Can Increasing Mandatory Usage of a University SALC Foster Autonomous Learning?

Self-access learning centers (SALCs) provide the opportunity to take control of the language learning process; however many students are reluctant to use SALCs due to social and cultural factors. To address this hesitancy, many universities integrate SALCs into the curriculum through required visits. This quantitative study investigated how an increase in mandatory self-access center visits changed the usage habits of first- and second-year university students using notions of controlled and autonomous motivation from organismic integration theory as a framework. Data were collected from students (n = 379) through attendance cards, which participants used to self-report how they utilized the SALC. While there was no significant difference in the SALC usage of first-year students, there was a significant increase in both the visits of second-year students and their engagement in autonomous activities. The results suggest this difference is due to emerging and established learner identities; the first-year students’ usage was connected to an autonomous motivation to explore the benefits and affordances of the SALC, whereas second-year students had already formed opinions on the SALC. Understanding how learners respond to an increase in required visits can be valuable for incorporating SALCs into the curriculum. Furthermore, knowing the activities students engage in reveal whether learners see the purpose of SALCs as supporting classroom learning, or to pursue intrinsic interests.