Nowadays, information technologies are catching growing attention and their application to English language learning is also prospering. Using a Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale and College English Test Band 4, this study explored the different impacts of e-collaborative learning via QQ group and traditional multi-media learning on learning outcomes and anxiety among tertiary students. Around 70 participants were involved in different styles of learning and instruction and received both surveys and tests. The results showed that QQ group-based e-collaborative learning could significantly decrease anxiety but no significant gain was found in learning outcomes compared with traditional multi-media learning. Correlation between learning outcomes and anxiety was also studied, which resulted in no significant findings. Both disadvantages and advantages of this study were discussed, and future research was recommended as well.
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QQ group is featured as powerful instant messaging (IM), which consolidates collaborative learning. Farmer (2007) argued that IM was actively used by millions of people who were connected from anywhere such as home, office, mobile, providing increasing collaborative opportunities. IM supported learning could be especially placed in three contexts: workplace, school and home (Deng, 2008).
Numerous studies explored IM. Some studies (Klavins, 2005; Snyder and Field, 2006) addressed how to design an IM, while others focused on how teenagers used IM, (e.g. Ribak et al., 2002; Klavins, 2005; Snyder and Field, 2006) or the use of away messages (Baron et al., 2005). Grinter and Palen aimed to compare the similarities and differences of SMS and IM and the impact of communication technologies on the pursuit of independence (Grinter and Palen et al., 2006). Grinter and Palen (2002) found teenagers dealt with school work with the aid of IM. The frequency of using IM increased as they became more mature. But they did not provide details on how participants finished the assignment with the aid of IM. It could be generally acknowledged that IM, as a feature of QQ group, might facilitate e-collaborative learning.
Traditional learning is operationally defined as the learning style assisted with multi-media projector and blackboard in this study. Students and the teacher are situated in a classroom equipped with multimedia and blackboard, where the teacher presented language points, language notes, and anything related on a blackboard or a large computer screen. The teacher can also prepare slides for lectures and then play slide by slide in class. Students receive the information mainly through blackboard and computer screen, coupled with teacher’s face-to-face explanation. This study aimed to identify the differences of both learning styles, coupled with language anxiety in the learning process.