College students' and their teachers' perceptions and expectations of learner autonomy in EFL conversation classrooms in Taiwan (China)

The purpose of this study was to investigate how much difference exists between Taiwanese students' and their teachers' perceptions of learner autonomy as currently practiced, and how much of a role they expect for learner autonomy in class. The study examined the variables that may affect students' attitudes toward fostering learner autonomy based on the demographic data and responses to survey questions. In addition, Chinese cultural traits regarding the relational hierarchy was included to find out whether culture plays a significant role in the development of learner autonomy. The study employed a quantitative research design to collect data. A survey questionnaire was distributed to 446 students and 8 teachers at a selected university in north Taiwan. Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS) Version 10.0 was used to analyze the data.; The major findings of this study were as follows. Two patterns of replies were formed for research question I. First, for all categories both students and their teachers expect to increase the degree of learner autonomy for the forthcoming lessons in comparison to what they are practicing now. Second, for categories for which students perceived a higher degree of learner autonomy in class than their teachers did, students expected to have more autonomy in their learning in the future than the teachers expected them to have. Thus, students' perceptions have a strong effect on what they expect their learner autonomy should be in class.; Students showed significant differences in expectations of learner autonomy based on four demographic characteristics: (1) grade level, freshman students may hold a significantly higher expectations than sophomore students; (2) hours spent in a typical week listening to English music, students who spent more than 7 hours per week revealed a significantly higher expectations than those who spent less than 3 hours per week; (3) their experience of attending a private language school, students who had some experience revealed a higher expectation than those who had not; and (4) the student's grade in English conversation lab course, students whose grades were above 80 revealed a higher expectation than those whose grades were between 60 and 69.; Students also showed significant differences based on the attitudinal factors Students' willingness to take full responsibility for their learning outcomes contributed to their support for learner autonomy. Students' low motivation to learn English, their lack of learning goals of the course, and their lack of learner training on learning strategies contributed to their resistance to learner autonomy. The cultural traits, Chinese students' showing respect for the teacher as authority figure and their obedience to the teacher so she/he can save face, did not contribute to their resistance to learner autonomy.; The results of this study point to the need for learner autonomy in EFL classrooms. It is recommended that at the initial stages of the implementation, areas where resistance seems to be strong be avoided. Once a situation is reached where students, teachers, and educational planners can assess the benefits achieved by implementing learner autonomy in particular areas of the learning experience, there is a greater possibility that learner autonomy would be diffused in the whole range of activities that make up the entire 'classroom experience' and improve English teaching and learning.