Examining Learner Autonomy Dimensions: Students’ Perceptions of Their Responsibility and Ability

This paper was written to clarify misconceptions that East Asian students are somehow less autonomous than learners from other cultural backgrounds. Specifically, based on motivational levels, it examines Japanese university students’ perceptions of their responsibility and ability of autonomous English learning and what they can do inside and outside the classroom. Three hundred and ninety-nine students from seven universities in Japan answered a 22-item questionnaire adapted from a recent study on learner autonomy. The results show that students, regardless of motivational level, have the same perceptions of responsibility to carry out the autonomous learning tasks. However, with regard to ability, highly motivated students tend to perceive themselves as being capable of being more involved in their own learning than unmotivated students. Nevertheless, they often do not act on these feelings due to a perception that it is the teacher’s responsibility or from a lack of confidence. Pedagogical implications are considered and suggestions on further studies are encouraged.

 

東アジア圏の学生は、欧米などの他の文化圏の学生に比べて自律的な学習を行わないと言われることがあるが、本稿は、日本人の大学生の英語の自律学習（学習者オートノミ―）に関する能力と責任意識、及び実際に教室の内外でどのような自律学習を行っているかを学習意欲の程度別に調査した結果をまとめたものである。7大学399名から収集した自律学習に関するアンケート調査によると、大学生は学習意欲の程度にかかわらず自律学習を行う責任意識に関して同じ認識を持っていたが、自律学習を行う能力に関しては学習意欲の高い学生は低い学生より自信を持っていた。以上の結果を踏まえながら、英語教育において自律性を高める提案に加えて研究の必要性についても言及する。