Characterization of Autonomous Work in a Chilean English Pedagogy Program: Teachers’ and Freshmen’s Perspectives

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15359/ree.23-1.4

Keywords:

Autonomous learning, autonomous work activities, autonomous work, learning, university student

Abstract

Autonomy in language learning is recognized as a basic skill language learners need to develop. This study describes the autonomous work activities university students carry out in a first-semester course of an English teaching program, and the amount of time they invest in each of these activities. Moreover, it describes the teachers’ perspective on students’ autonomous work. It is a descriptive  mixed study with an exploratory scope. The study considers data generated through the application of a questionnaire and an in-depth interview to 48 freshmen from an English Pedagogy Program,  as well as a questionnaire and a focus group applied to eight English teachers from the same program. The qualitative data were analyzed through content analysis method; and the quantitative data, through a frequency method of analysis. The analysis reveals that there is an imbalance between the time teachers estimate students devote to autonomous work and the real time students declare to invest in it. In relation to students autonomous work activities, it can be concluded that they concentrate on activities which are less stressful and the ones they do not need to interact with teachers. This study provides empiric information that could be useful to design courses that consider autonomous work.

Author Biographies

Roxanna Correa-Pérez, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción

Roxanna Correa is a teacher of English at Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Chile. Professor Correa holds a Master’s Degree in Education. Since 2004 she has been part of the English Pedagogy Staff in UCSC, teaching mainly methodology and assessment courses and developing research in applied linguistics.

María Gabriela Sanhueza-Jara, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción

Profesora de Inglés de la Universidad de Concepción-Chile y Magister en Ciencias de la   Educación de la Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción- Chile (UCSC). Actualmente, académica de la UCSC, ejerce docencia e investiga en el área del aprendizaje y enseñanza de inglés. Ha publicado capítulos de libro y artículos académicos sobre las concepciones pedagógicas de profesores en formación y en ejercicio, y estrategias de aprendizaje de inglés como L2.

References

Bachman, L. F. (1990). Fundamental considerations in language teaching. OUP Oxford.

Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Benson, P. (2001). Teaching and researching autonomy in language learning. London: Longman.

Benson, P. (2007). Autonomy in language teaching and learning. Language Teaching, 40(1), 21-40. doi: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0261444806003958

Benson, P., & Voller, P. (Eds.). (1997). Autonomy and independence in language learning. London: Longman.

Canale, M., & Swain, M. (1980) Theoretical bases of communicative approaches to second language teaching and testing. Applied Linguistics, 1(1), 1-47. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/I.1.1

Carr, P. B. (1999). The measurement of resourcefulness intentions in the adult autonomous learner (Doctoral dissertation), George Washington University, Washington.

Cohen, L., Manion,L., & Morrison, K.(2008). Research methods in education (6a ed.). New York: Routledge. Recuperado de https://islmblogblog.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/rme-edu-helpline-blogspot-com.pdf

Cook, V. (2001). Using the first language in the classroom. The Canadian Modern Language Review, 57(3), 402-423. doi: https://doi.org/10.3138/cmlr.57.3.402

Dam, L. (1995). Learner autonomy 3: From theory to practice. Dublin: Authentik.

Dam, L., Eriksson, R., Little, D., Miliander, J., & Trebbi, T. (1990). Towards a definition of autonomy. In T. Trebbi (Ed.), Third Nordic Workshop on Developing Autonomous Learning in the FL Classroom (pp. 102-103). Bergen: University of Bergen. Retrieve from https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/al/research/groups/llta/research/past_projects/dahla/archive/trebbi-1990.pdf

Derrick, M. G. (2001). The measurement of an adult’s intention to exhibit persistence in autonomous learning (Doctoral dissertation). Dissertation Abstracts International, 62(05), 2533B. (UMI No. 3006915). The George Washington University.

Dickinson, L. (1987). Self-instruction in language learning. Cambridge: University Press.

Dickinson,L., & Carver, D. (1980). Learning how to Learn: Steps towards self-direction in foreign language learning in schools. ELT Journal, 35(1): 1-7. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/XXXV.1.1

Duijnhouwer, H. (2010). Feedback effects on student’s writing motivation, process and performance (Tesis doctoral). Universiteit Utrecht. Retrieve from http://dspace.library.uu.nl/bitstream/handle/1874/43968/duijnhouwer.pdf?sequence=1

Fukuda, S., & Yoshida, H. (2012). Time is of the essence: Factors encouraging out-of-class study time. ELT journal, 67(1), 31-40. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/ccs054

Hasim, Z., & Zakaria, A. R. (2016). ESL teachers’ knowledge on learner autonomy. In F. Lumban, F. Hutagalung, A.

Razk, & Z. Hasim (Eds.), Knowledge, Service, Tourism & Hospitality (pp. 3-6). London: Taylor & Francis Group. Retrieve from https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9781315617312

Humphreys, G., & Wyatt, M. (2014). Helping Vietnamese university learners to become more autonomous. ELT Journal, 68(1), 52-63. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/cct056

Hyland, F. (2004) Learning autonomously: Contextualising out-of-classe language learning. Language Awareness, 13(3), 180-202. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/09658410408667094

Hymes, D. (1972). The scope of sociolinguistics. Georgetown University Monograph (Series on Languages and Linguistics), 25, 313-333.

Little, D. (2013). Language learner autonomy as agency and discourse: The challenge to learning technologies. Dublin, Ireland: Trinity College.

Mackey, A., & Gass, S.M. (2005). Second language research. Methodology and design. New York. Routledge.

Miles, M .B., & Huberman, A. M. (1984). Qualitative data analysis: A sourcebook of new method. USA: Sage Publications.

Oxford, R. L. (1999). Relationships between second language learning strategies and language proficiency in the context of learner autonomy and self-regulation. Revista Canaria de Estudios Ingleses, 38, 1999, 109-126. Retrieve from http://www.academia.edu/24255872/RELATIONSHIPS_BETWEEN_SECOND_LANGUAGE_LEARNING_STRATEGIES_AND_LANGUAGE_PROFICIENCY_IN_THE_CONTEXT_OF_LEARNER_AUTONOMY_AND_SELF-_REGULATION

Oxford, R. L. (2003). Toward a more systematic model of L2 learner autonomy. In D. Palfreyman, & R. C. Smith (Eds.), Learner autonomy across cultures: Language education perspectives (pp. 75-91). New York: Palgrave Macmillan. doi: https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230504684_5

Ponton, M. K., & Carr, P. B. (1999). A quasi-linear behavioural model and an application to self-directed learning. Hampton, Virginia: NASA Langley Research Center.

Ponton, M., K., & Rhea, N. E. (2006). Autonomous learning from a social cognitive perspective. New Horizons in Adult Education & Human Resource Development, 20(2), 38-49. doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/nha3.10250

Reinders, H., & Balcikanli, C. (2011). Learning to foster autonomy: The role of teacher education materials. Studies in Self-Access Learning Journal, 2(1), 15-25. Retrieve from https://sisaljournal.org/archives/mar11/reinders_balcikanli/

Saville-Troike, M. (2005). Introducing second language acquistion. Cambridge University Press, New York. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511808838

Scharle, Á., & Szabó, A. (2001). Learner autonomy. A guide to developing learner responsibility. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Smith, R. C. (2003). Pedagogy for autonomy as (becoming-) appropriate methodology. In D. Palfreyman, & R. C. Smith (Eds.), Learner autonomy across cultures (pp. 129-146). London: Palgrave Macmillan. doi: https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230504684_8

Trebbi, T., & Barfield, A. (2009). Unveiling teacher and learner beliefs: An interview with Turid Trebbi. Independence, 47, 9-14. Retrieve from http://c-faculty.chuo-u.ac.jp/~andyb/Self/Beliefs.pdf

Published

2019-01-01

How to Cite

Characterization of Autonomous Work in a Chilean English Pedagogy Program: Teachers’ and Freshmen’s Perspectives (R. Correa-Pérez & M. G. Sanhueza-Jara , Trans.). (2019). Revista Electrónica Educare, 23(1), 1-23. https://doi.org/10.15359/ree.23-1.4

Issue

Section

Journal Articles (Peer Reviewed Section)

How to Cite

Characterization of Autonomous Work in a Chilean English Pedagogy Program: Teachers’ and Freshmen’s Perspectives (R. Correa-Pérez & M. G. Sanhueza-Jara , Trans.). (2019). Revista Electrónica Educare, 23(1), 1-23. https://doi.org/10.15359/ree.23-1.4

Comentarios (ver términos de uso)