Goal-oriented active learning (GOAL) system to promote reading engagement, self-directed learning behavior, and motivation in extensive reading

Self-directed learning (SDL) ability, its usefulness in higher education, and life-long learning have been highlighted in previous literature. However, understanding the effects of SDL ability in the school settings, specifically how it affects learners' affective and behavioral outcomes, remains missing and calls for further investigation. Given this research gap, this study developed a goaloriented active learning system, GOAL, to support students' SDL and investigated how students' perceptions of SDL ability affect their reading engagement, SDL behavior, and motivation for extensive reading. The results showed that the high SDL ability students demonstrated significantly more reading engagement, SDL behaviors, motivation and autonomy for extensive reading than those with low SDL ability. These findings suggested that an SDL support environment could be exploited as a useful tool to support foreign language learning in the schools; however, the affective and behavioral outcomes created by the environment were affected to varying degrees by the levels of students' SDL ability. The study provided implications for researchers studying extensive reading and SDL environments, as well as for educators seeking to improve extensive reading with SDL strategy usage.

Automated summary

The study found that students with high SDL ability demonstrated better reading engagement, SDL behaviors, and motivation for extensive reading, suggesting that an SDL support environment could be a useful tool for foreign language learning in schools.