Browsing by Subject "learner autonomy"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4

Open Access
A blended learning environment in relation to learner autonomy
(2011) Bitlis, Özlem
The study investigated whether a blended learning environment supports learner autonomy in the Turkish EFL context and what aspects of this blended learning environment help to foster learner autonomy. A software language learning program called ‘My English Lab (MeLab)’ was integrated in the traditional classroom environment to create a blended learning context. The data collection procedures included a questionnaire, administered to 36 students of the preparatory school at Fatih University. Student group interviews and individual teacher interviews were held. In addition, learner logs were collected and lesson observations were conducted. The results revealed that the blended learning approach helped to foster learner autonomy and the aspects of this learning model believed to support learner autonomy encouraged students to practice their autonomous abilities. It was found that most of the students engaged in the autonomous activities, at least some of the time in the blended learning environment. The results suggested that a blended learning environment could be created to help the students practice their autonomous abilities and to foster learner autonomy in the Turkish EFL context.
Open Access
The relationship between culture of learning and Turkish university preparatory students' readiness for learner autonomy
(2008) Karabıyık, Aslı
The applicability of learner autonomy in different cultural contexts has been widely researched in the literature in recent years. However, the studies investigating the connection between culture and learner autonomy in Asian cultures have been inconclusive as they revealed contradictory findings about Asian students‟ reactions to autonomous learning. Taking this inconclusiveness as an impetus, this study aimed to investigate Turkish university learners‟ readiness for learner autonomy and its relationship with learners‟ culture of learning to explore whether learners‟ approaches to learner autonomy were based on their culturally predetermined learning behaviors or could be explained on the basis of differences in their educational backgrounds and experiences. This study gathered data from 408 students from the preparatory schools of seven universities in Turkey. The data were collected through questionnaires, and analyzed quantitatively by using descriptive statistics, a one-way ANOVA, cross tabulations and a Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient. Analysis of the quantitative data revealed that there was a statistically significant relationship between the participants‟ culture of learning and their readiness for learner autonomy, which suggested that the extent of exposure to autonomous activities in the high schools in which the participants studied had an effect on their subsequent perceptions and behaviors related to learner autonomy. This study implied that national and ethnic definitions of culture, which describe all learners in homogeneous terms as if they were alike, may not sufficiently explain the differences in learners‟ autonomous behaviors. Therefore, learners‟ previous learning experiences -culture of learning- along with other individual factors should be taken into account in any attempts to promote learner autonomy.
Open Access
The role of learner training in the effectiveness of call
(2010) Alparda, Çiğdem
This study investigated the effect of learner training on students’ ability to benefit from CALL effectively. The study was conducted at Zonguldak Karaelmas University Foreign Languages Compulsory Preparatory School with 38 participants, who were intermediate level students, and four instructors, who were responsible for the experimental and the control groups. Strategy training activities were used as an instrument for learner training and the data were collected through Longman English Interactive Online, which is a web-based program. The experimental group was observed over a two-week period before strategy training. After a two-week strategy training period, they were observed for five weeks. The analysis of the performance of students in the pre- and the post-training period revealed that learner training did not make any significant difference on students’ attendance in the lab lessons. However, it appeared to have a positive influence on students’ engagement in the CALL materials, the number of lab activities, the number of quizzes completed, and achievement on review quizzes. Furthermore, strategy training appeared to have a positive effect on students’ motivation to attend the lab lessons and engage in the lab activities.
Open Access
Students' and teachers' attitudes towards the use of computer-assisted language learning at the Preparatory School of Celal Bayar University
(2004) Önsoy, Seden
This study examined how students and teachers perceive use of computer technology resources in language learning and teaching by investigating the attitudes of students and teachers towards computers and the use of computer-assisted language learning (CALL), the similarities and differences between their attitudes and factors that affect students and teachers’ use of CALL program at the Preparatory School of Celal Bayar University. The data was collected through questionnaires distributed to 191 students and 22 teachers in a 30 % English-medium university. In order to get in-depth results, interviews were conducted with 4 teachers based on the results of the questionnaires. The results of the findings gathered from students’ questionnaires revealed statistically significant differences in terms of level of the students. The findings indicated no difference between the attitudes of students and teachers towards computers and the use of computers in language instruction in general. The results suggested that training of students and teachers and an effective curriculum in order to use computer technology in educational settings are required.