AUTONOMY IN LANGUAGE LEARNING: DO STUDENTS TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR LEARNING?

This study was conducted in order to investigate the perceptions of university students and teachers regarding responsibilities and abilities related to autonomous learning, and the autonomous activities both inside and outside the classroom. The study also investigated whether these responsibilities, abilities and activities changed significantly according to motivation level and gender. Qualitative data was gathered from 320 students and 24 teachers, together with quantitative data through interviews. The results suggest that students do not take responsibility for their learning although they have the ability, and teachers, themselves, take on most of the responsibilities, by perceiving their students incapable of fulfilling their responsibilities. This study suggests that both students and teachers need to understand the necessity of learner independence, and a training program on autonomous learning should be included in the language curriculum, particularly with regard to administration.