Literacy Course Research Articles

The student voice on integrative teaching and learning of academic literacy at a South African university of technology

Academic literacy skills are universally considered as a valuable and integral part of academic development in higher education, yet they often remain peripheral to or are completely absent from many qualifications. At the presently selected institution, there is little consensus on the most effective model to design for and implement as far as academic literacy is concerned, and whether this should be embedded within core curricula, or as a stand-alone, credit-bearing subject. Conspicuously absent in conversations on this matter however, is the student voice, which is what the present study seeks to draw on. An analysis of students’ reflections on an integrated model of learning and teaching of academic literacy was evaluated, where the skills are taught within the context of an academic discipline. The academic literacy component was embedded within a single course taught in a Biotechnology qualification. Upon completion of the learning activities, ten students were interviewed, and a questionnaire was administered to a further fifteen students, to gauge feedback on the usefulness of the integrated model of academic literacy. We report that the pedagogy improved and enriched the overall learning experience. Students reflected that the approach enabled better access to Biotechnology content and made the discourse of the discipline more explicit, as they unlocked academic literacy skills, compared to if an academic literacy course was taken alone. More broadly, the study highlights the need to draw on student reflection and experiences in the design and implementation of pedagogies and the value of remaining responsive to student voices.

Historical Transformations of the Russian Literary Canon in Russia and the United Kingdom

The article aims to reveal the changes in studies of Russian literature in Russia and the United Kingdom in the last three decades. The authors use the concept of the Russian literary canon to highlight the differences in the content and focus of the study of Russian literature. The empirical base of the research is Russian official documents, school textbooks, syllabi of university courses in Russian literature, and the collections of university libraries in the UK. Russian literary canon has changed to bridge the ideological break in Russian literature of the twentieth century. In Russia, the main channel for transmitting the canon is school education. The study of literature is supposed to ensure the formation of national identity, patriotism, humanistic values, and understanding of the exclusivity of Russian literature. The national canon understood as “compulsory reading”, performs socializing, educational, and stabilizing functions. The study of Russian literature in the UK began in the late 19th century at universities, where course content reflected the changing political context. Library collections and university curricula demonstrate the wide range of authors and research topics studied. The study of Russian literature in the UK could not be defined through the Russian literature canon as there is no mandatory reading, and it is studied mainly in translation. Thus, there is no connection between language and literature. The stable interest in the UK towards Russian literature of the 19th and 20th centuries confirms that it belongs to the world’s cultural heritage beyond national borders.

Information literacy of higher vocational college students in digital age

The digital age presents greater challenges to information literacy. However, the level of information literacy in different regions and populations is still controversial, especially for students in college or university. To investigate the information literacy level of college students in Guangzhou area of Guangdong Province, China, and provide a basis for guiding students to improve information literacy. A multi-center cross-sectional study was conducted from February to May 2023. The information literacy questionnaire was used to evaluate student’s information literacy, which included basic information and information literacy scale. Statistical description, non-parametric testing, and multiple linear regression were used for data analysis. A total of 1700 participants, 57.6% of the students had medium information literacy, and average score of information literacy was 226.84 ± 39.83. The number of students using laptops and mobile phones reached 83.8 and 86.5%, respectively. 45.7% of the students had their first contact with mobile phones in junior high school, 49.9% in primary school, but their information literacy is not ideal. The lowest score was 3.74 for information management and communication, followed by 3.75 for information retrieval and acquisition. The results of regression analysis demonstrated that grade, place of high school study, information literacy course, the time of first contact with mobile phones and the type of using electronic information equipment affected students' information literacy ( p < 0.05). The information literacy of students in higher vocational colleges is in the middle level. Although the use of electronic information equipment is popular, the overall level of information literacy still needs to be strengthened, especially for attach importance to information retrieval and acquisition, management and communication literacy. Students’ systematic learning process requires colleges to provide systematic and professional information literacy curriculum teaching.

Corpus Literacy Training for In-Service English Language Teachers

Corpus analysis offers a more accurate understanding of a language than intuition but is not widely used in foreign language instruction. This study uses a hermeneutic-phenomenology approach and content analysis to examine the impact of a corpus literacy course on the perceptions and performance indicators of 29 English language teachers. The results suggest that corpus literacy instruction is crucial for language teachers to incorporate corpus into their classroom practices effectively. Even a brief, intensive corpus literacy course can positively alter teachers’ perceptions and abilities, increase their awareness of corpus usage in language teaching, and equip them with the skills needed, highlighting the importance of incorporating corpus literacy into the design of English language teacher education programs.

Digital literacy of older women with smartphones: a dialogic approach to overcoming barriers

The scientific literature provides evidence that the use of mobile devices with internet access by older adults contributes to their autonomy, capacity for independence, and staying connected, impacting a better quality of life and health. There is also evidence that digital exclusion in smartphone use mainly affects older people, especially women with low academic skills. However, there is very little research on successful dialogical experiences in digital literacy for older women with smartphones. This case study will help fill that gap by collecting the perceptions of female participants (aged 74-90) and female educators of a digital literacy course with smartphones that ran for two academic years. The impact on autonomy and social relationships in the framework of dialogic learning is analyzed, in addition to identifying characteristics that could be transferable to other contexts. The main results show that the dialogic approach of the course has contributed to creating a learning environment based on interactions of mutual support, overcoming the initial fear of using smartphones, developing essential skills for their daily use, and allowing participants to be more connected with family and friends.

On the Teaching Reform of History and Anthology of American Literature Course from the Perspective of Ideological and Political Education in the Curriculum

On the Teaching Reform of History and Anthology of American Literature Course from the Perspective of Ideological and Political Education in the Curriculum

Literature and Media: A Closer Look at Literature through a Social Networking Application

Today, traditional literacy habits are changing with various technological tools in digital environments. Social reading platforms are one of these innovations and changes. These networks are widely used in the world and in Turkey. The application 1000Kitap, the largest book reader network in Turkey, is one of these social networks. In this study, the opinions of pre-service teachers who review the books they read on this application, their attitudes towards reading and writing, and the contributions of this application to pre-service teachers were examined. The study was conducted with fifty-five Turkish pre-service teachers within the scope of the world literature course in the spring semester of the 2022-2023 academic year. In the study, it was aimed to examine in detail the views of pre-service Turkish teachers on the 1000Kitap application by using mixed method. The quantitative dimension of the research is a survey model that tries to describe the existing situation as it is. In the quantitative dimension of the study, survey technique, one of the data collection techniques of this model, was used. In the qualitative dimension of the study, a case study, one of the qualitative research methods, was conducted. The qualitative data used in the study were obtained from a semi-structured interview form. It was found that the attitudes of the pre-service teachers who examined the work they read in the 1000Kitap application, made quotations, and shared their opinions were at a high level; their opinions about the application were very motivating and useful in terms of interaction and sharing; the application increased their reading motivation and contributed to the opportunity to see different perspectives.

The Influence of eHealth Literacy and Self-Efficacy on Online Health Information-Seeking Behaviour among University Students: Cyberchondria as a Mediator

COVID-19 has seen an increased reliance on online health information, raising concerns over cyberchondria, a condition characterised by excessive worry about health based on online information. This quantitative survey study examines the prevalence of cyberchondria and its correlation with eHealth literacy among 168 university students and their online health information-seeking behaviour. The results showed a significant negative correlation between eHealth literacy and cyberchondria, revealing that individuals with higher eHealth literacy were less likely to experience cyberchondria. This study also found that demographic factors such as age, gender, and education level were associated with cyberchondria. The findings suggest that eHealth literacy is an important protective factor against cyberchondria as individuals with higher eHealth literacy may be better able to critically evaluate online health information and avoid becoming overly anxious about their health. Thus, public health interventions should focus on improving eHealth literacy, especially for those with a heightened risk of cyberchondria, through online health information literacy courses and training healthcare providers on how to discuss cyberchondria with patients.

Effectiveness of Incorporating Film Adaptations in EFL Literature Courses: A Case Study in Saudi Arabia

line with the recent and ongoing technological changes in Saudi Arabia, which place greater emphasis on cinema and film adaptations, this study aimed to investigate the effect of incorporating films and visual media into literature courses on students’ understanding of and motivation towards literary texts. The participants were 41 fourth-level female students in the Department of English at Umm Al-Qura University, Saudi Arabia. The treatment group (n=21) read Henrik Ibsen’s play A Doll’s House (1879) and watched the adapted film, whereas the control group (n=20) was asked to only read the play and discuss it in class. The findings revealed that the treatment group performed better in terms of answering questions about play after watching the film adaptation. It is suggested that incorporating film adaptations into literature courses has a positive impact on English as a foreign language students’ understanding of assigned literary texts. This research adds a new case study to the expanding literature. Limitations and future research directions are discussed. KEYWORDS English language, literary texts, motivational tools, students’ comprehension, teaching methods, visual media

Predicting Transfer of Generic Information Literacy Competencies by Non-Traditional Students to Their Study and Work Contexts: A Longitudinal Perspective

Rapid developments in contemporary societies not only ask for lifelong learning but increasingly also for training in generic competencies suitable for multiple contexts and life stages. An indicator of training success is the transfer or application of new learning, a longitudinal process influenced by various theory- and evidence-based factors. The present study combined a multi-contextual and longitudinal approach by investigating non-traditional distance education students’ intention to transfer newly acquired generic information literacy competencies to their study and work contexts before, directly after, and three months after training. Three surveys, using a combination of Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior and Holton et al.’s Learning Transfer System Inventory model, measured the influence of performance outcomes expectations, organizational openness to change, and performance self-efficacy on intention to transfer and transfer behaviour. The participants were 82 adult educational professionals enrolled in an online information literacy course at the Open University. Partial least squares-based structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) confirmed the value of employing a multi-contextual and longitudinal approach within this specific setting. Furthermore, notably, self-efficacy appeared to predict pre-training intention in both study and work contexts and transfer behaviour in the work context. Educational implications, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed.

LITERATURE STUDENTS’ MANUAL FOR EAP WRITING: A SURVEY OF INTERPRETATIVE PRACTICES AND MOVEMENTS IN LITERARY CRITICISM

The practice of teaching Methodology of scientific research, the obligatory course for PhD literature students of Foreign Philology at the Faculty of Philosophy in Niš, has showed that one of the frequent shortcomings in the process of creating a well-equipped literary scholar represents the lack of adequate knowledge regarding the mere purpose of literary criticism, its interpretative practices, methods and movements. Thus, the most important task of a literary instructor is to offer basic scientific insights into the previously mentioned matter, establish firm initial grounds and prepare students for further acquisition of diverse literary specificities. Accordingly, the aim of this article is to offer a brief survey of methods and movements in literary criticism that may serve as a starting point in the critical analysis of a literary work. Before focusing on the survey itself, diverse definitions of literary criticism are presented in the first part of the article. In the next segment, four most common interpretative practices in literary criticism (close reading, contextual analysis, the application of a critical approach, and social critique) are discussed. The last part of the article depicts and shortly explains some major contemporary schools of critical analysis, most frequently used in literature courses at the university level. The theoretical framework of the study relies on the valuable insights mainly of Rapaport, and then Richards, Brooks, Warren, Selden, Widdowson and Brooker. We finally argue that the obtained theoretical knowledge of literary criticism particularities represents a solid ground for developing an analytic apparatus for EAP writing.

Pre-service teacher investment through dialogic action learning

Background: A lack of student ‘buy-in’ and engagement are often major obstacles in academic literacy courses. To create a dialogic learning environment which encourages student investment and challenges traditional student-lecturer hierarchies of power, the curriculum of a first-year academic literacy course at a South African university was reconceptualised around an action-learning project.Objectives: The aim is to determine whether the reconceptualised course enabled dialogic learning that fostered a sense of investment in students.Method: An interpretivist paradigm was followed, drawing on a qualitative research approach. To explore the nature of student investment, discourse analysis was used to analyse group reflections submitted at the end of the 21-week course. Student reflections were coded thematically using an inductive approach.Results: These reflections indicate that specific mechanisms need to be in place for effective dialogic engagement. If in place, findings suggest that the dialogic approach could encourage critical thinking, help students to develop problem-solving skills, lead to cognisance of multiple perspectives, deepen understanding of course material and expectations, promote inclusivity, and encourage reflection on the learning process.Conclusion: This study indicates that purposefully embedding a dialogic approach into a curriculum through purpose-driven group activities, can lead to more engaged learning.Contribution: The paper contributes to the field of academic literacy studies by showing how academic literacy practitioners may use the now-established pedagogies of action-learning and dialogic teaching and learning to design courses that create an enabling environment for students to draw on deep approaches to learning.

Utilizing Indonesian Metropop Novels as Material and Media in Sosiology of Literature Learning

This study aims to explain the use of Indonesian metropop novels as material and media in teaching the sociology of literature in universities. The sociology of literature course aims to provide students with an understanding of the relationship between literary works and various social phenomena that occur in society. Through this course, students gain knowledge about the basic concepts of the theory of sociology of literature and various forms of research using the theory of sociology of literature. This type of research is qualitative research using descriptive methods. The results of the study show that Indonesian metropop novels describe a socio-cultural phenomenon in society, especially the lifestyle and culture of urban communities who live and live in big cities which are shown through story characters. Thus, Indonesian metropop novels can be used as material and media sociology of literature learning.

The Iraqi EFL Learners' Awareness of the Role of Reading Literature in their Creative Writing

This study examines the extent of awareness among Iraqi English foreign language learners about the potential impact of reading literature on developing their creative writing abilities. Furthermore, this study investigates the relationship between those who partake in literature reading and their academic skills. It examines the participation of 120 Iraqi EFL learners currently enrolled in the faculties of Arts, Education, and Education in Qurna, affiliated with the University of Basrah. It employs a mixed methods approach, including a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The results demonstrate a significant correlation between reading literary texts and developing creative writing skills. Several literary elements enhance creative writing, including a comprehensive understanding of figures of speech, cultivating critical thinking skills, engaging in literature courses, practicing paraphrasing poetry, and exposure to various literary genres. The findings also demonstrate that EFL learners profoundly understand the impact of engaging with literary texts on their academic abilities.

MAKING ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING EASIER: TEACHING LITERATURE USING CONTENT-BASED INSTRUCTION IN THE BANGLADESHI TERTIARYT EFL CLASSROOM

The main objective of this study is to determine the feasibility of CBI approaches for teaching literature in the context of EFL in Bangladesh. This paper conducts a pilot study to determine whether it is feasible to use CBI in literature classes to enhance EFL proficiency in Bangladeshi higher education. This study builds an environment in which students actively participate in literary conversations in order to acquire grammatical aspects of the target language and use them as a platform for the production of meaningful communication by combining form-focused and literature-based strategies. The pilot test involving 13 non-targeted undergraduate Bangladeshi students was undertaken to assess the lesson plans, and 20 targeted undergraduate students from Bangladesh took part in the implementation of the lesson plans for content-based instruction in a literary course. Through pre- and post-test results from pilot studies, the study examines the usefulness of content-based instruction in teaching literature to EFL students in Bangladesh as well as the effectiveness of CBI methodologies. The study integrated both quantitative and qualitative methods for data analysis. In a fully randomised study, a variety of CBI outcome factors were assessed for feasibility and importance. Teaching ESL skills in literary courses with more detailed time information for each component would be useful. Finally, content-based education generated positive outcomes and may be utilised as an effective methodology and critical help in establishing opportunities to use English, resulting in improved English language performance.

Research on the Construction of Information Literacy Education System in Universities under AI Environment

Traditional information literacy education in China focuses on using an information literacy course to cultivate students' theoretical learning such as information source collection. Students have a single learning channel and weak abilities in self-directed learning and innovation. The research on the cultivation system of information literacy in universities in China is still incomplete. Resulting in a low overall level of information literacy and insufficient information knowledge among college students, which greatly undermines their innovation and entrepreneurship abilities; There is a lack of information ethics education, and students often participate in situations such as online violence and attacks. This article studies the technical and application characteristics of AI smart education environment, explores the education system model of information literacy in universities, and improves the overall information literacy level of university students.

Development of an Automated Message Writing Tool Assisted by Artificial Intelligence to Facilitate Communication between Students and Lecturers

This research project presents the development of Pesani, an innovative automatic messaging tool that harnesses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to offer suggestions on grammar, vocabulary, and writing style within messages. Pesani’s primary objective is to enhance communication between students and lecturers participating in language literacy courses. The development process followed a well-structured Research and Development (R&D) methodology that incorporated iterative cycles to refine the tool. To ensure Pesani’s efficacy and relevance, the research team collaborated closely with subject matter experts and media specialists. Their input was invaluable in shaping Pesani into a tool that not only functioned effectively but also met its users’ specific needs. Validation conducted by subject matter and media experts has shown that Pesani is exceptionally well suited for its intended purpose. Furthermore, limited testing involving students has demonstrated that Pesani is highly effective in facilitating communication between students and professors. These results underscore Pesani’s potential as an innovative solution to significantly enhance communication and improve student learning outcomes in language literacy courses.

Research on the Impact of Teaching Content Reform of Children’s Literature Courses on the Quality of Children’s Psychological and Aesthetic Education under the Background of “Internet Plus”

Abstract In the context of the “Internet Plus” era, the reform of children’s literature curriculum content is fundamental. This study explores the impact of such reform on the quality of children’s psychological aesthetic education, aiming to provide theoretical guidance for future educational practice. The research method uses quantitative and qualitative methods, constructs word lists and word lists for teaching children’s literature courses by analyzing the texts in language textbooks at the compulsory stage, and explores the data using multiple regression models. The results show that the reform of teaching children’s literature significantly improves students’ psycho-aesthetic qualities, among which the improvement of teaching methods has the most significant impact on psycho-aesthetic education, with a path coefficient of 0.2906 (P<0.0001). The teaching reform of children’s literature curriculum positively impacts the quality of children’s psychological aesthetic education, especially in the innovation of teaching methods.

The analysis of integration points of ideological and political elements in American literature course

The ideological and political education can be integrated into American Literature course from the perspectives of consolidation of the patriotism, cultivation of social responsibility, improvement of personal character and morality, culturing of humanity quality and training of international vision and cultural inheritance, which enable teachers to combine knowledge teaching and ability training with students’ thinking improvement, value guidance and moral training in class, thus achieving the profound exploration of the value of classic literary works and the maximization of teaching values.

The Value and Method of Ideological and Political Education in Foreign Literature Courses for Foreign Language Majors in Universities: The Case of Japanese Literature Courses

The Value and Method of Ideological and Political Education in Foreign Literature Courses for Foreign Language Majors in Universities: The Case of Japanese Literature Courses