Encouraging autonomy through technology-enhanced tools
1. John Blake
Center for Language Research, University of Aizu
Encouraging autonomy in CompSci students
through technology-enhanced tools
Texts and Tools Lab
3. Background
Situation Problem Cause
Proposed
Solution
The thesis writing course
suffers from:
1. low enrolment
2. poor attendance
3. high drop-out rate
Two categories of causal factors are:
1. disjuncture
• stage: e.g. results vs. introduction
• software: e.g. Word vs. LaTeX
• examples: e.g. experimental vs. proof
2. Listening difficulties
• attention
• language
Develop independent
learners through:
• Autonomy-focus
• Open-access model
• Web-based materials
• eTools
Some of the problems include:
1. comprehension
2. relevance
3. timing
4. perception
4. 04
Autonomy
Teacher – You have complete
autonomy to deliver this course in
your preferred manner.
You can select to use all, some or
none of the suggested materials.
Student – You have complete
autonomy to study this course in
your preferred manner.
If you attend class, you are
expected to follow the instructions
of your teacher.
If you do not attend class, do not
expect to receive one-to-one
assistance on your graduation
thesis.
5. Learner autonomy
05
“Autonomy is the ability to take charge of one's own learning”
Holec (1981, p.3)
“Autonomy is perhaps best described as a capacity … because various
kinds of abilities can be involved in control over learning.”
Benson (2003, p.290)
“Autonomous language learning is an act of learning whereby
motivated learners consciously make informed decisions about that
learning.”
Reinders (2011, p.48)
Benson, P. (2003). Learner autonomy in the classroom. In Nunan, D. (Ed.) Practical
English Language Teaching. New York: McGraw Hill.
Holec, H. (1981). Autonomy and Foreign Language Learning. Oxford: Pergamon Press.
Reinders, H. (2011). From autonomy to autonomous language learning. Teaching
English in multilingual contexts: Current challenges, future directions, 37-52.
6. Learner training and autonomy:
A nine-step program
06
1. Make instruction goals clear to learners
2. Allow learners to create their own goals
3. Encourage learners to use their second language outside the
classroom
4. Raise awareness of learning processes
5. Help learners identify their own preferred styles and strategies
6. Encourage learner choice
7. Allow learners to generate their own tasks
8. Encourage learners to become teachers
9. Encourage learners to become researchers
Nunan, D. (1988). The learner-centered curriculum.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
7. 07
Course design
Lockstep Workshop
The course is designed to move:
• from teacher-controlled whole-class activities
• to student-directed independent learning.
This transition occurs over each session and throughout the course.
Students working on same task
simultaneously to achieve same
goal.
8. EN08 Thesis writing and presentations
Pronunciation
Scaffolder
Feature
visualizer
Course notes eTools
Modular Flexible Front-loaded Student-centered Teacher-friendly
Feature
detector
Error
detector
Modes
Web | Print
Full | Activity
Day | Night
Contents
Objectives
Activities (hide)
Resources
Review quiz
• Optional classroom activities provided
• Embedded video, audio and urls
• Web-based, so easy to update
300
words
500
words
700
words
1000
words
Assignments
Students can discover type of
language used in GTs
Students can check for
common errors themselves
Students can check the
generic integrity themselves
Students can read their script
more easily
9. 09
Course notes
Nunan`s steps 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
learning styles &
goals set goals L2use process strategies choice tasks teachers researchers
Learning objectives
Icons for skills
Instructions in italics
https://john6938.github.io/ThesisWritingEN08/Unit01.html
10. 10
Course notes
Nunan`s steps 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
learning styles &
goals set goals L2use process strategies choice tasks teachers researchers
Embedded video
Tips on using online tools
Interactive review
Actionable tip or
feel-good quote
Embedded urls
JavaScript will be used to enable
students to receive feedback on
any interactive element
11. 11
eTool 1: Pronunciation scaffolder
researchers
Input text
Select pronunciation
feature
Click to hear the text
Pronunciation
visualized in output
http://www.jb11.org/pronunciationScaffolder.html
Nunan`s steps 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
L2use
12. 12
eTool 1: Pronunciation scaffolder
researchers
Nunan`s steps 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Pronunciation features
are visualized
Key is provided
L2use
13. 13
eTool 2: Error detector
Nunan`s steps 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
set goals L2use learning process choice teachers
Select error category
Categories are
explained on hover
Input text to check
Feedback provided inline
http://web-ext.u-aizu.ac.jp/~jblake/ErrorDetector.html
14. 14
eTool 2: Error detector
Nunan`s steps 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
set goals L2use learning process choice teachers
Emoticon and code shown
inline
Actionable advice given in
separate feedback box
Instantaneous feedback
Simplified buttons
New version
(from Nov.)
15. 15
eTool 2: Error detector
Nunan`s steps 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
set goals L2use learning process choice teachers
Emoticon Key
Code key
Example errors
Actionable advice given in
separate feedback box
16. 16
eTool 3: Feature detector
Nunan`s steps 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
set goals L2use choice tasks researchers
http://web-ext.u-aizu.ac.jp/~jblake/FeatureDetector.html
Select language feature
Feature explained here
This sentence is overly
personal. Students can
instantly see this when
pronouns and possessive
adjectives are visualized.
17. 17
eTool 4: Feature visualizer
Nunan`s steps 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Set goals L2use choice tasks researchers
Select language feature
Select 1 of 4 types of
thesis
Written explanations are
revealed
Multimedia explanations
are revealed
Text highlighted
Online version to be released in October
