The Effectiveness of International University Students’ Learning Logs in the Course of English Communication

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to measure the English writing ability, and perceptions of international college students toward a learning log (a way for learners to record their learning and progress around topics), particularly those who have taken English courses in Korean universities. Eighteen students from four countries participated in the experiment. Students filled out a total of 8 study logs over a 15-week period. According to the results of a t-test (t = -2.234, p = .039) that was conducted to measure the accuracy of their first and last learning log entries, the accuracy of their writing significantly increased. When the students’ first and eighth entries were compared, it was discovered that they used more English words in the latter than in the former one, and the descriptions were more detailed. In the two surveys that the students participated in, it was seen that their interest in learning English (t = -2.608, p = .018), their paragraph writing skills, and their awareness of proper English grammar showed significant growth. We hope that systematic learning strategies that can make English more interesting and fruitful for international English learners will be developed through continuous research on learning log activities in the future.