Exploring Academically Transitioning Students' Ongoing Experiences with Textbook-Based Learning: A Semester-Long Study.

Abstract

This study reports on the ongoing experiences of academically transitioning students with textbook-based learning. The study was conducted at a Chinese university among first-semester English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) students transitioning from high school to university. Qualitative analysis of interviews with the students, students' written reflections, and field notes about their learning activities revealed that their paths were not linear; instead, they experienced both progression and regression in textbook-based learning during their academic transition. Their initial passion for learning in a new context was soon replaced by their need to adjust, primarily due to differences between their prior and current learning experiences and the language demands. The students' adjustments were supported by their own agency and the use of adapted instructions. The study concludes that the students' ongoing experiences with textbook-based learning were complex and dynamic, but the students were also amenable to adjustment.