Fostering Adult Students' Autonomy through Digital Games as Homework Based on Andragogical Principles

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The study of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) has become an opportunity for adults to achieve greater goals within their personal lives. Nevertheless, adults, due to their busy schedules, have less time to invest in homework, leading them to not remember very well the topics explained in the class before. This action research aims to use Digital Games as homework, based on andragogical principles, to foster adult students' autonomy to review EFL class topics. This study was implemented in the Programa de Inglés para Adultos (PIA) online course 9 from Universidad de Antioquia. Fourteen students participated during a bimester where they used two types of Digital Games designed by the researcher as homework. The data was collected and validated through the triangulation method coming from journal entries, a group interview and two questionnaires. The results show that Digital Games assigned as homework effectively enhanced adult students' engagement and autonomy while developing them, which facilitated the retention of information from previous classes.