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152 Tony Cripps Kohonen (1992) and Little (1996) stress that autonomy implies interdependence, and thus learner autonomy is fostered not in isolation but through social interaction. This notion has provided the basis for the latest refinements to the ARC: the addition of online journals, interactive feedback on the CW3 lessons, and increased use of the chat and forum functions. In line with the initiative’s social constructivist philosophy, it is intended that these online additions will allow students to expand their knowledge base through synchronous and asynchronous interaction with their peers and teachers. The extent to which the ARC has fostered learner autonomy remains to be investigated more fully, but students who have used the resources have said that they are ‘useful for self-study’ and that they allow them ‘to study what I want to study’. In addition, many students have commented that they use the audio and video files to help improve their listening comprehension, especially before taking the TOEIC tests. Future developments While the precise direction in which the ARC will develop is uncertain, it is likely that, in addition to being provided with more self-access learning material, students will be given access to the blog function which will afford them the opportunity to express their opinions in a safe and nurturing environment. Current student calls for more online TOEIC support material will be answered by the expansion of the ARC’s database of sample questions and worked examples. Additional support material, such as more sample presentations, essay drafts with annotated teacher explanations, essay checklists and audio comments by teachers, will also be provided. Additional lectures of varying levels of content and English difficulty will be made available for selfstudy , and to accompany these lectures students will be encouraged to make podcasts commenting on the lecture content which can then be uploaded and shared. Three other developments are planned. With the advent of 4G mobile technology, it is hoped that our students will be able to access the ARC and download material using their mobile phones, thus going some way to providing a platform which is in tune with our students’ needs and technological expertise. Since many Ritsumeikan students commute from various parts of Japan, this mobile access will provide a greater opportunity for study before and after classes. Developing the ARC 153 We also envisage that students will be given access to the ‘course creation’ level of Moodle. This will, in effect, give students the instruments to construct their own learning environments, thus facilitating their ability to take greater control of their learning. For teachers, it is planned that reflective lesson planning (Miller 2009) will be woven into future courses which will in turn necessitate the reconceptualisation of how they plan their classes. Finally, we expect to open up the ARC to students from other institutions so that they will be able to use the platform. By working with students from other institutions, it is hoped that students using the ARC will broaden their knowledge base. Practicalities The essence of effective material development is to continually refine the materials which have been created. Eliciting feedback from our colleagues, the administrative arm of our institutions and our students enables us to design, create and revise material which will be both utilised and effective. With the benefit of hindsight, it would have been beneficial to have expanded the number of people on the ARC team beyond its core members. To this end, the ARC team has solicited the opinions and help of other educators who are teaching the CW3 and CW4 courses. Anew CW4 team has been formed, and its members have been active in learning how to use the Moodle platform and creating material for a new CW4 course. As we experienced, some educators can be quite resistant to new material and ideas. If we expect our colleagues to use the material we create for our courses, it is imperative to provide training and the means by which they can then support their students’ online learning (Palloff and Pratt 2009, 371). Conclusion Creating an online environment which supports independent learning is not an easy task. To do this and develop innovative and effective material requires a structured process which takes into account all the stakeholders involved, and requires the setting-up of a team to devise, test and revise in-class and online material. The construction of the ARC has also demonstrated the importance of an informative feedback loop that collects and acts upon the opinions...

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