Abstract
While the concepts and principles associated with learner autonomy underpin a broad range of CALL
applications and research projects, current debates and research paradigms in CALL do not provide adequate tools and
models to investigate in depth the relationship between CALL and the development of learner autonomy. This paper explores the
potential of cultural-historical activity theory to study this relationship. Starting from the complex and multidimensional
nature of learner autonomy, it highlights some of the weaknesses in the CALL literature addressing some aspects of this
relationship. Following a presentation of the main tenets of cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT), including the notion of
contradiction which is at the core of CHAT, it then seeks to demonstrate how activity theory can assist us in rethinking our
understanding of learner autonomy in the context of technology-rich language learning environments and in formulating suitable
criteria and questions, which can guide judgemental and empirical analyses. The paper concludes by illustrating some of the
principles explored through examples drawn from an activity-theoretical judgemental analysis of a French module delivered to
first year students in Dublin City University.
Publisher
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Subject
Computer Science Applications,Linguistics and Language,Language and Linguistics,Education
Cited by
80 articles.
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