{"title":"Introduction","authors":"","doi":"10.37237/110201","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.37237/110201","url":null,"abstract":"This issue contains two articles and a new column on Ethnographies of Self-Access Language Learning.","PeriodicalId":43678,"journal":{"name":"Studies in Self-Access Learning Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2020-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43162044","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Introduction","authors":"","doi":"10.37237/110101","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.37237/110101","url":null,"abstract":"Welcome to the March 2020 issue of SiSAL Journal which contains two regular papers, two reviews, one summary, and a call for papers.","PeriodicalId":43678,"journal":{"name":"Studies in Self-Access Learning Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2020-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44825188","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Fostering English Use in a SALC through a Discussion-Based Classroom Intervention","authors":"Amelia Yarwood, Crystal Rose-Wainstock, Michelle Lees","doi":"10.37237/100404","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.37237/100404","url":null,"abstract":"Self-access learning centres (SALCs) are spaces in which learners are provided with access to resources that can assist them in achieving their goals. Within the SALC at Kanda University of International Studies, there is a wide range of resources available to students. However, a prior in-house study (Yarwood, Lorentzen, Wallingford, & Wongsarnpigoon, 2019) indicated that the resources were not being fully utilised by the students. The aim of our intervention study was to explore how targeted discussion topics could be used in classroom settings to assist non-English major students in feeling supported in their autonomous use of English within the SALC context. Data were collected in the form of a post-intervention survey, and focus group interviews. The data were then analysed using Basic Psychological Needs Theory (BPNT), a sub-theory within Self-Determination Theory (Ryan & Deci, 1987). Our findings suggest that the intervention fostered feelings of competence in both students’ English abilities, and their ability for selfreflection. Feelings of competence combined with support from peers motivated a portion of students to increase their use of English within the SALC. While many students felt that the intervention had helped them to increase their use of English in the SALC, the majority of students were uncertain about the effectiveness of the intervention. We will present several possible reasons for these findings.","PeriodicalId":43678,"journal":{"name":"Studies in Self-Access Learning Journal","volume":"25 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2019-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138512242","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"An Investigation into the Criteria Students Use When Selecting Graded Readers","authors":"Phoebe Lyon, Amber Barr","doi":"10.37237/100304","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.37237/100304","url":null,"abstract":"Material selection is one way through which students are empowered to take a more active role in their language learning. With the shifting of responsibility to the students, however, it is important to understand what criteria students are using in the material selection process. This study investigates the criteria students used when making graded reader selections for the extensive reading component of freshman level reading and writing courses at a university in Japan. Data from surveys showed that few students proved able to consistently make selections that met their expectations and that even after multiple book selections, some students continued to struggle with the task. The paper will conclude with suggestions for assisting students to make more informed choices when selecting graded readers.","PeriodicalId":43678,"journal":{"name":"Studies in Self-Access Learning Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2019-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49443178","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"As If … A Game Theory Perspective on Self-Access Learning","authors":"Dominic G. Edsall","doi":"10.37237/100302","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.37237/100302","url":null,"abstract":"The applicability of game theory (Osborne, 2004) to the design and management of learning activities within a self-access learning center is discussed in relation to encouraging unmotivated students to engage more with autonomous study. Through discussion of some basic principles of game theory and how they might apply to self-access learning, a theoretical example is used to demonstrate how the costs and rewards of activities can be balanced using game theory in such a way as to encourage students to complete activities in order to foster autonomy and motivation. Further examples from game theory are provided to show how it can explain some of the counterintuitive results often seen in self-access learning at Japanese universities. Possible future quantification metrics are briefly discussed in relation to the human-capital and social-capital costs and payoffs involved in student use of self-access learning centers. A game theory perspective on self-access learning may offer the potential benefit of providing a quantitative model that might allow the application of artificial intelligence and a complex dynamic systems approach to student usage data.","PeriodicalId":43678,"journal":{"name":"Studies in Self-Access Learning Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2019-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46994420","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Self-Assessment Surveys – A Tool for Independent Learning in Lower-tier Dependent Classrooms","authors":"Craig Yamamoto, Yoko Kinoshita","doi":"10.37237/100306","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.37237/100306","url":null,"abstract":"This project took place over an academic year, using self-assessment surveys as a unique tool for guiding students to engage in the learning process, with the goal of improving their motivation and overall awareness in second language studies. The participants (n=94) were first year students from a private Japanese university from the departments of Aerospace and Systems Engineering (n=11), Architecture (n=11), Computer Information Sciences (n=49), Life Sciences (13) and Mechanical Engineering (n=10). The surveys were bookended with two similar Likert-scaled questionnaires. The first was used as a baseline of participants’ initial beliefs, motivation and overall awareness regarding their L2 education, while the second was used as a comparison, through a paired sample T-test, to mark any changes. The self-assessment survey sought to elicit students’ knowledge and confidence in areas of vocabulary, use of English and usage of the target language, with a survey report given to everyone prior to unit assessments. The following is a report on the effect self-assessment surveys had on students’ motivation and overall awareness when used as a learning tool promoting autonomous learning for teachers and advisors wishing to empower students to take a more prominent role in their L2 education.","PeriodicalId":43678,"journal":{"name":"Studies in Self-Access Learning Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2019-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48465572","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A Critical Review of Research on Language Learning Strategies used by Arab Learners of English","authors":"Anas Hajar","doi":"10.37237/100303","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.37237/100303","url":null,"abstract":"More than four decades have passed since the language learning strategy (LLS) concept was first brought to wide attention by Joan Rubin (1975). Although LLS research is prolific, it has faced challenges regarding its conceptual and methodological nature. These apparent weaknesses have encouraged some proponents of LLS research (e.g. Oxford, 2011; Rose et al, 2018) to conduct a systematic review of previous LLS research, with the aim of identifying the nature of the vigorous attempts to abandon the construct of LLS in research studies. Surprisingly, perhaps, these reviews did not include any LLS research studies concerning Arab learners. Therefore, this paper examines previous research into the LLSs used by Arab learners of English taken from different databases. The analysis has indicated that the majority (22 out of 27) of studies discovered were exclusively quantitative, using Oxford’s (1990) Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL). These quantitative studies correlated the Arab participants’ LLS use with other individual learner variables, especially those related to gender and language proficiency. The other five were qualitative studies, and no study had adopted a mixed-method approach. This paper concludes by suggesting some areas that deserve further investigation in future research.","PeriodicalId":43678,"journal":{"name":"Studies in Self-Access Learning Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2019-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42349909","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Introduction","authors":"","doi":"10.37237/100301","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.37237/100301","url":null,"abstract":"Welcome to the September 2019 issue of SiSAL Journal which contains five regular papers. The first paper by Dominic G. Edsall who is based at Ritsumeikan University, Japan and UCL Institute of Education, UK. Edsall explores how game theory (Osborne, 2004) can be applied to the design and management of self-access learning activities. The author discusses some of the basic principles by using theoretical examples to explore issues of autonomy and motivation from the unique perspective of costs and rewards.","PeriodicalId":43678,"journal":{"name":"Studies in Self-Access Learning Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2019-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46639120","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Transformative Language Use in and Beyond the Classroom with the Voice Story App","authors":"Naomi Wilks-Smith, L. Thong","doi":"10.37237/100305","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.37237/100305","url":null,"abstract":"This paper describes the process of creating an app for languages informed by two key theoretical frameworks; the Framework-For-Action (FFA) (Hughes, Guion, Bruce, Horton, & Prescott, 2011) and the technological, pedagogical and content knowledge (TPACK) framework (Koehler & Mishra, 2009). Feedback from students throughout development informed the pedagogical and functional considerations which in turn supported the full development of the app. The app facilitates practical language use and contributes to language learner autonomy and self-access in and beyond the classroom.","PeriodicalId":43678,"journal":{"name":"Studies in Self-Access Learning Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2019-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41776437","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}