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Article published In:
Corpus Linguistics and Education in Australia
Edited by Alexandra I. García, Peter Crosthwaite and Monika Bednarek
[Australian Review of Applied Linguistics 43:2] 2020
► pp. 169–195

Taking DDL online

Designing, implementing and evaluating a SPOC on data-driven learning for tertiary L2 writing

| University of Queensland

This paper describes the rationale, design and implementation of a short private online course (SPOC) on data-driven learning (DDL) (Johns, 1991), focusing on L2 error correction in postgraduate academic writing and involving over 300 registered users. I discuss the affordances of using a SPOC platform (namely EdX) for online DDL training, describing activities that cover a range of useful strategies for DDL-led error detection and correction. Learners’ usage of the SPOC platform and their quantitative and qualitative perceptions of the course are described for the reader. The paper also outlines certain conceptual and methodological challenges involved in taking DDL instruction online.

Keywords: data-driven learning, L2 error correction, L2 writing, SPOC, corpora
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
    • 1.1Online DDL course structure
      • 1.1.1Module 1: Swapping your dictionary or translation website with corpora?
      • 1.1.2Module 2: Basic corpus functions / Understanding corpus output
      • 1.1.3Module 3: Using corpora to resolve lexical errors
      • 1.1.4Module 4: Grammatical errors
      • 1.1.5Module 5: Using corpora to understand disciplinary / register variation
      • 1.1.6Error correction reference sheet
  • 2.Method
  • 3.Results
    • 3.1Course completion
    • 3.2Post-course questionnaire
    • 3.3Post-course interviews
  • 4.Discussion
  • References
Published online: 3 July 2020
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/aral.00031.cro
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