Autonomous Learning And The Smart School English Language Courseware
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Date
2011-01
Authors
Osman, Yasmin
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
This research is exploratory and descriptive in nature seeking to understand how the
interaction of students with the smart school English Language courseware could foster
learner autonomy and consequently improved their achievement in English. The study is
mainly divided into 3 phases: Assumptions, Practice and Challenges. In the Practice
Stage, learner training is an important phase of the study. Guidance to retrieve, use and
evaluate students' own learning in using the smart school English Language courseware
is integral to the research. Students are guided to use cognitive and metacognitive
strategies in their learning experiences. They carry out journal writing, self-evaluation
activities and reflections on certain questions raised by the researcher while working
with the English Language courseware. This research is based on these characteristics:
in-depth inquiry, immersion in setting, emphasis on context and concepts with
participants' perspectives. The portfolio is used as a mechanism to monitor progress
both in the capacity to become autonomous and the achievement of English since it
could demonstrate student learning and at the same time, measure the students' progress
throughout the study. The research finds that a number of the students progressed quite
well into achieving better grades in their English tests and are also able to demonstrate
certain degrees of autonomy. The students in this study are found to realize that if they
could direct their own learning, they are able to work under their own direction and
being able to accomplish that give them a great sense of self achievement. During the
study, it is apparent that students have moved from no autonomy to some degree of
autonomy. One of the indicators of autonomous learning is the ability to step back from
what they are doing and to reflect upon it in order to make decisions about what they
need to do next.
Description
Keywords
The smart school english , Language courseware.