The classroom is a place where order prevails. The infusion of information and communication technologies (ICTs) creates a zone of uncertainty for both teachers and learners, engaging them in a process of risk and exploration for some time to come. (Bracewell et al., 1998)

            This chapter presents a synthesis of teachers’ beliefs about teaching and learning French in OLEs. The focus of this chapter is on describing the beliefs and, as such, considers research question 1: What are some of teachers’ beliefs about teaching FSFL in online learning environments? The aim is to present the beliefs without extensive interpretation or analysis. The following chapter, Chapter 6, will present an interpretation and more extensive analysis of the findings.   

            The analysis of the beliefs involved coding using key words. As a result of this coding, 12 categories were established. These 12 categories represented 12 topics into which all of the data could be grouped. However, among these categories, it was apparent that there were differences and similarities between each of the 12 categories. While some categories grouped data which viewed use of OLEs in a positive way and expressed their advantages, other categories appeared to group data which emphasized the challenges related to the use of OLEs. The next step therefore involved regrouping each of the 12 categories into two broad categories: beliefs that emphasize the advantages of OLEs for the teaching and learning of FSFL; beliefs that emphasize the challenges related to the use of OLEs. Although there was no attempt whatsoever to group the categories evenly, there were six categories of advantages and six of the challenges. Thus, the data were grouped into what this study refers to as two categories with six sub-categories in each of the two broad categories. The two categories are:

1. beliefs that emphasize the advantages of OLEs for the teaching and
   learning of FSFL;
   

2. beliefs that emphasize the challenges related to the use of such environments for this purpose.

These categories were useful and effective in terms of finding a boundary for the data. The data did not need to undergo extensive interpretation or analysis in order to be classified in one or the other category. Within each of the two broad categories six, more specific sub-categories were identified as a result of coding the data. These categories are as follows:

Table 5.1 Belief sub-categories

            The presentation or description of the findings in this chapter attempts to capture the essence of the beliefs which are often expressed in complex and conflicting ways. The use of a dichotomy of categories (advantages versus challenges) does not imply that participants expressed either one or the other set of beliefs. On the contrary. The same teacher ofttimes expressed both categories of beliefs simultaneously. For example, it was not uncommon for a teacher to express the belief that the use of OLEs allowed her to improve or advance her teaching practices while simultaneously arguing that she lacked the necessary time and training to achieve effective use of OLEs. The next chapter provides an interpretation of the beliefs and therefore an explanation for the conflicts and contradictions which arise in the beliefs described in the present chapter. This chapter does not attempt to interpret the beliefs instead it describes or presents them only. This description begins with the first category of beliefs which relates to the advantages to use of OLEs.

5.2 Beliefs Related to the Advantages to Use of OLEs

            The beliefs that have been grouped into this category share a positive experience or perception of use of OLEs for the teaching and learning of FSFL. This section includes beliefs of teachers in which they express the value of the tools and technologies associated with online learning. The first sub-category groups those beliefs which emphasize the value of OLEs in providing access to resources and information which can be used to enhance teaching and learning. Global communication and collaboration constitutes the second sub-category and presents examples of how teachers believe OLEs can facilitate contacts and cooperation with Francophones around the world. The third sub-category - that of real-world learning, describes the value of OLEs in making learning more relevant and authentic. Motivating students constitutes the fourth sub-category. The final sub-categories emphasize the capacity of OLEs to enhance teaching and learning.

            5.2.1 Resources and Information

            Beliefs on this subject described Internet information and resources related to the teaching of FSFL as being current, varied, appealing to a variety of senses and a range of interests, useful, immediate, cheap, authentic, universally accessible and often uniquely available online. One teacher described her reaction to the availability of online resources: "Because educational leaders are always talking about resource-based learning, we are delighted to find resources at our fingertips, literally". Not only are the resources described as being easily accessed, they are also described as being voluminous: "There is a wealth of information and resources available". One teacher described how the Internet "permits access to a multitude of information". The information and resources are described as being readily available, not only in English, but also in French: "If I find any more Francophone sites, I am afraid we will need to add another five - ten hours to the day. I believe we have a wealth of information available in French... more than we will ever be able to use". Whether the information comes from a Francophone site is not important to some teachers because, even when it is in another language, it can be translated online: "I believe there is plenty of material in French. Using the AltaVista translator you can even translate any site into French, Spanish, German and Italian." Another teacher described how the availability of resources has affected her practices: "... now there are many resources available to the students in French. Previously I had to find all the resources needed to complete a certain task. Many times the resources were not readily available since resource centres/libraries did not carry a wealth of French materials. I find the Internet to be a great tool, assistant, additional wealth of resources...."

            Teachers described a wide variety of ways in which students can use OLEs to access information and resources such as: "to search out background information", "to do small research projects", to access "French literature, newspapers, sports, music", to access "up to date news articles" and "dictionary sites", to do "research of information on French-speaking cities, countries, communities", and to find "songs and lyrics of French music". As well, teachers can find "information to support the literature component" of their programs. The following teacher describes how OLEs provide her students with resources that would not have been available to them prior to use of the Internet:

I required the schools to which I taught to have a French language newspaper (Le Journal des Jeunes) in pre-Internet times. Now, there is a great selection of newspapers on the Internet and many other resources that I have located for Core French. Now, I can require students to do Internet searches for projects and class activities, I can prepare "Ralleys" that must be done on the Internet....My fear of students not having adequate resources with which to complete a project/assignment has now disappeared.

            Access to information is useful in the French Language Arts’ class, but, as well, in the teaching of content using the French language. In the following excerpt, a teacher recounts her experiences of using the Internet to find valuable online information in relation to the theme being studied:

I will be teaching immersion history after Xmas and I know that the internet will be invaluable especially in my ancient history course--I'll be taking the kids to the major museums of the world to see the antiquities displays, especially the mummies!! Just to complete the activity list: during the spring last year in my Ancient and Medieval History course, we decided to have a Med. feast. We researched the traditional feast on the net (and immediately decided that it was too elaborate to pull off during class) but found a wealth of recipes that my students took home and made and brought in. We invited the principals, brought in med. music and shared recipes after because some of the dishes were excellent!

            Resources are not only abundant but also more "up to date" than the resources to which teachers would traditionally have access. As one teacher explained: "To have an effective Immersion program, one needs resources that are current. The internet provides this". It is in fact the nature of OLEs that makes the information appear so current: "The impermanent nature of the sites in itself - constantly updated - gives students the feeling that they are dealing with living data, as opposed to the sometimes stultified, and definitely sancro-sanct (sic) nature of data in books". Access to current, updated information provides added benefits for students and teachers:

I believe that the immediacy of the information adds another element to what the student is doing. When we use documents from current newspapers, journals, etc. the student is interacting with something that is contemporary. He/she reacts contemporaneously with what the native speakers are doing. This is appealing particularly if he/she can connect the piece to what is happening globally at the present moment. The study of French then becomes the study of current events, social studies, etc. and speaks to the need of cross-disciplinary teaching.

            The wealth of information available online combined with its current nature may contrast sharply with the type and quantity of information traditionally available in libraries. In the following excerpt, the teacher predicts how, in the future, school libraries may be replaced by high-tech retrieval of online information:

I believe that retrieval of information will become so high tech within the next 10 years that I want to get a head start. We already have seen the reel-to-reel taping system become a thing of the past, making way for cassettes and CD's. I may be wrong, but I believe that school libraries will become obsolete in the same way, or will become a last choice if the internet is down!  The wealth of info that is available with a mouse-click just can't compare to the outdated materials we have in our tiny library. I don't think students, given a choice of traveling to their public library or switching on their computer, will choose the former in years to come.

            Teachers also expressed beliefs about the type of information available through the Internet. The information and resources for French on the Internet were described as varied and unlimited. As one teacher noted: "You can get information on just about any topic". Another teacher expressed the belief that the information available online was more diverse than what was available in "traditional resource centers" and another, that the Internet makes it easier for teachers to expose students to "a wider base of knowledge and resources". One teacher explained how use of OLEs offers students access to information not available elsewhere: "it also allows me to direct my students to other sources of information not readily available in other forms (books, magazines, etc.)." The following comments provide an example of the convenience afforded by use of online resources:

Avec Internet, le chercheur a sa portee et a moindre frais, acces a la plus grande majorite non seulement des medias, mais egalement de tout type d'informations . Par exemple, apres ecoute en classe de la chanson "LEA" du groupe "Louise Attaque" de nombreuses interrogations ont eu lieu: Combien de personnes? Jeunes? vieux? plutot punk? cheveux longs? gens normaux ? etc...Un simple clic sur le site internet grace au moteur de recherche Yahoo.fr que nous utilisons en permanence et voila nos apprenants informes par leur propre recherche.

            Online resources are described, not only as being easily accessed, varied and affordable, but also as being able to meet the needs of a wide range of learners: "The Internet is an excellent source of different topics to fit the interests of each student." This capacity of OLEs to meet the needs of a range of learners may relate to the multimedia aspect as one teacher explains: "The internet's World Wide Web has become the premier place online for finding multimedia resources and connecting students to real-world events and people. Students have unlimited access to documents, photographs, maps, video clips, sound bytes, references and other learning materials". The value of the multimedia aspect of OLEs is attributed by one teacher to its capacity to generally enhance learning: "Use of still and animated graphics, sound and music clips can greatly enhance understanding and possibly promote greater retention of facts since it appeals to more senses. The students gain even more if they are the ones who create the material". The multimedia format of the Internet also presents certain advantages which may not be available in the regular text format: "I have used the Internet with one French class to research info on Francophone countries which they then used to create a travel brochure. This was much better than using an encyclopedia-easier to read, nice graphics, links to pertinent information".

            Besides its appeal to a wide range of learners, online information has the added value of being "authentic". Online access to such resources is described as filling "one of the voids that existed in pre-Internet time". One teacher explains the importance of such resources to teaching: "The availability of authentic French resources is becoming more and more important. I believe in the importance of authenticity in teaching materials, especially for second language learning, in order for the language not to be so "foreign" afterall (sic)". The following excerpt illustrates how the Internet’s authentic resources have made a difference to one teacher and her students:

Imagine the delight to find so much authenticity on the Internet. The topics are pertinent and very high interest for my students, levels 1-5. The 'match book' poster search, along with the resto menus are now downloaded so easily. I have always been in contact with MacDonald's in francophone countries, as well as with Burger King....and have had to politely beg for any of their publications. Le resto St. Hubert in Quebec has always obliged me with publicity handouts, menus, etc., and from that point I can initiate discussion which is meaningful to my classes, not to mention to the prof. I have always been a newspaper freak regarding Spanish and French newsprint, so the fact that I don't have to depend on my friends' generosity in snail-mailing me all those goddies is a relief. That being said, "La Presse" from Montreal is on my desk today --the cartoons, as well as local stories with a twist on the positive side of humanity.

            The capacity of OLEs to provide access to resources is a valuable one particularly for schools in remote or isolated areas: "I neglected to mention in my last posting that the Internet has indeed helped in my teaching French to remote small schools. These schools do not have many French resources in their resource centres. They may have had a French-English dictionary, but that is it". Remote and isolated schools can also benefit from online access, not only to resources, but to other communities, schools and individuals. Beliefs about the advantages of OLEs for such contacts are described in the next section.

            5.2.2 Communication and Collaboration

            Teachers’ beliefs about online communication indicate that OLEs offer significant advantages in terms of providing opportunities for meaningful communication from the classroom. Teachers in this study remarked that the Internet "provides avenues for real communication, be it in the form of key-pals, interactive projects, chat lines, net meeting". Students and teachers can make use of OLEs for "finding, sharing and exchanging information and ideas", for "authentic conversation", for "interaction and communication with students and teachers in French-speaking schools", for "correspondence by e-mail", for "contacting groups in other parts of the world" and for "journal correspondence with other schools".

            The potential of online communication makes the Internet of special value to the teaching of foreign languages such as French. This potential for communication is described in the following excerpt as filling a void that existed up to now in second-language education programs:

I do believe that no one stands to gain more from les nouvelles technologies than foreign language classrooms. For years we have lamented the fact that our students have no concrete application of their language, and here we have, literally at our finger tips, a whole world of francophone kids, waiting for a chance to communicate with us. It is indeed, exciting.

            Online communication also presents particular advantages to students living in isolated areas. As the experiences in the following excerpt illustrate, geographic isolation no longer presents a barrier to meaningful communication and conversation between Francophones and students of French as a second language:

The fact that I'm a primary French Immersion teacher in a somewhat isolated community on the south coast of Nova Scotia is further impetus for looking to give my students and myself better options in using the second language. Because of the school's location, it has been extremely difficult for our children to find meaningful opportunities to use their second language even though we are in a bilingual country. In essence, our students have had little opportunity to truly engage students from a French culture in honest conversations about who we are and who they are. While the Internet offered potential and promise in the early years, it has come to have real application in my teaching. My students are actually communicating/ interacting with other students. I now see it as a valuable and viable conduit to L2 success.

            Resources and information can be found in a library or a book and as such in the regular classroom with or without access to the Internet. However, communication cannot: "E-mail and chat rooms provide an environment that cannot be duplicated in the classroom". Online communication provides a means of "meeting francophones", carrying on "authentic conversation" and participating in the reality of communication as it exists outside of the classroom-something which cannot be found in a book:

The realia is none other than real-life kids on the other end! For my young French immersion students, the written information available on the Internet is secondary. A good book or CD-ROM is usually far superior to anything they'd find on the 'Net. But the opportunity to communicate with kids their own age in real - or almost real - time is something we've been dreaming of for years.

This capacity of OLEs to provide a communication tool is of particular value to young children. In the following excerpt, a teacher argues that this capacity is what represents the important value of the Internet for learning:

With young children, the Internet is best used as a communication tool. There is little information available on the 'Net for elementary kids that a good book or CD-ROM couldn't do better. But for immersion kids to be able to communicate with francophone kids the world over - that's something entirely different.

            A particular online communication tool described by participants in this study is that of chat rooms. Teachers described such ‘rooms’ as a popular means of facilitating communication while at the same time simulating real-life communication situations and environments. This feature of OLEs allows students to converse in French with classmates and presents particular advantages for certain types of students:

My newest adventure is into the chatrooms. We have a site on the Imaginet Page that has an empty room and we all sign into it, take on identities and chat with each other in French! I circulate around the room and give advice on grammar errors or expressions that I see on the screens without everyone else knowing who I'm talking to! Also, we debate certain topics and the anonymity lets the shyer kids who might not participate in an oral discussion express their comments.

The capacity of OLEs to facilitate communication is an important one. One of its greatest advantages is that it encourages participation from shier children. Chat rooms also offer teachers the opportunity to focus on grammar using a different approach:

... my kids sign into that chat room and take on ‘handles’ and chat with each other. I circulate around the room and correct/fine tune the grammar or suggest little phrases that might add some spice or be more comical...they love it! Sometimes the conversation degenerates and we're obliged to exit but usually, they respect the rules and we have a civilized chat! Sometimes I let them free chat, sometimes I assign a topic and we debate it. It allows the shyer students to express their opinions whereas in the oral setting, they might never dare to. It also allows me to clarify grammar as all my kids are looking at the screens and they all see what I am asking be corrected at the same time. Better than using an overhead! It's not perfect but it gets everyone participating and hopefully learning something.

            OLEs need not be used only to offer opportunities for conversation within a classroom, but as well as outside of the classroom with native speakers. Such conversation provides students with opportunities to be exposed to other language models. The Internet "can provide interactive communication with native speakers. The teacher should not be the only model". Opportunities for communication can also be coupled with global, virtual visits to other countries or places where French is spoken. The following teacher describes her experience with such visits: "The Internet has been a great boon for me as a professor of French. It can work to the benefit of students in that they can now "visit" French-speaking countries and it's really not that expensive - if your school has the appropriate access". Students can participate in "virtual tours which allow the students to see parts of the francophone world". Online communication has represented a great advantage for this immersion teacher: "Of great value has been the communication that we have been able to carry on with other francophone classes and individuals. This provides a much needed personal exposure to the French language for my immersion students".

            The exposure to the French language provides opportunities for communication as well as collaboration. Collaboration represents an important means of linking students to the realities of learners in other classrooms around the world so that they can share ideas and learn together online: "The Web makes possible new levels of individualization and encourages collaborations that take students far beyond the classroom; individual e-mail accounts enable students to initiate contact with other learners and resource people, take part in collaborative projects, and communicate with family and friends." Students can work on projects, carry on conversation and collaborate in OLEs with many added benefits: "Students have the opportunity to work on collaborative projects with other schools, other countries, resulting in a sense of international solidarity." Racial tolerance as well as international solidarity may be achieved through online communication:

I also believe in the world being a global community. My students correspond with people in other countries by e-mail, chat, icq whatever way they can! They are ravenous for contact with the outside world, and want to learn about and share themselves with as many people as will listen. That is why I am pushing e-palling. The more that our next generation learns about people in other countries and comes to accept other cultures while sharing their own, I believe we become one step closer to fulfilling the concept of a "global community" and one step closer to promoting tolerance for all races and cultures.

Online communication and collaboration can result in truly meaningful connections and communication particularly when friendships are formed between classes in different countries:

There's one particular school in France that I've been corresponding with since 1995. We've collaborated on many themes from Christmas rituals to preferred seasonal activities and have sent each other "care" packages with odds and ends (put together by the students) about our communities. We've also done and exchanged a video presenting our particular school. This has become a very special relationship, as you can appreciate. The Internet has certainly helped it to flourish.

            Global communication and collaboration provide students with opportunities that might not otherwise exist in their classrooms. These opportunities provide for greater contact with the world outside of the classroom - the ‘real world’. Beliefs related to ‘real-world’ learning are described in the next section.

            5.2.3 Real-World Learning

            For students living in areas far from Francophone cultures, the study of French might not be easily associated with its real-world context. Certainly a challenge for the teacher of FSFL is to help students link with this world, its language, culture and people. However, when the only exposure to the language and its people is through books, it may be challenging for students to appreciate the study of French as being any more than the study of a subject with little relevance to the real world. However, as one French teacher remarked, in OLEs "students can see for themselves that French is not just about what we do in school, books-grammar etc.. It is indeed a living language." The Internet can allow "students to see French as something real -not just a subject taught in school". Online learning experiences can thus help students "to see French as something existing other than in the classroom" and "to realize that French is not ‘a dead language’ when they surf the net and find millions of sites in French, in both Canada and around the world." One teacher described the positive impact of real contacts made with another class through OLEs:

I teach in a small community in Montana. Many of my students will never travel outside the United States, let alone the western US. Last year when a teacher from Québec contacted me to set up a letter exchange, I saw how real the French became for my students. Things I had been trying to tell for several months became very clear because they discovered for themselves the answers .... my students are exposed to more French than I could ever provide in our classroom.

            The use of the Internet can serve as a support to the teacher in her attempts to ensure that students appreciate the real-life applications of the French language: "I feel that it has made my teaching more ‘real’ for lack of a better term. My students feel more in touch with the francophone world when they see what I’m talking about on a screen in front of them. I believe they come to understand the value of French in a whole different way." In general, learning French in OLEs can have a positive effect on the learning environment even while students are not online in the sense that there is a certain carry-over of the positive effects to the classroom learning situation:

Any learning must take place in relevant, real, challenging and connecting contexts. Internet allows teachers and students to make this happen. Learning a second language becomes far less contrived and simulated. It is hoped that the experience then brings forth enough positive energy to create oral interaction in the classroom. It creates oral interaction when preparing and anticipating before an activity, it creates interaction when researching, questioning, discovering during the activity and it creates interaction when reviewing, giving feedback, discussing their learning after the activity.

            Another important aspect of making the study of French more ‘real’ is in providing students with an audience for their work. Having an audience can affect the type of work that students produce: "They also tend to be more careful over what they say and how they say it because of the wider and varied audience; they have a real audience and a real purpose." OLEs provide students with opportunities to produce original work and then share it online with others outside of the classroom:

Building a web site to share student-generated work is another important use of the Internet. Again, its use as a productive (rather than receptive) tool is what gives it its value. We finally have an audience for our kids stories and poems, and it's an authentic one. That's what the Internet means in an immersion school.

            According to the following teacher’s comments, use of OLEs requires abandoning traditional models which were more suitable to book modes of learning:

...we have to think Internet as opposed to book learning when we use the Internet. The linear model of learn, answer questions, test, is based on what is manageable for the book and paper form of learning. Actual real-life learning on the job takes place much more diversely and has an actual real application. Therefore why not get students to do more projects based on their real questions about the world, find info. talk to real experts on-line and find their own answers.

            The opportunities to talk to "real experts" and to ask "real questions" can be made easier in an environment where the information in general appears more real. Such opportunities can also result in more effective learning as the following teacher’s comments illustrate: "The internet is also a place where shock value has it's (sic) place. Nothing brings home the Holocaust better than a virtual visit to Auschwitz or to a Holocaust museum, or to a skinhead's hate page. It is really in-your-face learning and it hits home more effectively than looking at a distant TV screen up in the front of the class".

            The beliefs expressed on the topic of ‘real-world’ learning through use of OLEs suggest that such learning is, in some ways, more effective than regular classroom learning. One of the reasons for this increase in effectiveness may have to do with the relationship between making learning more relevant for students and student motivation. In the following section, teachers describe how OLEs increase student motivation and generally result in a more effective learning environment.

            5.2.4 Motivation

            Participants in this study expressed the belief that OLEs had an influence on the motivation of students learning French. Teachers noted that students are "more interested in doing research this way than from books", that they "get very actively involved and interested", that they tend "to be more positive about French", and "find it fun and interactive". The Internet "makes the student more interested" and "increases motivation." In general, as one teacher noted about students: "I find that they are more interested in French class and learn more when i (sic) assign Internet activities". Another teacher concluded similarly and remarked that students "seem to respond a little more enthusiastically when you say the information came from the net". The experiences of one teacher led her to conclude that, not only are her students motivated by working online, but that they have an opportunity to learn how much French they understand while doing research online: "My students seemed to be motivated in a big way by the Internet technologies. They seemed to want to know how to use all these technologies, not only in French classes but across the curriculum. However, they have been very interested in doing research in French and very surprised at how much they understood in the second language."

            The following teacher explained just how positively her students responded to online learning experiences: "I have a much more enjoyable time with these youngsters because they are so positive in their response to my class. They are eager to learn and are willing to try any type of new activity. Even if the activity is a "disaster" they are supportive". Students will exert a special effort in order to learn how to use the technologies and may show more interest in doing research in French when they do it online. The extra effort can be particularly motivating for those who may normally encounter difficulties with learning:

...students always display an interest in using computer technology regardless of the purpose. I have witnessed students putting more effort into assigned tasks simply because they are using a computer. They are always enthusiastic participants and most of my students are quite proficient with computer use which provides them with feelings of success when they are able to successfully complete assigned tasks. This is especially important to student (sic) who usually struggle with their regular class work. They often seek out extra assignments when they are finished.

            Students’ high levels of motivation can result from having instant feedback, being able to visit exotic destinations and doing interactive exercises. In the following excerpt, one teacher describes how she incorporates these sorts of online activities into her teaching and how, as a result, her students are motivated to use more French than normal:

I love using the internet for my French classes and my kids do too! I have taken them into the University of Texas first year French files and they have participated in interactive grammar exercises where they type in answers and at the end of 10 questions, they get an instant correction page. They love having the instant feedback and it is more interesting than a worksheet. I have also done guided travel tours, that I must research myself first, and the kids visit all kinds of exotic destinations-searching for the answers to questions on the guide sheet. We have explored comic strips, written letters to Santa, listened to French Radio-looked up the kids' favorite music groups -- Spice Girls, Blur, Hansen etc, the possibilities are endless!! .... My grade 12 immersion did "Le Petit Prince" this semester and to break up the monotony, we came to the internet lab to read the book on-line. The kids also were able to read reviews of the book. They thought that was kind of neat, even though they still didn't want to read the novel!! I love this medium. It keeps their attention and they are reading and conversing 100% in French, something they wouldn't do in the classroom.

Students’ motivation may well derive from the fact that they have an audience for their work, thus making them more responsive and generally more interested:

In general, this tool is a great motivator for the students, and I see this as probably its greatest benefit, at least given the amount and the types of uses to which we are limited. The students want to discover the answers to the questions posed or follow up on activities they have been engaged in because it involves someone in another community or country even. It lends a certain amount of exotic flavour.

            The "exotic flavour" may help motivate students who would otherwise not be motivated to learn French. Lack of motivation may be observed amongst second-language learners particularly when there may be competition to learn other second or foreign languages such as English. For students living in areas geographically removed from Francophone areas, and where other languages may have a greater influence than French, OLEs can play an important role in motivating students to learn French:

J'avoue que nos étudiants ne sont pas très motivés pour apprendre le français. D'abord parce que l'anglais s'impose de plus en plus, deuxièmement parce que la deuxième langue qu'on étudie maintenant est le portugais (du Brésil) à cause du Mercosur (marché commun de l'Amérique Latine qui a comme principaux partenaires le Brésil et l'Argentine). Le français n'est plus pour nos étudiants ce qu'a (sic) été pour leurs parents ou grand-parents. Il y a beaucoup d'influence française en Argentine, surtout à Buenos Aires. Les générations du début du siècle jusqu'aux années 50 se formaient en France, ou en Europe en général. C'est à cause de cette démotivation pour l'apprentissage du français que j'ai commencé à travailler sur le projet d'introduire le français par ordinateur.

            Lack of motivation may be more common, not only as a result of geographic isolation, but also as a result of the student’s age. Allowing students to learn in OLEs may counteract the lack of motivation particularly when they can have fun doing so:

I have two reasons why I wish to use the internet in my second language classes. First of all, it allows students to experience another place where French exists. As well, students at the intermediate level are not particularly motivated to do much work in their other classes, let alone French which "sucks" as they so eloquently put it. They need motivation and I feel if they can have fun while still encountering the target language either through comprehension or production activities, then they are more likely to put an honest effort into the activities I choose for them.

            Motivating students may also be accomplished by focusing more specifically on students’ particular needs and by generally improving or enhancing the learning process. The beliefs described in the next section highlight ways in which use of OLEs can allow teachers to concentrate more specifically on the needs of their students and improve the learning process in general.

            5.2.5 Learning

            Many teachers in this study expressed the belief that OLEs represent an effective means of meeting the changing needs of today’s students: "The nature of student learning has changed dramatically in the past decade as teachers have a more difficult task of motivating their students. The students are accustomed to numerous stimuli, (ie. (sic) virtual video games, etc.), thus the teacher has to be more creative to obtain and maintain their attention". In the following excerpt, a teacher describes how she maintains students’ attention and meets their changing needs through use of technology:

Today's students are quite different from those of even 2-3 years ago. I am motivated by the desire to make my classes as interesting and relevant to my students as possible. Let's face the fact that today's students grow up in a world that is super hi-tech. These youngsters are raised in a world in which they are "turned on" to a very audio-visual environment from infancy. As a teacher I must deal with this situation on a daily basis. So, my decision is to make the class as stimulating/interesting/relevant as possible through the manner in which I introduce/reinforce information. I have made a decision to implement all types of technology in the classroom. Within the past two years I have added e-mail exchanges with students in other countries; the use of CD-ROMs; internet sites, etc. into my curriculum.

            The way in which students are changing can affect the way in which they do research and the tools with which they do this research. One teacher described her students as being more comfortable with an "arborenscence" (sic) approach of the Internet rather than a "linear and traditional approach" common to text-book learning. This teacher’s comments focus on students’ growing dependence on the use of electronic tools such as the computer and provide a prediction about how their needs will continue to change over the course of the next decade and beyond:

I also believe that students are becoming lazier...just as they must use their calculators as a crutch because most of them are unable to do simple math calculations in their heads, so will they begin to depend on the instantaneous reply of the computer to respond to their research needs. Most will probably not know the inside of a library and how books are classified or ever consult a card catalogue within 15 years!

            Not only does use of OLEs allow teachers to better meet the needs of students, but it can enhance learning in other ways as well. Teachers described how the Internet "broadens the students’ horizons" and allows "students to be creative and learn through experience", to have "more independent learning in class" and "to learn on their own while using an alternate approach to teaching." One teacher commented that the Internet is a "nice change of pace from the regular classroom setting". Teachers commented on the range of activities in which students can engage online such as "internet competitions", "interactive activities, treasure hunts, crosswords", activities for special occasions, i.e., Christmas, Valentine’s day, holidays, festivals". They can also access "games, puzzles, maps", or have fun "sending greeting cards".

            The multimedia capacity of OLEs can have a positive effect on the learning experience: "Use of still and animated graphics, sound and music clips can greatly enhance understanding and possibly promote greater retention of facts since it appeals to more senses." OLEs may also appeal, not only to more senses, but, as well, to different types of learners: "Differences in learning styles and individual abilities and strengths can be addressed through the variety of skills and types of activities involved with projects which take advantage of the computer and the Internet in particular".

            OLEs can have an overall positive effect on the learning situation by allowing students to reconceptualize their role and the role of the teacher: "Used in the context of group work and resource based learning, it can help create a situation in the classroom whereby the students become more responsible for their learning. They realize that the teacher does not have to be a font of information, rather a guide. Hopefully, this will encourage them to become lifelong learners." One teacher provided support for this change in the role of the student: "Students become more responsible for their own learning and research and this is a good thing. It makes them become more responsible and independent learners." In general, use of OLEs can make students less dependent on the teacher to provide them with the necessary information and tools that they need: "My students are becoming less dependent on me to find information. They often find their own sites". OLEs can allow students more autonomy in learning, by providing them with the tools and information necessary to construct their own knowledge:

Les équipements actuels rendent surtout plus facile le travail en autonomie. Parce que l'apprenant possède, virtuellement, toutes les sources d'informations dont il a besoin, il lui est possible de construire seul son savoir. Parce que le matériel de formation en autodidaxie est plus accessible et plus facile à manipuler, la formation devient plus facile (mais cela ne signifie pas que "l'autonomisation langagière" de l'apprenant - ses capacités à se débrouiller seul en langue/culture - soit rendue plus aisée).

            Along with a change in the role of the student may come a change in the level of thinking that they do while learning. One belief about OLEs suggests that learning online draws on higher levels of thinking skills than might be found in traditional learning environments: "When students use the Internet in their second language learning certainly they have to problem solve: analyze, interpret, synthesize the materials that they are using on the Internet". In the following excerpt, one teacher explains how a simple Internet activity can require students to engage in critical thinking and problem-solving:

If, for example, in planning a trip to Quebec City, the students had to use the Internet to develop an itinerary for their trip, they would have to be within a certain budget. So, they would do a guided search under the supervision of the teacher (provide some sites for the students), they would have to make comparisons, decisions, and report back to the class with the planned itinerary They must also be ready to explain why they chose a certain activity and not another. This, to me, would be an example of students using critical thinking and problem solving in an Internet activity in the French classroom.

            Changing students’ role and bringing them to higher levels of thinking are some ways in which OLEs are described as affecting students’ learning in general. However, OLEs were also described by participants in this study as specifically affecting students’ language skills. In general, use of OLEs with students is described as something which "enriches their language experience". In particular, "opportunities to develop written communication skills are abundant". In terms of the types of writing activities in which students can engage, participants in this study noted that students can create "class web pages where students can post autobiographies and display their art work", that they can engage in "creative writing with online feedback" and that they can engage in "writing for publication".

            As well, according to some teachers, online learning can make up for the lack of interaction in the regular classroom by providing opportunities for the development of listening skills and by helping students to see a purpose for language learning:

I also use web sites for listening activities - there are many radio stations online with reports that can be downloaded, music clips, etc. It does take planning and lots of time to incorporate such activities into the curriculum, but I think the time is well spent as the students enjoy the lesson so much and begin to see a purpose to learning a language and even to learning grammar! This year I will be using a discussion board and chat rooms with guest "speakers" from various French-speaking countries in all level of classes that I teach. Granted, it's not oral communication, but this is more of a cultural exercise. As the students go through the lessons I want to incorporate several "side tripss" (sic) to websites to make France and French more of a reality to them. What they lack in classroom interaction could, in part, be helped through use of the Internet.

            Opportunities for online communication provide for enhanced learning experiences. Furthermore, enhanced interest levels in students as a result of working online can possibly encourage students to use more French than in the regular classroom:

I figure the more time they can work in groups and chat amongst themselves in the target language the better, and using the internet provides the dual opportunity of leaving the classroom setting, and presenting an activity that is relevant and interesting so that they are too involved in the task to begin speaking English.

            Online learning also provides an opportunity to develop an appreciation for the cultural aspects of French. The Internet "opens up the classroom to many more cultural inputs than the library did, especially because of direct contact with francophones, be it through listservs such as CAUSERIE, or WWW sites which can linger on cultural details books simply cannot afford to do economically...". As well, the exposure to these cultural aspects may be more enriching than what students typically encounter in the classroom: "At last, we have a chance of truly integrating that cultural piece that seems always to elude us. At last, we can get past the beret and baguette!"

            According to some teachers, OLEs appear to provide students with an opportunity for a learning experience which the teacher cannot provide: "The internet is enhancing their learning..is filling in blanks that I, as a stand-up teacher, can't possibly hope to fill and it is keeping them on task for the whole period..something that rarely occurs in a regular classroom setting (for me, anyway!)". Increased use of OLEs in the classroom can have an effect not only on the students but, as well, on teachers. The following section groups those beliefs that centre on how technology is changing and improving teachers’ role and their teaching practices in general.

            One of the important advantages described by teachers in the use of OLEs is the wide range of activities available for students and teachers. Teachers described a large variety of ways in which OLEs can be used in second-language teaching such as for the "creation of tailor-made multimedia learning activities", for "enrichment", for reinforcement of "grammatical points and structures learned in class", to access "dictées, short stories, proverbs", for the "development of themes" and "vocabulary development, "to access games and enjoyable activities for students", to "search for ideas/lesson plans or articles to share with students", to "improve the cultural content of program", for "reinforcement of previously learned concepts", and "incorporation of sites to be used in learning centres", to "provide opportunities to go beyond expected curricular outcomes", for "skills development", to "access to teaching strategies" and to promote "hands-on learning". Teachers may also find OLEs useful "to access upgrades for software and information on various topics, mostly software or classroom related".

            Many teachers in this study expressed the belief that OLEs were influencing their teaching practices and their role in a positive way. Participants gave different reasons why they appreciated using OLEs. One important use discussed was that they can use it to "share ideas and to take part in on-line discussion lists dealing with second language pedagogy". One teacher commented that the Internet provided her with "a much broader perspective on education" and another that it provided "access to the latest trends, ideas and philosophies, good and bad, on education from around the globe". Teachers commented that researching on the Internet gives them teaching ideas as well as a variety of ways to approach more familiar concepts: "The ‘Net’ is a source of knowledge, ideas, inspiration, solutions to problems....You don't always find what you are looking for, but often you come upon something of real value that you might never have discovered otherwise". The Internet was also described as providing "another teaching technique", and "a means for alternate teaching methods" to which students are exposed. In the following excerpt, a teacher describes the positive effect that the use of OLEs has had on her teaching and has made her a better teacher:

I get to vary my teaching style, it pushes me to keep changing--it is so easy to get into a comfortable rut! I get to offer the students worlds by visual aid of the computer that I could have never dreamed of by "normal" teaching methods. I guess it is making me a better teacher and I am more proud of the product I am delivering--it is now multi-dimensional rather than dry and boring.

            Some participants focused on how use of OLEs assisted them in the delivery of the curriculum by serving as "a great resource to supplement the current curriculum material" by providing "support for the cultural objectives of the Core French Program" and by supplying "valuable supplementary information" for use in "developing the themes contained in the Junior High French curriculum". One teacher noted enthusiastically that "There are more and more valuable French resources appearing online, which is a boon to those of us in "cultural isolation" in terms of French Immersion programs". Furthermore, the Internet offers opportunities "to converse with other teachers to discuss and share ideas" and generally "promotes contact among teachers" which makes it "excellent for sharing units of work etc.". Such contacts also can provide teachers with opportunities to keep up with their French as the following excerpt explains: "Personally, I have found it a very valuable means of keeping up with my French. I subscribe to several French listservs and have made some close (continuing) contacts over the years." Maintaining one’s French is made easier through use of OLEs particularly through use of chat features: "I correspond by e-mail with French friends but it is when we move to the chat rooms and converse in "real time" that my language maintenance and learning takes place...all those everyday expressions that you don't tend to include in letters..and the gestures and yes, the sighs and frustrations!". In general, for a French teacher living in non-Francophone area, maintaining one’s French is a difficult task made easier through use of the Internet:

As a non-francophone, French immersion teacher, I have to say that one of the greatest benefits that I derive from Internet access is the ability to keep up with my French. At least 75% of my e-mail correspondence is carried on in French, for the most part with francophones. In some cases this has also resulted in the development of valuable and lasting friendships.

                Use of OLEs can also make teaching and learning more interesting and motivating for the teacher by providing opportunities to go beyond the prescribed curriculum:

Yes, the minister wants a particular curriculum covered and yes, it is very tempting to just stick to the provided texts but how boring to use ONLY the prescribed materials and not have enough interest or motivation to spice up our own teaching and the students' learning by experimenting with new methods of instruction..videos, cooperative learning, internet etc! Many of the old school teachers will stick religiously to the text book and they believe they are on the cutting edge and providing enrichment by showing a pertinent video in class--to me, that kind of stand-up delivery classroom is like using a film-strip or a reel to reel tape. It has merit, and information will certainly be transmitted to the students, but how much more could be done in that room in the allotted time by using the advances and tools that are now available to most of us in our schools.

            OLEs can also provide teachers with the opportunity to develop courses which are richer, better structured and which allow for more independent learning on the part of students: "Parce que l'enseignant a maintenant à sa disposition toutes les sources d'information qui lui faisaient naguère défaut, il est maintenant capable de construire des cours plus riches et mieux structurés (à condition qu'il accepte d'y consacrer du temps), et des cours permettant mieux le travail en autonomie".

            OLEs’ support to teachers by allowing them easy access to "up-to-date information" may explain why some teachers described the Internet as supporting a resource-based and communicative approach to language teaching. They explained that they tend to teach more "from a resource-based perspective" and to give more research projects knowing that they can avail of the Internet. The Internet’s capacity to support a resource-based or project-based type of learning can also provide support for a change in the role of the teacher and the relationship between teacher and learner:

Because of a number of factors, I have found myself moving more towards a cross-curricular, resource-based, project-centered approach with my students. To borrow a phrase, I am trying to become more the "guide on the side" as opposed to the "sage on the Stage". I have found that the Internet offers resources and access that help foster the types of activities/opportunities that I want to create. This type of approach, though, can be very demanding. It requires a great deal of time and lots of organization and background work. For the past few years, I have tried to develop and introduce one, new Internet based project and add it to those that I have already developed. In addition, there are many worthwhile activities sponsored by other classes that I encorporate (sic) into our classwork - again, offering the same approach of making the students more responsible for and in control of their own learning.

            Some participants in this study discussed how OLEs provide support for and even forced teachers to adopt the role of "facilitator" as opposed to "a disseminator of knowledge": "One of the ways in which using the Internet changes one's way of teaching is that if you had not adopted the role of facilitator, technology will force you to take on this role." Another teacher provided support for this change in role: "The teacher does not have to be at the center of instruction. When one can get past this, then integrating the Internet becomes fun and exciting". Instead of being the specialist, the teacher can be researcher who sets up the learning experiences for students:

The Internet permits the teacher to adopt the role of facilitator (so often espoused in professional development but difficult for many to achieve in the classroom) rather than all-knowing sage. It also allows the generalist teacher to link from an area of strength, i.e., information researcher rather than French specialist, to effect learning opportunities for students. Many of the generalists with whom I work have fine reading skills in French but are hampered by poor oral skills/confidence; the medium of internet increases their ability to participate and lead effectively.

            For some teachers, use of technology can move teachers towards a more facilitative approach. As one teacher explained: "I used to apply the direct approach with repetitive drill, teacher led lessons. My style now is more constructivist, facilitative, multi-disciplinary in nature and I tend to approach themes with the given, that the computer is an integral part of activities, center work, etc." Changing the teacher’s role can help breath a new life into the profession providing that the teacher is willing to reconceptualize his/her role. The new role requires a shift in the locus of control between teacher and student:

...the Internet has changed my practice of teaching, by allowing the student more control and therefore encouraging more active learning in the class. As long as a teacher is willing to give up the 'sage on the stage' concept, and become a 'guide on the side',--the technology becomes an asset and not a liability. We needed a breath of new life, teaching had become stagnant, and now we are on the right track, in my humble opinion. I look forward to surfing the net, to make the language current and pertinent.

The change in roles means giving more control to students and allowing them to explore. One teacher offered encouragement to other teachers about the new role but also stressed the importance of being willing to change:

Teachers have to be open-minded and not worry about losing 'the spot of authority' that they have traditionally held in front of the class. If they are not fearful of empowering the students to explore, than that will enable the teachers to expand their horizons. The willingness to watch other teachers in action, and to see what their approach is also critical to proper use of the Internet.

            5.2.7 Summary

            The beliefs expressed in this section provide evidence of the enthusiasm felt by teachers as they experiment with new online technologies. In the following tables, the beliefs related to the advantages of use of OLEs are summarized.

Table 5.2 Summary of beliefs related to the advantages to use of OLEs

            In many cases, coupled with the enthusiasm about the advantages of OLEs are the frustrations experienced by some teachers as a result of their attempts to make use of OLEs. The next sections of this chapter concentrate on a different category of beliefs than what was presented in this section. Learning and teaching may be enhanced through use of OLEs. Yet for some teachers, the frustrations experienced or perceived have led the teachers to form beliefs that raise important issues and questions about the use of OLEs in language learning.

5.3 Beliefs Related to the Challenges to Use of OLEs

            In contrast to the previous section which concentrated on the value of OLEs for the teaching and learning of FSFL, this section highlights those beliefs which generally question its value or which raise concerns about use of OLEs. Issues related to time and the curriculum constitute the first sub-category in this section. The lack of training, support and vision constitute the second sub-category. The third sub-category focuses on issues related to connectivity, online access, access to computer labs and supply of equipment. The fourth sub-category concentrates on beliefs which present the challenges related to monitoring students while online and controlling what they do and access while online. Students themselves are the focus of the next sub-category as teachers describe their beliefs about how, sometimes, students may resist their attempts at trying to teach and promote learning in OLEs. In the final sub-category are beliefs which emphasize the particular challenges related to the Internet, and such issues as navigation and information overload.

            5.3.1 Time and the Curriculum

            In this sub-category, two main issues provide the focus of beliefs: time and the curriculum. Some of the beliefs in this section could have been grouped separately, i.e. some in a sub-category of time and others in a sub-category related to the curriculum. However, while teachers might believe that the Internet is "good resource" for the curriculum, they may also see it as a "great time-waster". The importance of time management in teaching was expressed by this teacher’s comments in relation to use of the Internet: "Time is of the essence when teaching therefore one is apt to give up before achieving success." Many teachers in this study referred to lack of available time to be able to prepare for use of the Internet in their teaching: "All of potential (sic) for internet is unlimited but like many others there is no time to get on it. I do not have preparation time of any kind and I have to leave some time for a personal life". Teachers expressed the belief that use of the Internet in the teaching of French is "time-consuming", that it requires opportunities for "advance preparation" and that "availability of preparation time necessary to use the internet in class is limited". While a teacher may want to devote more time to the Internet, "There are so many demands put on teachers, it is very difficult to find the time to do all the things one would like to do".

            Time can be consumed by "surfing aimlessly", by students "browsing the web in other areas", by needing to screen sources "so as to ensure that communication is in French" waiting for information to be downloaded, translating sites and posting student work on the Internet. Preparation time may be lengthened as the technology becomes more sophisticated: "je passe plus de temps à analyser une vidéo qu'à analyser un vieux film fixe ou une photo; je passe plus de temps à préparer, dans mon ordinateur, un exercice avec des liens hypertextes qu'à ronéotyper un texte, je passe un temps fou à essayer de suivre les trop rapides évolutions informatiques...".

            The vast nature of the Internet can challenge the time that teachers have available to them: "I am constantly exploring new sites that friends or the listservs that I belong to recommend and trying to come up with innovative seasonal projects as well. There is so much material on the web and so little free-time to access it!" Time is necessary in order to plan properly in order to make best use of instructional periods: "Few teachers are willing to spend the time it takes to find sites, plan lessons around them and assess their effectiveness. Without that commitment, these projects can eat up valuable time and lead nowhere". Another teacher described needing the preparation time in order to reach a certain comfort level in the use of technology: "I can’t seem to find the time to get prepared where I feel comfortable using it as a teaching tool".

            In terms of teachers’ beliefs about time and the Internet, the curriculum plays an important and conflicting role. Having sufficient time to devote to the curriculum may mean that there is not time for integration of the Internet as this teacher explains:

I’m afraid that the projects will take a long time to complete. I’m always pressed to cover all the objectives by June and I’m afraid that I’ll fall behind by taking my students to computer room. The Internet seems like something extra that needs to be taught, even though i now (sic) it’s supposed to be integrated into the curriculum like any other tool.

Some teachers in the study described not using the Internet more because of a lack of "instructional time to complete the prescribed curriculum". They noted that use of OLEs may actually decrease "the necessary instructional time needed for the completion of the prescribed curriculum". Concerns about time led one teacher to affirm that "Using the internet with young children is not using instructional time wisely". In the following excerpt, a teacher described in detail the challenges related to use of OLEs and time at the primary level:

The time needed to plan effective use of the internet is daunting. Simply finding appropriate sites takes forever when you end up with over 500 hits on a certain topic and those hits have links, and the links have links.. well, before you know it, you've been on-line for 3 hours and still haven't figured out what you're going to do for your internet class! This being said, I have to admit that this is very time-consuming. Working with young children always is. Typing even a few sentences takes forever, and when you add typing in a second language, correcting, using accents, etc., it's even worse. (And this is assuming that your computers are up and running when you need them). This is the problem with keypal activities, too.

            Finding sites related to the curriculum that are at the appropriate level of difficulty for the students and evaluating if the sites are at a level the students can understand may also consume valuable time: "With such an intense curriculum, to use the Internet one must have appropriate sites to ensure objectives of lessons could be achieved and make maximum use of time". Teachers remarked that they already have plenty of resources with which they are very busy, that their program is "already so jam-packed full of activities, you have to make an effort to fit in an Internet activity usually at the expense of something else". Others explained that they cannot use the Internet because there is "too much other curriculum to cover". One teacher described the conflict between time, technology and the curriculum:

Our educational system works against these very valuable but time-eating learning projects. There's the "curriculum to cover" - always more than is ever possible even without the extra projects. Why do just two themes when we can do six? And what's wrong with a system that has kids and teachers running from one subject (sometimes even one room) to the next, with no time to reflect, to process, to - gasp! - relax? It drives me crazy. And as long as teachers are willing to play by those antiquated rules, the nouvelles technologies will remain just that.

            As one teacher observed: "Every one of my colleagues says the same thing: "I'd love to do that (e-mail correspondence, joint research projects, global surveys, etc.), but I don't have time". The traditional curriculum always takes precedence, and ‘covering the material’ as laid out in the district curriculum guide is forever the driving force". Other teachers may argue that the problem is, not with lack of time and curriculum demands, but with the teachers themselves: "I think that teachers do feel pressured by many factors to cover their curriculum but I think the main problem why teachers don't "fit " anything else in is with the time-management skills and the motivation of the teacher." Personal factors may also play a role: "There is no free time at school and I have a very busy family life. Computers and technology are not ‘interests’ of mine. I tend to focus more on creative aspects of teaching (i.e. art, music, singing, writing etc.)." It may also be that what is needed to balance time and the curriculum is commitment:

The number one skill to master is time-management! Teachers need time to search out international schools that seem promising for collaborative work; time to correspond with teachers on the other end and to plan the course of action; time to look at their own curricular needs - either thematic (Native Americans, the human body, the rain forest, etc.) or linguistic (literacy skills, vocabulary development) and to embed those objectives into the project; time to work on the project in class and still get in math, reading, science, etc.; time to assess the project and students' individual performance; and finally, time to learn the technical stuff. If teachers can manage all that, they have all the skills they need. But that is one huge task, and without a deep-seated commitment to looking "outside the box," that just ain't gonna happen!!!

            Certain issues related to curriculum and teaching independent of the issue of time may, for some teachers, present challenges to use of OLEs. One teacher questioned the Internet’s "relevance to the curriculum". Another noted that she did not "see a lot of benefit coming from it". Other teachers commented that "matching projects/activities with curriculum objectives is sometimes a problem" or that "the activities and lessons suggested are not conducive to Internet usage". Others explained that they do not use the Internet because they "...have a very good program to use and time is also a factor ...". Another teacher explained: "I do not feel that I need to use the Internet more often since it is important to vary teaching methods and resources to provide students the best opportunity for learning". Beliefs about what constitutes effective learning can also affect a teacher’s willingness to use or interest in OLEs: "While a great deal can be learned from the Internet, it should not be used as the sole resource. There are many other valuable resources available which should not be overlooked simply because we, as educators, have jumped on the ‘computer bandwagon’. Moderation and variety are the keys to successful learning".

            Teachers may need to be reassured that there is indeed a benefit coming from use of OLEs. Curriculum outcomes and objectives must be the driving force behind attempts at technology integration according to this teacher’s beliefs:

It is a resource, however, that needs to be used with specific goals in mind which require frequent evaluation to determine if the technology is indeed able to meet curricular outcomes. I find it somewhat disturbing that some educators feel they are progressive in their methods simply because they use computers. Again we must keep our objectives in clear view and ensure that students are benefitting from the technology.

            Use of OLEs, on one hand, and the curriculum, on the other, may be seen as being in competition with each other. Teachers commented that "there is too much material to be covered in the curriculum to allow teachers to experiment with the Internet". This may be the case particularly for primary teachers: "I find the primary French Immersion program to be ‘surchargé’ already because we really have to build up children’s language levels so that they can understand the materials and information which come at them everyday." The following primary teacher explains why she does not believe in encouraging online learning with her students:

Teaching grade 2 students to go on the Internet (regardless of Fre-eng) when they should be taught sound reading and writing principles seems to me to be putting the cart before the horse. Our curriculum is overloaded. Therefore one would have to be done at the expense of the other. Above all else, I want my kids to enjoy and value a good book.

            Other challenges that were raised by teachers focused specifically on working in a second language in OLEs. In the following excerpt, the teacher argues that there are challenges that arise in online learning simply because of the fact that students are working in a language which is not native to them:

But most importantly, we are talkng (sic) about a second language here! Unless you happen to be fortunate enough to have French-speaking support in your media center, it is up to the teacher to provide the linguistic help that non-natives need to navigate their way through the Internet. Project-based learning is very different in the L2 classroom, where students' language acquisition is far below their intellectual abilities. It doesn't matter if you're in a third grade French immersion class, in high school or even at the university: unless your L2 reading level is on a par with that of your native language, everything takes twice as long, and the teacher's role as language resource is critical if students are really going to benefit from their time spent on the ‘Net’.

            The following excerpt presents the results of one teacher’s attempts at conducting an online project. The teacher describes her frustrations with trying to teach her students how to design web pages in French:

I am pleased with the pages but I feel as if I did not meet the objectives of the French curriculum. Most (all really) of the classes in the lab were conducted in English. It is impossible to teach grade eight Core students how to do something so complicated using the French language. Also, because we have only 16 machines and each class has 25+ kids of varying abilities and motivation, several kids finished a week before the others. Add into this the students who were absent every time we went to the lab (they don't even have a web created!), and it made for some confusion

            The conflict and problems evident in the beliefs in this sub-category highlight the problems encountered by teachers in relation to trying to organize their time in order to meet the demands of the curriculum and of working in OLEs. Increased training and support may not address all of the issues related to time and the curriculum, but, as the next section may illustrate, some teachers believe that the lack of training, support and a clear vision represent significant challenges to use of OLEs for the teaching and learning of FSFL.

            As its title suggests, this sub-category groups beliefs relates to three areas. For some teachers, training is a type of support. For others, while they do not require specific instructions in how to use the technologies, they may require assistance, technical support, or moral support. The link between training and support, on one hand, and vision, on the other, comes from teacher’s belief that, as part of learning how to integrate technology, they need to understand why they should integrate it, for what purposes, and with what benefits.

            While some may think that teacher preparation programs would train teachers in how to make use of OLEs, often this is not the case. As one teacher noted: "I tend to fall back on the way I learned best which did not include the Interent (sic)." The fast pace at which technology changes can present an even greater challenges in terms of trying to keep pace and learn new skills: "Technology changes so fast, anything I would have learned in my schooling is outdated. (And I graduated in 1996!) The schools are all too often outdated themselves, creating a reverse problem, the new teachers understand how to use the new technology but the shcool (sic) has the old stuff." Texts, experience and university training are not always effective means of preparing teachers for use of the Internet:

Since I believe that there is such a thing as a "teacher's personality" (with all the suspicions these stereotypes justly evoke), I am sure that we tend to invest a much more considerable part of our preparation time for internet courses. We all tend more or less to be "perfect" and want our lessons to be adequate. Whereas experience and routine as well as textbooks (in the largest sense) help us as guidelines, we are completely helpless when attacking such a new thing as internet. Besides, we also have no idea of what kind of result we can expect. We also have a certain knowledge of teaching techniques from university - but for most of us this modern device was non existent when we were trained.

            The lack of training and, subsequently the lack of knowledge in how to make use of OLEs, results in high levels of frustration for some: "With such emphasis on technology/internet etc. in the schools now...I am extremely frustrated as a teacher because inservice in these areas is not provided. If I am expected to do it along with everything else I do outside of the many extra hours I work at home, then I say no!" The frustrations experienced by some teachers may also be accompanied by certain fears about using new technologies. In the following excerpt, one teacher expresses the belief that training must take into consideration teachers’ emotional response to the new technology:

While I agree that children's learning opportunities are often severely hampered by the slow pace of teacher development and that even leading edge technology can wilt if teachers default to their old ways, we need to remember that many adults are petrified of this stuff....The focus in teacher development should be on tapping into the excitement of technology without putting a lot of pressure. It should be made clear that NO one is an expert, that we're all in the same soup learning along side our students and our colleagues.

            In terms of teachers’ emotional response to technology, training may be important in order to give them the confidence needed to believe that they can effectively deliver a lesson. As one teacher commented: "In terms of adjusting, I am still a lot more cautious than I would like to be about using the technology....I feel great when a lesson works well, but I don't relish the sense of nervousness I feel before a lesson!" The nervousness experienced by teachers may lead them to avoid using computers because they "feel intimidated by their lack of knowledge". Concerns and fears about wasting time or about the perception of colleagues may, as well, discourage a teacher from making use of the Internet in teaching:

Je crois qu'Internet sert beaucoup pour une classe, tantot quand tout le monde est ensemble, tantot pour un travail individuel. Mais je ne sais pas comment utiliser Internet dans ma pratique quotidienne, j'ai peur d'amener mes étudiants au centre de ressources et perdre les 40 minutes de classe d'autant plus que les professeurs de langue ne sont pas censés utiliser cet espace. Nous avons notre laboratoire avec audio et vidéo. Il y a beaucoup de résistance au changement et si je vais au centre et que je perds mon temps, ça ne va pas être très agréable. Au fait, je veux travailler avec Internet en classe de FLE mais je ne sais quoi ni comment. Un vrai problème, n'est-ce pas?

            Feeling "comfortable" is important to some teachers in terms of their willingness to use the technology in the classroom. One teacher commented that she was "Only at (sic) basic stage of being comfortable with Internet". Another commented: "I tend to rely on the tried and true. I guess I don’t feel comfortable enough with it myself to show stuff to students." And another: "We have a long way to go before the ‘net’ becomes a comfortable part of our school day. A lot of money is pent (sic) on hardware/software but not on support/training." To feel comfortable using the Internet, teachers may believe that it is important that they know more than the students on the subject: "I don’t feel comfortable myself using the Internet. I feel that when we use it as a group activity I know less than most of the kids". Without adequate training, teachers may feel ill-equipped to help students: "I do not feel like I have adequate skills to help my students utilize the Interenet"(sic). The lack of comfort with technology led one teacher to conclude: "If I cannot do it myself I cannot teach it".

            In terms of training, some participants in this study believe that teachers need skills "to fix things", "to find the information" needed, and "to use it efficiently in class". They require "inservice on ways to integrate it into the curriculum" and "further instruction on project based learning" as well as "appropriate follow-up on an on-going basis". Some teachers in this study indicated that were very willing to use the technology, recognized its potential, but needed training in the technical aspects of using the Internet:

Quant à l'Internet comme instrument de recherche...j'y vois plein de potentiel sans avoir appris à en profiter. J'ai toujours de la difficulté à accéder au RFI par exemple, parce que "download RealPlayer" n'a jamais réussi. En bref, je suis consciente du potentiel, mais je reconnais que les profs qui sont beaucoup moins enthusiaste que je ne suis et qui connaissent les problêmes techniques que je connais n'y arriveront pas.

            Teachers are also interested in "knowing what sites to access and what the objectives of using the sites are". They are interested in "knowing which sites are appropriate" and "knowing what sites are available" and which ones "fit with the prescribed curriculum". One area in which training may be lacking and needed is in the identification of appropriate resources and activities. Teachers indicated that there is a "lack of info about suitable on-line activities or uses" and that they "are not aware of sites" which correspond to "curriculum outcomes". Another noted that if teachers knew good sites, they would be able and willing to access them: "If someone could point out valuable sites or activities to me, I’m open to becoming involved".   

            Knowing which sites are available and which ones are appropriate represents a type of training from which some teachers would benefit. Others may also believe that they require training to understand the vocabulary and to have a "knowledge of the computer terminology in French":

I think the greatest pitfall in foreign language education is the fact that teachers often do not know this vocabulary in French themselves and so fall back on the English out of expediency. High-school teachers who have relied primarily on text-book language would find it extremely difficult to teach computer-related skills in French. And then to get onto the Internet and encounter texts cold - with no chance to look up new words - can be very threatening to teachers who are used to following a text book. I applaud those teachers who have taught themselves the lingo and who work on their reading skills so that they can be effective teachers in improvised situations. But I don't think many teacher-preparation programs include this kind of learning experience.

            For some teachers, training represents a means of understanding how to integrate sites into pedagogical material: "For me, the internet is like a huge resource centre full of partially catlogued (sic) books. I need somebody to help me find what I am looking for because I don't have the time to read each table of contents for those books not yet catalogued....The part I find the most frustrating is finding the time and energy to decide how these sites will be useful to my students". Training may help teachers understand, not only how to use the technology, but why to use it. Some participants in the study indicated in terms of the Internet that they were "not aware of its value in improving learning" or that "We would need a reason to go online" or, as another teacher stated: "I would need to decide exactly why I am using the Internet with my class". Others need concrete suggestions or ideas about what they might do with online resources and tools: "Maybe it’s because I’m not very creative, but I have difficulty coming up with ideas for projects which could incorporate the Internet".

            Not knowing how to integrate use of OLEs into present practices presents a significant challenge to some teachers: "I must confess I am one of those teachers who believes that the internet is a very useful teaching tool but have not yet figured out how to incorporate it into my teaching on a regular basis. I have not yet learned how to create a web page and my main use of the internet at present is for e-mail and discusssion (sic) groups." In spite of an interest in and willingness to use new technologies, some teachers may be completely unaware of how to exploit the material pedagogically:

Mon problème est que je ne sais pas trop comment utiliser l'Internet en classe. C'est qui me manque est une formation pour transformer ce que je trouve en Internet en outil didactique. Peut-être n'y a-t-il pas une formation de ce genre? Et c'est nous les professeurs qui devons trouver l'utilité didactique à Internet? Avec d'autres outils (articles de presse, K7, vidéo), je sais comment les utiliser car j'ai été formée pour cela. Sauf peut-être pour la vidéo, mais j'ai lu des livres du type "La vidéo en classe de langue". Mais en ce qui concerne Internet, je me trouve face à un support très riche, varié, hétérogène et je ne sais pas m'en servir du point de vue pédagogique. Ça me passionne les endroits que je découvre, mais que faire pour transformer cela en matériel didactique?

            In the following excerpt from a discussion with one of the study’s participants, there is a criticism of certain approaches taken to training in use of OLEs. The individual argues that too much emphasis is placed on technical training and not enough on the pedagogical training needed by teachers in order to effectively integrate OLEs into their teaching:

Les nouveaux paradigmes pedagogiques ne sont pas percus, apprehendes, -donc non-appropries-,par les enseignants. Ils continuent a travailler comme par le passe sans information et sans maitrise des outils. Les formateurs des enseignants sont surtout familiers des technologies informatiques... De ce fait, l'accent est mis sur la technologie informatique, les reseaux, comment ca marche...; rien sur les usages, encore moins sur la nouvelle pedagogie a prodiguer. Je peux compter l'experience d'enseignants qui à l'issue de 5 jours passes en formation, ne maitrisaient pas la recherche l'information sur les moteurs de recherche.....Ils ne recoivent donc aucune formation a l'accompagnement pedagogique, tout etant mis sur la maitrise technologique, a savoir faire fonctionner la machine, (ce qui peut bien sur depanner les profs en peine de le faire), mais les eleves dans ce cas sont laisses a leur apprehension faute d'un projet d'ensemble.

            While some may believe that there is too much emphasis on technical training to the detriment of pedagogical training, others may argue that without the necessary technical training which must come first, teachers will remain essentially fearful of and uncomfortable with the new technologies:

Internet, c'est d'un seul coup pour des profs étrangers souvent beaucoup plus isolés et limités dans leurs pratiques de classe qu'on ne croit, quelque chose d'infiniment ouvert et qui donne le vertige. Dans un premier temps, bien comprendre ce qu'on peut faire avec l'outil rassure. La formation ne doit en aucun cas faire l'impasse sur les différents usages et sur les pratiques nécessairement participatives qu'ils induisent mais dans un second temps. Si l'enseignant se sent dépassé par la machine, il ne peut en aucun cas apporter une dynamique à sa classe, déterminer des objectifs et évaluer des travaux. On n'est pas sérieux envers ls enseignants en leur laissant croire que la technique est vite apprise qu'elle n'est rien. Non, elle est un préalable parfois difficile à assimiler, qui demande des répétitions, de la pratique avant de l'oublier pour se consacrer à l'essentiel: les questions pédagogiques. Si on oublie ça, on crée des gens mal à l'aise avec les nouveaux outils qui n'osent avouer leurs peurs parce qu'il faut être moderne et connecté.

A similar belief about the importance of technical training as a prerequisite to pedagogical training is expressed by the following participant in the study:

En clair, avant de parler des usages d'une technologie comme Internet en classe de langues, il faut de leur point de vue apprendre d'abord à se servir de l'outil. Inutile d'explorer les ressources disponibles sur la toile si les techniques de sauvegarde d'une image, d'un texte n'ont pas été assimilées. Inutile de savoir quels sont les avantages pour la classe d'une correspondance électronique si on ne maîtrise pas correctement un logiciel de messsagerie. Il faut un minimum de maîtrise de l'outil pour aborder les questions d'ordre didactique.

            In some cases, teachers may not believe that it is training which is required rather it is an increased level of support from administrators: "Some administrations do not give release time and/or make compensatory accommodations for teachers who want to integrate technology into the curriculum and assess its effectiveness in reaching curricular objectives". For others, it may be technical support which is required: "I teach in a small school where computer literacy especially trouble-shooting is limited. This discourages computer use in my very busy demanding teaching day". Support can also take the form of providing teachers with a desire to want to change and to try something new:

All too often teachers are left in their room and the only support they have is their textbook and the other materials dictated by the powers that be! No wonder they don't want to change. We work so hard to create excitement in our students and hope that it will spread through the rest of the class, that we forget to fuel the excitement with other teachers.

            Another form of support is that which comes from fellow teachers: "I believe more teachers would be more apt to use the Internet if they had more support and training. Anything I see done at present is all done through the individual teacher's initiative. There is not much mentoring between the teachers that do know how to use technology and those that don't". The lack of mentoring may be difficult to achieve when fellow teachers have different beliefs about what it means to teach effectively. The following teacher describes her beliefs about colleagues’ reaction to her use of technology:

I am considered a nut, albeit a nice, friendly one, by my colleagues. Nose in the computer, out of touch with "reality" and so on and so forth. For years, I tried to convert them, with absolutely no success, but occasionally with some backlash. Please note that my colleagues are all hard-working, very dedicated teachers whose goal is to get their students (university level, ranging from beginners to advanced) to master the French language and literature. But they are convinced that the only way to do this effectively is for the teacher to be the almost-only source of input of knowledge. (the almost part consists of supplemental materials, carefully chosen, such as slides, video, audio and even the occasional web site - the latter being rare). There is an unspoken, perhaps unconscious, distrust of the ability of students to learn on their own... they must be carefully led to knowledge and that knowledge structured according to the priorities of the teacher. And testing... sigh... I can best describe that sort of testing as a regurgitation of what the teacher has tried to instill, mostly in terms of grammar correctitude (yes, I know that's not a word).

            Teachers may have different beliefs about teaching and learning that can affect their interest in technology integration. The newness of the Internet can affect teachers’ beliefs about its usefulness and result in less support for teachers interested in making use of it. One teacher described her experience and beliefs about her colleagues’ perceptions in this area: "Since I am delving into "waters" as yet unexplored I have little support from my colleagues. (Many of them think the use of technology in the classroom is a "passing fad" and are unwilling to use it.)". The perceived lack of support may result from different levels of enthusiasm and interest in using OLEs:

My frustration is that few others at our school share this enthusiasm, and without that sense of adventure and excitement, it is hard to be motivated to put forth the extra time and effort that Internet projects require. I do not really fault my colleagues; we are so overwhelmed by the demands of teaching in an immersion program where everything has to be translated, adapted and squeezed into too few hours. Teachers are stressed and tired (and it's only October!) and just want to get through their curricula. And the biggest reason for the apathy is the lack of tech support available to us. Every year we get more and more equipment but no added time to learn how to use it or how to implement it in the classroom. Most teachers have simply given up.

            As the beliefs in the previous excerpts have shown, there are many issues related to training and support for use of OLEs in the teaching of French. A further issue raised by participants in this study is that of the ultimate aim of training and support. The following excerpt suggests what this aim should be by pointing to the pitfalls of lack of training and development:

The one piece that is crucial to the success of Internet-based teaching - and which is so often lacking - is staff development. As I mentioned above, without good tech support to ensure that equipment is working, teachers lose interest. And without staff development time (which means $), we will continue to teach in the same old way, tinkling with machinery but never really redefining how we teach. New technology has to mean new teaching practices, but we are not there yet.

            A similar insistence on changing existing practices and on forging new paradigms is expressed in this criticism of the current vogue of interest in new technologies in France. The individual’s criticism points to a need to move beyond a purely technological vision in the use of OLEs:

L'effet de mode "NTIC" qui sevit en France conduit a sur-valoriser la technique, le cote marchand, a en faire un passage oblige; certainement pas a insister sur les nouveaux usages, sur les enjeux pour la formation des jeunes, sur les nouveaux paradigmes dans l'apprentisage (sic) et dans le rapport au monde, sur les nouvelles ecritures, etc..., bref a indiquer les tendances et a clarifier les reels atouts de ces technologies pour repondre a des besoins identifies. Pour moi, ces comportements ou attitudes recelent un risque potentiel de derive, d'echec dans l'introduction de ces technologies dans l'enseignement si on en reste a une vision purement technologique.

            While a vision that moves beyond the technical aspects may be necessary for effective use of OLEs, still, some maintain that for full integration of the Internet into teaching, large-scale systemic change as well as changes in thinking of teachers, parents and students will also be needed:

If we accept that the majority of education will be conducted by means of the internet, then we're going to have to start from the bottom up, demolishing ivory towers and slaughtering sacred cows on the way. *All* of us would have to be re-educated, though some (like me) would need more re-education than others. That's a big "if". Those of us in the trenches know it would take a while, even if accepted philosophically, because it would require incredible amounts of money to implement. A lot of our colleaugues (sic) are very comfortable with the way things are now. So are a lot of the parents of the kids we teach. So are a lot of the folks in the universities who are teaching our soon-to-be-colleagues. If we, as a society, decide to go this route, there are a *bunch* of challenges ahead.

            Having a vision and wanting to bring about change may require facing many "challenges ahead". The beliefs expressed in the following excerpt suggest that such challenges may be insurmountable:

In order to implement this degree of change, we'd have to teach the teachers how to use the internet, and help guide them toward developing their own courses. Then, we'd have to cut class size down from the present 25-30 student average to about half that many kids. We'd have to give teachers prep periods (most Alabaman teachers do not have prep periods during the school day - if you need to prepare classes, you do it at home, or at school before and after the school day). While doing this, you have to convince the State Board of Education, the parish (that's Alabaman for county) school board, and the parents that you're doing the right thing. Re-reading this, it sounds an awful lot like whining, but that's not the point. I just wanted to point out that there may be reasons other than conceptual disagreements to not hurtle into using the internet as the primary resource for teaching.

            A further challenge to bringing about full integration of technology into language teaching relates to the difficulty in changing the way people think. In the following excerpt, the teacher is critical of repeated attempts to change ways of thinking, practices and roles by introducing a new tool:

Les formateurs devraient être des pédagogues familiers des concepts et des usages d'une pédagogie active, bien-sûr mais d'un autre côté on ne peut pas changer brusquement les mentalités. A chaque fois qu'un nouvel outil fait son apparition dans la classe de langues c'est la même histoire,on veut tout lui faire porter..et les mêmes discours messianiques reviennent..on va bouleverser les pratiques pédagogiques, on va faire du prof un incitateur, un facilitateur et l'élève va se former seul avec la machine,etc..

            Some may argue that what appears to be a vision for technology integration is nothing more than an illusion. In the following excerpt, a teacher reflects on what can happen as a result of having a view that is too technocentric:

Beaucoup de decideurs et d'enseignants sur-valorisent la technologie (ce que j'appelerai " l'illusion technologique"); aucun accompagnement a la mise en place de projets pedagogiques n'est reellement mis en place, ni suivi et evaluation a fortiori....j'employais le terme d'ILLUSION TECHNOLOGIQUE pour denoncer 2 types de comportements: - le premier qui consiste a ne voir la technologie que comme une fin en soi, un but. On achete, on installe des equipements (micro-ordinateurs et modems, le plus souvent des PC bas de gamme peu evolutifs, peu chers pour avoir le maximum de machines, achetes chez l'assembleur du coin, mais avec tous les problemes de maintenance que cela induit tres vite et tres souvent) et pour le reste,- a la fois les contenus pedagogiques, les usages pedagogiques, les logiciels educatifs, les budgets pour un reel fonctionnement (ne serait-ce qu'une ligne telephonique dediee a l'Internet, les couts de connexion, ...) ne sont pas pris en compte par les financeurs ou l'Education Nationale. Cela est laisse aux etablissements qui ont toujours la meme enveloppe de fonctionnement et cet aspect peut etre critique....Pour developper un peu plus ce concept d'illusion technologique, - et cela est mon deuxieme point -, ce discours technologique est devenu dominant dans la bouche de quelques universitaires en sciences de l'education, ceux qui decouvrent ces technologies aujourd'hui et qu'elles fascinent plus qu'ils les utilisent. Tous les problemes d'acces aux savoirs, a la formation, etc... seraient resolus grace a l'Internet, l'extranet, l'intranet, les Cd-roms... sans distinguo. Il ya la un mythe sous-jacent. On s'achemine ainsi à former des "developpeurs" de produits de formation, pas des pedagogues Nouvelles Technologies Educatives...

            Myths, illusions or visions? The beliefs expressed in this section on the challenges related to use of OLEs suggest that the issues of training and support are indeed complex issues particularly because they relate to larger issues or questions such as: Why are we using the technology ?, How should we use the technology? and, Should we use the technology?. The following section considers other challenges related to technology use. These challenges relate less to theoretical issues such as visions and changing mentalities, and more to practical issues such as having the required equipment and obtaining online access.

            5.3.3 Access and Equipment

            While many of the beliefs about the obstacles to computer use may relate to human factors, some of these beliefs relate as well, to strictly technological issues such as lack of equipment, unreliable equipment or access to services or to the computer lab, slow connections and lack of technical assistance. Teachers’ reluctance to use the Internet in teaching may be related to lack of access to the Internet at home: "I am not connected at home so I find it time-consuming after school to prepare lessons." In other cases, access may only be available outside of school at the local library. Newfoundland teachers are provided with ten hours per
month of free online access through STEM~Net¹. However, teachers may find such access to be insufficient if they have to use this account for student projects. One teacher explained why she would not use OLEs with her students: "I presently would have to use my own stemnet acct".

            Even within the school, access may be limited: "We can only access the Internet from the resource centre where there are only 4 computers-it is simply a waste of time if you have 25 students wanting to get online. So we direct students to more traditional sources using the internet where possible". One option to limited access might be to send students off to work on their own on the computers either in the computer lab or the resource centre while the teacher continues working with the rest of the class. Such an arrangement may appear practical to some teachers but not to all:

Working independently on the Internet is, for many students, not an option. For younger children, there often is not the freedom to wander in and out of the media center without their teacher. And high school students have one period a day in which to work on their project. If there are computers in the classroom, there's a fighting chance that a few kids at a time can work at the computer, but it is unrealistic to think you can get twenty-five kids through a project without a computer lab and a set time to work on it.