數位學習服務平台PeggyTeachesChinese教學與商業模式之個案研究：回顧過去，展望未來

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(1)國立臺灣師範大學華語文教學研究所碩士論文. 數位學習服務平台 PeggyTeachesChinese 教學與商業模式之個案研究：回顧過去，展望未來. A Case Study on the Pedagogical and Business Model of PeggyTeachesChinese: Reflecting the Past, Anticipating the Future. 指導教授：陳振宇博士研究生：李家慧撰中華民國一零六年六月.

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(3) . ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This thesis is dedicated to all my students, friends and supporters of PeggyTeachesChinese. The building of PeggyTeachesChinese could not have been possible without them. A special “thank you” goes to my students for their participation in my survey. This writing process, despite the occasional frustration, had been extremely rewarding. I am deeply grateful for every piece of knowledge and skill I have gained from this year. With this in mind, I would like to thank my thesis advisor Prof. Jenn-Yeu Chen, the Dean of College of International Studies and Social Sciences at National Taiwan Normal University, for encouraging me to conduct a research and an examination of the business I have been building over the last eight years and for his continuous support for my career development. I would also like to acknowledge the two committees and readers, Prof. Yuju Lan of the Department of Applied Chinese Language and Culture at National Taiwan Normal University and Prof. Chin-chi Chao of Department of English at National Chengchi University, for their insightful input and valuable comments to strengthen this thesis. Finally, last but by no means least, I would like to express my deep gratitude to my forever patient and loving husband, John Corrigan, for spending incalculable hours discussing new ideas with me over coffee breaks in the midst of his own research. Thank you for your support throughout the course of this thesis.. Jia-Hui Li (Peggy Lee). i.

(4) . ABSTRACT Since the release of World Wide Web to the public in 1993, there has been a proliferation of online education. Researchers have invented different terminologies to define our contemporary learning paradigms, one of the principal forms being identified as “Ubiquitous Learning.” This paradigm emphasizes the “anywhere/anytime” learning experience of the Digital Age. This thesis closely examines an online educational platform PeggyTeachesChinese that I personally founded and have developing since 2009 as a prominent example of an online Freemium business operating within a Ubiquitous-Learning paradigm. I first present a theoretical framework that allows me to identify the principal elements of Ubiquitous Learning in PeggyTeachesChinese: 1) omnipresence, 2) context customization, 3) interactivity, 4) self-directed learning, and 5) perceived enjoyment. I next analyze the existing business model of PeggyTeachesChinese with a universal business model canvas created by Alexander Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur, and I scrutinize how my business model successfully emerged in the digital marketplace. Finally, I instrument thirteen open-ended survey questions to investigate my students’ perceptions of PeggyTeachesChinese as a Ubiquitous Learning platform, their perceptions of my role as their private tutor and their satisfaction with my tutorial service. This thesis illuminates the important components a successful online education platform has to provide in the domain of Internet-learning. Keywords: Ubiquitous Learning, Internet-based education, Freemium business model, PeggyTeachesChinese, YouTube. ii.

(5) . 中文摘要自網際網路 (World Wide Web) 於 1993 年問世以來，網路教育不斷地在擴大。研究者紛紛發明了不同的術語來定義當代的學習模式，其中被廣為認定的教育形式為：無所不在學習 (Ubiquitous Learning)。此形式強調數位時代裡通過科技的支援在「任何時間、任何地點」進行的教學活動。本論文深入研析了由筆者本人於 2009 年創立並持續發展的線上中文教學平台 PeggyTeachesChinese，以此作為一個無所不在學習範式內同時運行著免費增值商業模式 (Freemium Business Model)的成功案例。首先，我回顧了理論文獻來診斷 PeggyTeachesChinese 無所不在學習的五個主要原則：1）遍在性、2）課程架構客製化、3）交互性、4）自我導向學習、5）感知喜悅。接著，我運用了 Alexander Osterwalder 和 Yves Pigneur 創建的通用商業模型畫布 (Business Model Canvas) 分析 PeggyTeachesChinese 的現有商業營運模式，並仔細分析了我的商業模式是如何在數位市場中興起且成功地發展。最後，我採用了十三項開放式問題問卷調查我的家教學生對 PeggyTeachesChinese 作為一個無所不在學習平台的看法、他們對我作為私人輔導的角色以及對我的教學服務的滿意度與建議。本論文闡述了一個成功的線上教學平台在網路學習領域中必須具備的重要組成部分。關鍵字：無所不在學習、互聯網學習、免費增值商業模式、PeggyTeachesChinese、 YouTube. iii.

(6) . TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ....................................................................................................... I ABSTRACT .............................................................................................................................. II 中文摘要.................................................................................................................................. III TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................................ IV LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................................. VI LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................... VII CHAPTER ONE ........................................................................................................................ 1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 1 1. Opening Statement and Thesis Overview .......................................................................... 1 2. Historical Overview of PeggyTeachesChinese .................................................................. 3 3. Research Method ................................................................................................................ 5 4. Delimitations and Limitations ............................................................................................ 6 CHAPTER TWO ....................................................................................................................... 8 LITERATURE REVIEW .......................................................................................................... 8 1. The Internet Age ................................................................................................................. 8 1.1 Historical Overview of the Internet ............................................................................... 8 1.2 Education in the Internet Age........................................................................................ 9 2. Online Learning vs. Ubiquitous Learning ........................................................................ 11 2.1 Online Learning........................................................................................................... 11 2.2 Ubiquitous Learning .................................................................................................... 12 3. Customization in Ubiquitous Learning............................................................................. 14 4. Self-Directed Learning and Learner-Centered Approach ................................................ 16 5. Constructivism: an Earlier Theoretical Paradigm ............................................................ 18 6. The Business Model Canvas............................................................................................. 20 CHAPTER THREE ................................................................................................................. 25 METHODOLOGY .................................................................................................................. 25 3.1 Research Questions......................................................................................................... 25 3.2 Methods .......................................................................................................................... 25 3.2.1 First Research Question ........................................................................................... 25 3.2.2 Second Research Question ....................................................................................... 26 3.2.3 Third Research Question .......................................................................................... 26 CHAPTER FOUR .................................................................................................................... 35 RESULTS ................................................................................................................................ 35 4.1 First Research Question .................................................................................................. 35 iv.

(7) . 4.1.1 Teaching Tools ......................................................................................................... 35 4.1.2 Teaching Methods .................................................................................................... 41 4.1.3 Sample of Lesson Plan ............................................................................................. 42 4.2 Second Research Question ............................................................................................. 46 4.2.1 Customer Segments ............................................................................................... 50 4.2.2 Value Propositions ................................................................................................ 51 4.2.3 Channels ................................................................................................................ 60 4.2.4 Customer Relationships......................................................................................... 62 4.2.5 Revenue Streams ................................................................................................... 63 4.2.6 Key Resources ....................................................................................................... 64 4.2.7 Key Activities ........................................................................................................ 64 4.2.8 Key Partnerships ................................................................................................... 65 4.2.9 Cost Structure ........................................................................................................ 66 4.3 Third Research Question ................................................................................................ 67 CHAPTER FIVE ..................................................................................................................... 80 DISCUSSION .......................................................................................................................... 80 5.1 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 80 5.2 Suggestions for Future Development ............................................................................. 85 A Pay-to-Gain-Access Program ........................................................................................ 85 REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................ 89 APPENDIX .............................................................................................................................. 94. v.

(8) . LIST OF TABLES Table 1 The Business Model Canvas ................................................................................................................................................... 21 Table 2 Design of the Survey .................................................................................................................................................................. 28 Table 3 Survey Incentives ........................................................................................................................................................................ 31 Table 4 Digital Applications to Implement U-Learning .............................................................................................................. 35 Table 5 A Sample Of Tutorial Lesson Plan ...................................................................................................................................... 43 Table 6 Peggyteacheschinese As a Freemium Business Model ................................................................................................ 50 Table 7 Tutorial Service Session Package ........................................................................................................................................ 63 Table 8 Business Expense Of PeggyTeachesChinese ................................................................................................................... 67. vi.

(9) . LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Study Section on Quizlet ....................................................................................................................................................... 39 Figure 2. Play Section on Quizlet ......................................................................................................................................................... 39 Figure 3. Creating a Study Set ............................................................................................................................................................... 41 Figure 4. The Three Party Market of YouTube Partnership Program. ................................................................................. 48 Figure 5. A Role-Play Video Lesson ................................................................................................................................................... 52 Figure 6. Teaching Section in a Role-Play Video Lesson ........................................................................................................... 54 Figure 7. A Vlog Video Lesson .............................................................................................................................................................. 56 Figure 8. Teaching Section in a Vlog Video Lesson ..................................................................................................................... 58 Figure 9. Process of An Online Tutor Lesson .................................................................................................................................. 59 Figure 10. Channels Of PeggyTeachesChinese. ............................................................................................................................. 60 Figure 11. How Students Discovered My Tutor Service .............................................................................................................. 68 Figure 12. What Makes Online Tutor Lessons Better ................................................................................................................... 69 Figure 13. Learners' Experience During Lessons .......................................................................................................................... 72 Figure 14. Learners' Description of My Role As Their Tutor ................................................................................................... 75 Figure 15. Learners' Recommendation of My Service ................................................................................................................. 77. vii.

(10) CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION. 1. Opening Statement and Thesis Overview Since the release of World Wide Web to the public in 1993, there has been a proliferation of online learning and teaching. The Internet is one of the most revolutionary inventions in human history, dramatically changing the way we communicate and the way we perceive knowledge. Many have termed the Internet era “the Knowledge Age,” the “Digital Age” or the “Information Age” so as to reflect the ways in which data is digitally transmitted and shared among users of a network. With the advent of the digital age, moreover, researchers have invented different terminologies to define our contemporary learning paradigm. Unlike traditional education where learning is comprised of an educator and forty to fifty students in a classroom, in the digital age, instructors and learners are further complemented by wireless networks and the various technological devices (mobile phones and tablets, laptops or personal computers) that process them. Due to the pervasive nature of wireless networks, learning can take place anywhere anytime. This novel form of education is known as “Ubiquitous Learning” or “U-learning.” According to Kalantzis and Cope (2009), Ubiquitous Learning is “a new educational paradigm made possible in part by the affordances of digital media” (p. 4). Jung (2014) further summarizes the principal characteristics of Ubiquitous Learning as “omnipresence, context customization, interactivity, self-directed learning, and perceived enjoyment” (p. 97). Jung concludes that these characteristics of Ubiquitous Learning influence students’ learning satisfaction and, if satisfaction is amplified, so is the learning performance.. 1.

(11) . This thesis examines PeggyTeachesChinese as a prominent example of an online business operating within an Ubiquitous-Learning paradigm (https://www.peggyteacheschinese.com/). Indeed, PeggyTeachesChinese was one of the earliest platforms that offered Chinese lessons on YouTube and, today, it continues to educate and influence tens of thousands of learners around the world. Its content has been viewed over 2.6 million times and it has nearly 18,000 subscribers as of June 2017. Since PeggyTeachesChinese is a business I personally founded and developed over the course of many years, I offer this examination as a case study of an online educational platform that contributes to the larger scholarly field of Ubiquitous Learning, online distance education and business framework for online language learning. In this context of emerging Internet-based learning models and pedagogies, this thesis thereby analyzes PeggyTeachesChinese as a pedagogical and business model. I first present the theoretical frameworks that highlight the prevailing features of my online educational platform. I further investigate how this pedagogy is designed according to the principal elements of Ubiquitous Learning proposed by Jung (2014): 1) omnipresence, 2) context customization, 3) interactivity, 4) self-directed learning, and 5) perceived enjoyment. Then, I analyze the existing business model of PeggyTeachesChinese based on the business framework proposed by Alexander Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur and scrutinize how my business model successfully emerged in the digital marketplace. Finally, I investigate my students’ perceptions of PeggyTeachesChinese as a Ubiquitous Learning platform, their perceptions of my role as a private tutor and their satisfaction with my tutorial service. This investigation illuminates the different components that a successful self-study platform has to provide in the domain of Internet-learning.. 2.

(12) . 2. Historical Overview of PeggyTeachesChinese In February 2009, I registered a YouTube channel under the name PeggyTeachesChinese and uploaded my first Mandarin teaching video lesson. YouTube was still in its infancy, only five years old, and without the abundance of content that it possesses today. Indeed, monetizing content on YouTube has become a well-known phenomenon, but then it was a digital space still being founded not just by Google engineers and programmers, but also by the general public who would eventually turn the video site into the institution it is today. In the elapsing eight years, our digital world has grown by leaps and bounds, and the journey that began for me as the uploading of a single video watched by a few dozen people has become not simply a hobby or pastime, but a bona fide profession. As of June 2017, PeggyTeachesChinese’s YouTube channel has been viewed 2.6 million times and has gained nearly 18,000 subscribers from around the world -- and from that number, I have taught hundreds of people of different cultures and ethnicities. Appropriately, the beginning of my journey as a teacher mirrors this digital, intercultural landscape, for I was, in 2008, an undergraduate Ming Chuan University student, surrounded by international students and expatriates. As a learner of English as a foreign language, I expressed the usages of my native language and the beauty of my culture to many of them. In return, I learned about their cultures and their perspectives about numerous aspects of Taiwan. This rare intercultural experience sparked my passion for teaching. At eighteen years of age, I began to tutor foreigners Chinese in person. At the time, I had never received any formal training in the field of Teaching Chinese as a Second Language. The linguistic intuition of my native language and some readings enabled me to present a satisfactory teaching performance, no doubt made up by my youthful passion to share my language and culture. 3.

(13) . After tutoring expatriates Chinese in person, I aspired to teach my language and share the Taiwanese way of life to more people so I started my YouTube channel. Many of my foreign friends were supportive and keen about this project. As an inexperienced amateur at video production, I started out with a run-of-the-mill digital camera and gradually acquired more advanced techniques in filming, editing and production. In retrospect, I was fortunate to begin at a time in which the content on YouTube was not as rich as it is today. Indeed, my early videos framed language learning with dramatic role-play, and no one had thought to present Mandarin language learning in this style. Certainly, role-playing was part of certain academic curricula, but there was as-yet no free content for the interested Internet user. My Chinese language teaching skill also improved – and due to my edutainment teaching style, I slowly gained support and popularity from viewers worldwide. As a natural addition to my Mandarin videos, I soon began to publish cultural education videos, introducing Taiwanese culture to viewers interested in life on our island. In May 2010, having invested such an effort for over a year with so many online videos, a YouTube partnership was granted to PeggyTeachesChinese. Being a certified “YouTuber” meant that I could finally begin to earn funds from embedded advertisements. I had begun, in other words, to monetize my own creative content. To be sure, the YouTube partnership represented my success in a successful building of viewership and community on my channel. At the time, however, I had no grand business proposal or plan. I simply built and developed the brand as I went. Meanwhile, I kept my day job, for I did not expect that the business would generate enough income to sustain my living. From 2012 to 2013, I had the opportunity to teach Chinese language and culture in the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith under Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) Program. Throughout those 9 months, I had the opportunity to challenge myself in 4.

(14) . the classroom. At the outset, I did not have enough experience and was not fully equipped to direct students strategically throughout the course of learning. Furthermore, I found it challenging to explain systematically grammatical rules of the language. Since I was the first and the only Chinese instructor at that university, I had a lot of difficulties designing a proper curriculum for my classes. Consequently, students’ learning outcomes were not ideal. It dawned on me that the lack of pedagogical and theoretical training was holding me back from advancing any further. My development as a language instructor had come as far as it could through my passion for online content. I firmly believed my acquisition of professional and academic knowledge of the field would enable my business to progress and continue to grow. Upon my return to Taiwan, I enrolled in Chinese as a Second Language master’s program at National Taiwan Normal University in 2014. My work has lead me to this present position: a research process in which I retrace and frame my own brand through the theoretical lens I acquired in graduate school and pivot toward developing my business for a digital future.. 3. Research Method Researchers have identified the value of our “own unique biographies, life experiences, and situational familiarity […] as important sources for research ideas and data” (Riemer, 1977, p.467) in qualitative research. Our personal “experiences may also spur a degree of interest or concern that can provide motivation and curiosity that, combined with access, becomes the starting point for meaningful naturalistic inquiry” (Lofland, Snow, Anderson, & Lofland, 2006, p. 10). This type of intellectual inquiry is identified as “opportunistic research,” one that arises from one’s personal experience, a pivotal event or a change of circumstance by which the individual feels inspired to explore a topic. My impetus to research PeggyTeachesChinese as a pedagogical and business model emerged directly 5.

(15) . from my own immediate experience of building and developing this brand in the past eight years. After nearly a decade of investment in this business, I developed an intellectual curiosity to explore the important elements that nourishes the success of PeggyTeachesChinese. I therefore seek to investigate the building blocks that have facilitated the business operation of PeggyTeachesChinese as well as the key elements that have make this teaching paradigm successful for learners around the world. I am also interested in the prospective steps I can take to advance and expand my existing pedagogical and business model. Through this analysis, I aim to identify the steps that will lead to the expansion of my business scope and the resulting increase of Revenue Streams. I consider the writing of thesis as an opportunity to reflect upon the making of PeggyTeachesChinese and looking ahead to its future evolvement. This research process therefore involves a consideration of my business as well as a reflection of my personal growth from when I taught Chinese for the first time to the completion of my Master’s degree in the field.. 4. Delimitations and Limitations Since this research is conducted directly by the founder and the owner of PeggyTeachesChinese, there are both advantages and disadvantages of this study. When one conducts a case study on a teaching or business model, as most qualitative researchers are aware, the researchers must gain the trust of the research participants in order to perceive the internal operation, business planning or marketing strategies. It is understandable that most companies or organizations have to account for possible risks a public report may bring to their businesses and thus are unwilling to allow an outsider to observe the organization closely. The mutual establishment of trust becomes one of the most difficult challenges in the research process. In this context, having access to an unobstructed and complete perception 6.

(16) . of the subject of the study is certainly an extraordinarily unusual advantage. As the founder and owner of PeggyTeachesChinese, I have the knowledge of its background, history and the business procedure. I can thereby provide accurate and unmediated data and the most detailed report in regard to PeggyTeachesChinese. At the same time, I am well aware that, for outside observers, my personal involvement may hamper the objectivity of this research. After all, PeggyTeachesChinese is a long-term investment of mine. It is inevitable that my personal sentiment is intertwined with my business. Although this may be true, it is important to note that this linkage is what makes the process of this research meaningful. The link between my personal involvement and PeggyTeachesChinese is the wellspring of my motivation and inspiration for this research. For this reason, this research is a process of personal reflection and growth that can have tangible results in the further professionalization of my business and its expansion. With these two considerations in mind, I provide undistorted descriptions and present unbiased analysis as I examine the current pedagogical and business model and address possible developments for my online Chinese learning platform.. 7.

(17) . CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW. 1. The Internet Age 1.1 Historical Overview of the Internet The notion of interconnected references and information stored in an electronic device can be traced back to the 1940’s in the United States. Vannevar Bush (1945) who was an American engineer conceptualized this unprecedented design in his article “As We May Think.” Bush described a futuristic machine called “Memex,” which could be used to store information and knowledge: “A Memex is a device in which an individual stores all [an individual’s] books, records, and communications, and which is mechanized so that it may be consulted with exceeding speed and flexibility. It is an enlarged intimate supplement to his memory” (p. 121). In the 1960s, this “mechanized private file and library” was developed respectively by Ted Nelson and Douglas Engelbart. Nelson coined new terms, Hyperlinks and Hypermedia, to describe this technology. A hypertext is a “text which contains links to other texts,” while Hypermedia is the expansion of a hypertext to include text, graphic, video or sound (https://www.w3.org/History/19921103hypertext/hypertext/WWW/TheProject.html). Upon the improvement of hyperlinks, Tim Berners-Lee developed the World Wide Web based on the fundamental concept of the hypertext in 1989. WWW was initially a European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) project attempting to make the sharing of information among universities and research institutions easier. WWW provides a cyberspace that consists of hyperlinks and hypermedia. In 1993, the World Wide Web was released and became free to the public and has ever since revolutionized our knowledge culture. 8.

(18) . There are many monikers in use to describe our present digital era. The Information Age, the era of big data, the digital age, the knowledge economy – all of these terms denote just how much computing technology and the Internet have changed global culture. With the rise of the Internet, human information has not simply increased, but exponentially expanded so that “data is expected to grow 64% every year, and some categories of data, such as the data produced by particle accelerators and DNA Sequences, grow much faster” (Stoica, 2013). Computing technology was revolutionary in-itself, as it emerged in the twentieth century, but the invention of the Internet allowed a knowledge culture in which users are not only consumers, but also creators of information. This dynamic dramatically unsettles previous consumer-driven models in capitalist culture and just as importantly leads to the exponential increase in data, in turn driving the need for faster processing technologies as well as data storage, servers and related infrastructure. This phenomenon also “represents a worldwide knowledge transformation on a global scale” (Harasim, 2012, p. 23) that continues to expand. According to International Telecommunication Union (ITU), there were 400 million Internet users worldwide as of 2000. In the intervening fifteen years, billions more went online. There are currently 3.2 billion people who are using the Internet out of the global population of 7.4 billion. Furthermore, 46% of households have Internet access. These statistics vividly indicate the digital transformation our civilization is experiencing.. 1.2 Education in the Internet Age The advent of the Internet has undoubtedly changed our education system as well, redefining what it means to learn and to be a student. Betram Bruce (1999) predicted that learning has shifted from the traditional educational setting. In the past, learning was largely constrained by space and time, for knowledge was “framed within books, or even within the 9.

(19) . sole ‘textbook’” (p. 663). The Internet changed this paradigm, making class periods, textbooks and the classroom itself less necessary. Education can take place online; learning can occur anywhere, anytime. Bruce foresaw these upcoming changes that would revolutionize the dynamics between teachers and students as well as educational institutions and curricula. In addition, Bruce predicted the further democratization of knowledge with the number of students increasing due to the fact that they had seamless access to resources. At the same time, he understood that the demand for instructors would decrease, since prerecorded video lessons could be delivered at a much lower cost. He further claimed that the education at community colleges or small-scaled institutions would no longer be needed because learners could simply study online while keeping a daytime job. This paradigm would revolutionize curricula, which would necessarily adjust to suit the learner’s career or individual needs. In short, learning material would be highly customizable. While a new educational paradigm emerged in the Internet Age, the definition of the learner has also been redefined. Marc Prensky (2001) identified learners of the Digital Age as “digital natives” who are “native speakers of the digital language” (p. 1). What distinguishes students of the Digital Age from traditional students is that digital natives acquire information at a much faster rate through their smartphones, computer tablets or laptops. Seamless access to information is notably the historical phenomenon that characterizes the latter part the 20th century. In conjunction with the prevalence of the Internet, technological devices facilitate learning by mediating networked intelligence. According to Siemens (2005), “in many fields the life of knowledge is now measured in months and years” (p. 1). He specifies that the ability to discover new information, to recognize new perspectives and to alter one’s existing knowledge is crucial in such an accelerated learning environment. Because learning is no longer confined by space and time, it can “reside in non-human appliances” (p. 4). The 10.

(20) . exponential spreading of information has drastically compressed the amount of time it takes to gain new intelligence and earn new skills. According to the Institute-wide Task Force on the Future of MIT Education: Preliminary Report (2013), these “advances in online education enable learning to take place anywhere at any time, forcing us to question the meaning of the strict physical and temporal boundaries of the campus” (p. 9). Such transformations will impact traditional education systems in ways that are hard for many to imagine, moreover. Even the “typical time period of an academic degree becomes blurred,” shifting “the focus from institutions to a learning ecosystem.” As a consequence, “resources, relationships, and roles may need to be recast” (p. 9).. 2. Online Learning vs. Ubiquitous Learning 2.1 Online Learning A major pedagogical branch of internet-based learning is Online Learning. Online Learning involves one or more learners, an instructor and a technological device (i.e. laptops, tablets or smart phones) that uses bandwidth to connect students and the teacher. Not entirely confined by time and space, Online Learning is internet-based learning as opposed to face-toface learning. The instruction can be either synchronic or asynchronic. It is interactive and tailored to suit the individual needs of the learners. According to Linda Harasim (2012), Online Learning comprises three subcategories: Online Collaborative Learning (OCL), Online Distance Education (ODE) and Online Courseware (OC). OCL strives for a group learning dynamic that is usually mediated by the instructor. In an OCL classroom, for instance, the teacher aims to establish discourse and collaboration among learners. By contrast, ODE employs “a correspondence model of course delivery, self-study and individual communication with a tutor” (p. 87). In this context, the 11.

(21) . instructor acts as both a one-on-one correspondent and the learning guide to the learner. While both OCL and ODE take account of the communication with other learners and the instructor in students’ learning process, OC applies “an individualized self-paced pedagogy.” The learner accesses materials online and embarks on the learning journey entirely on his/her own. The subcategory of Online Distance Education (ODE) corresponds most closely with the properties of Ubiquitous Learning proposed by Jung (2014), namely “omnipresence, context customization, interactivity, self-directed learning, and perceived enjoyment.”. 2.2 Ubiquitous Learning Accompanying the revolution of the information age, Ubiquitous Learning emerged as one of the principal pedagogies that characterizes the new learning paradigm. Mark Weiser (1991) was the first to propose the concept of ubiquitous computing, providing in turn a theoretical foundation for the emergence of this new form of pedagogy. Strictly speaking, ubiquitous computing is when computing technology is so embodied in our reality that it becomes nearly “invisible” to human beings. Weiser identified, moreover, two aspects of ubiquitous computing: first, the computer being capable of identifying its own locale and, second, ubiquitous computing coming in different sizes and types, such as thin and light as well as portable digital tabs and pads. These two features of computing are certainly available in all present technologies, such as location services on smartphones, tablet computers and laptops. We have become so accustomed to ubiquitous computing that we take it for granted. Where Bertram Bruce (1999) first identified the key characteristic of Ubiquitous Learning as an “anywhere/anytime” experience, and a decade later, Nicholas C. Burbules (2009) classified this learning paradigm in a systematic manner. He identifies “six interrelated dimensions” of Ubiquitous Learning: first, the “spatial” sense of Ubiquitous 12.

(22) . Learning is boundless and unlimited. Learners can study anywhere as long as there is a connection to the Internet. In order to be able to study at any place one wishes, the second element, “portability” of technological devices becomes essential so that learners can have their mobile phones, tablets or laptops with them. Accordingly, Burbules continues his classification with the element of “interconnectedness,” which provides an “extensible intelligence” for learners because people have constant access to “networked intelligence.” In other words, the informativeness of the Internet age nurtures more knowledgeable and informative individuals. The fourth element of ubiquity is the ways in which typical social and cultural divisions have been changed. Societies before the Internet age used to be oriented by conventions and fixed categories. By contrast, users today are networking via Internet connection and therefore traditional activity such as teaching, learning and working can take place at any given time. Ubiquitous Learning can accommodate different individual needs and, in this sense, it serves a “practical” purpose. This aspect also leads to the “temporal” quality of ubiquity in which learning can take place at any time at any age. Burbules concludes his description with Ubiquitous Learning’s final element as providing a “globalized, transnational network and ‘flow’.” The social and learning network is seamless in the sense that people, information and ideas are interconnected throughout the globe. Hee-Jung Jung (2014) further systematizes Ubiquitous Learning theory, proposing five key characteristics: “omnipresence, context customization, interactivity, self-directed learning, and perceived enjoyment” (p. 97). Omnipresence highlights the “anytime/anywhere” aspect of Ubiquitous Learning where learners are able to seamlessly “acquire and connect to learning materials and instruction” (p.102). Context customization indicates that learning content is generated and designed based on the learner’s environment. Jung defines the third characteristic “interactivity” as the interaction between learners and 13.

(23) . their technological or mobile devices. She also reinforces the learner’s engagement in a “selfdirected learning” process during Ubiquitous Learning. This feature includes a learner’s selfassessment, self-generated initiatives and motivation for his or her learning objectives. Jung concludes with the last characteristic, “perceived enjoyment,” that is the sense of pleasure a learner receives from technology-enhanced lessons. Indeed, the notion of Ubiquitous Learning has not stopped evolving, for the rapid development of technology leads to the improvement of learning experience. Laru, Naykki and Jarvela (2015) predict that due to the democratization of technological devices, a mixture of digital tools, such as smartphones and tablet computers, will complement the future learning environment of the ubiquitous era for “everyone, anytime, and anywhere” (p. 78). Another popular trend of Ubiquitous Learning is the integration between the learner and his or her surrounding. While learning can take place whenever and wherever, the application itself on the device is aware and thus responds to the changing environment, known as “adaptive application,” improving the physical interactions and enriching learning experience (Gilman, Milara, Cortes & Riekki, 2015, p.55). In this thesis, I adapt Jung’s characterization of Ubiquitous Learning, namely “omnipresence, context customization, interactivity, selfdirected learning, and perceived enjoyment,” to examine the existing features of Ubiquitous Learning of PeggyTeachesChinese.. 3. Customization in Ubiquitous Learning Two characteristics of Ubiquitous Learning, context customization and self-directed learning, illuminate a newly formed educational model merging with Internet-based learning. Ubiquitous Learning’s anywhere/anytime instruction particularly attracts adult learners whose schedules are often influenced by their families, work and other obligations. Indeed, 14.

(24) . for learners who do not have the luxury to be at a specific place, Ubiquitous Learning serves as an instrument “for education beyond the traditional spatial and institutional boundaries” (Kalantzis and Cope, 2009, p. 9). The ubiquity of Internet-based instruction thus accelerates learning for individuals with inflexible schedules. In this sense, Ubiquitous Learning provides schedule-customization that many adult learners need. In additional to schedule flexibility, customized curricula in Ubiquitous Learning appeal to adult learners who tend to engage their prior experiences and individual goals in the learning process. Since the emergence of Internet-based courses, there has been an increased emphasis upon the dynamics of customized learning. The following excerpt from the U.S. Department of Defense’s Advanced Distributed Learning Network aptly describes the relationship between online learning and customized courses: Empirical studies have raised national interest in employing education and training technologies that are based on the increasing power, accessibility and affordability of computer and networking technologies. These studies suggest that realizing the promise of improved learning efficiency through the use of instructional technologies – such as computer-based instruction, interactive multimedia instruction and intelligent tutoring systems – depends on the ability of those technologies to tailor instruction to the needs of individuals (as quoted in Wiley & Edwards, 2002, p. 34). The needs of learners are various, connected to individual interests and personal goals. Online teachers are therefore expected to be highly accommodating in order to fulfill a diversity of requirements. Customization in education indicates that learning has gradually become a commercial activity. It has been stated that the teacher’s relationship to the student resembles that of a service provider because “students-as-customers expect an even higher degree of customization and accommodation to their preferences, not only in terms of 15.

(25) . scheduling. As customers, they know they can take their business elsewhere” (Burbules, 2009, p. 15). In the Internet age, a competitive business depends on its adaptability to individual specifications and needs. This business model increasingly applies to the processes of developing a successful curriculum in the educational industry. Furthermore, learners as customers are the authors of their own knowledge. Each individual learner constructs his or her learning schema based on his or her personal needs and experience. Kalantzis and Cope (2009) point out the shift in the power dynamic that characterizes Ubiquitous Learning: “Every learner can connect the general and the authoritative with the specifics and particulars of his or her own life experiences and interests” (p.11). In this context, the instructor is no longer the authority but rather a learning guide to the students. To put it differently, the instructor is a co-author and co-learner who constructs the knowledge along with his or her students (Haythornthwaite, 2009, p. 38). The shifting authorship of knowledge construction redefines the conventional role of the instructors in education, recasting it as a facilitator, a tutor or a coach of the learner.. 4. Self-Directed Learning and Learner-Centered Approach In this section, I explore two educational concepts that have shared characteristics with the notion of learners-as-customers and -authors of their own knowledge in Ubiquitous Learning: 1) self-directed learning and 2) learner-centered approach. Learner’s selfgovernance and responsibility for learning are key aspects of Self-Directed Learning and Learner-Centered Approach. While Self-Directed Learning stresses the learner’s autonomy, specifically that of an adult learner, throughout the course of learning, Learner-Centered Approach emphasizes the overall dynamic and responsibility established between the teacher and the learner. Both mechanisms aim to amplify the learner’s independence and regard the 16.

(26) . teacher as an enabler, sharing a comparable educational paradigm. The relationship between customization and self-directed learning is further accentuated by the fact that Internetlearners tend to be adults who enter into a pedagogical relationship with definite goals and priorities. Scholars have identified the general pedagogical principles for adult education based on certain defining characteristics. To be sure, adults are considered to be “selfdirected, practical, and social, and that they bring varied experiences to their learning” (Heuer & King, 2004, p. 1). Self-directed learners, usually with help from “teachers, tutors, mentors, resources people, and peers,” tend to take the initiative in identifying their learning needs, setting learning goals, incorporating various learning tools and resources, applying learning strategies and finally assessing their learning results (Knowles, 1975, p. 18). Saks and Leijen (2014) further summarize that self-directed learning “due to its adult education roots is mostly used for describing the learning activities outside traditional school environment” (p.192). In a learning environment without a pre-established curriculum, learners have more control in learning activities and tasks this process involves. Moreover, learners “have more freedom to generate and pursue their own goals, and undertake critical evaluation of the materials they select.” The traditional role of the teacher as an authoritative transmitter of knowledge that identifies, organizes and delivers learning content is therefore less prevalent in ubiquitous learning. Instead, the teacher operates much more like a facilitator who helps to bring out learning outcomes. Educators have long recognized that learning should not be unilateral as with a traditional instructor who possesses the power in the classroom setting. Instead, every aspect of learning should include both the teacher and the students in dynamic interaction with each other. Maryellen Weimer (2002) was one of the first to identify the growing transition toward learner-centered teaching. With her “Five Key Changes to Practice,” she formulated the 17.

(27) . following distinctions: 1) the function of content, 2) the role of the instructor, 3) the responsibility for learning, 4) the purposes and processes of assessment, and 5) the balance of power. Phyllis Blumberg (2009) later summarized learner-centered teaching as an approach that emphasizes student learning and employs a variety of instructional methods. She systematically illustrates the five dimensions proposed by Weimer: 1) The function of content is built upon the knowledge foundation and it should enable students to apply the knowledge autonomously. 2) The role of the instructor resembles a facilitator and a coach. Instructor employs different teaching methodologies to “accommodate different learning styles” (p. 57). S/he encourages active learning and nurtures students’ responsibility for learning. 3) The responsible for learning is “shared between the teacher and the students,” therefore, students are encouraged to be engaged in decision-making process and “become self-directed lifelong learners.” 4) The purposes and processes of assessment involves students’ attempt to “justify their answers” and provide feedback and assessment. 5) The balance of power involves proper negotiations between the teacher and the students. According to Blumberg, students are “encouraged to explore additional content, express alternative perspectives whenever appropriate.” They are even allowed to negotiate the deadlines of their assignments. The power dynamic is thus shared equally between the teacher and students.. 5. Constructivism: an Earlier Theoretical Paradigm Although Internet-based pedagogy represents a new educational paradigm, nonetheless, it embodies an approach that was theorized by earlier generations of modern 18.

(28) . scholars and educators. Constructivism particularly illuminates the structural underpinnings of Internet-based pedagogy for it hypothesizes the way we learn and construct our knowledge by emphasizing the mutual relationship between teachers and students. According to constructivists, we build our understanding of the world as we experience and interact with our surroundings. For instance, when we are introduced to a new concept or information, we see if the new notion is compatible with our existing beliefs and then we come to a few possibilities: we could replace our prior knowledge with the new idea; we could entirely reject the new idea; or we integrate the new knowledge with our prior knowledge (Harasim, 2012). It goes without saying that this process applies to learning as well. Learners gain new information and reconstruct their preceding understanding through interaction, discourse and collaboration with other learners and the instructors. This idea of knowledge construction was initially formulated by Russian social psychologist Lev Vygotsky (1896 - 1934). Vygotsky proposed that a child’s capability could be explored and developed through an adult’s assistance. He invented the concept of Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). According to Vygotsky (1962), the zone of a child’s proximal development is “the distance between the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem solving under adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers” (p. 86). In other words, ZPD is the gap between what the learner is capable of and what the learner has not yet developed. With appropriate amount of guidance and assistance from more knowledgeable or more competent peers, the learner is able to complete a task that s/he is unable to achieve on his or her own (Vygotsky, 1978). Many educators have broadly adopted ZDP in child development as well as in general pedagogy. While Vygotsky himself did not use the term “scaffolding,” scholars have closely associated the term with ZPD. David Wood 19.

(29) . et al. (1976) coined the term “scaffolding” to exemplify the purpose of a tutor, which is to provide sufficient support based on the needs of individual learners until s/he is able to perform independently. Rosemary Luckin (2008) argues moreover that “successful scaffolding requires collaboration or assistance for a learner or group of learners from teachers or other more able partners who must provide appropriately challenging activities accompanied by the right quantity and quality of assistance” (p. 450). The key is to nurture learner’s autonomy without providing too much assistance or undermining the learner’s selfesteem. On the basis of constructivism, the teacher serves as the more able peer who assists and constructs the knowledge along with the adult learner. The primary vocabulary and sentence patterns are introduced in each session. The tutor additionally provides extracurricular materials, studying platforms and sufficient assistance. The development of the learner’s Mandarin skill is also contingent upon his or her self-direction and self-study. Although learner’s autonomy and responsibility for learning have underpinned the educational structure since the twentieth century, this approach has only been reinforced with the rise of Internet-based learning, redirecting education towards a kind of service industry.. 6. The Business Model Canvas While the educational paradigm continues to develop with the rise of the Internet, business models have also taken the advantage of this global network and reinvented themselves. To examine or renovate an existing business model of the Digital Age, the Business Model Canvas formulated by Alexander Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur (2010) provides a general framework that allows entrepreneurs to articulate their business models. The Business Model Canvas is a fundamental blueprint for all types of businesses; to put it differently, how businesses fit into this template varies accordingly. The Canvas is comprised 20.

(30) . of nine 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. Table 1 is the layout of the original template in which I illuminate each constituent with a simple question a business owner would ask oneself. Table 1 The Business Model Canvas Key Partners. Key Activities. Value. Customer. Customer. Who do we. What must we. Proposition. Relationships. Segments. work with?. do to keep the. What products. What do we do. Who do we. business. or services are. to maintain a. serve?. running?. we trying to. relationship with. sell?. our customers?. Key Resources. Channels. What do we. How do we. need in order to. reach out to our. run the. customers?. business? Cost Structure. Revenue Streams. How is the overall cost of the business?. What is the overall profit the company makes?. Note. The Business Model Canvas. Adapted from Business Model Generation (p.44), by A. Osterwalder and Y. Pigneur, 2010, Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. Copyright 2010 by Alexander Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur. Adapted with permission. The following is an introductory overview that describes each individual constituent in the Business Model Canvas. After each building block is clearly defined, I will utilize this template to examine the business model of PeggyTeachesChinese. 1) Customer Segments: The first building block is one or more groups of customers the business intends to “reach and serve” (p. 20). Generally, a business organization. 21.

(31) . caters to one or a number of customer segments. Different customer segments require different needs, relationships and offers from the company. 2) Value Propositions: Once an organization has targeted its customer segments, it can specifically design its services or products to meet customers’ needs. Value Propositions are services or products a business organization provides or delivers in order to fulfill the needs of different customer segments. The value of services or products can be created by various elements. For instance, the creation of new needs or desires, product performance improvement, different degrees of customization, the product design, the brand, the price, availability and handiness – all are deciding factors that persuade customers to select one business over the other. 3) Channels: In order to reach out successfully to the target customer segments, a business organization has to provide Channels through which a transaction is initiated, delivered and completed. The Business Model Canvas puts forward five phases in a channeling procedure: Awareness, Evaluation, Purchase, Delivery and After Sales. It goes without saying that the awareness of a Value Proposition has to be raised among potential customers to generate business opportunities. Therefore, a business organization has to publicize strategically its Value Propositions to attract customers. Before each transaction, customers are generally given means to evaluate and compare a variety of Value Propositions available to them through online reviews or word of mouth. Next, the purchase of a product and service takes place through a physical or virtual platform provided by the company. To finalize the sale, a value proposition is made available or delivered to the customers. Once the transaction is complete, a business organization usually provides post-purchase customer support to answer questions related to sold items or services. 22.

(32) . 4) Customer Relationships: The fourth building block is crucial to a successful business model. The establishment of successful Customer Relationships allows a company to identify what the clients truly wish for and to design its Value Propositions in order to anticipate these desires. Since different Customer Segments will expect different types of relationships, it is important that a company defines what kind of relationship it wishes to nurture with each segment and estimates the costs involved in maintaining this relationship. It is worth noting that both Channels and Customer Relationships are developed unidirectionally towards Customer Segments with the aim to create earnings. 5) Revenue Streams: The fifth building block refers to the profit a company makes. Revenue Streams are finalized after all the costs are deducted in the revenues generated from Customer Segments. Revenue can be produced in a number of ways: providing tangible products and professional services to customers are two chief ways of generating revenue. Pre-payment for having access to a service or publication is also a common way to generate Revenues Streams. Owners create earnings from lending, renting or leasing their asset temporarily to someone else in exchange for a usage fee. Intermediate agent helps settle the deal between two parties to earn commissions. Advertising companies provide professional promoting and marketing strategies for another company’s value propositions. 6) Key Resources: The sixth, seventh and eighth building blocks are three key elements of the business model and are “the most important assets required to make a business model work” (p. 34). They involve four subcategories: physical, intellectual, human and financial assets. Physical resources refer to facilities that enable the operation of a company such as the offices, the computers, operating systems and so forth, whereas 23.

(33) . intellectual assets are brands, copyrights, a company’s know-how and customers’ information. Knowledge, creativity, ideas and other physical effort are a part of human resources, while “cash, lines of credit, or a stock option pool for hiring key employees” (p. 35) is considered to be financial assets in an enterprise. 7) Key Activities: Once important resources become available, a company must carry out certain Key Activities to keep the operation going. Key Activities include activities that are essential to the production of Value Proposition, business marketing and the maintenance of Customer Relationships and the generation of Revenue Streams. 8) Key Partnerships: Companies partner up with aim to optimize business and benefit mutually. Therefore, alliances can be built between competitors or non-competitors. Sometimes, partnerships are built to start new businesses. These network of associations are known as Key Partnerships. 9) Cost Structure: After the three key activities are defined, according to the business model canvas, the overall costs can be easily determined (p. 40). Cost Structure is an amount of expenses a business model requires to sustain the operation. Therefore, it is important to keep track of the costly resources and activities. Without a doubt, the majority of companies desire to develop a low-cost business model, which is known as Cost-driven business models. As one of the two primary Cost Structures, they operate towards the goal of cost reduction. On the contrary, Cost-driven business models focus more on the value creation of their Value Proposition. For instance, companies offer personalized service, luxurious facilities and high quality products to create value.. 24.

(34) . CHAPTER THREE METHODOLOGY. 3.1 Research Questions My research motivation has led me to meditate upon the existing qualities of PeggyTeachesChinese in the context of Internet-based pedagogy and business model. Furthermore, I measure how my teaching service has met my students’ expectations and how I can improve my business. This thesis thus seeks to address the following questions: 1. What pedagogical tools and methods does PeggyTeachesChinese employ to implement Ubiquitous Learning? 2. What business model has PeggyTeachesChinese developed to incorporate language teaching, learning and service? 3. What are my students’ perceptions of PeggyTeachesChinese as a Ubiquitous Learning platform and my role as their tutor?. 3.2 Methods 3.2.1 First Research Question In response to the first research question, I elaborate on the pedagogical tools and principal methods I employ throughout my online tutorials to implement Ubiquitous Learning. I describe in detail the digital applications that are integrated in my free video lessons and my private tutor service.. 25.

(35) . 3.2.2 Second Research Question To account properly for an existing educational business model in the Internet era, I closely analyze PeggyTeachesChinese with the Business Model Canvas to respond to the second research question. The Business Model Canvas and its building blocks have been presented in the Literature Review Chapter Two.. 3.2.3 Third Research Question With the intention of providing an objective perspective, I elicit my students’ satisfaction concerning PeggyTeachesChinese through a semi-structure survey with thirteen pre-determined, open-ended questions. Their opinions and input regarding my teaching service and their overall learning experience with PeggyTeachesChinese are included as the data for the last research question. What follows is the entire procedure, including survey design, incentive and response rate, over the course of the third research question.. 1) Survey The survey on PeggyTeachesChinese tutorial service aims to provide learners’ satisfaction of my tutorial service. More importantly, this survey contributes richer objective data to correspond with the first and second questions in terms of PeggyTeachesChinese Internet-based pedagogy and business model. In comparison to paper-based surveys, a webpage-based survey is considered to be “easy for respondents to complete” (Mann & Steward, 2000). A digitized survey is the most environmentally friendly, economical and practical, if one considers my students are located in different parts of the world. The survey is created with a web-page-based survey generator, Google Forms. With Google Forms, respondents can simply respond to each question using the answer box provided and click “Submit” when 26.

(36) . finished. In the introduction of the survey, I explain the purpose of the survey. Furthermore, I assure the respondents that their identity will remain anonymous. Since the respondents are my current and former students with whom I have built relationships, it is important to avoid causing them distress or discomfort and to ensure that they are able to express their honest opinions about the service. The survey consists of two parts and is comprised of a set of thirteen pre-determined open-ended questions focusing on the three aspects that I outline below. Each question is designed carefully without leading the respondents to produce self-fulfilling responses. In the first part of the survey, I investigate my students’ perceptions of PeggyTeachesChinese as a Ubiquitous Learning platform by addressing the five principal characteristics, namely, 1) Omnipresence; 2) Context customization; 3) Interactivity; 4) Self-directed learning and 5) Perceived enjoyment (Jung, 2014). Questions 1, 2 and 3 seek to discuss the feature of Omnipresence in PeggyTeachesChinese tutorials, investigating whether or not my students learned about my service through my YouTube videos and/or my website. Moreover, these three questions examine why my students find the model of online tutorials more suitable for them and the reasons for their choosing online learning over a traditional classroom setting. Questions 4 and 5 examine learners’ experience during and after a lesson, assessing whether or not they experience a form of enjoyment from my service. Finally, Question 6 investigates what learning tools, materials and strategies they integrate into learning in addition to our tutorial sessions and assignments. The second part of the survey explores my students’ general perceptions of my role as their tutor in the context of Constructivism as in Question 8, 9 and 10. Finally, I investigate their overall satisfaction with my service and their feedback related to future improvement of PeggyTeachesChinese in Questions 11, 12 and 13. Their. 27.

(37) . suggestions could also be an indication of what is currently lacking in my teaching model. Table 2 systematically visualizes the inquiry each survey question pursues: Table 2 Design of the Survey Part I. Students’ perceptions of PeggyTeachesChinese as a Ubiquitous Learning platform Inquiry. Survey Question. Omnipresence. 1) What led you to studying Chinese online with Peggy?. Customization;. 2) In your opinion, what makes learning online better than. Interactivity Customization; Interactivity Perceived Enjoyment. learning in a classroom? 3) How do/did her online tutorials facilitate learning for you or fulfill your learning needs? 4) During the session, you have/had been made to feel: Anxious; Bored; Comfortable; Competent; Disheartened; Entertained; Encouraged; Incapable; Other, please specify:. Perceived Enjoyment. 5) After participating in a tutorial session with her, you usually feel/felt:. Self-Directed Learning. 6) In addition to the tasks Peggy assigns you, what do/did you do to advance your Chinese?. Part II. Students’ perceptions of my role as their tutor and their satisfaction of my service Inquiry. Survey Question. My role as their tutor. 7) How would you describe Peggy as a Chinese tutor? She is…. My role as their tutor. 8) Please reflect upon your tutorial experience with her and select the words that describe her role during your sessions: to accommodate; to assist; to command; to dictate; to discourage; to depress; to entertain; to guide; to be inflexible; to support; to train; to undermine; Other, please specify:. Role of the tutor. 9) What are the characteristics of a “good language tutor” for you?. Learner satisfaction. 10) How likely are you to recommend her service to other learners? 28.

(38) . Very likely 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Very unlikely Learner satisfaction. 11) Based on your experience as a Chinese learner, what is the one thing she can start doing to improve your learning experience?. Learner satisfaction. 12) What should she stop doing?. Learner satisfaction. 13) (Optional) Any comments or suggestions?. 2) Incentive This section justifies why the type of incentive, i.e. prepaid monetary incentive, was selected to motivate my students to participate in my survey. Incentives are often offered to entice people to participate in surveys. Cash, a gift, a donation to a charity on respondents’ behalf and a lottery prize are some of the most widely used incentives. Offering incentives generally has a positive effect on response rates in surveys or interviews (Church, 1993). Indeed, an incentive indicates that researchers value respondents’ time and effort spent taking the survey. While incentives come in different shapes and forms, prepaid monetary incentives, namely a banknote enclosed in the initial mailing of surveys, are more effective (Fox, Crask & Kim, 1988; Warriner, Goyder, Gjertsen, Hohner & McSpurren, 1996; Petrolia & Bhattacharjee, 2009). Most literature focuses on the use and effects of incentives on response rates or response quality in large or nation-wide surveys where surveys are conducted without a direct relationship between the researchers and the respondents. Surveys are mailed or emailed to potential respondents with a prepaid or a promised incentive. In this regard, a form of incentive becomes necessary to make the survey more worthwhile. My survey is designed to target a small group of clientele who directly purchase tutorial service from me. Furthermore, my potential respondents are different than those of large surveys, for students have already pre-established one-on-one relationships with me.. 29.

(39) . Since my survey is administered electronically, I employ a USD$5 Amazon Gift Card as a digital prepaid monetary incentive for each individual potential respondent for three reasons: 1) Amazon is the largest online shopping website that ships its goods internationally. In addition to its international service, Amazon has also branched out to many countries such as such as Amazon.ca, Amazon.uk and Amazon.de. An Amazon Gift Card is a digital gift certificate with monetary value. Holders of an Amazon Gift Card can use it to purchase any item they wish and have it shipped to them via an Amazon website. However, Amazon.com eGift Cards can only be used to purchase eligible goods and services on Amazon.com, which is a US-based website. If one is located outside of the United States and purchases an item with eGift Cards on the US-based Amazon, one can pay an international shipping fee to have the product shipped to him or her. My students are located all over the world. To make sure that the using of the card is easy for my respondents, I had to consider the current location of each individual respondent and from which Amazon website I was to send the eGift Card. I purchased them from five different Amazon websites: nine 5-dollar eGift Cards from Amazon.com, one in Canadian dollars from Amazon.ca, two 5-euro eGift Cards respectively from Amazon.es and Amazon.it and two 5-euro eGift Cards from Amazon.de. Altogether the cost of the eGift Cards is NTD 2,289. The purchase and distribution of incentives are visualized in Table 3.. 30.

(40) . Table 3 Survey Incentives Website. Number of Cards. Currency. Students’ Locations. Amazon.com. 9. USD45. United States of America, Australia, French Polynesia. Amazon.ca. 1. CAD5. Canada. Amazon.es. 1. EUR5. Spain. Amazon.it. 1. EUR5. Italy. Amazon.de. 2. EUR10. Sweden, Norway. Total. 14. NTD2, 289. 2) My potential respondents include all the adult students I have taught and have been teaching from 2016 to the present time. Adult learners means 18 years of age or older. The reason for this selected period is because I introduced Quizlet as a part of my tutorial package at the beginning of January 2016. The potential respondents are fourteen (n = 14), six out of which have discontinued the tutorial service. In other words, eight of them are currently taking online tutorial sessions with me. On the one hand, I considered employing coupons offering a discount for my tutorial service as the incentive. However, it may not be useful for those who do not plan to further their study in Mandarin with PeggyTeachesChinese. Amazon gift cards, on the other hand, can benefit and hopefully incentivize both former and current students to take the survey. 3) A prepaid monetary incentive is initially emailed along with the survey to the potential participants and then whether or not they proceed with the survey is contingent upon their decisions. Furthermore, a prepaid incentive indicates the researcher’s appreciation in advance of their time spent participating the survey. There is also a possibility that my potential respondents who receive prepaid incentives may feel obligated to participate in the survey. This explanation 31.

(41) . corresponds to the “norm of reciprocity” postulated by Gouldner (1960). The “norm of reciprocity” is a form of social exchange where “what one party receives from the other require some return” (p. 169).. 3) Procedure A prepaid monetary incentive, that is an Amazon eGift Card, was first individually emailed to the respondents on March 20th, 2017. Shortly after the monetary incentive was sent, I blind carbon copied an introduction email to all the respondents, making sure their personal emails were protected and remained blind to other recipients. In the email, I explained the purpose of the eGift Card and enclosed the survey introduction and its URL: Dear students and friends, Greetings from Taipei! I hope you enjoy the USD$5 Amazon eGift Card I sent you. Please let me know if you have not received it. The Amazon Gift Card is to thank you for taking time to complete the survey on my tutorial service. In the past year, I have been researching on the Pedagogical and Business Model of PeggyTeachesChinese as my Master's thesis. This survey, as a part of my thesis, is to investigate my students’ overall experiences and satisfaction with PeggyTeachesChinese tutorial service. I aim to improve my teaching and provide a better service. Your opinions and learning experiences are therefore important to me. Since there are no right and wrong answers to these questions, please feel comfortable to elaborate your input. This survey is sent out to all the students I have taught and have been teaching since 2016. Your responses will remain anonymous and be treated with confidentiality for my personal reference and my research. There are 12 questions in this survey. It should take about 10 minutes to complete. You can begin the survey here (URL link). I thank you for taking the time to participate! Kind regards, Peggy Lee. 32.