273,133 research outputs found

    E-access, e-maturity, e-safety: a learner survey

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    The report explored young people's access to technology in school and at home and the skills, knowledge and confidence of learners when using technology for learning.In addition, the project has sought to identify any links between learner attitudes, school characteristics, and learners' technological skills, e-confidence and levels of e-maturity. The NFER conducted a large-scale national survey with primary and secondary school learners in England. The survey was administered between November and December 2008, and was completed by over 4,000 learners: 1,990 learners in primary schools (in Year 6) and 2,061 learners in secondary schools (in Year 10)

    Exploring Learners' and Teacher's Participation in Online Non-Formal Project-Based Language Learning

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    This article reports on the implementation of online project-based language learning in a non-formal educational context. Project-based learning may enable additional out-of-class language practice and digital technologies can support this activity, but little is known about whether learners will participate. Twenty-one tertiary learners from across Indonesia used multiple Web 2.0 tools to collaboratively create English learning materials for children as a project over the course of four weeks. Online data, learners' reflections, and interviews were analysed using content analysis. The study explores participation levels among learners and their teacher. Findings suggest that while learners' participation varied considerably, the teacher's participation was consistently the highest in all platforms except Google Docs. Learners had different attitudes towards their own and their peers' contribution, but generally valued the teacher's participation

    Odnos in motiviranost mlajsih ucencev do ucenja tujega jezika

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    This paper focuses on young foreign language learners’ attitudes and motivations. An overview is given of the main issues in this research area, based on key European studies. Approaches to studying these affective learner characteristics are described. Some attention is devoted to data elicitation techniques and the importance of triangulation. Research findings are presented through overviews of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies carried out in different European settings. The latter are presented in more detail, because their findings seem to be more revealing of the early foreign language learning process. The overall conclusion of this review paper is that young foreign language learners’ attitudes and motivations are not stable learner characteristics but change over time, creating layers of complexity that warrant further research. Suggestions about possible future directions in researching young foreign language learner attitudes and motivations, and the application of its findings are also made. (DIPF/Orig.

    Can you teach me to speak? Oral practice and anxiety in a language MOOC

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    The present chapter examines learners’ beliefs and attitudes with regard to speaking in a learning environment that is neither formal nor informal. The main research question is whether learners perceive Massive Open Online Language Courses (LMOOCs) as a completely informal context that is free of anxiety or rather as a virtual classroom where Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety (FLA) (Horowitz et al., 1986) is present. Data was obtained from over 200 beginner learners on self-reflective questionnaires and forum discussions. Results indicate that learners have a positive attitude towards language learning on LMOOCs, but FLA is present in this asynchronous speaking environment too and needs to be addressed by the course instructors

    Who are the Open Learners? A Comparative Study Profiling non-Formal Users of Open Educational Resources

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    Open educational resources (OER) have been identified as having the potential to extend opportunities for learning to non-formal learners. However, little research has been conducted into the impact of OER on non-formal learners. This paper presents the results of a systematic survey of more than 3,000 users of open educational resources (OER). Data was collected between 2013 and 2014 on the demographics, attitudes and behaviours of users of three repositories. Questions included a particular focus on the behaviours of non-formal learners and the relationship between formal and non-formal study. Frequency analysis shows that there are marked differences in patterns of use, user profiles, attitudes towards OER, types of materials used and popularity of different subjects. The experience of using OER is fairly consistent across platforms in terms of satisfaction and impact on future behaviour. On the whole, non-formal learners surveyed were highly positive about their use of OER and believe they will continue to use them. With regards to this making formal study more likely some degree of polarization was observed: some believed formal study was now more likely, while others felt it made this less likely. On the whole, while non-formal learners are enthusiastic about using free and online resources, the language and concept of OER does not seem to be well understood in the groups surveyed. A range of findings relating to OER selection and use as well as differences between repositories are explored in the discussion

    Saudi English as a foreign language learners\u27 attitudes toward computer -assisted language learning

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    This study investigated Saudi English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Learners\u27 attitudes toward Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) at the Institute of Public Administration (IPA) in Saudi Arabia. Five research questions were developed: (1) What are the Saudi EFL learners\u27 general attitudes toward CALL at the IPA? (2) What are Saudi EFL learners\u27 attitudes toward the CALL software used at the IPA? (3) What are the differences between IPA Saudi EFL learners\u27 attitudes toward CALL based on their years of English learning? (4) What are the differences between IPA Saudi EFL learners\u27 attitudes toward CALL based on their current computer knowledge? (5) What are the differences between IPA Saudi EFL learners\u27 attitudes toward CALL based on their gender?;The research questionnaire was administered to a total of 578 participants, including students from several levels of English language proficiency, major areas of study, and three distinct locations. Statistical methods including standard deviation, mean, regression analysis, and t-test were used to analyze data.;The findings indicated that the Saudi EFL learners\u27 attitudes toward CALL and the software were positive. The results of the regression analysis showed that computer knowledge and gender served as the best predictors of learners\u27 attitudes toward CALL. The t-test findings showed that Saudi female EFL learners had more positive attitudes toward CALL than their male counterparts.;The findings of this study will help to improve the use of CALL at the IPA and other college-level institutions in Saudi Arabia

    LANGUAGE ATTITUDES OF INDONESIANS AS EFL LEARNERS, GENDER, AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS

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    This study explored the language attitude in terms of gender and socio-economic status (SES) in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The aim of this study was to find out the relationships among five components of languages attitudes in terms of gender and socio-economic status (SES). There were 256 participants from four universities in Yogyakarta. The participants were asked to fill out a questionnaire about the language used and general language attitudes through the Google Form. The results showed that there are five components of language attitudes; 1) Indonesian learners showed positive language attitudes toward English (3.58); 2) positive language attitudes toward Indonesian (3.66); 3) positive language attitudes toward English and negative language attitudes toward Indonesian (3.52); 4) positive language attitudes toward Indonesian and negative language attitudes toward English (3.58); 5) positive language attitudes toward English and Indonesian (3.91). These five components of language attitudes were then correlated with gender; 1) gender was positively related to English language attitude where female learners had higher positive language attitudes than males did toward English (.097); 2) there was no relation between gender and Indonesian language attitude (-.071). In addition, SES was also related to five (5) components of language attitudes in which the learners who came from upper class had higher positive language attitudes towards English (.155) than learners who came from lower class. On the other hand, the correlation between SES and Indonesian language showed the learners from middle class had higher positive language attitudes (.031) than the learners from upper class and lower class.DOI: doi.org/10.24071/llt.2018.21011

    Perceptions of kanji learning by non-native learners of Japanese as a foreign language: Data from Sri Lankan learners

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    The present study examines the attitudes of learning kanji outside Japan based on the data from Sri Lankan learners of Japanese. This study also provides empirical evidence concerning perceived difficulties of reading and writing kanji by these learners. This was examined by a questionnaire, which was analyzed in terms of learners and Institution. The questionnaire revealed that the majority of learners had positive attitudes for learning kanji. However, they lacked the motivation for independent, self-directed learning. Learners in private institutions were significantly more enthusiastic in learning kanji than learners of secondary or tertiary institutions. The results also revealed that positive attitudes towards kanji gradually reduced with the increase in number of kanji being learnt. Differences in attitudes towards learning kanji outside Japan were identified suggesting that there are important cognitive aspects to learning kanji among non-native learners of Japanese

    Foreign language anxiety on a massive open online language course

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    This paper examines learner attitudes, self-efficacy beliefs, and anxiety in a beginners’ Spanish Language Massive Open Online Course (LMOOC) by answering three research questions: (1) how do learners feel about acquiring speaking skills on an LMOOC?; (2) do they experience anxiety with regards to speaking?; and (3) do their self-efficacy beliefs remain unchanged during the LMOOC? Data was collected from over 900 participants registered on two Spanish for Beginners programmes offered by The Open University (UK). Quantitative data was collected through reflective questionnaires (11 items) and participants’ comments were obtained on two discussion forums. Results indicate that learners have positive attitudes towards LMOOCs and present higher speaking self-efficacy beliefs by the end of the course. Although spoken interactions in this environment are not synchronous, most participants report feeling intimidated by the idea of posting their recordings on the course forum
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