Strategic implications of forming students’ autonomous and independent learning culture

Abstract

© 2019, International Multidisciplinary Scientific Geoconference. All rights received. The purpose of our research is to develop and implement a long-term strategy for organizing independent work of students through the formation of students’ autonomy culture in a foreign language setting. To achieve the goal set and verify the main provisions, we used the methods of theoretical and empirical research. Theoretical investigation included an analysis of pedagogical and psychological literature on the development of students' cognitive activity and learning autonomy in higher education. Empirical methods covered longitudinal ascertaining, formative experiments and pedagogical measurements (an expert survey, interviewing, and an observation). The experimental base of the research was Kazan Federal University. The cornerstone of our long-term strategy is a four-step approach focusing on: educational and informational content; effective techniques for implementing self-directed learning; controlling and evaluating independent learning activities; and strengthening teacher-student relationships on the basis of the pedagogy of cooperation. Additionally, the criteria to define the level of independent work culture of university students were developed with the view to verify the strategy effectiveness; training manual and methodological recommendations for organizing students’ autonomous learning were also designed. The research undertaken confirmed the importance of formation of students’ autonomous and independent learning culture in higher education; and there is a need for its onward theoretical and methodological comprehension to specify the vector for further professional and personal development of a future specialist.