Autonomy in Students’ Degree Projects: A Matter of Space, Knowledge and Time

Within higher education, students’ autonomy in connection with degree projects is highly valued and research indicates relationships between autonomy and motivation, which are essential for both academic achievement and lifelong learning. However, it is unclear what autonomy means and how it is promoted in tutoring. This study aims to obtain knowledge about how to enable a learning environment in tutoring that develops students’ autonomy during their work with the degree project. Through phenomenology, the essential meanings of students’ autonomy in their degree projects are described. Data is gathered through focus-group interviews with both students and tutors in various educational programs. The results indicate that autonomy develops in a supportive process balanced by the tutor between control and freedom and requires frameworks such as space, knowledge and time. The student’s self-awareness and the tutor’s knowledge of the student’s individual needs facilitate the student’s autonomy.