Fostering Autonomy through an English Language Curriculum: A Case Study at Higher Education in Japan

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24520648
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Foreign language education
• Research Institution: International Christian University
• Principal Investigator: MIYAHARA Masuko 国際基督教大学, 教養学部, 講師 (00453556)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): FUKAO Akiko 国際基督教大学, 教養学部, 講師 (30286679) ; WATANABE Atsuko 国際基督教大学, 教養学部, 講師 (70296797) ; WATANABE Izumi (Kim Izumi) 国際基督教大学, 教養学部, 講師 (40365523) ; TSUDA Atsuko 立教大学, ランゲージセンター, 教育講師 (70308039)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 第二言語習得 / カリキュラム / オートノミー / 外国語教育 / 質的研究 / 自律学習者 / 教材 / 協働／協同学習

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The overriding research question of this study is to examine how autonomy can be fostered and developed in an institutionalized setting of a formal classroom at higher education in Japan. We attempted to explore the subject from three directions: the curriculum, materials and resources, and from a slightly different level, the collaborative efforts among learners. Taking a qualitative approach to address the research question, three dominant themes emerged from the analysis of the data: 1) changes in learners’ perception of learning English, 2) transformation of their views as learners or users of English, and as a result of such mindset, 3) the creation of a real or virtual ‘space’ for learning. These factors appear to intricately intertwine in the process of developing learners’ autonomous attitude towards their own learning.

Free Research Field

Language Learning Research外国語教育