UNRAVELING THE IMPACT OF EDUCATIONAL ECOLOGY ON THE AUTONOMY OF ASIAN INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS IN AN AUSTRALIAN ACADEMIC SETTING

Abstract

This research investigates the impact of changing educational environment on five overseas students’ autonomous learning in Australia. Using the learning ecology framework, the study examines the correlation between changes in the learning environment and the degree of autonomy achieved by the learners. The study uses a case study approach and semi-structured interviews to assess the influence of changing learning environments on learner autonomy. Results show that changes in the learning environment freed students from standardized testing, allowing them more freedom in their educational pursuits. This independence led to improve academic performance. The study serves as a pilot for the second phase, which involves in-depth interviews with students upon their return to their home countries to determine if they sustain autonomous learning behaviors post-immersion in the English as a Second Language (ESL) environment.