View in EDS

When DDL Goes Wrong: The Importance of Constructive Alignment for Learners and Teachers in DDL Contexts

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: When DDL Goes Wrong: The Importance of Constructive Alignment for Learners and Teachers in DDL Contexts
Language: English
Authors: Peter Crosthwaite (ORCID 0000-0002-1482-8381), Fanny Meunier (ORCID 0000-0003-2186-2163)
Source: The EUROCALL Review. 2025 32(1):45-63.
Availability: European Association for Computer-Assisted Language Learning (EUROCALL). EUROCALL Headquarters, School of Modern Languages, University of Ulster, Cromore Road, Coleraine BT52 1SA, Northern Ireland, UK. Tel: +34-67-943-1283; Web site: http://www.eurocall-languages.org/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 19
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Secondary Education, Data Use, Learning Processes, Secondary Schools, Secondary School Students, Intervention, Science Education, Technical Writing, Language Usage, Form Classes (Languages), Dialects, Verbs, Second Language Learning, English (Second Language), Preferences, Alignment (Education), Instructional Design, Constructivism (Learning)
Geographic Terms: Australia
ISSN: 1695-2618
Abstract: This reflection on practice study explores the critical role of constructive alignment (CA) in the successful implementation of corpus-based data-driven learning (DDL) in secondary education, focusing on two interventions conducted at an Australian secondary school. While DDL offers potential for enhancing language learning through corpus consultation, its integration into secondary school contexts remains hindered by limited teacher training, administrative support, or alignment with pedagogical goals. In this exploratory study, one DDL intervention targeting passive voice use in science writing succeeded, yielding learning gains and positive feedback. However, a parallel intervention for English as an Additional Language/Dialect (EAL/D) students, which aimed at mastering cognitive verbs, failed despite identical resources and the assistance of an experienced DDL practitioner. Qualitative data from students' discussion forum responses, written assignments and revisions, and post-intervention group interviews suggest the failure stemmed from a lack of CA, as materials designed for one cohort were misaligned with the EAL/D learners' needs, prioritising discrete linguistic items over functional understanding. Student feedback highlighted a preference for simpler tools like Google, reflecting poor engagement with DDL. Our findings suggest that without aligning DDL activities, learning outcomes, and assessments to the teachers' and learners' contexts, interventions risk failure. We therefore advocate for increased backward design, teacher-researcher collaboration, and ongoing evaluation to ensure DDL's efficacy, offering a cautionary tale for future implementations.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1490482
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
CustomLinks:
  – Url: https://eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=EJ1490482
    Name: ERIC Full Text
    Category: fullText
    Text: Full Text from ERIC
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ1490482
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: When DDL Goes Wrong: The Importance of Constructive Alignment for Learners and Teachers in DDL Contexts
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Peter+Crosthwaite%22">Peter Crosthwaite</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1482-8381">0000-0002-1482-8381</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Fanny+Meunier%22">Fanny Meunier</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2186-2163">0000-0003-2186-2163</externalLink>)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22The+EUROCALL+Review%22"><i>The EUROCALL Review</i></searchLink>. 2025 32(1):45-63.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: European Association for Computer-Assisted Language Learning (EUROCALL). EUROCALL Headquarters, School of Modern Languages, University of Ulster, Cromore Road, Coleraine BT52 1SA, Northern Ireland, UK. Tel: +34-67-943-1283; Web site: http://www.eurocall-languages.org/
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 19
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Secondary+Education%22">Secondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Secondary+Education%22">Secondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Data+Use%22">Data Use</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Learning+Processes%22">Learning Processes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Secondary+Schools%22">Secondary Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Secondary+School+Students%22">Secondary School Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Intervention%22">Intervention</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Science+Education%22">Science Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Technical+Writing%22">Technical Writing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Usage%22">Language Usage</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Form+Classes+%28Languages%29%22">Form Classes (Languages)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Dialects%22">Dialects</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Verbs%22">Verbs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Second+Language+Learning%22">Second Language Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22English+%28Second+Language%29%22">English (Second Language)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Preferences%22">Preferences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Alignment+%28Education%29%22">Alignment (Education)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Instructional+Design%22">Instructional Design</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Constructivism+%28Learning%29%22">Constructivism (Learning)</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Australia%22">Australia</searchLink>
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 1695-2618
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: This reflection on practice study explores the critical role of constructive alignment (CA) in the successful implementation of corpus-based data-driven learning (DDL) in secondary education, focusing on two interventions conducted at an Australian secondary school. While DDL offers potential for enhancing language learning through corpus consultation, its integration into secondary school contexts remains hindered by limited teacher training, administrative support, or alignment with pedagogical goals. In this exploratory study, one DDL intervention targeting passive voice use in science writing succeeded, yielding learning gains and positive feedback. However, a parallel intervention for English as an Additional Language/Dialect (EAL/D) students, which aimed at mastering cognitive verbs, failed despite identical resources and the assistance of an experienced DDL practitioner. Qualitative data from students' discussion forum responses, written assignments and revisions, and post-intervention group interviews suggest the failure stemmed from a lack of CA, as materials designed for one cohort were misaligned with the EAL/D learners' needs, prioritising discrete linguistic items over functional understanding. Student feedback highlighted a preference for simpler tools like Google, reflecting poor engagement with DDL. Our findings suggest that without aligning DDL activities, learning outcomes, and assessments to the teachers' and learners' contexts, interventions risk failure. We therefore advocate for increased backward design, teacher-researcher collaboration, and ongoing evaluation to ensure DDL's efficacy, offering a cautionary tale for future implementations.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1490482
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1490482
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 19
        StartPage: 45
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Secondary Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Data Use
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Learning Processes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Secondary Schools
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Secondary School Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Intervention
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Science Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Technical Writing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Language Usage
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Form Classes (Languages)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Dialects
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Verbs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Second Language Learning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: English (Second Language)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Preferences
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Alignment (Education)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Instructional Design
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Constructivism (Learning)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Australia
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: When DDL Goes Wrong: The Importance of Constructive Alignment for Learners and Teachers in DDL Contexts
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Peter Crosthwaite
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Fanny Meunier
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 01
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-electronic
              Value: 1695-2618
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 32
            – Type: issue
              Value: 1
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: The EUROCALL Review
              Type: main
ResultId 1