Hiroshi
The excerpt in Table 6.2 shows Hiroshi moving, at times very quickly, between the different categories of processing (this excerpt was approximately four minutes in length). The most common movement is the back and forth interplay between cognitive processing and metacognitive processing.
In the excerpt in Table 6.3, Hiroshi is distracted from learning and engages in off-task processing. Interestingly, here the off-task processing is related to learning and the task at hand. It is not entirely separate from the learning task and
Table 6.2 Case Study 1: Excerpt 1
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Hiroshi: Excerpt 1 |
Coding |
Researcher Memos |
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(Hiroshi is reading) I’m not sure about this... Ah English is difficult... What should I do? Hnim (Begins to write on the paper) Well, at the moment, what I want to do is increase my TOEIC score (reading) So this means that...my big goal will be increasing my TOEIC score, and my small goal will be, if I look at the different TOEIC sections...OK 860. ..860 points, 860 points would be ok...hmm (writing) To get 860 points, in English is.... (writing) Because...because I want to be a teacher, be a teacher. If I get 860 in TOEIC, I will pass...pass...test Because, because I want to be a teacher, be a teacher. If I can get 860 points in TOEIC I will pass...pass... the exam... the exam Ah, it’s not pass, what is it... (takes out electronic dictionary) To be exempt...exemption...ah here it is (erasing, writing) Ah I feel a bit nervous... Exempt, exempted...exempt, exempt, exempted (trying to correctly pronounce the word) Exempt the first exam (writing) Is this ok? Is it ok? Ah...I should have written down my current score and want improve I want |
Cognitive processing Metacognitive monitoring - judgement of learning Metacognitive control of learning Cognitive processing Metacognitive monitoring - judgement of learning Metacognitive control of learning Cognitive processing Metacognitive monitoring - judgement of learning Metacognitive control of learning Affective processing Cognitive processing Metacognitive monitoring - judgement of learning Metacognitive knowledge - task knowledge |
Hiroshi begins cognitively processing as he reads the task. He then moves into metacognitive monitoring, making a judgement of learning about his understanding of the task, and also a judgement of ease of learning - that “English”, the object of the task, is difficitlt. He metacognitively controls, deciding to make notes. He returns to cognitive processing, deciding what he wants to study and relating that to the instructions and the prompts provided. He monitors his thinking and makes a judgement of confidence (“OK”) that he now knows what he wants to focus on. He metacognitively controls his learning by stopping thinking about what he will study and decided to write, making notes. He moves into cognitive processing, focusing on his choice of learning, and English language related to the topic (to pass an exam, to be exempted from an exam) He makes a judgement of confidence that he does not have the necessary language to express what he wants to say. He metacognitively controls his lack of knowledge of correct term by using a resource - an electronic dictionary. He enters affective processing, feeling nervous, but he does not respond to this processing. He continues with cognitive processing, working through his language difficulty. He monitors this, judging his learning and being uncertain. His metacognitive knowledge comes into play, informing him how he could complete the task better, using prior knowledge and information. |
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Hiroshi: Excerpt 1 |
Coding |
Researcher Memos |
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Ah that was a mistake.... What were my separate scores for listening and reading - I should know these... Ah I made a mistake...what should I do.... What else is there to do (starts to look through the paper plan) Interests and motivation...resources... interests and motivation... (reading) |
Metacognitive monitoring - judgement of learning Metacognitive knowledge - self- knowledge Metacognitive monitoring - judgement of learning Metacognitive control of learning Cognitive processing |
He monitors, judging his learning progress as ineffective, mistaken. He realises he should be using prior knowledge that he should have this personal information. He monitors again, judging his learning progress as ineffective and mistaken, and is unsure how to process He metacognitively controls his learning by skipping ahead and looking at another section. He returns to cognitive processing, reading through the prompts for the next section. |
Table 6.3 Case Study 1: Excerpt 2
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Hiroshi: Excerpt 2 |
Coding |
Researcher Memos |
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OK small goal...vocabulary, vocabulary, grammar, reading.. .and listening.. .there is no speaking in this test. That’s it...hmm...Well, I have eight weeks for this plan...so the time has come to start (looking out of the room) I wonder what everyone else is doing now? Well, my handwriting is not good...but this is probably ok... (reading) Well first...vocabulary (looking out of the room again) Oh, there is Mai...I guess she is speaking English - amazing... is she thinking in English as well? I can’t do that... Thinking in English is not possible for me...hmmm... First is grammar, no, vocabulary, vocabulary But I don’t know if I really want to do it... Actually, I really just don’t want to study at all... |
Cognitive processing Off-task processing Metacognitive control of learning Cognitive processing Off-task processing Metacognitive self-knowledge Cognitive processing Metacognitive monitoring -judgement of learning Affective processing |
Hiroshi is engaged in cognitive processing, working through a section of the task, by following the prompts provided, and thinking about the task elements. He moves into off-task processing, wondering what other students are doing and thinking about his handwriting. Although he is off-task here, his thinking is still related to the task at hand (unlike some off-task processing). He controls this and returns to cognition and the content. He quickly goes off-task again, noticing another participant walking by. He wonders about how she is doing the task, viewing her language ability as greater than his. His off-task processing leads back to the task, as his metacognitive self-knowledge - that he needs to undertake this task by thinking in English - refocuses him into cognitive processing. He monitors, judging his learning. His affective processing with regard to the task appears. |
and does lead him into metacognitive knowledge and back to cognition about the task. This is an example of how off-task processing, as previously discussed, may be performing an important function in ILEs (and perhaps a similar function in other modes of learning). Rather than something to be discounted or even discouraged, this naturally occurring element of learning warrants deeper understanding.
In the excerpt in Table 6.4, we see all categories of processing and many of the category dimensions interacting. We see combined metacognitive knowledge dimensions - cognitive knowledge and self-knowledge - in Hiroshi’s desire to work with others and in his understanding of the benefit of working with others. We can also see negative affective processing occurring, but not being consciously controlled for. This was a regular occurrence in the ILE data in this project. Participants often do not attempt to control for negative affective (and also physical) processing. This may be unsurprising however, when we consider how these aspects of the learning experience have been traditionally ignored or separated from the ‘business of learning’ - of focusing on content only for fixed time periods. Finally, we see physical processing, monitoring of this physical processing, and physical processing leading into off-task processing.
The ILE data set in this study makes a strong case for the more central inclusion of affect, physical state and environmental conditions as central elements of the teaching of learning given that
- 1 They are highly present in the learning experience
- 2 They can exert a significant impact on learning
- 3 They can be metacognitively controlled
Table 6.4 Case Study 1: Excerpt 3
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Hiroshi: Excerpt 3 |
Coding |
Researcher Memos |
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(Hiroshi has left the room and is in the learning centre looking at textbooks for TOEIC) |
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