Fostering Learner Autonomy in Vietnamese Higher Education: What Factors to Be Considered?

Dung Thi Phuong Cao; Phuong Dzung Pho

doi:10.19105/ojbs.v18i2.15563

Dung Thi Phuong Cao Faculty of English Linguistics and Literature, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Viet Nam National University Ho Chi Minh City, 10-12 Dinh Tien Hoang https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2941-8593
Phuong Dzung Pho Faculty of English Linguistics and Literature, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Viet Nam National University Ho Chi Minh City, 10-12 Dinh Tien Hoang https://orcid.org/0009-0002-1801-8148

https://doi.org/10.19105/ojbs.v18i2.15563

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Keywords: English majors, Learner autonomy, Tertiary education, Vietnamese context

Abstract

Learner autonomy is widely recognized as a significant goal for tertiary education in enabling learners to become lifelong learners. To achieve this goal, it is crucial to identify what factors support or impede learner autonomy. This study, therefore, aims to explore influencing factors by collecting data from 420 English majors at a university in the south of Vietnam, using questionnaire surveys and focus group interviews. Its results show that motivation and teachers’ teaching styles and requirements are the two most influential factors, representing internal and external elements, respectively. Internal factors are found to be more influential than external ones, with eight out of nine identified as very influential (i.e., motivation, learning attitudes, knowledge of the subjects, language proficiency, learning styles, learning goals, preferences for self-study, learning methods/techniques). Family expectation emerged as a new external element contributing to learner autonomy. Discussion about the influence level and suggestions for facilitating learner autonomy are presented.

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Author Biographies

Dung Thi Phuong Cao, Faculty of English Linguistics and Literature, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Viet Nam National University Ho Chi Minh City, 10-12 Dinh Tien Hoang

DUNG THI PHUONG CAO holds her PhD in English Linguistics from the University of Leeds, UK. She is currently a Vice Dean of the Faculty of English Linguistics and Literature at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNUHCM. Her research interests include vocabulary acquisition, corpus linguistics, and English language teaching. Her works have been published in Applied Linguistics Review, TEFLIN, Journal of Language Teaching and Research, and others.

Phuong Dzung Pho, Faculty of English Linguistics and Literature, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Viet Nam National University Ho Chi Minh City, 10-12 Dinh Tien Hoang

PHUONG DZUNG PHO holds a PhD in Linguistics from Monash University, Australia. She is currently a senior lecturer in the Faculty of English Linguistics and Literature at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (USSH), Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City (VNUHCM). Her research interests include corpus linguistics, English for academic purposes, and English language teaching and learning. Her works have been published in Discourse Studies, Monash University Linguistics Papers, TEFLIN, and others.

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