Transforming Study Learning Strategies into e-Learning System

Preamble
The purpose of Study Strategies (SS) in Students Learning Services (SLS) in the Defense
Language Institute Foreign Language Center (DLIFLC) is developing early language learning
skills. The concept of Study Strategies (SS) is to discuss strategies that can help learners learn
foreign languages with different sounds, and scripts from those of English in a traditional setting.
The strategies learners can use to improve their learning skills in early stage of language
development that best fit their learning styles or intelligence.
Target Users
DLIFLC provides language learning programs to new recruits and enlistees representing USA,
USFA, US Navy and US Marines. The exact number of target users population is not available
now, but might be retrieved once approved by DLIFLC OBSEC and command. However, the e-
learning tool can be utilized by any language learner who is a native or second language English
speaker learning a foreign language.
Problem and Need Identifications
The SLS program is running based on a traditional setting, and students do not have an ongoing
e-access or online access to language learning strategies. The SLS program offers students
learning strategies only twice in 63 weeks of instruction, which is not enough for students to
learn a foreign language effectively, without learning syndromes. During the first week of SLS
instructions, students get a chance to complete a part of their learning plans, and then complete
them when they take SLS course for the second time after four weeks of their instruction. In
those particular times, students are exposed to too many strategies, but there is lack of track
progress, and implementation of new strategies in the classrooms. The program has a useful
content and material that can help students with improving their language learning strategies, but
it lacks measurable outcomes; which is main due to lack of asynchronous access to learn and
practice during the course.
Solution
The solution is to embed study strategies in a Learning Management System (LMS) to provide
students with asynchronous access to learning strategies, materials, and support throughout the
program. It is also important to build and organize instructional support system incorporating
differentiated instruction into e-learning system by keeping multiple learning styles and on skill
by skill basis into account. The final product I have envisioned is a tool to improve digital-native
students opportunities to learn and practice with automated constructive feedbacks, and
recommendations to promote differentiated (customized) instructions to eliminate learning gaps,
which is hard and impossible to some extend in traditional learning settings.

Sayed Nazari
IST 524
Capstone Project Idea