Studies have presented various definitions of learner autonomy, the benefits it offers, its implications for teaching and learning (Borg & Al-Busaidi, 2012), and the beliefs and practices of students and teachers about it. However, no substantial body of literature has been conducted to compare how college English language learners from two different disciplines view learner autonomy. Hence, this study aims to determine how the liberal arts and natural sciences students differ in their beliefs and practices about learner autonomy, how autonomous they feel as English language learners, how learner autonomy helps them in second language learning, and how they differ in their views about the promotion of learner autonomy by their English language teachers. The present study analyzed data obtained from questionnaires and focus group discussions involving the learners, which were all compared to support and validate specific conclusions, present quantitative and qualitative findings, and interpret the students’ questionnaire responses. The findings revealed that there was a slim difference between the beliefs and practices of the two groups of learners based on the quantitative aspect of the research, but the qualitative data, in a way, say otherwise. Several themes surfaced from the learners’ comments such as Independence and Activities. The present study challenges the assumption that different areas of discipline have varied ways of learning at least in the aspect of second language learning.
Keywords: Autonomous learner, learner autonomy, second language learning, teacher rolesCan weblogs reduce writing anxiety and facilitate improvement in writing skills?
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