Learner experiences with and interpretations of language learning tasks in non-experimental settings have remained largely unexplored until very recently. Yet, the concept of ‘task’ itself is being transformed under the growing influence of digital media. As scholars increasingly posit, we cannot assume that tasks work the same way in the highly varied environments of the 21st century classroom. In fact, research suggests that the implementation of digital media is suited to facilitate learner participation in authentic and intercultural discourse.

The explorative study on which this paper is based, is located in this research desideratum by investigating learner handling of tasks in the context of the web 2.0-based U.S. Election 2012 School Project. The project took place in the fall of 2012 and involved some 1,500 learners in using a learning management system (Moodle) and web 2.0 applications (YouTube, Facebook, Twitter) as part of their regular English classes. The mixed methods study comprises the examination of a sample of three English courses (year 11) for 5 weeks through videography, semi-structured interviews, learning journals, and screen recordings (Camtasia) of individual learners’ behavior. This qualitative data collection was complemented by an online questionnaire survey among teachers and students in the project.

The paper aims at facilitating the understanding of learner perceptions and handling of web-enhanced tasks. In the context of one task-cycle, the data sources will be triangulated to trace individual learners’ perceptions of tasks. Interviews, learning journals, and observations shed light on their implicit interpretations while user-tracking data, screen and video recordings provide rich and detailed information about their explicit task performance. By comparing such individual learning paths case-specific features of tasks-in-process in web-based learning environments are to be deduced.