‘The most important thing is to learn the way to learn’: evaluating the effectiveness of independent learning by perceptual changes

Abstract

The mission of universities today is not only to nurture experts in various professions, but also to cultivate lifelong autonomous learners. Independent learning and pedagogies that aim to foster learner autonomy have grown in importance over the past decade. However, the extent to which independent learning is successful in fostering autonomy has not been fully addressed; nor has a robust method for evaluating independent learning been available. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an independent learning component attached to a taught course by tracking changes in learners’ perceptions. Primary data were collected from course participants’ responses to two questionnaires. In total, 221 and 157 completed questionnaires were returned at the beginning and the end of the course, respectively, among which 95 paired responses enabled comparisons that revealed a general trend. In addition, a more focused investigation was carried out with nine participants who took part in semi-structured interviews and completed independent learning logs. The study, using a short-term longitudinal approach, revealed participants’ growing understanding of independent learning and its relevance to English language enhancement, particularly for those with no prior experience of any form of independent learning.