A Study of Students’ Perception of Instructors’ Different Types of Autonomy Support in College Writing Course*

초록

This study investigated students' perception of instructors' different types of autonomy support as one of the strong predictors of student interest in college writing courses. 28 undergraduates were recruited from college writing courses in Seoul to participate in open-ended survey and semi-structured focus group interviews. Constant comparative analysis was used for data analysis through open and axial coding. It identified three categories: cognitive autonomy support, task choice autonomy support, and environmental choice autonomy support. Perceived cognitive autonomy support(PCAS), most frequently mentioned in responses(58%) and also critical in writing courses, was defined as support that a person experiences when having an opportunity to think or express ideas freely in writing classes. 30 initial PCAS and 7 perceived choice(PC) statements were developed. Through follow-up factor analyses, the initial items were reduced to 19 PCAS items and they were differentiated from 7 perceived choice(PC) items. These findings are expected to contribute to 1) a theoretical understanding of different types of autonomy support given in Korean college writing courses, and 2) teaching practices supporting students’ autonomy. Further studies are necessary in various domains.

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