The Application of Web Bulletin Board in English Language Teaching

Abstract

This article assesses the validity of the use of the Web Bulletin Board (WBB) in facilitating learners’ ability to construct knowledge, and the appropriateness of corpus methodology for an investigation of knowledge building. The pilot study, conducted in a clearly defined experimental environment, was strongly influenced by the approach to corpus analysis, which regards language as a social phenomenon and discourse as a diachronic dimension in which all knowledge is contained. Results showed that the use of the bulletin board was a valuable tool to facilitate knowledge building. This article starts with a brief look at the development of technology in education, followed by a detailed description of the WBB, an inbuilt feature of MOODLE. Students’ use of the WBB is then discussed in terms of four components: context, time, inquiry, and interaction. The article concludes with some insightful implications on collaborative construction of meaning and appropriateness of corpus methodology, and a number of suggestions for further research on WBB application in constructing a knowledge building community.