Web as Corpus for Data-Driven Learning

Coined by Tim Johns in the early 1990s, the term Data-Driven Learning (DDL) is closely associated with the use of corpora in language teaching. The methodology of DDL is based on discovery learning activities, aimed at enhancing learners’ ability to engage directly with language data, fostering critical thinking about language in use through the cycle of hypothesis formulation and testing. However, the close association with corpus technology has proved to be a hindering factor for the spread of DDL in everyday classroom practice. In this context, the potential of using the web as a language resource soon attracted the attention of teachers and scholars, with studies suggesting that using the web as a corpus for DDL can positively contribute to finding data-driven solutions to problems concerning language usage and can spark teachers’ and students’ interest in proper DDL in the long term.