Developing Learner Autonomy: Moroccan University EFL Teachers’ Perceived Views and Practices

Said OUSSOU; Abdelhak ELBOUZIANY; Hajare BOUALI

doi:10.31963/rial.v3i2.5370

Authors

Said OUSSOU Moulay Ismail University, MOROCCO https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8836-0136
Abdelhak ELBOUZIANY Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, MOROCCO https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6457-8205
Hajare BOUALI Chouaib Doukkali University, MOROCCO https://orcid.org/0009-0006-3742-5688

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31963/rial.v3i2.5370

Keywords:

EFL teachers, Decision-making, Learner autonomy, Out-of-class learning, Teachers’ beliefs

Abstract

Learner autonomy, or the ability to take control of one’s learning, has been in emergence for decades, and its importance has been widely acknowledged. However, there remains obscurity as to what teachers think about this concept and whether or not they are willing to promote it. Accordingly, this paper aimed to investigate 21 university professors’ views regarding their understanding of learner autonomy and the principles underlying it. The study used a mixed-method approach to provide rigorous analysis of the professors’ responses. Data were collected through a questionnaire after which ten professors were invited for a semi-structured interview to allow for more explanations of the views analyzed, thus adhering to the explanatory sequential design. Findings demonstrated that professors showed an understanding of the basic characteristics of learner autonomy. While each of the four orientations were maintained, the most supported was the technical orientation followed by the psychological orientation, a finding that was corroborated by the qualitative analysis wherein notions such as ‘motivation’, ‘metacognitive strategies’, and ‘decisions’ recurred. It was observed that their views were far less socially driven. This study has various implications for both theory and practice, particularly for EFL teachers both in this context and in other similar contexts.

Author Biographies

Said OUSSOU, Moulay Ismail University, MOROCCO

Said Oussou is Professor Lecturer at Moulay Ismail University. He has participated in a number of international conferences both in Morocco and overseas. He was a visiting Professor at the Indian Institute of Management in 2024. Dr. Oussou has published a number of articles on learner autonomy and other topics related to applied linguistics in prestigious journals. He is interested in learner autonomy, CALL and language learning, and L2 writing.

Abdelhak ELBOUZIANY, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, MOROCCO

Abdelhak Elbouziani is a PhD student at Sidi Mohamed Ben Abellah University. He is interested in gender in education and L2 motivation.

Hajare BOUALI, Chouaib Doukkali University, MOROCCO

Hajare Bouali is Professor Lecturer at Chouaib Doukkali University. She is interested in communication in education, L2 motivation, and language anxiety.

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