Tools for Empowering Young Learners: Language Learner Autonomy

Che Wan Ida Rahimah Bt Che Wan Ibrahim Ibrahim

doi:10.5539/ass.v15n2p1

Abstract

This paper critically reviews the potential of social networking tools in the context of informal learning of language for young learners. It provides a synthesis of the research literature in the field that relevant to communities of educators and a series of illustrative examples of how these tools are being used in autonomous language learning. It draws out that the learners are currently turning to the social networking tools for their own, independent language learning. Alongside this, these tools have the potential to greatly enhance the opportunities available for language learners to make meaningful use of their target language in real‐time contexts and to develop their productive language skills. For that reason, the use of these tools is a more dynamic approach to language learning, so that the learners gain autonomy and be responsible for their own language learning.

Highlights

Today, the growing popularity of social networking tools has motivated socialisation, critical thinking, and global knowledge sharing and collaborative learning
Literature indicates that the use of Wikis as writing dynamic Web applications in education improves writing ideas through collaborative group work (Boudreaux, 2010; De Wever et al, 2011; Jonassen et al, 2008; Şahin Kızıl, 2017). This collective intelligence process of creating a shared object of knowledge where changes of the articles can be tracked to the users directly is noticeably natural in offering great autonomy to the users (Murugesan, 2007)
Twitter is an important social networking tool that creates an environment in which users can interact in real and deferred time, thereby accommodating a virtual extension of the physical classroom community (Carbo & Antoli, 2011; Ebner et al, 2009) by providing an opportunity for membership in the L2 community

Summary

Introduction

The growing popularity of social networking tools has motivated socialisation, critical thinking, and global knowledge sharing and collaborative learning. A challenging representation is developing whereby many users are not shifting offline contacts to an online way, or the other way round, but commonly most of them are engaging both at once (Selwyn, 2008) As these connections frequently tolerate physical separation, retaining social networks could aid students to fine-tune existing plans (Eberhardt, 2007; Schultz, 2011) for lifelong learning. Literature indicates that the use of Wikis as writing dynamic Web applications in education improves writing ideas through collaborative group work (Boudreaux, 2010; De Wever et al, 2011; Jonassen et al, 2008; Şahin Kızıl, 2017) This collective intelligence process of creating a shared object of knowledge where changes of the articles can be tracked to the users directly is noticeably natural in offering great autonomy to the users (Murugesan, 2007). Social networking technologies provide resources that motivate learners’ plans and encourage engagement in collaborative behaviour where “whatever challenges they encountered, they solved creatively in their own ways” (p. 48)

Twitter

YouTube

Conclusion