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VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOIUNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES **************** NGUYỄN DUY QUYNH APPLICATION OF GOOGLE CLASSROOM IN

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI

UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES

****************

NGUYỄN DUY QUYNH

APPLICATION OF GOOGLE CLASSROOM IN PROMOTING INDEPENDENT LEARNING OF NON-ENGLISH MAJOR STUDENTS IN ENGLISH CLASS IN A

: English Teaching Methodology : 8140231.01

Hanoi - 2020

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI

UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES

****************

NGUYỄN DUY QUYNH

APPLICATION OF GOOGLE CLASSROOM IN PROMOTING INDEPENDENT LEARNING OF NON-ENGLISH MAJOR STUDENTS IN ENGLISH CLASS IN A

: English Teaching Methodology : 8140231.01

: Assoc Prof Lê Văn Canh

Hanoi - 2020

I hereby declare that the thesis entitled “Application of Google Classroom

in promoting independent learning of non-English major students in Englishclass in a police institution” is the result of my own research except as cited inthe references Whole or any part of the thesis has not been submitted before inorder to qualify for any other academic degree

Hanoi, 2020

Nguyễn Duy Quynh

The completion of this research paper could not have been possiblewithout the participation and assistance of people to whom I would like toexpress my sincere gratitude

My deep gratitude goes first to Associate Professor Lê Văn Canh, mysupervisor, for his continuous support, patience and precious guidance whichhelped me in all the time of research and writing of this study

I would also like to extend my appreciation to all the research participants,students of class N01.D44, for their eager cooperation and valuable ideas in thequestionnaires and interviews without which the study could not be completed

In addition, my thanks are also delivered to my colleagues at theDepartment of Foreign Languages of the People’s Police Academy for their kindsupport and constant source of inspiration

This last word of acknowledgement I have saved for my beloved parentsand my dear wife who have been with me throughout stressful times, pushing

me farther than I thought I could go

This study was expected to investigate the application of GoogleClassroom to promote the independent learning of non-English major studentsstudying in a police institution More explicitly, the author attempted to carryout his intervention throughout one cyclical process of action research andtargeted at examining 1) impacts of the application of Google Classroom on thestudents’ independent learning in their English class and 2) the students’opinions towards the application of Google Classroom in their English learning

The data were collected from pre-intervention and post-interventionquestionnaires delivered to the participants, and interviews with some of thestudents The time span of the intervention was 14 weeks in total and all findingsindicated in the study were interpreted as the result of one-cycle implementation

of the action research project It was concluded that the application of GoogleClassroom was beneficial to the majority of the students and their independentlearning was positively influenced The primary evidence was found inimprovement of the students in terms of English task completion and theirincreasingly positive feeling and motivation From the findings of the research,

it is suggested that adapting a new approach in English language teaching should

be considered in the context of the police institution

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION i

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ii

ABSTRACT iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS iv

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS vii

LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES viii

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 Rationale of the study 1

1.2 Aims of the study 3

1.3 Scope of the study 4

1.4 Methods of the study 4

1.5 Significance of the study 6

1.6 Organization of the thesis 7

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 8

2.1 An overview of independent learning 8

2.1.1 Definition of independent learning 8

2.1.2 Influential factors in developing independent learning 10

2.1.3 Characteristics of independent learners in higher education 13

2.2 Tassinari's Dynamic Autonomy Model (DAM) for independent learning 14 2.2.1 An introduction of DAM model 14

2.2.2 Components of DAM model 15

2.3 An overview of Google Classroom 17

2.3.1 What is Google Classroom? 17

2.3.2 Advantages of GC in English language teaching 19

2.3.3 Relationship of GC and independent learning 21

2.4 Davis's Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) for evaluation of GC

effectiveness 22

2.4.1 An introduction of TAM model 22

2.4.2 Application of TAM model adopted for measuring efficacy of GC 23

2.5 Previous studies 24

CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 26

3.1 Context of the research 26

3.1.1 Context of the police institution 26

3.1.2 Current English teaching and learning for non-English major students at the Academy 27

3.2 Design of the research 28

3.2.1 Rationale for the use of action research 28

3.2.2 Procedure of the action research 29

3.3 Participants of the research 36

3.4 Instruments of the research 36

3.4.1 Description of the questionnaires 36

3.4.2 Semi-structured interview 38

3.5 Procedures of data collection 38

3.6 Procedures of data analysis 39

CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 40

4.1 Pre-intervention 40

4.1.1 The feasibility of the application of GC 40

4.1.2 The action-oriented dimension before the intervention 40

4.1.3 The social and affective dimension before the intervention 45

4.2 Intervention and Post-intervention 46

4.2.1 Research question 1: How did the application of Google Classroom affect the students’ independent learning in their English class? 46

4.2.2 Research question 2: What were the students’ opinions towards the application of Google Classroom in their English learning? 51

4.3 Summary of the findings 54

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION 56

5.1 Conclusion 56

5.2 Pedagogical implications from the findings 56

5.3 Limitations of the study 57

REFERENCES 59 APPENDICES I

APPENDIX 1 I APPENDIX 2 II

APPENDIX 3 VI APPENDIX 4 XI APPENDIX 5 XII

APPENDIX 6 XIV APPENDIX 7 XVI APPENDIX 8 XIX APPENDIX 9 XXIV APPENDIX 10 XXVIII

APPENDIX 11 XXIX APPENDIX 12 XXXI APPENDIX 13 XXXIII

Dynamic Autonomy Model

English as a Foreign Language

Google Classroom

Information and Communication TechnologyTechnology Acceptance Model

LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES

Table 1: Mean scores of the 5 items in Planning component 41

Table 2: Mean scores of the 6 items in Choosing materials and techniques component 42

Table 3: Mean scores of the 6 items in Completing tasks component 43

Table 4: Mean scores of the 4 items in Evaluating component 44

Table 5: Mean scores of the 3 items in Cooperating component 45

Table 6: Mean scores of the 3 items in Dealing with feeling and motivation component 46 Table 7: Mean scores of the 4 items in Planning component after application of GC 47 Table 8: Mean scores of the 4 items in Choosing materials and techniques component after application of GC 47

Table 9: Mean scores of the 5 items in Completing tasks component after the application of GC 48

Table 10: Mean scores of the 3 items in Evaluating component after application of GC 49

Table 11: Mean scores of the 3 items in Cooperating component after the application of GC 50

Table 12: Mean scores of the 3 items in Dealing with feeling and motivation component after the application of GC 51

Table 13: Mean scores of the 13 items on the students' perception of GC application in English learning 52

Figure 1: Student factors involving in independent learning 11

Figure 2: Hierarchy of enabling environment 12

Figure 3: The Dynamic Autonomy Model 16

Figure 4: Examples of classes on Google Classroom 18

Figure 5: Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) 23

Figure 6: Cyclical AR model based on Kemmis and McTaggart 29

Figure 7: Students’ difficulty in choosing materials, resources and techniques, strategies for learning English 42

Figure 8: The competence of evaluating materials, resources and techniques, strategies for learning English 44

Figure 9: Following the English learning plan, post-intervention 47

Figure 10: The participants’ perspective on eagerness before and after GC intervention 51

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Rationale of the study

English language teaching, learning and using in today’s world haswitnessed tremendous development of English varieties worldwide, featured bydominance of English in a modern technology era of borderless communication.According to Crystal (2005, 2011), digital revolution in an online world has givenbirth to a new branch of linguistics called “Internet Linguistics” As an internationallanguage, or a lingua franca, English is now spoken by over two billion people allover the world (Parupalli, 2019), whereas 379 million of them are native Englishspeakers (Statistics, 2019) In higher education, increase of demand in usingEnglish as a teaching and learning medium is considered to be a parallel andunavoidable process resulting in improvement of international academiccommunication worldwide (Balan, 2011) More opportunities of learning and usingEnglish through various sources requires English as a foreign language (EFL)teachers and students to implement a shifting focus from teacher-centered approach

to student-centered approach Learners at all education levels have chances to getaccess to English contents outside of traditional class environment with their owncontrol of time, activities and engagement, such as using the Internet, podcasts,online group discussions, TVs, electronic dictionaries, Skype, online news withmultimedia (Nomass, 2012) For appropriate adaptation of those changes, it isnecessary for EFL teachers in Vietnam to pay more attention to English students’self-regulation, including their independent learning competence Article 40 ofVietnamese Education Law stated methods of education in higher education, whichalso highlighted the importance of independent learning: “Training methods inhigher education must be brought into play to foster the learners’ ability to beactive learners, to study and to do research by themselves, and to foster theirpractical abilities, self-motivation, creative thinking, and ambition” (NationalAssembly of Vietnam, 2005:2)

In an attempt to inspire students’ engagement in English learning and ignitetheir independent learning skill, the author has discussed with many of non-Englishmajor students who are following the training curriculum at the police institution inwhich he has worked for six years While some students carry out active learning inEnglish lessons and focus on using English for better job opportunities, there are alarge number of students indifferent to improvement of self-regulation, stating thatthey learn English under constraint of training curriculum, not for other advantages.

A considerable group of students reported that English, as a compulsory subject, isthe most struggling one Due to the dual objective of professional trainingknowledge in English (cognitive development) and practical language skills(linguistic development) within a course, many students reported that they need toremember a large number of vocabularies relating to police activities, for examples,crime scene investigation, drug-related crime, covert surveillance, cybercrime,human trafficking, forensic science and so on Although supporting for theimportance of English in today’s society, many of them showed unwillingness inEnglish for the primary reason of its no use in their prospective career as policeofficers Also, non-English major students in the institution tend to blame lack ofcommunicative opportunities after in-class participation for their passive learning.The author believes that only practicing English in classroom is basically notenough What makes an active student different from a passive participant is his orher collaborative attitudes and actions, eager to explore a subject by himself orherself with support of peers, mentors, or facilitators As Lam (2013) explained, themajority of Vietnamese students cannot develop the independent learning skill,following the passive methodology, silent atmosphere and unresponsive students

As a result, the existing situation motivates the author to implement a model ofteaching and learning which support students’ independent learning in Englishclasses

At present, teaching and learning English is processed in an era wherevast amounts of information are being accessed and transmitted electronically or

digitally With rapid development and application of digitalization, many models

of English teaching and learning regarding to information and communicationstechnology (ICT) have been proposed by researchers, which also deals withindependent learning One of the tools for active learning is Google Classroom(GC), the virtual platform developed and announced by Google in 2014 It isemphasized that GC can bring effective supports towards changing the focusfrom teacher-centered approach to learner-centered one, opening to inquiry,dialogue, and autonomous learning on the part of learners as active participants(Shaharanee, Jamil, & Rodzi, 2016) Besides, it has been shown that GC has ahigh potential to engage low English proficiency learners (Bakar & Noordin,2018) and “generate greater participation and interaction between students, andbetween students and their teachers” (Heggart & Yoo, 2018: 140) In general,the fact that researches have indicated positive responses from participants aboutbenefits of GC in English teaching and learning, consolidates the author’s belief

of adapting GC to impact on learner independence In addition, advantages oftechnology in education are always welcomed at the police training institution,with the ultimate purpose of making good studying environments for students.However, to the best knowledge of the researcher, there is few comprehensiveresearches in application of GC in English teaching and learning at highereducation institutions in Vietnam Furthermore, no study on GC application inpromoting students’ English learning competence has been conducted at thepolice training institution Personally, the author decided to choose GC in hisstudy among many other ICTs with a hope that it benefits non-English majorstudents to improve their independent learning skills

1.2 Aims of the study

The study “Application of Google Classroom in promoting independent

learning of non-English major students in English class in a police institution”

was conducted to self-evaluate the impacts of the English teaching with support

of Google Classroom on the independent learning skills of non-English major

second-year police students at the People’s Police Academy The followingobjectives have been set in order to fulfil this aim: 1) To implement theapplication of Google Classroom under core components of independentlearning into an actual English learning curriculum; 2) To collect and analyzedata from the students’ responses of the usefulness of Google Classroom and itsimpacts on their independent learning as well To its end, the research questionsaddressed in the present study are as follows:

1 How did the application of Google Classroom affect the students’

independent learning in their English class?

2 What were the students’ opinions towards the application of Google

Classroom in their English learning?

1.3 Scope of the study

Independent learning plays a vital role in the process of learning and usingEnglish either in daily communicative work or study It would be challenging forEFL teachers if they do not pay much attention to the active role of students inlearning progress In the present study, the author does not mean to cover all theaspects of relating concepts Because of time constraint, this action research wasconducted to testify perceptions of 32 second-year non-English major police cadets

at the People’s Police Academy about their independent learning skills before andafter the application of GC during their second English semester The research wascarried out at the beginning of the first semester of the academic year 2019-2020.The author was also a participant in his research, playing the role of an Englishteacher assigned to be in charge of the class in English lessons The instrumentsused in data collection comprise of survey questionnaires and semi-structuredinterview to achieve aims of the research In addition, GC activities were adapted as

a kind of blended learning so that students could follow both in-class lessons andonline participation in GC contents

1.4 Methods of the study

The research approach that the author employed is action research, followingthe procedures guided by steps in the action research cycle by Kemmis

and McTaggart (1988, as cited in Burns, 2010) To come to the analysis and findings, the questionnaires, and semi-structured interview were adapted as the data collection instruments The action taken in the study was application of GC designed for the duration of 14 weeks The author adapted Technology

Acceptance Model (TAM) initiated by Davis (1989) to scale the effectiveness of

GC application in the research Also, the Dynamic Autonomy Model (DAM) by Tassinari (2012) was adapted to measure independent learning of the

participants The four stages of action research proposed by Kemmis and

McTaggart (1988, as cited in Burns, 2010) were conducted as follows: Stage 1:

such as GC Stage 2: Acting

In the second semester in which the action research was conducted, theEnglish course was delivered to students in parallel mode: face-to-face English

class was kept as scheduled and online topics in GC were added as extra activities

for independent learning

Stage 3: Observing

In this stage, the author composed an online observation rubric integratedinto GC topics to evaluate responses of students in discussion and assignments tofind out existing issues While attending face-to-face class, the researcher alsonoted down existing issues that students had on their learning progress in GC andtheir recommendations of editing the lesson plans more appropriate to them Thiscontributes to a look insight of efficacy of English lessons because with close

observation of students’ learning products in GC, the author could decide what

activities should or should not be done next in other units Stage 4: Reflecting

After the 14-week implementation of GC practice plan, the post-interventionquestionnaire was surveyed to participants, aiming at measuring students’perceptions on effectiveness of the application of GC towards their independentlearning skills Three among the participants were randomly chosen to participate

in the semi-structured interview, enabling the author to collect more supportive depth statistics The research instruments would benefit to path the way of analysisprocess, contribute to find the answers of all research questions

in-1.5 Significance of the study

First, understanding how participants of the research perceive and regulate their independent learning in English class can help teachers andadministrators design appropriate adjustments for the improvement of thiscompetence Several of the current researches have been attempting to enhanceautonomous learning in Vietnam at different educational levels (Dang, 2010;Thanh, 2011; Dang, 2012; Lam, 2013; Le, 2013; Ly, 2018) However, to thebest knowledge of the researcher, no comprehensive research in students’independent learning skills in English learning and teaching has been conducted

self-in all police traself-inself-ing self-institutions self-in Vietnam Thus, this study is hoped to provide

an initial analysis of independent learning skills of police cadets in the Academy

in particular and in Vietnamese police institutions in general

Second, this action research provides necessary insights into effectiveness

of the application of GC from local students’ opinions, directly contributing tothe English teaching and learning for non-English major cadets at the People’sPolice Academy when enrolling in English class Although many educationalresearchers and stakeholders in Vietnam have acknowledged the important role

of technology-based methods in improvement of self-regulated learning, limitedempirical study has been found focusing on applying GC application for

improving this aspect of English competence in Vietnamese higher education.

By conducting this study, it is hoped that the findings may support EFL teachers

to have a closer look at the recent situation of applying GC as a blended learningtool to motivate students’ independent learning efforts

1.6 Organization of the thesis

This thesis paper is organized into five chapters as follows:

Chapter 1: Introduction

The first chapter presents background, rationale, aims, research questions,

significance, scope, and design of the present study Chapter 2: Literature

Review

This chapter reviews relevant literature on independent learning, its construct and characteristics, presents an overview of applications of GC, its relationship with independent learning and introduces two recent models for evaluation of

learner independence and technology acceptance as well Chapter 3: Research

Methodology

It presents the research context, detailed description of the research design, the methodology that was employed in the research, its participants, instruments of data collection, ethical considerations, data collection and analysis procedure

Chapter 4: Results and Discussion

The fourth chapter underlines a significant analysis of obtained data, followed

by a discussion on the findings of the study Chapter 5: Conclusion

The final part, Chapter 5 highlights the main findings of the research, itslimitations, and recommendations for future research in the field

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 An overview of independent learning

Independent learning and independent learning skills are significant topics

in educational studies at present As stated by Broad (2006:119), independentlearning “is not a new concept, nor is it a concept where there is universalagreement on its meaning” The initial theoretical framework of the study relates

to definition, construct, and characteristics of independent learning

2.1.1 Definition of independent learning

Independent learning and independent learning strategies are multifacetedconstructs which have been concerned by different researchers in the field of EFLpractice and other educational practices as well As Benson (2006) argued, the 20thand 21st centuries were marked by a significantly emerging interest in autonomouslearning However, it is still problematic to find an exact definition of “independentlearning” because it is a broad concept in educational studies, often understood asother synonymous terms with various possible interpretations, for examples, “self-regulated learning” (Pintrich, 2000), “self-directed active learning” (Birenbaum,2002), “self-access learning” (Chia, 2005), “student-centered learning” (Black,2007), “learning to learn” (Black et al., 2006), “learner autonomy” (Benson, 2001;Asuman, 2010; Kim, 2013) A collection of terms referring to “independentlearning” was also introduced by Kesten (1987, as cited in Broad, 2006:119):

“autonomous learning, independent study, self-directed learning, student-initiatedlearning, project orientation, discovery and inquiry, teaching for thinking, learning

to learn, self-instruction and life-long learning” Meyer et al., (2008) agreed that theterms “self-directed learning” or “learning how to learn” are sometimes usedinterchangeably with independent learning

Since synonymous terms mentioned share the same or similar notionswith independent learning, recent researches have lengthy discussions andexplanations regarding the definition of independent learning Despite the matter

of different wording, to a great extent, all these terms basically describe the sametheme and process which is synonymous with independent learning Previousstudies on independent learning have proven that students must be in charge oflearning as active participants to manage their learning, taking responsibility for allthe decisions concerning all aspects of their learning process Focusing on studentsthemselves rather than relying on teachers’ support have been targeted andemphasized (Perry et al., 2006; Quality Improvement Agency, 2008) Otherresearchers have come to the similar conclusion, that independent learning dealswith the ability to take control of one’s learning (Holec, 1991, as cited in Qi, 2012)

or self-responsibility of students for their own learning through makingindependent choices (Fotiadou, Mavroidis & Angelaki, 2017) Nevertheless, recentstudies have shown that independent learning covers more than just self-awareness

or learning in isolation According to Sam et al., (2012), Thomas (2014), Hendrick(2016), independent learning does not only involve learners working individually.Instead, it is carried out by students, either on their own or with others (includingteachers, peers, etc.) for social interaction It does not mean less instructions fromtutors but rather particular instructions with the goal of learner independence

In higher education, while definition of independent learning and the role

of teachers and learners have been debating issues in foreign language teachingand learning, it is reasonable that independent learning needs to be promoted as

a part of an ongoing, lifelong educational process, contributing to the gradualgrowth of students’ capabilities (Harvey & Chickie-Wolfe, 2007; Evrim, 2009;Sam et al., 2012; Minakova, 2013) In the context of university study, due to thevariety of English teaching and learning strategies, it is important to equip acommon definition for which EFL teachers and students agree on its meaningand interpretation Without such a definition, as Souto & Turner (2000) claimed,misconceptions or misinterpretations would occur In the current research, theterms “independent learning”, “learner autonomy”, “autonomous learning” and

other aforementioned terms are used interchangeably From the author's viewpoint,independent learning is the shift of responsibility for the learning process from theteacher to the student This shift in responsibility involves students having acomprehensive understanding of their learning, being motivated to learn, workingactively with teachers and peers to formulate their learning environment It means alot more than students working solely on their own, rather it emerges when studentsplay a significant part in choosing their learning plans, discovering learningresources, finding problems, deciding their learning methods and strategies,reflecting on the outcome of their learning process.

2.1.2 Influential factors in developing independent learning

Independent learning has been viewed differently by contemporarystudies in the aspect of its key elements, covering influences of socio-culturalfactors on education in general and students’ learning in particular It is not asimple concept but covers nexus of elements relating to students as a key subject

or an active agent of learning process and environment elements surroundingthem Thanasoulas (2000) focused on internal elements consisting of learners’cognitive and metacognitive strategies, attitude, motivation, and self-esteem Inthe book titled “Fostering independent learning: practical strategies to promotestudent success”, Harvey & Chickie-Wolfe (2007:3) introduced factors relating

to students involving independent learning (see Figure 1) In the dynamic

system, a factor can mutually impact other factors These factors comprise ofholding positive learning motivations and emotions; setting goals, methods andstrategies for learning; building academic skills; attending to and concentrating

on instruction; employing effective cognitive and metacognitive strategies toassess learning and its efficacy; monitoring performance; conducting good timemanagement; establishing productive working environment; using resourceseffectively; and collaborating for assistance from others when needed

In addition to the internal student factors shown in Figure 1, the externalelements are factors influencing students’ independent learning

Figure 1: Student factors involving in independent learning.

(Source: Harvey & Chickie-Wolfe, 2007:3)

Harvey & Chickie-Wolfe (2007:4) showed the interaction of students andenvironmental elements, branching in instructional factors, familial factors, socialfactors and others Meyer et al., (2008) also listed the external factors includingdevelopment of person-to-person relationship among family members, localcommunity, teachers and students, along with an “enabling environment” in whichICT has an important role to play The “enabling environment” indicates thatstudents do not necessarily study in isolation Instead, they can seek supportivecollaboration with other people for their development Independent learners are

“able to set up a favorable climate of learning for themselves by collaborating withpeers, instructors and resource persons” (Usuki, 2000:4) Meyer et al., (2008) alsoproposed a hierarchy model of environmental support needed for independent

learning (see Figure 2) The model bases on five sub-elements: the physical

environment, the time environment, the peer environment, material resources andtutor resources As shown in the Figure 2, physical environment is the base inwhich independent learning takes place, for examples,

classroom, library, blended learning or online learning At the top of the hierarchy

is the resources from tutoring, which refers to characteristics of teachers, tutors andtheir instructions The hierarchy proposes that independent learning needs all theseingredients to be facilitated for its effectiveness However, educational institutionsshould spend more attention and effort in creating better infrastructure forindependent learning, taking advantages of ICT to connect the five factors, enablingstudents to explore their learning with reasonable supports of teachers and peersrather than relying on teachers’ materials and resources

Figure 2: Hierarchy of enabling environment.

(Source: Meyer et al., 2008:23)

Blidi (2017:13) also mentions the following influential factors affectinglearner autonomy: 1) voluntariness (learners voluntarily join an independentlearning program or engaging in any form of self-learning activities); 2) learnerchoice (learners can practice making decisions); 3) flexibility (learners can changelearning variables, such as objectives or contents according to their needs andinterests); 4) teacher’s role (teachers keeps a supportive role as a facilitator toformulate goals more clearly, and provides feedback, encouragement, andreinforcement for learners); and 5) peer support (peer scaffolding is necessary whenlearners interact and collaborate with their classmates)

In the current research, it is necessary to choose certain influential factors

or set up parameters in a way that it can best fit the research context of the policeinstitution where the author and participants are working in and the Englishcurriculum as a compulsory subject that the participants must accomplish Due

to preset English learning curriculum, coursebooks, in-class time allocation andlesson objectives, students have no means to change them, which limits theirchoice and flexibility as mentioned by Blidi (2017:13) Regarding externalfactors of independent learning, the hierarchy model proposed by Meyer et al.,(2008) is appropriate to the research context, whereas the influences of familyand social community on students are not discussed in the current research

2.1.3 Characteristics of independent learners in higher education

A significant review of the international literature on independent learning orlearner autonomy discussed about characteristics of independent learners in highereducation (Quoc Lap, 2005; Meyer et al., 2008; Borg & Al-Busaidi, 2012;McDonough, 2012; Healey, 2014; Tapinta, 2016; Yeung, 2016) Research findings

to date indicate that characteristics of independent learners are divided intocognitive skills, metacognitive skills and affective (motivational) skills (Meyer etal., 2008) Cognitive skills include memory, attention and problem-solving.Students need time and effort to reach certain level in their cognitive development,such as being able to connect new knowledge and prior knowledge in meaningfulways, before they can administer independent learning Metacognitive skills areassociated with students’ understanding of how learning occurs, for examples,students are able to self-assess how they learn or complete an English assignment,

to seek supports from other people Metacognitive elements are “the ability orcapacity to take control, rather than responsibility, over the management of one’slearning, for instances, learning processes, resources and language use” (Little,

1991, as cited in Quoc Lap, 2005:24) Benson (2006) also mentioned metacognitiveskills to goal setting, planning, problem-solving, self-monitoring and evaluation Inaddition, affective and motivational

skills relate to feelings and emotions, such as developing a value system, theninternalizing and acting on these values (Meyer et al., 2008), include learner’sattitudes, willingness, readiness, and self-confidence (Quoc Lap, 2005).McDonough had the same notion of motivational and affective factors, that alearner’s intrinsic motivation to learn is influenced by emotional states, beliefs,interests, goals and habits of thinking (McDonough, 2012:33) Yeung (2016)discusses about affective characteristics of independent learners, includingmotivation as the primary impetus for independent learning, self-confidence totake charge of responsibility and independence from tutors.

It can be summarized that successful independent learners are able tomanage their motivation, affect, behavior, time management, cognition,academic skills, and context, through out three phases of self-regulation, namelypreparation, performance, and appraisal (Harvey & Chickie-Wolfe, 2007:4)

2.2 Tassinari's Dynamic Autonomy Model (DAM) for independent learning

Independent learning process is believed to play a vital role in students’success and lifelong learning However, it seems to be a complex task to measureindependent learning of a student exactly at one moment of time As Nunan (2003)argued, there are different degrees and levels of learner autonomy Also,

“dependent learners” and “independent learners” are not categorically different, butthey exist on a continuum of independent learning skills (Meyer et al., 2008;Rickabaugh, 2012) In this paper, the author adapted Tassinari's (2012) DynamicAutonomy Model (DAM) as one of the theoretical frameworks for the purpose ofautonomous learning self-evaluation of non-English major students at the policeinstitution The DAM model is perceived to be appropriate for the aims and context

of the current research, focusing on the internal student factors as stated by Harvey

& Chickie-Wolfe (2007), Meyer et al., (2008) and Blidi (2017)

2.2.1 An introduction of DAM model

The DAM model is proposed and developed by Maria Giovanna Tassinari,director of the Center for Independent Language Learning (CILL) at the Freie

Universität Berlin (Tassinari, 2015) The model with detailed descriptors of assessment items can be accessed online via the official website of the CILLcenter (Tassinari, 2012), either in German as original language or in English as atranslated version The framework underpinning the DAM model is rooted fromcontemporary descriptions of learner autonomy and characteristics ofautonomous learners, relevant to language learning contexts The DAM modelhas been adapted in current studies of English language both in Vietnamesecontext (Loi, 2017; Han, 2018; Phuong, 2019) and in foreign contexts (Berndt,2012; Tamimi, 2017; Palfreyman, 2018; Wahyuni et al., 2020).

self-2.2.2 Components of DAM model

According to Tassinari (2012), learner autonomy is a complex construct thatentails various dimensions and components In addition to cognitive, metacognitiveand affective factors as mentioned in the previous section, the DAM model alsomentions two more dimensions: action-oriented dimension and social dimension,which cover the same spheres as of cognitive and metacognitive factors Thosedimensions are identified in details according to Tasssinari (2012, 2015) and Han(2018), including the cognitive and metacognitive dimension (knowledge,awareness, and learners’ beliefs); the affective and motivational dimension(learners’ feelings, emotions, motivation); the action-oriented dimension (skills,decisions, learning behaviors) and the social dimension (learning, negotiatinglearning with teachers, partners, advisors or native speakers) Dimensions of the

DAM model are spheres of abilities, skills, and actions (see Figure 3) They are

expressed initially by verbs, concentrating on their action-oriented and oriented characteristics: managing my own learning, planning, choosing materialsand methods, completing tasks, monitoring, evaluating (action-oriented dimension);cooperating (social dimension); structuring knowledge (cognitive andmetacognitive dimension); dealing with my feelings, motivating myself (affective,motivational dimension)

process-The model is regarded as dynamic because it allows learners to manage assessment of their independent learning in different learning situations (forexamples, in classroom setting, in self-directed learning, in informal learning),while detailed descriptors do not refer to any specific situations or languages.

self-Figure 3: The Dynamic Autonomy Model (Source: Tassinari, 2012:29)

Moreover, each component is closely inter-related to all the others while nohierarchy among these components is presented, except for “managing my ownlearning”, which wraps up the whole process of independent learning

The dimensions is then developed into 118 specific descriptors, including

33 macro-descriptors and 85 micro-descriptors (Tassinari, 2012), whichconstitutes a checklist covering the main areas of independent language learning.Examples extracted from the component “choosing materials and methods”, with “cando” affirmative macro-descriptors and micro-descriptors with three available

options “I can do this”, “I want to learn this” and “This isn’t important for me”

are illustrated in Appendix 10 Within each macro-descriptor, several descriptors are listed with choices for differentiation in students’ independentlearning competencies (Tassinari, 2012) The DAM model macro-descriptors areconsistent with the framework of fostering independent learning skills suggested

micro-by Reinders (2010) The framework includes nine stages: identifying needs,settings goals, planning learning, selecting resources, selecting learningstrategies, practice, monitoring progress, assessment and revision Due to thelimitation of time, level of English competence of participants and aims of thepresent research, not all descriptors of the DAM model were used and adapted inthe current research

2.3 An overview of Google Classroom

The virtual classroom, a synchronous form of blended learning or flippedlearning, has been embraced by many institutions in their attempt to promotelearning efficiency while trying to reduce travel time and costs associated withface-to-face teacher-centered training (Iftakhar, 2016) Because of the apparentbenefits of blended learning, an increasing number of classrooms are providingaccess to online collaboration tools through different learning platforms, allowingstudents and teachers to communicate more flexible outside of classroom context inreal time Focus of the present research is Google Classroom, an online learningplatform which is increasingly gaining in popularity and recommended for itsimportant role and positive impacts on EFL in higher education (Beaumont, 2018;Khalil, 2018; Mafa, 2018; Bakar & Noordin, 2018; Kevin & Federico, 2019)

2.3.1 What is Google Classroom?

Google has released the product Google Classroom (GC) to the public in

on August 12th, 2014 as a learning management system (LMS) in Google Appsfor Education (Kahn, 2014; Shaharanee, Jamil & Rodzi, 2016) Since March

2017, GC has allowed any individual who has Google account to create andteach classes using GC platform for non-commercial purposes, and it is believedthat the application “can make technology work effectively in any learning

relationship between an instructor and student, no matter what shape that takes”(Ressler, 2017) Teachers and students having Google accounts can access GC

online through its official website https://classroom.google.com or through its application version on smartphones to manage classes (see Figure 4).

Figure 4: Examples of classes on Google Classroom

(Source: https://classroom.google.com)

A numerous number of terminologies have been used as umbrella terms for the

GC application: LMS (Mafa, 2018); Web 2.0 tool (Khalil, 2018); e-learning(Wijaya, 2016); blended learning (Beaumont, 2018); virtual classroom (Bakar &Noordin, 2018) In the author’s view, these terms share common notions of GC

as an educational ICT application, which is believed to be a blended learningtool supporting for face-to-face classrooms

Features of GC are introduced in recent studies and updated regularly for itsbest integration with other tools of Google and user experience These includes, butnot limited to, the following features: classroom management (managing students,groups, teachers, co-teachers), announcement, online discussion, assignment,drafting and scheduling, grading with rubric, multiple choice questions, feedbackand correction, file sharing and editing, notification, due date and event setup, reusewith ease (copy of a post or of a class), support of course materials exchange,support of cross-platform devices (Google, n.d) The power of GC is also vested inits direct integration to other powerful online tools, for

examples, Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Docs, Google Forms, GoogleSlides, YouTube, Meet video calling, etc.).

2.3.2 Advantages of GC in English language teaching

For teaching and learning in general, as a free web-based learningapplication, GC is considered best suit for communication and interactions amonginstructors and learners (Bakar & Noordin, 2018; Mafa, 2018; Sukmawati &Nensia, 2019) Randy et al., (2018) also states that GC promotes paperlessinstruction for various kinds of assignments, making teaching and learning moreproductive, meaningful It is widely considered as one of the world’s top LMS,with over 40 million users in more than 230 countries after five years ofimplementation (IBL News, 2019) Updates of GC features are introduced regularly

by Google, promoting more convenient collaboration in new teaching scenarios(Google, n.d) Therefore, it is important that educators understand their needs andGC’s benefits before implementing it into their practice

For English language teaching (ELT) in particular, since GC waslaunched in 2014, the number of studies researching in the practical advantages

of GC in ELT are limited All the articles and researches in the period

2014-2020 relating to application of GC in ELT concluded that GC has an importantrole in English learning teaching (Sukmawati & Nensia, 2019) It can be usefulfor online English learning and teaching, bring positive influences ondevelopment of students’ English competencies in English courses (forexamples, writing, speaking, grammar, presentation skills) as well as enhancingcollaboration among instructors and students Benefits of GC in ELT have beenaffirmed in a series of studies conducted in different English teaching contexts

As stated by Shaharanee, Jamil & Rodzi (2016), GC can be utilized tobecome a pedagogical and cognitive tool to support in changing the ELTclassroom from teacher-led approach to student-led learning approach, and open

to inquiry, dialogue, creative thinking and active participation With theannouncement feature, GC enables teachers to give instructions easier and

manage their classes better The LMS also helps students to finish the syllabus

on time as they could follow the schedule of classes from anywhere andanytime This view is supported by Bakar & Noordin (2018), Kevin & Federico(2019), Vynck & Bergen (2020) that GC has high potential to engage studentswho have low English proficiency owing to its advanced features making ituser-friendly, simple, accessible and flexible to adapt With the support of GCapplication, EFL teachers can get better results in classroom management,tracking students’ learning progress, manage and support online classes at anyplaces anytime with Internet connection Evidence from the study conducted byIftakhar (2016) exploring the potentials of GC in English literature classesproved that GC is effective in contributing to collaborative English learning.Khalil (2018) affirmed that GC has positive impacts on English grammar skill,enabling the teacher to provide corrective feedback on students’ errors andrecommending suggestions for improvement Motivational and supportivefeedbacks, comments of teachers to students’ English writing assignments can

be favored by GC as a technology-based alternative to writing in paper(Apriyanti et al., 2018) The positive impact of GC on writing skill is also stated

in the studies of Zafrin (2018) that GC can create supportive environment forpolishing writing skill of students Regarding the effectiveness of GC as anonline medium of communication in learning English, it is agreed that GC is

“the right media to facilitate the rapid delivery of information in Englishlanguage education courses” and “very effective in supporting new insights andmotivating students to learn English” (Syakur, Sugirin & Widiarni, 2020:480)

Although GC has been used in a wide range of learning contexts withbeneficial features, in the author’s point of view, technology-based advantagesshould not be overused Instead, instructors need to consider other important inter-related elements influencing students’ learning progress, for instances, teachingmethods, teaching materials, institutional policies, students’ awareness and self-regulation, as discussed by Dang (2006), Hong, Warren & Fehring (2014) The

study by Apriyanti et al., (2018) also concluded that GC, as all technologies, isonly a supporting tool and teachers need to keep creative role in the classroom.

2.3.3 Relationship of GC and independent learning

Not much research has been conducted in the field of connection betweenapplication of GC and independent learning of EFL students Therefore, in thepresent research, the author discusses about a more common correlation oftechnology-based learning course and independent English learning first, then

GC is stated later

The significant role of technology integration in independent learning ofstudents has been widely suggested in various educational contexts As stated in thereview of Meyer et al., (2008), ICT is an essential component of the enablingenvironment factor which are recognized for its importance towards independentlearning in a wealth of international literature Furthermore, Noytim (2010) andWang (2010) also concluded that computer-assisted tools (the Internet, weblogs andonline materials, for examples) have positive enhancement to learner autonomy.Blessinger & Wankel (2013) summarized that Web 2.0 social learningenvironments support independent learning through flexible integration of digitallearning platforms, fostering collaborative learning and affective learning withmeaningful and authentic learning activities, and fostering learner engagement Therelationship between technology and autonomous learning is also discussed inReinders & White (2016) Accordingly, it is emphasized that the integration oftechnology in independent learning is “enabling a wide range of pedagogies that …give more control to learners” (Reinders & White, 2016:150) Learnerindependence promoted through ICT is also mentioned in Joshi and Poudel (2019)that in English language classes, “ICT is just a tool, neither a method nor an actor

It should be used as a technique to manage the knowledge and a method forsearching and integrating information” (Joshi & Poudel, 2019:74)

The tight relationship of technology-mediated courses and independentlearning paves the way for the author’s assertation that GC, if properly used, has

a facilitating role in enhancing learner independence Within the domain of regulation and self-development, it has been found that self-satisfaction on thestudents’ behalf is evident when it comes to the usage of GC due to its usefulness,easy to use, and its practicality in accomplishing the intended tasks Accordingly,

self-GC can be used as an effective tool in active learning This view is shared byShaharanee, Jamil & Rodzi (2016), showing that teachers can regularly controltheir observations, surveys, and analyses of student learning progress through GCcourse design In addition, the application of GC can be approachable and fit theframework of fostering independent learning skills suggested by Reinders (2010)and the blended learning model proposed by Yoon (2011) because advantages of

GC can bring potential benefits for both instructors and learners in self-regulationprocess, especially by support in managing assignments and discussions, richresources, real-time monitoring, evaluation and feedback However, the authorshares the viewpoint with Joshi & Poudel (2019) that the way teachers takeadvantages of GC features to organize independent learning is more important toconsider than what GC can do because GC is just a technological tool, not a all-in-one pedagogical solution with preset resources

2.4 Davis's Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) for evaluation of GC effectiveness

Since the foundation of GC in 2014, researchers have utilized surveyquestionnaires (Wijaya, 2016; Jakkaew & Hemrungote, 2017; Bakar & Noordin,2018; Haggag, 2019) as a common research instrument to measure perception ofteachers and students in effectiveness of using GC Some of researchers(Shaharanee, Jamil & Rodzi, 2016; Wijaya, 2016; Jakkaew & Hemrungote,2017) suggested implementation of Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) for athorough investigation in evaluating perceived usefulness of GC

2.4.1 An introduction of TAM model

The TAM model is originally proposed by Davis (1986) in 1986 and thenfurther developed in empirical research (Davis, 1989) TAM has been proven to

be a theoretical model in helping to explain and predict user behavior ofinformation technology (Farahat, 2012) TAM provides a basis with which onetraces how external variables influence belief, attitude, and intention to use Twocognitive beliefs are posited by TAM: perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived

ease of use (PEU), see Figure 5.

Figure 5: Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) (Source: Davis, 1989)

According to Park (2009), TAM shows that actual use of a technology system isinfluenced directly or indirectly by behavioral intention, attitude, perceivedusefulness of the system, and perceived ease of the system

TAM also proposes that external factors affect behavioral intention to use(BI) and actual system use (ASU) through mediated effects on perceivedusefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEU) Various scholars have adoptedthe TAM to study the technology acceptance and usage For instance, it has beensuccessfully adopted in similar contexts like E-learning (Park, 2009; Almarabeh,2014) and mobile learning (Al-Emran, Elsherif & Shaalan, 2016) A meta-analysis research using 88 published studies on TAM was conducted by Kingand He (2006) concluded that TAM is a valid and robust model that has beenwidely used in technology application

2.4.2 Application of TAM model adopted for measuring efficacy of GC

It is agreed that students' behavioral intention to use GC is determined bytwo main beliefs: perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEU) PUrefers to the degree to which a student believes that using GC would enhance thestudy performance, whereas PEU refers to the degree to which a student believes

that using GC would be free from efforts In this aspect, TAM provides a solidbackground for the effectiveness of GC as a supportive tech-based tool in Englishlanguage teaching and learning For a detailed scale of GC in different contexts,Shaharanee, Jamil & Rodzi (2016), Al-Maroof and Al-Emran (2018) analyzedcomponents of the two former factors Behavioral intention to use (BI) and actualsystem use (ASU) were also included in the latter study In the present research,constructs of three TAM factors (PU, PEU, BI) presented in Al-Maroof & Al-Emran (2018) were adapted for measuring the participants’ perception of using GC

as a technology support for their in-class academic English lessons

in a few of current articles (Vinh, 2019; Hào, 2019; Nga, 2019) and empiricalresearch (Thuận, 2018) The research of Thuận (2018) about perception ofparticipants in integration of GC and Google Forms in the EFL classroom in auniversity context reached the conclusion that students had positive attitude andhigh level of motivation in the learning process, and “the application

… helped them to become more autonomous learners” (Thuận, 2018:60),whereas, the current articles briefly introduce GC and its basic features withoutdetails of implementation in practice In broader concern of impacts of ICT-supported learning management on learner autonomy, researchers reach to a

common agreement on positive effects of flipped learning (Phượng & Anh, 2017),blended learning (Giang & Nam, 2019), Internet and interactive tools (Lam, 2013)

on autonomous learning It is emphasized in the study of Giang & Nam (2019) thatblended learning (supported by using Web 2.0 tools, including wiki, blogs,websites, etc.) has been carried out in many universities in Vietnam, showing its

appropriateness in Vietnamese higher education context, along with itscontribution to independent learning and learner engagement In the context ofpolice training institutions in Vietnam, Chung (2018) stated four difficultiesaffecting learners’ autonomous English learning, relating to aspects oftechnology, time allocation for self-study, scoring and learning engagement,Recognizing the main issue of low motivation of students for self-study at policeinstitutions (Chung, 2018; Hoa, 2018), tech-supported courses are recommended

as one of necessary changes for promoting independent learning (Chung, 2018)

To the best knowledge of the author, no empirical study on impacts of GC

on independent learning in English classes has been conducted in specificcontexts of any police training institutions in Vietnam prior to this research.Therefore, the present study appears to suggest a new path in EFL teaching andlearning in Vietnam However, it should be noted that previous studies onindependent learning and its relationship with technology-based instruments arebeneficial and meaningful to this action research project

CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter explains the methodology applied in the current study, whichcovers following contents of the research: context, design, participants, researchinstruments, procedures of data collection and data analysis

3.1 Context of the research

3.1.1 Context of the police institution

The research project was carried out at the People’s Police Academy - aninstitution under management of Ministry of Public Security The academy hasbeen considered as one of the key educational training institutions in the policeforce of Vietnam, which is responsible for training cadets at graduate, master anddoctoral degrees, and as a leading scientific research center of the police force inVietnam Two major groups of students are trained at the academy annually: 1)full-time police students, and 2) in-service police officers The majority of students

in the first group are non-English major students, who were chosen as population ofthe current study The academy also pays much attention to English teaching andlearning for Vietnamese police cadets as well as those from police force of othercountries in joint conventions of international cooperation in education andtraining The academy has made great efforts in developing its available trainingfacilities and standardized learning environment, enabling students to takeadvantages of the best educational conditions for their learning in general and forEnglish practice in particular Most of classrooms at the academy are attached withmodern equipment and devices, for instances, a smart board, a computer, aprojector, wireless speaker and air conditioners However, on account ofconfidentiality and the police force’s strict regulations, the use of Internetconnection and social networks is restricted inside the academy, except for certainopen access areas with Internet provided by the academy such as the campus Forthis rule, teachers and students are not allowed to use mobile phones and Internetconnection inside classrooms, lecture halls or libraries in the academy

3.1.2 Current English teaching and learning for non-English major students

at the Academy

At the police institution where the research was conducted, English is acompulsory subject in the course curriculum for non-English major students.English language teaching and learning receives much concern and investment ofthe Directorate Board, featured by joint English development programs,commitment of the expected outcome in English for students, promoting Englishintegration in teaching content subjects, fostering English proficiency for lecturersand compilation of English coursebooks for police For instances, English trainingprograms in cooperation between the academy and the Regional English LanguageOffice (RELO) sponsored by Embassy of the U.S has supported teachers andstudents of the academy in strengthening their English skills in the specific context

of police force Since 2014, the academy has focused on integration of English as amedium of instruction (EMI) into specialized subjects for non-English majorstudents majoring in crime scene investigation, law practice and forensic science(VTC News, 2018) As a required training outcome criterion for graduation, allnon-English major students at the academy must fulfill English examinations togain intermediate proficiency level in English (equivalent to B1 in the CEFRframework) To meet the demand of “dual capacity” in English communicativeapproach and specialized contents, the academy also compiled the series “Englishfor Police” in 2016 which comprises of two levels: elementary (A2) and pre-intermediate (B1) The Department of Foreign Languages were in charge ofteaching English for students with the coursebooks’ topics, ranging from nationalsecurity, the penal code of Vietnam, drug-related crime to human trafficking,extradition, etc The subject English is launched at the first semester of thecurriculum for non-English major students, stretching over 3 consecutive semestersand accounting for a sum of 10 credits In the academic year 2019-2020, students ofthe course D44 attended 4 English periods weekly, lasting for 3 hours per week intotal Although challenges for

English teaching and learning exist, new path of taking advantage of technology

as GC for English classes is feasible to implement at the academy considering toits regulations, available facilities and readiness of non-English major students

3.2 Design of the research

The current research is conducted to answer the two research questions: Research question 1: How did the application of Google Classroom affect the students’ independent learning in their English class?

Research question 2: What were the students’ opinions towards the application

of Google Classroom in their English learning?

3.2.1 Rationale for the use of action research

Research in educational language development intends to bridge the gaps ineither teaching or learning process or both, aiming at the best learning opportunitiesfor learners In higher education context, however, it is important for languageteachers to find out pedagogical issues when the learning outcome and learnerengagement do not occur as expected As stated by Burns (2010), thosepedagogical issues urge teachers to carry research, to make necessary changes ordecisions in teaching and learning practice for improvement of student learningwithin the same learning environment as prior to the action of changes In suchcases, action research (AR) proves its beneficial application in education, becoming

a suitable research method for teachers who wish to improve their own teachingperformance (Hien, 2009) AR is defined by Carr and Kemmis (1986, as cited inBurns, 2010:5) as “a form of self-reflective enquiry undertaken by participants insocial situations in order to improve the rationality and justice of their ownpractices, their understanding of these practices, and the situations in which thepractices are carried out” In addition, Lim (2007) regarded AR as a distinct form ofeducational research, featuring in a very specific aim of understanding problemsand finding possible solutions related to teaching and learning in classroom andschool contexts Accordingly, an AR design “cannot and should not be used togenerate educational theories or test educational

theories” (Lim, 2007:3) The momentum in which the author carried out an AR

is to pursue a possible change and improvement of teaching and learning issues

in a specific English classroom at the People’s Police Academy, not generatedfor other contexts

The central idea of AR proposed by Burns (2010), namely, intervening to bringabout changes in practice, and exploring personal teaching context, enables theauthor to select it as the most appropriate method in his study

3.2.2 Procedure of the action research

The action phase of the present study was carried out in 14 weeks of the firstsemester of the academic year 2019-2020, following the curriculum of English fornon-major students of the course D44 The author conducted his study in four stepsfollowing the AR spiral proposed by Kemmis and McTaggart (1988, as cited in

Burns, 2010), see Figure 6 This cyclical AR model is also supported by the

five-step process of an AR proposed by Norton (2009) Accordingly, the currentresearch was conducted in one cycle, including: 1) Planning: identifying

Figure 6: Cyclical AR model based on Kemmis and McTaggart (1988).

(Source: Burns, 2010:9)

the problem and possible ways to handle it; 2) Acting: putting the plan into action;3) Observing: noting down observation on the results of the plan; and 4)Reflecting: drawing out overall interpretations of the research process In the stepActing, the application of GC in teaching and learning English was implemented as ablended learning tool Due to the limitation of time, the current study adapts only onecycle of AR, starting at identification of a context-specific problem and

ending at reflection of the research findings When the “problem” is mentioned,

it does not necessarily relate to any problem of teaching Instead, it refers to arecognized area that the author wants to examine in more depth and possiblesolutions for it

Step 1: Planning

The author recognizes a common problem of English learning among amajority of non-English major students at the police institution where the authorhas been working in While many students can follow and complete Englishassignments in class as required at pre-intermediate and intermediate level, alarge number of them still get stuck in low competency and cannot participate inEnglish activities as effectively as expected The researcher-teacher asked anumber of students why they are usually silent in class without improvement in

a long-time English learning path One of the most common reasons is that theyare not engaged in learning English either in class hours or after class, so theyallocate little time for self-study in English, either with instructions of Englishteachers or on their own way with their classmates

The pre-intervention questionnaire adapted from DAM model wasconducted, focusing on students’ self-evaluation of their independentlearning in English class With responses of the questionnaire, the author had

an initial overview of autonomous learning among students Furthermore, theresearcher chose the application of GC approach to try out because it wasagreed that the approach would be beneficial and appropriate for stimulating