Developing PG Students' Learner Autonomy  through the PAH-Continuum: A Case Study

Gurnam Kaur Sidhu; Sofwah Md Nawi; Kamalanathan  Ramakrishnan; Ruofei Du

doi:10.21834/ebpj.v7i21.3722

Authors

Gurnam Kaur Sidhu Faculty of Education, Languages and Psychology, SEGi University, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
Sofwah Md Nawi Academy of Language Studies, Universiti Teknologi MARA Cawangan Johor, Segamat, Malaysia
Kamalanathan Ramakrishnan Faculty of Education, Languages and Psychology, SEGi University, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.
Ruofei Du School of Education, Linyi University, Linyi, China

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v7i21.3722

Keywords:

Learner Autonomy, PAH Continuum, Postgraduate Students

Abstract

To enhance the current postgraduate educational learning environment, this quasi-experimental case study examined the implementation of the Pedagogy-Andragogy-Heutagogy (PAH) Continuum as an instructional framework for developing basic competencies and learner autonomy among 50 postgraduate students. This is in response to the high attrition rates and students' failure to graduate on time, afflicting the quality of postgraduate education in Malaysia. Data were collected via pre and post-tests, a questionnaire, and focus-group interviews. The findings revealed significant improvement in the students' critical reading and research skills, while their learner autonomy level was moderate due to personal and cultural limitations.

References

Abdullah, M. N. L. Y., & Evans, T. (2012). The relationships between postgraduate research students’ psychological attributes and their supervisors’ supervision training. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 31, 788-793.

Bates, A. W. (2019). Teaching in a digital Age: Guidelines for designing Teaching and Learning. Pressbooks: Tony Bates Assoc. Ltd.

Blaschke, L.M. (2019). The Pedagogy–Andragogy–Heutagogy Continuum and Technology-Supported Personal Learning Environments. In:

Jung, I. (eds) Open and Distance Education Theory Revisited. SpringerBriefs in Education(). Springer, Singapore.

Boonma, N. (2018). The effects of autonomous learning process on public speaking ability and learner autonomy of undergraduate students. (Dissertation)

Byl, E., Struyven, K., Meurs, P., Bieke, A., Tom, V., Nadine, E., & Koen, L. (2016). The value of peer learning for first-year postgraduate university students’ social and academic integration. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 228, 299-304.

Braun, V., Clarke, V. & Weate, P. (2016). Using thematic analysis in sport and exercise research. In B. Smith & A. C. Sparkes (Eds.), Routledge Handbook of Qualitative Research in Sport and Exercise (pp. 191-205). London: Routledge.

Creswell, J.W. & Creswell, J.D. (2018). Research design: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Sage Publications: LA

Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2019). The importance of autonomy for development and well-being. In B. W. Sokol, F. M. E. Grouzet, U. Muller (Eds.), Self-Regulation and Autonomy: Social and Developmental Dimensions of Human Conduct (pp. 19-46). Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press

Fotiadou, A., Angelaki, C., & Mavroidis, I., (2017). Learner autonomy as a factor of the learning process in distance education. European Journal of Open, Distance and E-learning, 20(1), 95-110.

Garnett, F. & O’Beirne, R. (2014). Putting heutagogy into learning. In S. Hase, & C. Kenyon, (2013), Self-Determined Learning: Heutagogy in Action (pp. 131-143). London: Bloomsbury

Holec, H., (1981). Advocating student self-evaluation. Francais dans le Monde, 21(165), 15-23.

Kaur, S., & Sidhu, G.K., & Hoon, T.S., & Jamian, L.S., (2017). Student readiness for postgraduate study in terms of research and conceptual skills: Perspectives from supervisors. Advanced Science Letters, 23, 3255-3258.

Kalyaniwala, C., & Ciekanski, M., (2021). Autonomy CALLing: A systematic review of 22 years of publications in learner autonomy and CALL. Language Learning & Technology, 25(3), 106-131.

Kohan, N., Arabshahi, K. S., Mojtahedzadeh, R., Abbaszadeh, A., Rakhshani, T., & Emami, A., (2017). Self-directed learning barriers in a virtual environment: A qualitative study. Journal of Advances in Medical Education & Professionalism, 5(3), 116.

Lim, P.C., Gurnam, K.S., Chan, Y.F., Lee, L.F. & Leele Susan Jamian. (2016). Assessing writing skills of postgraduate students: Perspectives of supervisors and supervisees. In Siew Fun Tang Loshinikarasi Logonnathan (eds) Assessment for Learning Within and Beyond the Classroom, 31-41.

Loh, C. Y. R., & Teo, T. C., (2017). Understanding Asian students learning styles, cultural influence and learning strategies. Journal of Education & Social Policy, 7(1), 194-210.

Luckin, R., Clark,W., Garnett, F., Whitworth, A., Akass, J., Cook, J., Day, P., Ecclesfield, N., Hamilton, T., & Robertson. J. (2010). Learner generated contexts: A framework to support the effective use of technology for learning. In Web 2.0-Based E-Learning: Applying Social Informatics for Tertiary Teaching. Edited by Mark Lee and Catherine McLoughlin. Hershey: IGI Global, 2010, pp. 70–84.

Muthukrishnan, P., Sidhu, G. K., Hoon, T. S., Narayanan, G., & Fook, C. Y., (2022). Key factors influencing graduation on time among postgraduate students: A PLS-SEM approach. Asian Journal of University Education (AJUE), 18(1), 51-64.

Qi, H. (2022). A revised survey on autonomy awareness of foreign language learners in China. Journal of Modern Linguistics, 12, 44-55.

Shamida, A., Sidhu, G.K., & Nawi, S. M. (2021). Postgraduate students’ perceived and actual performance in critical reading skills. Asian Journal of University Education (AJUE), 7(3), p. 76-84

Sidhu, G.K., Foong, Y.Y., Lim, P.C. Nawi, S. M., Sathiamoorthy, K., Kamalanathan,R & Shamida, A. (2021). Postgraduate students’ self perceived readiness to graduate on time. Review of International Journal of Geographical Education, Nov-Dec Issue. ISSN:2146-0353.

Swatevacharkul, R. (2009). An investigation on readiness for learner autonomy, approaches to learning of tertiary students and the roles of English language teachers in enhancing learner autonomy in higher education. Unpublished research report, Bangkok: Dhurakij Pundit University.

Zaaba, Z., Gunggut, H., Arapa, A. & Aning, I. N. A. (2015). Postgraduate research completion: Student expectation and inspiration, Procedia: Social Behavioral Science, 202 (2015), pp. 181– 188, 2015.