Työelämä, täältä tullaan - kielitaitoisina ja itseohjautuvina : tutkimus opiskelijoista monimuotoisesti toteutetulla englannin opintojaksolla Jyväskylän ammattikorkeakoulussa

Abstract

Multi-form education has greatly increased also in the educational world of Finland during the last few decades. This is a study of the language learners on a multi-form English course at the Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences. There were 82 students participating in the study, 53 of them had senior secondary school as their educational background and 29 had second level vocational education. They studied in six groups taught and guided by four English teachers. The compulsory, common English course consisted of c. 50% contact instruction and of c. 50% independent, but guided distance learning. The study was based on humanistic-constructivist approach to learning and on experiential, holistic foreign language learning. The following features, among other things, were emphasized and encouraged on the course: the students’ responsibility, activity, learning by doing, learner experiences, and self-assessment. The research questions were divided into three domains. Firstly, I wanted to find out whether there were significant differences in the learning outcomes of the students with different educational background. In the second domain the students’ readiness for self-directed learning was explored. An answer was sought to e.g. whether it was possible to increase the students’ self-directed learning during the course. The readiness for self-directed learning was viewed from four different dimensions, which were named 1. motivation 2. confidence and initiative 3. enthusiasm about studies and creativity 4. self-assessment. In the third domain the feedback given by the students as well as the teachers was explored, and especially the opinions concerning the suitability of multi-form education for the instruction of foreign languages were of particular interest. The data were collected during the years 2005-2006 by means of language tests, questionnaires, the SDLRS test (Self-directed Learning Readiness Scale) as well as written and oral feedback. The data were analyzed by using statistical and quality methods. The results showed that both the groups with different educational background improved their professional English language skills statistically significantly, but there was a significant difference between them in favour of the students with senior secondary school background. There was a slight improvement in the readiness for self-directed learning, especially the dimension called enthusiasm and creativity improved statistically significantly in some sub groups. It seems that by means of small efforts e.g. by increasing learner initiative, activity, learning by doing, assessment, as well as by supporting, relaxed learning atmosphere it is possible to enhance the students’ positive attitudes to learning and to increase their readiness for self-directed learning, which is regarded as a precondition for lifelong learning. Majority of the students as well as the teachers suggested that multi-form education could be used in the foreign language teaching, but special attention had to be paid to the instruction of oral language skills and group work.