Post 6

 

            Initially I wanted to do my thesis on the benefits of remote education,

specifically in the context of language learning and plurilingual environments.

I felt that this would have been the best way for me to apply all my previous

life experience to my thesis. I would be interested in doing a meta-analysis of

different types of language learning software and making a recommendation. This

is still a distinct possibility. I would also be keen on working with strong

programmers to develop our own language learning software and potentially

selling it. This is impossible however because we are not permitted to

financially benefit from our thesis. As I write this at the end of the first

period of the first semester of my master’s studies, my thoughts, and interests

regarding my thesis have changed.

The scientific grounding course

has aided me in honing my interests and understanding how to write about them

and learn more about them within the academic context. I am interested in

researching motivational regulation in the online context. I would like to

apply this to the field of language learning, but I also recognize that the

methods that would facilitate the conduction of this kind of research are still

being developed and I am somewhat limited by the fact that I am only a master’s

student. I have spoken with some of my peers who are in their second year of

LET studies and they recommend keeping the thesis concise and on point. Having

a highly specific thesis can be limiting. However, having a thesis that is too

wide in scope is unimaginative and passe. I hope to strike a balance between

these two extremes. 

            At this juncture I am most interested in understanding how motivation

and emotional regulation is affected in online learning situations. The

COVID-19 pandemic revealed the double-edged sword of remote learning to the

world, information that was previously held within the circles of higher

education and educational technology firms. Remote learning is only as

effective as the pedagogical design that its designers use while they are

developing it. I suppose that I am interested in understanding how the design

of remote/online learning courses affects students affect and motivation.

            I am still open to changing the content of my thesis. We have only just ended the first period of the first term. I am at ease knowing that I have a vague idea of what I want to do. I am even more excited for what is to come. I know that there will be a lot more information that I will be exposed to in the second period of the first semester. I will probably flip flop back on the specifics of what my thesis will entail. I will continue to read lots of academic articles and take notes on them. This is my preferred method of independent study to prepare me for the daunting task of writing the thesis.