Language Course Design that Enhances and Supports Self-Directed Skills through Distance Learning

Start

1-30-2019 10:30 AM

End

1-30-2019 11:45 AM

Short Description

The language courses developed at Florida Atlantic University, Center for eLearning, expand the possibilities of distance learning because the course designs support principles of andragogy and provide clear opportunities in developing self-directed skills online. This includes opportunities to conduct self-evaluations of current language skills, clear goals, active engagement, and various chances for the student to self-reflect and evaluate their own goals and progress.

Abstract

The purpose of this abstract is to propose a session on distance learning language courses that support principles of andragogy (Merriam, 2017) and encourage self-directed learning. The design of these courses, while leveraging the theories of language learning acquisition and social learning, also encourage self-directed skills. The course design provides opportunities to develop language and self-directed skills through a variety of features that are implemented. The design supports a four-step process (University of Waterloo, n.d.) that allows students to:

  1. Conduct self-evaluations of current language skills.
  2. Align goals with structured and sequenced activities.
  3. Actively engage in student-content, student-student, and student-instructor interactions.
  4. Identify opportunities for self-reflection and evaluation of own goals and progress.

The intended audience for this session is instructional designers, educators, students, and anyone interested in distance learning, language instruction and learning, and self-directed learning.

Session Type

The session type recommended for this presentation would be a concurrent session. This session will be presented in a hybrid manner with one presented live and the other remotely through a virtual conferencing tool.

References

Merriam, S.B. (2017). Adult learning theory: Evolution and future directions. PAACE Journal of Lifelong Learning. Vol. 26. Pp. 21-37.

University of Waterloo. (n.d.). Self-directed learning: A four-step process. Center for Teaching Excellence. Retrieved from https://uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-teaching-excellence/teaching-resources/teaching-tips/tips-students/self-directed-learning/self-directed-learning-four-step-process.

Format

Concurrent Session

Institutional level targeted

Higher Ed

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Jan 30th, 10:30 AM Jan 30th, 11:45 AM

Language Course Design that Enhances and Supports Self-Directed Skills through Distance Learning

The purpose of this abstract is to propose a session on distance learning language courses that support principles of andragogy (Merriam, 2017) and encourage self-directed learning. The design of these courses, while leveraging the theories of language learning acquisition and social learning, also encourage self-directed skills. The course design provides opportunities to develop language and self-directed skills through a variety of features that are implemented. The design supports a four-step process (University of Waterloo, n.d.) that allows students to:

  1. Conduct self-evaluations of current language skills.
  2. Align goals with structured and sequenced activities.
  3. Actively engage in student-content, student-student, and student-instructor interactions.
  4. Identify opportunities for self-reflection and evaluation of own goals and progress.

The intended audience for this session is instructional designers, educators, students, and anyone interested in distance learning, language instruction and learning, and self-directed learning.

Session Type

The session type recommended for this presentation would be a concurrent session. This session will be presented in a hybrid manner with one presented live and the other remotely through a virtual conferencing tool.

References

Merriam, S.B. (2017). Adult learning theory: Evolution and future directions. PAACE Journal of Lifelong Learning. Vol. 26. Pp. 21-37.

University of Waterloo. (n.d.). Self-directed learning: A four-step process. Center for Teaching Excellence. Retrieved from https://uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-teaching-excellence/teaching-resources/teaching-tips/tips-students/self-directed-learning/self-directed-learning-four-step-process.