Research Proposal Pham Thi Hoa Lead-in Learner Autonomy through Writing Portfolios Main Contents  Rationale for the research  Introduction of the Context  Research Question  Literature Review & Proposed Extension  Methodology  Methods of Data Collection & Data Analysis  Ethical Issues Rationale  Importance of learner autonomy “Learner autonomy is a key concept in the modern teaching and learning theory.” (Ozcan, 2007)  Negative attitudes in writing classes “When it comes to writing in the second languages the students’ hardship and pain are worse.” (Gilmore, 2009)  Advantages of Portfolios They allow Ts & Ss to track progress, give feedbacks, and make improvements over a period of time (Baird & Northfield, 1992) Main Contents  Rationale for the research  Introduction of the Context  Research Question  Literature Review & Proposed Extension  Methodology  Methods of Data Collection & Data Analysis  Ethical Issues Context         TOEFL iBT Preparation - Writing course Number of students: 10-15 Students’ level: intermediate to high-intermediate Age: 16-25 Duration: months Lesson/week: Number of lessons: 11 Content: TOEFL writing (independent & integrated) Main Contents  Rationale for the research  Introduction of the Context  Research Question  Literature Review & Proposed Extension  Methodology  Methods of Data Collection & Data Analysis  Ethical Issues Research Question What changes in learner autonomy portfolios bring about preparation courses? in TOEFL iBT Main Contents  Rationale for the research  Introduction of the Context  Research Question  Literature Review & Proposed Extension  Methodology  Methods of Data Collection & Data Analysis  Ethical Issues Portfolios  Autonomy ELP (European Language Portfolios) - 2001  Passport: Linguistic Identity & Self-assessment  Biography: On-going process of learning  Dossier: Language proficiency & intercultural experiences  A tool to promote learner autonomy (Little, 2005) Related Studies  Duong (2008): awareness towards learner autonomy + university setting  Trinh (2005): designing curriculum  promote learner autonomy  Nguyen (2008), Nguyen (2005) & Ta (2005): portfolios as an assessment tool  Extension: portfolios to promote autonomy + intensive test prep courses learner Main Contents  Rationale for the research  Introduction of the Context  Research Question  Literature Review & Proposed Extension  Methodology  Methods of Data Collection & Data Analysis  Ethical Issues Methodology – Case study Learner Autonomy is hard to measure “even autonomous learners are not autonomous all the time.” (Mynard, 2006) “Affective factors such as mood, psychological factors such as tiredness or hunger, motivational variables such as their attitude towards the subject matter and environmental factors such as noise, temperature or time of day all effect students’ levels of autonomy in any given time.” (Sinclair, 2000) Methodology – Case Study  Case study allows researchers to “investigate the uniqueness of a context according to participants’ thoughts and perceptions so that interpretations can be offered” (Earnest, 1994)  Small-scaled research Main Contents  Rationale for the research  Introduction of the Context  Research Question  Literature Review & Proposed Extension  Methodology  Methods of Data Collection & Data Analysis  Ethical Issues Data Collection  Semi-structured interviews  Interviews = getting the story behind a participant’s experiences + in-depth info (Hoang & Nguyen, 2006)  Semi-constructed interviews = flexibility + adequate power and control (Vu, 2007)  Key concepts provided + Vietnamese + informal context + small presents Data Collection  Learner Journals  Dam (2000): how students in Denmark reflected on their learning process through semi-guided journals  Guidance (English & Vietnamese) + collection of journals after each writing lesson Data Collection  Participant Observation  Researcher actively gets involved: deep knowledge of the situation and the normality of his/her presence in the context (UEA, 1994)  Lack of impartiality  recording Data Collection  Personal Diaries Informal & quick record: impressions, important observation, ideas Data Analysis  Interviews & Recordings  transcribed & classified; key quotations  noted down  Students’ journals  classified  Compared w/ researcher’s diaries Main Contents  Rationale for the research  Introduction of the Context  Research Question  Literature Review & Proposed Extension  Methodology  Methods of Data Collection & Data Analysis  Ethical Issues Ethical Issues  Permission: Head of Academic Department & class  nature, purpose, procedure  Students: choice of withdrawal at any time  oral & informal  Students: informed about recorder Learner Autonomy through Writing Portfolios  Rationale for the research  Introduction of the Context  Research Question  Literature Review & Proposed Extension  Methodology  Methods of Data Collection & Data Analysis  Ethical Issues Thank you for your attention! ... for the research  Introduction of the Context  Research Question  Literature Review & Proposed Extension  Methodology  Methods of Data Collection & Data Analysis  Ethical Issues Research. ..  Students’ journals  classified  Compared w/ researcher’s diaries Main Contents  Rationale for the research  Introduction of the Context  Research Question  Literature Review & Proposed... Learner Autonomy through Writing Portfolios Main Contents  Rationale for the research  Introduction of the Context  Research Question  Literature Review & Proposed Extension  Methodology 