Pre-service Teachers’ Perceptions and Practices of Learner Autonomy: A Case Study in Vietnam

Abstract

This paper discusses learner autonomy (LA), which has recently been adopted as an important educational goal in the new competence-based curriculum for general education in Vietnam. Despite numerous studies on the initiatives to foster LA in various contexts, more research is needed to substantiate the literature on how pre-service teachers interpret and practice LA so that they could better reach the educational goal of fostering student autonomy in school settings. Drawing on data from surveys and interviews with pre-service teachers from Years 1 to 4 across seven disciplines of teacher education programs, the findings of our case study indicate that teacher education programs in Vietnam may prepare pre-service teachers to enact their autonomy in learning to some extent. Nevertheless, such programs need to provide to-be teachers with opportunities to actually control their learning in university settings so that they might better assist school students to develop their own independent learning and self-study. This paper thus concludes by raising two points concerning pedagogical obligation that pre-service teachers and teacher trainers should be aware of: first, that student autonomy relies substantially on teachers being supportive and flexible in devising learning activities; and second, that teacher education programs should equip pre-service teachers with sufficient knowledge, skills and resources to develop their own autonomy to enable their future students’ independence.