Developing independent Lifelong Learners: 'Is it a realistic curriculum goal?'

Abstract

Developing independent lifelong learners is a major curriculum goal of many tertiary institutions around the world. Benson (2013) and Cotterall (2000) have discussed ways to promote learner autonomy through the curriculum. However, limited research has attempted to find out whether students continue to pursue lifelong learning and successfully become autonomous learners after they graduated from university. This paper presents part of the findings of a research study which examines the extent to which a Self-access Language Learning (SALL) component of a 12-week EAP course helped 2nd year science undergraduate students develop learner autonomy in the long term. In order to track the students’ development of learner autonomy, 5 individual interviews were conducted with 7 students, who were randomly recruited from the course, over a period of 3 years. The first 3 interviews were conducted at the beginning, middle and end of the course; the other 2 follow-up interviews were conducted 9 months after the end of the course (when the students were in their final year of undergraduate studies) and 1.5 years after they graduated from university. The two follow-up interviews aimed to find out the possible long term impact of the SALL component on the development of learner autonomy among these learners. The research findings help the educators who aim to develop independent lifelong learners to understand the factors which affect the attainment of this curriculum goal.