Development Of Learner Autonomy Research Articles

Using Quizlet and Brain Quiz in ESP virtual classroom at technical university (CEFR level B2/C1)

Importance. The use of game design features in educational activities, or gamification of learning, is a popular, albeit contentious, trend in the field of education right now. This research applies gamification as a strategy to enhance inner motivation and learner autonomy in acquiring L2 technical vocabulary of the second language by students at the B2/C1 level in a virtual classroom.Research Methods. The case study uses a two-cycle action research design to assess the difference between learning terminology with and without Quizlet support throughout a spring semester 2022, observes the development of learner autonomy through a survey, and demonstrates the growth of inner motivation reflected by Brain Quiz team scores.Results and Discussion. The paired-sample t-test findings showed a significant difference between the two vocabulary learning cycles. After utilising Quizlet, students’ vocabulary scores on Moodle quizzes increased by 10 to 15 % on average across all grade levels. As part of the evaluation process, the online formative assessment “Brain Quiz” demonstrates that students with higher performance on Moodle quizzes are able to establish more productive teams.Conclusion. The study can contribute to the English Language Teaching (ELT) literature regarding innovative and technological tools that can improve students’ language skills in the 21st century.

Роль преподавателей в процессе самостоятельного изучения языка: пример Аддис-Абебского университета науки и технологий

<p>This study investigates the roles of the teachers in promoting autonomous English language learning at Addis Ababa Science and Technology University. Its emphasis was on the roles of facilitator, guide/mentor, and inspirator/supporter and to what extent supporting environment helping to promote autonomous language learning are available and are used effectively. A survey questionnaire was distributed to 313 freshmen engineering students at Addis Ababa Science and Technology University where 24 students participated in FGD. Furthermore, an interview was conducted with four teachers to obtain supplementary data and for triangulation. The quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS and the qualitative data obtained from FGD and interview was analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings indicate that teachers were involved in very limited practices that promote autonomous language learning and used available supporting facilities ineffectively. Offering teachers with professional development programs on how to promote autonomous language learning will help develop learner autonomy.</p>

Attitudes and Perceptions of English as a Foreign Language Students on Blended Learning and Learner Autonomy in a Private University of China

Blended learning (BL) is becoming increasingly popular and a trend in higher education in the twenty-first century. The purpose of this study was to explore the attitudes and perceptions of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners toward the current implementation of BL and their learner autonomy (LA) development in a private university in China. It employed a qualitative case study, and the data was collected from five undergraduate students majoring in English through interviews, observations and reflective journals. Through thematic analysis of the data, the study concluded that EFL students at this university generally held negative attitudes toward the BL model and perceived the development of LA in this model as ineffective. Four themes related to the negative attitudes and perceptions emerged. First, a shortage of time was a common issue among students, and they felt mentally and physically overwhelmed by the blended tasks. Second, there was a lack of complementarity and integration between online and face-to-face instruction in the BL model. Third, students noted a lack of support and timely feedback from teachers in the online part of the BL model. Finally, more supervision was needed in terms of student characteristics. The findings have implications for future BL curriculum design and delivery, pedagogical adjustments and support for autonomous learning. More empirical studies focusing on the pedagogical design and the cultivation of EFL learners’ intrinsic motivation for autonomous English learning in the BL environment are essential to address the current situation.

Formal and informal foreign language learning at university: blurring the boundaries

ABSTRACT This paper is concerned with the integration of informal language learning into university language modules in a foreign language environment. It begins by exploring the evolving nature of formal and informal language learning. This is followed by analysis of a pedagogic innovation intended to integrate foreign language activities in an informal university space shared by domestic and international students into formal German and Spanish language modules in an anglophone context. The initiative is evaluated within an action research framework using the following research instruments: student attendance data, reflective reports, end-of-module student surveys and a collaborative debrief with two language tutors. The results indicate that the explicit integration of informal language learning into formal language modules increases student engagement with informal language learning, provides opportunities for oral practice in particular, and supports the development of language learner autonomy. While care must be taken to ensure that the informal nature of the informal language learning experience is retained using low stakes assessment and a fluid, flexible, student-led pedagogical approach, the findings indicate that the explicit integration of informal language learning activities into formal language learning has the potential to expand the personal learning environment of the foreign language learner to their benefit.

AN EXPLORATORY STUDY ON STUDENTS’ READINESS FOR AUTONOMY WITHIN THE ESP CONTEXT: THE CASE OF TWO COUNTRIES

The paper investigates students’ readiness for autonomy within the context of learning ESP (English for Specific Purposes) at the tertiary level. Developing learner autonomy within the context of higher education is particularly relevant for students in view of pursuing their career goals in the future. The main objective of the study was to find out whether and to what extent students were ready to adopt autonomy within the learning process at the university level. The sample for this study consisted of a total of 79 respondents from Poland (University of Applied Sciences in Tarnow) and Serbia (University of Belgrade, Faculty of Agriculture). A purpose built questionnaire evaluating an aspect of readiness for autonomy was used to probe the participants. In general, students from both subsamples were inclined to place responsibility for their learning on the teacher. Suggestions on how to tackle different autonomy issues and how to broaden the current study are provided in the conclusions.

Preparing adult educators for counselling older adult learners: lessons learned from a professional development programme in Hungary

ABSTRACT This qualitative study focuses on the professional development aspects of adult educators who teach languages to older learners by using one-to-one counselling. Open-ended questionnaires were used to explore participating adult educators’ reflective practice during and after the professional development programme. We used a grounded theory approach and network analysis in this research. The scaffolded reflective practice that adult educators experienced in the programme contributed to their development of learner self-awareness. Junior-and mid-career educators underscored the significance of peer- and instructor-supported feedback. In the case of older adult educators, instructional clarity and organisation were identified as particularly crucial in aiming to directly link theory to practical applicability of learner autonomy development. Deepening adult educators’ understanding about instructional approaches that enhance effective learning may also contribute to developing their own learning skills and competences. These findings may have implications for constructing professional development programmes targeted at adult learning professionals who deal with older adults’ learner autonomy development.

Fostering Learner Autonomy in Higher Education through Coaching and Mentoring for Non-Traditional Learners

This article considers the potential ways for coaching and mentoring practices in higher education to support the development of learner autonomy, a key espoused aim of university education. I argue that coaching and mentoring can foster self-regulated learning, critical thinking, and goal-setting among students, empowering them to take greater responsibility for their learning, and that higher education institutions should make greater use of coaching and mentoring practises, particularly for non-traditional learners[what in the UK are identified as ‘widening participation’ students]. The aim is to stimulate reflection and discussion among higher education practitioners.

Tertiary EFL Students’ Learner Autonomy: The Roles of Teachers in the Classroom

Learner autonomy has been considered the central aim of education because of its significant role in enabling students to develop into successful lifelong learners. In modern times, students have many opportunities to learn outside the classroom, the ideal context for learner autonomy development. Therefore, research about the development of learner autonomy in the out-of-class learning context needs to receive more focus, especially in Vietnam. Based on sociocultural theory as the theoretical framework, the current research aims to explore the potential of promoting EFL tertiary students’ learner autonomy in the out-of-class learning context through teachers’ roles in the classroom. Data collected from answers to a questionnaire on learner autonomy and teachers’ roles (N=709) suggested significant correlations between factors of the situational, behavioral, and psychological dimensions of learner autonomy and the roles of teachers as a resource, an evaluator, a controller, an instructor, a facilitator, and a co-learner in the classroom. The follow-up semi-structured in-depth group interviews (N=35) revealed that the factors that mediated the relationship between learner autonomy and teachers’ roles were the students’ motivation, teacher autonomy, trust, and care. These results help to bridge in-class and out-of-class learning and provide pedagogical implications to foster learner autonomy development in the out-of-class learning context.

Teacher's Roles and Challenges in Developing Learner Autonomy among Non - English Majored Students at a College in Vietnam

A descriptive quantitative research was conducted at the college of Technical – Economic in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The main aims of the research were to specify the roles of teachers in promoting learner autonomy for non-English majored students. The data were collected through two sets questionnaire referring teachers’ roles and challenges teacher encounter in promoting learner autonomy. The findings reveal that most teachers take the role of counsellor more than the other roles (M=4.23). This finding also shows that teachers and students had good rapport in teaching and personalizing students’ learning. This is similar to most of studies in the same topic of learner autonomy. Dealing with the challenges of constrains that teacher encounter during their teaching practice, the findings showed that students lack of skills in managing their studying effectively (M=3.45). This was particular true for students who have just transferred their studying from high schools to universities. they need time to adapt themselves in a new learning environment where the self-awareness of studying is the main source of acquiring knowledge.

Teacher's Roles and Challenges in Developing Learner Autonomy among Non - English Majored Students at a College in Vietnam

Teacher's Roles and Challenges in Developing Learner Autonomy among Non - English Majored Students at a College in Vietnam

Assessing undergraduate students’ level of independent learning as a manifestation of learner autonomy

Previous studies related to learner autonomy have been conducted, yet those studies seem to focus on formative assessment as a guarantee for the development of learner autonomy. This study is projected to assess the undergraduate students’ level of independent learning since learner autonomy tends to manifest itself in various degree of independence. A questionnaire related to independent learner was adopted as the main instrument. The data were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The quantitative data were obtained to assess the students’ level of independent learning while the qualitative data were gained to reveal the students’ perceptions and thoughts about independent learning. The results show that most of the students have moderate independence. Moreover, most of the students are considered able to relate the concept of independent learning with various degrees of independence that are included in the notion of learner autonomy. Nevertheless, the findings also show that some students tend to have low interest in their studies, low expectation about what they want to learn, and low possibility in questioning what they are told. It is important for the teachers to enhance the students’ moderate independence into high independence by providing the access to a number of learning opportunities. Thus, the students are able to critically reflect on their own learning and effectively develop awareness to help them learn constructively.

Teachers’ Beliefs on Autonomous English Learning in Chinese Universities

Autonomous English learning has gained increasing attention from English teachers in Chinese universities. However, few empirical studies were conducted to explore this notion from teachers’ perspective. In this study, by means of a mixed approach, the belief of English teachers in Chinese universities was explored, mainly based on the data from 481 quantitative questionnaires and supplemented by the online in-depth interviews. The study explored the teachers’ beliefs about learner autonomy including their belief about its definition, the methods of developing learner autonomy and teachers’ roles in its cultivation. Beside, their beliefs about the impact of age, culture and motivation on learner autonomy were investigated. The study revealed that consistency existed among teachers in the belief about the definition of learner autonomy while inconsistencies existed in how to improve students’ learner autonomy. Also this research revealed that culture, motivation and traditional teaching mode affected the effective implementation of this concept. In the future, we might deepen the understanding of this educational concept and provide favorable conditions for the teachers to effectively put this approach into practice in the classroom settings.

Perspectives on English Language Teaching and Learning during COVID-19 Pandemic

Introduction: Since its outbreak, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the worldwide education systems, leading to school closures in many countries as well as changes in the whole educational system. Therefore, there has been a rapid shift from face-to-face education to emergency online teaching. English language teaching and learning is an integral flow in this stream of online processes. Hence, this study aimed to explore both teachers’ and students’ perspectives on English language teaching and learning during COVID-19 pandemic.
 Methodology: The participants included 23 English as Foreign Language learners and 18 teachers. The respondents took part in semi-structured interviews and filled out the questionnaire. Thematic analysis was performed to analyze the obtained data.
 Results: The findings from qualitative data revealed that all the participants, as learners, agreed upon the positive influences of online English learning in terms of skill development. Besides, they also considered the flexibility of class schedules and a variety of online assignments as the biggest advantages while bothering with some disadvantages such as internet/technical and health problems. As for English language teachers, speaking skill was the most challenging skill to help students; moreover, some of their concerns included difficulties in class management, online interaction, facilitation, assessment, and digital literacy. Nevertheless, they confirmed the advantages of online resources, new knowledge of technological issues, and development of learner autonomy.
 Conclusion: Overall, the research appeals to more support from university officials to improve the quality of online English teaching and learning. It also contributes to making both teachers’ and learners’ voices heard during the coronavirus quarantine.

Approaches to Fostering Learner Autonomy in EFL Learning

Learner autonomy has been a major topic of research in foreign language education for a long time. Despite the prevalent consensus that learner autonomy is concerned with a learner’s capacity to take control or take charge of his/her own learning (Benson, 2013), this does not mean that the teacher’s role is unnecessary. In recent years, many approaches to promoting learner autonomy have been suggested and many empirical studies have been carried out to examine the effectiveness of the approaches. This paper aimed at reviewing approaches to promoting learner autonomy. First, the definitions of learner autonomy are presented, followed by a discussion of the teacher’s roles in promoting learner autonomy. Next, six approaches to fostering learner autonomy as proposed by Benson (2001) are reviewed with references to both theories and results of empirical research. Based on the review, it can be concluded that teachers play an important role in the development of learner autonomy, and although the six approaches have different emphases, they seem to have more similarities than differences, particularly in encouraging learners to plan and follow their language learning paths to attain their goals. Implications for future research are put forward.

Parents’ Contributions to Vietnamese English as a Foreign Language Students’ Perceptions of Learner Autonomy

Learner autonomy has been consistently identified to foster independent learning over the last three decades, and its promoting practices have primarily been targeted by empirical investigations. However, only little attention has been paid to students’ perceptions and the specific social factors that can sustain the development of this capacity, particular in the case of young learners. To bridge this gap, the current study investigates if high school English foreign language (EFL) students’ perceptions of learner autonomy is mediated by their perceived parental supports. Employing a quantitative approach, this research distributed a Likert item questionnaire to 515 high school students who learn English as a foreign language to find out their perceptions of learner autonomy and its relation to the level of parental support that they perceive. The data analysis shows a positive correlation between the two. The more care that the students think they can receive from their parents, the greater appreciation of learner autonomy they express. This indicates the significant role of parents in fostering the development of learner autonomy and calls for further research on this complex relationship.

Learner Autonomy, Motivation and English Speaking Proficiency: A Study Among English Foreign Language Univerity Students in Nghe An

It is well acknowledged that autonomy and motivation have significant effects on language acquisition performance. Despite considerable work on motivation and autonomy in language learning, the relationship between learners' autonomy, motivation, and English speaking proficiency has not been sufficiently investigated. This article aims to explore the link between learners' autonomy, motivation, and English speaking proficiency. 200 English Foreign Language university students at Vinh university were given questionnaires to assess their autonomy and motivation in developing speaking abilities. The association between learners' autonomy, motivation, and their English speaking proficiency was determined by comparing this data to the speaking proficiency test scores. The analysis of the acquired findings revealed that learners with lower speaking grades reported being less independent than those with better English speaking proficiency. Similarly, the results indicated a correlation between learners' speaking grades and motivation levels. Some pedagogical implications thus should entail modifications to the language instruction curriculum to facilitate the development of learner autonomy and motivation.

Učenje engleskog jezika struke putem mudla u vanrednim okolnostima - perspektiva studenata

This paper investigates the experiences and opinions of students who learnt English for specific purposes via Moodle in the period between March and June 2020. The aim was to analyse the extent and forms of their engagement in this type of learning, explore their perceived positive and negative aspects of the course, and obtain suggestions for integration of this educational platform into English language classes in future. In addition, the paper aimed to investigate if there were any statistically significant differences related to the respondents' use of the platform and their participation in the course according to the level of their English language knowledge and digital competences. The sample comprised 107 students who completed an anonymous questionnaire. Quantitative and qualitative data were analysed using the descriptive statistics and content analysis. Kruskal-Wallis test was employed to detect the correlation between dependent and independent variables. The obtained results showed general satisfaction with the English language course run on Moodle, but also revealed the students' observation that the platform should accompany face to face classes in order to make learning more effective. The positive and negative aspects of the course identified by respondents were mostly in line with the existing research within the field of emergency remote teaching. Students pointed to the advantages of learning English via Moodle in terms of flexibility, accessibility of teaching materials, functions of tools such as tests, glossaries, forums. They also highlighted drawbacks, such as absence of real-time communication, work overload, and lack of self-discipline. It was interesting to discover that although research participants recognized the benefits of communication and collaboration tools, they did not engage with them to the anticipated extent. The fact that the mentioned issue has been identified in online learning in general suggests that the cause might lie in traditional, teacher-centred approach to teaching, which is still widespread in the educational system in Serbia. The obtained data carry important pedagogical implications for both learners and teachers in terms of incorporating digital tools in classes and devising a strategy for implementation of remote teaching in times of crisis. Students should be acquainted more thoroughly with virtual educational environment, which would, in turn, lead to the increased engagement and development of learner autonomy. In order to achieve this goal, teachers should strive to enhance their technological and pedagogic competences. This would also help them keep pace with technological educational innovations and encounter potential future educational emergencies better prepared.

Strategies Used in Learner Autonomy Development in English as a Foreign Language Learning among 9th Grade Students

Recently, teaching and learning languages has largely and directly focused on students' ability to study independently. Therefore, it is necessary for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students to develop learner autonomy (LA) in learning. Conducting studies to explore the ability to study autonomously among secondary students is necessary. This study, hence, aimed to explore the 9th grade students’ perceptions of their strategies in LA development in learning EFL at a state-owned secondary school (SOSS) in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The study involved 152 ninth graders. Both quantitative and qualitative data were obtained through the use of two instruments, namely the questionnaire and interviews. For analyzing the collected data, descriptive statistics and content analysis were employed. The findings of the study revealed that to develop LA, most students used strategies related to identifying learning needs and trying to achieve learning goals, and over half of them used such strategies as setting learning goals and making plans, applying learning strategies, and evaluating the learning process and outcomes. The study also made some recommendations for both teachers and students, as well as their families, with the aim of enhancing students’ LA in learning EFL. This study is expected to shed light on methods for language teaching and autonomy-based learning orientation.

ONLINE LEARNING AND ITS POTENTIAL IN DEVELOPING EFL LEARNER AUTONOMY: ENGLISH-MAJORED STUDENTS' PERCEPTIONS

Learner autonomy is now regarded as a desirable goal in tertiary education as it is found to comply with learner-centered approaches and enable students to pursue life-long learning (Sinclair, 2000a; Ciekanski, 2007). In the time of COVID-19 pandemic, the essential to conduct in-depth investigations into leaner autotomy and online learning has become more urgent, especially in the context of a university in Vietnam. This quantitative research responded to such a pressing call by exploring two aspects: (1) the students’ perception of online learning, and (3) the potentiality of online learning for developing learner autonomy. Quantitative data were collected through questionnaires administered to 199 English-majored students in the context of a university in Mekong Delta. The results revealed that the students possessed positive perceptions toward online learning. Furthermore, the potentiality of online learning was explored including the ability of (1) planning learning experience, (2) evaluating learning performance, (3) determining learning goals, (4) self-controlling learning process, (5) taking responsibility for learning decision. Last but not least, this study expected that the proposed pedagogical implications will contribute to the innovation of promoting learner autonomy in online learning in the context of a university in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0203/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Implementing a Portfolio-based Learner Autonomy Development Model in an EFL Writing Course

Learner autonomy is believed to play a leading role in life-long learning; as a result, a myriad of studies have been conducted to discover tools to promote learner autonomy (e.g., blogs, Facebook, web 2.0, learning contracts, etc.). Nevertheless, the effects of a portfolio on promoting learner autonomy have not been explored much. This paper endeavored to investigate whether or not learner autonomy was developed with the implementation of the portfolio-based learner autonomy development (PLAD) model in an EFL writing course. Regarding research methodology, both qualitative and quantitative data were collected from a questionnaire with closed-ended and open-ended items and reflection logs kept in portfolios. For data analysis, the quantitative data were analyzed through descriptive statistics and inferential statistics, whereas qualitative data were analyzed through content analysis. The findings showed the development of learner autonomy after the course in which a portfolio was employed as a learning tool. In particular, the participants were aware of learner autonomy and felt positive about autonomous learning tasks, especially writing reflection. Self-assessment, however, was the most challenging task which they encountered because of lack of confidence and experience. In addition, it was evident that the participants could choose learning materials when they were offered freedom and rights to do this task.