An LMS Experience for EFL
Cambridge LMS
Learning a language is no easy task for students. In the
search for assisting pupils’ learning, an LMS can be a solution that can yield
very satisfying results for learners, instructors, and faculty administrators
as well. Once both main actors involved in the LMS acting stage, the correct
symbiosis between students and teachers can be built and strengthened.
Understanding roles within an LMS
Students must understand that an LMS is indeed a tool to
foster and nourish their language learning. To successfully use this tool, the
learner has to have good time management skills. There are deadlines
that need to be met and which are set by the instructor to control the
students’ learning progress. If these deadlines are not met, the students must
bear the consequences of not fulfilling their LMS learning tasks. Additionally,
the students need to comprehend the value of autonomous learning for their own sake and development. An LMS is
indeed a place for reinforcement of class content but also a place for
learners’ autonomy.
In the case of instructors, there are various issues
that need to be dealt with aside from the good marketing of the learning
platform chosen by the school, institution, or university. The first issue to
be taken into account is the instructor’s teaching presence. Because an LMS is a great
tool for blended and hybrid learning, this teaching presence can be achieved in
class while the instructor is working with students on a face-to-face teaching
format. The success of the LMS also implies social presence. The platform should allow
learners to interact with their peers within the LMS via chats, forums, and/or
blogs, carefully administered and administrated by the instructor. Finally, to
ensure the best use of an LMS, cognitive presence is the last piece to solve
this learning puzzle. This cognitive element present in the LMS is indeed the
interaction of the students and the course learning via the exercises they will
find in their learning platform.
My experience with Cambridge LMS at Universidad Latina
As a Universidad Latina EFL instructor (in Costa Rica)
using Cambridge LMS for Touchstone, I came across with some basic tips to make
my students’ learning experience worth-trying. First, a set of realistic LMS work goals was presented to the students. Once learners
understood the advantages of using the LMS, a collective action plan was
presented to them with concrete learning outcomes for the term. Secondly, deadlines and
how they were going to be graded were given to students to encourage
them –from the very beginning- to set a working agenda to accomplish the
learning outcomes and work load by the week. Thirdly, the concept of language recycling and
reinforcement was also introduced to them. Because our class is
working on a hybrid / blended learning teaching scenario, class speaking
activities are aimed at introducing new language structures or lexical items,
so learners can log in on the LMS to continue polishing what is being studied
and practiced in class time.
What is being seen in class?
After the first 5 weeks the class have witnessed more
confident learners with the subject-matter studied in class and consolidated in
the LMS. The platform provides ample practice to students in the use of new
structures; consequently, a higher level of accuracy in the use of language
structures can be seen taking place in class among the class members. Students
have been effectively developing their grammar, listening skills, vocabulary
building techniques, and conversational strategies. All of this has triggered
more participative and engaged learners in class.
Why the change in attitude?
The great change in attitude among my students in class
can be attributed to three different reasons. First, a good in-depth
explanation to students (in their native language) of the rationale behind the
use of the LMS is provided to learners. Through this explanation, students are
confronted with the importance of reviewing key structures that are studied
along the course. Additionally, the platform allows pupils to reinforce
language skills and sub-skills sufficiently. Even student autonomy is placed as
a priority in language learning, and the LMS provides users with great chances
for autonomous learning.
Secondly,
having students comprehend the importance of the English language beyond the
class boundaries is a key element in provoking some sort of change is student
attitudes. Learners need to understand the pros and cons of knowing English for
the future working world. No matter what kind of job university students will
have or currently have, English must be part of their learning priorities to
shape themselves professionally for the working scenarios they will face in
life in their fields or careers.
A third point to consider is that working on the
LMS gives students a different sense of achievement. While achieving goals
within the learning platform, students can see “their learning visible.” That
is, accomplishing all the each unit entails and having a grade provided by the
system are ways in which the learner can see his cognitive progress and
processes in a very visible way. This different sense of achievement also means
a joint venture for both students and instructors. Students are not alone in
their learning because they are coached by their teacher. Of course, there is
student-to-student coaching as well because the LMS and the language course
provide learners with different channels of communication with their teacher
and their peers.
Concluding remarks: Surviving bLearning
For the neophyte, bLearning can be a real challenge, and
this applies to both teachers and students. Part of participants’ survival is
directly linked to their understanding of roles. If roles are not well
comprehended by instructors and learners, the experience can be traumatic and
disastrous. Both participants (teachers and pupils) must keep in mind the
course goals, which can be greatly enhanced by the LMS if worked correctly,
with deadlines and their corresponding evaluations. Deadlines imply for
students that procrastination is detrimental to their course performance and
final grade. But on top of everything, both instructors and learners have to
enjoy the experience of working independently (autonomous learning) and of
having a great tool that can trigger some great language reinforcement,
consolidation, and learning.
E To
fully develop and comprehend this teaching issue, it’s advisable to research
and expand these areas:
1
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Time management
techniques
|
2
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LMSs in
language learning
|
3
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The LMS and
learner autonomy
|
4
|
LMS Teacher’s role
|
5
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Motivation in a
VLE environment
|
Professor
Jonathan
Acuña-Solano
ELT
Instructor & Trainer based in Costa Rica
Freelance ELT Consultant four OUP in Central America
For
further comments or suggestions, reach me at:
@jonacuso –
Twitter
Other blogs and sites I often write for my students at
the university are:
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Jonathan, this is a great blog and very helpful...especially for teachers who might be new to this type of TEFL instruction. Many thanks for the insights into how you are making bLearning work for your students.
Chris