'Kaikille okei?' Everyone All Right? Shifting Topics and Practices in Language Students' Chats during the Global COVID-19 Pandemic

Indiana University. 107 South Indiana Avenue, Bryan Hall 203B, Bloomington, IN 47405. Tel: 317-274-5647; Fax: 317-278-2360; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: https://scholarworks.iu.edu/journals/index.php/jotlt

Y

21

Finno Ugric Languages; Second Language Instruction; COVID-19; Pandemics; School Closing; Online Courses; Distance Education; Foreign Countries; College Students; Blended Learning; Computer Mediated Communication; Well Being; Teaching Methods; Games; Learning Activities; Interpersonal Communication; Social Isolation; Peer Relationship; Visual Stimuli; Social Media

Canada (Toronto); Indiana

2165-2554

We investigated practices and emerging themes in a Finnish-as-a-foreign-language course virtual chat that took place between two Finnish language classes in two North American universities. Because of the unforeseen 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in spring 2020, both universities were suddenly required to move all instruction online to prevent the spread of the virus through physical distancing. We describe and analyze differences in the class chat from before the pandemic to after the transition to remote learning. The main focus is on the COVID-19-related themes and topics the participants shared during the associated lockdown. In addition, we examine what kinds of collaborative activities are created while chatting outside the classroom.

ERIC

2021

EJ1294693