Journal Article

GOAL system for online self-direction practice: exploring students’ behavioral patterns and the impact on academic achievement in the high school EFL context

Yang, Yuanyuan, Ogata, Hiroaki, Li, Huiyong, Majumdar, Rwitajit

2024

Overview

Self-directed learning requires students to take the initiative to learn and control their learning process. Scholars have provided evidence for the positive effect of self-directed learning on academic achievement, and they emphasize the importance of self-direction for lifelong learning. Yet, a limited study has been conducted in K-12 education. Additionally, most research investigated students’ perceived competence in self-directed learning, but little has studied students’ behavior in self-direction practice. To fill the gap, we propose a technology-based approach to facilitate self-direction practice in the K-12 context. A GOAL system was developed to support several self-direction tasks: conduct Collection-Reflection step with self-data and Analysis-Evaluation step with accumulated self-data from two learning aspects of learning outcome and learning effort. We explored their behavioral patterns based on the interaction logs generated by 122 EFL high school students while performing those tasks across one semester. Four clusters were found to have different behavioral patterns in those tasks. Further analysis suggested a positive correlation between self-direction behavior and academic achievement. And we found that students who not only collected and reflected on self-data but also analyzed and evaluated their learning status got higher academic achievement than those who only collected and reflected on self-data or rarely engaged in any tasks. This study contributes to a technology-based approach that helps to track students’ self-direction behavior. This study extends self-direction research to the K-12 context and provides evidence for the positive impact of self-directed learning on academic achievement from a new perspective.

• Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Academic achievement / Adult education / Behavior / Behavior Patterns / Computers and Education / Context / Data analysis / Design / Education / Educational Technology / Goal setting / Independent study / Learning activities / Learning Processes / Learning Strategies / Lifelong learning / Questionnaires / Strategic planning / Student Motivation / Students / Task analysis / Teaching Methods