Goal-oriented active learning (GOAL) system to promote reading engagement, self-directed learning behavior, and motivation in extensive reading

• Published in: Computers and education Vol. 171; p. 104239
• Main Authors: Li, Huiyong, Majumdar, Rwitajit, Chen, Mei-Rong Alice, Ogata, Hiroaki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.10.2021
• Subjects: 21st century abilities; Applications in subject areas; Data science applications in education; Secondary education; Teaching/learning strategies; Data science applications in education; Teaching/learning strategies; Applications in subject areas; Secondary education; 21st century abilities
• ISSN: 0360-1315; 1873-782X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.compedu.2021.104239

Self-directed learning (SDL) ability, its usefulness in higher education, and life-long learning have been highlighted in previous literature. However, understanding the effects of SDL ability in the school settings, specifically how it affects learners' affective and behavioral outcomes, remains missing and calls for further investigation. Given this research gap, this study developed a goal-oriented active learning system, GOAL, to support students' SDL and investigated how students' perceptions of SDL ability affect their reading engagement, SDL behavior, and motivation for extensive reading. The results showed that the high SDL ability students demonstrated significantly more reading engagement, SDL behaviors, motivation and autonomy for extensive reading than those with low SDL ability. These findings suggested that an SDL support environment could be exploited as a useful tool to support foreign language learning in the schools; however, the affective and behavioral outcomes created by the environment were affected to varying degrees by the levels of students’ SDL ability. The study provided implications for researchers studying extensive reading and SDL environments, as well as for educators seeking to improve extensive reading with SDL strategy usage. ●This study introduced a self-directed learning (SDL) support system named GOAL.●A quantitative measurement of SDL behaviors was explored using the GOAL system.●The effects of SDL ability were investigated using the GOAL system.●The influence on reading engagement, SDL behaviors, motivation in extensive reading were examined.●SDL ability plays an influential role in self-directed online reading environments.