An Evaluation of a Self-Access Centre through EFL Learners' Eyes

Autor/in	Balcikanli, Cem
Titel	An Evaluation of a Self-Access Centre through EFL Learners' Eyes
Quelle	In: Journal on English Language Teaching, 7 (2017) 1, S.1-10 (10 Seiten) PDF als Volltext (1); PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei (2) Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	2231-3338
Schlagwörter	Foreign Countries; English (Second Language); Second Language Learning; Personal Autonomy; Student Centered Learning; Cooperative Learning; Student Attitudes; Student Behavior; Student Experience; Interviews; College Students; Program Effectiveness; Teaching Methods; Educational Resources; Learning Processes; Barriers; Learning Resources Centers; Turkey (Ankara) + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Ausland; English as second language; English; Second Language; Englisch als Zweitsprache; Zweitsprachenerwerb; Individuelle Autonomie; Group work; Student-entered learning; Student-centred learning; Student centred learning; Schülerorientierter Unterricht; Schülerzentrierter Unterricht; Gruppenarbeit; Kooperatives Lernen; Schülerverhalten; Student behaviour; Studienerfahrung; Interviewing; Interviewtechnik; Collegestudent; Teaching method; Lehrmethode; Unterrichtsmethode; Bildungsmittel; Learning process; Lernprozess; Learning resources centres; Lehrmittelzentrum
Abstract	Learner autonomy has become a central concern in the recent history of language learning. Self-Access Centres (SACs) play a critical role in fostering learner autonomy specifically in EFL (English as a Foreign Language) settings. As SACs aim at enabling learning to occur independent of teaching, in these centres, language learners are given more opportunities to control their own learning and gain learning experiences and learning outcomes through collaborative endeavours. This study reports an evaluation of an SAC in the School of Foreign Languages of a state university in Ankara, Turkey, where it presents a challenging task to set up an SAC at a state university due to low budget provided to state universities. Using Gardner and Miller's (1999) and Morrison's (2008) frameworks, the study examines the effectiveness of an SAC in terms of learners' attitudes, behaviours, and experiences. Data derived from the interviews conducted with more than 200 EFL learners basically reveal the following points: First, the SAC provides opportunities specifically for learning outside the classrooms. Second, it offers possibilities for learners to reflect on their own learning processes, which is a key to the use of learner strategies. Third, it encourages learners to develop their autonomous skills through the exercise of out-of-class learning because in a collaborative setting, students interact with others in the Vygotskian sense. More importantly, students mention collaborative aspects of language learning, which has been given particular weight in recent years. In spite of the above-mentioned findings, there is recognition of the practical problems of an SAC. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01