implications - Any direct statistical correlation between student confidence and motivation and online peer mentoring was beyond the scope of this study and could be the focus of future research. Additionally, research might also explore the impact of student mentors on student participation in wider CoPs. Practical implications - Practical recommendations from the study include the importance of mentor training to develop effective communication strategies and to differentiate the role from that of tutor moderators, whose remit is to respond to academic content-related queries in module-wide forums. Originality/value - There is little research into the nature and impact of online peer mentoring on student motivation and confidence. This study aimed to bridge this gap