Cultivating Independent Learning for Assurance of Learning in University English Programs

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Many will agree that independent learning (IL) is important for learning languages successfully, but incorporating IL in a curriculum can be challenging. As part of a project to meet one of the three learning goals associated with an Assurance of Learning (AOL) initiative, researchers at a Japanese university worked towards enhancing the independent learning skills among English learners. To do this, they set up a scaffolded approach to support studentsʼ independent learning. In the spring semester of 2019, students created personalized study plans aimed at improving their targeted English skill(s). Study plans were periodically checked by teachers and revised by students. This paper explains how independent learning is incorporated into English courses and presents the results of a student survey (n=947) and a teacher survey (n=35). Most students found the IL assignments useful yet reported difficulty with locating resources or finding time to study independently. The findings led researchers to revise the IL system and to develop language learning strategies that can guide studentsʼ IL more effectively.

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