Planning, designing, and developing English materials for autonomous learning in the platform Moodle

Abstract

Online resources like Moodle have potential applications and implications for promoting the practice of the English language and study skills in the Colombian educational context. Under this premise, this study describes the design, development, and implementation of online workshops to foster autonomous habits and improve students’ language skills from an English institute in Bogota. To achieve these goals, I developed self-manageable activities in the platform Moodle. The modules incorporate the guidelines from the CEFR and the institution's curriculum. Additionally, the modules revolved around social issues thematics like body image, women’s power, the LGBTI+ community, and Colombian culture. Finally, a piloting phase was the methodology to evaluate the outcome of this internship. The findings show that these modules helped students feel guided about how to develop autonomous studying practices. Pupils described the activities as engaging and beneficial to boost their English levels. Furthermore, the authentic material with social issues narratives included in the exercises was meaningful and appreciated by all the parties involved in the internship. From the results of this intervention, we can understand that online materials need to go beyond simple activities. This project proved how important it is to understand the context and needs of the target population so the way we use or design these resources can have effects not just on the individuals but on society itself.