Presentationon

Outside class learning: an exploration

Md. Arman

&Md. Jahirul Islam

Learning outside the class in group

Introduction

• Objectives: This research will find out…

1. The nature of OCL among university students

2. The effectiveness of OCL

3. The challenges of OCL

Research Questions

1. What are the challenges students face in OCL?

2. What is the impact of OCL in students’ academic study?

What is outside class learning?

• Learning outside class can be defined as taking place within an institutional context, relating to students’ academic endeavors, and contributing to students’ learning outcome.

• OCL includes intangible elements such as the culture of a campus or faculty and the hidden curriculum evident in the values of an institution.

Kerri-Lee Krause: 2007

• At the same time, learners also have fun and get some mental refreshment in the fresh air Manifesto for Education: Outside the Classroom.

MEOC: 2006

Why outside class learning?

• Help learners to make subjects

–More vivid–Interesting–Enhance their understanding

 

It contributes

personal

Social

Emotional Development

(MEOC:2006)

• Outside class learning, in some cases, refers to learner autonomy.

• Learner autonomy is the ability to take charge of one’s learning

(Benson & Voller: 1997).

• Autonomy is a capacity for detachment, critical reflection, decision making and independent action.

• It presupposes that the learners will develop a particular kind of psychological relation to the process and content of their learning.

Little: 1991

• Autonomy is primarily concerned with learning rather than teaching, as its development is viewed to be a cooperative learning process that can be guided by teacher.

Research Methodology

Sample:• 20 students of MA (Applied Linguistics

and ELT) from the Department of English, University of Dhaka (DU)

• Both male & female students were selected for the purpose

Data collection

Questionnaire includes…

1. Four open ended questions to find out qualitative data

2. Four close ended questions to find out quantities data

Some strategies were taken for collecting the questionnaire…

• There were a set of pre-prepared guiding questions.

• The researchers were totally neutral during the participants’ answering questions.

• The participants were given total freedom.

Data analysis

Data was analyzed statistically and descriptively

The responses of the participants were calculated into percentage manually

It is more comfortable to study outside class

Strongly agree20%

Agree45%

More or less agree30%

Disagree5%

Do you think learning outside class is helpful?

Agree80%

Confused20%

How many hours do you study outside class?

70%

15%

5%

10%

1 to 3 3 to 5 5 to 8 8+

Do you study in a group or with a partner?

Often30%

Sometimes45%

Seldom20%

Never5%

From open ended questions the researchers got the opinion of participants why it is helpful

• Learners can learn in their own way

• Learners feel more relaxed

• They can learn whenever they want

• There is no one to interrupt them

• Use whatever materials they want to

• Get help from friends and family members or others

• Want to learn and take care of their family at the same time

• No psychological pressure

Nature of outside class learning

• Group learning

• Library working

• Reading in computer/laptop with internet access

• Discussing with friends

• Reading notes

• Studying lonely in a calm atmosphere

Why outside class learning

• For their examination and tutorial

• Because they like it

• A better option to learn more

• Some people do not even know why they learn outside the class

Challenges

1. No structural way of learning

2. Informal learning environment

• Lack of motivation because

–Lack of guidance–More interruption–Ambiguous objective

A participant said,

“Since it is self motivated learning process, sometimes I cannot continue learning because there are many other things to divert my concentration’’.

So participants emphasized on…

• Concentration• Individuality• Calm & cool atmosphere

Conclusion

Education is not something to keep in a box, even when the box is of Classroom shaped. The Education and Skills Select Committee in 2005 found that ‘outside class learning can benefit learners of all ages and can be successful in a variety of settings.

It allows learners to…

1. become risk aware but not risk averse of learning

2. undertake meaningful exercise as a means of staying healthy and learning more about the topics

3. have fun and enjoyment and achieve negotiated goals

4. have opportunity to work with others and share their knowledge and contribute as active learners in a vast array of activities

5. develop skills and self-confidence that can be applied later in their formal learning

Reference

1. Kerri-Lee Krause (2007), Beyond Classroom Wall: Students Outside Class Peer Experience and Implications for Teaching and Learning.

2. Benson, P.(1997), The philosophy and politics of learner autonomy.

3. Benson & Voller (1997), autonomy and independence in language learning.

4. Council of Europe, 2001,p.106.

5. Manifesto for Education: Outside the Classroom, USA (2006).

6. Terenzini, P. & Reason, R(2005), Parsing The First Year of College: A conceptual framework of rethinking college Impacts, Philadelphia, PA.

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