Shifts in curriculum control: contesting ideas of teacher autonomy

The purpose of the present research is to determine the correlation between attitude and anxiety of seventh and eighth grade students toward mathematics course and behaviors of mathematics teachers to support and exhibit learner autonomy toward mathematics course. The population of the research was consisted of 1.563 students and 35 mathematics teachers from 22 schools. Research data was collected by means of Learner Autonomy Support Scale and Mathematics Course Attitude and Anxiety Scale. Conclusively, it was revealed that eighth grade students were more anxious, their anxiety levels and attitudes differed according to their success levels, and that they did not exhibit statistically significant difference according to their genders and teachers’ genders. It was determined that there is no statistically significant correlation between level of teachers’ support for learner autonomy and students’ anxiety and attitude levels toward mathematics course.

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A cultural insight into the development of teacher autonomy support scale

Journal for Multicultural Education ◽

10.1108/jme-09-2016-0050 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. 287-305 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Rosna Awang-Hashim ◽

Rajaletchumi Thaliah ◽

Amrita Kaur

Keyword(s):

Autonomy Support ◽

Teacher Autonomy ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Cultural Variation ◽

Cultural Significance ◽

School Students ◽

Content Type ◽

Four Dimensions ◽

Structure Equation Modeling ◽

Group Interviews

Purpose The cross-cultural significance of autonomy within self-determination theory is divisive on universal significance. This paper aims to report a sequential exploratory mixed methods study conducted to construct and validate a scale to investigate how, in Malaysian context, the construct of autonomy is conceptualized in comparison with the existing scale owing to cultural variation. Design/methodology/approach Focus group interviews identified dimensions of autonomy support that were specific to Malaysian culture and guided the development of the survey and construct validation was done using structure equation modeling. Findings The results show that the proposed scale has satisfactory psychometric properties, and the hypothesized model had a good fit to the data. The new scale produced four dimensions of teacher autonomy support, namely, responsible, approachable, shows respect and conveys confidence, with three items in each dimension. Malaysian secondary school students’ perception of autonomy support was found to be distinctive from the traditional measure. Originality/value Implications for teachers are discussed for culturally meaningful interpretation of the autonomy construct for classroom teaching practices.

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Self-Regulation: Why is it Important for Promoting Learner Autonomy in the School Context?

Studies in Self-Access Learning Journal ◽

10.37237/050403 ◽

2014 ◽

pp. 342-356 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Yoshiyuki Nakata

Keyword(s):

Language Learning ◽

Learning Strategies ◽

Self Regulation ◽

School Context ◽

Language Education ◽

Learner Autonomy ◽

Foreign Language Education ◽

Teacher Autonomy ◽

Language Learning Strategies ◽

Research Areas

Both researchers and practitioners in the field of foreign language education are increasingly interested in the notions of self-regulation and learner autonomy. Indeed, there is a growing body of evidence highlighting the importance of self-regulation in promoting learner autonomy. For many practitioners, an important question to be addressed is how to help learners become more self-regulated in order to promote their learner autonomy. As it stands, however, the majority of learner autonomy research following this line of inquiry has been conducted within the framework of language learning strategies. Although learner autonomy research conducted within the framework of language learning strategies has to some extent contributed to addressing the question above, it has not provided enough guidance to practitioners and practitioner trainers, especially those who are struggling to promote autonomy in their learners in the EFL school context, which is full of constraints and limitations and does not allow much freedom. The present paper attempts to fill this gap, first by comparing the roots and the avenues of development of these two (essentially related but) distinct research areas—self-regulation and learner autonomy—and then by integrating the notion of self-regulation within the theoretical framework of learner autonomy, together with other notions of agency, teacher autonomy and scaffolding.

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Caught In-Between: The Impact of Different Forms of Mandated National Assessment for Qualifications on Teacher Decision-Making in Year 12 History in New Zealand, 1986-2005

10.26686/wgtn.16996954 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Gregor James Fountain

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

New Zealand ◽

Curriculum Reform ◽

Classroom Practice ◽

Educational Achievement ◽

Teacher Autonomy ◽

National Assessment ◽

History Teachers ◽

Written Curriculum ◽

The Impact

<p>This case study takes an historical perspective to explore the curriculum decision-making of History teachers in New Zealand. It is argued that between 1986 and 2005, Year 12 History teachers were caught in-between curriculum reform on one hand, which encouraged teacher autonomy, and on the other hand, assessment reform which reduced teacher autonomy. While teachers in this study utilised the autonomy provided by internal assessment to develop engaging class and assessment activities, they largely avoided topics in Māori, Pasifika and Women’s history which were promoted through the syllabus. Factors which contributed to teachers' decisions concerning curriculum topics included teachers' perceptions of the nature of disciplinary History, personal interest and resource availability. The primary focus on this thesis is an assessment of the impact of changes to national assessment for qualifications on Year 12 History programmes. It argues that mandated assessment for qualifications is the single-most determining factor on classroom practice. It is also argued that the assessment style which emerged for Year 12 History through the National Certificate of Educational Achievement disconnected History assessment from the intentions of its written curriculum which emphasised disciplinary History's underlying and interconnected process of gathering, analysing and presenting historical information. In some cases, the NCEA hindered rather than enhanced the development of a school-based curriculum at this level.</p>

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