Learning on their own terms : A Study of Self-Organised Learning among University Students through the lens of Activity Theory

Ezike, Amon and Bligh, Brett (2026) Learning on their own terms : A Study of Self-Organised Learning among University Students through the lens of Activity Theory. PhD thesis, Lancaster University.

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Abstract

Recent literature on self-organised learning (SOL) in higher education (HE) highlights its potential to foster student autonomy, collaboration and resilience. However, much of this research has focused on formally mandated or tutor supported student groups, offering limited insight into how students independently initiate and sustain SOL outside formal institutional structures. In particular, the dynamics of how SOL emerges and functions without tutor intervention remain under-explored. This research employed a qualitative survey methodology and an Activity Theory framework. A sample of sixteen students, studying different academic disciplines in the UK and all with prior experience of SOL, were interviewed and asked questions about their intention and experiences of SOL. Questions attempted to draw out how they created, sustained and adapted SOL activities. Data were analysed using the activity system model to explore the dynamic interactions and underlying mechanisms shaping student-led learning and collaboration in informal settings. The study identified six distinct objects of SOL activity, each giving rise to a uniquely structured activity system. These systems were characterised by different patterns of social interaction, role negotiation and structural dynamics. Each activity system revealed specific internal contradictions shaped by its object. For example, in a coursework review activity system, students experienced a tension between collaborative planning and the need to uphold academic integrity through individual work. Meanwhile, some contradictions were experienced in common ways across multiple systems most notably, the challenge of maintaining focus amid social distractions. Yet these tensions were sometimes driven by different aspects of the activity system, highlighting that similar difficult experiences could be driven by different causes depending on the dynamics of the specific activity. The research offers a range of contributions to the literature. It conceptualises SOL as a dynamic, socially mediated, object-oriented activity system with its own internal contradictions and adaptive strategies. Notably, it draws attention to how the roles of individual students within SOL are fluid and responsive. These insights extend current understandings of SOL by revealing the socio cultural and structural conditions that enable sustained, autonomous students’ SOL in higher education.