Autonomy and Life-Long Learning as Soft Skills: Perceptions of English Department University Students

Abstract

Abstract. Many graduate students give much attention and thought in their university career to the hard or technical skills they get through their formal education or training. However, soft skills are not given the same importance as hard skills by students despite their positive effects on their careers. Many consulted studies have focused on the significance of soft skills in language learning. Still, there appears to be little discussion about how students develop their autonomy skills and why some fail to improve their soft skills after spending at least three years at the university. Therefore, the present study tries to fill this significant research gap by investigating Moroccan students’ perceptions of autonomy development and revealing the challenges they encounter in improving their autonomy skills. Moreover, based on what students report, practical suggestions and solutions will be provided to help students foster their autonomy. The study used a quantitative methodology based on a questionnaire that was distributed to 80 undergraduate students at Ain Chock Faculty of Letters and Humanities, Hassan 2 University in Casablanca. The results of the study revealed that many students' responses indicated that they are autonomous; however, there seems to be a misconception about self-autonomy's meaning. Further, with a few exceptions, the results suggest that many students are not yet aware of who is responsible for their learning. Hence, the study recommends that soft skills at the university level should be included as a subject, especially during the first year.

Keywords

• learner autonomy
• life-long learning
• soft skills
• university students
• performance