to learning incidentally), learning with attention (which, for many researchers, is also a
characteristic of other-directed learning) and learning with awareness of understanding
(which refers to learning explicitly)(ibid). As I see it, awareness implies
The ability to stand back occasionally from the learning process.. ..and the ability
to step back from actual tasks in order to plan, monitor and evaluate (the learners’)
own on-the-spot linguistic performance (Ridley; 1997, 1)
As the reader can see, Ridley makes here a logical link with metacognitive strategies.
4.2.5 Decision making and awareness
At the beginning of this section I highlighted the importance of decision-making in
adult learning as well as in self-directed learning. Now I am going to relate it to the elements
of attention that I have discussed.
I have stated that some researchers in SLA, such as Tomlin and Villa, have
concluded that awareness is not necessary for learning. However, as I stated above, this is
not the case in self-directed learning. The reason for this is that one of the main processes
that is activated in self-direction is decision-making. It is precisely at this level where
awareness plays a crucial role. In order to make a decision, self-directed learners need to be
aware of the implications of those decisions. If the learners are not aware of the choices they
have, the decision-making possibility becomes more a cognitive obstacle rather than a
cognitive tool. In any case, uninformed choice means no choice. For a learner to be self-
directed, she needs to be aware of the choices she has available in order to make sensible
decisions about her learning processes. I have already mentioned van Lier's definition of
awareness: "knowing where you are going, what you are doing and why". I would like to
complete it with: knowing where you are not going, what you are not doing and why. Of
course, due to cultural and psychological constraints, it is a fallacy to say that a learner can
be aware of all the possibilities that exist. However, in spite of those constraints, there is still
a broad range of possibilities the learner can choose from. In fact, as I see it, one of the
educational goals in self-direction should be to prepare the learner to make informed
choices, that is, to activate her decision-making ability.
92