Can learner autonomy be assessed?

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Can learner autonomy be assessed?

• Christine O'Leary
• Sheffield Hallam University
• UK

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Outline

• Introduction
• Definitions of learner of autonomy
• Assessing learner autonomy- benefits and issues
• Evaluating the development of autonomy in
  Languages- previous studies
• Assessing learner autonomy in practice examples
  from final year students on the Languages degree
  programme
• Conclusion
• References
• Discussion

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Introduction

• Assessment shapes how students view the
  curriculum and make decisions about what they
  learn and how they learn it (Boud, 2002 Ramsden,
  2003).
• Biggs(2003) recommends aligning the type of
  assessment with the approach to teaching and
  learning for the learning to be effective.
• If we regard learner autonomy as an educational
  goal per se, should we attempt to assess it and
  if so, how?

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Definitions of learner autonomy

• Learner autonomy is defined as learners' ability
  to take charge or control of their own learning
  (Holec, 1981 Little, 1990 Benson, 2001 2006).
  Little (2000 69) defines autonomy in language
  learning as -
• " Autonomy in language learning depends on the
  development and exercise of a capacity for
  detachment, critical reflection, decision making
  and independent action autonomous learners
  assume responsibility for determining the
  purpose, content, rhythm and method of their
  learning, monitoring its progress and evaluating
  its outcomes. "
• Learner autonomy is about interdependent as well
  as independent learning (Kohonen, 1992 William
  and Burden (1997 Benson, 2001 O'Rourke
  Schwienhorst, 2003).

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Assessing learner autonomy-issues

• The measurement (and therefore, assessment) of
  autonomy is problematic because autonomy is a
  multidimentional construct (Little,1991 Nunan,
  1997 Benson, 2001).
• " Although we may be able to identify and list
  behaviours that demonstrate control over
  learning.., we have little evidence to suggest
  that autonomy consists of any particular
  combination of these behaviours" (Benson, 2001
  51)
• Autonomous behaviour can take different forms
  depending on age, stage of learning, perceived
  learning needs and even the learning context
  (Little, 1991 Benson, 2001)
• Benson (2001) argues that autonomous behaviour is
  essentially self-initiated rather than generated
  in response to a task which requires either
  explicitly or implicitly the observed behaviours.

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Assessing Learner autonomy- the benefits

• Autonomy is a capacity which the student may or
  may not choose to exercise. If you don't bring it
  into an assessment programme, the majority of
  students will not see its importance (a view
  shared by colleagues such as Debbie Corder from
  Auckland Australia- Auto-L discussion March/
  April 2005).
• Assessment influences the decisions student make
  about how as well as what they learn (Boud, 2002
  Ramsden, 2003) so assessing autonomy may be
  essential for its development in an institutional
  context.

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Evaluating the development of autonomy in
Languages- previous studies

• Lai's 2001 study which details the successful
  development of two rating scales relating to
  process control (task level using listening
  journal) and self-direction.
• Champagne et al (2001)'s action research study
  looking at performance (c-test to measure
  attainment in language proficiency) and process
  through qualitative analysis of portfolio
  entries/observations and interviews. The study
  highlighted the need for learners to participate
  in self-assessment, and for assessment of process
  to be an integral part of the programme.
• O'Leary (2006) study using Benson (2001)'s 3 key
  psychological categories of autonomy to analyse
  students' self-evaluation reports. The study
  concluded that the nature of the assessment
  activity clearly plays a key role in the
  development of autonomy.

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Assessing learner autonomy in practice

• ULS French Stage 6- Assessment Programme
• Language undergraduates
• Portfolio including group translation and
  interpreting tasks associated self/peer
  evaluation, activities selected by the learners
  based on needs and a reflective piece of writing
  (20)
• Time constrained translation (40)
• Interpreting tasks (40)

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Assessing learner autonomy in practice- examples

• Portfolio marking criteria
• Planning ability to assess learning needs,
  define objectives and plan work accordingly
• Reflection ability to reflect on and assess
  progress made. The extent to which feedback given
  to peers is detailed and constructive

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Assessing learner autonomy in practice (2)

• Portfolio marking criteria (continued)
• Performance The standard of the tasks (group and
  free choice activities) included in the portfolio
• Progression Evidence of development and progress
  (e.g. acting on feedback through resubmission of
  work)

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Assessing learner autonomy in practice extract
from student work

• Planning-
• Timing
• " These are the dates I propose to have each task
  done by. I have specifically left the
  interpretations exercises until last because I
  want to get as much practice as possible (..) I
  am less confident in this area."
• Needs analysis
• " I still have problems using the correct gender
  for many words and although this should not be a
  problem for the translation task (..), this would
  be a problem when it comes to interpreting"

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Assessing learner autonomy in practice Extract
from students work (continued)

• Defining objectives
• " In order to improve my interpretation skills, I
  am going to choose tasks that will enable me to
  practise my note taking techniques"
• Reflection
• "Of all three translations completed, I found the
  group translation most useful...... The main
  reasons for this is because I was in a group of
  three whereby each group member contributed
  significantly to the final version. Each point
  discussed was debated enthusiastically and each
  view was well justified by all group members"

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Assessing learner autonomy in practice Extract
from students work (continued)

• Assessing progress made
• " I found that I almost forgot important
  grammatical structures on the spot. I knew that I
  had said something wrong once I had said it .."
• Feedback to peers
• " Once again in the third paragraph which Sarah
  interpreted I only found a couple of things to
  question.I was unsure if saying " nous attendons"
  which literally means " we are waiting" gives the
  correct message that" they are expecting".
  However it was a good attempt to get around the
  word if she did not know what expecting was in
  French."

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Conclusion

• The portfolio work encourages the students to
  develop and use their capacity for autonomy in
  order to demonstrate it.
• The effectiveness of such an approach depends on
  curriculum design, particularly with regards to
  aspects of learner development such as
  metacognitive knowledge. The opportunity to make
  choices also plays a key role.
• It is not clear how much the Languages
  undergraduates exercise their autonomy in the
  other modules they study. This would be worth
  exploring in future studies.

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References

• Benson, P (2001). Teaching and Researching
  Autonomy in Language Learning. Harlow, England
  Longman.
• Benson, P (2006) Autonomy in Language Teaching
  and Learning. In Language Teaching and Learning
  40, 21-40. Cambridge University Press.
• Biggs, J. (2003) Teaching for Quality Learning in
  Higher Education. Buckingham Open University
  Press.
• Boud, D (2002) Assessment and learning
  Contradictory or complementary? In P.Knight (ed)
  Assessment for Learning in Higher Education.
  London Kogan Page, pp. 35-48
• Breen, M.P. and Mann, S. (1997). Shooting arrows
  at the sun perspectives on a pedagogy for
  autonomy. In P. Benson and P. Voller (eds.)
  Autonomy and Independence in Language Learning
  132-49. London Longman.
• Champagne et al (2001). The assessment of learner
  autonomy and language learning. In Dam (ed)
  Learner Autonomy new insights. Aila review 15,
  45-55.

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References (continued)

• Holec. H (1981) Autonomy in Foreign Language
  Learning. OxfordPergamon.
• Kohonen, V. (1992) Experiential language
  learning second language learning as cooperative
  learner education. In Nunan (ed) Collaborative
  Language Learning and Teaching, Cambridge
  Cambridge University Press 14-39.
• Lai, J (2001). Towards an analytic approach to
  assessing learner autonomy. In Dam (ed) Learner
  Autonomy new insights. Aila review 15, 34-44
• Little, D. (1990). Autonomy in language learning.
  In Ian Gathercole (ed.) Autonomy in Language
  Learning. London CILT 7-15
• Little, D. (1991). Learner Autonomy. 1
  Definitions, Issues and Problems. Dublin
  Authentik .

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References (continued)

• Little, D.(2000) Autonomy and autonomous
  learners. In Byram (ed), 69-72
• Nunan, D (1997). Designing and adapting materials
  to encourage learner autonomy. In Benson Voller
  (eds), 192-203.
• O' Rourke, B Schwienherst (2003), Talking text
  reflections on reflection in computer-based
  mediated communication. In little et al (eds),
  47-62.
• Ramsden, P. (2003) Learning to Teach in Higher
  Education. London RoutledgeFalmer.
• Williams M and. Burden R. (1997). Psychology for
  Language Teachers. Cambridge University Press.

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Questions/ comments?