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Dr Maria Luisa Perez Cavana

Profile summary

  • Central Academic Staff
  • Senior Lecturer in Languages
  • Faculty of Wellbeing, Education & Language Studies
  • School of Languages & Applied Linguistics
  • Languages
  • maria-luisa.perez-cavana

Research interests

Learner autonomy and self-regulation, ePortfolios, phenomenology as research method

Within the field of learner autonomy, I have worked on how learning styles and strategies can be integrated in teaching and learning in higher education, for example using the European Language Portfolio. In the last years I have explored different types of ePortfolios (e.g. using OneNote as a learning ePortfolio and to implement Personal Development Planning PDP). I am currently studying the students' perceptions of using a Mahara based learning ePortfolio.

I am also interested in using phenomenology as a research method to investigate the lived experiences of teaching a learning a foreign language.
Before joining the Open University  my research focus was in Philosophy:  the German Enlightenment, the work of the philosophers J.Ortega y Gasset and G.Simmel and  feminist epistemology.

 

 

Teaching interests

I have chaired the production of the module "Spanish Studies 2: language and culture of the Spanish-speaking world" and I am currently working on the production of  L103 German. I have also contributed to the German level 3 "Variationen" and L116 Intermediate Spanish. 
I have designed an ePortfolio to implement Personal Development Planning (PDP) in our level 2 and level 3 languages modules. 

 

 

Impact and engagement

I have co-authored the Future Learn MOOC "Introduction to phenomenology and its application in qualitative research". 

Futurelearn.com/courses/putting-phenomenology-into-use-introduction-to-phenomenology-and-its-application-to-qualitative-research 

External collaborations

Expert for the Supporting Local Networks of Users of the European Language Portfolio through an E-Platform’ to the Targeted Support for ECML members (European Centre for Languages Centre/Graz, Austria

Publications

My foreign body: exploring lived experiences of speaking a foreign language (2024)
Pérez Cavana, Maria Luisa
Language and Intercultural Communication, 24(1) (pp. 52-64)

Older language learners: 'always too late' vs 'never too late'. A mixed-methods approach (2023-12)
Pérez Cavana, Maria Luisa; Edwards, Chris and Luelmo del Castillo, Maria José
Widening Participation and Lifelong Learning, 25(2) (pp. 88-113)

Is a self-regulatory eELP the way forward? A reflection on two decades of achievements and failures of the ELP (2021-10)
Luelmo del Castillo, Maria Jose and Pérez Cavana, Maria Luisa
CEFR Journal – Research and Practice, 3 (pp. 6-20)

A Teaching Persona (2020)
Pérez Cavana, Maria Luisa
The Linguist, 59(4) (pp. 22-23)

More than a tool: integrating the ‘teacher voice’ into an ePortfolio using the Three-layered PDP model (2018-10-31)
Pérez Cavana, Maria Luisa and Lowe, Sue
The International Journal for Recording, Achievement, Planning and Portfolios (RAPPORT), 3(1) (pp. 24-40)

Multilingual and multicultural task-based learning scenarios: a pilot study from the MAGICC project (2015-05-01)
Álvarez, Inma and Pérez Cavana, Maria
Language Learning in Higher Education. Journal of the European Confederation of Language Centres in Higher Education (CercleS), 5(1) (pp. 59-82)

Autonomy and self-assessment of individual learning styles using the European Language Portfolio (ELP) (2012-07)
Peréz Cavana, Maria Luisa
Language Learning in Higher Education. Journal of the European Confederation of Language Centres in Higher Education (CercleS), 1(1) (pp. 211-228)

Are eportfolios effective tools to promote self-regulation? An exploration of students self-perceptions (2022)
Luelmo del Castillo, M. J. and Pérez Cavana, M. L.
In: Guillén Riquelme, Alejandro ed. International Handbook of Innovation and Assessment of the Quality of Higher Education and Research
ISBN : 978-84-1390-873-1 | Publisher : Thomson Reuters

"When I am teaching German, I put on a persona": Exploring lived experiences of teaching a foreign language. (2019-11)
Pérez Cavana, Maria Luisa
In: Gallardo, Matilde ed. Negotiating Identity in Modern Foreign Language Teaching
ISBN : 978-3-030-27709-3 | Publisher : Palgrave Macmillan | Published : London

Personal Development Planning (PDP) and ePortfolios: Arranged marriage or true love? (2019)
Pérez Cavana, Maria Luisa and Lowe, Sue
In: Ballweg, Sandra and Kühn, Bärbel eds. Portfolioarbeit im Kontext von Sprachenunterricht. Neue internationale Entwicklungen. Materialien Deutsch als Fremd- und Zweitsprache (MatDaF) (102) (pp. 147-170)
ISBN : 9783863954260 | Publisher : Göttingen: Universitätsverlag | Published : Göttingen

Fostering student-centred pedagogy through the language learning support dimensions (LLSD) (2017)
Pérez Cavana, Maria Luisa and Edwards, Chris
In: Krings, Hans P and Kühn, Bärbel eds. Inhalt und Vielfalt - Neue Herausforderungen für das Sprachenlernen und -lehren an Hochschulen.. Fremdsprachen in Lehre und Forschung (pp. 149-161)
ISBN : 978-3-925453-64-9 | Publisher : AKS Verlag | Published : Bochum, Gernabt

Zur bildungspolitischen und pädagogischen Aktualität von Lernberatung mit EPOS, der Online-Plattform des Europäischen Sprachenportfolios (2014)
Kühn, Barbel; Lang, Michael and Perez Cavana, Maria
In: Berndt, Annette and Deutschmann, Ruth-Ulrike eds. Sprachlernberatung –Sprachlerncoaching. Fremdsprachen lebenslang lernen (2) (pp. 213-234)
ISBN : 978-3-631-64655-7 | Publisher : Peter Lang | Published : Frankfurt

Developing the Language Learning Support Dimensions (LLSD) from research into second language acquisition and informed by the Effective Lifelong Learning Inventory (ELLI) (2014)
Pérez Cavana, Maria and Edwards, Chris
In: Krings, Hans P. and Kühn, B. eds. Fremdsprachliche Lernprozesse beobachten: - initiieren - steuern - begleiten
Publisher : AKS-Verlag Bochum | Published : Bochum ( Germany)

Fostering strategic, self-regulated learning: the case for a “soft” ELP (2012-05-23)
Perez Cavana, Maria-Luisa
In: Kűhn, Bärbel and Perez-Cavana, Maria eds. Perspectives from the European Language Portfolio: Learner Autonomy and Self-Assessment
ISBN : 978-0-415-67554-3 | Publisher : Routledge | Published : Oxford, UK

Closing the circle: from Dewey to Web 2.0 (2009)
Pérez Cavana, Maria Luisa
In: Payne, Carla R ed. Information Technology and Constructivism in Higher Education: Progressive Learning Frameworks (pp. 1-13)
ISBN : 978-1-60566-654-9 | Publisher : IGI Global | Published : Hershey, PA

La relacion instrumentalizadora con la Naturaleza (2004)
Pérez Cavana, Maria
In: Perez Cavana, Maria Luisa; Puleo, Alicia H. and Segura, Cristina eds. Mujeres y Ecologia: Historia, Pensamiento, Sociedad [Women and Ecology: History, Theory, Society]. Colección Laya (25)
ISBN : 9788487090318 | Publisher : Al-Mudayna | Published : Madrid

Feminismo y psicoanalisis (2000)
Pérez Cavana, Maria
In: Amorós, Celia and Agra Romero, María José eds. Feminismo y Filosofía. Síntesis Filosofía : Thémata (10)
ISBN : 8477387281 | Publisher : Editorial Síntesis | Published : Madrid

Perspectives from the European Language Portfolio. Learner Autonomy and Self-assessment (2012-05-28)
Kühn, Bärbel and Pérez Cavana, Maria eds.
ISBN : 978-0-415-67555-0 | Publisher : Routledge | Published : Oxford

Perspectives from the European Language Portfolio: Learner autonomy and self-assessment (2012-05-24)
Kühn, Bärbel and Perez Cavana, Maria eds.
ISBN : 978-0-415-67554-3 | Publisher : Routledge | Published : Oxford, UK

Mujeres y Ecologica: Historia, Pensamiento, Sociedad (Women and Ecology: History, Theory, Society) (2004)
Pérez Cavana, M.; Puleo, A. H. and Segura, C. eds.
ISBN : 8487090311 | Publisher : Al-Mudayna | Published : Madrid

Using OneNote as an ePortfolio: Promoting Experiential Learning and Self-regulation (2019)
Pérez Cavana, Maria Luisa
In : 18th European Conference on e-Learning (ECEL19) (7-8 Nov 2019, Aalborg University, Copenhagen Denmark)

Developing approaches to enhancing the orientation and success of language learning in higher education (2012-06)
Edwards, Chris and Perez Cavana, Maria Luisa
In : 17th Annual Conference of the Education, Learning, Styles, Individuals Differences Network (26-28 Jun 2012, Cardiff, Wales)

Assessing learning styles within the European Language Portfolio (ELP) (2010)
Pérez Cavana, M.
In : The 15th Annual Conference of the European Learning Styles Information Network (ELSIN): Exploring Styles to Enhance Learning and Teaching in Diverse Contexts (28-30 Jun 2010, Univesidade de Aveiro, Portugal)

Enhancing the ELP for the 21st Century (2009)
Álvarez, Inma; Tita, Beaven and Pérez Cavana, Maria Luisa
In : European Confederation of Language Centres in Higher Education (CercleS) Seminar, The Role of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages and the European Language Portfolio in Higher Education (17-19 Sep 2009, Padua, Italy)

Improving language learning through knowledge of personal language learning style (2007)
Pérez Cavana, M.
In : 41st International Annual IATEFL Conference and Exhibition (18-22 Apr 2007, Aberdeen)

Integrating learning styles awareness in the ELP (2007)
Pérez Cavana, Maria
In : CercleS Conference, 'The European Language Portfolio: Its role and Potential in University Language Learning', Applied Language Centre (07-09 Jun 2007, University College, Dublin)