Conclusion

CHAPTERFIVE DISCUSSION

5.1 Conclusion

The advent of the Internet age has redefined both business and educational paradigms, producing online platforms such as PeggyTeachesChinese which I examined in this thesis.

The Internet gave rise to Internet-based learning and optimized the effectiveness of businesses in the digital marketplace. The democratization of media editing software and price declines of technology have opened new opportunities for lucrative employment. The three-party market business model propelled YouTube to online dominance, allowing content creators to offer free content to the public and to monetize this content through advertising revenue. While Freemium has always been a successful business model by providing basic services for free to entice potential paying customers, the Internet has optimized its

effectiveness due to its global infrastructure and cultural ubiquity. In terms of Internet-based learning, online educators can target learners’ specific needs. Instead of placing individual pursuit within a group setting and making the individual conform to the stipulations of the collective, online educators can assess a whole range of learning objectives that pertain directly to the client. In a most immediate manner, educators can tailor the curriculum and pedagogical design to the needs of the individual client, prioritizing scheduling customization and the development of self-directed skills.

This thesis closely examines PeggyTeachesChinese as a prominent example of a Chinese learning platform operating within a Ubiquitous-Learning paradigm as well as a Freemium business model. In the introduction, I provided the historical context of the

platform that I have been building since 2009 and illuminated how circumstances had led me

to conduct an opportunistic research on my own business and the significance of this research to PeggyTeachesChinese itself. In Chapter 2, a review of literature and theoretical

frameworks are presented to highlight the prevailing pedagogical features of

PeggyTeachesChinese. I further elaborated on the research methods I employed throughout the examination process in Chapter 3. Then, in my first and second research question, I analyzed the educational and business components that facilitate my business’ successful operation over the last eight years. In support of this analysis, I further referred to my tutorial students’ input and feedback from a survey of thirteen opened-ended questions. The results of the research analysis are presented as my research findings in Chapter 4.

The first research question demonstrated the teaching tools and instructional methods I employ in my pedagogy. I reviewed four primary applications I use in my business -- YouTube, Skype, Google Docs and Quizlet -- and outlined their principal features in order to contextualize the practice of Ubiquitous Learning in my pedagogy. All four applications function as technology-based programs, providing seamless access to educational resources.

Furthermore, the ubiquity of these applications requires learners to take the initiative with learning. My video lessons are available on YouTube to self-directed learners who actively seek out free studying resources and materials on the Internet. While millions benefit from my video lessons, they also become aware of the one-on-one tutorial service that I offer.

Learners who sign up for my tutorial sessions study Chinese with me via real-time Skype video call at their convenience. Throughout our tutorship, I employ Google Docs and Quizlet to enhance further their learning experience, providing study materials that are accessible to students at all times and engaging them in self-studying activities. Google Docs, a document collaboration platform, is used to outline important sentence patterns and design exercises for students to complete between sessions, whereas Quizlet is a digital flashcards consisting of

study exercises and games; it is a self-study tool that can be accessed by a computer, a tablet or a mobile phone. Every Quizlet study set is created with my own voice recording, Chinese characters, pinyin or English. In addition to teaching tools, I employ learner-centered

pedagogy by incorporating a diversity of teaching strategies, which include repetitive pattern drills and corrective feedback without redundancy. I also utilize comprehensible input to allow learners to comprehend properly and to grow gradually accustomed to the target language.

The second research question explores the business model of PeggyTeachesChinese and systematically analyzes its nine business building blocks: 1) Customer Segments, 2) Value Propositions, 3) Channels, 4) Customer Relationships, 5) Revenue Streams, 6) Key Resources, 7) Key Activities, 8) Key Partnerships, and 9) Cost Structure.

PeggyTeachesChinese is structured upon the Three-Party Market and Freemium business models and generates revenue streams with advertising and the tutor-based service. The Three-Party Market is comprised of 1) the advertisers, 2) YouTube and its content creators, and 3) public viewers. As a content creator, PeggyTeachesChinese partners with YouTube, producing free content for public viewers and sharing revenue generated from advertising space monetization. The Freemium business model, a prevalent business model in the Internet era, attracts a large amount of users with its free basic services and entices a small portion of users to purchase paid premium services. Similarly, PeggyTeachesChinese offers both free YouTube video lessons and “premium” tutorial service to its worldwide learners.

Where my YouTube channel has been viewed over 2.6 million times, small quantities of my audience ultimately become paying customers and sign up for my one-on-one tutorial service.

This paid service generates a revenue stream for my business, sustaining the ongoing production of my YouTube videos and the continuing operation of PeggyTeachesChinese.

The last research question strengthens the analysis of the first and the second research question, underscoring the characteristics of PeggyTeachesChinese as a Ubiquitous Learning platform with my students’ input in a series of open-ended questions. The two-part survey focuses on: 1) students’ perceptions of PeggyTeachesChinese as a Ubiquitous Learning platform, and 2) students’ perceptions of my role as their tutor and their overall satisfaction with my tutorial service. According to their response in the first part of survey, students discovered my tutorial service through my YouTube videos and chose to study Chinese with me due to location and schedule flexibility. Moreover, the personalized aspects of my online sessions appeal to my students who tend to possess self-directed learning skills. The majority of the students who take online tutorials with me incorporate additional study materials or resources to advance their Chinese, a disposition that suggests their self-directed learning traits. In the second part of the survey, students further illuminated my role as their private tutor and their expectations of an ideal tutor. I have been described as a tutor who guides and supports them throughout the process of learning. Meanwhile, students consider the ability to demonstrate clearly and patiently the usage of the target language to be an important

characteristic of a good tutor. In addition, a good tutor also must be encouraging and engaging and having a social and communicative skill. Indeed, my students’ feedback indicated that I have successfully functioned as a facilitator and a supporter to their learning.

Furthermore, they are currently satisfied with my teaching service and therefore would recommend it to other learners who are seeking for a teacher.

This opportunistic research has fortified the pedagogical and theoretical properties of PeggyTeachesChinese. As I stated in the Introduction chapter, there was an absence of premeditation when PeggyTeachesChinese was initially established. I did not have the academic training to describe the general principle of my platform. My lack of articulation as

a result became my impetus to conduct this opportunistic research on PeggyTeachesChinese not only as my master’s thesis, but also as a journey of self-discovery and self-definition.

This thesis clearly defined the principle embodied in PeggyTeachesChinese. More

importantly, this examination contributes further literature and supplies additional insight to the larger scholarly framework of Ubiquitous Learning, Web-based Business Model and other language learning paradigms rising with the Internet Age.

5.2 Suggestions for Future Development