bruce lander, kurume university, japan [email protected]
TRANSCRIPT
Learner Autonomy in a test-based class: Introducing student self-constructed TOEIC
Tests with WIKIs ACEC 2012 Perth, Australia
Bruce Lander, Kurume University, Japan
the TOEIC test
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TOEICWho is it for? Is TOEIC for the students? Is TOEIC for the teachers? Is TOEIC for the university? How do you teach for the TOEIC? Is the teacher-centred approach the
only way?
The dilemma!
How can we make a TOEIC class meaningful for instructors and students?
How can we make the students autonomous?So they learn for themselves?
How can we make a TOEIC class student-centred?
Problems Low level class Students consistently getting poor results is: Demeaning Demotivating Disappointing
Week 1 TOEIC results Bruce`s class average score
TOEIC bridge : 80-140 (max. 180)converted TOEIC score : 200-380 (max. 990!)
Harry`s class average score: 100-160
A Virtuous Circle
The TOEICTest ?
Low Test
ScoresLack of
Motivation
Poor Attendance
The idea Have students make their own tests
With the use of internet resources
Collaborative learning
Permanent access to every classmates constructed tests
Work autonomously out of class
Students improve on TOEIC scores
Solution
With wikis
Wikis : Introduction
Interface easy to use as e-mail1
Learners can easily add and edit their work2
Instructors can conveniently monitor progress and changes3
Free for educational use.4
55Various levels of security available for student safety
What is a wiki? The mother of all Wikis.....
Wikiwiki= Hawaiian for fast Pedia = information, or education
Other available wikis:
A wiki has no predefined structure: wiki pages are easy to create and edit without any prior experience in writing web pages. (Elgort, Smith and Toland, 2008)
Wikis might be the easiest, and most effective web-based collaborative tool in any institutional port-folio. Thompson, C. & Absalom, M. (2011).
Collaborative learning This technology therefore has the
potential to complement and enhance online collaboration (Parker & Chao, 2007).
Moreover wikis can help provide an efficient, flexible user-friendly and cost-effective interface for collaboration, knowledge creation and student interaction (Schwartz, Clark, Cossarin, & Rudolph, 2004).
Wiki sites
www.wikispaces.com www.pbworks.comwww.wikidot.comwww.wiki-site.com
FREE for higher education
Up to 2GB per wikiVery user friendlyHigh security
Wikis in education
“Students are excited about wikis and therefore take much more interest in their learning.” (Parker & Chao, 2007)
As Prensky (2001) observes,
“Our students have changed radically” Prensky sees today’s students as digital natives while most of today’s teachers remain digital immigrants.
The TOEIC bridge and OUR testPart The TOEIC real OUR TOEIC
1 15 photos with questions (4)
5 photos with questions(4)
2 Stimulus-ResponseNo photos
5 photos, with Q & A (5)With 5 longer answers
3 Short Talks and Short Announcements
5 Longer sentences fill in the missing words
4 Incomplete sentences 5 advertisements (4)Answer correct question
5 Reading comprehension
Videos with summary4 Questions (4)
Week
Contents Week
contents
1-3 Introduce wikis 10 Part 3Test practice
4 Part 1 Test practice
10-12
Introduce part 4
5-7 Introduce part 2
12 Part 4 Test practice
7 Part 2 Test practice
12-14
Introduce part 5
8-10 Introduce part 3
15 Final test practice
15 week plan
Pros and ConsThe Pros
Leads to autonomous behaviour
Enjoyable for students High-perfect scores
for each test Increase in motivation Introduces new
learning style Collaborative learning
The Cons Tech aspects can
be time consuming Requires constant
guidance Susceptible to
plagiarism Teacher must
monitor student work
The ultimate goal
Confidence& fluency
Autonomy &
competence
MotivationCollaborative projects
Food for thought Digital Natives =
learners of today Digital immigrants =
the teachers of yesterday! Most teachers teach the way they
were taught! How about you? How do you teach? Teaching methods need to be updated.
References See enclosed References file