Autonomy in Action: Designing and Validating a Model of Student-Generated Vocabulary Testing to Enhance Learning

Abstract

This study aimed to design and validate a pioneering student-generated vocabulary testing paradigm aimed at cultivating autonomy among TEFL Ph.D. candidates or holders in Iran, encompassing both male and female participants. Employing a sequential exploratory mixed-methods design, the research unfolded through a qualitative phase followed by a quantitative phase. In the qualitative phase, 30 Ph.D. candidates or holders in TEFL engaged in insightful semi-structured interviews. Subsequently, the quantitative phase saw the development of a comprehensive questionnaire based on the emergent themes from the qualitative inquiry. The questionnaire was piloted with a sample of 274 participants to capture the intricacies of the learners' experiences based on the insights gathered from the interviews. The pilot study substantiated the construct validity of the questionnaire through exploratory factor analysis, while Cronbach's alpha affirmed its reliability. The questionnaire was then given to a larger sample of 384 EFL learners. Further bolstering the study's robustness, Structural Equation Modeling analysis was executed through Smart PLS software. As a result, a validated model was created as a valuable asset for future research endeavors in the realm of student-generated vocabulary testing in the Iranian context. The student-generated vocabulary testing model advocated in this study not only encourages meaningful engagement with vocabulary learning tasks but also fosters a profound understanding and retention of vocabulary items.