Toward Successful Multimedia Learning: Cases of Self-directed EFL Learners

抄録

This study examines the impact of multimedia, such as film and television shows, as language learning resources on EFL learners' English language competence in the self-directed learning context. While such resources have long been utilized as effective learning materials in the EFL classroom context, few have investigated multimedia learning's effects in the self-directed learning. Therefore, this study aims to uncover whether Japanese learners of English, who extensively utilized multimedia resources for their English language learning (ELL), perceive media resources to have facilitated their English language competence. It particularly explores: 1) the potential outcomes of multimedia resources on ELL; 2) criteria to select multimedia-learning resources employed by learners who claimed to have been successful in ELL. This study takes an exploratory design to generate codes that may relate to the two inquiries. The data comes from mainly an open-ended survey to 10 advanced proficiency English language speakers, who can fluently communicate in English, and, as support, follow-up interviews. The analysis demonstrated evidence that digital media resources provided the learners with rich opportunities to autonomously learn phrasal expressions used in the target contexts as well as target culture with a sense of enjoyment.