Introduction

Jo Mynard, Kanda University of International Studies, Chiba, Japan. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0363-6461

Mynard, J. (2022). Introduction. Studies in Self-Access Learning Journal, 13(4), 389–391. https://doi.org/10.37237/130401

Welcome to the final issue of SiSAL journal for 2022. We are very grateful to everyone who has contributed or participated in the review process this year. Many thanks go to: Dominique Vola Ambinintsoa, Phillip Bennett, Larissa Borges, Bryan Buschner, Ali Dincer, Kerstin Dofs, Daniel Hooper, Satoko Kato, Dennis Koyama, Charlotte Lin, Honggang Liu, Diego Mideros, Ward Peeters, Adelina Ruiz-Guerrero, Ariel Sorensen, Giovanna Tassinari, Andrew Tweed, Isra Wongsarnpigoon, Hisako Yamashita and Amelia Yarwood. Without your work, it would not be possible to publish this journal.

In the current issue, we are delighted to feature papers from Hong Kong, Mexico, New Zealand and Thailand. The papers explore the themes of private tutoring, international students studying abroad, conceptions of autonomous learning models, and a review of an online learning tool. We hope you enjoy the issue!

Overview of the Contents

The first paper by Richard Ching Ho Cheng from Hong Kong Adventist College concerns shadow education, i.e., the role of private tutorial centres in Hong Kong. The author offers a unique perspective by presenting the voices of 20 tutors from private tutorial centres using a thematic analysis. The author explores issues of materialism and washback in an exam results-driven system.

The second paper by Kerstin Dofs of Ara Institute of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand, explores whether the needs of international students are being met at the Language Self-Access Centre (LSAC) at a higher education institution in New Zealand. In this ethnography, the author discovers that making some adjustments could benefit both students and the institution.

The third paper by Secundino Isabeles Flores, María Magdalena Cass Zubiría, and Raphael Hubert Elie Sebire of University of Colima, Mexico, shares an analysis of some autonomous learning models. The authors analyse eight different process models in order to gain a deeper understanding of steps that are involved in fostering autonomous learning. This information is invaluable to anyone supporting language learners in developing autonomy inside or outside the classroom.  

The fourth paper is a review of Nearpod, an online learning platform that supports teachers and learners in developing self-directed learning. The review was written by Kiki Juli Anggoro and Uswatun Khasanah from Walailak University, Thailand and Nicola Milnes from Adult Skills and Community Learning, UK. The reviewers discuss the strengths and limitations of the tool.

Finally, we would like to draw attention to a recently published special issue of an open-access journal that focuses on learner development beyond the classroom. The special issue was edited by Isra Wongsarnpigoon, Dominique Vola Ambinintsoa, Phillip A. Bennett and André Parsons, members of the Learner Development Special Interest Group (LDSIG) of the Japan Association for Language Teaching (JALT).

Notes on the Editor

Jo Mynard is a professor in the Faculty of Global Liberal Arts, Director of the Self-Access Learning Center, and Director of the Research Institute for Learner Autonomy Education at Kanda University of International Studies in Chiba, Japan. She holds an M.Phil in Applied Linguistics (Trinity College Dublin, Ireland) and an Ed.D. in TEFL (University of Exeter, UK). Her research interests include advising in language learning, the psychology of language learning, and learning beyond the classroom.