The Development of Self-Directed Learning in Online English Reading of Thai Students Attending a CALL Learner Training


  •  Suttiya Khongyai    
  •  Jutarat Vibulphol    

Abstract

This research studied self-directed learning in online English reading of seven secondary school students who attended a ten-week Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) learner training. The CALL learner training was sequenced using Knowles’s (1975) six steps of self-directed learning, which were setting climate, analyzing needs, setting goals, choosing materials, using strategies, and evaluating the outcomes. Each training session covered three components: pedagogical, strategic, and technical training. The training was conducted over ten weeks and included three required sessions and seven optional consultation sessions. During the training, the learners conducted three weeks of self-learning independently. Three sources of qualitative data, including learners’ learning logs, consultation recordings, and interviews, were used to examine the development of learners’ self-directed learning throughout the training. Overall, all participants showed improvement in their self-directed learning in online English reading after the training. However, goal setting and material selection seemed to be the main challenges for most participants. The findings suggested that more research on using CALL learner training should introduce more technology for different online reading tasks since the current study only presented limited tools.



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