Tensions in Policy and Practice in Self-directed Learning

Akaranithi, Akara; Panlay, Suriyan

doi:10.1057/9780230596443_4

“…106) to the development of learner development, persisted in the communication. The change in the role of the teacher, from the traditional notion of provider of knowledge to one of facilitator of and advisor in the learning process has also been treated by Voller (1997), and by Akaranithi and Panlay (2007).…”

Section: Teacher-based Approachesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Principles of Learner Autonomy in Action: Effects and Perceptions in a College-Level Foreign Language Class

Haseborg¹,

Everwien²

3

2

0

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This study was designed to investigate how college learners of a foreign language perceived learner autonomy, its effects on student motivation, and its benefits to different parts of language learning. It utilized a mixed-methods design. Participants were 90 undergraduate students in German courses of different levels. During the course of instruction, principles of learner autonomy were implemented in the instruction. Qualitative as well as quantitative data were collected in the form of a self-assessment survey, learning journals, reflective statements, and an autonomous learning survey. The analysis was focused on (1) how students perceived the ability to make autonomous learning choices, (2) how the ability to make autonomous choices regarding format, content, and timing affected motivation, and (3) which areas of language learning were most benefited by autonomous learning choices. The findings showed evidence that a majority of the students involved in this study reacted very positively to an autonomous learning environment, especially to the opportunity to make choices in regards to content. The students unanimously reported an increase in their level of motivation based on the autonomous learning choices. There was also a contrast between appreciation for autonomous learning choices on the one hand, and requests for more targeted instruction and practice on grammar, as well as more frequent assessments like quizzes and tests.

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“…Similarly, in Japan, teachers thought that their students needed training because they felt them to be inactive and lacking in autonomy (Murase, 2011). Teachers' concerns about students' capacity to develop autonomy was also found by Akaranithi and Panlay (2007) in Thailand. Thai teachers believed that students could not become independent without a great deal of support and help.…”

Section: Teachers' Perceptions and Practices Of Developing Learner Autonomymentioning

confidence: 98%

“…In Malaysia, English teachers perceived their English as a Second Language (ESL) students had limited capacity to conduct autonomous language learning, and this led them to give explicit instructions as a way to develop their learners' autonomy (Ismail & Yusof, 2012). Thai English teachers had no objections to being a facilitator, but they believed that students still needed their help and support as they believed their learners could not become independent instantly (Akaranithi & Panlay, 2007). In another study involving teachers from Germany, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Spain, and Switzerland it was found that teachers perceived their students as too dependent on the teachers, taking no responsibility for their language learning and having no belief in the importance of autonomy development (Reinders & Lazaro, 2011), thus requiring guidance from their teachers.…”

Section: Types Of Autonomymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Teachers of English in Nepal, for example, acknowledged that their main role was as a facilitator in developing learner autonomy, and their secondary role was as a co-worker who acted more or less authoritatively according to classroom conditions (Joshi, 2011). Thai teachers were also conscious of their role as learning facilitators and showed no objection to facilitating the development of students' personal strategies in learning (Akaranithi & Panlay, 2007).…”

Section: The Role Of Teachers In Developing Learner Autonomymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Students aged 16-19 years in Selby College in the United Kingdom acknowledged in a quantitative study that they appreciated the support and guidance from their tutors and they mentioned that the staff also provided opportunities for them to conduct independent learning (Broad, 2006). Thai tertiary students also admitted that they preferred teacher-oriented lessons where teachers could give explicit explanation about grammar and where they did not need to search for an explanation from either the internet or other sources independently (Akaranithi & Panlay, 2007). These students still wanted the teachers' help and support and their teachers had a similar view that they were still needed to give direction to their students.…”

Section: The Role Of Teachers In Developing Learner Autonomymentioning

confidence: 99%

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A complex system of teachers' beliefs and practices in developing learner autonomy in Indonesian junior high school contexts: A mixed-methods study

Agustina¹

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<p>The new junior high school curriculum in Indonesia requires teachers to develop learner autonomy and create a student-centred approach in English classrooms. It is therefore important to study what perceptions Indonesian English teachers have of this requirement and how their perceptions are reflected in their teaching practices. Learner autonomy may be perceived differently by Indonesian teachers as traditionally this concept has been applied in Western countries whose teaching traditions differ from those of non-Western countries. The research site is a tourist area where Indonesian students may have access to English users and authentic English language materials unlike other regions in Indonesia. This context prompted me to investigate how teachers perceived and used these local English language resources to facilitate their students’ English language learning and autonomy development. This study used S. Borg and Al-Busaidi’s (2012a) survey instrument within an explanatory sequential mixed-method design to investigate 145 junior high school teachers’ perceptions of developing learner autonomy. The second phase was a multiple-case study of nine English teachers in Magelang Regency, Central Java, Indonesia. The findings from the survey and the thematic analysis show that in general Indonesian teachers had positive perceptions about learner autonomy and its development. These teachers’ willingness to introduce the concept of autonomy suggests that there were no perceived cultural barriers to adopting this Western concept in Indonesia. However, the teachers did not share a common understanding of autonomy which may have affected the way they applied the curriculum. Teachers displayed complex underlying beliefs about the importance of autonomy and also about the different supports and constraints offered by their teaching contexts. These included different levels of experience in managing classrooms which appeared to result in varying levels of effectiveness in implementing learner autonomy. This study reveals a complex interrelationship among teachers’ beliefs, practices, and contextual factors in which teaching experience played an important role. Positive beliefs about learner autonomy did not always result in good practice. Conversely, lack of facilities did not always undermine the practice of developing learner autonomy provided teacher belief in it was strong. Classroom management skills appeared to exert significant influence on developing autonomy in practice, as without these skills, teachers’ efforts to facilitate autonomous language learning seemed to result in teachers’ losing control of the classroom. These findings signal the importance of assisting teachers to develop the classroom management skills necessary for autonomous language learning. Some tensions among teachers’ practices also emerged in this study. The new curriculum, like its (2006) predecessor, required that learning contexts should be extended outside the classroom, but the use of authentic local learning resources was still limited by many teachers’ understanding of the new requirements of the 2013 curriculum. The participant teachers were also coming to terms with the new, government-mandated textbooks. This heavy reliance on textbooks suggested that their primary focus continued to be on preparing students for the examinations, which were still the primary means for assessing student achievement. Teachers also seemed uncertain about how the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) facilitated autonomy development, how to assess students’ learning, and how to play new and unfamiliar facilitation roles in the classroom. In addition, not all teachers had participated in professional development to prepare them for curriculum implementation, and not all schools had received the required government textbooks. These findings suggest that there was a rush towards curriculum implementation in Indonesia in 2013. This study also shows that access to local learning resources such as tourist sites in Magelang Regency did not necessarily facilitate autonomy development. Some teachers had taken students to the temple in the past but some perceived that the new curriculum and other new challenges inhibited them from continuing this practice. These constraints outweighed teachers’ positive perceptions about the use of those local resources. This study contributes to the study of English Language Teaching (ELT) in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context as it provides insights into how teachers begin to implement a new curriculum requirement to develop student autonomy and / or use authentic learning resources in the local area as resources for autonomy development. This study highlights subtle differences in the individual systems of teachers’ beliefs about learner autonomy and uses complexity theory to analyse how these beliefs interacted with the local environment to contribute to the various degrees of success in promoting learner autonomy.</p>

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A complex system of teachers' beliefs and practices in developing learner autonomy in Indonesian junior high school contexts: A mixed-methods study

Agustina¹

0

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

<p>The new junior high school curriculum in Indonesia requires teachers to develop learner autonomy and create a student-centred approach in English classrooms. It is therefore important to study what perceptions Indonesian English teachers have of this requirement and how their perceptions are reflected in their teaching practices. Learner autonomy may be perceived differently by Indonesian teachers as traditionally this concept has been applied in Western countries whose teaching traditions differ from those of non-Western countries. The research site is a tourist area where Indonesian students may have access to English users and authentic English language materials unlike other regions in Indonesia. This context prompted me to investigate how teachers perceived and used these local English language resources to facilitate their students’ English language learning and autonomy development. This study used S. Borg and Al-Busaidi’s (2012a) survey instrument within an explanatory sequential mixed-method design to investigate 145 junior high school teachers’ perceptions of developing learner autonomy. The second phase was a multiple-case study of nine English teachers in Magelang Regency, Central Java, Indonesia. The findings from the survey and the thematic analysis show that in general Indonesian teachers had positive perceptions about learner autonomy and its development. These teachers’ willingness to introduce the concept of autonomy suggests that there were no perceived cultural barriers to adopting this Western concept in Indonesia. However, the teachers did not share a common understanding of autonomy which may have affected the way they applied the curriculum. Teachers displayed complex underlying beliefs about the importance of autonomy and also about the different supports and constraints offered by their teaching contexts. These included different levels of experience in managing classrooms which appeared to result in varying levels of effectiveness in implementing learner autonomy. This study reveals a complex interrelationship among teachers’ beliefs, practices, and contextual factors in which teaching experience played an important role. Positive beliefs about learner autonomy did not always result in good practice. Conversely, lack of facilities did not always undermine the practice of developing learner autonomy provided teacher belief in it was strong. Classroom management skills appeared to exert significant influence on developing autonomy in practice, as without these skills, teachers’ efforts to facilitate autonomous language learning seemed to result in teachers’ losing control of the classroom. These findings signal the importance of assisting teachers to develop the classroom management skills necessary for autonomous language learning. Some tensions among teachers’ practices also emerged in this study. The new curriculum, like its (2006) predecessor, required that learning contexts should be extended outside the classroom, but the use of authentic local learning resources was still limited by many teachers’ understanding of the new requirements of the 2013 curriculum. The participant teachers were also coming to terms with the new, government-mandated textbooks. This heavy reliance on textbooks suggested that their primary focus continued to be on preparing students for the examinations, which were still the primary means for assessing student achievement. Teachers also seemed uncertain about how the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) facilitated autonomy development, how to assess students’ learning, and how to play new and unfamiliar facilitation roles in the classroom. In addition, not all teachers had participated in professional development to prepare them for curriculum implementation, and not all schools had received the required government textbooks. These findings suggest that there was a rush towards curriculum implementation in Indonesia in 2013. This study also shows that access to local learning resources such as tourist sites in Magelang Regency did not necessarily facilitate autonomy development. Some teachers had taken students to the temple in the past but some perceived that the new curriculum and other new challenges inhibited them from continuing this practice. These constraints outweighed teachers’ positive perceptions about the use of those local resources. This study contributes to the study of English Language Teaching (ELT) in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context as it provides insights into how teachers begin to implement a new curriculum requirement to develop student autonomy and / or use authentic learning resources in the local area as resources for autonomy development. This study highlights subtle differences in the individual systems of teachers’ beliefs about learner autonomy and uses complexity theory to analyse how these beliefs interacted with the local environment to contribute to the various degrees of success in promoting learner autonomy.</p>

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Tensions in Policy and Practice in Self-directed Learning

Cited by 3 publications

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Principles of Learner Autonomy in Action: Effects and Perceptions in a College-Level Foreign Language Class

Principles of Learner Autonomy in Action: Effects and Perceptions in a College-Level Foreign Language Class

A complex system of teachers' beliefs and practices in developing learner autonomy in Indonesian junior high school contexts: A mixed-methods study

A complex system of teachers' beliefs and practices in developing learner autonomy in Indonesian junior high school contexts: A mixed-methods study

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