Perceived Autonomy Support of EFL Learners.pdf

Journal of Academic and Applied Studies
(Special Issue on English learning & Education sciences)
Vol. 5(7) July 2015, pp. 14-24
Available online @www.academians.org ISSN 1925-931X
An Inquiry into Perceived Autonomy Support of Iranian EFL … by: H. Abdolhay
14
Research Article
An Inquiry into Perceived Autonomy Support of
Iranian EFL Learners: 2nd
, 3rd
and 4th
Grade
University Students
Husain Abdulhay
Department of English Language, Payame Noor University of Qom, Iran
Abstract
Gaining an insight into Iranian EFL learning environment is increasingly felt, consonant with dissociation
from the traditional and spoon-feeding rituals of Iranian indigenous teaching. To that end, the study tried to
scour the grade level differences of 202 students in their perceived autonomy support in the context of
Iranian universities. Exposures to autonomy supportive environment were examined in 2nd
, 3rd
and 4th
grade-levels through the administration of Learning Climate Questionnaire (LCQ: Black & Deci, 2000), a
self-report instrument for appraising perceived autonomy support. Data collected were analyzed in respect
of means differences. Significant differences were found between graders in their perceptions of autonomy
supportive environments. Second graders appeared to perceive their learning and teaching environment
more autonomy supportive than the two other graders. Juniors had lower perception of their environment as
autonomy supportive than senior students. The results substantiate previous studies by indicating that
perceived autonomy support is dwindled by grade level.
Keywords: Learning and teaching environment, EFL learners, perceived autonomy support
I. Introduction
The importance of perceptive autonomy support is undisputable in the humanistic approach to
education. Sustaining the perception of autonomy support is of paramount importance for
learners to help them preserve consistency of comprehensibility and productivity during the
entire years of study in higher education.
To Guay, Vallerand and Blanchard (2000), “autonomy is a sense of feeling free from pressures
and to have the possibility to make choices among several courses of action” (p.7). In the related
vein, to entertain a laissez-fair approach to choosing and undertaking an internal locus of control
is conceived as autonomy (Young, 2005).
Corresponding email address: husainabdolhay@yahoo.com

Vol. 5(7) July 2015, pp. 14-24
15
Autonomy support concurs and accords, in a sense, with learner-centered approach to learning.
Autonomy supportive teachers mould an environment redounding to a student-dominated setting
where learning and teaching work together to boost confidence and resultant engagement en
route to achieving success. As a matter of fact, autonomy-supportive instructors provide choice,
accord respect, encourage and confidence in their students, give a rationale for tasks and
circumscription, acknowledge learners’ feelings, platforms and experiences, allow opportunities
to take initiatives and do individualized work, purvey un-controlled informative feedback,
eschew behavioral control, and preclude ego-involvement in learners (Gillet, Vallerand,
Emmanuel, Lucie, & Sophie, 2011). Support of autonomy is considered a dimension of teaching
style which is realized itself in slaking students’ basic psychological needs en route to bolstering
learners’ willingness to take steps for executing course of actions. Students’ self-worth and well-
being are heightened as the result of involving students in decision-making process (Deci &
Ryan, 1987). As a result of granting the choice to students, subject matter appeals to students to
follow, which, in effect, endorses the effect of autonomy on well-being. Without exerting any
external control, teachers help provide the learners with the leeway to choose activities which
appeal to them and as a result permit them to refine and adjust their beliefs and behaviors to be
more active in their learning.
This study seeks to fathom the extent of perceived autonomy support among 202 adolescent
college students, all majoring in EFL and attending at 2nd
, 3rd
and 4th
grade. It is hypothesized
that there is no relationship between grade levels and perceived autonomy support.
The study delves into the fluctuation and oscillation of students’ perception on their perceived
autonomy support during their academic years’ studies. Gender differences were assumed to be
decentralized for the current study with regard to the study done by Lim and Wang (2009),
attesting to the small value of variance and effect sizes with no significant differences in terms of
perceptions of autonomy support across gender.
In pursuit of finding an answer, the following research question were raised:
Is there a difference between second grade, third grade, and fourth grade university students in
their perception of autonomy support by the teachers?
II. Review of the related literature
While there is seen an insurgency of encouragement and motivation at the outset of a school
year, teachers’ support of autonomy is dwindled and attenuated as academic years come near to
an end. Sieved based on selection test for entrance to university in Iran, first graders appear to
feel motivated experiencing success.
According to Deci, Vallerand, Pelletier, and Ryan (1991), the latitude provision for learners to
participate in decision-making activities spurs them to command their learning processes and

Vol. 5(7) July 2015, pp. 14-24
16
self-direct their learning even when the content is not of much valuation to them. In contrast,
when deprived of autonomy, motivation is dwindled and the self-worth needed to grip on the
achievement is tampered.
Perceptions of autonomy support across gender have shown no significant variance and effect
sizes of the gender differences were of small value (Lim & Wang, 2009).
Different studies have shown that perceived autonomy support is not influenced by gender
factor. Perceptions of autonomy support across gender have shown no significant difference
(Lim & Wang, 2009). Albeit, Vansteenkiste, Sierens, Goossens, Soenens, Dochy, Mouratidis,
Aelterman, Haerens & Beyers (2012) documented genderas a significant factor in differences
among students’ perceived autonomy support. However, females perceived their teachers as
more autonomy supportive. The more the students received teacher autonomy support, the
greater the outcomes were evidenced for them.
Oscillation in motivation influenced by observed in the study done by Eccles, Midgley & Adler
(1984). Decline in motivational orientation and achievement beliefs of school children was
evidenced in this study. The observed alternation was instigated by change in children’s attitudes
toward their environment.
For the purpose of this study, it is hypothesized that grade level has no effect on students’
perception of autonomy support by teacher.
II. Methods
A) Research design
Cross-sectional design with quantitative data collection and analysis was used throughout the
study.
The objective of the present study was to discover whether students’ perceptions of their class
activities were different in Grades 2–3-4. First graders were excluded from this study to control
for further covariates incurred in the course of transition from school to university.
B) Participants
The participants for this study consisted of 202 female and male students from one state
university in Kashan (n=108) and two universities in Qom, one private (n=51) and another state
university (n=43), majoring in EFL; they all studied English as a foreign language. The
participants consisted of 48 sophomores (23.8%), 80 juniors (39.6%), and 74 seniors (36.6%).
No proficiency measures were available for the participants and the classrooms were sampled,
spanning 13 subject domains.
C) Instrument

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17
A 10 Likert-scaled question items adapted from Black and Deci’s (2000) Learning Climate scale
was used to survey participants’ ratings on support of autonomy by teachers. The original
measurement scale consists of 15 statements to measure the participants’ perceptions of teacher’s
autonomy support. The learning climate scale stemmed from Deci and Ryan’s study (1987) gives
information on how these classroom learning environments are conceived by the students. It is a
15-item self-report questionnaire tool, using a 6-point Likert scale which assesses students’
perceptions of their instructors’ autonomy support at college and school graduate level.
The same items targeted in the study done by Lin, Xi-Zhe (2004) were utilized for the current
study for gauging English class autonomy support perceptions. No items were negatively worded
in this scale. A sample item is “we feel that the teacher provides us with choices and options”.
Gillet, et al ( 2011) maintain that “LCS assesses the whole spectrum of autonomy-supportive
behaviors (i.e., devoting time to listen, provision of choice or opportunity, extending
informational feedback, exuding encouragement and hints, taking the target’s perspective,
responding to questions, and showing concern and acknowledging of understanding or empathy)
” (p.119).
For the case of Iranian students, a pilot survey of 40 students was conducted to establish the
reliability of the shortened the Learning Climate scale instrument in English version. The
reliability of the instrument was α =.877 which indicates a strong internal consistency. Internal
consistency, the reliability of the Learning Climate scale to measure the expected characteristics
viz. autonomy support by teachers is supported by reviewing the reported Cronbach’s alpha
reliabilities for the instrument from previous studies. The 11-item learning climate scale
developed by Deci and Ryan to measure learning climate in an organic chemistry class has
already been factor analyzed by Lin (2004) for ensuring that all of the eleven items fall in the
same dimension of measuring teachers’ autonomy support in EFL classrooms from which only
one item was eliminated from the scale and the alpha reliability was reported α= 0.91. A French
translation and adaptation of the LCS to the sport setting in two studies also attested to the
internal consistency (QC = .91) and unidimensional structure of the scale using both
confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis with factor loadings ranging from .63 to .85 (Gillet,
, Vallerand, , Paty, , Gobance, & Berjot, , 2010). After running Cronbach’s alpha analysis for the
learning climate scale to be bused in the current study, the survey tool confirmed to be highly
reliable (alpha coefficient = .895) for this specific pilot test.
D) Variables
The primary independent variable of this study is grade level. The primary dependent variable of
this study was perceived autonomy support of EFL students which was operationalized by the
total scores of the responses on the LCS survey.
E) Procedure

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18
Students’ perceptions of learning environments as autonomy supportive were compared across
different grade levels. Uniformity in the administration of the instrument was ensured through
the use of the same set of directions imparted by the same researcher in the classrooms,
culminated in a 100% return rate for all students present during the data collection. Informing
students that their teachers would not see their responses, the researcher endeavored to protect
the confidentiality of the students and consequent bias effect. A convenience sampling was done
enrolling 202 EFL students at university level.
Data collection. A convenience sampling was assumed for this study. During the last four weeks
of the first educational semester, participants completed the anonymous surveys. The researcher
was present at each research place to explain the purpose of the study and also to make it clear
that the result would not have any effect on the students’ grades in the courses they were taking.
All students were handed out the copies after three minutes of explanation in front of the class.
The participants were told that there was no time limit in completing them. Questionnaires were
filled out under the thorough supervision of the researcher, who offered explanations and aided
students to complete questionnaires, ensuring the quality of responses. After completing the
scales participants handed them over to the researcher immediately. The completed scales did not
include students’ names to preserve confidentiality.
Data analysis. Descriptive statistics, alpha reliability indices, and comparison of means were
used. Sophomores, juniors and seniors were compared apropos of their means differences.
III. Results and Analysis
SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) 18.0 program was used for analyzing data in the
study. Basic descriptive statistics and analysis of variance procedures were used in the study. The
results of the study are depicted in two tables. Table 1 tabulates the descriptive statistics.
Table 1.
Make-up of Students in Different Grade Level
Grader Number Percent
Sophomore 48 23.8
Junior 80 39.6
Senior 74 36.6

Vol. 5(7) July 2015, pp. 14-24
19
The results of the study are depicted in table 2. The means and standard deviations of the
following variables can be found in Table 2. As indicated in the table 2, second-grade students
appeared to score higher than two other groups. Sophomores differ significantly (M = 42.16, SD
= 12.18) than juniors (M = 37. 07, SD = 12.65) and seniors (M = 39. 95, SD = 12.23).
Table 2.
Means and Standard Deviations by Grade Level
Grader Mean Std. Std. Error
Deviation
2 42.1667 12.18533 .00000
3 37.0750 12.65189 .00000
4 39.9459 12.23426 .00000
IV. Discussion
In this study, the effect of grade level on students’ perception of autonomy support by teachers
was examined. There seems to be a decline in students’ rating in the 2nd
, 3rd
, and 4th grades.
Specifically, comparison was made across sophomores, juniors and seniors. Significant
differences were noticed between sophomores and juniors with regards to grade levels.
Results from this study evidenced a significant difference between the academic grade levels of
sophomores and juniors. While sophomore students had the highest perception of teacher grade
levels than junior and senior students (M = 42.16, M = 37.07, and M = 39.94, respectively),
senior students had higher perception of teacher’s autonomy support than junior EFL students.
The decline in the perception of teacher through sophomore year to the senior year was
statistically significant.
These results confirm and corroborate previous findings in this domain. The current study
denotes a decline in the perception of students, such that students’ perceived autonomy support
decline during the academic years.
There may be attrition in motivation for some reasons. The peak in the perceived autonomy
support during the sophomore year may have occurred for at least two reasons. First, perhaps the

Vol. 5(7) July 2015, pp. 14-24
20
small sample of juniors who participated in this study was not representative of the population of
universities of Iran. Secondly, maybe the peak corresponds to dwindling motivation for academic
study. Decline in perception of autonomy support can also be ascribed to the social bias of the
students towards their teachers and consecutive self-reports. However, students’ introduction to
new situation and its Hawthorne effect, transition from school to university, tired to be
diminished by not including freshmen into the study.
Prior research suggests students experienced a decrease in their perceived autonomy support
throughout their college years. Sophomores overtook juniors in the perception of their milieus in
terms of autonomy support by the teachers.
V. Conclusions
The results of the present study denote that grade level influences Iranian EFL learners’
perceptions of autonomy support. The study revealed that the learners’ perception of autonomy
support on their consecutive college year continuum is sought to be dwindled. Findings indicated
that 2nd
grade students perceive their environment more autonomy supportive. Findings implied
that as students come to the end of their course of study at university level they feel less gratified
with autonomy supportive perception. This hazards the motion towards being autonomous in the
realm of language learning in contemporary education where onus of learning and decision-
making is put upon learners. Results are liable to fluctuation because of bias toward the teacher
could be irrigated by going through experiences as long as years of study elapsed. In general
second grade students found their learning environment more autonomy supportive. Larger than
this sample may be included for investigation and an empirical study be run in future likewise.
Implications
That sophomores, juniors and seniors were found to differ with regards their perceived autonomy
support is a noteworthy finding. This may suggest university students have different attrition and
maintenance patterns during their courses of studies at university.
Implications of these findings for university program faculties and curriculum developers are
great. Having a stronger understanding of attrition patterns and factors that contribute to
perceived autonomy support will help teachers and educators obviate the needs of EFL students.
Aware of that seniors may experience a slight decrease in perceived autonomy support, might
make teachers and educators to provide extra attention to the academic needs of the seniors, such
that their EFL students experiences will not be diminished in their final year of university.
Perceived autonomy support appeared to decrease from among junior students to the senior year
ones. These findings suggest educational aspirations and future career aspirations may indeed be
liable causes, suggesting researchers should include measures of both in their study.

Vol. 5(7) July 2015, pp. 14-24
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More research is needed in the area of EFL student perception development controlling also for
teachers’ variables like attrition in their encouragements and support for students. The
participants in the study were delimited to three universities. Future studies may include first
graders in universities of Iran.
More developmental studies are needed for a certain group of learners to scrutinize their
perception of their learning environment as autonomy supportive. Gender was excluded from the
current study on the grounds that bias towards gender differences in academic research is being
relieved.
References
Black, A. E., & Deci, E. L. (2000). The effects of instructors’ autonomy support and
students’autonomous motivation on learning organic chemistry: A self-determination
theory perspective. Science Education, 84, 740–756.
Deci, E.L. & Ryan, R. M. (1987).The support of autonomy and the control of behavior. Journal
of Personality and Social Psychology, 53(6), 1024-1037.
Deci, E. L., Vallerand, R. J., Pelletier, L. G., &Ryan, R. M. (1991). Motivation and education
The self-determination perspective. The Educational Psychologist, 26, 325-346.
Eccles, J. S., Midgley, C., & Adler, T. F. (1984). Grade-related changes in the school
environment: Effects on achievement motivation. In J. G. Nicholls (Ed.),The development
of achievement motivation (pp.283-331). Greenwich CT: JAL press.
Gillet, N., Vallerand, R. J., Paty, E., Gobance, L., &Berjot, S. (2010). French validation and
adaptation of the perceived autonomy support scale for exercise settings to the sport
context. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 8, 117-128.
Guay, F., Vallerand, R.J., & Blanchard, C. (2000). On the assessment of state intrinsic
andextrinsic motivation: The situational motivation scale (SIMS). Motivation and
Emotion,24, 175-213.
Lim, B. S. C. & Wang, C. K. J. (2009).Perceived autonomy support, behavioral regulations in
physical education and physical activity intention. Psychology of sport and exercise,10, 52
60.
Lin, Xi-Zhe (2004). Successful EFL learners and their self-regulation: A case study of students
in advanced English program in one university motivation. A dissertation submitted to
university of Ming Chuan in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master
of Arts in applied linguistics. Retrieved August 7, 2010, from
http://www.ethesys.lib.mcu.edu.tw

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Vansteenkiste, M., Sierens, E., Goossens, L., Soenens, B., Dochy, F., Mouratidis, A., Aelterman,
N., Haerens, L., &Beyers, M. (2012).Identifying configurations of perceived teacher
autonomy support and structure: Associations with self-regulated learning, motivation and
problem behavior.Learning and Instruction, 22, 431-439.
Young, M.R. (2005).The motivational effects of the classroom environment in facilitating self
regulated learning. Journal of Marketing Education,27,25, 24-4o.
Appendix
Learning Climate Scale
This scale is meant to know more about your interaction with English teacher. Please answer
each question by marking appropriate number. Your responses are confidential.
Directions: Read each item carefully. Using the scale below, provide the answer that best
describes how you feel.
1 2 3 4 5 6
Strongly mostly partly partly mostly strongly
disagree disagree disagree agree agree agree
1. I feel that my teacher can understand my learning situation.
Strongly disagree 1 2 3 4 5 6 Strongly agree
2. I feel that my teacher provides me with choices and options.
3. I feel that teacher conveyed confidence in my abilities to do well in the class.

Vol. 5(7) July 2015, pp. 14-24
23
4. My teacher encouraged me to ask questions.
5. Before regulating things, my teacher tries to listen to opinions from students.
6. My teacher tries to understand my perception before giving me the advices about my English.
7. I feel I have a lot of freedom to try things related to materials in this class.
8. My teacher answers my questions fully and carefully.
9. My teacher respects opinions offered by students in the class.

Vol. 5(7) July 2015, pp. 14-24
24
10. I feel able to share my feelings with my teacher.

Perceived Autonomy Support of EFL Learners.pdf

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