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Research from Queen Mary University of London explores how combining learner autonomy with student-led enquiry can create a more engaging and collaborative experience for international students learning academic English.

What happens when students are given more say in what they learn, how they learn it and which questions they want to investigate?

A new study from Queen Mary University of London, led by Dr. Ana Ines Salvi, suggests that giving international students greater agency in the classroom can create opportunities for deeper learning, collaboration and reflection.

The research, published in the Journal of English for Academic Purposes, explored what happened when learner autonomy was combined with Exploratory Practice – an approach that encourages teachers and students to investigate questions and develop understanding together.

The study was carried out during a four-week pre-sessional English course for 17 international students preparing to study a Master's degree in Manufacturing at a UK university.

Rather than relying solely on teacher-led instruction, students were encouraged to make decisions about aspects of their learning based on their own needs. They worked collaboratively, reflected on their progress and investigated questions – or "puzzles" – that interested them.

These included questions such as "Why are we here?", "Why is it hard to find accommodation around the university?" and "Why is it hard to come up with a good idea for our library project?"

Students researched their questions using sources including academic literature and the internet, discussed their findings with classmates and presented what they had learned.

The research identified five key themes in students' experiences: learning through interaction and collaboration, student agency, working towards understanding, quality of life and joy, and integrating research into teaching and learning.

Students' feedback indicated that they valued being able to make decisions about their learning and work together with their peers. Some students also said that keeping a daily learning diary helped them reflect on what they had learned and consider what they wanted to do next.

The exploratory activities also gave students the opportunity to develop research and interpersonal skills. For example, students reported learning how to formulate questions, collect and organise information, interview people and work with classmates from different countries.

Importantly, the research does not suggest that students should simply be left to learn independently. Students also highlighted the value of guidance from the teacher, with some suggesting that they would have welcomed more support when making decisions or working in groups.

The study's author, Dr Anna Ines Salvi, combined the two approaches to explore how they could complement one another. The findings suggest that learner autonomy can provide a clear structure for students to plan, carry out and evaluate their learning, while Exploratory Practice can encourage students to ask questions, investigate what matters to them and focus on understanding rather than simply finding solutions.

The approach also brought academic learning together with students' wider experiences of living and studying in a new environment.

One student reflected on the experience a year later, saying: "Questions are always the best teacher."

The research suggests that combining learner autonomy and Exploratory Practice may offer a way for teachers to integrate research, reflection and student-led enquiry into everyday teaching, rather than treating research as something separate from classroom learning.

The author notes that the study was conducted with a small group over a short four-week course and that, as a practitioner research study, the teacher also acted as the researcher. The findings therefore provide insight into this particular classroom experience rather than evidence that the approach will produce the same outcomes in all educational settings.

The study adds to research exploring how students can become active participants in their own education – not simply recipients of teaching, but people who help shape their learning experience and investigate questions that matter to them.

Read the full paper here.