Learner autonomy, teacher autonomy and the process of becoming a pro-autonomy teacher : theoretical perspectives and life stories of six teachers of Japanese as a second language

Abstract

In this thesis I explore how teachers may develop their understanding of and a positive attitude towards learner autonomy. Part 1 of the thesis consists of two chapters. In Chapter 1 I compare definitions of learner autonomy found in the relevant literature and examine how theorists differ in their interpretation of the term. The discrepancies are attributed to 1) the social context in which each author works, 2) the fact that our understanding of learner autonomy is always tentative and in flux, and 3) loose definitions of some technical terms in psychology. I do not make any value judgement of existing definitions because each must be evaluated against the context in which it is put to use and examining each context was beyond the scope of the present thesis. I give, instead, the definition of learner autonomy I have developed in my work context and elaborate on it. For me, learner autonomy is a modular capacity that exists in relation to others and in one's social context, allowing one to make choices concerning one's own learning in the service of one's wishes and aspirations.