The Reflections of a Distance Learner 1977-1997

This paper explores one student's personal experience of the evolution of distance learning in the UK between 1977 and 1997. Reflecting on his experience, the author discusses the growth in opportunities available to the learner as more and more providers have entered the field; the changes in the nature of learning materials; differences in the assessment strategies adopted by the four different providers he studied with, and in learner support; and the extent to which the different providers exhibited degrees of openness. Based on this personal experience, the author discusses the changes that have taken place over 20 years: the increasing consumerism of the sector; the changes in the nature of the providers' response to the market, and in the nature of distance learners; and changes in the underpinning technology.     

Decentering the teacher: a practitioner's acccount

This article is an account of an action research project conducted in a first grade classroom. The practitioner-researcher describes a process of “decentering.” Realizing that centering learners necessarily means decentering the practitioner, the author collaborates with his first grade class to identify and clarify the problems associated with teacher centeredness. This article describes the groups' development and implementation of strategies and includes reflections upon understandings and project-derived assertions. The account presents students' perspectives and interpretations and the practitioner's emergent theories as they evolved throughout this collaborative endeavor. The author asserts that the research has potential relevancy to a variety of other teaching contexts.     

广西高校学生二语学习动机的实证调查——以泰语专业为研究对象

学习动机在很大程度上影响学习者的学习成效、主动程度以及克服困难的信心,因此对二语学习者学习动机的研究一直是外语教学研究的重点课题之一。本文将在Dornyei的外语学习动机模式理论及GardnerLambert提出的社会心理学模式的基础上,对广西地区高校泰语专业学生进行多维度的学习动机调研。通过对调研结果的实证分析,试图寻找到真正影响广西区内学生泰语学习动机的因素,期望能为现有的泰语教学模式和人才培养模式提供一些参考和借鉴。     

Relating aspects of motivation to facets of mathematical competence varying in cognitive demand

The author investigated the relationship between aspects of student motivation and performance on mathematical tasks varying in cognitive demand relevant to meeting the expectations of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSS-M). A sample of 479 primarily Latino middle school students completed established survey measures of motivation and a constructed response assessment of two facets of mathematical competence. The assessment measured students' progress toward performing a procedure and demonstrating understanding by providing a written critique of a peer's work, a more cognitively demanding facet. As predicted, higher interest and efficacy in mathematics, lower performance-avoidance goals, and fewer experiences of negative emotions related to performance levels for both facets, while utility and mastery-approach goals (i.e., focusing on understanding mathematics) related only to the more cognitively demanding facet. Implications of these findings for preparing students to be successful mathematical learners, especially in the many states implementing the CCSS-M, are discussed.     

Podcasting in a virtual English for academic purposes course: learner motivation

In this study we explored the effect of podcasting on the motivation of the students in an online English for Academic Purposes (EAP) course at the university level (N?=?179). By using a mixed-method approach, we analyzed the data collected on the learners' impressions about using podcasts as a learning tool. The particular aim of this study was to help learners do research in English in their specific academic field. In their EAP course the learners are expected to study various types of English texts, listen to media and give lectures on their academic findings. The findings of this study revealed that males found podcasting significantly more relevant and attractive than females. Females, on the other hand, were significantly more satisfied with using podcasts in their EAP class. Further, results showed that learners who had no prior experience of podcasts for academic purposes outperformed the learners with medium experience. For further qualitative investigation, several sources were used for data collection including interviews with the learners, the course forums, emails, the class groupblog, podcasts and open-ended questions. Overall podcasting proved highly effective in motivating the students to learn in the online environment.     

网络课程平台中学习者激励机制的设计与应用研究

众多调查研究表明,网络课程平台中学习者访问率有限,全部学完课件比例较低,师生网上交互不够热烈,研究者指出可能有以下原因导致：网络课程资源的单调性、学习者学习积极性不足、学习者激励措施不到位等。综述所言：网络课程平台对学习者学习驱动性不足,笔者将网络课程平台中驱动学习者完成学习的因素分为强制性因素与人本化因素两种,强制性因素是指平台中具有相对学习者而言的不可替代性元素,如网上作业、学籍服务、师生交互等;人本化因素是指平台中“以学习者为本”元素吸引着学习者自觉自愿选择网络课程平台完成学习。因为平台能满足学习者内在知识需求,提供给学习者愉悦的学习体验。笔者通过将网络课程平台与网络游戏系统的对比,设计了基于平台中人本化因素的学习者激励机制,并根据笔者描述的网络课程平台学习者学习流程,提出了流程中每个环节激励措施及实现策略。     

Teachers Avoiding Learners' Avoidance: Is it Possible?

Dealing with learners who prefer to take the back seat and avoid classroom participation can be every teacher's nightmare. This lack of participation may cause teacher frustration, and possibly the only way to reduce this lack of participation is to access the concept of avoidance strategy. Avoidance strategy is the abandonment of a classroom task by learners due to causes such as the task difficulty, topical knowledge, shyness, anxiety, face-saving, fear of negative evaluation, and peer pressure. This article provides an enhanced understanding of the notion of avoidance strategy, presents factors resulting in avoidance behavior, and offers strategies teachers can employ to reduce student use of avoidance behaviors. Reducing student anxiety, motivating learners, teacher support, group work, and pushing toward production are among the possible paths that may help reduce avoidance strategy use in the classrooms.     

如何激发差生学习英语的动机

差生问题是教育领域中最难啃的一块骨头。多年来教育家们不间断地从不同角度探讨解决措施。文章就英语教学 ,从动机角度入手 ,分析差生的特征 ,介绍英语学习动机类型 ,提出了转化英语学习差生的措施 ,以求有益于英语教学中的差生转化     

Tutoring an American autistic college student in Japanese and its challenges

This article discusses the relationship between autism and teaching a foreign language (TFL) and explores how specific teaching styles may strengthen learners' motivation. Autism is simply considered to be a social disorder of development. Autistic people are often seen as having difficulty in learning a language other than their first language. This assumption has prevented autistic people as well as those who have difficulties with mental and physical development from accessing opportunities to learn a foreign language. Therefore, this article focuses on teaching Japanese to an autistic American university student in the United States. The purpose of the article is to examine how autistic learners are motivated in reaction to specific teaching styles. Based on my tutoring experiences with an autistic American university student and an interview with the student's mother, this study explores an effective method of TFL to autistic learners.     

Uncovering young children's motivational beliefs about learning science

Young children, ages 5–6 years, develop first beliefs about science and themselves as science learners, and these beliefs are considered important precursors of children's future motivation to pursue science. Yet, due to a lack of adequate measures, little is known about young children's motivational beliefs about learning science. The present two‐part study explores the motivational beliefs of young children using a new measure—the Young Children's Science Motivation (Y‐CSM) scale. Initial measurement development involved a thorough literature review of existing measures, and an extensive piloting phase until a final instrument was reached. To establish scale reliability, measurement invariance as well construct and criterion validity, the final instrument was administered to a new sample of 277 young children, age 5–6 years, in northern Germany. Results reveal that children's motivational beliefs can be empirically differentiated into their self‐confidence and enjoyment in science at this young age. Older children were more motivated in science, but no significant gender differences were found. Importantly, children in preschools with a science focus reported significantly higher science motivation. This finding stresses the importance of early science education for the development of children's motivational beliefs science.     

Enhancing preservice teachers’ motivation to teach diverse learners

This two-year mixed-method case study examined if and how a teacher preparation program can change preservice teachers' motivation to teach culturally and linguistically diverse learners. Survey data from Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) candidates demonstrated statistically significant changes in MATs' self-confidence for teaching diverse learners, their self-efficacy for culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP), their perception of the value of multicultural teaching, and in their interest in teaching diverse learners. Interview and focus group data identified explicit instruction on CRP, diverse practicum opportunities, and an emphasis on culturally-oriented self-inquiry as factors that enhanced teachers’ desire to teach diverse students.     

A dynamic analysis of why learners develop a preference for autonomous learners in computer-mediated communication

A large number of studies in CMC have assessed how social interaction, processes and learning outcomes are intertwined. The present research explores how the degree of self-determination of learners, that is the motivational orientation of a learner, influences the communication and interaction patterns in an online Problem Based Learning environment. Given the complexity of CMC, we expected that autonomous learners would be more willing to contribute to cognitive discourse. In time, we expected that control-oriented learners would develop a preferential attachment to contribute to discourse from autonomous learners. Data were gathered from 37 autonomous and 39 control-oriented learners who posted 1669 messages. Using a dynamic multi-method approach of content analysis of cognitive and social discourse, social network analysis, and measures of academic motivation, we find some preliminary evidence that motivational orientation influences communication and social interaction patterns amongst learners. From the beginning, most control-oriented learners develop a preference to connect to and communicate with autonomous learners, although a separate team-analysis indicates that group dynamics also influence how learners develop connections with other learners in time. Our findings further the understanding of differences found in distance learning courses about participation and drop-out.     

从成人学习的特点看教师的导学支持

成人学习的压力大,困难多,他们的求学之路布满各种障碍,往往会轻易放弃学习.因此,了解成人学习的特点,以及采用相应的导学策略帮助他们学习,就成为我们应该加以关注,加以研究的问题.本文结合作者的实践经验,指出成人学习的动机、成人学习的特点以及相应的导学策略.希望本文能抛砖引玉,也期望更多的同仁在这一领域做更多有价值的探讨.     

探究英语课堂开放型提问对阅读动机的促进作用

阅读是英语学习者最重要的基本技能之一,也是获取知识和信息的最重要手段。针对学生不喜欢阅读这一现象,笔者在对阅读动机进行分析阐述的基础上,结合教学实践,探究在英语课堂中开放型提问对阅读动机的促进作用。     

探索海淀走读大学"双语"教学的发展模式

本文首先明确双语教学不是语言教学 ,双语教学过程不仅是专业知识的传授过程 ,它还是一个第二语言知识 (外语 )及其文化学习的过程。学习者学习第二语言的动机直接影响着双语教学的效果。北京已形成了良好的第二语言——英语学习的社会环境 ,开展双语教育在某种意义上说是必须的。目前双语教学活动开展程度不一、效果差距较大 ,本文提出了几点针对性的建议。     

Systematic and systemic approaches to reducing attrition rates in online higher education

Abstract

Prior to 1997, the Department of Instructional & Performance Technology (IPT) online program at Boise State University faced a high student dropout rate. The IPT turned to Keller's ARCS model, Kaufman's Organizational Elements Model, and Kirkpatrick's evaluation model throughout the processes of improving the motivational appeal of the online course for the first‐time adult learners and solving the attrition problem. In this article, the author describes a long‐term evaluation case study and explains how she systematically designed and implemented various instructional interventions to reduce attrition. She also presents the results of systemic evaluations.     

概念隐喻理论及其对英汉语言教学的启示

概念隐喻理论诞生于上世纪80年代,它认为隐喻无所不在,是语言现象,也是人类思维的基本特征,包括方位隐喻、实体隐喻和结构隐喻。概念隐喻有其存在的认知理据,掌握和利用概念隐喻理论有助于培养学生隐喻性思维。讨论概念隐喻理论对英汉语言教学（词汇教学、句式教学和篇章教学）的重要作用,旨在提高学生语言理解和运用的自觉性。     

留学生来华前汉语学习动机强度分析

本文运用定量研究的方法 ,以580名来华留学生为调查对象,分析了学习者汉语学习动机强度与动机类型之间的关系,以及学习者个体因素对来华前动机强度的影响。研究结果表明:1)整体来看,留学生来华前汉语学习动机强度不高;2)对学习者来华前动机强度产生影响的是他们的专业以及是否来华攻读学位。来华攻读学位的学习者、学习汉语专业的学习者,动机强度不如来华进修语言的学习者和非汉语专业的学习者;3)内在兴趣动机与经验动机对学习者来华前动机强度影响较大,尤其是学习者对汉字及中国影视书籍等文化产品的兴趣对其动机强度影响最大。     

试以歌诀说"六书"

关于六书的理论性阐述历史很多,但其中或有批评质疑,或多新说异论,因此各说之间是非抵触甚多,一般学习往往感到惶惑,为求教学或自学方便,本以歌诀形式解说传统理论,以作自撰的六书助记歌诀为线索,对“六书”说进行了较为系统的介绍,并对歌诀中所涉及的86个字有重点地作了分析,其中对于先贤之论,取精舍莠,择善而从,对于一些有些争议的问题及例子,一般取其合理可信。     

Differences in students' metacognitive strategy knowledge,motivation, and strategy use: A typology of self-regulated learners

Metacognitive strategy knowledge, motivation, and learning strategies play an important role in self-regulated learning (SRL). However, little is known about different profiles of self-regulated learners in schools that prepare students for the university entrance certificate. The aim of this study was to examine intraindividual differences in the patterns of students' SRL. In this 2-wave longitudinal study, 897 students were involved. Latent class analyses revealed four-cluster solutions at the beginning as well as at the end of the school year. Maximal self-regulated learners with the highest levels on all cognitive, metacognitive, and motivational components of SRL reported the highest grades in the academic subject of German (first language) at both measurement points, followed by motivated and strategic learners. Students with a low level on several SRL components reported the lowest grades. Further, the results indicated changes in profiles of SRL over time.