Effects of an On-line Reading Club on the English Literacy of Secondary School Teachers

• Main Authors: Hsu Jung-lun, 許榕倫
• Other Authors: Ye-ling Chang
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2002
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/26436209613876659560

碩士 === 國立高雄師範大學 === 英語學系 === 90 === The purpose of the present study is to investigate the effects of the on-line reading club (OLRC) (http://140.127.41.55/chang-1/OLRC/default.asp) on the English literacy of secondary school teachers. Specifically, the teachers’ responses to the instructional design, the interface design, and the selected books of the OLRC are investigated. Teachers’ development of English literacy is explored. Moreover, teachers’ comments and suggestions for the OLRC are discussed. The subjects of this study were 68 secondary school English teachers studying in the graduate program of English Department in NKNU (National Kaohsiung Normal University). All of the teachers of the OLRC had to read five selected books in the eight-week OLRC project. Each of them had to answer two of the six questions to every selected adolescent literature book on the Guestbook. Each of them also had to jot down one general response and two peer responses on the Discussion Board of every selected book. In addition, the teachers could chat with the other teachers in the system of Chat Room or recommend good books to the others in the system of Recommended Books in the OLRC. At the end of the project, the teachers were asked to jot down their responses to the OLRC on the system of Reflection Board and answer the on-line Questionnaire. After that, the teachers’ relevant responses were analyzed. Based on the quantitative and qualitative data analyses, the findings of the study are summarized as follows: 1. Most of the teachers expressed that the instructional design of the OLRC was helpful for their English reading and writing development. 2. Most of the teachers expressed that functions of the interface design of the ORLC was easy to use and the link of every function was good. 3. Most of the teachers liked the selected five adolescent literature books and were eager to discuss these books with one another. 4. Most of the teachers expressed that their English literacy was enhanced in the OLRC. 5. Most of the teachers showed positive attitude toward the OLRC and their willingness to apply what they had learned in the OLRC to their English instruction. On the basis of the study findings, EFL teachers can promote their own English literacy in the OLRC. They also can promote their students’ English literacy by setting up an on-line communicative and cooperative English learning environment, such as the OLRC. Therefore, the implementation of the OLRC benefits both teachers and students in EFL instruction in distance education.