Using Logbooks With Second and Foreign Language Learners in Higher Education: Learner Autonomy in Progress

Abstract

This paper reports data from a study recently carried out with university language students attending a Master’s degree programme in Language Sciences. The study aimed at exploring to what extent logbook writing could allow them to progress in their learner autonomy by engaging in more reflective, conscious, and responsible second/foreign language learning. The class was asked first to write a logbook for a week with the purpose of keeping track of their personal language learning process and then to answer some reflective questions to give an account of their perception about the logbook experience. By taking an interpretive approach to the investigation and adopting qualitative data analysis, it was found that the logbook was generally perceived as useful in improving language learning and stimulating meta-cognitive reflection, self-awareness and learner’s intervention. While limits were identified in the use of this tool (i.e., persistence needed to regularly keep logs, time availability and appropriate organisation skills), some students declared their intention to use the logbook in the future, after making personalised adjustments according to their learning needs and goals.

Autonomia Nell’apprendimento Delle Lingue Straniere. Una Revisione Della Letteratura

“…Il docente non limita il suo campo di azione all'aula, ovvero l'apprendimento non è finalizzato al voto e alla promozione, ma è orientato alla sua applicazione nel mondo, nella società e in ambito lavorativo e accademico. Pertanto, stimola le bridging techniques (Menegale, 2013), cioè enfatizza la riflessione critica sull'applicazione delle conoscenze e competenze acquisite nell'ambiente formale e in quello informale, ovvero extra scolastico ed extra accademico. Come evidenzia Menegale (2015: 13) l'insegnante è il «grande attore» che è chiamato a «fare da trait d'union tra il mondo interno al discente e quello esterno».…”

“…Infine, la spinta della globalizzazione, il cambiamento del mercato verso un modello sempre più interconnesso, caratterizzato dalla continua mobilità fisica e virtuale determinano la richiesta di competenza plurilingue e pluriculturale nonché abilità che garantiscano il continuo aggiornamento di tali competenze. L'autonomia, intesa come saper apprendere, diventa presupposto per il life long learning, l'apprendimento per tutta la vita, che supera i limiti dell'apprendimento formale (Mariani, 1994;Menegale, 2013).…”

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“…This practice-based book review looks at Donna Clarke's ( 2019) "Exploring Autonomous Learning: A Teacher's Experience and Learners' Perception" in Autonomy in Language Learning: Getting Learners Actively Involved (Menegale, 2019). This chapter in the book is a reflection on her first attempt to make her class, at the Japanese School of Brussels, more student-centred.…”

“…Finally, I conclude this book review by considering how I would respond to Clarke's four questions that she frames her action research with. 本稿はAutonomy in Language Learning: Getting Learners Actively Involved (Menegale, 2019)…”

“…Japanese university students, learner-centred approach, out-of-class learning, project-based learning, reflection 日本の大学生、 学習者中心のアプローチ、 授業外学習、 プロジェクトベースド学習、 リフレクション Donna Clarke's (2019) "Exploring Autonomous Learning: A Teacher's Experience and Learners' Perception" in Autonomy in Language Learning: Getting Learners Actively Involved, edited by Marcella Menegale (2019), is a reflection on her attempt to make her class more student-centred. Reading it reminded me of when I first taught a semester-long projectbased course in the English Language Programme (ELP) at a university in central Japan.…”