Student negotiated syllabus and students' engagement and academic procrastination: A mixed-method study

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Applied Linguistics

Background:

• Participatory educational approaches, like syllabus negotiation, are theorized to improve student autonomy and engagement.
• The specific effects of negotiated syllabi on academic procrastination and engagement require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the influence of a negotiated syllabus on English for Academic Purposes (EAP) learners' engagement and procrastination.
• To understand learners' perceptions of the negotiated syllabus's effectiveness.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-method design incorporating quantitative and qualitative data collection.
• Quantitative analysis involved Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) comparing a negotiated syllabus group (n=139) with a traditional syllabus control group (n=169).
• Qualitative data from 26 students in the negotiated syllabus group were thematically analyzed.

Main Results:

• The negotiated syllabus group demonstrated statistically significant increases in engagement and decreases in procrastination.
• Students reported heightened interest, increased participation, and improved time management skills.
• Qualitative data indicated enhanced reflective learning and psychological flexibility.

Conclusions:

• Syllabus negotiation fosters intrinsic motivation, self-regulation, and autonomy, aligning with self-determination theory.
• Participatory syllabus design enhances academic behaviors and supports the development of crucial lifelong learning skills.
• Learner participation in syllabus creation promotes autonomy, engagement, and adaptive learning in higher education contexts.