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Conclusion
Students received course credit for their work in the Online Reading and Research
project, based on a topic proposal and the summary evaluation posts. This no doubt
contributed to their motivation to work online, but the class discussions and student
feedback also indicated that students perceived immediate practical value and
relevance in the project and the use of the Moodle forums to facilitate the group work.
For this particular EAP project, the use of technology is inextricably linked to the
pedagogical aims and learner needs which inform those aims. Within the teaching
context, face-to-face classroom time is quite limited and the time required for
effective collaborative work on the project exceeds available classroom instructional
hours. A blended design allows for a face-to-face induction period and ongoing
instructor support, while providing flexible opportunities for learner reflection
and online collaboration.
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