Sustaining outside-of-class CALL activities by means of a student self-evaluation system in a university blended learning EFL course

Abstract

This paper is a report on a research project which was conducted on blended learning (BL) in an English as a foreign language (EFL) course at a Japanese university. In this study the BL approach to EFL teaching was defined as a combination of in-class and outside-of-class learning tasks and materials integrated in a single learning environment by a www-based courseware, ATR CALL BRIX (http://www.atr-lt.jp/products/brix/index.html). The use of the courseware outside of class was intended not only to help improve students' TOEIC scores, but also to nurture self-regulated learning (SRL). A student self-evaluation system was implemented in this project. On the basis of the findings of pre- and post-learning questionnaires and interviews with students, it was concluded that the self-evaluation system encouraged students to engage in SRL. Furthermore, pre- and post-TOEIC testing revealed that the students in the project improved their TOEIC scores (p < .01; r = .49). © 2014 Springer International Publishing.