Saudi Cultural Missions Theses & Dissertations
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Item Restricted Cyclic Intervention Study: How Blended Learning Facilitates the Teaching and Learning of L2 Academic Writing in One Preparatory Year Classroom in Saudi Arabia(University of Exeter, 2024) Salagoor, Ala'a; Kleine Staaraman, Judith; Watson, AnnabelThis thesis investigates how adopting a blended learning approach may help in developing teachers’ pedagogical practices and have a significant impact on students’ ability to master academic writing in English as a second language (L2 academic writing) at a Saudi governmental university, with specific focus on Preparatory Year Programmes (PYP) classrooms. To ensure that blended learning facilitates the teaching and learning of L2 academic writing, this study is participatory in nature as it adopted a pragmatic postmodern standpoint with consideration to Social Constructivism. This was achieved by employing a cyclic intervention study in which the intervention programme was developed, implemented, iteratively refined, and evaluated in three macro cycles using different qualitative data sets collected from one L2 academic writing teacher and her advanced classroom. The developed intervention programme included several digital tools and teaching methods and techniques deemed to have the potential of 1) shifting the teaching of L2 academic writing from a predominantly linguistic and syntactic approach to a process/genre-oriented approach and 2) encouraging EFL students to construct knowledge in different ways and be able to develop their L2 academic writing skill in composing different academic genres. This study aimed to reach the most appropriate version of the intervention programme within three phases: 1) the preparation phase, 2) the intervention phase, and 3) the evaluation phase. In the preparation phase, the intervention programme was developed by triangulating the findings from the initial semi-structured interview with the teacher, with consideration to the conclusions from the literature, the taught syllabus, and the department’s requirements. In the intervention phase, the refinements of the intervention programme in the three macro cycles were presented using the data collected from the reflection sessions with the teacher at the end of each macro cycle. Also, the findings shared by the teacher in the initial semi-structured interview before implementing the intervention programme were compared to what she discussed in the reflection sessions in order to track the changes in her teaching practice before, during, and after the intervention programme. Nevertheless, the changes in the students’ writings were also tracked by analysing their individual writing samples for each unit. Finally, in the evaluation phase, the adopted teaching techniques and online platforms in the intervention programme were evaluated using qualitative data sets collected through two semi- structured interviews with nine students with different engagement levels and one focus group discussion with ten randomly chosen students. The findings of this cyclic intervention study indicated that the refined intervention programme which adopted a blended learning approach facilitated the teaching and learning of L2 academic writing in the chosen preparatory writing classroom. This was mainly reflected in changing the teacher’s teaching practice of teaching L2 academic writing with a predominantly linguistic and syntactic approach to teaching it with a process/genre-oriented approach. In addition, the students’ individual writing samples reflected progress and development at the sentence, paragraph, and essay levels. However, the findings also revealed unexpected results regarding the students’ needs for an appropriate amount of face-to-face teaching, online teaching, and teacher guidance. This study concludes with practical suggestions, implications, and recommendations that can benefit other EFL educational contexts and future research focusing on the teaching and learning of L2 academic writing in EFL contexts.7 0Item Restricted Enhancing Vocabulary, Autonomy, and Engagement in L2 Regimented Learning Environments: The effectiveness of digital tools within flipped learning approaches(University of Nottingham, 2024-10) Alhussan, Abdulaziz; Adolphs, SvenjaThis thesis investigates the feasibility of utilising technology to enhance English instruction within a regimented military Academy. The significance of this study lies in its novel educational setting which provides a unique opportunity to explore the effects of English exposure in an environment free from external influences like mobile phones and internet access. This approach helps to address potential confounding factors present in earlier studies. Specifically, this thesis explores the impact of using a digital tool called Transparent Language Online (TLO) on promoting cadets’ vocabulary learning, autonomy and engagement. Through conducting two distinct empirical studies, the research aims first to establish a comprehensive understanding of the study context and explore the opportunities and challenges associated with prior digital learning experiences at the Academy (Chapter 4). The findings and implications of this study serve as a foundation for designing the subsequent experimental study (Chapter 5), which involved two groups: a digital-flipped group (n=22) and a paper-based flipped group (n=21). Both groups followed identical lesson plans and learning procedures, differing only in their use of the TLO for pre-class revision and in-class learning, versus bilingual vocabulary lists and worksheets for the paper-based group. The findings reveal that while the digital tool did not significantly affect students’ vocabulary acquisition, it proved effective in improving retention, as evidenced by a four-week delayed test. This underscores the tool's potential in promoting vocabulary retention over acquisition due to its integrated features, such as spaced-interval repetition and multimodalities. Furthermore, integrating the tool within a flipped approach notably fosters cadets' autonomy and reduces the reliance on the instructor. However, excessive cadets’ reliance on the digital tool during lessons reduces teacher-student interaction. Similarly, both groups perceive formative assessments, irrespective of format (digital or paper-based), as effective in promoting consistent learning, enhancing achievement, and alleviating final exam-related stress. Nevertheless, the digital tool significantly enhances the learning environment and contributes to improving cadets' focus and concentration on learning tasks throughout the lessons. Moreover, the utilisation of the digital tool demonstrates a significant impact on encouraging cadets to dedicate additional time and effort to reviewe pre-class materials, resulting in enhanced class performance. This thesis makes a significant contribution to the literature on flipped learning methodology in EFL contexts by exemplifying how a blended learning framework can be customised to align with learners' needs within the available infrastructure. In addition to its contribution to flipped learning methodology in EFL contexts, the thesis also sheds light on learning processes within a controlled environment where incidental learning outside the classroom is limited, enriching our understanding of learner engagement and autonomy within such settings. Moreover, this work offers valuable insights for decision-makers within military academies, elucidating key factors conducive to integrating technology into language learning curricula. Therefore, it is imperative that policymakers prioritise thorough planning and analysis of learners' requirements to establish effective blended learning environments.14 0