Yoko Hirata and Yoshihiro Hirata

Hokkai-Gakuen UniversitySapporo, Japan

◈ students’ difficulties in adapting to a new learning environment and technological innovations

◈ students’ difficulties in maintaining their high motivation to study independently.

◈ the focus is often placed on the technical aspects of innovations.

Blogs …

◈ are effective for students to write personal experiences, events, and thought, and therefore, to learn more about themselves.

◈ are easy for the instructor to keep track of what students have learned and improve the quality of the learning experience.

◈ provide students with a real, wide audience.

◈ used in the name of “learning journals”, “learning records”, “ or “learning diaries”.

◈ used to offer opportunities for students to reflect upon their learning.

◈ to help developing students’ self-knowledge and awareness.

◈ to encourage a questioning disposition.

◈ to promote active learning in a way of thinking critically.

◈ In Japanese educational settings, students may feel unprepared for reflective approaches as they have been inexperienced to them

was to examine Japanese students’ perceptions of one type of reflective tool, “a learning log”, and its’ efficacy before actually using blogs in the classroom.

Research questionsHow do students perceive and evaluate “learning logs” after doing web-based exercises?Are there any relationship between the students’ views and their use of the “learning logs”.

◆ The subjects of this study were 30 university students from the faculties of Humanities, Economics, Law, and Engineering.

◆ It’s a hybrid learning course and the aim was to gain a high score on the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC).

◆ The students did the web-based TOEIC exercises for the purpose of improving their listening skills.

◆ The class activities were divided into two stages: textbook-based, face-to-face instruction and self-directed independent learning.

◆ The face-to-face instruction included explaining TOEIC test-taking skills to familiarize the students with the test.

◆ The self-directed learning included doing web exercises sought out by students.

The course was held once a week for ninety minutes in a computer lab.

The students were encouraged to …

◆ write the details of the web exercises they had worked on and their views concerning these activities.

◆ review the words and expressions they had learned.

◆ comment upon what they had acquired through the activities by reflecting on their learning.

Fig1. A sample log

TOEIC Exercise Log

Faculty: 　　 Student#: 　 　 Name: 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 . 　　　

　　

Date:

Target skills(s):

Title of the Website:

URL:

Total minutes:

(1) Details of the exercises/materials:

(2) Comments on the exercises/materials:

(3) I’ve learned .... :

(4) I will/won’t keep doing the exercises because ... :

◆ At the end of the course, students were provided with a questionnaire to understand their perceptions of learning logs.

◆ The 12 questions had a 10-point Likert scale, with “1” representing “strongly disagree” and “10” representing “strongly agree”.

◆ The questions were averaged and analyzed by using Spearman’s correlation.

◆ Students were also asked to write down their opinions on any aspect of the course.

Table 1. Students’ view on the logs

(N = 30)

  Mean (SD)

1. The logs were effective in improving my English skills. 4.53 (2.52)

2. The logs assisted me reflect upon what and how much I had learned.

5.30 (2.76)

3. The logs required lot of time and effort, and therefore bothered me.

7.03 (2.01)

4. Keeping logs helped me attain a high TOEIC score. 4.63 (1.92)

5. Keeping logs encouraged me to find various kinds of good English exercises on the Web.

5.73 (2.75)

6. I was able to complete the exercises and maintain logs in a more meaningful manner in the classroom than outside the classroom.

3.53 (2.42)

7. I could find exercises which were suitable to my English proficiency level.

6.03 (2.59)

8. I could find exercises which were suitable to the aim of my study.

5.97 (2.59)

9. Doing exercises on the Web helped me improve my English skills.

5.23 (2.45)

10. I made entry logs about once a week. 2.63 (1.97)

11. I didn’t continuously maintain logs, but rather did them at the last minute.

6.37 (2.67)

12. I enjoyed keeping my logs. 3.60 (1.99)

14

The logs required of students a lot of time

and effort

Students maintained logs in the classroom

than outside the classroom

The logs required of students a lot of time

and effort1.00 -----

Students maintained logs in the classroom

than outside the classroom

.-406** 1.00

Table 2. Correlation between factors for keeping logs and doing the web exercises

Notes: Correlation Matrix (N=30), **p < .01.

15

Keeping logs encouraged students to find various kinds of good web exercises

Students could find exercises which were suitable to their aim

of study

Keeping logs encouraged students to find various kinds of good web exercises

1.00 -----

Students could find exercises which were suitable to their aim

of study

.601** 1.00

Table 2. Correlation between factors for keeping logs and finding suitable web exercises

Notes: Correlation Matrix (N=30), **p < .01.

16

Students could find suitable exercises to their English level.

Students enjoyed logs.

Students could find suitable exercises to their English level.

1.00 -----

Students enjoyed logs. .481** 1.00

Table 2. Correlation between factors for keeping logs and completing exercises

Notes: Correlation Matrix (N=30), **p < .01.

◆ only a small number of students fully appreciate the effectiveness of learning logs for their language learning.

◆ the logs were not positively correlated to higher test scores.

◆ there is a large gap between what the instructor envisaged students would do with the logs and how the students actually reacted it.

■There were two groups of students with opposite believes and opinions about the learning logs.

The students with POSITIVE attitudes towards Learning Logs …

◩ thought the tools would help them gain high TOEIC scores.

◩ thought they would keep logs if they could find good, practical exercises for their future study.

The students with NEGATIVE attitudes towards Learning Logs …

◩ didn’t think the logs were effective in improving English skills.

◩ found keeping logs time-consuming.

◩ couldn’t comprehend the idea of writing a record of what has been learned.

■ The instructor and administrators ...

◩ should understand the students’ different ability to think critically about their past independent action and to express their personal views.

◩ should incorporate the communicative aspect of logging systems, such as sharing their personal thoughts and ideas.

◩ should understand how to use blogs and other web-based tools for students who don’t have the capacity to adjust to flexible learning environments .

■ The results show that …

◩ the students, who benefited the most from web exercise learning, highly valued a log as a medium to reflect upon their learning.

◩ careful evaluation of student backgrounds including their reflective experiences, should be determined before the instructor actually encourages using it.

◩ practice logs should be introduced to help students with reflective tasks they are required to complete in hybrid learning environments.

Thank you very much for your attention!