ENHANCING BUSINESS ENGLISH TERMINOLOGY
THROUGH CONCEPT MAPPING
Ana Balula1,2, Ciro Martins1, Fábio Marques1
1Águeda
School of Technology and Management
2Research Center “Didactics and Technology in Education of Trainers”
University of Aveiro (PORTUGAL)
Introduction
Business Context
ICT
Language
(Business English – lingua franca)
• Technical competences
Soft
competences
• Intercultural communication
• Intercultural collaboration
• Negotiation
• Critical thinking
Enhancing business English terminology through concept mapping - Ana Balula, Ciro Martins, Fábio Marques (EduLearn 2014)
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Language learning through CM
business English
• language for specific purposes
• second language acquisition
dual-coding
(Godwin-Jones, 2010)
target/source language
•
•
translation
definition …
•
•
multimedia
visual representation
Enhancing business English terminology through concept mapping - Ana Balula, Ciro Martins, Fábio Marques (EduLearn 2014)
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Language learning through CM
business English
• language for specific purposes
• second language acquisition
dual-coding
teaching/learning strategy
online
concept
mapping
(Godwin-Jones, 2010)
infographic
technique
target/source language
node-link paradigm
authentic
context
new cognitive structures
linked to
prior cognitive structures
•
•
translation
definition …
•
•
multimedia
visual representation
Enhancing business English terminology through concept mapping - Ana Balula, Ciro Martins, Fábio Marques (EduLearn 2014)
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Methodology
Main objective
To find evidence as to the (dis)advantages of implementing
Cmapping as teaching and learning strategy, in particular as to
the improvement of reading (comprehension) skills and
speaking skills (oral presentation) using business English
terminology.
Participants
30 students
Enrolled in the suject “English Applied to Management II”
(University of Aveiro)
Enhancing business English terminology through concept mapping - Ana Balula, Ciro Martins, Fábio Marques (EduLearn 2014)
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Methodology
Selected tool
Cmaptools
Data collection
Questionnaire
Data analysis techniques
Content analysis and descriptive statistical analysis
Enhancing business English terminology through concept mapping - Ana Balula, Ciro Martins, Fábio Marques (EduLearn 2014)
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Methodology
Phase Tasks
1
2
1.1. Presentation of concept map structures and Cmaptools
(1st face-to-face session)
1.2. Creation of e-cmap 1 – Unit 1 of the course syllabus
(online individual work – 2 weeks)
1.3. Teacher and peer feedback
(in group, 2nd face-to-face session)
2.1. Creation of e-cmap 2 – authentic news article
(online pair work – 2 weeks)
2.2. Peer review of e-cmap 2
(online pair work – 1 week)
2.3. Review of e-cmap 2 according to feedback received
(online pair work – 1 week)
2.4. Oral presentation and discussion of a news article based on e-cmap 2
(3rd face-to-face session)
Enhancing business English terminology through concept mapping - Ana Balula, Ciro Martins, Fábio Marques (EduLearn 2014)
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Results
e-Cmapping: difficulties identified by the students
concepts
linking words or phrases
selecting information
commenting other e-cmaps
Phase 1
Phase 2
understanding/integrating other students'
comments
understanding/integrating the teachers'
comments
using CmapTools
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Enhancing business English terminology through concept mapping - Ana Balula, Ciro Martins, Fábio Marques (EduLearn 2014)
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Results
e-Cmapping: advantages identified by the students
using e-cmaps to study
learning with the colleagues' e-cmaps
teachers' feedback
Phase 1
Phase 2
colleagues' feedback
online collaboration
business vs general English
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Enhancing business English terminology through concept mapping - Ana Balula, Ciro Martins, Fábio Marques (EduLearn 2014)
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Final remarks
To teach/learn business English through e-Cmapping, it
is crucial to:
• Be familiarized with the tool
 Technical features
 Online collaboration
• Understand the principles underlying Cmapping
• Work with authentic texts (motivation)
Enhancing business English terminology through concept mapping - Ana Balula, Ciro Martins, Fábio Marques (EduLearn 2014)
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Thank You!
Enhancing business English terminology through concept mapping - Ana Balula, Ciro Martins, Fábio Marques (EduLearn 2014)
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