Promoting autonomy and ownership in students studying English using digital comic performance-based learning

Abstract

In traditional learning, students passively absorb the materials provided by their teachers or textbooks. Thus, their learning autonomy is insufficient, and this affects learning motivation. Students find it difficult to absorb the knowledge taught in a classroom and apply it to real life. We combined situated learning and learning through drama to help realize students’ autonomy and ownership. A situational learning system using a comic play was devised to help students learn through scriptwriting in groups. When learning through drama, the visual aids on stage can provide students with a sense of immersion, which strengthens their knowledge application. This method was applied during English-language courses of fifth-grade students at an elementary school in Taiwan. Students’ questionnaire responses demonstrated that using this system helped their autonomous learning. The students’ sense of identification with their own work and their learning impressions were substantially improved. Examination results of the students from the experimental group were significantly higher from those from a control group taught using traditional teaching methods.