The Effect of Asynchronous Computer-Mediated Condition on Iranian Undergraduate Learners' Speaking Ability and Behavioral Engagement (Research Paper)

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of asynchronous computer-mediated communication condition on intermediate English language learners' engagement with speaking tasks and speaking accuracy, fluency, and complexity. The participants of this study included 40 intermediate undergraduate students who were assigned to two groups of face-to-face and computer-mediated groups. In the face-to-face group, the participants completed their speaking tasks in class and in a face-to-face fashion, and in the computer-mediated condition, the learners used an asynchronous computer-mediated tool (Edmodo) to accomplish the speaking tasks. During each task, the participants watched a monologue video, analyzed it, presented a similar monologue, and exchanged comments on their peers' oral products. The findings indicated the superiority of computer-mediated condition over the face-to-face one in improving foreign language learners' speaking accuracy and fluency; however, the complexity scores were not significantly different across the two conditions. The findings also showed that the learners in the computer-mediated condition provided a higher number of form language-related episodes and produced longer monologues.