Evaluation of It's My Turn, a self-learning interactive tool to study English in Chilean rural contexts.

Abstract

This paper presents the results of a study that tested the effectiveness of a self-learning program implemented by the Chilean Ministry of Education, It's my Turn, to promote English learning in rural contexts, throughout Chile. Student learning was measured in 10 rural schools (N students =120) in the Metropolitan Region (Santiago Capital). Pre- and post-tests were used to measure learning; observations were carried out to examine the actual use of the learning resource in the classroom; and questionnaires were applied to find out the teachers' perceptions of the program. A t-test yielded a significant difference between the pre- and post-tests (p < 0,0001). Classroom observations evidenced that teachers used the program in various ways, and the questionnaires showed that teachers have different views on the program's effectiveness. The combination of quantitative and qualitative results leads to the conclusion that the program does favor learning, but also suggests the need for changes in its implementation.