Becoming independent learners: International student transition from an English for Academic Purposes course to postgraduate studies
Year: 2021
Type: dissertation
Abstract: This study examined the experiences of international students as they transitioned to their first postgraduate semester at an Australian university from an English for Academic Purposes (EAP) course at an English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS) college. Independent learning, expressed through critical thinking and active involvement in academic tasks, is a vital component of success in many postgraduate courses. However, this way of learning can be unfamiliar to students from traditional, teacher-directed educational backgrounds. The purpose of the study was to explore the nature of the process by which participants developed as independent learners, by engaging with first-semester challenges in their postgraduate course. \nThis qualitative case study was conducted at a university in Sydney, Australia. The eighteen participants, representing five nationalities, were enrolled in twelve different postgraduate degrees across the university. Three in-depth interviews were conducted with each participant, spanning the period from the completion of their EAP course to late in their first postgraduate semester. Data collection and analysis focused on two particularly difficult aspects of participants’ first-semester experiences: understanding lecture content and completing a linguistically challenging assignment task. The theoretical framework for the study underpins its purpose of investigating varied participant experience in changing educational contexts. Within a social constructivist paradigm, complexity theory (Larsen-Freeman, 1997) acts as a metatheory, supported by two aligned theories: the strategic self-regulation model (Oxford, 2017) and usage-based theory (Bybee, 2003, 2006). \nFindings revealed that the participants’ resourceful strategy use was at the core of their growing independence as learners. The three main types of strategic response employed by the participants were their efforts to fulfil academic requirements despite skill gaps, engagement with tasks involving critical thinking, and study management in a less-structured educational setting. The participants’ strategy use in the postgraduate context was intensified by pedagogical differences between their L1 undergraduate degree, EAP course and postgraduate studies. The major original contribution of the study arising from the findings is the Strategic Self-learning Model, which frames participant development as an iterative, holistic process based on pragmatic decision-making. \nThis study’s findings contribute knowledge to the under-researched area of the EAP pathway to postgraduate studies, benefiting both universities and English colleges by enhancing understanding of international student transitions. The findings also provide fresh perspectives on the application of language learning strategy research. Recommendations to optimise the transition experiences of students by supporting their developing independence are provided.
Author: Laurel Naomi Acton
Language: English
Subfield: Language and Linguistics
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W3207312859