Teacher Autonomy and Its Constraints in Higher Education:Implications for Learner-Centred Pedagogy
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66121/7xjq0x75Keywords:
Teacher Autonomy;, Learner Autonomy;, Higher EducationAbstract
Autonomy in education relies on both learner and teacher agency. This study examined how English faculty members in higher education institutions in the Theni District, Tamil Nadu, perceive and practice autonomy and how institutional factors influence their perspectives. Grounded in self-determination theory, 64 faculty members from government-aided and private colleges were surveyed in 2022–2023 using a validated questionnaire on learner autonomy, motivation, and constraints. Results show that teachers actively motivate students (90.6%), acknowledge achievements (93.8%), and use autonomy-supportive strategies like goal setting and responsibility-sharing (92.2%). Most reported job satisfaction (84.4%) and access to professional development (79.7%), though fewer were satisfied with pay (48.4%). Institutional support was evident, but barriers persisted: burnout from rigid schedules (93.8%), job insecurity (81.3%), and heavy administrative burdens (84.4%). The findings suggest that while teachers promote learner autonomy, structural constraints hinder its full practice, highlighting the need for institutional reforms to strengthen teacher agency.
Downloads
References
Almusharraf, N. (2020). Teachers’ perspectives on promoting learner autonomy for vocabulary development: A case study. Cogent Education, 7(1), 1823154. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2020.1823154
Azhariah, S., & Handayani, R. (2023). Teacher roles in fostering learner autonomy. SALEE: Study of Applied Linguistics and English Education, 4(2), 356–368. https://doi.org/10.35961/salee.v4i2.829
Bajrami, L., & Ismaili, M. (2015). Teacher’s new role in language learning and in promoting learner autonomy. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 199, 423–427. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.07.528
Basri, F., Sukyadi, D., & Padmadewi, N. (2020). Factors influencing learner autonomy and autonomy support in a faculty of education. Teaching in Higher Education, 28(2), 270–285. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2020.1798921
Brandišauskienė, A., & Raišienė, A. G. (2023). The relationship between teacher’s autonomy-supportive behavior and learning strategies applied by students: The role of teacher support and equity. SAGE Open, 13(2), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440231181384
Borg, S., & Al-Busaidi, S. (2012). Teachers’ beliefs and practices regarding learner autonomy. ELT Journal, 66(3), 283–292. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/ccr065
Cotterall, S. (1995). Developing a course strategy for learner autonomy. ELT Journal, 49(3), 219–227. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/49.3.219
Cotterall, S. (1995). Readiness for autonomy: Investigating learner beliefs. System, 23(2), 195–205. https://doi.org/10.1016/0346-251X(95)00008-8
Elmahjoub, A. (2019). Learner autonomy. In M. A. Danaher (Ed.), Self-directed learning strategies in adult educational contexts (pp. 50–66). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-5225-8018-8.ch004
Ganza, W. (2008). Learner autonomy – teacher autonomy. In T. Lamb & H. Reinders (Eds.), Learner and teacher autonomy: Concepts, realities, and responses (pp. 63–79). John Benjamins Publishing.
Guan, C., & He, Q. (2014). The investigation and analysis of teachers’ involvement in students’ autonomous learning. Open Journal of Modern Linguistics, 4(3), 512–516. https://doi.org/10.4236/ojml.2014.44044
Hospel, V., & Galand, B. (2016). Are both classroom autonomy support and structure equally important for students’ engagement? A multilevel analysis. Learning and Instruction, 41, 1–10.
Hu, J., & Zhang, D. (2016). University student and teacher perceptions of teacher roles in promoting autonomous language learning with technology outside the classroom. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 29(4), 703–723. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2015.1016441
Jang, H., Reeve, J., & Deci, E. L. (2010). Engaging students in learning activities: It is not autonomy support or structure but autonomy support and structure. Journal of Educational Psychology, 102(3), 588–600.
Khotimah, K., & Sari, Y. A. (2019). Autonomous English learning: Teachers’ and students’ perceptions. Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 9(2), 371–381. https://doi.org/10.17509/ijal.v9i2.20234
Lamkhanter, F. (2024). Teachers’ attitudes towards learners’ autonomy. International Journal of Higher Education Pedagogies, 5(3), 15–25. https://doi.org/10.33422/ijhep.v5i3.502
Lamb, T., & Reinders, H. (Eds.). (2008). Learner and teacher autonomy: Concepts, realities, and responses. John Benjamins Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1075/AALS.1
Little, D., Dam, L., & Legenhausen, L. (1995). Learning as dialogue: The dependence of learner autonomy on teacher autonomy. System, 23(2), 175–181. https://doi.org/10.1016/0346-251X(95)00006-6
Ljubin-Golub, T., Rijavec, M., & Olčar, D. (2020). Student flow and burnout: The role of teacher autonomy support and student autonomous motivation. Psychological Studies, 65(2), 145–156. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12646-019-00539-6
Masouleh, N. S., & Jooneghani, R. B. (2012). Autonomous learning: A teacher-less learning! Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 55, 835–842. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.09.570
Niemiec, C. P., & Ryan, R. M. (2009). Autonomy, competence, and relatedness in the classroom: Applying self-determination theory to educational practice. Theory and Research in Education, 7(2), 133–144.
Nagai, N. (2020). Teacher autonomy. In M. A. Danaher (Ed.), Teacher professional development for the integration of content and language in higher education (pp. 101–117). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-5894-8_6
Nehe, B. M., & Sitinjak, M. D. (2025). An analysis of differentiated learning in developing English reading skills. Dialectical Literature and Educational Journal, 9(2), 52–63. https://doi.org/10.51714/dlejpancasakti.v9i2.118
Patall, E. A., Cooper, H., & Robinson, J. C. (2008). The effects of choice on intrinsic motivation and related outcomes: A meta-analysis of research findings. Psychological Bulletin, 134(2), 270–300.
Putro, N. H. P. S., & Susanto, H. (2022). Structural relationships among student teachers’ roles-strategies in promoting autonomous language learning. Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 12(2), 400–410. https://doi.org/10.17509/ijal.v12i2.45069
Reeve, J. (2009). Why teachers adopt a controlling motivating style toward students and how they can become more autonomy supportive. Educational Psychologist, 44(3), 159–175.
Riskandi, R., Rukmini, R., & Taufik, M. (2020). Analysis of the needs of English learning models in basic schools. International Journal of Progressive Sciences and Technologies, 23(1), 202–206. https://doi.org/10.52155/ijpsat.v23.1.2192
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). The “what” and “why” of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), 227–268.
Slemp, G. R., & Vella-Brodrick, D. A. (2020). A meta-analysis of autonomous and controlled forms of teacher motivation. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 121, 103459. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2020.103459
Swatevacharkul, R., & Khamkhien, A. (2020). Learner autonomy: Attitudes of graduate students in English Language Teaching Program in Thailand. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 13(1), 176–193.
Tran, D., & Duong, M. T. (2020). Teacher’s and learner’s roles in autonomy-oriented foreign language teaching: A theoretical investigation. Vietnam Journal of Education, 4(1), 31–36. https://doi.org/10.52296/vje.2020.17
Tuấn, V. V., & Hà, T. L. (2020). English language teachers’ beliefs and practices to promote learner autonomy. Vietnam Journal of Education, 4(1).
Yuliani, Y., & Lengkanawati, N. S. (2017). Project-based learning in promoting learner autonomy in an EFL classroom. Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 7(2), 285–293. https://doi.org/10.17509/ijal.v7i2.8131
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Journal of English Language Teaching
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
How to Cite
