Science for Education Today, 2023, vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 163–177
© Makarova E. A., 2023
UDC: 
811.11+316.4+372.881.111.1

Modern model of foreign language education: Principles of ecosystem approach

Makarova E. A. 1 (Irkutsk, Russian Federation)
1 Irkutsk national research technical university
Full text (Open Access) — Downloaded 363
Abstract: 

Introduction. The paper investigates peculiar features of the ecosystem approach to teaching foreign languages at university. The aim of the study is to summarize the ideas about the ecosystem in modern educational conceptions and language research, in the practice of implementing models of effective foreign language teaching.
Materials and Methods. The author applies a systematic approach to the analysis of the concept ‘ecosystem’ being under consideration in modern educational research investigations, a scientific approach to substantiating the ecological views on investigating language skills, and an empirical approach to describing conditions of effective foreign language learning environment.
Results. Summarizing the data obtained, the author has formulated the main principles of the ecosystem approach to foreign language teaching at university. Firstly, the educational ecosystem is centered around the learning situation with actively interacting students and their teacher. Secondly, the learning situation is gradually modeled by the teacher for each type of speech activity, taking into account the language proficiency and experience of students. Thirdly, teacher’s didactic and organizational competence contributes to interactions among students with indirect teacher’s intervention, as well as to learner autonomy and development of students outside the classroom. Fourthly, learning materials, corresponding to abilities and interests of students and mobile devices help students construct and navigate informative educational language environment.
Conclusions. The article concludes that principles of ecosystem approach should be the basis of creating a new educational environment and designing a new educational model of teaching foreign languages at university.

Keywords: 

Educational ecosystem; Ecosystem approach; Interactive language activity; Educational model; Mobile technologies; Pedagogical competence.

For citation:
Makarova E. A. Modern model of foreign language education: Principles of ecosystem approach. Science for Education Today, 2023, vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 163–177. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15293/2658-6762.2303.08
References: 
  1. Aleksandrov L., Shulman M. G. Formation of the innovative educational environment of higher school as a factor of activating cognitive activity of students: Foreign experience. TSPU Bulletin, 2018, no. 1, pp. 116–122. (In Russian) DOI: https://doi.org/10.23951/1609-624X-2018-1-116-122 URL:  https://elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=30793332
  2. Antropova M. Yu. Mobile technologies in educational process (the example of Chinese Wechat). Cross-Cultural Studies: Education and Science (CCS&ES), 2018, vol. 3 (3), pp. 218–224. (In  Russian) URL: https://elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=35466618
  3. Vayndorf-Sysoeva M., Subocheva M. Educational ecosystem: A terminological aspect. Professional Education in Russia and Abroad, 2021, no. 4, pp. 5–11. (In Russian) DOI: https://doi.org/10.54509/22203036_2021_4_5   URL: https://elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=47696999
  4. Ignat’eva E. Yu. Analysis of the models of conventional and developmental training at the university. Bulletin of the Yaroslav Mudryi Novgorod State University, 2013, no. 74–2, pp. 27–30. (In Russian) URL: https://elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=21142338
  5. Kravchenko A. V. Language and the nature of humanness. Invitation to a discussion. Slovo.ru: Baltic Accent, 2022, vol. 13 (3), pp. 7–24. (In Russian) DOI: URL: https://elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=49274337 
  6. Kravchenko A. V., Paiunena M. V. Practice held hostage to theory: Why it is so hard to learn a foreign language at school. Tomsk State University Journal of Philology, 2018, no. 56, pp. 65–91. (In Russian) DOI: https://doi.org/10.17223/19986645/56/5 URL: https://elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=36915321
  7. Makarova E. A. Innovative educational project as a basis of foreign language learning competence development. Lifelong Education: the 21st Century, 2022, no. 37, pp. 41–58. (In Russian) DOI: https://doi.org/10.15393/j5.art.2022.7426 URL: https://elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=48204131
  8. Makarova E. A. Teaching foreign language speaking skills through peer-tutoring. Integration of Education, 2018, vol. 22 (3), pp. 551–568. (In Russian) DOI: https://doi.org/10.15507/19919468.092.022.201803.551-568   URL: https://elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=35564516
  9. Makarova Е. А. Types of knowledge defined from interrelation of the categories EXPERIENCE and KNOWLEDGE (in the English language). Issues of Cognitive Linguistics, 2016, no. 2, pp. 74–83. (In Russian) DOI: https://doi.org/10.20916/1812-3228-2016-2-74-82  URL: https://elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=25751474
  10. Sirotinina O. B. Factors contributing effective communication. Ecology of Language and Communicative Practice, 2019, no. 1, pp. 39–47. (In Russian). DOI: https://doi.org/10.17516/2311-3499-047  URL: https://elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=37628084
  11. Utkin A. V., Shevchenko K. V. Ecosystem approach in education: from metaphor to methodology and practice. Cherepovets State University Bulletin, 2022, no. 2, pp. 175–189. (In Russian) DOI: https://doi.org/10.23859/1994-0637-2022-2-107-14  URL: https://elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=48291515
  12. Franko E. P., Franko M. V. Ecology of language in modern society. Political Linguistics, 2019, no.  5, pp. 26–33. (In Russian). DOI: https://doi.org/10.26170/pl19-05-02 URL: https://elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=41234136
  13. Amhag L. 4 Peer learning activities in smart education. Virtual and mobile learning activities in higher education. IGI Global, 2020, vol. 4, pp. 77–104. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-4183-8.ch004 
  14. Batisti F. An argument for languages in languaging. Italian Journal of Philosophy of Language (RIFL), 2021, vol. 15 (2), pp. 159–175. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4396/2021201 
  15. Järvilehto T. The theory of the organism-environment system as a basis of experimental work in psychology. Ecological Psychology, 2009, vol. 21, pp. 112–120. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10407410902877066  
  16. Liua Y., Daniel Holdena D., Zheng D. Analyzing students’ language learning experience in an augmented reality mobile game: An exploration of an emergent learning environment. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2016, vol. 228, pp. 369‒374. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2016.07.055  
  17. Love N. On languaging and languages. Language Sciences, 2017, vol. 61, pp. 113–147. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.langsci.2017.04.001 
  18. Raimondi V. The bio-logic of languaging and its epistemological background. Language Sciences, 2019, vol. 71, pp. 19–26. DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.langsci.2018.03.003 
  19. Ruegg R., Sudo T., Takeuchi H., Sato Y. Peer tutoring: Active and collaborative learning in practice. Studies in Self-access Learning Journal, 2017, vol. 8 (3), pp. 255–267. DOI: https://doi.org/10.37237/080306 
  20. Topping K., Buchs C., Duran D., Keer van H. Effective peer learning. From principles to practical implementation. Routledge, 2017, 192 p. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315695471  
  21. Zheng D., Tian J. Co-constituting second language learning from EDD perspectives and virtual environments. Foreign Languages in China, 2020, vol. 17 (3), pp. 36–44. DOI:  https://doi.org/10.13564/j.cnki.issn.1672-9382.2020.03.006  
Date of the publication 30.06.2023