JALT 2013 Kobe

JASAL Forum 2013
Self-access and the lifelong voyage of learning
at JALT 2013, Kobe

Thanks to everyone who participated in the Forum this year – you really made it a great success! Photos and abstracts can be found below, along with links to the posters and slides from many of the presenters.

Scene from the JASAL 2013 Forum

Forum abstract: Self-access and the lifelong voyage of learning
On the lifelong voyage of learning, the self-access centre is a port where learners can refuel with ideas, restock with learning materials, share stories of their adventures, and chart out new directions for the future. In three presentations and a poster session, contributors will discuss a variety of current issues in self-access related to learner cognition, advising, assessment, space design and curriculum integration. Organized by the Japan Association of Self Access Learning.

Presentation abstracts:

Evaluating the use of a movie corner in self-access learning.
Mathew Porter, Hiroshima Bunkyo Women’s University
This presentation discusses the results of surveys and follow-up interviews with students who had used a “learning with movies” section in a Self Access Learning Center. The researcher investigated how the section was being used by students to help achieve their learning goals. Results showed a need for improvements to raise awareness of strategies, activities, and materials to help students use movies more effectively as a study resource.

Mathew Porter, Hiroshima Bunkyo Women’s University

Rejuvenating a Lifeless Lounge: An Action Research Project. (PDF)
Clair Taylor, Gifu Shotoku Gakuen University
This presentation describes an ongoing action research project in which one faculty member worked closely with students to redesign and refurbish an underused conversation lounge at a university in Japan. The consultation process, the design choices, and the research findings are discussed. The project draws on the field of learning space design, which explores the influence of the physical and human environment on the learning experience. Issues relating to policy and funding are highlighted.

Clair Taylor, Gifu Shotoku Gakuen University

Assessing Reflective Learning Journals Designed to Enhance Self-directed Learning. (PDF)
Junko Baierschmidt, Kanda University of International Studies
This paper analyzes how learning advisors at Kanda University of International Studies assess reflective learning journals designed to enhance students’ self-directed learning. It then suggests a set of criteria that can be used to more concretely assess learners’ progress towards understanding self-directed learning and in acquiring the beliefs, attitudes, skills, strategies, and cognitive/metacognitive knowledge that are thought to be requisites for self-directed learners. The paper concludes with some suggestions on how to assess reflective learning journals.

Junko Baierschmidt, Kanda University of International Studies

Poster session abstracts:

Coming, keeping and working together: Fostering Autonomous Learning in a Japanese University.
Sarah Louisa Birchley, Keiko Omura, Daniel Beck
This presentation describes an ongoing action research project designed to promote autonomous learning in a required Freshman English course. Focusing on cycle three of the research, the presentation includes survey data from students and qualitative interviews with staff and faculty. The presentation begins with an overview of the action research cycles, discusses the impact of these on student learning behavior and concludes with concrete recommendations for the better administration of self-study programs.

Sarah Louisa Birchley, Keiko Omura, Daniel Beck

Language learning advising: Case studies of repeated visitors.
Yukiko Ishikawa, Soka Women’s College & Kaori Matsumoto, Soka University
This presentation will first demonstrate the descriptive data of visitors who used the advising service in a self-access center, especially with the focus on advisees who made seemingly excessive multiple visits. Case studies will be presented to illustrate those repeated visitors. Finally the presenters would like to discuss on what may determine a successful advising on promoting independent learning in the long term.

Yukiko Ishikawa, Soka Women’s College & Kaori Matsumoto, Soka University

What encourages and discourages students to use a self-access centre? (PDF)
Satomi Shibata, Tokoha University
This short paper presents what encourages and discourages students to use a self-access centre (SAC), based on my observations and interviews to SAC users and non users. One of the most important factors influencing their use of the SAC was mindset (Dweck 2006), learners’ implicit views of where ability comes from. It was also suggested that what images they have on the SAC could play a significant role on their decision making on their use.