L'AUTONOMIA NELL'APPRENDIMENTO DELLO SPAGNOLO COME LINGUA STRANIERA. NUOVE PROSPETTIVE DIDATTICHE E PEDAGOGICHE NELLO SCENARIO (POST)PANDEMICO

The theme of this thesis is autonomy in learning foreign languages (FL). Autonomy does not exclusively concern language learning, but we limit the arguments of the thesis and the empirical study that we present to this area of study. Autonomy is a construct that has been fully studied in language teaching since the 1970s, when neuroscience studies led to a shift of the focus from teaching to learning and to the cognitive and affective peculiarities of learners (De Barros Camargo, C. et al., 2023; Mora, 2021). Moreover, studies of humanistic pedagogy lay the grounds for the holistic consideration of learners and define that meaningful learning is self-regulated learning that occurs in a context where students experiment freedom from conditioning and empathy (Gordon, 2014; Hard and Hodson, 2014; Rogers, 1976, 1978). These studies also underline the importance of establishing an authentic relationship between educators and students, based on mutual trust and unconditional acceptance of learners, who have an active role, cooperate with peers, and reflect metacognitively on the learning process. The aim is the co-construction of knowledge and the valorization of the being of students and their natural becoming (Rogers, 1976, 1978; Kolb, 1984; Krishnamurti, 1983). It is a non-directive pedagogical approach that allows to achieve the deep learning level (Hermida, 2014) and implies a personalized didactic architecture that promotes learners’ self-realization and does not repress their freedom. These studies, together with socio-cultural changes (specifically, the increase in physical and virtual mobility and the pressing demand for plurilingual and pluricultural competences) determine the development of the communicative approach, which generates a change in the conception of language (we move from a vision exclusively formal to a communicative one, for which the LS is a tool for interacting with others and includes the pragmatic and intercultural dimension), of the teacher (considered as a mediator and a facilitator between the student and communicative effectiveness and no longer only as a source of knowledge and decision-making power) and of student (an active agent who maintains intercultural relationships when communicating in FL) (Balboni, 2015, 2017; Diadori, 2011; North and Piccardo, 2019; North, 2022). Because of the social pressing and the professional demands, for several decades autonomy has also been the object of concern of the European institutions dedicated to the definition of educational and linguistic policies. This is demonstrated by the numerous official documents published: in chronological order we mention Faure et al. 1972; OECD, 2003; European Commission, 2020; EU, 2006, 2018. In particular, the interest in autonomy in foreign language learning emerges after the Second World War and the Cold War with the aim of stimulating cooperation between member states through interlingual and intercultural interaction. In the embryonic documents (Council of Europe, 1997) and in the more recent ones (Council of Europe, 2002, 2020) an action-oriented and student-centered foreign language teaching approach is proposed, which requires the development of macro skills for communication in FL, including “savoire apprendre” (Concil of Europe, 2002, 2020), that is one of the many facets of autonomy. Autonomy is understood as the prerequisite for lifelong learning, i.e. the ability to update linguistic and transversal knowledge and skills in order to adapt them to new contexts and to maintain international relations in pluricultural scenarios without linguistic and communicative barriers. From the point of view of scientific research, there are many studies on the topic: many definitions (Dam, 1995; Holec, 1982; Little, 1991) and models have been developed (Dam, 1995; Littlewood, 1997; Nunan, 1997; Scharle and Zsabó, 2000; Tassinari, 2011). The studies also reflect on the role of the teacher (Dam 2003; Little, 1991, 1995; Riley, 1997), on the complexity and instability of the construct (Cotterall, 1995a; Nguyen, 2012a), on the possible measurement methods and their limits (Cotterall, 1995a; Maynard, 2006; Nguyen, 2012a). There are also many studies regarding issues related to autonomy, in particular the factors influencing the autonomy: beliefs (Cotterall, 1995a; Mariani, 2000b, 2006, 2010, 2013), motivation (Bier, 2014; Deci and Ryan, 2000a, b; Mariani, 2006, 2010; Maslow, 2007), self-efficacy and self-esteem (Bandura, 2000, 2010; Bisquerra, 2007; Goleman, 2011; Montessori, 2006; Krishnamurti, 2006), strategic reflection and metacognitive reflection (Kolb, 1984; Little, 1991). These are studies that highlight the need for a student-centered approach and a holistic vision of the student, of which cognitive and affective factors are valorized. Technologies (ICTs) represent the second main theme of the thesis, and they are an influent element in the foreign languages teaching and learning processes. Firstly, they were integrated according to a behaviorist approach, so they were considered as linguistic input sources in language laboratories, then alternative methods of integration have gradually developed, also thanks to digital innovation. In other words, ICTs have transformed from a dispenser of inputs to environments where interlingual and intercultural communications happen. Therefore, a constructivist psycho-pedagogical approach predominates (Garavaglia, 2022; Helm and Guth, 2016; Montilla, 2017; O'Dowd, 2007, 2018; Ruggiano, 2018; Torsani, 2014). Scientific literature demonstrates that through technologies it is possible to increase the significance of language learning because they promote the cooperative construction of knowledge and the personalization of learning; also, they guarantee higher language teaching accessibility level and inclusion (McKenzie, 2014; Melero, 2017). Furthermore, they guarantee greater exposure to authentic and varied input (from the diatopic, diaphasic, diastratic and diamesic points of view), more possibilities to produce authentic and situated output and technologies are catalysts of motivation and interest, self-efficacy and self-esteem of adolescents and young adults, considered 'digital natives', that is, they are accustomed to the exposure and use of technologies (Caon, 2012, 2020; Dolci, 2011; Ellis, 2005; Hernández, et al., 2012; Prensky, 2001; Rocha-Osornio, 2020). Despite the indications at national and international level, which promote the integration of ICTs in formal linguistic learning (among many, in chronological order: European Commission, 2009, 2017a, b; Miur, 2015; President of the Repubblica, 20 Aug. 2019; Miur, 26 June 2020; Digital Education Action Plan; European Commission, 2022), and the push towards forced digitalization due to Covid-19 (Miur, 2020) it seems to withstand techno skepticism (Garavaglia and Petti, 2022). The empirical study intends to fill the existing gap regarding the studies about the correlation between autonomy and technologies. We intend to enrich the state of the art of the literature about autonomy in language learning through the collection and analysis of data in the specific (post) pandemic context, a moment during which it has been possible to continue teaching thanks to the support of technologies by adopting alternative methodologies and by shifting from presential to online environment. In detail, first of all, through the study of official documents (decrees, laws, ministerial guidelines, ordinances and regional regulation), we explore the Covid-19 scenario from a socio-cultural point of view, that is, we analyze the management of the pandemic by the institutions and the implications on formal learning contexts, and we study consequences experienced by the protagonists of the school from a psychological, didactic and pedagogical point of view. Secondly, we define the state of the art of distance/online teaching, and we proceed to the implementation and presentation of the empirical study. Considering the complexity of the construct of autonomy, we adopt a triangulated methodology which is based on the implementation of introspective tools (three questionnaires for students and teachers of Spanish from the secondary school and from the university that studied and taught during the pandemic period) and non-participant observation in class with the support of specific observation sheets. The research involves students and teachers of Spanish from the second three-year term of the secondary school and of the universities of Northern Italy (Lombardy, limited to the provinces of Milan and Lodi, hardest hit by the virus and the measures to contain the epidemic) and examines significant variables for language acquisition without a real statistical analysis. Through the tools mentioned, we intend to collect data regarding the beliefs of teachers and students on the role of the teacher and of the students and about autonomy, as well as the practices for autonomy during the health emergency and after the return to presence, and methods of integrating technologies and methodological management of integrated distance/digital teaching. The aim is to define the level of autonomy of adolescent and young adult students who have studied Spanish as a FL in formal learning contexts (school and university) in Italy during the specific and peculiar socio-cultural Covid-19 emergency in which technologies were the protagonists of didactic and pedagogical processes. We intend to define what the impact of technologies and distance learning was on autonomy and whether it represented a turning point towards a more student-centered model also thanks to the introduction of ICT. The research is relevant and necessary and fills gaps in the state of the art of the subject, which is lacking with respect to the relationship between autonomy and ICT, the autonomy of Spanish learners, both adolescents and young adults, and autonomy in the context specific of distance language learning. The Covid-19 pandemic represented an earthquake for educational contexts and highlighted the limits and the need to proceed from a surface learning level to a deep learning level (Hermida, 2014). Furthermore, the study presents elements of methodological originality, we refer to the necessary choice of combining quantitative-qualitative tools (questionnaires) with qualitative strategies typical of ethnographic-emic research (non-participant observation with the support of observation sheets). Finally, regarding the expected results, we mean to collect data that allow us to formulate relevant qualitative considerations regarding I) the impact of the introduction of technologies on the teaching of FS; II) the level of autonomy of the students; III) the underlying needs of learners with the aim of encourage the processes of experimentation and renewal of teaching practices in secondary school and university contexts.