Total Autonomy Research Articles

Probation or Prison

Although legal principles capable of remedying disparity and unjust prison commitments have been recognized and have been applied to sentencing, most trial and appellate courts resist adopting them, adhering to the old and failing concept of total autonomy of trial courts in sentenc ing. Some cases that apply these principles and others that do not are cited and analyzed. Adoption of the principle of the least drastic alternative, the foremost of the needed reforms, calls for supporting practices. It is recom mended by the National Advisory Commission on Criminal Justice Standards and Goals, whose proposed criteria are set forth.

Learner Autonomy: Concept and Considerations

"Give me a fish and I eat for a day. Teach me to fish and I eat for a lifetime." This proverb taken from Chinese culture is associated with learner autonomy. Once learning used to be the matter of receiving the body of knowledge which could then be used for the rest of life. But such view has been nonsense in this fast-paced world. Therefore, the learners should be provided with the skills necessary for the lifelong pursuit for knowledge. This article begins with the general concept of autonomy and goes on to consider different aspects of autonomy. It insists that learner autonomy does work in any culture provided that the teacher also has autonomy to some extent and curriculum is designed accordingly. While it highlights that total autonomy is neither feasible nor desirable in formal language learning contexts, it argues that learner autonomy is necessary for making someone lifelong learner.Key words: Learner autonomy; Teacher autonomy; Curriculum; Culture; ActivitiesJournal of NELTAVol. 15 No. 1-2 December 2010Page: 114-120Uploaded date: 4 May, 2011DOI: 10.3126/nelta.v15i1-2.4617