EFL大學生英作數位學習網站之初探性研究

Abstract

探索EFL大學生如何運用後設認知技能(metacognitive skills)學習英文寫作，為數位學習領域所不容忽視的研究課題之一。文獻(Wenden, 1998)中已指出，EFL大學生學英文的困難之一在於欠缺運用規範技巧(self-regulation)的能力，以監控(self-monitoring)自己的理解過程，例如:如何使用英文的動詞時態、時式、用法、及表達;如何組織寫作的文句等等。為協助EFL大學生成功地學習英文寫作，發展數位互動教學設計者所面臨的挑戰之一是：如何將後設認知技能整合於數位學習環境中，以成功地協助EFL大學生解決學習英文寫作的各種問題(Vann & Abraham, 1990)。後設認知技能不是自然產生的；是需透過適切性的練習、訓練及提供適合的鷹架式協助(scaffoldings)而漸漸學習而得的。本研究以一互動式EFL英作數位學習網站為主要研究工具，同步收集質性及量化資料，以研究EFL大學生的數位英文寫作學習過程，並探索下列各研究問題：\n(1)這個網站是否可以成功地吸引學生的注意？\n(2) 學生在使用網站時，其後設認知情形如何？\n(3) 網站中後設認知策略「短文提示」(Hints)的設計是否對學生練習「APPLICATION」單元的寫作時造成影響？\n(4) EFL大學生與NSC EFL網站互動後的寫作成績如何？

It is one of important research tasks to explore how EFL Taiwanese undergraduates employ cognitive skills to learn composition. Researcher (Wenden, 1998) has reported that EFL learners have difficulties in developing complex learning skills when mastering the usage of verb forms and tenses and compositions. To facilitate EFL learners in acquiring complex knowledge successfully, one of the challenges of an interface designer or interactive system developer is to take into account the development of various kinds of instructional units (cases) to model, coach, and scaffold different learners in order to enable learners to acquire complex knowledge by using contextualized learning skills. It is essential to guide learners how to employ metacognitive skills in acquiring the EFL`s complex knowledge. In this study, an experimental interactive digital hypermedia ( named NSC EFL website) is developed and employed as a teaching / learning and research tool to explore EFL undergraduates’learning process. This study was designed to examine four central research questions: (a) Did the website succeed in engaging students? (b) What metacognitive knowledge explored among students? (c) Did the use of HINTS have any impact on questioning and reasoning with cases by students within the APPLICATION section? And (d) How is Taiwanese EFL learners’ writing performance by interacting with NSC EFL website?