Projects
Learner Autonomy Project Inventory
Learner Autonomy
Project Inventory
LAPI (Learner Autonomy Project
Inventory) is a list of research projects related to learner autonomy.
The LAPI is intended to meet the need for information about what is
going on in the field of learner autonomy, as well as to encourage exchange
among those who are working in the field. LAPI will be updated over
the next few months and updated regularly by Hayo Reinders. A
website is under construction that will allow researchers to submit
information about their projects directly.
If
you already have some information or a project description you would
like to include, please send this to Hayo (hayo@hayo.nl)
Ongoing
Projects
Danielle Barbereau & Terry Lamb (UK)Andrew Cohen & Noriko Ishihara (USA)Dan Cotterall (France)Kees van Esch & Adri Elsen (Netherlands)Martha Fabela (UK/Mexico)Vera Fernandes (Brazil)Christoph Hafner, Jean Young, Christine Shirley & Hebe Wong (Hong Kong)Stella Hurd & Tim Lewis (UK)Luciano Mariani (Italy)Richard Pemberton, Sarah Toogood, Susanna Ho & Elza Tsang (Hong Kong)Angelique Schinas (Canada)Thang Siew Ming (Malaysia)Tomoko Traphagan (USA/Japan)Elza Tsang & Mark Hopkins (Hong Kong)Sergio Valdivia (Mexico)Glenda Cristina Valim de Melo (Brazil)Danielle
Barbereau & Terry Lamb (University of Sheffield): Rethinking
Pedagogical Models for E-Learning The
purpose of this research project to be carried out by Danielle Barbereau
and Terry Lamb of the University of Sheffield (UK) is to explore the
methodological and pedagogical implications of the developments of new
technologies, focusing particularly on existing forms of e-learning,
in the areas of Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies with local,
national and global perspectives.
The
overall aim will be to identify the issues which e-learning needs to
address in the field. These will lead to principles, and examples of
how these principles can be applied. The overriding aim of the project
will be to ensure that effective practices are shared.
The
unique feature of this proposal is its ability not only to collect,
analyse and disseminate the findings, but also to do so in such a way
as to offer a model of partnership and collaboration which crosses educational
sectors and other local groupings in order to explore the potential
to form hubs of virtual learning communities. It is expected that the
devised framework will make a case of the need of e-learning to be integrated
and applied locally and to service a wide range of constituents. Findings
will be disseminated via website and two seminars taking place in 2004.
Contact Danielle and Terry at: D.Barbereau@sheffield.ac.uk and
T.Lamb@sheffield.ac.uk Andrew Cohen (Director of LRC/CARLA, University of Minnesota) & Noriko Ishihara (Doctoral Student, Second Languages & Cultures): Learner Strategy Training in the Development of Pragmatic Ability
This project, funded through
the Language Resource Center at the Center for Advanced Research on
Language Acquisition (CARLA) at the University of Minnesota, is aimed
at determining the effects of training learners to be more strategic
in their learning of complex speech behavior, namely, "speech acts"
such as requests, apologies, and complaints. The first phase of
the project involves speech acts in Japanese, with a subsequent phase
to involve Spanish as a foreign language.
Rationale for this pragmatics project
Description of the Existing
Websites Materials on a variety of
languages (English, Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Japanese, Hebrew,
and Arabic) for language teachers, material developers, and researchers: http://carla.acad.umn.edu/SpeechActs/speech_acts.html
(Descriptions
of 6 speech acts/teaching tips and lesson plans/annotated bibliography
in pragmatics) For learners of Japanese: http://iles.umn.edu/IntroToSpeechActs/ (Introductory
modular unit for raising pragmatic awareness/exercises in apologies) This site has been pilot-tested with 10 learners of Japanese. The module in its final form is intended for use in a research study to be conducted in the Fall of 2003.
Ongoing and Future Materials Development
Current and Future Research Plans
o
Replication of the study in Spanish (Fall 2004 - Spring 2006).
o
Includes the development of strategies-based instructional materials for
learners of Spanish, the field testing of these materials, data analysis,
and write up.
Contact Andrew and Noriko at: adcohen@tc.umn.edu and ishi0029@umn.edu Dan Cotterall (Kiwi Consultants, Paris)
We
are in the fourth year of running a language learning resource center
on the R&D site of a major energy company just north of Paris. Being based in a company means we deal
with an array of levels, skill requirements, learning objectives, motivations,
age groups and learning backgrounds - which makes for a stimulating
environment.
The
development of autonomy, in a context where it represents a new mindset,
has been an ongoing process. Perhaps
some quotes best illustrate our success stories: "Last year I worked
on vocabulary, this year I want to focus on speaking more fluently",
"I want to do another one of those talks where we discuss my objectives",
"I like coming here because I can practise exactly what I need"
and from a first-timer "I didn't realise I could do so much here".
What we have noticed is that our most autonomous learners include
those with integrative motivation and those who are learning their third
language.
Yet
challenges still remain, such as overcoming perceptions held by some
newcomers that they need to be facing a teacher all the time or that
they will be stuck in front of a computer for two hours...
Contact Dan for more details at: dan@kiwiconsultants.dyndns.org Kees van Esch & Adri Elsen (University of Nijmegen): Three Projects on Learner Autonomy
Greetings
from the Netherlands! Kees van Esch and Adri Elsen would
like to update you on some of our explorations of learner autonomy.
We are foreign language teacher trainers and researchers of the Graduate
School of Education (ILS) of the University of Nijmegen. We have been interested in learner
autonomy for a while. It became a central issue in our teacher trainer
training curriculum in 1996. We wished to prepare our student teachers
for a massive curricular and didactic reform of Dutch secondary education.
The reform started with some experimental schools in 1998, and was officially
implemented a year later. The upper forms of Dutch secondary education
were transformed into "Houses of Learning" and ever since
the focus has been on fostering learner autonomy in the adolescent learners.
We
would like to inform you about three of our activities. First, we report
on a Socrates project in which we were involved (1998-2001). Second,
we briefly mention a follow-up Comenius project (2001-2004). Third, we deal with a study called Testing for Autonomy.
1. A Framework
for Freedom
In
1998 we started networking with colleagues from Germany, Spain and Sweden
in a three-year Socrates project. We conceptualised the construct of
learner autonomy and developed modules to be used in foreign language
teacher training. We became particularly interested in intercultural
competence, which we believe to be an essential component of communicative
language ability. The project recently led to a publication: van Esch,
Kees & St.John, Oliver (eds.). 2003. A Framework for Freedom:
Learner Autonomy in Foreign Language Teacher Education. Frankfurt
am Main: Peter Lang Verlag. The table of contents is as follows:
1.
A framework for
Freedom
(Introduction; Learning in process; What is learner
autonomy: towards a definition; Why learner autonomy?: A rationale;
Implications of Learner Autonomy for Foreign language Learning and Teaching).
2.
Intercultural
Competence
(Introduction; 'Diving to Learn'; Defining Intercultural
Competence and approaching intercultural learning; Why teach Intercultural
Competence? A reinforced rationale).
3.
'A
Licence for Learning'. Evaluation, teacher roles and the project's development
in perspective (Introduction; Assessment and evaluation; Teacher roles;
The challenge of implementing learner autonomy in the classroom).
4.
Modules for Intercultural
Learning
(Introduction; 'Monoculturalism, stereotypes and beyond'
[Kees van Esch & Adri Elsen]; Cognitive and attitudinal development
in intercultural learning [Gloria Jover];
'Home and Horizon' [Ragnar Aagård & Oliver St.John];
Intercultural learning: Celebrating Christmas as an example of a religious
celebration in a multicultural group of learners [Helga Deeg]; 'Meeting
for Meals' [Marion Friedrich].
5.
Learning to learn
a foreign language: listening, reading and speaking
(Introduction; Learning to teach how to understand spoken language [Gloria Jover]; Learning to teach how to read in a foreign language [Petra Bohn, Adri Elsen, Kees van Esch & Marion Friedrich]; Learner autonomy in speaking skills development [Ragnar Aagård & Oliver St.John].
6.
Learning to learn
a foreign language: writing skills
(Introduction; 'Profiling for Progress': Learner autonomy in writing skills development [Adri Elsen & Oliver St.John]; Learner autonomy in initial foreign language teacher training: writing skills [Marion Friedrich & Kees van Esch] ; Learner Autonomy in developing writing skills [Ragnar Aagård, Helga Deeg & Gloria Jover].
2. Teacher
action research
Our
interest in learner autonomy and intercultural competence led to applying
for a new European project. We were joined by an Italian partner (Enrica
Flamini) and an additional partner from Spain (Manuel Jiménez
Raya). In this project we focus on European foreign language teachers
developing action research projects that aim to foster learner autonomy
and/or intercultural competence in the learners of one of their classes.
Trainers, Teachers and Learners investigate their teaching and learning
practices and communicate via Blackboard.
We
started off by constructing a questionnaire with a number of closed
and open-ended questions. The questions referred to the three constructs
central to the project: learner autonomy, intercultural competence and
action research. All of the participants, trainers and teachers, filled
out the questionnaire at the beginning of the project and discussed
the outcome afterwards in recorded meetings. Next, essential theory
was made available and discussed on learner autonomy, intercultural
competence, and action research. After that the teachers formulated their first versions
of action research projects related to learner autonomy and/or intercultural
competence. All of the trainers provided written feedback to each and
every proposal of the participating teachers. The written feedback was
synthesized by a trainer and presented to each of the teachers in a
one-to-one meeting. The teachers are now preparing revised versions
of their action research projects. The action research projects will
be carried from September 2003- January 2004. The revised versions of
the action research projects will be published on www.learnerautonomy.com
in October 2003.
So
far, we can report a huge collection of data and some twenty interesting
action research projects that may help us to explore and evaluate learner
autonomy principles in classroom practice.
3. Testing for Autonomy
Amidst
the abundance of data coming in from the Comenius project, Adri Elsen
is finishing his thesis Testing for Autonomy: three exploratory case studies of the language testing practice of academically-trained
teachers of English in the fourth forms of upper secondary education
in The Netherlands in 1999 - 2000.
A
manuscript will be available at the end of this year. The study is supervised
by Prof.dr. Kees de Bot (University of Groningen, the Netherlands),
and Dr. Kees van Esch and Dr. Eus Schalkwijk.
We will briefly mention its rationale and research objectives.
In the next newsletter we will report on some of its results in more
detail.
Rationale
In
lots of countries secondary education is subject to change. One of these
changes involves the implementation of learner-centerd educational models
to which the concepts of 'learner autonomy' and 'learning to learn'
are central. In The Netherlands, language learners are increasingly
expected to acquire and develop attitudes and skills essential to self-direction
and control in foreign language learning. In order to achieve this,
the upper forms of Dutch secondary education were reformed. It involved
drastic changes in curricula and didactics. The reform was introduced
top-down. Schools and teachers were given some time to experiment, but
were obliged to work along the new guidelines from August 1999.
Foreign language teachers in the upper forms of secondary education
were given fewer classes, as the young learners were supposed to work
and learn on their own. The reform also affected testing practice. All
of the informal tests had to be protocolled and planned at the beginning
of the school year in so-called PTAs (Plans for Assessment and Graduation).
The context of the 1999 educational reform was the backdrop of the present
research. As before, teachers taught and tested. The learners' foreign
language skills were still assessed and evaluated by the teachers. Yet,
little could be hypothesized about how the reform would affect assessment
and evaluation practice for both the teachers and their adolescent learners.
In addition, research often shows how preciously little we know about
what actually goes on in a language classroom by way of informal assessment
and evaluation practice. In the present research three good-practice
teachers of English and their adolescent learners were closely monitored
in the school year 1999-2000.
Research Objectives
The
study is meant to realise two objectives.
1.
Exploration
of variables of informal assessment and evaluation practice in settings
geared at fostering learner autonomy in foreign language learners by
way of analytical generalization of the:
2.
Recommendations
for future research and for training programmes for educators on how
to create positive washback of language tests in learning to learn how
to communicate in English.
Kees and Adri welcome your comments, questions or suggestions for cooperation related to the three activities we are involved in. We hope that Andy Barfield's and Richard Pemberton's initiative to put together the present newsletter will lead to networking and more newsletters to come.
Kees van Esch
c.v.esch@let.kun.nl Adri Elsen a.elsen@ils.kun.nl Martha
Fabela (University of Manchester): Teacher
Development for Autonomous Learning
Abstract This research attempts to find out if teachers¡¦ beliefs and attitudes changed as a result of a teacher training course. I used Q Methodology to measure objectively what is mostly subjective (beliefs and attitudes). I organised a teacher training course and invited teachers to do two Q-sorting interviews with me, based on Q Methodology, one before the course and another interview after the course. In these interviews, teachers were asked to score a set of opinion-statements regarding learning autonomy. They were also asked to give the reasons for their opinions. The scores for the opinion statements from both interviews were recorded. Their reasons were also recorded.
Any changes in their answers between the pre and post-course interviews were recorded and then measured or factor-analysed with statistics software (SPSS).
The factor analysis results from the pre-course interview scores indicate that there are two types of teachers, one of them favouring autonomous learning attitudes more than the other. The scores that the teachers gave to different opinion statements in the pre-course interviews allow me to identify these two types as a) the controlling teachers and b) the trusting teachers.
The factor analysis results from the post-course interview scores show that the previous two profile groups have merged into only one profile group, favouring learning autonomy attitudes, after the training course.
One of the limitations of this research is that, due to restrictions of time, I cannot observe if teachers' performance in their work with the students is consistent with their stated beliefs.
Contact
Martha for more details at: mfabela36@hotmail.com Vera
Fernandes (Universidade Católica de Pelotas): Beliefs of
Teacher Trainees about L2 Learning and Teaching
Autonomy
has been attracting attention at my university (Universidade Católica
de Pelotas, Brazil) since 1996, when my dissertation (Fernandes 1996)
examined how learners handle some learning material and how can they
be led to more autonomous learning.
One of the conclusions was that it is necessary to stimulate
autonomy to adapt future teachers to the profile required by the market.
To support it, a self-acess center - CAAL - was implemented. Nowadays,
I am trying to diagnose the beliefs of students of English, from the
Contact Vera for more details at: vera@atlas.ucpel.tche.br
Christoph
Hafner, Jean Young,
Christine Shirley & Hebe Wong (CityU, Hong Kong): Web-based
Induction and Independent Learning Development (WIILD)
Language teaching pedagogy is increasingly oriented towards learner autonomy as a means of increasing learner motivation (Scharle and Szabo, 2000). In this mode the expectations, processes and role relationships of participants differ significantly from those of traditional instruction (Dickinson, 1987; Gardner and Miller, 1994; Benson and Voller, 1997).
The English Language Center at City University of Hong Kong is currently in the process of introducing a new curriculum, which will have an independent learning component. The main aim of the present project is to produce an online teacher development system which enhances teachers' understanding of and confidence with the facilitation of independent learning and the development of students' skills in identifying learning needs and appropriate learning resources.
This
will be achieved through a 'loop input' process, whereby teachers identify
their own professional development needs, creating their own 'learning
plan' to meet these needs, carrying out the plan and evaluating the
success of their learning outcomes. The final step in this process will
be guided reflection on how this process can be transferred to English
Language Center courses.
A secondary aim of the project is to provide information
and support for ongoing professional development in the department,
including initial induction.
References:
Benson, P.
and P. Voller (eds) (1997). Autonomy
and Independence in Language Learning.
London: Longman. Dickinson,
L. (1987). Self-instruction in Language Learning. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press. Gardner,
D. and L. Miller, (eds) (1994). Directions
in Self-Access Language Learning. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University
Press. Scharle,
A. and A. Szabo (2000). Learner Autonomy: A guide to developing learner
responsibility. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Contact Christoph for more details at: c.hafner@cityu.edu.hk Stella
Hurd & Tim Lewis (Open University, UK): Learner Autonomy in Language Education
There are several research
projects underway at the Open University (UK) investigating aspects
of learner autonomy, with particular reference to distance language
learning. The University is launching a large-scale comparative study
of face-to-face and online language learning, which includes a strand
aimed at exploring the link between metacognitive knowledge, metacognitive
strategies, and learner autonomy, with a special focus on the learners'
self-knowledge and self-management strategies. The OU is also hosting
a conference Independent Language Learning: New Research Directions 4-5 December 2003. Details
can be found at http://dol-conf.open.ac.uk
The project on affective
factors is using two questionnaires, think-aloud verbal protocols and
telephone interviews to investigate anxiety and motivation among distance
language students and the strategies they use to cope. It also hopes
to identify any affective changes that occur during the course of study.
So far the data includes 277 completed questionnaires, with the next
stage starting in July. A comparative study of the effectiveness of
e-mail and face-to-face tandem learning in helping mature students to
develop intercultural awareness in the context of a brief period of
study abroad is also in progress, with approximately 50 volunteer participants.
Data elicitation is by questionnaire and recorded interview.
Contact Stella
and Tim for more details at: M.S.Hurd@open.ac.uk
& T.W.Lewis@open.ac.uk Luciano Mariani
(Milan): Language Portfolios
In Italy there has recently been a growing interest in students' portfolios,
mainly as a result of the Council of Europe European Language Portfolio
Project http://culture2.coe.int/portfolio/
, but also as part of a
more general tendency to document and certify students' curricular and
cross-curricular competences. Although several schools
and institutions are particularly interested in the administrative use
of a portfolio, teachers and educators try to emphasize its pedagogic
function, as a powerful tool for developing students' metacognitive
skills in planning, monitoring and evaluating both the results of their
learning and the process of learning itself.
So far (June 2003) three language portfolios have been
officially validated in Italy by the Council of Europe, and more are
in the process of being validated. However, textbooks, both for L2 study
and for other subjects in the curriculum, are increasingly including
"portfolio sections", and many educational institutions and
teachers' groups are involved in the production and experimentation
of portfolio projects. As an active member of LEND
More information can be found on my web site Learning
Paths ('Tante vie per imparare') www.learningpaths.org
, which now includes a special section in Italian devoted to portfolios.
Contact Luciano for more details at: luciano.mariani@iol.it Richard Pemberton, Sarah Toogood, Susanna Ho & Elza Tsang (Hong Kong University of Science and Technology): Virtual English Language Adviser
Virtual
English Language Adviser (VELA) is being jointly developed by the Language
Center, and the Computer Science Department at HKUST. The aim of the
project is to produce an interactive, adaptive online advising system.
Hong Kong
university students (and indeed, users elsewhere) will
input their English-learning needs and receive appropriate, case-specific
advice.
In
terms of language learning, the system will engage the learner in a
dialogue, helping the learner to narrow down the scope of learning and
choose materials and learning strategies that are appropriate to their
specific problems and interests. At the end of the process, learners will be helped to create
and store their own plans for learning particular aspects of English.
In
terms of technology, the system will be able to learn from inputted
problems and strategies it has not encountered before, and provide ongoing
information on usage patterns and feedback that will highlight aspects
of the system that need to be modified.
Our hope is that VELA
will be able to reduce the amount of time that teachers and advisers
spend in the initial stages of needs analysis and goal setting, and
so help them devote more time to supporting ongoing learning.
Currently, we are focusing
on creating problem-based 'pathways', using a combination of adviser
experience and data from actual student projects. We would like to hear
from anyone who is involved in similar projects.
Contact Richard and Sarah for more details at: lcrpem@ust.hk and lcsally@ust.hk Angelique Schinas (University of Toronto): Beliefs about Methods of Instruction
The
main purpose of this study is to conduct a survey and analysis of Adult
ESL learners' beliefs about methods of instruction from the Asia Pacific
region such as China, Korea, Vietnam, and Taiwan.
Previous studies using the "Beliefs about Language Learning
Inventory" (BALLI, Horwitz, 1983, 1987) have shown that ESL learners
usually have strong beliefs about learning another language. The study
was undertaken to investigate if there are any similarities and/or significant
differences in the responses of learners from different language backgrounds
in relation to their beliefs and perceptions about the communicative
approach. According to the communicative approach, the instructor engages
the learners in situations that they are likely to encounter in real
life without paying much attention to repetition, drills, and correct
forms. In contrast, the audio-lingual method of second language teaching
places great emphasis on repetition of patterns and correct usage of
grammar rules. The study arose out of awareness about how Adult educators
need to respect the life experiences that learners bring to class. By giving these learners a chance to voice their concerns,
instructors can then plan better lessons while giving learners a chance
to exercise their judgment. The sample was drawn from Adult learners
attending LINC (Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada) classes
(Levels 2-5). An initial questionnaire that was constructed
for this study, focused on questions relating to beliefs and perceptions
about two methods of instruction such as communicative and audio-lingual.
Contact Angelique for more details at: aschinas@oise.utoronto.ca Thang
Siew Ming (University Kebangsaan Malaysia): Developing
autonomous online learner training modules in language and literature
The main objective of this research project undertaken by the project team from the School of Language Studies and Linguistics, University Kebangsaan Malaysia is to develop online learner training modules that can be used to supplement the present face-to-face programmes in the teaching of English language for Science and Technology and literature in English.
The aim of this project is to empower learners to come
to come to terms with their strengths and weaknesses in order to learn
efficiently in ways, which are compatible with their personalities,
identities and socio-cultural contexts. It is also to promote greater
autonomy among these students.
A questionnaire survey will be carried out to investigate
the learner characteristics of a few selected universities in Malaysia.
On-going assessments of the modules will also be undertaken.
Anyone interested to exchange ideas/information or establish links, please contact Dr. Thang Siew Ming at thang@pkrisc.cc.ukm.my Tomoko Traphagan (University of Texas): Language Learner Autonomy in Naturalistic Situations
What characterizes language learner autonomy in naturalistic
situations? In my fieldwork in Japan, working with ten learners of Japanese
who had formal Japanese learning prior to coming to Japan, learner autonomy
was found as one of the strongly emerging themes.
As is the case in in-class and self-access learning situations,
autonomy did not come about naturally even for those who were motivated
enough to take the challenge of in-country learning. Learners in the early stage of their experience initially were
passive about participating in social interactions, and those in the
later stage resorted to a narrow range of formal study materials. Moreover, autonomy did not mean solitary
learning, but rather grew
Based on my observations in this study, I have become
more interested in the role of metacognitive knowledge in learner autonomy.
I am currently investigating task knowledge of learners in in-class
learning and naturalistic learning situations.
Contact Tomoko for more details
at: tomokowt@mail.utexas.edu Elza Tsang
& Mark Hopkins (Hong Kong University of Science and Technology):
SALL in Secondary Schools
'Self-Access
Language Learning (SALL) in Secondary Schools' is a Collaborative Research
and Development ('Seed') project that aims to accomplish the key curriculum
reform goal of promoting learner autonomy and lifelong language learning
at secondary level through collaboration between secondary schools,
tertiary institutions and the Education Manpower Bureau of Hong Kong.
It seeks to accomplish this goal by:
We have just finished Phase
2 and are exploring two major issues in Phase 3 of the project (Evaluation
reports of Phase 1 and Phase 2 are available on the web).
1) Effects of SALL in a wider context
It will be of interest to see what effects the implementation of SALL may have on a large number of schools with more varied backgrounds.
2)
Long term effects of the programmes
It will be useful to find out the effects on the junior form students in terms of learner autonomy and independence as well as application of lifelong learning strategies when they reach more senior levels.
If you are interested in knowing more about this SALL Project, please contact Elza Tsang or Mark Hopkins at: lcetsang@ust.hk and lcmark@ust.hk, or visit our website at http://lc.ust.hk/~sac/activities/nonhkust/edsall/index.html . Sergio Valdivia (Universidad Veracruzana): Learner Autonomy at Universidad Veracruzana in Mexico
Foreign language education in Mexico has
a long tradition; especially, English as part of the curriculum of secondary
and preparatory public schools system. English language is also present
at public and private university level and in private elementary school
institutions.
Learner autonomy has a place at Universidad
Veracruzana, a public university in Mexico. This learning approach has
found a fertile soil in the halls of the eleven self-access centers
of the different university campuses. Most of them have taken the function
of practice centers for an in-house teaching system, while others have
taken the challenge of becoming learning centers.
Former language instructors have been transformed
into language counsellors. This transformation is a slow process; we
have understood the basics but are in a constant training process thanks
to the interest of the Mexican Ministry of Education, the British Council
in Mexico and of our own university.
Also, learner autonomy is not promoted in
all study areas so our SAC users' initial expectations are along the
lines of a teacher directed instruction. This poses a greater challenge
on our work but we hope this experience can impact users' (students')
overall perspective towards their own learning process in other areas.
Contact Sergio for more details at: Centro
de autoacceso, USBI - Xalapa, Universidad Veracruzana cadi@uv.mx.
You can visit the Center's site at: http://www.uv.mx/portalcadi/ Glenda
Cristina Valim de Melo (Universidade de
Franca, São Paulo): English Teaching through the Internet and
Learner Autonomy
Public and private institutions as well as graduate and undergraduate programs
are taking advantage of innovative technology to offer courses on line. In response to the increasing use in classrooms the general
objectives of this research are to verify the contributions of this
new technology to the learning process mentioned by learners as well
as to identify the opinions of students studying English mediated through
the Internet. The specific objective is to analyze how learners deal
with autonomy in the process of using the Internet. It is relevant to
mention that autonomy is not only as technique, capacity, ability or
a right, in this study, it is also an important tool through which learners
may learn a foreign or second language and take the responsibility of
their own learning, according to their context and culture. The methodology
used in the study was a qualitative case study of an extension course
offered by a Public University in the State of Minas Gerais. Data were
collected using on line diaries,
field notes of the researcher and two questionnaires administered among
the five participants. The data were then cross-checked to assure validity.
Results suggested that most of the learners were able to deal with autonomy
in the context of learning English mediated Internet and most of them
appreciated the experience of dealing with it. This new form of technology,
in fact, contributed to a positive attitude toward learning English
in addition to providing opportunities to expand vocabulary and learn
to use the Internet effectively.
Contact Glenda for more details at: melo@francanet.com.br |
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