Learner autonomy and the use of technology

Learner autonomy and the use of technology 

Learner autonomy has been widely discussed in the area of both second and language classroom (e.g., Thomson, 1998; Luke, 2006; Humphreys & Wyatt, 2013; Kormos & Csizer; 2013). Its positive advantages have been revealed by several recent studies. It is said that promoting learner autonomy could widen learners’ opportunities to learn beyond the classroom (Kormos & Csizer, 2013) and enhance their motivation (Dickinson, 1995).

Defined as "the ability to charge of one’s own learning" (Holec, 1981, p.3 cited in Benson, 2007), learner autonomy is not a novel concept in second and foreign language pedagogies. It is often described as a freedom (Benson, 2007) for learners to self-direct their learning (Trebbi, 2008) with an emphasis on their personal goals and strategies (Little, 1999). To be autonomous, learners should be able to recognize what they are doing, set their own goals of learning, employ their own strategies, monitor their progress, and self-assess their learning (Dickinson, 1995).

In today’s EFL classrooms, learner autonomy could be promoted through engaging the recent technology. Today’s technology enables learners to access resources easily wherever and whenever they want (Reinders, 2018). It also helps them in monitoring and supporting each other’s learning (Reinders, 2018). To see more on the benefits of using technology to promote learner autonomy, the following studies are worth of looking at (see Luke, 2006; Bhattacharya & Chauhan, 2010; Eneau & Develotte, 2012)

References

Benson, P. (2007). Autonomy in language teaching and learning. Language Teaching, 40, 21-40 doi:10.1017/S0261444806003958

Bhattacharya, A., & Chauhan, K. (2010). Augmenting learner autonomy through blogging. ELT Journal, 64(4), 376–384. doi:10.1093/elt/ccq002 

Dickinson, L. (1995). Autonomy and motivation a literature review. System, 23(2), 165-174. https://doi.org/10.1016/0346-251X(95)00005-5

Eneau, J., & Develotte, C. (2012). Working together online to enhance learner autonomy: Analysis of learners’ perceptions of their online learning experience. ReCALL, 24(01), 3–19.doi:10.1017/s0958344011000267

Humphreys, G., & Wyatt, M. (2013). Helping Vietnamese university learners to become more autonomous. ELT Journal, 68(1), 52–63. doi:10.1093/elt/cct056

Kormos, J., & Csizér, K. (2013). The interaction of motivation, self-regulatory strategies, and autonomous learning behavior in different learner groups. TESOL Quarterly, 48(2), 275–299.doi:10.1002/tesq.129

Little, D. (1999). Learner autonomy is more than a western cultural construct. In S. Cotterall & D. Crabbe (Eds.), Learner autonomy in language learning:  Defining the field and effecting change (pp. 11-18). Frankfrut, Germany: Peter Lang GmbH

Luke, C. L. (2006). Fostering learner autonomy in a technology-enhanced, inquiry-based foreign language classroom. Foreign Language Annals, 39(1), 71–86.doi:10.1111/j.1944-9720.2006.tb02250.x

Reinders, H. (2018). Technology and autonomy. The TESOL Encyclopedia of English Language Teaching, 1–5.doi:10.1002/9781118784235.eelt0433

Thomson, C. K. (1998). Junior teacher internship: Promoting cooperative interaction and learner autonomy in foreign language classrooms. Foreign Language Annals, 31(4), 569–583.doi:10.1111/j.1944-9720.1998.tb00600.x

Trebbi, T. (2008). Freedom – a prerequisite for learner autonomy?  Classroom innovation and language teacher education. In T. Lamb & H. Reinders (Eds.), Learner and teacher autonomy: Concepts, realities, and responses (pp. 33-46). Amsterdam: John Benjamins B.V.

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