A Narrative Inquiry on Student Autonomy Experiences in Secondary School

This study concentrates on students’ narratives regarding their autonomous experiences. Their voices will dynamically reveal the characteristics of student autonomy and its practical limitations. The objective of this study is to vividly share the viewpoints and opinions of students who had directly participated in autonomous activities. To achieve this objective, research participants with ample experience in autonomous activities were chosen. A semi-structured in-depth interview was conducted on two research participants with whom the researcher had formed a rapport, and the content was thoroughly described and interpreted. The results are shown below. First, students’ autonomous activities are led by a small number of the student council executives. Second, teachers’ ‘opportunism’ becomes the worst obstacle in autonomous activities of students. It is not teachers’ indifference but their non-cooperative and conservative attitudes that have a negative influence on autonomous activities. Third, students’ autonomous activities cannot extend to activities that ‘transform’ the school structure. Fourth, students voluntarily show efforts to expand their autonomous activities. To overcome practical limitations in schools, they seek solidarity forces who support their opinions. The representative body of such a solidarity force was the ‘parent association’. The results of this research deduced the following implications for future student autonomous activities. First, it is necessary to reduce the gap in students’ experiences in autonomous activities. Second, teachers in charge of student councils must enhance their understanding of educational autonomy and democracy. Third, these teachers must be provided with an environment where they can be fully immersed in autonomous learning activities of students. Fourth, voluntary participation of the student council executives must be ensured in the school council.