Advising in Open and Distance Settings: Learner Contributions and the Learning Context

Linda Murphy and Stella Hurd Department of Languages, Faculty of Education and Language Studies, The Open University, UK.L.M.Murphy@open.ac.ukM.S.Hurd@open.ac.uk

Outline

• The nature of learner contributions in an open and distance language learning setting

• The nature of learning context and characteristics of distance language learning settings

• The learner-context interface

• Examples in practice

• The role of the language adviser

Individual Difference and Learner Contributions

• Individual learner difference: - aptitude, intelligence, motivation, personality, and cognitive style (Skehan,1989) • Learner contributions (Larsen-Freeman, 2001): - attributes: age, gender, personality and social identity - ‘learner conceptualisations’: motivation, attitudes, cognitive styles and beliefs

Individual Difference and Learner Contributions

Learner factors may be:

• Fixed, innate: e.g. age and aptitude

• Amenable to change: e.g. motivation, anxiety

and emotional states

• Largely stable but may be amenable to change

in certain circumstances: e.g. learning strategies,

beliefs and attitudes, goals and approaches

Learning Context•The context of learning, but also the ‘personal context’ of individual learners

• Classrooms and materials have a ‘direct effect on learning’ (Skehan, 1989: 119)

• ‘To what extent individual difference factors are altered by contextual factors is, of course, an enormously important, yet vexing question’ (Larsen-Freeman, 2001: 23)

• Overlapping distinctions between (1) biologically- determined and socially-constructed, and (2) context-free and context-sensitive (Benson & Gao, 2008: 27)

Person and Context: a Dynamic Relationship

• ‘capture the mutually constitutive relationship

between persons and the contexts in which they

act – a relationship that is dynamic, complex and

non-linear’ (Ushioda, 2009: 218)

• Individual Difference research ‘may be able to tell

us about certain types of learner in an abstract

collective sense’ but it ‘can tell us very little about

particular students sitting in our classroom, at

home, or in the self-access centre …’ (Ushioda, 2009: 216)

The Affective Dimension

• Language learners as ‘thinking, feeling and acting persons in a context of language use grounded in social relationships with other people’ (Breen, 2001: 1)

• ‘Further demands on the affective resources of both learners and teachers arise from the more isolated study context, separation from peers and the teacher, and reduced or altered forms of social contact and interaction” (White, 2003: 114)

• Affect: one area that ‘can clearly often be changed and shaped through teacher intervention in learning’ (Robinson, 2002: 8)

White’s ‘Learner-Context Interface’ Model

• Independent learners as ‘active agents … constructing

and assuming control of a personally meaningful and

effective interface between themselves, their attributes

and needs, and the features of the learning context’

(White,1999:7)

• Learners in independent contexts ‘develop this ability

largely by constructing a personally meaningful

interface with the learning context’ (White, 2008:3)

Features of the Distance Learning Context

• Physical separation of learner/teacher, learner/learner, learner/teacher/institution (transactional distance, Moore, 1993)

• Learner responsibility to schedule their own time and manage their studies

• Provision of structured teaching materials in a variety of formats through which learner creates own learning pathway

• Contact with teachers and learners via variety of media

The Open University (UK) Support Model

• Cognitive support and development through mediation of the course materials and learning resources for individual students

• Affective support in developing a positive learning environment fostering commitment and self-esteem

• Systemic support through administrative procedures and information management systems which are effective, transparent and user-friendly (Tait, 2000: 289).

Aims to reduce ‘transactional distance’; provide ‘scaffolded’ support

Increased opportunities for interaction, tutor and peer support through developments in ICT

Learner Responsibility

• Set own learning goals and determine a route through the materials which best addresses their language learning needs

• Acquire skills in self-assessment and self-evaluation in order to determine these needs, select appropriate course resources or activities for their purposes and monitor their own progress

• Other aspects of self-management: self-motivation, organisation and ability to prioritise; capacity to work in relative isolation supported by virtual communication

• Take decisions and control their own learning as exemplified in the ‘learner-context interface’ model (White, 2005)

The Learner-Context Interface

Intersection of:

• characteristics of a distance learning environment;• individual differences and individual life contexts.

Fosters or inhibits learning or opportunity for metacognitive growth….

Area where support and guidance from tutors/advisors can be crucial

The Interface in Action (1)

Data gathered in a study of distance learners of languages at Beginner level

Studying for 30 credit points, average 5-6 hours study per week, November-October

Print and audio materials; optional tuition at face-to-face or synchronous online tutorials; on-going support from tutor; asynchronous and synchronous conferencing facility; regular assessment

The Interface in Action (2)

Monthly guided logs Feb-Sept

Reporting on: • highs and lows of study each month;• how they got over difficulties and what kept them going;• support they got from other people.

Insight into choices/decisions made

The Interface in Action (3)

Students aged 22-75, male and femaleNew to distance learningNew to language learningLearning another language

101 completed the first log32 completed logs regularly from Feb to Sept

2 students of French selected for detailed examination

Learner Contributions - A

MaleFull-time job involving a lot of travelMember of local twinning association, regular contact with French friendsWife studying same courseStrong motivationSerious shortage of time for studyProblems with audio materials

Log Entries- A

-Trouble fitting in time for study, but nothing a 36 hour day won’t solve!-Motivation is not a problem, just lack of time results in fragmented study…can be difficult requiring time to review last work before progressing-Work demands still interfering with study! Beginning to catch up now. Can’t do much about the work demands, so the only option is to fit in study whenever possible!-Can study compete with gardening requirements?-No intention of giving up…-Don’t panic – ask for repetition from my French friends. Try and maintain vocab targets

Learner-Context Interface A

Separation – not a problem

Responsibility for self-management – unproblematic:

• valued flexibility;• strategies to overcome difficulties;• strong motivation and sense of proportion.

Learning pathway – no evidence of strategic choices

Contact with others – maintained with friends rather than tutor/students

Language Advising Role

Cognitive function: Advice and support in relation to:

• self-assessment/evaluation to identify needs in order to select an appropriate learning pathway/material

• raising awareness of other strategies for developing listening skills, both listening for specific information and for gist

• encouragement to relax and not expect to understand every word.

Learner Contributions - B

FemaleFull-time job Moved house mid-yearPrimary goal to improve her spoken French – a language she liked very muchStrong determination to complete the courseKeen to meet with other learnersBooked a one-week residential course as wellSerious shortage of time for studyProblems understanding course work and tutorialsConcerned that her spoken French wasn’t improving

Log Entries- B

- We don’t get enough practice speaking and the tutorials seem disjointed from the course work- I’m struggling with the speaking- Definitely need more practice at speaking which would improve the sounds and confidence- I’m getting behind with the work in the book as I find it difficult and sometimes the tutorials are beyond the level I am studying- My spoken French is appalling- In desperate need to speak French more and go over areas I don’t understand- I really like French, but find the studying difficult due to lack of spoken skills…

Learner-Context Interface B

Separation – kept in regular contact with tutor and other students, but did not adjust to lack of frequent interaction

Responsibility for self-management: • constantly behind the work schedule;• valued flexibility when it came to moving house;• expressed determination to keep going and catch up.

Learning pathway – no evidence of strategic choices

Contact with others: • regular meeting with a study-buddy helped motivation;• contact with other learners to resolve difficulties and increase understanding;• approached tutor for help.

Language Advising Role

Cognitive function: Advice and support in relation to:

• self-assessment/evaluation to identify needs in order to select an appropriate learning pathway/material and what could be left out;• raising awareness of other strategies for developing speaking skills and where to find materials/opportunities for this;• realistic assessment of progress in speaking in relation to the course and her own goals.

Affective function:

• support to increase confidence and maintain motivation based on her love of French.

Teacher as Learning Adviser

Proactive approach to understanding learners context as far as possible, depending on what learners are willing to share

Within this context, provide explicit guidance, awareness raising and support to:

• overcome the sense of separation; • develop skills for self-management; • make choices about learning pathways, materials and strategies based on needs and context.

Recognise the ‘person-in-context’ rather than seeing only the ‘person-as-language learner’ (Ushioda, 2009: 215)