Journal of Philosophical Investigations

نوع مقاله : مقاله علمی- پژوهشی

نویسنده

دکتری برنامه آموزشی ، دانشگاه چارلز، جمهوری چک

چکیده

Postmodernism represents skepticism toward metanarratives and universal ideologies that dominated the modernist era. The study focuses on three key postmodernist concepts - alternative assessment, process syllabi, and self-directed learning. Alternative assessment emphasizes evaluating the learning process over summative testing. Process syllabi focus on the learning experience rather than rigid outcomes. Self-directed learning enables student responsibility in setting learning goals and processes. This paper examined the effects of postmodernist educational concepts on improving Iranian EFL learners’ autonomy. A quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test design was utilized with 60 intermediate level Iranian EFL students divided into an experimental and control group (n=30 each). The experimental group received instruction utilizing the three postmodernist concepts over 14 weeks, while the control group received traditional modernist instruction. Autonomy was measured using a validated questionnaire before and after the intervention. The results showed the experimental group demonstrated significant increases in autonomy compared to the control group. Paired sample t-tests revealed significant differences between pre-test and post-test autonomy for the experimental group across all three postmodern concepts - alternative assessment, process syllabi, and self-directed learning. This suggests postmodernist concepts that decentralize instruction and emphasize student process over outcomes can enhance Iranian EFL learners’ self-direction and responsibility for language acquisition. The study implies EFL syllabus designers and instruction should transition to postmodern models centered on individualized assessment, flexible syllabi, and student-guided learning to boost autonomy. Further research can expand sample sizes and explore additional postmodernist concepts across diverse demographics.

کلیدواژه‌ها

موضوعات

عنوان مقاله [English]

Beyond Metanarratives and Universal Ideologies: Exploring Postmodernist Educational Concepts for Autonomy in Iranian EFL Context

نویسنده [English]

  • Vahid Norouzi larsari

PhD in Education Program, Charles University, Czech Republic

چکیده [English]

Postmodernism represents skepticism toward metanarratives and universal ideologies that dominated the modernist era. The study focuses on three key postmodernist concepts - alternative assessment, process syllabi, and self-directed learning. Alternative assessment emphasizes evaluating the learning process over summative testing. Process syllabi focus on the learning experience rather than rigid outcomes. Self-directed learning enables student responsibility in setting learning goals and processes. This paper examined the effects of postmodernist educational concepts on improving Iranian EFL learners’ autonomy. A quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test design was utilized with 60 intermediate level Iranian EFL students divided into an experimental and control group (n=30 each). The experimental group received instruction utilizing the three postmodernist concepts over 14 weeks, while the control group received traditional modernist instruction. Autonomy was measured using a validated questionnaire before and after the intervention. The results showed the experimental group demonstrated significant increases in autonomy compared to the control group. Paired sample t-tests revealed significant differences between pre-test and post-test autonomy for the experimental group across all three postmodern concepts - alternative assessment, process syllabi, and self-directed learning. This suggests postmodernist concepts that decentralize instruction and emphasize student process over outcomes can enhance Iranian EFL learners’ self-direction and responsibility for language acquisition. The study implies EFL syllabus designers and instruction should transition to postmodern models centered on individualized assessment, flexible syllabi, and student-guided learning to boost autonomy. Further research can expand sample sizes and explore additional postmodernist concepts across diverse demographics.

کلیدواژه‌ها [English]

  • learner autonomy
  • autonomy
  • modernism
  • postmodernism
  • paradigm postmodernism
Bazargani, D. T. & Norouzi, V. L. (2015). Postmodernism: Is the contemporary state of affairs correctly described as postmodern? in Journal of Social Issues and Humanities, 3 (1), 89-96.
Benson, P. (1997). The philosophy and politics of learner autonomy. In P. Benson, & P. Voller, P (Eds). Autonomy and independence in language learning (pp. 269-295). Longman Review.
Chan, V. (2000). In the classroom/En class: Fostering learner autonomy in an ESL Classroom. Journal of Revue TESL Du Canada, 18(1), 75-86.
Chomsky, N. (1996). On Postmodernism, theory, fads, etc. http://199.172.47.21/lbbs/forums/ncpm long.html [Retrieved in 2014].
Dafei, D. (2007). An exploration of the relationship between learner autonomy and English proficiency. Asian EFL Journal, 9(1), 1- 23.
Daunwong, Ch. (2007). The role of metcognitive strategies in promoting learning English as foreign language learning independency (Doctoral dissertation). Hong Kong University.
Derrida, J. (1978). Violence and metaphysics. Levinas, phenomenology and his critics, pp. 88-173.
Duignan, P. (2004). The insight and foresight of Bill Walker: motorcycle maintenance 30 years on (1974-2004), Monograph No. 35, William Walker Oration, Australian Council for Educational Leaders Inc., Winmalee.
Finch, A. E. (2006). The postmodern language teachers: The influence of task-based teaching. Studies in British and American Language and Literature, 78, 221-248.
Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the oppressed. Continuum.
Foucault M (1980), Power/Knowledge, Selected Interviews and Other Writings 1972-1977, The Harvester Press
Gass, S., Mackey, A., & Ross‐Feldman, L. (2005). Task‐based interactions in classroom and laboratory settings. Language learning, 55(4), 575-611.
Giddens, A. (1990). The Consequences of Modernity Stanford: Stanford University Press
Kirby, A. (2006). The death of postmodernism and beyond. Philosophy Now 58. http://www. philosophynow.org/issue8/The_Deathof_Postmodernism_And_Beyond> [Retrieved in 2014]
Kucuroğlu, Ç. (2000). The role of a learner-centered approach in language teaching on the development of learner autonomy: A model course design. Doğuş University Journal, 1(1), 193-200.
Larsari, V. N., & Wildová, R. (2022). Modernism and Postmodernism Concepts in Education: Its impact on EFL students’ autonomy and implication for EFL teachers. Journal of English as a Foreign Language Teaching and Research, 2(1), 59–69. https://doi.org/10.31098/jefltr.v2i1.850
Larsari, V. N. (2022). A quantitative method study on Finch (2006)’s taxonomy in investigating students’ autonomy in modernism and postmodernism concepts: Which one promotes students’ autonomy in classroom? International Journal of Research Studies in Education, 11(5). 89-98. https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrse.2022.159
Little D. (1991). Learner Autonomy 1: Definitions, issues and problems. Authentik.
Little, D. (2006). Learner Autonomy: Drawing together the threads of self-assessment, goal setting and reflection. Oxford University Press.
Lyotard, J. F. (1984). The Postmodern Condition: A report on knowledge, Vol. 10. University of Minnesota Press.
Sokal A, B. J. (1998). Fashionable nonsense: postmodern intellectuals' abuse of science. Picador.
Richards, C., & Schmidt. R. (2010). Longman dictionary of language teaching and applied linguistic. 4th Ed. Pearson.
Zhang, L. X., & Li, X.X. (2004). A comparative study on learner autonomy between Chinese students and west European students. Foreign Language World, 4, 15-23.
CAPTCHA Image