English language instructors’ and learners’ attitudes towards learner autonomy at universities in Armenia

Abstract

The radical change in the distribution of power and authority in the traditional language classroom is the result of the changes in the curriculum towards a more learner-centered kind of learning. In the new classroom, which is designed to promote learner autonomy, language teachers are able and willing to share instructional responsibilities with their learners, and learners are expected to assume greater responsibility for and take charge of their own learning. The purpose of this study was to investigate the curricula for English language instruction at five universities in Armenia and find out whether and to what extent they focus on promoting learner autonomy, and what the curriculum features are that teachers support or resist. The study also aimed at investigating these university instructors’ and students’ attitudes towards learner autonomy and its prerequisites. The subjects of this triangulated investigation were 50 English language instructors (10 from each university) and twenty students (4 from each university) from five universities in Armenia. The data was collected through 5-point Likert-scale questionnaires, teacher semi-structured interviews. The analysis of the quantitative data was done by means of SPSS. The qualitative data was analyzed through transcription and discussed according to certain themes. The findings of the study revealed that participating instructors are neutral towards the promotion of learner autonomy in their curriculum. The outcomes also showed that the participating instructors’ attitudes towards learner autonomy change depending upon the types of facilities they are provided by their universities. Moreover, the findings highlighted that the universities need preparatory programs for learners to become motivated and in-service training for instructors to become up-to-date in teaching. The study also reports pedagogical implications of the study and suggestions for further studies in the field.