Enhancing National Cultural Awareness through Podcasts: Action Research Study in English Language Teaching

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine contribution of podcast-based teaching on national cultural awareness level of high school students. This study was designed as action research. As data collection tools, a 5-point Likert-type questionnaire was conducted as a pre-test before the application, two semi-structured interviews were conducted during the application and used as reflective journals, and finally, a third semi-structured interview was carried out at the end of the process in order to evaluate the participants’ overall experiences. The participant students prepared English podcast contents on different themes (e.g. music, art, hospitability, mythology and cuisine) and shared them in digital platforms. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistical methods, whereas qualitative data were analyzed through content analysis. The findings indicate that the process of preparing podcasts was effective in enhancing students’ English communication skills and played a significant role in fostering their national cultural awareness. In addition, students were observed to have made noticeable progress in their digital literacy skills. Therefore, it can be concluded that podcast-based practices may serve as an effective pedagogical tool for supporting the transmission of cultural values in foreign language education.

Keywords

• Podcast
• ELT
• National cultural awareness
• action research
• intercultural communicative competence
• ICC

Podcastler Yoluyla Millî Kültürel Farkındalığın Geliştirilmesi: İngilizce Öğretiminde Bir Eylem Araştırması

Abstract

Bu araştırmanın amacı, İngilizce öğretiminde podcastlerin kullanımının lise öğrencilerinin millî kültürel farkındalık düzeylerine katkısını incelemektir. Çalışma, eylem araştırması deseniyle yürütülmüştür. Veri toplama aracı olarak, uygulamadan önce 5’li Likert tipi anket ön test olarak kullanılmış, uygulamada sırasında iki adet yarı yapılandırılmış görüşme öğrencilerin deneyim günlükleri olarak kullanılmış ve son olarak süreç sonunda yapılan yarı yapılandırılmış görüşme, öğrencilerin deneyimlerini bütünsel olarak değerlendirmeleri amacıyla gerçekleştirilmiştir. Öğrenciler, Türk kültürüne ait çeşitli temalar (müzik, sanat, misafirperverlik, mitoloji, Türk mutfağı vb.) üzerine İngilizce podcast içerikleri hazırlamış ve bunları dijital platformlarda paylaşmıştır. Nicel veriler betimsel istatistiksel yöntemler kullanılarak, nitel veriler ise içerik analiziyle çözümlenmiştir. Bulgular, podcast hazırlama sürecinin öğrencilerin İngilizce iletişim becerilerini geliştirmede etkili olduğunu ve aynı zamanda millî kültürel farkındalıklarını artırmada önemli bir rol oynadığını ortaya koymaktadır. Ayrıca öğrencilerin dijital okuryazarlık becerilerinde belirgin bir ilerleme kaydedildiği gözlemlenmiştir. Bu bağlamda, podcast tabanlı uygulamaların yabancı dil öğretiminde kültürel değerlerin aktarımını destekleyen etkili bir pedagojik araç olabileceği sonucuna ulaşılmıştır.

Keywords

• Podcast
• İngilizce öğretimi
• milli kültürel farkındalık
• eylem araştırması
• kültürlerarası iletişimsel yeterlilik

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