EFFECTIVE TEACHING STRATEGIES AND MOTIVATED LEARNERS CREATE AN AUTONOMOUS CLASSROOM

This paper addresses the issue of how to enhance motivation in tertiary level EFL learners to lead them towards achieving independence in learning. Based on a case study at the Global College of Engineering and Technology, Muscat, Oman, it critically examines the scope of application of John Keller’s ARCS model that exhibits four steps for enhancing learners’ motivation - Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction. It recounts how these motivational techniques have been used in classrooms and how each of these steps has enhanced the learners’ self-confidence and their interest in learning the language. The paper argues that efficient use of ARCS model can transform extrinsic motivation into intrinsic one. It recommends that educators should adopt the ARCS model to sustain learners’ interests and accomplishments of the set learning objectives. It makes students reach a level where they begin to take charge of their learning, resulting in strong learner-teacher autonomy in language acquisition. Key Words: Keller's ARCS model, Foundation program students, Index Terms-motivation

Adaptation of International Students Enrolling in Foundation Programs to Continue with Master’s Degree Programs

Статья посвящена исследованию особенностей адаптации иностранных студентов, обучающихся на программах подготовки для поступления в магистратуру в российские вузы. В статье рассматриваются особенности контингента предмагистрантов, выявляются их образовательные запросы к программе предмагистерской подготовки и специфические адаптационные трудности. Выявление и учет таких запросов и трудностей реализует компетентностный подход в обучении. Исследование проводилось методом анкетирования и охватывало различные виды адаптации: учебную, социальную, бытовую. Анкетирование проходили также слушатели стандартных программ подготовки в вуз, что позволило сравнить результаты двух категорий иностранных учащихся. Предмагистранты демонстрируют критичное отношение к программе обучения, более осознанно подходят к вопросам обучения, в частности желают увеличить время занятий русским языком и другими предметами, повысить долю самостоятельной работы. Исследование показало необходимость организации обу-чения предмагистрантов с учетом их учебной специализации: вводить в образовательную программу специальные дисциплины по профилю обучения, профилировать программы по русскому языку с учетом языка специальности. The article researches into aspects of adaptation of international students attending foundation programs to continue with Master’s degree programs in Russian universities (preMaster’s students). The research deals with special characteristics of preMaster’s students group, their academic demands for foundation program and their specific adaptation problems. It realizes competency building approach in education. The research applied questionnaire survey method; it covered academic, social, and residential adaptation. Students of standard foundation program also responded to the questionnaire, that allowed to compare the answers of two focus groups. Responses of preMaster’s students demonstrate critical approach to academic program and awareness of academic activity. In particular PreMaster’s students wish to take more Russian classes and more classes of other subjects, as well as to increase the share of individual work in the curriculum. The research showed the need to design tailor-made programs which address academic needs of preMaster’s students, i.e. to introduce profession-oriented subjects into curriculum, to design Russian language programs providing for the language for professional purposes.

The Effectiveness of Teacher Electronic Feedback in Asynchronous Teaching: A Case Study of Foundation Students at Sultan Qaboos University

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, educational systems worldwide, including Oman, were affected as this led to temporary closures of schools, colleges, and universities. In response to such closures, many countries decided to continue offering education through distance learning. Similarly, Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), the only government university in Oman, opted for asynchronous teaching through Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT). Through ERT, there is a temporary shift in instructional delivery. Its primary aim is to provide temporary access to instruction and support materials quickly and reliably during the crisis. Asynchronous teaching provides students with flexibility to access the materials posted by teachers whenever they can, leaving teachers with many challenges. One of these challenges is the ability to offer proper feedback to students. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the perceptions of both teachers and students on the electronic feedback provided in ERT. A total of 8 teachers 80 students enrolled in the foundation program at SQU participated in the study. The responses of both teachers and students were collected through online questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The findings of the study indicate that some feedback methods seemed to be more effective. The study also identified the challenges faced by both students and teachers in terms of electronic feedback. Furthermore, the study gives suggestions to improve electronic feedback methods.

The Impact of the Virtual Programs in Promoting English Language Learning in the Context of Middle East College

Over the last decades, individual and groups were extremely using face to face strategy to attain a native language and make advising associated with English language learning as there were a few applications of the online platforms incorporating in some enterprises, including pedagogic institutions. In this status quo, there is the rapid implementation of these programs, especially during the outbreak of Covid-19. Nowadays, many scholars affirmed the cooperation between virtual programs and language learning as they are overlapping and go hand in hand to cope with the immediate changes across the instructive institutions. This research will outline one of the fundamental topics, which is the role of an organizational platform to mitigate literacy and elevate the learner’s language learning level. Initially, it will entirely answer the core questions in this paper: What is the virtual platform and its significance in the education field? Then, it will demonstrate a critical understanding of the significance of the online platform to promote English language learning on some contemporary theories. Later, a questionnaire will be disseminated to a group of General Foundation Program (GFP) students to collect their standpoint towards learning the English language through a virtual program. It will ultimately showcase an example of online learning applications, an initial move to a hypothesis where the two e-learning types, such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom are introduced, including a concise conversation the traits and weaknesses of each. Adding to that, the student’s perspective towards these platforms in the context of English language learning.

Enhancing the Listening and Speaking Skills Using Interactive Online Tools in the HEIs Context

Online learning has become the most prominent teaching method utilized by Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) during the spread of COVID-19 pandemic. There are abundant online learning websites to practice reading skills, writing skills, vocabulary and grammar. However, there are very limited interactive websites for students to practice and develop their listening and speaking skills. Hence, this study, which was conducted in a private HEI in Oman, examines English Foundation students` perspectives on the use of two distinctive websites; ESL-lab.com and Youglish.com. in enhancing their listening, speaking and pronunciation skills. The study employed a quantitative approach. An online survey was administered on (75) participants enrolled in the General Foundation Program (GFP) to explore their views on the chosen interactive websites. The main results revealed positive feedback from ESL students in which they were exposed to authentic conversational contexts, which accustomed them to different English –speaking and culture-specific lifestyles. Overall, the two websites proved to be highly interactive and effective in enhancing the listening, speaking and pronunciation skills of GFP students. Moreover, the researchers recommended that the two websites to be used in the Undergraduate (UG) modules level especially Youglish.com in which UG students can learn the pronunciation of the technical terms of their specializations.

The Impact of the Virtual Programs in Promoting English Language Learning in the Context of Middle East College

Over the last decades, individual and groups were extremely using face to face strategy to attain a native language and make advising associated with English language learning as there were a few applications of the online platforms incorporating in some enterprises, including pedagogic institutions. In this status quo, there is the rapid implementation of these programs, especially during the outbreak of Covid-19. Nowadays, many scholars affirmed the cooperation between virtual programs and language learning as they are overlapping and go hand in hand to cope with the immediate changes across the instructive institutions. This research will outline one of the fundamental topics, which is the role of an organizational platform to mitigate literacy and elevate the learner’s language learning level. Initially, it will entirely answer the core questions in this paper: What is the virtual platform and its significance in the education field? Then, it will demonstrate a critical understanding of the significance of the online platform to promote English language learning on some contemporary theories. Later, a questionnaire will be disseminated to a group of General Foundation Program (GFP) students to collect their standpoint towards learning the English language through a virtual program. It will ultimately showcase an example of online learning applications, an initial move to a hypothesis where the two e-learning types, such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom are introduced, including a concise conversation the traits and weaknesses of each. Adding to that, the student’s perspective towards these platforms in the context of English language learning.

The Effectiveness of Teacher Electronic Feedback in Asynchronous Teaching: A Case Study of Foundation Students at Sultan Qaboos University

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, educational systems worldwide, including Oman, were affected as this led to temporary closures of schools, colleges, and universities. In response to such closures, many countries decided to continue offering education through distance learning. Similarly, Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), the only government university in Oman, opted for asynchronous teaching through Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT). Through ERT, there is a temporary shift in instructional delivery. Its primary aim is to provide temporary access to instruction and support materials quickly and reliably during the crisis. Asynchronous teaching provides students with flexibility to access the materials posted by teachers whenever they can, leaving teachers with many challenges. One of these challenges is the ability to offer proper feedback to students. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the perceptions of both teachers and students on the electronic feedback provided in ERT. A total of 8 teachers 80 students enrolled in the foundation program at SQU participated in the study. The responses of both teachers and students were collected through online questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The findings of the study indicate that some feedback methods seemed to be more effective. The study also identified the challenges faced by both students and teachers in terms of electronic feedback. Furthermore, the study gives suggestions to improve electronic feedback methods.

Promoting a Collegial, Collaborative, and Innovative Teaching and Learning Environment

Ryerson University is home to the Real Institute's ESL Foundation Program and was required to adapt programming and curricula for virtual teaching and learning in response to COVID-19. Despite difficulties at the outset, through the collaboration and creativity of a group of curriculum specialists and instructors, best practices regarding course management, assessment design, and program development for the teaching and learning of EAP and ESL curricula across time and space were discovered. The adaptation of curricula and programming for the virtual classroom was made possible due to the collaboration, innovation, and perseverance of instructors, administrative staff, and, of course, students.

From the science foundation program to its research and methodology of science

The article proposes a reconstruction of the evolution of the concepts of philosophy of science, including the author's concept of science. The basis for such a reconstruction is the distinction between three concepts – justification, study and methodology. Is it possible to assume, the author asks, that the first stage of the formation of the philosophy of science (the concept of positivists and neopositivists) was characterized by a substantiation approach, the second (concepts of T. Kuhn and S. Toulmin) – the point of view of scientific research, the third – the methodology of science. It is the ideas of the concept of substantiation of science, coming from F. Bacon, differently understood in the works of D. Hilbert and L. Wittgenstein, that make it possible to understand the negative attitude of positivists to philosophy, and also why logic was taken to determine the rigor of scientific constructions, and theory was made the central subject of consideration. The transition to the scientific study of science in the works of T. Kuhn and S. Toulmin forced to change this subject (not theory, but the paradigm and evolution of science). The author discusses the conditions for the study of science, showing that the representatives of the second direction relied on social science and the activity approach. The methodological approach to the study of science is analyzed on the example of the ideas of the concept of research programs by I. Lakatos and the implementation of this concept in the study of ancient philosophy by P.P. Gaidenko. The a thor also positions himself as a representative of the methodological approach. He presents the main stages of his own methodological research of science. The main ideas of his concept of science include: the cultural and historical reconstruction of science, thehypothesis of two starts of the formation of science – in antiquity and in the culture of the New Age, characteristics of the “‘genome of science’ that developed in ancient philosophy and re-established in the following cultures, features of “science as social institution of modernity”. The author considers all his constructions ideal-typical and methodological.