Doing this research my way

Tentative title: ACTION RESEARCH ON DEVELOPING INDEPENDENT LEARNING IN THE SKPD 1033 COURSE THROUGH THE USE OF INNOVATIONS

Aim of research:

1. To document the use of specific innovations for encouraging independent learning among students in the SKPD 1033 course.
2. To obtain students' evaluation of the innovations

Aim of innovations:

1. to encourage students to take on greater responsibility for their own learning
2. to train students to become more proactive in using other resources for their learning, esp. online resources
3. to train students to become more aware of and reflective about their own learning and cognitive processes .

It is believed that if these aims are achieved, students would be capable of independent learning

Method:

The class will have to use the prescribed syllabus and coursebook, and the same assessment methods as the rest of the students taking the SKPD 1033 course.

The instructor will introduce the innovations and monitor students' practices

The following instruments will be used in the collection of data:

1. Teacher's reflective blog
2. Students' reflective logs
3. Questionnaire for students' evaluation of innovations

Innovations:

1. Developing awareness of individual learning styles : students are told to go online to answer a learning style questionnaire (VARK) , find out what styles they have , and learn how to use appropriate learning strategies
2. Using online resources for learning - online dictionary, pronunciation, language learning websites eg Dave's ESL cafe
3. developing a collection of quotations related to topics in the coursebook
4. Frequent oral presentations in class, eg sharing quotations, sharing progress on blogs
5. Frequent emails from lecturer - jokes, articles that broaden the mind
6. self marking of homework
7. vocabulary notebook
8. use of online resources in the classroom - short films, demonstration of how to search for useful websites, etc