Exploring the use of tutorial recordings to support retention and best practice in tutorial design for beginner learners of Chinese.

This study aims to explore how recorded tutorials can support students on a beginner Chinese module, with a focus on two aspects 

The enquiry follows on from investigating perceived benefits of accessing recorded tutorials for non-accredited beginner Chinese learners in the Open Centre for Languages and Cultures (Pleines & Kan, 2023). The project has the potential to increase tutorial attendance and retention in our Chinese module and will inform the effective design of tutorials and tutorial recordings in LAL and language learning contexts more widely. 

Students on credit-bearing Open University languages modules are offered live online tutorials, which we see as central to support their learning. Some of these tutorials are recorded, allowing learners to participate vicariously in tutorial interactions in their own time. In line with OU guidance and the specific recording policy followed in LAL, one tutorial of each type (e.g. “Unit 1 Practice”) is usually recorded. This will be the case in the new Chinese beginners’ module L108. 

Our own previous research has shown that beginner Chinese students in non-accredited courses derive benefits from interactive recordings in terms of their language learning and motivation (Pleines & Kan, 2023). Equally, students on more advanced credit-bearing modules in other languages report emotional, social and cognitive benefits from accessing recorded tutorials, and, importantly attendance data show that students who access recordings are much more likely to also attend live sessions than those who do not (Pleines, 2020).