WEEK 5 ;Learning Journal

Q1. what is learning.

According to the online Oxford dictionaries, “learning” is to gaining, acquiring knowledge by study, experience or being taught. And I think these three points- study, experience and being taught- are very important to learn something.

First of all, I believe that “studying ” is learning something by myself. For instance, setting your definite goal of TOEFL, it is better to make study plan to get higher score. After that, you can buy some TOEFL text books and learn some strategies and skills from them. Additionally, in the case of the HELP program, I believe  that ”studying ” includes homework, because reviewing the classes every day is very important to learn new things next. Thus, studying is the first step to learn what you want effectively.

As the second step, I believe that “experience” is very practical element in learning something. It is because you can know what to do next to improve their abilities from the experience. For instance, to improve TOEFL score, I think it is significant to take TOEFL test as well as studying the TOEFL by yourself, because the result of the test can tell you what your weakness and strongest points in the TOEFL is. Accordingly, you can know what to study next. So, the experience is one of the important elements to learn.

     Finally, being taught is needed to learn something effectively. I believe it is very hard to study alone all the time, because you come to have some questions as studying. For example, even though you study hard to get higher TOEFL score, you may not succeed in that easily. Then, I believe it is better to ask your teachers what and how to study by myself. You can tell your own way studying and  show your current TOEFL score to your teachers to get something advises. Thus, I think that the teachers help you to study more effectively and it is one of the most important to learn.

     In conclusion, I believe learning includes the three important points as said the above.

Q.2 Strategies and Skills
     According to the online Oxford dictionaries, the meaning of “strategy” is a plan of action or policy designed to achieve a major aim, on the other hand, the definition of “skill” is the ability to do something well. Based on the meanings, I try to write my own idea what they are and the similarities and differences.

First, considering what these words mean in learning something, I think that the skill is knowledge, information or technique to learn something effectively. On the other hand, the strategy is a kind of study plan designed to achieve your own goal.

As for the differences, the meaning of the words is one of the different points. For example of the TOEFL, I believe the strategy include the purpose and plan studying it. Usually, the TOEFL taker has to consider why he studies the TOEFL and what his main goal is. After considering that, skill is needed to study the TOEFL, to achieve your goal, you have to learn how to solve questions and what the patterns of the questions are.

As for the similarities, the both of the strategy and skill are needed to learn something effectively. To achieve your goal, these two things are very important thing.

In conclusion, I believe the skill is likely included in the strategies, even though there are some differences. To success in what you want, these two things are fundamental points.


Q3. Presentation for the GOs
1. GOs for the TOEFL iBT.
I would like to focus on the TOEFL iBT( listening, reading, writing and speaking) to present how ro use GOs.

2. GOs for the research.
In my research in another class, I compare Japanese women with Korean ones  in university education. Thus, I am concerned with the using GOs to compare the education between the two different countries.

3. GOs for reading books
I am interested in how to create GOs in reading books.