Abstract:
The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine the scope of a technology enhanced learning environment in the facilitation of self-regulation and scientific open inquiry in a content and language integrated learning (CLIL) science classroom for junior high school students. Its theoretical starting points are theories of self-regulation; the pedagogies explored in CLIL and scientific open inquiry, and design concepts for a technology-enhanced learning environment (TELE). This study presents teacher observations of students’ engaging with online learning tools while using a foreign language, German, in technology-mediated inquiry activities in a Year 9 biology class. The pilot study was conducted over a period of six weeks covering 18 CLIL biology lessons; during this study, data was collected from ten students who filled out student designed questionnaires about learning and the learning environment and worksheets to check on their own learning progress. They also participated in focus group interviews. Further to this the students were audio and video recorded to gain a deeper understanding of the students’ strategies to negotiate two languages during their learning activities. Teacher/researcher observations and Lanschool recordings were used to gain insight into aspects of self-regulation when students used online materials to facilitate their CLIL Science open inquiry tasks. In this presentation the focus is on the analysis of student’s reflective constructions of their experiences while being exposed to this triple challenge.
The findings show that the online learning environment integrated the language learning with the science inquiry process and developed German and scientific literacies. The online science inquiry process was facilitated by the inclusion of language support materials that students accessed through self-regulated learning strategies. The students successfully integrated the scientific phrases and vocabulary in German in their own spoken and written language use. Furthermore, it is suggested that the foreign language-learning environment will center students towards more self-regulation. Future research focus will concentrate on customization of the online learning environment to facilitate student’s individual background knowledge and capabilities to maximize online learning combined with scientific inquiry engagement, self-regulation and language development.
The findings show that the online learning environment integrated the language learning with the science inquiry process and developed German and scientific literacies. The online science inquiry process was facilitated by the inclusion of language support materials that students accessed through self-regulated learning strategies. The students successfully integrated the scientific phrases and vocabulary in German in their own spoken and written language use. Furthermore, it is suggested that the foreign language-learning environment will center students towards more self-regulation. Future research focus will concentrate on customization of the online learning environment to facilitate student’s individual background knowledge and capabilities to maximize online learning combined with scientific inquiry engagement, self-regulation and language development.