The application of a course management system to enhance autonomy in learning English as a foreign language
Introduction
Autonomy, which is defined as the extent to which learners demonstrate the ability to take control of their learning, has been justified by learner autonomy researchers during the past decades on the grounds that it can increase motivation to learn and consequently increases learning effectiveness. In a normal educational context, as Little (2002) points out, learners do not automatically accept responsibility for their learning and they will not necessarily find it easy to reflect critically on the learning process. There is therefore a need for an intervention in ongoing classroom practice to promote learner autonomy.
The fact that Thai university students were over-dependent on their teachers in EFL learning was instrumental in prompting this research. Cultural influences and the norms of educational practice are obstacles to promoting autonomous learning in Thailand. On the one hand, the prevailing view of Thai learners is that they are passive, obedient, uncritical and unwilling to challenge the authority of teachers. On the other hand, Thai teachers who were taught in the expository mode and whose training was in the same tradition are most likely to find it difficult to make the transition from being a knowledge transmitter to being a counsellor or a manager of learning resources. Consequently the most preferred learning style in Thailand is often seen as rote memorisation, attention to detail, and precise, linear and logical analysis without critical thought (Adamson, 2003, Champagne and Walter, 2000, Thadphoothon and Jones, 2004). The expository mode requires Thai teachers to talk for a large part of each lesson and this encourages them to believe that when they are not talking, they are not teaching. It is believed that this teaching practice is unlikely to be a process in which learners engage deeply with ideas in order to make meaning.
One of the aims of this research is to show that, by carefully scaffolding activities, learners can achieve a greater level of engagement with ideas in class. Rather than trying to challenge the constraints of the classroom, the curriculum or existing teaching practice, this particular study chose to change the power structure of the classroom by means of blended learning (BL), involving the integration of a course management system into a face-to-face classroom. Blended learning (BL) is a fairly new term in education and it usually refers to a teaching and learning environment that combines traditional classroom-based, instructor-led learning with technology-based learning. Its recent emergence is a consequence of the failure of many e-learning environments which lack a face-to-face component (Stracke, 2007). This research was initiated on the assumption that learners would not automatically know how to achieve autonomy; they needed to be guided in developing it by means of ‘greater flexibility’ in classroom practice, and a teacher may start by providing them with appropriate tools and with opportunities to practise with them. Blended learning which involves the application of a course management system has the potential to provide this ‘greater flexibility’. This project reflects the idea of seeking a ‘third space’ presented by Kramsch (1993) and a ‘third culture’ by Palfreyman (2003). The course management system here is hypothesised to serve as a third space which provides greater flexibility in teaching and learning and resolves the tension that takes place when learners are liberating individual capacity but at the same time have to negotiate with responsible compliance with organisation requirements.
Section snippets
Literature review of learner autonomy and CMS
It is important to clarify what is meant by learner autonomy, as the term encompasses many concepts. Over the last three decades many researchers (Benson, 2001, Cotterall, 1995, Dickinson, 1987, Dickinson, 1995, Gremmo and Riley, 1995, Holec, 1981, Little, 1991, Little, 1995, Littlewood, 1996, Littlewood, 1999, Ushioda, 1996) have conducted research into autonomy in language learning. Their specific areas of study may differ, but there is a consensus on the fundamental principle of learner
The gap in the literature and the importance of the Study
The empirical knowledge base on autonomy in language education in relation to CALL and CMSs remains somewhat weak. A few studies have now analysed how CMSs are being used for learning (Ansorge and Bendus, 2003, Dutton et al., 2004, Morgan, 2003, Woods et al., 2004). In this respect, there is a challenge to move from theoretical propositions towards an empirically-grounded understanding, especially of the ways in which autonomy varies according to factors such as cultural context and settings.
Purpose of the study and research questions
The aim of the research was to find out whether the course management system integrated into an English course effected changes in the students’ perception of themselves as autonomous learners, and in their autonomous learning practices.
The research questions, which form the focus of the study, are as follows:
Main research question: To what extent can autonomy be fostered in a blended learning situation involving the integration of a course management system into a traditional face-to-face
Statistical analyses between groups for the pre-intervention questionnaires
As shown in Table 2, there were no significant differences between the experimental group and the control group on any of these factors based on the F-test and the T-test (p > .05).
Statistical analyses between groups for the post-intervention questionnaires
Significant group differences were found on all measures (p < .05) apart from factor 1 i.e. perceptions with regard to the teacher’s role. Descriptive data for all measures are shown in Table 3.
Statistical analyses for comparison between pre-and post-test within groups
A t-test found a significant difference within the experimental group between the pre- and the post-intervention in terms of
Learner perceptions before the intervention
The findings from the questionnaire show that, before the researcher integrated the course management system into the course, the students in the experimental group and the control group were not significantly different in terms of their attitudes towards (1) the role of the teacher; (2) the role of feedback; (3) themselves as independent learners; (4) themselves as confident learners, and (5) themselves as experienced and successful language learners. The students reported that they perceived
Conclusion
This study reported on changes in the perceptions and behaviour of learners after experiencing the integration of a course management system into an English language course. The system provided circumstances and structures that encouraged students to take control of their own learning. These structures were an external framework that led to internal development. The students developed a kind of reactive autonomy and also learned to work collaboratively, engaging in fruitful independent study
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